Cascade Health Hospice Team

Laura Helfrich, RN

Senior Manager, Home Care

  • While spending the first 11 years in the clinic and hospital setting, Laura learned that people heal better in their homes. Laura joined the home health team 10 years ago. Laura has been a leader and nurse educator in home health, always looking for innovative ways to provide services to patients in their home. Serving the community towards better health is what brings gratification to Laura’s work life. She also enjoys gardening, sewing, spending time with her grandkids.

Alicia Peacor

Manager of Pete Moore Hospice House

  • Alicia started her career working for 12 years in family practice medicine. She found herself looking for a way to grow her nursing career, and after taking a job working nights and weekends for a home hospice team, she discovered she had found her passion. Alicia joined the Pete Moore Hospice House team as a part-time nurse as the house celebrated its one-year anniversary in 2018. She went on to become the hospice house’s Assistant Manager and then Manager. Alicia has a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration. She loves spending time with her husband and two children and traveling as much as possible.

Steve Belzer, RN

Clinical Manager, Hospice

  • Pronouns: he/him/his

    Steve joined Cascade Health nurse in 2019 and became the department’s assistant manager in 2020. He began his career in healthcare as a medication aide in an assisted living facility. It was there that he was first introduced to hospice, which sparked his interest in nursing. Steve earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Macalester College and his Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Portland. Outside of work, Steve is a busy father of two and enjoys getting outdoors with his family to hike, swim, forage for mushrooms, camp and snowboard in Oregon’s beautiful and varied landscape.

Quita Endicott, MSN

Clinical Manager, Hospice

  • Raised as a military brat, Quita lived in several places during her childhood, including two years in Northern Japan (Misawa).  After her parents divorced, she and her mother settled near her mother’s childhood home (Cortez, CO) in Durango, CO.  Quita’s family ran a river rafting company in the summer and her mom and stepfather were on ski patrol in the winter, so she developed a love of the outdoors. 

    She eventually moved to Austin, TX, and finished a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/chemistry from St. Edward's University to become a science teacher.  She taught for 10 years, receiving my MS in Science Education from OSU before deciding to become a nurse in 2015. Quita received her MSN from Bushnell University in 2021. Her hobbies include hiking, camping, knitting, crocheting and spending time with her young granddaughter.

Kathleen Cordes

Kathleen Cordes, M.D.

Medical Director

  • Kathleen Cordes, MD practiced medicine for more than 30 years before joining Cascade Health in 2020. Originally from Minnesota, she earned her undergraduate degree in biology at Concordia College before graduating as a Doctor of Medicine from the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. She moved to Oregon in 1989 and worked as a physician, medical director and medical consultant, then opened her own practice in 1994. Dr. Cordes is an avid scuba diver and enjoys underwater photography and fish identification, as well as sewing, baking, reading, exploring Oregon and gathering with friends and family.

Kyle Kurzet

Kyle Kurzet, M.D.

Physician

  • Pronouns: they/them/theirs

    Kyle Kurzet, MD, MS, FAAFP, started in hospice care as an adolescent hospice volunteer in Portland. They earned their undergraduate degrees in biology and anthropology and a master’s in biology at Brandeis University. After graduating with an MD from Oregon Health & Science University, they completed residency and worked as a board-certified family physician and hospice medical director in Utah before returning home to Oregon. When not at Pete Moore Hospice House, they are serving the LGBTQ+ community at Transition Health, laughing with friends, reading, hiking, or running on the Ridgeline trails.

Joan Harvey

Joan Harvey, N.P.

Nurse Practitioner

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Joan Harvey worked for more than 30 years as a critical care nurse before obtaining her master’s degree as an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in 2014Joan particularly enjoys working with elders and is honored to have the opportunity to help people and their families navigate advanced illness and the end of life. On her days off, Joan enjoys hiking, trips to the coast, lunches with friends and her meditation practice.

Kate Brassington

Chaplain

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Kate Brassington joined Cascade in 2022 to support those affected by grief and loss in our community. Kate has spent over a decade working with and studying grief. Passionate about bereavement support, she feels honored and deeply humbled to be with people in these tender, intimate, and often pivotal times in their lives. Kate has a Masters in Divinity and is trained as a clinical chaplain. During her residency at a hospital in Portland, she specialized in Pediatric Palliative Care and studied applied clinical ethics. Kate loves exploring creeks with her children, celebrating obscure holidays, and playing her ukulele.

Karlene Clark

Chaplain

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Rev. Karlene Clark joined our Spiritual Care team in mid-2022. She holds a Master of Divinity, is ordained with the United Methodist Church, and is trained in clinical chaplaincy. Karlene served in both traditional and innovative expressions of church for 15 years prior to moving into hospice spiritual care. Karlene is passionate about supporting every patient, of any belief or background, so that all patients may experience the most peaceful possible death. Karlene loves hiking, camping, watching birds, drinking coffee, traveling, talking to her chickens, and hanging out with her family. She is also a certified personal trainer, and is passionate about trauma-informed, shame-free health and fitness.

Sean Hughes

Bereavement Coordinator

  • Pronouns: he/him/his

    Sean joined Cascade Health in 2023 to help support the grieving community in Eugene. He holds a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and is trained as a clinical chaplain with a focus on thanatology. Before working in hospice care, Sean served as a Chaplain in for a VA hospital in the intensive care unit. He is passionate about providing grief education, making mental health accessible, and the power of attentive listening. When he isn’t exploring Eugene’s lovely hiking trails or playing Dungeons and Dragons, Sean can be found attending to the extraordinary/ordinary tasks of parenthood and family life.

Preeti Yonjon Feist

Preeti Yonjon Feist

Volunteer Coordinator

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Preeti joined Cascade Health in 2021. She holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from Eastern New Mexico State University, and master’s degrees in gerontology and social responsibility from St. Cloud State University. A community organizer at heart, Preeti enjoys working in hospice and palliative care. Prior to joining Cascade Health, she spent nine years managing various volunteer programs and has expertise as a DEI trainer and advanced health are directive program coordinator. She was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal and in her spare time enjoys practicing yoga and meditation as well as gardening, biking and the outdoors.