CARF - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- LLP - Patrick Heavens, Partner
Brian J. Boon - CEO, Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman of the Board
- President
Brian J. Boon, PhD, president/CEO, joined CARF in 2001 after serving as an at-large trustee on the CARF Board of Trustees between 1998 and 2000. Prior to joining CARF, he was a CARF surveyor for six years and participated in many CARF advisory committees and leadership panels dating back to 1990. Brian holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Alberta and was formerly a practicing/registered psychologist. He also held many progressive leadership positions with the Alberta Workers' Compensation Board, culminating as the vice president of claims and healthcare services. Brian's broad professional experiences as a payer, provider, and regulator have contributed to his "systems solution" leadership approach-an orientation well suited in his role at CARF in working with the many key stakeholders to advance quality for persons served in the global health and human service industry.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director of the Employment
- New Managing Director
- Role of Managing Director of Employment and Community Services
Chasity Chamberlin, managing director of the Employment and Community Services accreditation area, brings 20 years of experience to her role having worked as a provider, administrator, and executive director for residential, employment, and community integration organizations. She served on a county board and oversaw funding for individuals receiving services. She was also a CARF surveyor for seven years.
Cindy L. Johnson, CPA, chief resource officer since 2006, provides executive leadership over finance, information technology, research and quality improvement, publications and communications, human resources, and education and training functions. Cindy joined CARF in 1999 as director of finance and administration after several years of financial and leadership experience in the aerospace and mining industries.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- General Counsel
- Officer
Darren M. Lehrfeld, JD, chief accreditation officer and general counsel, provides direct executive leadership over all accreditation operations, legal affairs, public policy and compliance matters. Prior to joining CARF in 2003, Darren was the sole shareholder of a professional corporation that provided business and legal counsel to CARF and other international, national, regional, and local organizations in healthcare and other industries. He earned his juris doctor and business administration degree from the University of Arizona and is an active member of the State Bar of Arizona and Pima County Bar Association.
Di Shen, PhD, chief research and quality improvement officer, spearheads accreditation research and quality improvement efforts, performance indicator and outcomes management, and has oversight responsibility for internal performance improvement systems and research data infrastructure for CARF since 1997. He oversees the uSPEQ stakeholder feedback surveys, including instrument design, development, benchmark analysis, and comparison. Dr. Shen has published and presented at numerous national and international conferences and workshops in his areas of expertise. He has served on several U.S. and Canadian national committees on measurement methodology and performance indicators. His doctoral degree in psychology is from the University of Arizona.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director of the Behavioral Health
- New Managing Director
Emily Hosea has experience in a variety of settings that focused on substance use disorders, mental health, and crisis intervention.
Emily Hosea, managing director of the Behavioral Health and Opioid Treatment Programs accreditation areas, joined CARF in 2012. She was the administrator for opioid treatment programs and a resource specialist in the behavioral health customer service unit. Prior to joining CARF, Emily's career was in direct service and utilization management in a variety of settings that focused on substance use disorders, mental health, and crisis intervention. She has a master's degree in education from Northern Arizona University and undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of Arizona.
Areas of Expertise
Substance Use Disorders
Emily Hosea is new managing director for CARF Behavioral Health and Opioid Treatment Programs
Emily Hosea has assumed the role of managing director of behavioral health and opioid treatment programs for CARF International as of July 1, 2023. This position supports CARF's expanding accreditation business under the direction of Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health Michael Johnson. "Over her 11 years with CARF as a behavioral health resource specialist and the past couple of years as the Opioid Treatment Program administrator, Ms. Hosea has demonstrated her ability to rise to each challenge," said Johnson. "CARF is excited to have her as the new managing director for BH-OTP, and her experience with our vast and complex industry will be an asset."
Julia Meashey, MA, senior business development specialist of the Aging Services accreditation area, joined CARF in 2015. She has experience working in aging services advocacy, program management and grant administration focused on ensuring quality health care for older adults and their families. Prior to CARF, she served as director of operations for the Hartford Change AGEnts Initiative and managed the National Center on Gerontological Social Work Excellence. Julia began her career as a local long-term care ombudsman in North Carolina before moving to Washington, D.C. to work for the National Ombudsman Resource Center. She has a master of arts in gerontology from Appalachian State University, and bachelor of science in psychology from Guilford College.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Managing Director of Child and Youth Services
Leslie Ellis-Lang is a leader in services for children and youth with emphasis in both child welfare and behavioral health.
Michael J. Connolly, DO, chief medical officer, provides medical leadership across CARF's accreditation areas, including behavioral health and substance use treatment, medical rehabilitation, and aging services. An awarded clinician with more than 30 years' experience in health and human services, Michael has a long history of developing and improving patient care models, and optimizing clinical and financial outcomes in value-based care models. Michael received his doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, New York, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Yale University and a Geriatric Medicine fellowship at Stony Brook University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health
Penny Gagnon, MA, chief advisor, accreditation standards, CARF Canada, has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience specializing in nonprofit, and health and human services organizations, and expertise in the development of person- and family-centered practices and quality frameworks for organizations across Canada. Penny's depth of experience in operationalizing administrative and care standards within organizations continues with CARF as she is involved in a wide array of international standards-development processes and committees representing Canadian interests, trends, and legislation. She is highly motivated in collaborating with others to create systems that promote a stronger vision for and commitment to the quality of services in enhancing the lives of persons served.
Shanna Lawson, MPA, account manager, is directly responsible for account services operations across all customer service units. Before joining CARF in 2008, Shanna's professional experience spanned quality improvement management in health and human services, accreditation readiness, and direct service provision. She earned a master's degree in public administration from Upper Iowa University.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services
- Managing Director of the Medical Rehabilitation
Terrence Carolan has more than 20 years of experience as a provider, educator, and administrator in the medical rehabilitation field.
Terry Carolan brings more than two decades of field experience to medical rehabilitation managing director role
Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA, managing director of the Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services accreditation areas, has more than 20 years of experience as a provider, administrator, and educator in the human services field. Prior to joining CARF in 2021, he worked in clinical and administrative leadership positions within Select Medical and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Terrence was a CARF surveyor for 10 years. He holds a master's degree in business administration at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a master-of-science degree in physical therapy from Simmons University in Boston, and did his undergraduate work in biology at The College of New Jersey.