GIFFORD HEALTH CARE - Key Persons
Dr. Sokolovsky grew up in Northern Russia. After graduating High School, he immigrated to the U.S as a refugee along with his mom and sister. While as a medical school student in Chicago, Dr. Sokolovsky met his future wife, Dr. Dawn Holman. The two spent about 20 years working in private practice before both arriving at Gifford in the spring of 2022. Dr. Sokolovsky has performed various types of general surgery, with his specialty being laparoscopic hernia surgery, which is minimally invasive.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Development and Public Relations
Job Titles:
- Interim Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Andrus spent close to 20 years as a cardiologist at DHMC. During that time, he also served as a consulting cardiologist at Gifford, providing outreach once a week. For most of his career, Dr. Andrus felt it was important to be involved with the high-tech aspects of cardiology. Now, he wants to focus on clinical cardiology and contribute to optimizing Gifford's cardiovascular systems of care.
An internal medicine physician, Dr. Smith has practiced hospital medicine for the better part of his career. He brings to his role at Gifford more than 20 years of experience and a deep commitment to providing the highest-quality care to all patients:
Job Titles:
- President of American Flatbread
- President of the Vermont Lacrosse Officials Association
- Randolph, VT
A RUHS graduate, Clay Westbrook is now president of American Flatbread. He received a BS in Restaurant and Hospitality Management from Rochester Institute of Technology, and stayed active in the Vermont food community while a student. After graduation, he worked as a cook on tall ships, specializing in vocational sail training for youth, and then as a chef on a privately owned, 124' yacht. He returned to RIT to complete his MS in Service Management in 2008.
Clay is also currently president of the Vermont Lacrosse Officials Association and officiates both high school and college lacrosse games throughout the state. He lives in Randolph with his wife Meghan.
Courtney Riley, MD rejoined the Pediatrics team at Gifford Primary Care in Randolph in 2021 after taking a brief hiatus. Dr. Riley originally joined Gifford in 2016.
After receiving a bachelor's degree in Biomolecular Science with University Honors from Clarkson University, Riley had initially planned a career in medical research. But while pursuing an MD at New York Medical College, Dr. Riley quickly discovered she wanted to be out of the lab and caring for patients, especially children.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President
- CEO, Randolph, VT
Dan Bennett has served as president and chief executive officer of Gifford Health Care since September of 2016. He previously worked for eleven years at Waldo County Healthcare in Belfast, Maine where he served as their director of community services (3 years) and chief operating officer (8 years). Prior to that Dan was the executive director and chief financial officer at the Mid-Coast Mental Health Center in Rockland, Maine.
Raised in Brandon, Vermont, he held staff-level accounting positions at Gifford Medical Center and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont before accepting a management-level position with Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, VT. He and his wife, Jane live in Randolph.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Support Services
Dr. Alexander Orem is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult hip and knee replacement surgery. He has completed a fellowship in adult joint replacement surgery and has special interest in anterior approach total hip replacement. He also performs partial and total knee replacement surgery. He greatly enjoys helping patients regain their quality of life after suffering from degenerative joint disease and strives to help each patient meet their best possible outcome.
Dr. Andrea Mendelssohn provides care as part of the Obstetrics, Gynecology, Midwifery team at Gifford Medical Center. As a general obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Mendelssohn sees women of all ages, from teenagers to women experiencing menopause. She provides a wide range of services, routine to emergency, delivers babies and supports Gifford midwives, and performs surgery.
Dr. Mendelssohn, who takes a holistic approach to patient care, says, "I'm very aware of how all parts of the body are wired and speak to other parts. The body is very wise, and the best kind of medicine is to support the body healing and to know that the body knows what to do best. That applies to illness, or delivering babies."
Dr. Florance sees patients of all ages, newborn to geriatric, and provides a wide range of care, from chronic disease management to women's health. Her approach to care is based on developing a partnership with each patient. "I love connecting with patients, getting to know them and the community I serve," she said. "I also enjoy the variety offered by practicing family medicine. Each day is different and rewarding, whether I am working with a diabetic patient or with an expectant mother."
Job Titles:
- Vice President & General Manager of Hearth & Home Technologies
Jeffrey Nelb is the Vice President & General Manager of Hearth & Home Technologies, LLC (HHT), the world's largest manufacturer of hearth products best known locally for their Vermont Castings and Harmon brands. Mr. Nelb has extensive senior leadership experience across numerous industries, with responsibility for up to 14 plants throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. He is a nationally recognized expert in implementing lean manufacturing systems and continuous improvement cultures, having been awarded the prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing at four of his U.S. plants. His transformation of HHT's Vermont operations lead to a coveted Gold award during their 2022 corporate lean assessment.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Nursing
Jody Davignon is a Bethel native who now lives in Randolph. She is managing partner and co-owner of Farrow Financial, a financial planning and money management firm in Randolph.
She studied economics at UVM and Strayer University in Virginia and earned her master's in investment management from Boston University. She is a Certified Financial Planner and a Charted Financial Analyst.
Jody first joined Gifford's investment subcommittee in 2011, then its finance committee in 2013, and finally its Board in 2014.
