Staff Directory (alphabetical)

Sonya Frankowski

  • Bilingual Health Benefits Advocate
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 216
  • Email Sonya

Sonya is a Bilingual Health Benefits Advocate with ABC for Health, Inc. She conducts interviews and provides counseling services to patients under provider contracts, engages in direct patient advocacy on behalf of clients, and negotiates with federal, state, and private benefits and insurance institutions. Before joining ABC for Health in November of 2010, Sonya worked as a Bilingual Reproductive Health Assistant at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin where she was first introduced to the complexity of Medicaid and became inspired to help others to understand their options. Sonya graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse with a degree in Spanish Language and International Studies with an Emphasis in Latin America.

Missy Kraina

  • Health Benefits Advocate
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 218
  • Email Missy

Missy is ABC for Health's newest full-time staff member. She began working as a student intern in September 2010 as a client services assistant and accepted a fulltime position as a Health Benefits Advocate in January 2012. In the spring of 2011 she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. As a Health Benefits Advocate, Missy helps individuals and families coordinate public and private health benefits.

Pearl Latteier

  • Web and Database Administrator
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 203
  • Email Pearl

Pearl works on website and database projects for ABC for Health, Inc. She designed and built this website, as well as the sites for HealthWatch Wisconsin and the Save BadgerCare Coalition. Pearl has a PhD in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago.

Brynne McBride

Brynne is the Assistant Director of ABC for Health, Inc. She engages in direct legal advocacy and litigation on behalf of clients, drafts and manages contracts, and negotiates with federal, state, and private benefits and insurance institutions. She oversees ABC for Health’s growing HealthWatch Wisconsin project and is a frequent commentator on the HealthWatch WatchDog. She serves as the agency’s representative on community boards, including Community Shares of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and the State Bar of Wisconsin's Public Interest Law Section. She was recently recognized by the State Bar of Wisconsin as "Lawyer Demonstrating Exemplary Commitment to Community." Brynne received her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and her undergraduate degrees from Bryn Mawr College.

Erin McBride

  • Staff Attorney
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 211
  • Email Erin

As Staff Attorney at ABC for Health, Inc., Erin engages in direct legal advocacy and litigation on behalf of clients, drafts and manages provider contracts, and negotiates with federal, state, and private benefits and insurance institutions. Erin is a frequent presenter on obtaining and keeping state benefits, the intricacies of programs such as BadgerCare Plus, and advocacy strategies. She was recently recognized by the State Bar of Wisconsin as "Lawyer Demonstrating Exemplary Commitment to Community." Before joining ABC, Erin served as Managing Attorney at Wisconsin Judicare, Inc. She has presented on family law, housing, and domestic violence, and testified at the United Nations North American Consultation on Adequate Housing. Erin received her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and her undergraduate degrees from Bryn Mawr College. She is a lecturer in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is admitted to practice before the State of Wisconsin, US Tax Court, Federal District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bobby Peterson

  • Executive Director
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 201
  • Email Bobby

Bobby is the founder and Executive Director of ABC for Health, Inc. A 1987 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, Bobby began his law career at the Center for Public Representation. In 1994, Bobby founded ABC, which continues to connect children and families with health care benefits through advocacy and benefits counseling. Bobby has extensive experience representing clients with access to health care and coverage issues, particularly health insurance claim denials. From 1993 to 2001, Bobby co-chaired the American Public Health Association Maternal and Child Health Section committee on Children with Special Health Care Needs, and in 1998 he helped found the Public Interest Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Bobby was recognized as one of the top lawyers in Dane County in 2001 and 2003. In 2005 he helped initiate HealthWatch Wisconsin, a statewide membership organization to promote better access to health care and coverage, and in 2010 he founded a new subsidiary organization, My Coverage Plan Inc, an innovative new technology firm to help providers and consumers connect to and maximize all available health care coverage. Bobby is also the project director and principal investigator on numerous state, federal, and private foundation grants.

Ron Reinart

  • Administrative Director
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 209
  • Email Ron

Ron serves as Administrative Director of ABC for Health, Inc. He has worked in the accounting field since 1999 and performs all accounting functions at ABC. Ron is also integral to IT and network development and maintains and updates all the servers and websites. It is not unusual to see Ron behind the camera, filming a HealthWatch WatchDog episode, instructional webcast, or family testimonial. In addition, he oversees human resources functions and works closely with each student, joining as a volunteer, intern, or work-study employee. Before joining ABC, Ron worked for A&M Business Interior Services located in Madison and Engineered Construction, Inc., in Verona. Ron has a BS in Mathematics with an emphasis in statistics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an AS in Computer Network Technology from Herzing College.

Mike Rust

  • Health Benefits Counselor & Rural Programs Director
  • (715) 485-8525
  • Email Mike

Mike is a Health Benefits Counselor and the Rural Programs Director at ABC for Health, Inc. He is a pioneer in developing the concept and practice of health benefits counseling. Through his investigative efforts, he uncovered widespread misapplication of the Medical Assistance Deductible Feature, the Family Fiscal Unit determination process, and birth cost recovery systems. Mike initiated an education campaign that resulted in many more families getting assistance, while also helping health care providers avoid bad debt and collection problems. He developed the KIDS CARE program in Northwest Wisconsin into a nationally recognized model for increasing rural children's access to preventive care in the years before BadgerCare. He has written a health care competency model and curriculum for Wisconsin's public health workforce, and he continues to work with health care providers and public health offices across Wisconsin to promote clinic, hospital, and agency-based health benefits counseling.

Adam VanSpankeren

  • Education & Outreach Coordinator
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 204
  • Email Adam

Adam began working at ABC for Health, Inc., as a student intern in the fall of 2006. As a UW undergraduate, he first served as an administrative assistant, then in 2008, he became lead publications assistant. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in English, creative writing, and took a full time position with ABC as Education & Outreach Coordinator.

Kenton Zink

  • Bilingual Health Benefits Advocate
  • (608) 261-6939 ext. 220
  • Email Kenton

Kenton is a Bi-Lingual Health Benefits Advocate with ABC for Health, Inc. Kenton conducts interviews and provides counseling services to patients under provider contracts, engages in direct patient advocacy on behalf of clients, and negotiates with federal, state and private benefits and insurance institutions. Kenton contributes strong experience in working with families on health care and other issues, robust knowledge of program and policies, and technical skills in case management and training. Before joining ABC, Kenton worked for Physicians Plus Insurance Corporation and for a Community Health Center and Migrant health facility as a medical assistant and interpreter. Kenton has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.