Chief Program Officer

• Aug 2023 - Present

Director of Patient & Family Support Services

• Jun 2012 - Sep 2023

JourneyCare, based in Glenview, IL is the largest non-profit provider of hospice and palliative care, serving 13 counties in the Chicagoland area. JourneyCare's mission is to enrich lives through expert and compassionate care.As the Director of Patient & Family Support Services, I manage bereavement Support Services-Licensed professional counselors providing individual and group counseling. Support over 1,000 volunteers providing clinical and non-clinical support to patients and families. Lead integrative Care Services-Providing non-pharmacological interventions though music, touch, art and music thanatology. Coordinate Veteran and Jewish Support Services-Providing customized care plans to honor and celebrate end of life wishes for specialized populations. Show less

Director of Innovative Services

• Apr 2012 - Jun 2018

As the Director of Innovative Services I restructured the volunteer program in five Hospice in-patient centers, and created over 50 volunteer roles saving the organization $1.5M in paid staff. Designed an Integrative Therapy Model of Care providing music, massage and art therapy to clients while maximizing productivity, decreasing staff travel time and increasing patient satisfaction. Developed a robust veteran’s program, serving over 5,000 veterans throughout 13 counties. Innovated original programs, including Pet Peace of Mind, Reiki, Vigil Volunteer and CNA Assist programs. Show less

Supervisor of Volunteer & Hospice Support Services

• Apr 2005 - Apr 2013

CNS Home Health & Hospice, a division of Northwestern Medicine, provided hospice, palliative and supportive services to patients across the Chicagoland area. As the Supervisor of Volunteer & Hospice Support Services, I lead recruitment, orientation, training, assignment and monitoring of volunteer activities according to Hospice policy and procedure and bereavement coordination including mailings, events, support groups and community resource referrals. Provided supervisory support to the private duty division. This included placement and monitoring of privately paid nurses and CNA’s in private homes. Credited with maintaining a volunteer retention rate of over 95% for 6 years. Recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation for exceeding all regulatory compliance guidelines in the management of an outstanding volunteer department. Drove the implementation of Raisers Edge Database, a comprehensive, cloud-based software program that improved oversight, accuracy and efficiency of fundraising operations. Restructured staffing model, improving resource utilization among a base of 45 employees. Increased profit margin by 17% through the implementation of improved billing and collections processes. Show less

Individual Service and Support Advocate

• Sep 2001 - Apr 2005

DayOneNetwork is a non-profit organization that provides case management, trust and guardianship services to individuals with disabilities. This includes early intervention services for children 0-3. As the Individual Service and Support Advocate I provided advocacy, case management and support to adults with developmental disabilities throughout the Chicagoland area. Represented their best interest in their home and work environments; provide job coaching and supervision in their workplace. Ensured they remained active and healthy participants in their community. Worked with government officials and advocated on behalf of clients for state housing funding. Provided service coordination for children 0-3 for developmental, physical, occupational and speech therapy. Show less

Child Welfare Specialist

• Jun 2000 - Sep 2001

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois is a nonprofit social service organization serving almost 50,000 people across Illinois every year. As the Child Welfare Specialist I provided direct case management to at-risk children in the Illinois foster care system.Attended court hearings on their behalf and monitored them in their home and school environments. Developed individualized service plans to address the emotional, physical and educational needs of the minor. Monitor family reunification goals. Provided case management services to parents working toward reunification. Show less