Thirty-five leaders from health and human services organizations throughout western and central New York graduated from the Health Leadership Fellows program at a ceremony on April 23, 2018 at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave., Rochester, NY.
The 18-month program provided the fellows opportunities to participate in sessions on personal leadership, leading change, results based leadership and accountability and the leader as a communicator. In addition to the four residential retreats, each fellow met monthly to complete intersession work aligned with the theme of each residential session, and to develop a collaborative inter-organizational project in a small team setting.
Launched in 2005, the goal of the Health Leadership Fellows program is to produce a network of diverse, highly-skilled leaders that will learn to lead collaboratively from both within and outside of their organizations and become advocates for improved health care delivery, particularly for older adults and children impacted by poverty.
Graduates in the seventh class of Health Leadership Fellows include:
- Michael Ackerman, director, Masters in Healthcare Innovation Program/Professor of Clinical Nursing, Ohio State University College of Nursing
- Inga Back, practice manager, Primecare Medical Practice
- Denise Bienko, vice president, People, Inc.
- James Butcher, director of primary behavioral health care integration, BestSelf WNY
- Christina Cain, director, Herkimer County Public Health
- Karen Carroll, director of nursing, Northwoods, Moravia
- Charlotte Crawford, CEO, Lake Plains Community Care Network
- Kelly Dickerson, director of community initiatives, ARA Services
- Karen Hall, health improvement program manager, Population Health Collaborative
- Betsy Harned, vice president for public policy and organizing, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, Planned Parenthood of Maryland
- Shannon Holmes, program director, The Parkway Center
- Catherine James, CEO, Alzheimer’s Association of CNY
- Melissa Jillson, director, Liberty Resources, Inc.
- Andrea Spako
- Kristin Kight, project and business development manager, Endeavor Health Services
- Hilary Kirk, quality director, Neighborhood Health Center
- Chris Koenig, CEO, Niagara Lutheran Health System
- Meichle Latham, director of school-based services, Catholic Charities of Buffalo
- Julie Lulek, nurse-family partnership program administrator, Catholic Health System
- Sandra Macfarlane, clinical education coordinator, Bryant & Stratton College
- Candace Murray, CCO, Catholic Charities of Onondaga County
- Valerie Nowak, clinic coordinator, Community Concern of WNY
- Kathryn Pagliaroli, director of quality and patient safety, Oswego Hospital
- Judith Reilly, services director, North Eastern Rescue Vehicles, Inc.
- Catherine Roberts, senior vice president, Community Action Organization of Erie County
- Kate Sarata, executive director, The Services Collaborative of WNY
- Sheri Scavone, executive director, WNY Women’s Foundation
- Lynn Shea, early childhood program director, Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center
- May Shogan, director of international exchanges department, International Institute of Buffalo
- Rebecca Stevens, advocate program supervisor, Lee Gross Anthone Child Advocacy Center/ BestSelf WNY
- Daniel Strauch
- Daniel Szewc, long-term care coordinator, Erie County Department of Senior Services
- Christine Verni, chair and assistant professor, D’Youville School of Nursing
- Andrea Wanat, director of behavioral health, Millennium Collaborative Care
- Donna White, director of inpatient rehabilitation services and occupational therapy supervisor, The Centers at St. Camillus
Graduates of the program continue their work as members of the Fellows Action Network, where they work collaboratively to improve care for older adults and children in poverty, as well as collectively tackle other critical health issues facing western and central New York. An eighth cohort of the Health Leadership Fellows is currently in progress, with a ninth cohort class set to begin in September 2018.
