2010 - 2011 Officers and Board of Directors
President
Veronica Chepak, RN, BSN
Veronica
Chepak is currently a Nurse Case Manager, specializing in
Oncology for the Care Management Organization of Montefiore
Medical Center. She has over 10 years of Utilization
Management and Case Management experience in Commercial,
Self-Insured, Medicare and Medicaid Environment. She is in
the process of developing the oncology case management
program for the CMO. She was part of the assessment
development team for a major Managed Care Company. Her
prior hospital nursing experience includes oncology and a
Medicaid Clinic with an emphasis on prenatal care.
President
Elect
Rita Orlando RN, CCM, C-CDI
Rita Orlando is currently a Documentation Improvement
Specialist for the Care Management Organization of
Montefiore Medical Center. She has over 25 years of
Utilization Management and Case Management experience in
Commercial, Self-Insured, Medicare and Medicaid
environments. She developed the credentialing, utilization
management and quality improvement processes within a
Medical Management Program for a Self-Insured Health Plan.
Her prior hospital nursing experience includes pediatrics
and physical rehabilitation. She also has extensive home
health care experience and has worked several years for
certified, long term and licensed agencies. Rita's physical
rehabilitation experience enabled her to participate in the
"start up" of a Durable Medical Equipment Company in the
NYC area. Currently responsible for maintaining the Hudson
Valley CMSA website.
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Secretary
Patricia
Held-DiFabbio RN, BSN, MS, CCM, CCP
Patricia graduated from Molloy Catholic College in 1977
with a BSN. Her first assignment was with Montefiore
Medical Center in Urology and then General Surgery where
Patricia was asked to be mentor for new nurses. After
passing critical care requirements Patricia transferred to
Montefiore Medical Center's Cardiac Surgical ICU where she
often acted as charge nurse and recovered patients from the
operating room. Patricia was responsible for the
development of a nutrition assessment tool and nutritional
interventions that was used hospital wide. Patricia
transferred to Utilization Management and then Quality
Improvement. Her duties crossed both campuses from
Montefiore to Einstein hospital. Patricia earned a Masters
degree in Biology Orthomolecular Nutrition in 1980. The
opportunity to work in managed care became available and
she transferred to the Montefiore Care Management
Organization as a case manager where she is today. Other
affiliations Patricia belongs to are NYSNA and the ANA.
Treasurer
Linda Baker RN-BC, CPC
Linda has practiced as a Registered Nurse for 28 years in
various OB and behavioral health acute care settings and
has over 8 years of case management and utilization review
experience that encompasses both commercial and
governmental funded environments. Currently the lead
Perinatal Nurse Case Manager at Hudson Health Plan, she
oversees the case management activities within the plan's
"Mommy & Me" Program. Her previous work experience
includes positions as a Charge Nurse on a Mental Health
Unit, Senior Quality Improvement Specialist for a
behavioral health unit and Senior Health Care Investigator
for Medicare. Throughout her extensive career she has
earned certifications in the following areas; Clinical Case
Management; Adult Mental Health Nursing; HIV/AIDS
counselor; Group Therapy Leader; Legal Nurse Consulting and
Physician Coder. Linda is an active participant in the NYS
DOH Case Management Task Force, and serves on the board of
the Hudson Valley Perinatal Forum.
Immediate Past President
Nancy E. Heitman, RN.C, BSN, CCM
Nancy Heitman has practiced as a nurse for over twenty
years, pursuing her career goals both in acute and
long-term care. Her experience in healthcare is
comprehensive having worked in small to mid-sized
organizations throughout the Hudson Valley. Current and
past responsibilities include executive management of
Marketing and Admissions for several diverse organizations
including Cortlandt Healthcare, Cortlandt Manor, New York,
Bethel Homes and Services,
Westchester County, New York, and Director of Case
Management for Hudson Valley Hospital Center, Cortlandt
Manor, New York. Nancy has had wide exposure in operations
and strategic management with Board level responsibilities
and above all, she has a sound understanding of the need
for ethical and coordinated services in addition to
providing the highest level of care to our community
members. Nancy has been a Certified Case Manager and member
of CMSA since 2000. Nancy served as President of the
HV-CMSA Chapter for four years. As the immediate Past
President, she remains an active board member.
Board
of Directors
W. Loretta Bowens MS, RN-BC, CNA, CCM
Loretta has more than 20 years experience as a registered
professional nurse, with progressive experience in Acute
Care, Home Care and Long Term Care; Staff Development,
Nursing Administration and Case Management, across the
continuum of healthcare in the Commercial, Medicare and
Medicaid arenas. She has published in the Journal of The
Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses. She
has served on the Hudson Valley CMSA Chapter as a Board
member and Treasurer. She was on the Planning Committee for
the 4th & 5th Tri chapter NY CMSA Conference, as
Treasurer. A member of the New York State Nurses
Association, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau
Omega Chapter, Loretta is also involved in a variety of
community health activities.
Board
of Directors
Sheilah McGlone RN, PAHM, CPUM, CCM
Sheilah is currently the Director of Utilization Review and
Case Management at Hudson Health Plan, overseeing all case
management programs including the "Mommy and Me" Program.
She has over 14 years of Case Management and UR experience
that encompasses commercial and Medicaid environments. She
previously managed a maternal child health program for a
leading national case management company and has supervised
a behavioral health unit at a major commercial insurance
company. She is also a certified Community HIV/AIDS
Educator and was trained as an Early Intervention Service
Coordinator with the DOH. She created and implemented a
unique Pediatric Lead Case Management Program and worked
collaboratively with the "Children Now Organization" to
publish an article describing Hudson Health Plan's lead
case management model. Sheilah has participated in several
presentations pertaining to Case Management on a local and
national level.
Board
of Directors
Sandra M. Mitchell RN, BSN
Sandra has worked as a specialist for insurance companies,
as an Assistant Director of Nursing * Staff Development for
NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and has held
managerial positions with Westchester ARC and United
Cerebral Palsy of New York State working with individuals
with developmental disabilities. Currently Manager for
Utilization and Case Management at The Care Management
Company - the clinical corporate arm of Montefiore Medical
Center, Sandra has developed and implemented a Prospective
Case Management Program, resulting in better outcomes for
patients undergoing elective surgeries. A proven leader
with a history of ensuring the empowerment of others,
Sandra's unique ability to harness and galvanize the
diverse perspectives of others has allowed her to build
synergistic, high performing teams. She believes
conversation, collaboration and cooperation are the key
tools needed for advancing any Case Management Nursing
Agenda in the twenty first century.
Board
of Directors
Joan Valcercel RN, BSN, MHSA, CCM
Joan began her nursing career as a staff nurse in a
rehabilitation setting in California. When she returned to
New York, she spent the next 30 years in Long Term, Home
Health, Senior Housing as well as office nursing. During
this time of having children and attaining a Masters degree
Joan was fortunate enough to be introduced to Holistic
studies which have helped to continue to shape her nursing
practice. Long term Care, home care, senior services and
office nursing all demand that a Case Management approach
be utilized to fully advocate for the client and help to
optimize a client's independence.