Prairie Lakes Healthcare names new Chief Financial Officer

October 30, 2023

WATERTOWN, S.D.  – Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) is pleased to welcome Lynn Severson to the administrative leadership staff. As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Severson will provide executive leadership for financial management at PLHS.

Severson grew up in Duluth, Minnesota and received her accounting degree from the University of Wisconsin Superior followed later by her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, most recently working at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, Minnesota as the Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that she worked at Essentia Health for several years holding a variety of financial leadership roles. Severson is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and is active in United Way.

Severson and her husband, Scott, will be relocating to Watertown from Brainerd, Minnesota. They have five children and two grandchildren. In their spare time, they enjoy spending time with family, traveling and outdoor activities such as boating, biking, and kayaking.

“I have a strong passion for healthcare in rural communities,” Severson said. “Prairie Lakes shares that same passion with the commitment to deliver high quality care to patients right here in the community where we all live and work. My husband and I are truly impressed with how welcoming the community is and we cannot wait to become more involved.”

Severson joins the Prairie Lakes Administrative Leadership Team consisting of Shelly Turbak, Chief Nursing Officer, Alison Gilbertson, Vice President of Human Resources, Laurie Fieber, Vice President of Operations, Tim Pugsley, Chief Information Officer, and John Allen, Chief Executive Officer.