Sen. Shipley introduces Dr. Elaine Barry as 2025 COPIC Humanitarian Award recipient; $10,000 designated for Cass Health nursing apprenticeship

Senator Shipley introduced Dr. Elaine Barry to the Iowa Senate as the recipient of the 2025 COPIC Humanitarian Award and said Barry designated the award's $10,000 donation to Cass Health to support a nurse apprenticeship program.

Shipley described Barry as a family medicine physician who has provided care at Cass Health in Atlantic and at satellite clinics in Griswold and [|] and has worked in hospice and palliative care, praising her volunteer work and community impact in Cass County. Shipley said the COPIC award honors physicians who provide volunteer medical services and contributions to their communities, and the annual award allows the recipient to direct a $10,000 donation to a health-care nonprofit.

According to Shipley, Barry chose to direct the donation to Cass Health's nurse apprenticeship program, an initiative Shipley characterized as an effort to train nurses locally and help mitigate regional workforce shortages in health care. The Senate chamber responded with congratulations; the introduction did not include a formal presentation from Barry on the floor.

The item was presented as a ceremonial introduction during the Senate's floor session; no legislative action or funding appropriation on the floor followed from the introduction. Cass Health and the COPIC Humanitarian Award were identified in the introduction as the organizations involved.