Courtney E. Newgard

As regional talent acquisition manager at UnityPoint Health, Courtney E. Newgard is responsible for the strategic hiring of team members in the central Illinois region. She maintains key connections with area colleges, businesses and other community partners to increase awareness and preparation for jobs in healthcare, working with the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council on its Greater Peoria Pathways program, the University of Illinois Extension on its 4G STEM Camp, and the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum on its Be Anything career exploration event, among other initiatives.

Newgard has created a whole new approach to hiring fairs and new employee welcome events at UnityPoint Health. She developed an internal Brand Ambassador program and implemented the rollout of a new applicant tracking system, among other technologies to increase recruiters’ efficiency. She created a high school internship program in conjunction with Peoria Public Schools (which has expanded to include Pekin, Limestone and East Peoria high schools), engaged with the nursing team to create a Summer Student Nurse internship program, and worked with the UnityPoint Health Foundation to create a scholarship for current employees to go back to school to pursue positions in healthcare. She also worked to secure grant funding for a Certified Nursing Assistant to Certified Medical Assistant apprenticeship program for low-income students.

An emerging leader in the human resources field, Newgard has earned her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Society for Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certifications. She was a panelist at the 2018 Governor’s Summit on Work-Based Learning and has been a guest speaker at college conferences and community panels on the topic of youth employment readiness. 

Besides providing career coaching to area youth, Newgard uses her HR expertise to support Susan G. Komen Memorial as a board member. She is an avid runner and volunteer at races including Peoria’s Whiskeydaddle marathon, and spends countless hours supporting high school bands in East Peoria District 86 and District 309. PM