Mallory Wipf, PA-C

Written by Natalie Slack on September 16, 2024. Posted in Providers, Tower Road.

Mallory Wipf, PA-C

Mallory Wipf, PA-C joined Rapid City Medical Center’s Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology department just in time for their move to the Tower Road Clinic’s expanded location.

Mallory grew up on a ranch in central South Dakota. She attended college at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND graduating with a BS in respiratory therapy. She then attended the University of South Dakota graduating with her MS as a PA. She worked in pulmonology for many years before joining RCMC. She enjoys rock climbing, running, and backpacking as well as spending time with her nieces and two dogs

Rocío Díaz, MD

Written by cloakendagger on December 15, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Hablo Español

Rocío Díaz, MD

Rocio Diaz, M.D.

Dr. Rocio Diaz is a fellowship-trained retina specialist, specializing in medical and surgical retina, as well as a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Diaz is fluent in English and Spanish. She was born and raised in Panama City, Panama, where she obtained her medical degree, becoming the first physician in her family.

Following her work as a research fellow, Dr. Diaz completed her Ophthalmology residency at the Hamilton Eye Institute, in Memphis, TN. She then moved to Omaha, NE to train as a retina fellow at the Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center. After completing her fellowship, she moved to Medford, OR and worked for three years at the prestigious Retina Care Center, a well-known referral center for southern Oregon and northern California.
While Dr. Diaz practices a full spectrum of retinal conditions, her interests include diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, vitreous floaters, epiretinal membranes, macular holes, retinal tears and retinal detachments.

Dr. Diaz moved to Rapid City during the summer of 2023 to join her family. Her husband, Dr. Colin Brown, is a LASIK, cataract and cornea specialist at Wright Vision Center. They are blessed with a beautiful baby girl, and they enjoy their free time exploring the Black Hills, and spending time with their family and friends. Dr. Diaz loves stand-up comedy, cooking, and she is an amateur gardener and bird watcher.

Emily Huntley, MSPAS-C

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Providers, Tower Road.

Emily Huntley, MSPAS-C

Emily Huntley, MSPAS-C attended Augustana College and received her MS in PA studies from Des Moines University in 2004. Originally from Rapid City, Emily has lived in the Black Hills continually except for her time in school. Emily maintains membership in the ACR AHP (organization for APPs by the American College of Rheumatology) and ISCP (International Society of Clinical Densitometry).

She is married to Justin, an engineer, and raising two kids that are growing up too fast. The family enjoys hiking, backpacking, and caring for a menagerie of animals including dogs, cats, and chickens.

Jennifer May, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Jennifer May, MD

Dr. Jennifer May grew up in Rapid City, where she graduated from Stevens High School and completed undergraduate education at Augustana University. She received MD at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and finished training with a Fellowship in Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. In 2005, Dr. May moved back to Rapid City, bringing her husband, an Emergency Medical Provider, along. She was appointed to serve on the State Medical Board by Governor Daugaard and served one term. Her three daughters are active in tennis and the Suzuki program. Musical dedication and talent is shared by the family, as Dr. May plays viola in the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra and French horn in the Municipal Band.

Dr. May has been featured on the On Call television program and is a Board Member for the Healing Words Foundation as well as the South Dakota State Medical Foundation. Whether you’re local to Rapid City or from the extended area, Dr. May cares about ensuring your wellness and looks to be an integral part of your comprehensive care. Her areas of practice and interest extend from Rheumatoid Arthritis, to Lupus, to Osteoporosis, Gout, and Osteoarthritis.

Joseph Hartford, OD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Joseph Hartford, OD

Dr. Hartford completed optometric training at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, and his undergraduate degree is from South Dakota State University.

He has been an optometrist in Rapid City for 32 years, twenty-four of which have been at Rapid City Medical Center. He has enjoyed working closely with the many specialty physicians at the Medical Center where there is a genuine feeling of “one-stop shopping.”

When not at work, he enjoys attending his kids’ many activities, camping, fishing, hunting, and boating.

Rebecca Linquist, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Rebecca Linquist, MD

Dr. Linquist grew up in Sturgis, South Dakota, and received her undergraduate degree from Black Hills State University before attending medical school at the University of South Dakota. She completed residency training in ophthalmology at the University of Kansas. She joined Rapid City Medical Center in 2013 and is proud to serve the Black Hills Community.

Practicing general ophthalmology allows her to treat a wide variety of disorders affecting the eyes including glaucoma, retinal disorders, cataract surgeries and eyelid surgeries, among other conditions. The thing she enjoys most about practicing medicine is establishing relationships and continuing care with her patients.

She loves being outside in her spare time. She enjoys running, snowmobiling, camping and spending time with her family and dogs—she has two Weimaraners.

Gail Bernard, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Gail Bernard, MD

Dr. Bernard is a native South Dakotan who grew up in Wall and Spearfish. In 2000, after completing her ophthalmology residency at the University of Colorado, she joined Dr. Herlihy and the Ophthalmology Department at Rapid City Medical Center.

She treats a broad spectrum of eye problems with special interests in cataract surgery, glaucoma, and a variety of eyelid disorders.

She has four daughters and an extended local family. She and her husband enjoy skiing, camping, mountain biking, and travel.

Julie Meyer, PA-C

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Providers, Tower Road.

Julie Meyer, PA-C

Julie completed her Physician Assistant training at Pacific University, in Forest Grove, OR in 2003. Originally from Rapid City, Julie started her practice in Family Medicine in MT, but has been practicing with Rapid City Medical Center in Internal Medicine since 2006. Julie has 2 boys and a large family in Rapid City, and she enjoys the beauty the Black Hills has to offer. Currently, Julie is taking online classes to improve her Spanish!

Kevin Weiland, MD

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Kevin Weiland, MD

Dr. Weiland is board certified in the specialty of internal medicine. He graduated from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin. He is an associate professor with the Sanford School of Medicine and is actively involved in numerous nonprofit organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and the American Lung Association.

He has been published in the Annals of Pharmacology as well as the State Medical Journal. He was the “Supervising Physician” for the 2008 documentary Good Meat: “How the Lakota Got Fat and Beau LeBeau Saved Himself.”

After years of witnessing the destructive forces of overindulgence, Dr. Weiland authored the book The Dakota Diet: Health Secrets from the Great Plains. (Basic Health Publications, 2008)

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Dr. Luke Hushagen is originally from Bismarck, North Dakota. He began his undergraduate training at Bismarck State College and graduated from the University of North Dakota where he also attended medical school. His medical training was completed with an internal medicine residency at Penn State University practicing at the renowned Hershey Medical Center.

As an internist, Dr. Hushagen cares for patients in all stages of their adult lives. His primary focus is on patient education with an emphasis on complex medical care. His goal is to empower his patients to become advocates for their own care.

Dr. Hushagen moved to South Dakota to be closer to his roots in the Great Plains. His wife is a pediatrician also practicing at RCMC. Together they have a small family and a productive hobby farm. In his spare time he enjoys being with his family, playing golf, watching hockey, and exploring the Black Hills.

Board Status

American Board of Internal Medicine

Mallory Wipf, PA-C

*Hablo Español*

Rocío Díaz, MD

Emily Huntley, MSPAS-C

Jennifer May, MD

Joseph Hartford, OD

Rebecca Linquist, MD

Gail Bernard, MD

Julie Meyer, PA-C

Kevin Weiland, MD

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Board Status

Hablo Español