About Us
Baird Group, Inc. is a results-oriented consulting group specializing in customer service improvement and mystery shopping for healthcare organizations. The Baird Group delivers insightful observations, customized service strategies, and training. Since 1991, it has provided healthcare clients with targeted solutions for customer-service challenges. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and visit our blog for weekly tips, articles, and valuable healthcare information.
Kristin Baird, RN, BSN, MHA, President/CEO
With over thirty years of experience in patient care, healthcare marketing, business development, and administration, Kristin Baird is a talented speaker and consultant with a passion for service excellence. President of the Baird Group, Kristin earned a bachelor of science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's in Health Services Administration from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.
Kristin is the author of You Make the Call! Healthcare’s mandate for post-discharge follow up (Golden Lamp Press, 2012), Raising the Bar on Service Excellence: The health care leader's guide to putting passion into practice (Golden Lamp Press, 2008), Reclaiming the Passion: Stories that celebrate the essence of nursing (Golden Lamp Press, 2004), and Customer Service in Health Care: A grassroots approach to creating a culture of service excellence (Jossey Bass and American Hospital Association Publishing, 2000).
Kristin is also the creator of "Raising the Bar on Service Excellence: Step by Step," a five-part Web series designed to help healthcare leaders implement the five essential competencies for building a service-centered culture. She has worked with hundreds of healthcare clients, including hospitals, medical practices, and long-term care facilities to improve the customer experience.
Kristin received an appointment from the Secretary of Health in 2009 to serve on the National Advisory Council for the National Health Service Corps. Her work in Washington is consistent with her passion for excellence. She brings her talent in customer service and marketing to assist the NHSC in serving the underserved.
Consulting Division
Janet Schulz, MBA, FACHE, Senior Vice President, Consulting Division
Janet Schulz brings to her consulting work over thirty years of healthcare leadership, management, and training experience. She has held diverse roles in hospital and health system settings, including strategic planning, hospital operations, information services, materials management, structure and process integration, medical staff services, quality/patient safety, service excellence, marketing/communications, and more. She has extensive background in the design and delivery of patient-centered tactics to improve service and enhance the patient experience. She provides practical skills and integrated plans that help individuals and organizations consistently and sustainably enhance their service and culture.
Janet's experience comes from work at ProHealth Care (Waukesha, WI), Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital (Milwaukee, WI), and the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is a skilled facilitator and a Certified Change Agent.
She earned an undergraduate degree in News-Editorial Journalism from Marquette University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Kevin Stranberg, Senior Consultant
Kevin Stranberg is a skilled strategist, trainer, and facilitator. Kevin helps our healthcare clients understand the customer perspective when tackling service and culture issues. Kevin began working in healthcare in 1994 as Director of Public Relations for Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, WI where he spearheaded a successful customer-service initiative. He joined Baird Group in 2004. In addition to his work with Baird Group, Kevin is an adjunct instructor for Northland College, where he teaches courses on leadership and strategic planning.
Kevin has served in leadership roles of many local, state, and national boards of directors, including the Wisconsin Health Care Public Relations and Marketing Society where he served terms as President, Treasurer, and District Representative. Kevin is currently serving a term on the board for the Society of Health Care Strategy and Market Development (AHA affiliate).
Linda Pophal, MA, ABC, SPHR, Consultant
Linda Pophal has more than twenty-five years of experience in strategic communications management, specializing in strategic planning and the coordination of communication activities across multiple channels—internal and external—including traditional and new media.
Pophal served as the director of corporate communications for Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire from 1996 – 2007 and continues to work with healthcare organizations on strategic planning and communication management.
She is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Strategic Planning (Penguin, 2011) and has served as a National Baldrige Examiner and Wisconsin Forward Award Examiner. Pophal is a lecturer in the communication/journalism and marketing/management departments at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
She is certified through the American Marketing Association (PCM), Society for Human Resource Management (SPHR), and International Association of Business Communicators (ABC).
Tom Ludwig, RN, MBA, FACMPE, Consultant
Tom Ludwig specializes in medical practice operations and management. Tom brings a wealth of experience to the Baird Group by helping medical practices improve the patient experience. He has been on the front lines of healthcare delivery as an operating room technician, medical assistant, staff nurse, and administrator. He has worked primarily in the ambulatory setting for a variety of organizations over the past thirty years, including large and small organizations, public and private, for-profit, and not-for-profit. Tom has extensive experience in clinic operations management, with expertise in strategic and business planning, process improvement, and workflow efficiency, and supervisory training. His work in advanced access has been instrumental in improving the patient experience.
