HOSPICE OF WAKE COUNTY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Clinical Quality Committee Chair
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- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Associate Professor / UNC School of Nursing
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Duke Energy, Retired
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- Community Leader
- Member of the Board of Directors
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- Financial Advisor
- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Vice President, West Raleigh Market President / First Citizens Bank
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- Attorney
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
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- Vice President of Philanthropy
Christine Casey Christine H. Casey, MSG, MBA, CFRE Vice President of Philanthropy Christine earned a master's degree in Gerontology from UNC Greensboro, MBA from Averett University, bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Mary Washington, the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential, and Duke University's Nonprofit Management Program certificate. She has been an active member and past board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Triangle Chapter since 2009 and has been a workshop speaker and trainer at AFP conferences and workshops as well as a mentor to other fundraising professionals. Christine joined Transitions LifeCare in 2016 to help implement the new 1979 Circle and Grateful Family campaigns, implement and manage the donor database, and to build a comprehensive Annual Giving program. Promoted to Vice President of Philanthropy in 2021, Christine is responsible for overseeing a comprehensive philanthropy strategy to provide funding for the Indigent Care, Bereavement, and Transitions Kids programs, in addition to building the organization's endowment. Prior to joining Transitions LifeCare, Christine worked for a variety of nonprofit organizations, both local and national, including American University's Washington College of Law, Washington National Cathedral, American Red Cross, and Make-A-Wish Eastern NC Chapter.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Community Volunteer
- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Physician, Retired / Raleigh Medical Group
Job Titles:
- Director of Inpatient Palliative Medicine
- Hospice Physician
- Vice President of Education and Strategic Outreach
Dr. Khandelwal developed the Transitions LifeCare Inpatient Palliative Care Service at WakeMed Health and Hospitals. She served as the Inpatient Medical Director of that team until transitioning to her current role as vice president of education and strategic outreach. Dr. Khandelwal's philosophy in education has always been guided by the premise that interprofessional medical education training in a community-based setting provides a realistic view of collaboration among community partners.
With her experience and expertise, Dr. Khandelwal has provided formal lectures for interdisciplinary audiences at the local level (Wake AHEC conferences), at the state level (NC Pharmaceutical Association conference), and at the national level as a keynote speaker (Social Work HPN). Dr. Khandelwal has been awarded the Wake AHEC Teaching Award in 2018, was recognized as a TBJ Health Care Hero in 2019, and received a Campbell Primary Care Champions Award in 2021 to support her role in improving care to people within our communities.
Dr. Khandelwal serves in several leadership roles to represent the field of hospice and palliative medicine: NHPCO Palliative Care Council, NC Professionals Health Program, and the NC Medical Board, where as the first hospice and palliative medicine physician in the state to serve on the Board, she is participating in decisions on important issues such as fair access to restricted medications and improved access to care across the state.
Dr. Christine Khandelwal is a Palliative and Hospice physician. She has a particular interest in ethical decision-making processes among surrogate decision makers for patients. She has clinical expertise in the care of patients with dementia, including providing caregiver support and education about advance care planning.
Job Titles:
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr. Christopher Thompson served as a Battle Force Systems Engineer for the Naval Surface Warfare Center prior to graduating from Xavier University School of Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine Residency at Columbus Regional Medical Center in Columbus, GA and then went on to complete a Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, GA.
Following fellowship, he was appointed Clinical Assistant Professor at Mercer University School of Medicine, and he has served as Chief Medical Officer of Columbus Hospice. Dr. Thompson assisted in developing the palliative medicine programs at two hospitals prior to joining Transitions LifeCare as Medical Director for Transitions Kids, our pediatric hospice program. Dr. Thompson is board certified in family medicine. After completing fellowship, Dr. Thompson became board certified in hospice and palliative medicine with the added qualifications of hospice medical director certification and Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Job Titles:
- Inpatient Palliative Medicine Physician
After completing residency in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Emily Carlisle continued to practice in a large academic urban trauma center for nearly a decade. Her core teaching interests included wilderness/austere medicine and critical care skills using simulation. She became interested in Palliative Medicine through her years on the hospital Ethics Committee and as the ED liaison for Palliative Care operations. Fellowship training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine has allowed an opportunity to spend more time with patients working toward collaborative care.
Job Titles:
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr. Joshua Dowd joined Transitions LifeCare in July 2018. He is one of the physicians on the inpatient palliative care consult teams at WakeMed Raleigh Campus and WakeMed Cary Hospital. His interests include providing the best possible evidence-based and goal-oriented care to all patients and their families as well as educating other clinicians about primary palliative care skills and the benefits of specialty palliative care.
Job Titles:
- Associate Medical Director
Dr. Mary McNamara joined Transitions LifeCare in August 2016. She has a background in Infectious Diseases and Wound Care, and completed a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine in Toledo, OH. She provides care on the hospital-based palliative care consult service, and also serves as hospice team physician.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Inpatient Medicine
Dr. Rachel Lipner joined Transitions LifeCare in July 2017. With a background in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at UNC, she provides care on the hospital-based palliative medicine consult services, and also serves as a hospice team physician.
