2016 PACHC BOARD of DIRECTORS
Note: The full PACHC Board of Directors meets quarterly;
The PACHC Executive Committee meets monthly.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Bob is the CEO of Cornerstone Care
, a Federally
Qualified Health Center. He has over 20 years’
experience in rural health care delivery. He has a BA
from West Liberty State College with graduate work
from West Virginia University and the Johnson &
Johnson/UCLA Health Care Executive Program. He
has previously served in leadership positions in the
PACHC as Board Secretary and Program Committee
Chairman.
Robert MtJoy
Chair
Health Center Summary
Cornerstone Care, an FQHC, began 32 years ago
and today provides a full-range of primary and
preventative health care services through nine
locations in SW Pennsylvania. These services
include medical, dental, and behavior health care.
Cornerstone Care is affiliated with several
academic institutions including the University of
Pittsburgh Dental School, Washington Hospital
Family Practice Residency Program, St. Francis
College, Duquesne University, Chatham College
and the Southwest Pennsylvania Area Health
Education Center. Cornerstone Care also
collaborates with many local organizations to
improve health in the communities it serves. The
health center employs over 155 professional,
administrative, and support staff, including 7
Family Practice Physicians, 3 Pediatricians, 5
Physician Assistants, 5 Nurse Practitioners, 7
General Dentists, an Orthodontist, 5 Dental
Hygienists, 3 Psychiatrists, 1 Psychologist, and 6
Therapists, a Chiropractor, 3 Podiatrists.
Cornerstone Care served 22,121 patients in 2009.
This involved 61,879 medical visits; 11,644 dental
visits; 10,341 mental health visits, 3,111 podiatry,
chiropractic and massage therapy visits.
Candidate
Susan Kalson
Vice Chair
Bio Brief
Susan is the CEO of the Squirrel Hill Health Center
(“SHHC”)
, an FQHC created in Pittsburgh in
2006. SHHC’s mission is to provide patient driven,
high quality, comprehensive primary and preventive
health care and social services, with a special
concern for patients’ religious beliefs, race, national
origin, age, gender and disability status, and without
regard for their ability to pay. A native of Pittsburgh,
Ms. Kalson received an A.B. in English magna cum
laude from Harvard University and a J.D. from the
University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Ms. Kalson
briefly practiced health law in Pittsburgh, has served
as a consultant with the Jewish Healthcare
Foundation, and was an active volunteer
professional in the Pittsburgh community, serving as
president of Rodef Shalom Congregation, one of
Pennsylvania’s largest synagogues, prior to joining
SHHC as it opened in 2006. Current board positions
include Rodef Shalom Congregation and the national
boards of the Union for Reform Judaism and its
Commission on Social Action, a group devoted to
advancing social justice, including equitable access to
health care.
Ms. Kalson and her husband David J. Kalson, a
lawyer, are the parents of three children.
Health Center Summary
Squirrel Hill Health Center (“SHHC”) is an FQHC
created in 2006 through the efforts of the Jewish
Healthcare Foundation and Pittsburgh’s Jewish
community, and is a completely independent and
secular 501(c)(3) organization. At its single site in
Squirrel Hill, SHHC provides primary care services
including family and internal medicine, geriatrics,
pediatrics, OB/GYN, mental health services, case
management and lab services. Currently,
approximately 32% of SHHC patients are
uninsured, down from a high of 42% in late 2009;
41% of patients have either Medicaid or Medicare
and the rest have some form of commercial
insurance. Since opening in June 2006, SHHC has
provided services to over 5,000 individuals across
a wide range of ages, religions and ethnicities.
18% of SHHC patients are over age 65; 25% have
limited English proficiency, speaking 40 different
languages. SHHC provides translation services
through staff members who are fluent in Spanish,
Russian, Hebrew, Arabic and Nepalese, as well as
American Sign Language, and also uses a
telephone translation service. In 2010 SHHC is
launching a mobile medical unit funded with the
CIP grant, and opening a new dental center,
funded through a FIP grant and a Pennsylvania
Primary Care Challenge Grant. SHHC is also
participating in the Safety Net Medical Home
Initiative through the Commonwealth Fund,
Qualis and Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative,
and expects to apply for certification as a Patient
Centered Medical Home in 2011.