Tom is a graduate of St. Joseph Hosptial School of Nursing in Marshfield, WI, and has a bachelor of science and masters of business administration degrees from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI. He is a member of the MGMA-ACMPE and Wisconsin MGMA. He currently serves on the MGMA-ACMPE Board of Directors and is a Board Certified Medical Practice Executive and a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives.
Brittany Klokow, Executive Assistant & Office Manager
Brittany Klokow joined the Baird Group team in May 2011 as Kristin Baird's Executive Assistant. She is also Office Manager and supervises the Baird Group's book publishing branch, Golden Lamp Press, LLC. In addition to overseeing company schedules and communication processes, Brittany creates and refines company procedures, documentation, and is involved in company marketing and sales.
Brittany earned her bachelor of arts in English with an emphasis in Professional Writing and Book Publishing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a minor in Advertising. In early 2013, she received her graduate certification in Professional Writing and Communication.
Mystery Shopping Division
Stacy Wagner, Director, Mystery Shopping Division
Stacy Wagner is an accomplished manager with over fifteen years of experience in customer service and account management. Stacy leads the mystery shopping division at the Baird Group, overseeing thousands of mystery shops each year for healthcare organizations across the country. She has personally completed hundreds of mystery shops in the course of her career, gaining greater insight into the art and science of medical mystery shopping. Prior to joining the Baird Group in 2008, Stacy worked in management for Enterprise, Geico, and Remedy Staffing.
Stacy is directly involved in the recruiting and training of mystery shoppers throughout the US. She speaks regularly at mystery shopping conferences about mystery shopping in the healthcare industry. She is both Gold and Silver Certified by the MSPA.
Stacy earned a bachelor of arts degree in English and Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Bridget Nsibirwa, Project Coordinator
Prior to joining the Baird Group, Bridget worked in human resources for Watertown Area Health Services, specializing in recruitment. Bridget first worked for the Baird Group from 2004 to 2006 in marketing and returned in 2011 as a project coordinator.
She has over eleven years of experience as a CNA.
Bridget holds degrees in Journalism and Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Elisabeth Callahan, Project Coordinator
Elisabeth Callahan ensures the successful completion of culture assessment projects by collecting, editing, organizing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data. She assists in report writing and web-based presentations.
Prior to joining the Baird Group, Elisabeth worked as a reporter for Marketing and Media Relations of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Her attention to detail, interviewing skills, and statistical analysis help capture the patient perspective.
Along with helping Baird deliver the highest quality results to clients, Elisabeth provides administrative support by improving operations, streamlining work processes, and managing shopping databases.
Elisabeth earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in English Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Sara Strohbusch, Scheduler & Quality Assurance Specialist
Sara Strohbusch is a scheduler and quality assurance specialist for the Baird Group’s mystery shopping division. She is in direct communication with shoppers and works with project coordinators to ensure the right shopper is assigned to each project.
Sara earned her bachelor of science degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She uses her understanding of different regions and societies to recruit new shoppers across the nation to ensure Baird delivers the best results to clients. Sara has a passion for people, and her excellent communication skills and attention to detail allow her to work accurately and efficiently to complete each project assigned to her. In her past position, she worked with multiple contacts internally and externally as a research and development technician.
Yolanda Riddell, Quality Assurance Specialist
Yolanda Riddell has a passion for customer service and brings that into her role as Quality Assurance Specialist within the mystery shopping division. She helps provide shoppers with the tools they need to become successful mystery shoppers for Baird.
Prior to joining the Baird Group, Yolanda held a training and organizational development position with Summit Credit Union for nine years, focusing on member service, culture improvement, and soft-skills enhancement initiatives.
She earned her bachelor's degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Mandy Hunt, Quality Assurance Specialist
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Mandy Hunt is a quality assurance specialist within the medical mystery shopping team and helps assure the highest standards in data collection and documentation. Mandy has more than ten years of experience in the healthcare industry, including over seven years working in quality assurance for Wisconsin Physicians Services (WPS) Health Insurance, TRICARE division. Mandy has experience as a data security analyst within the Medicare division of WPS Health Insurance.
Kate Smillie, Project Assistant
Kate Smillie is Project Assistant for the Baird Group’s Mystery Shopping Division. She provides administrative support to the director and project coordinators. Kate works on the preparation and completion of projects alongside the project coordinators to ensure that our clients receive the best quality reports. She assists with collecting and analyzing data, reporting, and quality assurance on mystery shops. Kate works closely with the schedulers and quality assurance specialists throughout each project and assists mystery shoppers via coaching and training.
Kate joined the Baird Group in November of 2012. She brings with her over 20 years of customer service and account management expertise.