Job Titles:
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr. Sophia Paraschos joined Transitions LifeCare in July of 2018. She received her BA in religious studies at Carleton College in Minnesota before obtaining her MD from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Following completion of a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of North Carolina (UNC), she subsequently pursued fellowship in adult and pediatric palliative care at UNC. Dr. Paraschos is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics as well as board certified in hospice and palliative medicine.
Job Titles:
- Medical Director
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician / Director of Community Palliative Care Medicine
Dr. Steve Young practiced intensive care unit (ICU) medicine before shifting into geriatrics and palliative care (PC). Previously, he was the Director of PC at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and later served as medical director of the UNC Geriatrics Specialty Clinic. Dr. Young was the lead author of a 2007 study which examined the effect of early PC consultation upon the length of stay of patients in an ICU and these findings were presented as a poster at an annual Society of Critical Care Medicine symposium. In 2017, he co-authored a study describing the impact of nurse navigator-directed PC upon the quality of life and hospitalization of chronically ill patients living at home. These findings were presented at both the annual Center To Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) and American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) conferences.
At Transitions LifeCare, Dr. Young serves as medical director for both community-based PC and the Medicare program, Transitions CareChoices. He is also responsible for supervising the UNC PC fellows as they care for patients in long-term care facilities.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
As Chief Clinical Officer, Jackie is responsible for oversight of all clinical services. Prior to joining Transitions LifeCare in 2017 as Vice President of Clinical Services, Chief Innovation Officer, Jackie served as President/CNO of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer at Johnston UNC Health Care, where she was responsible for overseeing design and implementation of a new hospital in Clayton. Jackie has a passion for excellence in patient-centered care, and has served as a member, vice chair, and chair of the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and as a member of the AHHC Board of Directors.
Jackie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and was inducted into the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. She continued studies at Pfeiffer University where she earned a MBA/MHA degree, and at UNC Chapel Hill where she earned a Ph.D. in nursing with a nursing systems focus. Jackie is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives and board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Nurse Executive, Advanced. She is originally from Charlotte, NC and enjoys calling the Cary/Raleigh area home.
Job Titles:
- COO
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- CEO
- CFO
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Vice President / First Citizens Bank
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Social Worker - Health Service Navigation
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- CEO
- Member of the Board of Directors
John Thoma is a graduate of Boston University where he received a B. A. degree in Spanish. He continued studies at Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Non-Profit Institute and Tufts University School of Continuing Education concentrating in Community Economic Development and Non-Profit Management. John joined Hospice of Wake County (now Transitions LifeCare) in 1991 and has served in the capacity of Finance/MIS Manager and Chief Financial Officer. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in August 2002.
John has been a resident of Raleigh since 1990. In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer, John serves on the Board of Trustees for the Hospice of Wake County Foundation and is very active in promoting quality end-of-life care at the state and national levels. John served on the Board of the United Way of the Greater Triangle (UWGT) and the NC Association for Home and Hospice Care (AHHC). Nationally, John has served as Secretary of the National Hospice and Palliative Care (NHPCO) Board of Directors and chairs the NHPCO Governance Committee. He has previously chaired the NHPCO Quality and Standards Committee and served on the Membership Committee.
Job Titles:
- Chief Medical Officer
- Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice
- Transitions LifeCare in 2013 As Medical Director
Dr. Patel joined Transitions LifeCare in 2013 as medical director and now serves as Chief Medical Officer. She oversees the medical staff, the community-based and hospital-based palliative care programs, the Transitions Kids program and medical oversight for Transitions HospiceCare. Her interests include finding innovative care models to provide palliative care for people with advanced illness in collaboration with community partners, as well as ongoing efforts to reduce barriers to hospice care.
Dr. Patel is a fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed her residency in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of North Carolina. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In 2017, Dr. Patel was named AHHC's "Physician of the Year" and one of TBJ's "40 Under 40." In 2019, she was named as one of AAHPM's Emerging Leaders. She served on the North Carolina IOM Taskforce on Serious Illness and remains active in the NC Serious Illness Coalition (NCSI). She also serves on the board of Resources for Seniors.
Dr. Patel joined Transitions LifeCare in 2013 as medical director and now serves as Chief Medical Officer where she oversees the medical staff of physicians and nurse practitioners who provide medical care for Transitions HospiceCare, Transitions PalliativeCare, and Transitions Kids. Under her leadership, she's developed innovative models within the community-based palliative care program, established a partnership for the hospital-based palliative care program, and supported the creation of the pediatric program. In 2015, Transitions LifeCare and the University of North Carolina partnered to begin a unique ACGME-accredited fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine.
Dr. Patel is a fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Born and raised in the Midwest, she earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed her residency in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of North Carolina. After some time spent experiencing a universal healthcare system in New Zealand, she worked for several years in a community nonprofit geriatric, hospice, and palliative care group in Baltimore, before she found her way back to the Triangle. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In 2017, Dr. Patel was named AHHC's "Physician of the Year" and one of TBJ's "40 Under 40." In 2019, she was named as one of AAHPM's Emerging Leaders. She served on the North Carolina IOM Taskforce on Serious Illness and is a co-chair for the clinical practice workgroup of the NC Serious Illness Coalition (NCSI).
