Laura Hepp Kessel, MSW, is the Executive Director of Telehealth Services for the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine.  In her role with SIU, Laura is responsible for managing SIU’s telehealth activities. Laura represents SIU as a member of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council (GRAC) and is the immediate past chair of Rural Partners (the state’s rural development council).  In addition, Laura is involved in her community and has been elected to the Fulton County Board.  In her county board role, Laura serves on the finance and insurance committee, executive committee, and is the chair of the property committee. She previously worked at the Illinois State Board of Education, for Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon, and as a community organizer in southern Illinois. Laura earned a Master Degree in Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis as well as a Bachelor Degree of Science in Social Work from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.