Board
President
David V. Hunter, BS, MBA
The Mary Wade Home
David V. Hunter, the Mary Wade Home’s chief executive officer, has served as its executive since 1981, and has been a licensed nursing home administrator for 30 years. Mr. Hunter is responsible for directing the expansion of the campus from a single service provider to a continuum of long-term care and community-based services for the aging, including skilled nursing, residential, adult day care, and transportation and out-patient rehabilitation. He is also the president of MWH Holdings Company, a corporation established to obtain and retain properties to further expand the mission of Mary Wade.
Mr. Hunter is involved in many community health associations, including the Connecticut Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, where he served as a chair of the board of directors and was a recipient of the Association’s Humanitarian Award; the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, where he served on the budget and finance committee and as a Connecticut delegate for the Association; the Institute for Long Term Care Policy, where he served as a chair of the Institute; and the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut Interagency Council, where he also served as chair.
Mr. Hunter is a graduate of Southern CT State University with a B.S. in Economics and received his M.B.A. from the University of New Haven.
Past-President
Sister Suzanne Gross, FSE
Franciscan Home Care & Hospice Care
ssuzanne@franciscanhc.org
Sister Suzanne Gross is the Administrator of Franciscan Home Care
and Hospice, a home health care and hospice care provider, licensed
to serve in 31 towns in Connecticut. The agency has 85 employees.
Ten years ago she obtained Medicare certification for the agency's
hospice program. The agency is accredited by CHAP, the Community Health
Accreditation Program. Sister Suzanne has a Masters Degree in Public
Administration from the University of Hartford and a Masters Degree
in theology from Holy Apostles College, Cromwell, CT. Sister Suzanne
is also the Chairman of the Physicians' Health Alliance, an organization
comprised of 220 physicians and organizations serving the Central
Connecticut region. Sister Suzanne also works part-time for the Archdiocese
of Hartford by coordinating programs on end of life and the dignity
of the human person. Sister is a member of the Franciscan Sisters
of the Eucharist with headquarters in Meriden, Connecticut.
Vice-President
Thomas E. Quinn, APRN, MSN
Pain and Palliative Care Educator/Consultant
Tom is an advanced practice oncology nurse with experience in multiple clinical settings, industry, clinical education, and consulting. He feels his interest in symptom management and end-of -life care is a natural outgrowth of his many years of caring for cancer and other patients with advanced disease. He has a particular interest in pain management and founded a newsletter and website devoted to pain, as well as a being the current editor of YaleCares, a palliative care newsletter sponsored by the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic at Yale Cancer Center.
Treasurer
Ronald Dischinger
The Elim Park Baptist Home, Inc.
Ronald Dischinger is a licensed nursing home administrator with more than 30 years experience in the health care field. Currently he is the President/CEO at The Elim Park Baptist Home, Inc. in Cheshire, Connecticut.
He holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Hartford. Mr. Dischinger also has his Retirement Housing Professional Fellow (RHPF) certification from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), in Washington, DC. He is a surveyor for the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehab Facilities - Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CARF-CCAC).
Mr. Dischinger has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of Non-profit Providers for the Aging, (CANPFA). He has served six years as a member of the House of Delegates of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). He has served 6 years as a member of the Cheshire Human Services Committee.
Presently he also serves on the Board of Directors for The Connecticut Alliance for Long Term Care (CALTC), a non-profit organization of post acute care providers. Mr. Dischinger also serves on the Board of Directors of the Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, and chairs the Community Relations Committee. He has also been a member of the National Alumni Board of Directors for Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota since 1998.
Secretary
Karrie Hendrickson, BS, MSN, PhD
Yale University School of Nursing
Karrie is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Yale University School of Nursing and an adjunct faculty member at Quinnipiac University. She received her Ph.D from Yale University, her M.S.N. from Vanderbilt University School of Nusring, and her B.S. from the University of Mississippi. This is her first term on the Board of the CT Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care.
Karrie's research interests involve end-of-life care for children and
bereavement of parents of children who die. She has worked closely with Dr. Ruth McCorkle and together, they wrote the article, "A Dimensional Analysis of the Concept: Good Death of a Child with Cancer," which appeared in the Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing in the Spring of 2008.
Suzanne Blancaflor, MS
Department of Public Health
Suzanne Blancaflor is Section Chief for the Environmental Health Section (EHS) at the CT Department of Public Health (DPH). In her role as Section Chief, she is directly responsible for the oversight and management of the following programs: Asbestos, Drinking Water, Environmental Engineering, Food Protection, Lead Poisoning and Control, Radon, and Environmental Practitioner Licensure. Ms. Blancaflor has twenty-eight years of experience in the areas of Public Health and Health and Human Services including four years as Section Chief at DPH. She was the recipient of the Governor’s Service Award in 1999. Ms. Blancaflor received her Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and a Master’s Degree in Human Relations from Eastern CT State University. She is completing her Master’s in Public Health at Southern CT State University. Ms. Blancaflor’s personal experiences and coursework in thanatology led to her interest in end of life issues. Ms. Blancaflor is currently writing her thesis/special project on health care provider communication as it relates to end of life issues for patients and their families. Ms. Blancaflor is a member of the CT Environmental Health Association and the CT Public Health Association. She is also a member of the Haddam Land Trust and the Haddam Historical Society. Ms. Blancaflor enjoys traveling, and is an avid gardener and bibliophile.
