The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) named Cascade Medical CEO Diane Blake its 2026 Joe Hopkins Award recipient for expanding access to rural health care and championing rural hospitals. The award honors the leadership and dedication of the late Joe Hopkins, a pioneer in rural health care advocacy.
Under Blake’s leadership, Cascade Medical brought care closer to home for residents across more than 1,200 square miles. Its mobile health van reaches underserved communities, while its Mobile Integrated Health program connects patients with services and follow-up care.
“Diane Blake’s commitment to advocacy, collaboration and community health embodies the spirit of the Joe Hopkins Award,” said WSHA CEO Cassie Sauer. “Her leadership has strengthened rural health care across Washington and helped ensure patients in rural communities have access to the care they need.”
Blake’s impact reaches beyond her community to Olympia and Washington, D.C., where she advocates for policies that address challenges for all rural hospitals and the people they serve. A former WSHA Board Chair, she led key finance, policy and planning committees and currently represents WSHA on the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board.
“Diane is a tireless advocate for rural health care whose influence extends far beyond our organization,” said Cascade Medical Board Chair Shari Day-Campbell. “Her work improved health care access in our community and continues to shape the future of rural health across Washington state.”
Blake also serves on the boards of the Rural Collaborative, RHE and the Community Foundation of North Central Washington.