In her free time, Jody enjoys being active and supporting her family in their many pursuits.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary, Randolph, VT
Kristin Chandler is a native of Maine and a graduate of Colgate University, where she studied sociology and women's studies, and Seattle University School of Law. Her law career began as a prosecuting attorney for King County in Washington State, a position she held for ten years. Her family relocated to Vermont to enjoy a small-town lifestyle and be closer to family and for the next eight years she served as an assistant attorney general for the Vermont Department of Mental Health. Today, she is the coordinator of Team Two, an adjunct professor of criminal law and criminal procedure at Norwich University, and real estate instructor for the Vermont Association of Realtors.
Her other volunteer work has included serving on the board of Circle (a domestic violence agency serving Washington County), Washington County Mental Health, GEMS (Girls Empowered, Motivated and Strengthened), the Randolph Recreation Committee, Chandler Center for the Arts, and the New World Festival Committee.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking, and spending time with her two children.
Matt Considine grew up in Waltham, Mass. He attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut studying finance and then earned his master's in business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. A distinguished career working in analyst, portfolio management and vice president positions at investment management companies followed.
He had visited Vermont for years and finally in 2008, he and wife, Melanie, moved to Vermont in search of some elbow room. He worked as a programmer until being named to a new position, director of investments for the state of Vermont in 2011. He continues in that role and joined the Gifford board in 2014 to contribute to his community hospital. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors and astronomy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice Chair, Northfield, VT
Megan Cicio earned a Business Degree from Champlain College and has been employed with Northfield Savings Bank for thirty years. Her current position is Senior Vice President of Enterprise Banking. Megan is very active in the community. She serves as a Board Member for the State of Vermont's Department of Liquor and Lottery, is a member of the Northfield Rotary Club, a volunteer for the Barre Basketball Tournament Committee, is the Treasurer of the Seaver Fund and is a volunteer for the Northfield High School Athletic Department.
Megan lives in her hometown of Northfield with her husband, Steve and their daughter, Gabrielle. In her spare time, she loves to read and travel.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Quality and Risk Management
Morgan Rilling grew up in Randolph, VT. She attended Vermont Technical College and the University of Vermont, obtaining an Associate's degree in Agribusiness and a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Entrepreneurship. She began her career in agricultural lending with Yankee Farm Credit in 2004 and is currently the Vice President/Branch Manager of the White River Junction office.
Morgan first joined Gifford's finance committee in February 2019 and went on to join the board in December 2019.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer, Braintree, VT
In 2014 Peter Reed retired to his Braintree home after more than 20 years as Executive Director at UBS Investment Bank. Looking for work with a community focus, he soon found a position at the Northfield Savings Bank in Randolph. He is also on the board of the Randolph Area Community Development Corporation, the Advisory Board of the Randolph Technical Career Center, and is a member of the Randolph Sunrise Rotary.
Peter graduated from Earlham College and received an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He had considered a career in medicine and throughout his life has remained interested in healthcare issues.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Operations
Rick Hauser grew up in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., and Avon, Conn., and earned his degree in economics from Colby College and MBA from Cornell University. He held management positions in Foreign Exchange and Derivatives middle offices, with firms including Salomon Brothers and Union Bank of Switzerland, before becoming a management consultant focusing on bank merger and remediation-related process re-engineering; he's worked with clients including JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, and BNP Paribas. Rick is also a partner with the Duffy Agency, a strategic marketing firm helping midsize companies grow their brands internationally.
From the time he was a boy, Rick has been a frequent visitor to Vermont. Captivated by the Green Mountains, he finally "retired" from Wall Street and moved with his wife Rebecca and two young boys to Randolph in 2010 where he began his second career as coach and volunteer. He has served as a member of the Town of Randolph Budget Committee, Treasurer of the Playhouse Theatre in Randolph, Randolph Union High School Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach, Randolph Middle School Basketball Head Coach, and is the founder and player/manager of the Randolph Jays men's baseball team.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Vital Communities
Sarah Jackson is the Executive Director of Vital Communities, a nonprofit organization that cultivates the civic, economic and environmental vitality of the Upper Valley. Prior to joining Vital Communities in late 2020, she was the Director for International Program Development at the Institute for Sustainable Communities in Montpelier for several years, building on more than two decades of working overseas (Egypt, Senegal, Kenya and Oman) for organizations focused on education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, economic development and public health. Originally from NH, she has lived in East Randolph since March 2018 and was active in the "Randolph Region Re-Energized (R3)" initiative supported by the Vermont Council for Rural Development and is now a member of the Randolph Economic Development Council.
Sarah has a Master's Degree in Public Affairs from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Economy from Williams College. In her free time, she enjoys being with family and friends, hiking, gardening, snowshoeing, reading, and cooking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Senior Services
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman, Rochester, VT
- Hospital Executive
Victor Ribaudo is a hospital executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in operations, planning, and business development. He most recently worked for 14 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where his positions included Vice President for Affiliations, Executive Director of the Regional Care Network, and Associate Hospital Administrator. He previously worked with the Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, Inc., in Maryland; Deaconess Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Kent General Hospital in Dover, Del. His professional affiliations include the University of Michigan Health Policy and Management Program Alumni Board, American College of Healthcare Executives, and service on several governing boards in New York, Ohio, Maryland, and Delaware.
Victor and his wife grew up in Rochester, NY, and retired to Rochester, VT, in 2015, after having visited Rochester and Hancock over many years. In addition to his interest in Gifford, Victor serves as President of the White River Valley Ambulance Board of Directors and Rochester's Director of Emergency Management. He enjoys skiing, biking and music.