After 23 years of faithful service and dedication to Care Net, Tanis Jean Louis, RN, has shared some bittersweet news. She has decided to retire from her role as Clinic Director.
For more than two decades, God has used Tanis to lead with compassion, wisdom, and grace. Her caring heart, steadfast faith, and commitment to excellence have touched countless lives.
We asked Tanis to reflect on her journey, her calling, and what lies ahead.
Tanis’ calling began far from Madison, Wisconsin
Years before Tanis walked through the doors, God had prepared her for this work. Tanis’ nursing career includes a wide variety of experiences. She has served in specialties such as Neurosurgery ICU and Obstetrics. Tanis also has ministered at Remote Outpost Nursing in Northern Canada. She has cared for people as a Community Health and Hospice Nurse. As a forensic nurse, Tanis has helped women through trauma as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.
She also served for 5 years at a mission hospital in Dessalines, Haiti. There she launched and oversaw a community health program. Her role included bringing healthcare services and clean water to the surrounding communities. She was also on call to deliver babies in the maternity ward and assisted with surgeries in the OR.
After she returned from Haiti, Tanis volunteered at a pregnancy center in Calgary, Alberta. Tanis taught prenatal classes and walked alongside women and families during pregnancy.
“That was my first exposure to the important work of pregnancy centers,” Tanis said. “It planted the seeds for what would later become my career at Care Net in Madison.”
A persistent nudge led Tanis to Care Net Pregnancy Center of Dane County
After moving to Madison, Tanis met Dr. Karla Dickmeyer, who was volunteering as an obstetrician and gynecologist with the Care Net ministry. Dr. Dickmeyer mentioned Care Net was looking for a nurse to manage the clinic. She wondered if Tanis was interested.
At the time, Tanis was already working as an on-call nurse and did not think she had the capacity to take on another job.
Thankfully, God had other plans.
“In the days that followed, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to learn more about Care Net,” she recalls. “What drew me to the position was the unique combination of compassionate healthcare and the opportunity to support women and families during some of the most important decisions of their lives. Here, clinical excellence and Christ-centered care work together to make a lasting difference. Looking back, I am grateful that I listened to the Holy Spirit. It has been a privilege to serve women as at Care Net.
“The highlight of my career continues to be seeing women choose life for their unborn children,” Tanis said. “It’s even more rewarding to see patients return to the clinic and tell us about their transformed lives.”
The clinic grew while remaining faithful to its mission.
“We seek to reflect Jesus’ love in everything we do while serving women with dignity and compassion,” Tanis said.
Tanis has made a difference that will last for generations
Tanis joined the organization in 2003. At that time, Care Net provided medical services at a small practice on Monroe Street. Tanis set goals to establish the clinic as a trusted source of healthcare for women and to become the first place women would turn when facing an unexpected pregnancy.
Today, we are serving more patients than ever before and having a greater impact in our community.
When we asked Tanis about the projects she has worked on that gave her the most satisfaction, she said they were the initiatives that allowed us to better serve women and removed barriers to choosing life.
These initiatives include:
- Expanding our services to include comprehensive STI testing and treatment for women. These services allow us to reach and support women before they face an unplanned pregnancy.
- Adding Pap testing, which has been especially valuable for uninsured women who might otherwise forgo this important screening.
- Becoming BadgerCare Express Enrollment providers so we can help pregnant women obtain health insurance, removing one more obstacle to continuing their pregnancies.
- Pursuing voluntary accreditation through the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). The accreditation demonstrates our commitment to meeting and exceeding recognized standards of quality healthcare.
- Being one of the first pregnancy medical clinics to transition to electronic medical records, ensuring we remained current with advances in healthcare technology.
- Overseeing the construction and design of a boutique in our basement, for women participating in our pregnancy education programs to get the items they need to get ready for their baby.
- Planning and launching a mobile medical clinic to reach women who might otherwise have difficulty accessing our services.
- Implementing the FOCUS process to improve our effectiveness in reaching and serving women facing unplanned pregnancies.
“I am grateful for these milestones,” Tanis said. “But I am most proud of the dedicated staff, volunteers, and supporters who made them possible. Together, we have built a ministry that reflects Christ’s love while providing compassionate, high-quality care to every woman who walks through our doors.”
Tanis is looking forward to the future
Tanis is looking forward to spending more time with family and friends. She is quick to credit her husband, Garry, as her constant source of support.
“His encouragement, patience, and faithfulness have made it possible for me to dedicate myself to this ministry.”
When she started at the clinic, their two children were still in elementary school. Today, both are married and have families of their own. One of Tanis’s greatest joys is being a grandmother. She adores her granddaughter.
Tanis looks forward to an active and healthy life with more time for some of her favorite hobbies. She hopes retirement gives her more time to do things that have been difficult to fit in around work.
She’s thankful there will be more time to spend with family and friends. She looks forward to catching up on home and yard projects. And she’s excited about spending more time with her granddaughter.
Tanis is also excited to take part in Bible studies and spend more time in God’s Word.
“Most of all, I look forward to embracing this next season of life with gratitude, investing in the people I love, and seeing what God has in store.”
When asked if she had anything to add, Tanis turned her attention to others.
“One of the greatest blessings of my career has been mentoring and working with outstanding clinical staff. I could not count all the staff and volunteer nurses I have trained and mentored over the years. Each one brought unique gifts, talents, and a commitment to excellence in patient care. I have enjoyed working with every one of them and have learned from them as much as they may have learned from me.
“As I reflect on my time at Care Net, I am grateful to the staff, volunteers, physicians, board members, donors, and patients who have been part of this journey. The work we’ve accomplished has been the result of faithful people serving a common mission.
“While I am retiring from my position, I will always carry the mission of this ministry in my heart. It has been a privilege to witness God’s work in the lives of women, families, and our community. I look forward to seeing how He continues to guide and bless this organization in the years ahead.”
Join us in celebrating Tanis—and Praying
Please join us in celebrating Tanis. The clinic culture she created will provide compassionate and nonjudgmental care for women for years to come.
We will miss Tanis. We know that God has a plan for her life, just as He has a plan for Care Net. God has guided this ministry every step of the way. We look forward with anticipation to how He will continue His work in all our lives.
Please pray:
· For Tanis and the staff during this transition.
· For God’s wisdom and guidance during the search for a new Clinic Director. If you know of anyone who would be a good candidate, please share the job description with them.