Job Titles:
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr. Leslie Sutton is a Raleigh native. She practiced in primary care geriatric medicine in the Triangle prior to joining Transitions LifeCare. There, she fell in love with the team-oriented approach to patient- and family-centered care that is provided in hospice. Currently, Dr. Sutton provides both symptom management guidance and administrative support to the hospice side of Transitions LifeCare. In her spare time, Dr. Sutton is a part-time student in the Master of Divinity Program in Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees
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- Vice President of Marketing and Business Development
Mary Lucas Mary Lucas, MSHCM Vice President of Marketing and Business Development Mary earned a master's degree in health care management from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree in marketing from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Following progressive roles in sales, marketing, and health care public policy, Mary joined Transitions LifeCare in 2019 initially serving as the director of business development. Promoted to vice president of marketing in 2021, she is responsible for developing, monitoring, and communicating business strategy and strategic priorities. She is also responsible for pursuing new partnerships, contracts, and business opportunities within health systems, payers, community organizations, value-based purchasing, and alternative payment models. Mary oversees marketing, sales, consumer education, corporate branding, and communication strategies to drive awareness of and admission in Transitions LifeCare's various services and programs. In addition to her work at Transitions LifeCare, Mary serves on the Next Generation Leadership Advisory Council for the NHPCO as well as the AHHC Hospice Leaders Council. A Raleigh native, Mary spends time with her two rescue dogs, Vespa and Knots, when not working and volunteering.
Dr. Megan deMariano joined Transitions LifeCare in July 2016 and has had an interest in working with underserved and marginalized populations since beginning her medical career. This interest began following a semester abroad where she volunteered at a children's orphanage in Costa Rica. Following graduation with dual degrees in Spanish and Psychology she joined the Peace Corps and served as an education volunteer in French-speaking West Africa. Eventually her passions led her to medical school and then to complete residency at the UNC School of Medicine in Family Medicine. After completion of her residency, she continued her training through a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at UNC. She has found a true home at Transitions LifeCare where she works as a Hospice Home physician.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Human Resources
Melissa Short leads Transitions LifeCare's talent strategy efforts. A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Melissa first came to North Carolina to attend North Carolina State University where she graduated cum laude in political science. She later continued her education at East Carolina University where she obtained her Master's degree in business administration. Melissa has spent the bulk of her career in the for-profit healthcare sector but also has direct experience with non-profit and pharmaceutical organizations. She holds a senior-level certification from the HR Certification Institute®, is a board member of the Capital Area Workforce Development Board, and is an active member of the Triangle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Alliance. As an experienced professional, her passion is helping organizations become an excellent place to work.
Job Titles:
- President of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Quality and Compliance, Chief Compliance Officer
Nicole earned her MBA and BSN at Western Governors University and is certified in hospice & palliative care and healthcare compliance. Her background includes experience in clinical management, education, risk assessment, and compliance. Nicole, who joined Transitions LifeCare in 2018, is responsible for the overall management of corporate compliance and performance improvement. She also ensures the organization continues to meet standards and maintain Medicare, Medicaid, state, and federal requirements.
Since 2019, Nicole has served on the board of directors for the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center, whose mission is to advance expert care in serious illness. She became the president-elect in 2021 and is a member of the finance and audit committee.
Prior to joining Transitions LifeCare, Nicole served as director of quality & compliance at Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice in Marlton, NJ where she instituted a company-wide risk assessment program to identify and mitigate risk for a nonprofit hospice and participated in the National Partnership Hospice Innovations (NPHI) national work group.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- CEO and Principal Consultant / Immanuel Consulting Services, LLC
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- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Trustee / Yeargan Foundation Charitable Trust
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- Member of the Board of Trustees
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Manager of Case Management / Duke Raleigh Hospital
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- VP, Clinical Operations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physician
Dr. Marsh began his career at the Smithfield Medical Center (Va.), seeing general family practice patients. While there, he was an Associate Professor in Community Medicine at Eastern Virginia School of Medicine (EVSM). One of his responsibilities was teaching rural family medicine to medical students. After six years Dr. Marsh moved to Zebulon, NC and opened Zebulon Family Medicine. While at Zebulon Family Medicine he was an Associate Professor at both the UNC School of Medicine and Duke University Medical School. Once again his duties included instructing medical students and Family Nurse Practitioner students in rural family medicine. Currently he is a team physician at Transitions LifeCare. His interests include pain assessment and management in the cognitively impaired patient and expanding hospice and palliative care services to underserved rural areas in North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- VP of Finance and Operations
Toni Messler graduated magna cum laude from Meredith College with a degree in business administration. She has served the medical field as an office manager for physician practices and within hospital settings. Toni joined Hospice of Wake County in 1993 initially serving in the positions of business manager and staff accountant. She was appointed vice president of finance and operations in 2002 and CFO/COO in 2021 and has been honored to be instrumental in the hospice and end-of-life industry through its many changes and growth. Born and raised in New Jersey, Toni has lived in the Triangle area since the 1980s.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice President, Philanthropy Committee Chair