Linda Anne Clougher, RN, MBA
LAC Medical Consulting, LLC
Linda Clougher is the owner of LAC Medical Consulting, LLC, providing cost management, productivity enhancement and IT planning and oversight to medical practices. Previously she worked for Advanced Diagnostic Pain Treatment Centers, PC in New Haven, CT as Practice Administrator. Linda received an associate's degree in nursing from the Children's Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, MA and a BS from Simmons College. She has graduate degrees from the Yale University School of Management and the University of Massachusetts business school in Amherst, MA in Business Administration/Finance. Linda completed a three year program at Harvard University; the Kennedy School of Government concentration in Policy and the Harvard Business and Law School with a concentration in Contracts. Linda is currently the president of the Connecticut Chapter of American Society of Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN); she serves on the national ASPMN Education and Chapter Development committees. She has also served on the Connecticut Pain Initiative steering committee; Y-Me organization, serving as a co-founder and facilitator of the Old Saybrook support group and Chance, Inc, a foster care placement program.
Leonard Comeau, MD
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Len Comeau is a physician specializing in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. His primary clinical responsibility has been in caring for children in the 18-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for the last 11 years. Other responsibilities include physician leadership of the hospital’s Sedation and Analgesia Committee, Co-chairmanship of the Pain Steering Committee, and leadership of the Comfort Care Program, CCMC’s palliative care program. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Sue Keefe MSN, APRN
St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Sue Keefe has been the Nurse Practitioner with the St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Palliative Care Program since it was initiated in 2001. She began working in the Hospice field in 1977 and worked in various roles as a home hospice nurse, team coordinator, nursing supervisor and consultant to other home hospice programs through VNA Health Care in Hartford, CT. Besides her duties on the Palliative Care Team at St. Francis, she participates in the Prison Hospice Volunteer Program and serves as clinical instructor for Geriatric Fellows from the University of Connecticut and as clinical instructor for graduate nursing students from area universities. She has a Bachelor Degree in Education from Diocesan Sisters College, a Masters in Nursing from New York Medical College, Pace University and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the University of Connecticut as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. She is certified as an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse through the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses. She has served on the boards of Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation, Mercy Community Health, St. Mary Home, and the Pastoral Counseling Center of West Hartford. She is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Northeast Community.
Kate McEvoy, Esq.
South Central CT Area Agency on Aging
Kate McEvoy is the Deputy Director of the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut (AASCC). She is also the legislative liaison for the Connecticut Association of Area Agencies on Aging (C4A), and represents C4A on the Steering Committee of the Connecticut Elder Action Network (CEAN) and the Connecticut Long Term Care Advisory Council. Further, she is the Chair of the Law Task Force of the Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care. In these capacities, she is a frequent lecturer on advance directives, Medicare, home and community-based services, entitlements and policy issues. Among other articles, she is the author of "Should We Focus More on the Individual? A Discussion of Advance Care Planning Law in Connecticut" for Connecticut Medicine. Her work on advance directives and changes to Connecticut’s statutes were passed in 2006. Kate is the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.In 2005, Kate was appointed to the Task Force on Re-Establishment of the Department on Aging. She also currently serves as the co-chair of the United Way of Greater New Haven’s Community Impact Cabinet. Kate is a graduate of Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio) with a B.A. in Economics and English and received her law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Barbara F. Morrison
Hospital of St. Raphael's
Barbara Morrison is a Chaplain at the Hospital of St. Raphael’s, supporting patients, families, and staff dealingl with spiritual and ethical issues. Barbara has been actively working in the field of medical ethics since 1982. She chaired the hospital ethics committee and worked within the state of Connecticut to improve care at the end of life especially as it related to policy development, pain management, and palliative care. She has served as adjunct faculty in nursing ethics at Yale School of Nursing and St. Joseph College. Barbara previously served on the board of the Connecticut Coalition to Improve Care End-of Life-Care. She graduated as an R.N. from St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, BSN from SCSU, MSN from Sacred Heart University, and Yale Divinity School in 2001. Barbara worked at the Hospital of St. Raphael’s in the nursing department from 1976 through 1999.
Eileen O’Shea, DNP, RN
Fairfield University
Dr. Eileen O’Shea is an assistant professor at Fairfield University School of Nursing and has been a practicing nurse since she completed her BSN at Boston College. As a pediatric nurse, she has worked at several leading Children’s Hospitals in this country, including Boston Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. O’Shea earned her MSN in pediatric critical care from the University of Pennsylvania. She has practiced as a clinical nurse specialist for the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where she worked collaboratively with families and an interdisciplinary healthcare team to best manage the health of chronically and terminally ill children. Most recently, she has earned a DNP degree from Case Western Reserve University, completing both the clinical and educational leadership curricula. Currently, Dr O’Shea is the coordinator for the undergraduate Nursing of Children and Family Program, and affiliates at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital.
