Our Team

Debby Deutsch BCPA holds a Graduate Certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy – UW Madison, and Board Certification from the Patient Advocate Certification Board. She is the Founder/CEO of Patient Care Partners, LLC, a private patient advocacy firm since 2016.

“My team and I work exclusively on behalf of our patients and families,” notes Debby. “We are not part of any healthcare system, health insurer or care facility. As an independent third party, we help patients and families navigate complicated healthcare and insurance networks. We help with medical billing issues, care coordination and patient navigation from a nursing, case management and medical billing advocacy perspective. We bring a collective wealth of experience to our clients in solving complex problems."

Carol is a Masters prepared registered nurse with 30+ years of healthcare leadership experience. Carol’s passion is working with people to make their healthcare understandable. She has extensive experience serving seniors and communities.

Carol is also a “Trained Dementia Practitioner”. She feels that every person should be cared for and supported in a unique fashion that is individualized to their expectations. Each of us has a different set of priorities. The role of the nurse advocate capitalizes on the many talents that nurses have in direct and indirect ways. Nursing insight is critical to maximizing wellness. Nurses are leaders, educators, clinical expert, and advocates. We are the extra set of eyes and ears in helping patients and families navigate a very complicated system.

Nancy Arnold is a registered nurse with 37 years of experience in a wide variety of clinical and home care settings. She obtained her Bachelor of Science cum laude, in nursing at the University of Rochester. Her experience includes primary care, hospital inpatient and outpatient and home care. She was a manager of the inpatient unit of Agrace Hospice for more than 5 years. Nancy has served as a patient advocate for the Fitchburg senior center for over three years helping clients manage complex constellations of medical, financial and personal issues.

“In her nursing career Nancy has always focused on the individual patient and their unique needs. Helping patients and families navigate the complex health care system and empowering them to make informed choices and achieve the best outcomes possible is a continuing source of gratification in her long career.”

Ann Brewer, RN, BSN, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing. During her career she has held administrative and staff positions in hospitals, home health care agencies, and state and federal government. Prior to her retirement in 2016, Ann was the Director of the Executive Secretariat in the Immediate Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD.

Of note, she regularly interfaced with her colleague, Dr Anthony Fauci.

While in the DC area, Ann was an active member of the Council of the Federal Executive Secretariats, serving as vice chair, and was also a member of the Friends of Patients at the NIH, Board of Directors, serving as its second vice president for several years.

Before moving to Washington, Ann worked as the Female Health Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. She held an adjunct faculty position at the UW–Madison School of Nursing.

Ann currently is a member of the UW School of Nursing Board of Visitors and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health “Initiative to End Alzheimer’s Disease.” She also enjoys volunteering and playing the piano at Agrace Hospice Care in Madison, WI. Ann can think of no better profession than nursing, and acting as an advocate for patients and their families is such an integral and important aspect of this incredible profession.

She is very excited to be working with an organization that shares her dedication to advocacy for patients.

Diane Olsen RN has 45 years of experience in a wide variety of nursing and non-clinical settings.  She received her RN from St Anthony’s School of Nursing in Rockford IL.  She also holds a BS in Child and Family Social Services from Northern Illinois University.  Diane’s clinical experience includes inpatient medical/surgical patient care, psychiatric inpatient care, obstetrics, pediatrics and inpatient alcohol/drug treatment.  Diane was also the manager for ARC Center for Women & Children, a day treatment program for alcohol and drug addiction in Madison.  Her last clinical experience was as the OB/GYN department manager at UW Health.
 
After leaving the medical arena, Diane spent the last 13 years of her career as a nurse consultant for the Corneille Law Group, working in the medical malpractice area of law.  She reviewed medical records, created timelines from the records, hired expert witnesses and educated the attorneys in the medical issues of each case.
 
“My career has been a personal journey in which I have encountered a multitude of experiences, each adding to the person I have become.  Patient care and advocacy go hand in hand, without one you cannot have the other.  I have worked with my family members and provided guidance throughout the medical system when they have been overwhelmed.  I enjoy contact with people and will always work towards assisting them in finding solutions to their medical, social or special needs.”

Taylour Halverson RN is a graduate of the Edgewood College.  She is very passionate about her role as Nurse Advocate, providing a strong connection between patients, their families, and our intricate healthcare system.   Nursing advocacy can vastly improve patient and family experiences in many ways, such as acting as a medical ‘translator,’ providing proper education and information, and customizing care to meet patients’ specific needs. 

Taylour believes it is a privilege to provide care to individuals during their time of need and feels honored to be part of the nursing profession.

“Throughout various healthcare experiences, my philosophy of healthcare has evolved over time.  As some point we have all experienced what it is like to be the patient, myself included.  This has opened my eyes to a side of healthcare that at times can be overlooked.  Particular healthcare providers stand out due to their genuine compassion and understanding of patients’ unique situations.  I recognize the importance of these elements and incorporate them into my own practice to ensure my patients and their support systems receive exceptional care.”

Terri Brouchoud has spent her entire career working with seniors in need of post-acute care. She is a Licensed Social Worker. From coordinating recreation programs to planning for discharge home to helping with benefit applications, Terri is prepared to help Patient Partner Care clients work through the challenges of navigating the maze of healthcare.

Terri holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse. She brings over 25 years of experience working in skilled nursing facilities and home-based infusion services. She has helped clients work through admissions, discharges, understanding financial issues, preparing advance directives and applying for financial assistance. She has a passion for educating people and helping them make decisions that are best for them.

Liz Allen has a Certification in Grief Counseling from The Center for Loss and Life Integration, run by Dr Allen Worfelt in conjunction with Colorado State University in Fort Collins CO. In addition, she is a Board Certified Chaplain for the past 23 years.

Prior to her current work, she worked as a registered Occupational Therapist for over 30 years. The scope of her practice included working with pediatrics, rehabilitation, nursing homes, acute medicine and mental health patients.

Liz has a Master’s Degree in Education and taught at the University of Wisconsin Occupational and Physical Therapy Schools for several years.

Finally, she is an inspirational speaker and has led an international CareGivers Project dedicated to preventing burnout and promoting renewal for caregivers.

Dennis Barnum is currently the Director of Operations for Thalchemy, a UW-Madison inspired startup firm developing advanced software for sensor detection on smartphones and wearables. 

Dennis has over thirty years’ experience in the high-technology and services industries, primarily in computer software and services. He holds a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and participated in the MBA program at the University of Minnesota. 

He spent several years with Control Data Corporation, Minneapolis, in a variety of management positions in the domestic and international software and services divisions. Since 1986, Dennis has been involved in either high-tech startups or recovery of high-tech companies. He has founded several technology companies and has led turnarounds of several others. He is active in the MERLIN Mentors program as a volunteer Mentor. 

Dennis also serves in an advisory capacity for the Board of Visitors, School of Nursing, UW-Madison.