Rachel Jokela

Rachel Jokela serves as the Director of the Adverse Health Events Program and Patient Safety at the Minnesota Department of Health since March 2012, where responsibilities include managing the statewide AHE program, overseeing reporting from over 200 facilities, analyzing AHE data, and leading violence prevention initiatives in healthcare. Rachel has held various roles during the COVID-19 response, acting as a liaison to K-12 schools and managing a team of case managers for long-term care facilities. Previous experience includes roles at the Minnesota Hospital Association, where Rachel coordinated patient safety and quality initiatives, and extensive positions at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and Mayo Clinic as a Registered Respiratory Therapist with expertise in critical care settings. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care from the University of Minnesota and Mayo College of Medicine.