On Demand — Health on the Plains Coffee Hour, Featuring Chris Salyers, DHSc

4 Min Read

Oct 21, 2026

By

Wyatt J. Beckman, M.P.H.
Promotional image for “Health on the Plains,” featuring a wide, tilled farm field under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Bold black text reads “HEALTH” with “ON THE PLAINS” beneath it. On the lower left, a coffee cup graphic with steam and a leaf inside it sits above the words “COFFEE HOUR” and the URL “khi.org.” The bottom right shows the Kansas Health Institute logo with the text: “KANSAS HEALTH INSTITUTE – Informing Policy. Improving Health – khi.org.

How can health policies and programs become more functional, transparent and effective for rural communities?

On Oct. 21, Health on the Plains Coffee Hour featured Chris Salyers, DHSc, Director of Programs & Evaluation for the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). The conversation explored the role of State Offices of Rural Health and Chris’ years of experience working to make systems more functional, transparent and effective for rural communities.

Event recording posted below.

Featured Speaker

Chris Salyers, DHSc., Director of Programs and Evaluation, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH)

Chris Salyers is a rural health strategist and systems facilitator with two decades of experience spanning local, state and national levels. His work focuses on making complex infrastructure more functional, transparent and effective for the rural communities for which it’s meant to serve.

Grounded in lived experience as a native of Central Appalachia, Chris brings a practical, people-centered lens to rural health systems. His background includes direct service roles, coalition building, technical assistance and national program design — giving him a rare ability to translate between policy, practice and community need.

He currently serves as Director of Programs and Evaluation at the NOSORH, where he supports strategy development, performance assessment, funding alignment and systems-based technical assistance for all 50 State Offices of Rural Health.

Chris is known for his collaborative approach, his ability to clarify complex challenges and his long-standing commitment to helping rural communities access the tools and knowledge that they need to thrive.

About Kansas Health Institute

The Kansas Health Institute supports effective policymaking through nonpartisan research, education and engagement. KHI believes evidence-based information, objective analysis and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to be champions for a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka.

Learn More About KHI