Candidate
Fred Jackson
Treasurer
Finance Committee Chair
Bio Brief
Frederick Jackson has a broad based background in rural
health care management and finance. He served for 19
years as the CFO of the Barnes Kasson Health System
managing the systems Hospital and Community Health
Center Corporations. Subsequently he was the Executive
Director of B-K Health Center, the systems Federally
Qualified Health Center (FQHC) for four years and has
been in his current position as Executive Director of
Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers
since
November 2007. His hospital finance background
includes extensive experience in cost reporting, Swing
Bed development, Home Health, Skilled Nursing, and
Critical Access Hospital transition. He has worked to
integrate services in order to maximize efficiencies in a
rural environment. He has expertise in FQHC
collaboration, development, expansion, and extensive
knowledge and experience in the practical
implementation of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). He
has served in a consulting capacity for physician/hospital
mergers and CHC expansion projects. His HRSA Grant
experience includes the authoring and managing of FQHC
330 grants, successful expansion initiatives, the funding of
IDS and IT network development grants and several
capital grant expansions.
A former Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, he is the
past President of the NEPA-HFMA Chapter, past President
of the local Tri County Mental Health Agency, and
member of several other community boards. He has
served as board president of the Community Integrated
Service Network of Pennsylvania (CISNP), a network of PA
CHCs. He has served as a National Health Service Corp
interviewer and was an elected Chairman of the Harmony
Township Supervisors for over 20 years. He is a graduate
of the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Health Center Summary
Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers
(WMCHC)
is an FQHC serving the counties of
Wayne, Pike and upper Lackawanna (Carbondale).
This region is commonly referred to as the lakes region
of the Pocono’s. Having both rural and urban sites,
WMCHC spun off from some hospital-run practices in
2007 as a NAP recipient. Starting with four small
practices and twenty-three employees, the center has
grown to encompass twelve practices in six
communities with over 40 professionals and 160
employees. WMCHC has leveraged the capital
resources provided FQHC’s over the last seven years
successfully securing Recovery Act capital grants,
Immediate Facility improvement grants and the
Improving Access grant funds; leveraging these with
state primary care challenge grants and community
benefit grants to grow at a pace of 20-30% per year.
Practices have been developed both organically from
the ground up and from acquisition and conversion of
existing practices to FQHC’s. Today, the Center
encompasses five distinct service lines, including
primary care (7 sites), dental care (2 sites), behavioral
health (2 sites), women’s health (5 sites). WMCHC also
runs the specialty practices of surgery and
pulmonology. We expect to break the 100,000 patient
encounter mark by the end of 2014 and serve in excess
of 20,000 patients. Recent developments include the
opening of a combination urgent care center/primary
care center and a contract with the Veterans
Administration for service to Veterans. The Centers
Dental Program has been a leader in developing
innovative outreach modalities to enhance dental
access and improve dental education and service to
hard-to-reach areas.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Phyllis joined Spectrum Health Services, Inc.
as
CEO in January, 2004 with a professional career of
more than 30 years in health and human services in
the City of Boston, MA. She provides the senior
leadership for the delivery of primary health care,
and social and mental health services to over 12,000
patients. Phyllis holds an undergraduate degree in
sociology and psychology from the University of
Massachusetts, Boston and a Masters of Social
Planning degree from Boston College Graduate
School of Social Work.
Phyllis B. Cater
Secretary
Health Center Summary
Spectrum Health Services, Inc. (SHS), a non-profit
501(c)(3), was established by a group of
community residents and incorporated in 1967 as
Better Family Planning, Inc. in Philadelphia. SHS
operated ten sites throughout the city of
Philadelphia for the delivery of reproductive
services. In 1983, the organization received
Federal funding from the Bureau of Primary Care
Services to integrate, expand and to offer a
comprehensive range of primary health care
services to the residents in the medically
underserved communities in North and West
Professional affiliations and community service
Philadelphia. With these Federal resources SHS’
activities include serving as Treasurer and member of mission is to serve all who seek care regardless of
the Board of Directors for the Health Federation of
their ability to pay. In 1983 SHS renovated 4000
Philadelphia, Advisory Board member of the
square feet in the Progress Haddington Plaza in
Haddington Community Development Corporation,
West Philadelphia to deliver core primary care
PACHC, NACHC, and the Philadelphia Area Research
services, social and behavioral health services,
Community Coalition (PARCC). Ms. Cater is 2005
and HIV counseling, testing and primary care. This
Alumni of the Philadelphia Leadership, Inc. program, current site of 10,000 square feet is no longer
and a 2008 graduate of the Johnson and Johnson
adequate to serve the growing needs of the
Executive Health Care Program at the UCLA
Haddington community. In response, SHS is
Anderson School of Management. Ms. Cater is also
planning the construction of a 34,000 square foot
the immediate past Chair of the Bessie Tartt Wilson
state-of-the art health center in west Philadelphia
Initiative for Children in Boston and has been
which will serve over 25,000 community residents
selected as a 2010/2011 Professional Woman of the by the year 2014.
