Carla A. Anderson has more than 20 years of experience in grant and foundation proposal writing.   Ms. Anderson has worked successfully with various grant and loan agencies including the Rural Utilities Services, Department of Commerce, the Office of Rural Health Policy, and the Office of Advancement for Technology.  She has also received foundation monies, including a grant from IBM to establish a computer-training center to provide computer education for the elderly and from the Mental Health Association to provide services for the depressed and underserved citizens in agriculture communities.

Anderson is a recognized voice for the rural communities and clinics including clinics, hospital and communities that are not associated with the health system. In 1994, Ms. Anderson was asked by the North Dakota congressional delegation, Senator Dorgan, Senator Conrad and Representative Earl Pomeroy to represent North Dakota at President Clinton's Rural Health Summit held in Sioux Falls, SD.   Ms. Anderson has testified before Congress regarding electronic commerce and on behalf of the Department of Veteran's Affairs.

Anderson served as a national council member for the Veteran's Administration, which developed the first education conference for employees of the VA titled Telemedicine 101.   She has served on the Governor's Task Force for Telemedicine and presented before the Western Governor's Association and National Governor's Association. Anderson was also selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Information Technology Council of North Dakota (ITCND), where she served as secretary.

Ms. Anderson received the Rural Health Professional Award from the University of North Dakota - Center for Rural Health in 1994 for her outstanding advocacy role in rural health care.

Ms. Anderson has worked in community health care since 1981 at which time she managed a Community Health Center in Center, ND.  Anderson secured more than $1.5 million dollars in CHC funding for primary care clinics from 1983 - 1987.   In 1990, Carla was the North Dakota delegate for the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) regarding "Policies and Issues Forum, held in Washington, DC.    In 1993, Anderson joined Medcenter One Health Systems to expand her role of helping rural primary care clinics and she was responsible for the certification of 12 Rural Health Clinics located throughout central and western North Dakota.    

Ms. Anderson serves on the Board of Directors for the Coal Country Community Health Clinics located in North Dakota.

Ms. Anderson is credited as one of the primary founders and developers of the first telemedicine network established in North Dakota.  Anderson was instrumental in the research, development, implementation and ongoing operations of the Dakota Telemedicine Network.  Anderson has obtained over $2 million in grant funds for the network that was established in 1995.  The network has received awards regarding the network including: One of the Nation's Top 10 telemedicine programs in 1996, the Outstanding Program of the Year from the Center for Rural Health and in 1997 received the International Teleconferencing Association Excellence Award for the work done in the telemedicine field.   The Public Service Commission in 1995 named Anderson as one of Telemedicine’s Top 200.    Again, Carla is recognized nationally for her leadership in the telemedicine industry.

Under Anderson’s leadership, the Dakota Telemedicine System has been featured or published in several journals and magazines including: 

• "Focus on Rural Health" - University of North Dakota, Center for Rural Health;

• American Psychological Association - APA Monitor, "Providing Therapy from a Distance";

• Telemedicine and Telehealth Networks, "Emergency Care Delivers in a Heartbeat";

• Annals of Emergency Medicine, "Emergency Physician's Roles in a Clinical Telemedicine Network;'

• Telemedicine Journal, "Telemedicine in Trauma Care:  Description of 100 Trauma Teleconsults"; 

• Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research Journal "Telemedicine and Orthopedic Care"; and

• Vim and Vigor's,  "Telemedicine Today."

Ms. Anderson is skilled at creating innovative partnerships to establish successful projects ranging from economic development, telecommunications, and health care in rural communities. She oversaw the contract with the Veterans Administration to provide primary care to veterans in central and western North Dakota. Anderson also has experience with the designation of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), National Health Service Corp (NHSC) site development and placement of physicians and midlevel practitioners, and site locations for physicians under the J1 Visa program. 

Anderson has consulted with:

• The Indian Health Service on the Fort Totten and Standing Rock Sioux Reservations;

• The VISN 13 - Minneapolis to establish a telemedicine network across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota;

• The Rapid City Regional Medical Center in Rapid City, South Dakota; Regions Medical Center in St. Paul, Minnesota;

• Midwest Emergency Associates, LTD in Oakbrook, Illinois;

• Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan;

• Trinity Medical Center, in Minot, North Dakota;

• V-Tel Corporation in Austin, Texas and

• The Volunteer Hospital Association - Interactive Video Network Advisor  in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Anderson has presented on telemedicine applications and rural health care (primary care) for various organizations, including: