Judd Semingson took over as CEO of Community Clinic on New Year's Day in 2020. The independent primary healthcare system operated 13 facilities and was suddenly scrambling to help patients amid the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the patients spanning Benton and Washington counties, Semingson had 275 employees in the eye of the storm.

"Admittedly, when I was moving through the interview process in 2019, I did not include a worldwide pandemic as part of my 100-day plan," he said. "However, we don't often get to define our battles ahead of time."

Those first few months set the tone for Semingson's leadership approach and united his team. They still carry those lessons.

"I am incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a great team. Our defining question was, and still is, how can we adjust to better help those we serve? We continue to have challenges in front of us, but we have already been through a refining fire and will adjust as needed," he said.

Semingson, whose healthcare career spans nearly 25 years, is a U of A Eleanor Mann School of Nursing alumnus. He also holds a Master of Science in nursing from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in healthcare administration from Western Governor's University.

He started in the ICU in Washington County hospitals but spent most of his career at Advanced Orthopaedic Specialists in Fayetteville. He began as a nurse at the specialty clinic but eventually transitioned to the administrative side when the practice expanded. Semingson enjoyed the business of healthcare and decided to return to school for a third time to earn an MBA degree.

He was introduced to Community Clinic while earning clinical hours as an advanced practice nursing student. He never forgot his patients or the clinic's mission, which resonated with him. He stayed connected and applied when the clinic's associate medical director position came available. He was in that role for a year when the Community Clinic CEO announced she was retiring. After a national search, Semingson was selected.

When Community Clinic was established in 1989, volunteer doctors saw patients once a month. This year, Community Clinic is adding an 18th clinic in Centerton, has grown to over 325 employees and has served approximately 42,000 patients so far. The clinics offer comprehensive primary, dental, pediatric, behavioral and other health care. They even provide physical therapy services. The organization's goal is to make healthcare accessible to all, regardless of their ability to pay. Some patients have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, while others pay on a sliding scale. Semingson is focused on increasing access to primary care, which is crucial to overall health. That means reducing barriers. Several of the clinics are based at area schools for convenience. Employees also connect patients with other resources, such as food or transportation.

"Our patients come from all walks of life and locations. I love to hear their stories. Some are from just down the street, and some are from across the globe," Semingson said.

He said that helping people and creating healthy communities are the most rewarding parts of leading Community Clinic. "Health is a very personal journey, and far too often, people take a narrow and fragmented view of what healthcare means," he said. "We have amazing team members who have a broad vision of accessibility, value and service. I consistently hear about service or connections our teams have made to help a patient or family in need. We are the only primary care organization with full-service dental operations under our system. This broad view of health(y) care not only allows us to treat acute or chronic illness but to connect and educate our patients/families about healthy behaviors. This work goes towards prevention of illness or complications from disease."

Semingson wants to continue expanding the clinic's reach and services.

"Our first goal is to help our team members grow personally and professionally," he said. "We are reviewing and revising operations throughout our organization to better serve our team. In turn, we look to grow the services provided throughout our organization. Northwest Arkansas is a vibrant, diverse and growing area. Community Clinic has both a responsibility and opportunity to shape the health and wellness of our communities."

Several team members are U of A nursing alumni, and the clinics often serve as a training ground for students. Public health majors also work with the team.

Even though he's the CEO, Semingson maintains his nursing skills. He doesn't want to give up working with patients.

"Initially, I paused direct patient care to turn my full attention to our organization's COVID response. However, I will resume in the near future," he said. "Being a clinician is a core component of who I am. Being involved in direct care operations also helps me see what challenges or opportunities our teams are facing."

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This story is the latest in a series featuring students, faculty and staff in the College of Education and Health Professions who exemplify the college's core WE CARE priorities. The college is helping solve complex challenges in education and health across Arkansas and beyond with this new initiative. Visit COEHP's online magazine, the Colleague, for more news from the six units that make up the college.