Staff
Phone: 701-354-9773
Email: nikki@ndltca.org
Nikki Wegner joined the North Dakota Long Term Care Association as the Association’s President. Nikki graduated from Colorado State University, Fort Collins in May 2012 with a M.S. degree in Occupational Therapy. She is a dynamic leader and occupational therapist with 12 years of experience collaborating with and educating the public and professionals on Alzheimer’s Disease. Nikki also has 10 years of experience with policy makers at the local, state, and federal levels.
Nikki has a keen interest in continuing to improve and maintain the quality of care, quality of life and safety of older adults in North Dakota. Nikki says, “The passion of the teams that I’ve worked with in my past role have inspired me to dream big. This led us to make many of our innovative ideas related to improving quality of care a reality. I’m looking forward to building on the association’s great momentum to continue to improve our ability to help individuals live fulfilling lives across our communities.“
Erica Cermak, VP of Government Affairs
Phone: 701-354-9778
Email: erica@ndltca.org
Erica Cermak joined the North Dakota Long Term Care Association in November of 2024 as the Vice President of Government Affairs. Erica graduated from the University of Mary in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work.
Prior to joining the NDLTCA, Erica worked a combined 20 years in Government Relations, Association Management and Human Resources. Erica previously served as the Vice President of Association Management and Government Relations for a Bismarck based Government Relations firm, Human Resource Director for an energy sector company and Human Resource Manager for a nationwide trucking company. Throughout the majority of her career, she primarily worked on behalf of the aging and healthcare communities. Erica has a passion for advocacy and the people she serves. She believes integrity is the foundation of all good work and impactful change happens through service of others.
Peggy Krikava, Education Director
Phone: 701-354-9774
Email: peggy@ndltca.org
Peggy Krikava serves as the Director of Education at the North Dakota Long Term Care Association. Prior to her promotion to this role, she worked as the Education Assistant, gaining extensive experience in the planning and coordination of statewide educational events for long term care member facilities, responsibilities she continues to oversee as Director.
Prior to joining NDLTCA, Peggy spent 15 years with Sanford Health (formerly Medcenter One). She began her career as Foundation Secretary, was later promoted to Annual Support Manager with the Foundation and concluded her tenure in the Marketing Department. There, she advanced from Office Manager to Project Coordinator in digital marketing, building a strong background in communications, project management, and organizational support.
Stacy Irey, Office Manager
Phone: 701-354-9777
Email: stacy@ndltca.org
Stacy Irey joined the North Dakota Long Term Care Association in June 2024 as the Office Manager.
Prior to joining NDLTCA, Stacy worked as an Administrative Assistant with Bismarck Public Schools for 12 years. Her prior experience showed she is a dedicated and hardworking professional with a strong ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Belma Chpeljac, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 701-354-9775
Email: belma@ndltca.org
Belma Chpeljac joined the North Dakota Long Term Care Association in February 2025, where she serves as Administrative Assistant and Expo Coordinator. In these roles, she supports organizational operations, education event coordination and the planning and coordination of the association’s Expos.
Belma will graduate in May 2026 with a bachelor’s degree featuring a double major in Business Administration and Marketing from North Dakota State University.
In addition to her academic and professional work, Belma proudly completed her first six-year contract with the North Dakota Army National Guard in April 2025, demonstrating her commitment to service, leadership, and teamwork.
Prior to joining NDLTCA, Belma gained experience in bookkeeping, marketing, and banking through previous employment in Fargo and Bismarck, providing her with a strong foundation in financial operations, strategic communication, and customer service. This diverse background enhances the skill set she brings to her role with NDLTCA.
Vanessa Raile, Director of Emergency Planning
Phone: 701-354-9776
Email: vanessa@ndltca.org
Vanessa Raile is the Director of Emergency Planning at the North Dakota Long-Term Care Association (NDLTCA). In this role, she works closely with long-term care facilities across the state to ensure they are prepared for unexpected disasters. By providing staff with emergency training and guidance, Vanessa helps facilities improve safety outcomes and protect residents, staff, and visitors during critical situations.
Prior to joining NDLTCA, Vanessa served as Process Coordinator at Puklich Chevrolet, where she focused on workforce safety programs. She also worked as Office Coordinator for the Sanford Health Foundation. In addition, Vanessa brings over 21 years of experience supervising customer service for various corporations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, contributing extensive leadership and operational expertise to her current role.