Year of the National Association of Professional
Women.
Phyllis is the proud mother of a son, Ali, who resides
in Virginia.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Patti has been the President and CEO of Delaware
Valley Community Health, Inc.
for seventeen
years, overseeing the delivery of primary medical
and dental care to over 40,000 patients annually at
five locations. Formerly a hospital social worker, she
earned an MBA in Health Administration from
Temple University in Philadelphia, PA in 1985 and
spent 8 years in hospital administration at Cooper
Hospital in Camden, NJ and Medical College of
Pennsylvania. Immediately prior to moving into
community health, she was an Assistant Vice
President at Allegheny Health Systems.
Patricia Deitch
Immediate Past Chair
Patti is a Diplomate of the American College of
Healthcare Executives and is on the Executive
Committee of the Pennsylvania Association of
Community Health Centers. She also participates
nationally as a member of the Health Policy and
Legislative Committees of the National Association of
Community Health Centers. Other Board
memberships include the Health Federation of
Philadelphia (Chair), The Institute for Safe Families,
North Philadelphia Early Head Start and former CoChair of the Consortium for Latino Health in
Philadelphia.
Health Center Summary
Delaware Valley Community Health, Inc. (DVCH) is
a private, non-profit organization which delivers
community-based, culturally competent, primary
medical, dental and behavioral health care
services to patients whether or not they have
medical insurance. For over 40 years, DVCH has
been the safety net provider for Latino and
African- American communities in North
Philadelphia. DVCH currently operates four
Federally Qualified Health Centers in
Southeastern Pennsylvania: Fairmount Primary
Care Center; Maria de los Santos Health Center,
Norristown Regional Health Center; and Parkview
Ob/Gyn. Physicians, dentists, midlevel providers,
nurses, social workers, counselors, health
educators and support staff work together to
improve the health status of DVCH’s patients and
communities at all of the sites.
Candidate
Mary Wetherall
Clinical Services Committee CoChair
Bio Brief
Mary Wetherall, CEO of NEPA Community Health
Care
has an extensive background in health
care and Community Health Centers
, as well as
a clinical background in emergency nursing. Mary
attended Felician College and began working on her
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). During the
transition of moving from New York City to rural
Pennsylvania, she changed her clinical direction and
became involved in the home birth movement as a
midwife. Mary went on to finish her undergraduate
degree at Marywood University and pursued
graduate work at Frontier Nursing University toward
a Nurse Practitioner degree. Mary completed about
twenty clinical hours at Frontier Nursing University
but eventually decided that she wanted to focus
more on the administrative side of health care. She
changed her major and began attending Walden
University, studying for her MSN with a
concentration in leadership and management.
Over the years, Mary has completed many
certification programs in support of her clinical and
administrative practice paradigm; she has also
completed the Caring Science: Caritas Coach
Education Program with Nursing Theorist Jean
Watson. Mary spends time doing humanitarian work
in Haiti with an organization called Archangel
Airborne. In addition to all her accomplishments,
Mary is proudly the mother of nine children and four
grandchildren. She has been happily married to her
husband Paul for thirty-three years.
Health Center Summary
NEPA Community Health Care
was started as
one of the early health centers around 1981. The
health center was closed twice in the 2000's due
to floods. In 2009, there was a split between the
center and its partnering hospital. When Mary
started at NEPA Community Health Care, she
decided to rework their mission statement. The
new mission statement for the organization is,
"Providing exceptional care to all those who seek
it." NEPA Community Health Care currently has
two facilities and is planning a third site.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Jeannine Peterson has over 35 years experience in
public and community health with a specific focus on
issues that disproportionately impact minority and
low income populations. Prior to her tenure at
Hamilton Health Center
, Ms. Peterson held
numerous executive management positions,
including Deputy Director of a federally funded TA
Project for a national consulting firm. She also
served as Deputy Secretary of Health for the
Commonwealth of PA for eight years where she was
responsible for administering the state’s drug and
alcohol program, maternal and child health program,
and preventative health and communicable disease
programs.
Jeannine Peterson
Legislative, Regulatory and Policy
Committee Chair
Ms Peterson earned her MPA from PA State
University and a BA degree from Michigan State
University. She is also a graduate of the Johnson &
Johnson/UCLA Health Care Executive Management
Program. Ms. Peterson serves on the CREDC Board
of Directors, the Highmark Blue Shield Regional
Advisory Committee and is the immediate past Chair
of the United Way of the Capital Region’s Board of
Directors. Ms. Peterson has also won numerous
awards including: the 2012 Central Penn Business
Journal Healthcare Hero Lifetime Achievement
Award, the 2012 Pennsylvania Association of
Community Health Centers Life Time Achievement
Award, and the 2011 Harrisburg Regional Chamber
of Commerce Catalyst Award.