Mimi Peck-Llewellyn BS, JD, LLM
Department of Social Services Aging Division
Mimi Peck-Llewellyn has been the Legal Services Developer and Attorney for the Aging Services Division of the Connecticut Department of Social Services (the State Unit on Aging) for the past 16 years. She is an advocate for the state’s older persons in the areas of elder abuse prevention, end of life planning and healthcare directives, and legal services programming. She also was instrumental in the development of CHOICES informational and assistance programming for seniors and their caregivers, including prevention and detection of healthcare and related frauds and scams. She is a member of the Elder Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and has served the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut both locally and statewide as a member of the Bishop’s Diocesan Council and member of the Aging and Life Planning Committee. As an active duty and now reserve Navy Judge Advocate for the past 30 years she also has extensive experience counseling active duty, retired and dependent military persons as well as Navy commands in the area of healthcare planning and advance directives.Mimi is a graduate of Southern CT State University with a B.S. in Education and Speech Communication. She subsequently received her law degree from the Claude W. Petit College of Law at Ohio Northern University and her Master of Laws (LL.M.) from George Washington University.
Kenneth J. Popillo
Emeritus at Rocky Hill
Ken Popillo has over 12 years experience in the Aerospace industry as a Jet Engine Technician, as well as over 18 years of experience in the funeral industry as a licensed funeral director, embalmer and insurance agent. Ken is currently the Director of Community Relations for Emeritus at Rocky Hill, a Senior Independent and Assisted Living Facility located in Rocky Hill, CT. Emeritus Senior Living offers a wide range of services including independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing. With a degree in Religious Studies from St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, he brings insight and compassion to many families. Kenneth often speaks locally and nationally, assists local and civic organizations and other business professionals through training and seminars, and has written several articles for local and national publications. In addition to serving as board member of the CT Coalition, some of his other activities and achievements include: A member of Pratolana M.B. Society in Hartford, Member of CT Funeral Director's Association and The National Funeral Director's Association, Parish Council member at the Holy Spirit Church in Newington, a founding board member of CASN (Connecticut Aging Services Network), a member of The Consortium for Geronotological Education and a board member for NCTC Theatre of Performing Arts.
Kathryn Shanahan, LCSW
Leeway Inc.
Kathy Shanahan was hired in April 2009 to be the director of Admissions at Leeway, Inc. in New Haven. She is also responsible for marketing the Skilled Nursing Facility service to hospitals and community referral sources. Kathy has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from SCSU, and is licensed by DPH as a licensed clinical social worker. Prior to Leeway, Kathy worked at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford for nearly 22 years. She had several positions during her time there, including Director of the Transitional Living Center for persons with Acquired Brain Injury (19 years) and Director of Social Services
(5 ½ years). She has previously served on the Board of Directors of The Valley Mental Health Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of South Central CT and The Brain Injury Association of CT.
Karen J. Stanley, RN, MSN, AOCN, FAAN
Progam Director, Dept. of Pain & Palliative Care Services
Stamford Hospital
Karen J. Stanley, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pain and Palliative Care, is nationally known for her leadership in oncology and end-of-life issues. She has lectured regionally, nationally, and internationally on clinical, psychosocial, and ethical issues pertaining to care at the end of life. She holds a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and a master of science in nursing from the University of California, San Francisco. She is past president of the 40,000 member Oncology Nursing Society and holds membership in the Hospice & Palliative Nursing Association, Sigma Theta Tau, the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Nursing, and the Oncology Nursing Society. She has been honored by the American Cancer Society (ACS) as a Fellow for Graduate Study and for contributions to the local ACS unit; by the Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative for Outstanding Contribution to the Relief of Cancer Pain; and by the Kaiser Permanente Service Excellence Program, Spotlight on Leadership, Award for Pain Management in the Hospice Population. Ms. Stanley served as a board member of the California Coalition for Compassionate Care and extensively collaborated with Last Acts and Bill Moyers on Dying In America with a focus on end of life issues. She was a panelist on the PBS Special, Before I Die: Medical Care and Personal Choices.
Siobhan Thompson
Patricia Trotta, RN, MSN
American Cancer Society
Pat is the manager of the New England Pain Relief Project off the American Cancer Society and a coordinator for the Connecticut Cancer Partnership (CCP). She is a board member of both the Coalition and the Connecticut Council for Hospice and Palliative Care and is actively involved in many projects to improve pain management and end of life care in Connecticut. Currently she co-chairs the Hospice and Palliative Care Committee of the CCP, serves on the steering committee for the newly created Hospice Veteran Partnership of CT, participates in the CT Hospice Prison Initiative, and serves on a work group formed by Representative Peggy Sayers to identify strategies to improve pain management in Connecticut nursing homes. Pat received her masters in nursing from Yale University School of Nursing and subsequently spent 25 years as an oncology clinical nurse specialist in several Connecticut hospitals including the VA Newington, Hartford Hospital and MidState Medical Center.
Order Updated Coalition Booklet Today
The Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care has updated their booklet entitled "Beginning the Conversation about Death, Dying and End-of-Life Care in Connecticut" and has recently reduced the cost to $5/copy. Please click here for more information and to order copies
