Jefferson Healthcare Honors Retiring Commissioner Jill Buhler Rienstra for More Than 30 years of Service

December 19, 2025

The Jill Buhler Rienstra Courtyard will be named in honor of the retiring commissioner’s legacy of service and advocacy.

Jefferson Healthcare is celebrating longtime Hospital District Commissioner and Board President Jill Buhler Rienstra, who will retire at the end of 2025, concluding more than three decades of extraordinary service to the community. To honor her legacy, Jefferson Healthcare will name a hospital courtyard in her honor and issue a formal board resolution recognizing her service.

A Lasting Tribute: The Jill Buhler Rienstra Courtyard

Jefferson Healthcare will dedicate The Jill Buhler Rienstra Courtyard on the hospital campus to commemorate her exemplary dedication to public service and rural healthcare. The courtyard plaque recognizes Jill’s more than 30 years of service — from February 1995 through December 2025 — and her unwavering advocacy for access to comprehensive, high-quality healthcare for residents of East Jefferson County and rural communities across Washington State.

The plaque reflects Jill’s belief that “high-quality, basic healthcare is the very foundation of a viable, thriving community,” and invites all who gather in the space to honor her legacy by bringing joy and purpose to the work of caring for others.

Decades of Leadership and Governance Excellence

First elected as a Jefferson Healthcare Commissioner in 1995 and consistently reelected by the community, Jill Buhler Rienstra has been a steady, trusted leader through periods of significant growth and change. She has served as Board President and Chief Governance Officer, providing thoughtful oversight and principled leadership while participating in key leadership bodies, including the Executive Quality Council, Finance Committee, Health Access Committee, and medical staff and surgical section meetings. She also served as liaison to the Jefferson County Board of Health.

Her leadership has been recognized statewide with the Washington State Hospital Association’s Ben Lindekugel Governance Excellence Award, honoring her exceptional commitment to governance, community service and healthcare leadership.

Champion for Rural Healthcare Locally and Statewide

For more than 30 years, Jill has been a tireless advocate for rural hospitals, representing Jefferson Healthcare at the state and federal levels and ensuring rural voices are heard in Olympia and Washington, D.C. She played a critical role in securing Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation, strengthening Jefferson Healthcare’s financial stability and preserving local access to care. 

During her tenure, Jefferson Healthcare experienced remarkable growth: 

• Total Operating Revenue increased from $10.1 million to more than $190 million. 

• Full-time equivalent staff grew from approximately 153 to more than 830. 

• Numerous services were added, including expanded specialty clinics, dental care, behavioral health integration, oncology and infusion services, telemedicine, advanced imaging and same-day express care — dramatically increasing access to care close to home. 

A Voice for Equity, Access, and Community Well-being

Beyond healthcare governance, Jill Buhler Rienstra is widely known as a community pillar in Jefferson County. Her civic leadership includes roles with the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Northwest Maritime Center, Human Rights Coalition, Centrum and service as a Guardian ad Litem. She has long been a strong advocate for equitable, early access to healthcare, believing that prevention and timely care are essential to both individual well-being and community vitality.

Her perspective is deeply informed by lived experience as a breast cancer survivor and as the primary caregiver for her late husband during his illness, experiences that shaped her compassionate, patient-centered approach to leadership.

A Message of Gratitude

“Jill Buhler Rienstra’s impact on Jefferson Healthcare and on rural healthcare in Washington State is simply immeasurable,” said Mike Glenn, CEO of Jefferson Healthcare. “Her clarity of thought, ethical leadership, and steadfast commitment to our community have guided this organization for more than three decades. We are profoundly grateful for her service, and it is fitting that her legacy will be permanently honored in a space dedicated to reflection, connection, and healing.”

Learn More

To learn more about Jill Buhler Rienstra, the Jefferson Healthcare Hospital Commission, and Jefferson Healthcare’s mission to provide high-quality care for our community, visit our hospital commission webpage.

About Jefferson Healthcare

Jefferson Healthcare is an award-winning, full-service healthcare organization meeting the care needs of East Jefferson County. Jefferson Healthcare offers inpatient and comprehensive outpatient services including primary and specialty physician care.