Ms Peterson is married and has one daughter.
Health Center Summary
Hamilton Health Center is a Federally Qualified
Health Center providing medical and dental services
to over 25,000 residents of Greater Harrisburg, PA.
In September 2012, under Ms. Peterson’s leadership,
Hamilton Health Center opened a new state-of-the
art 67,000 square foot “medical mall” in one of
Harrisburg’s most densely populated blighted areas
of the city. This $32.5 million dollar renovation
project significantly expanded the region’s primary
health care capacity and is expected to be the
economic catalyst to bring more business
development into the South Allison area of the City
of Harrisburg.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Rodney Jones recently became CEO of East Liberty
Family Health Care Center
in Pittsburgh. Rodney
grew up in the Pittsburgh area and it is where his
passion for the healthcare industry began.
Rodney Jones
Membership Committee Chair
Health Center Summary
East Liberty Family Health Care Center
was
founded in 1982 and today has three locations in
the Pittsburgh area that serve 8,000-10,000
patients through 34,000 visits annually. The
health center’s mission is to witness to God's love,
Rodney attended Morgan State University, where he known in Jesus Christ, by empowering the
earned his Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation
patients they serve through community centered,
Therapy. He went on to earn his Post Bachelor
whole-person quality health care for all, which
Certificate in Physical Therapy at Columbia University includes those who are uninsured, underinsured
and his Masters in Health Care Administration from
and underserved. Five East Liberty Family Health
the University of Pittsburgh. After working for
Care physicians were recently acknowledged by
several years as a physical therapist, Rodney's
Pittsburgh Magazine as some of the top primary
passion for the industry grew and he decided to
care providers in Western PA.
transition into healthcare administration. He has
worked as a healthcare administrator in acute care,
rehabilitation, long term acute care, long term care,
managed care and community health environments.
Rodney raised two children as a single parent. His
son is a criminal defense attorney with his own law
firm in Pittsburgh. His daughter earned her MBA and
is a marketing manager in Virginia. He is also the
proud grandfather of five grandchildren. Rodney has
been married to his wife Kim for 13 years. Kim
recently retired from UPMC. Rodney enjoys an active
lifestyle with snow skiing and golfing as two of his
favorite pastimes.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Hilda earned her PhD in Business Administration &
Management from Northcentral University; a Master
of Social Work degree from the University of
Pennsylvania; and a Bachelors degree in Spanish
from Goshen College. Dr. Shirk is a peer reviewer for
the Council on Accreditation and serves on its Board
of Directors. She is an accomplished, multi-lingual
communicator. Born in Lancaster County, at the age
of 2 she and her family moved abroad to her
mother's hometown in France, where she was
immersed in three languages: French, German, and
English.
Hilda Shirk
Program Committee Chair
Hilda began her career with the Spanish Division of
Catholic Social Services in social service on the
southeast side of Lancaster, where she provided
community and marriage counseling to local
residents. Prior to accepting the position at
SouthEast Lancaster Health Services
(SELHS),
Hilda served as the Project Manager for the
Partnership for Public Health in Lancaster County. In
this role, she provided leadership to the Partnership,
and conducted research for the establishment of a
countywide public health department in Lancaster,
PA. She also served as President and CEO of Family
Service Partners in York, PA, an organization created
in 2002 as the parent company for two wellestablished private, nonprofit family service agencies
in adjoining counties.
Health Center Summary
SouthEast Lancaster Health Services
began in
1972 as a part-time walk-in clinic staffed
by volunteers. Today, the health center boasts
135 employees, 26,270 patients and a $10 million
budget.
SouthEast Lancaster Health Services
operates in three locations: 625 South Duke
Street, where it recently expanded its dental
services; their new, state of the art facility,
located at 333 North Arch Street; and within the
Bright Side Baptist Church Opportunity Center,
located at 515 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA.
Candidate
Bio Brief
Mary Kargbo joined the Berks Community Health
Center
on October 1, 2012. Mary has 38 years
experience in Health Care, most of which is in
hospital care as a senior executive. She has an
extensive experience working with underserved and
uninsured populations.
Mary Kargbo
Workforce Committee Chair
As a Chief Operating Officer at Medina Memorial
Health Care System, she worked with the local rural
health center to provide care to the uninsured. This
included partnering with them for community events
and education through the hospital’s outreach
program. She also worked with the incoming Amish
population to do the same. Following 18 years
tenure in this $32 million organization, she moved to
Sheehan Memorial Hospital which was an inner city
hospital President/CEO serving mostly the uninsured
and underinsured of the city of Buffalo. There she
collaborated with many organizations, third party
payers and agencies to provide outreach services and
education to the population.
Mary served on a number of not-for-profit boards
over the past 20 years. She has been recognized and
awarded as a community leader several times.
Health Center Summary
Berks Community Health Center (BCHC) accepts
and currently cares for patients from throughout
Berks and surrounding counties. In its first six
months, BCHC cared for more than 3,000 patients
equal to over 8,000 visits.
Community leaders including people from
organizations such as Berks County Community
Foundation, United Way of Berks County, and
Wyomissing Foundation worked to develop the
health center. These area hospitals and dedicated
individuals have continued to have an influence
either as part of the Board of Directors or
Advisory Board.
BCHC provides exceptional patient-centered
primary and preventive healthcare for all
residents of Berks County, regardless of economic
status. Berks Community Health Center is
committed to improving the health of our
community through the delivery and coordination
of affordable, comprehensive, culturally-sensitive
patient- and family-centered healthcare.
Candidate
Drew Pierce
Payment Policy Committee
Co-Representative
Bio Brief
Drew earned his Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration with a concentration in accounting
from Slippery Rock University. He is also a Certified
Public Accountant through the State of Pennsylvania.
Prior to becoming CEO of Primary Health Network
(PHN), Drew previously held the position of
Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business
Development at PHN. Since joining PHN in 2007,
Drew has been a part of numerous expansion
projects and has shown dynamic finance and
operational skills. During Drew’s time as CFO, he
played a key part in the development and
maintenance of an annual budget of $64M+ which
grew over $43M within seven years. He was integral
in the fostering of relationships with potential
partners, evaluation of new programs and potential
new revenue streams, participation in the political
process with local, state, and federal legislators and
the expansion of services to other locations and
territories. He also served as the organizational
liaison to PHN’s Charitable Foundation which
consisted of responsibility for the oversight of all
Foundation programs, staff and operations as well as
a budget of more than $2.5M annually.
Health Center Summary
The Primary Health Network
was founded to
provide quality medical care to the residents of
the Shenango Valley and was originally titled The
Shenango Valley Primary Health Care Center.
Since its inception in 1984, The Primary Health
Network, a private, non-profit organization, has
worked with local communities to develop and
implement the community health center model of
care.
PHN began as one small community health center
and has grown to include over 45 service facilities
throughout 13 counties within Pennsylvania and
Ohio. PHN employs a medical staff that consists of
more than 165 physicians, dentists, physician
assistants, certified nurse practitioners and other
healthcare professionals; a support staff of over
370; and reaches more than 118,000 people
annually through its health and educational
services.
PHN offers comprehensive primary health and
subspecialty services and works within
communities by participating in health fairs and
networking with area agencies and organizations.
Candidate
Raji Jayakrishnan
Board Member-at-Large
Bio Brief
Raji Jayakrishnan has served as Executive Director of
Community Health Clinic, Inc.
in New
Kensington, PA since 2010. She earned her Masters
Degree in Health Administration from the University
of Pittsburgh. She also has her Masters in Applied
Microbiology from the Bharathiar University, India.
Prior to her position at Community Health Clinic, Inc.
, Raji was a Practice Manager at Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh. In addition, she has several
years of experience as a Research Specialist in
Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at University of
Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Biological Sciences
and Pharmacy. Raji is a recipient of the Rosa Park
Humanitarian Award. Raji has resided in Pittsburgh
since 2002.
Health Center Summary
Community Health Clinic, Inc.
(CHC) provides
primary care medical, dental and behavioral
health services. CHC began as a free clinic in the
mid 1970s, became a Look-Alike in 2004, and
received its New Access Point grant in 2009. CHC
implemented its practice management system in
2010, followed by electronic health record system
in 2011 and electronic dental record system in
2012. The practice achieved Patient Centered
Medical Home status in 2013, and was recognized
under NCQA as Level 2 PCMH. The organization
received a Capital Development - Immediate
Facility Improvement grant in 2012 and renovated
the medical facility in New Kensington. The
project was completed early 2014. The grant
helped to add additional exam rooms, purchase
state of the art equipment and thereby help
increase the number of patients served. In 2014,
CHC received a Behavioral Health Integration
grant and has been providing integrated medical
and behavioral health since December 2014 with
the collaboration of Family Services of Western
PA. CHC also set up another medical practice in
Vandergrift, PA and it has been operational since
January 2015. With a new facility and new service
line and additional site, CHC is anticipating a
growth rate over 20% for CY 2015.