Jones
Waverly Comm hires family resource coordinator
WAVERLY TWP. — The Waverly Community House announced Hanora Jones was hired as a part-time Family Resource Coordinator to plan programs and workshops for families of children from birth to three years old.
This program is made possible through a grant from the Eureka Foundation and will benefit several key groups in the community. Families and caregivers will be provided with a comprehensive approach to family wellbeing and development. Parents and caregivers will receive guidance and support during critical early developmental states. The Family Resource Coordinator will offer workshops, support groups and resources specifically designed to empower parents in supporting their children’s growth and development, fostering strong family relationships and promoting positive outcomes.
Hanora “Nora” Jones holds an associate’s degree in early childhood education, as well as an Infant/Toddler CDA. Since 2015, she has dedicated herself to early childhood education, gaining valuable experience working with children ranging from six weeks to five years old.
“It is so important to be supportive of not just the child but the entire family unit,” Jones said. “I believe that nurturing a child’s development goes hand-in-hand with fostering a strong, supportive environment for their families. My mission is to make a positive impact on the lives of both children and their caregivers, guiding them on their paths to growth and learning.”
Chamber welcomes human resource manager
SCRANTON — The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announced Kristin Hudspeth, a Clarks Summit native, as its new human resource manager.
In this role, Hudspeth oversees all aspects of human resources, including recruitment, employee engagement, benefits administration and compliance with labor laws. She plays a pivotal role in fostering a positive and productive workplace culture, working closely with The Chamber’s leadership team to align HR strategies with organizational goals.
“On behalf of The Chamber, I am pleased that Kristin Hudspeth has become part of our Team. Kristin’s vast experience and personality will certainly make this newly created position a success,” shared James Coleman, vice president of internal administration.
Hudspeth brings extensive HR management experience, including her recent role leading the executive director search for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic — showcasing her commitment to supporting local organizations and their missions. She has led innovative human resource solutions at IKEA North America Services and beyond. Hudspeth’s expertise includes talent acquisition, learning and development, and employee engagement, with a proven track record of supporting employee growth and driving business success.
Hudspeth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the State University of New York – F.I.T. She is passionate about creating workplace environments where employees thrive and organizations excel.
The Chamber is excited to welcome Hudspeth to the team and looks forward to her contributions to advancing its mission of supporting businesses and communities in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Wright Center leader selected to serve on committee
SCRANTON — The Pennsylvania Department of Health appointed The Wright Center for Community Health’s director of addiction services to its Maternal Mortality Review Committee as an addiction treatment specialist.
Maria Kolcharno, a licensed social worker with more than 30 years of experience in substance use disorder treatment, has been with The Wright Center since 2018. She oversees the daily operations of addiction-related services and manages grant-funded clinical programs, including The Wright Center’s Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence. Designated as one of the first state-recognized Opioid Use Disorder Centers of Excellence in 2016, The Wright Center has since broadened its scope to address all forms of substance use disorders, serving more than 2,400 patients.
Kolcharno also played a key role in launching the Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support Program (Healthy MOMS) in 2018. The novel program focuses on helping pregnant women and new mothers overcome addiction and embrace a life in recovery. Under Kolcharno’s leadership, Healthy MOMS has supported more than 500 mothers and 300 babies and expanded into nine Northeast Pennsylvania counties.
The state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee was established in 2018 to systematically review all pregnancy-associated deaths, identify the root causes of these deaths, and develop strategies to reduce preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities related to pregnancy in Pennsylvania.
In her role on the committee, Kolcharno’s experience will be crucial to the case review discussion and development of actionable recommendations to prevent similar tragedies. These recommendations will provide necessary improvements to the medical and social care of pregnant and postpartum individuals in the commonwealth with the goal of preventing and eliminating future pregnancy-associated deaths and associated morbidities.
“It is a privilege to be chosen to serve on the Maternal Mortality Review Committee,” said Kolcharno. “I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the state to tackle this serious public health issue and address health disparities. Together, we can empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being.”
Community advocate, board member at The Wright Center receives state award
SCRANTON — Pedro L. Anes, a veteran, business owner, longtime community advocate, and volunteer member of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Patient & Community Engagement Boards of Directors, received a 2024 Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania during an awards ceremony at Philadelphia Marriott Old City.
The multimedia news organization honored Anes, a Puerto Rico native and Scranton resident, for his decades of work significantly advancing diversity, education, and community engagement across Northeast Pennsylvania and the state.
City & State Pennsylvania also recognized how, as a volunteer board member at The Wright Center, he uses his leadership skills and vast community connections to support underserved individuals, particularly those with limited English proficiency and low incomes. Anes played a key role in securing continued federal funding for Community Health Centers by advocating directly with congressional leaders during the National Association of Community Health Centers’ 2024 Community Health Institute (CHI) & Expo in Atlanta.
“Pedro exemplifies the true spirit of servant leadership, dedicating his life to empowering others and championing initiatives that break down barriers and foster equity,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education and co-chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement Board of Directors. “His unwavering commitment to diversity, education, participatory citizenship, and community engagement, both locally and nationally, inspires all of us at The Wright Center. We are deeply proud to have him as a valued board member and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition of his impactful contributions.”
His notable initiatives include tackling police brutality in schools, contributing to the development of Pennsylvania’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan, which replaced and updated the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act; leading 2020 Census full count efforts in Northeast Pennsylvania with a special focus on historically undercounted populations; and ensuring the Latinx and other hard-to-reach communities in Scranton received access to COVID-19 vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the City of Scranton’s Climate Action Planning and Sustainability initiative, Anes collaborated with a regional coalition, including the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, on the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Integrated Heat Health Information System 2024 Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign. This initiative seeks to identify urban areas with disproportionately high temperatures – called heat islands – that pose significant health risks to vulnerable populations. The resulting detailed report pinpointed the areas most impacted by extreme heat, providing invaluable insights into the local climate challenges. This data was crucial in shaping the Scranton Climate Action Planning and Sustainability plan, guiding strategic actions to mitigate heat risks, protect at-risk communities, and strengthen overall climate resilience.
Anes also founded several impactful programs, such as the Latino Community Services Office, the Familias Saludables program, and the Step Up to Leadership program, to support underserved families while fostering multicultural awareness. He spearheaded an international partnership with Playball Puerto Rico, where he serves as treasurer, and the Monterrey Mexico Rotary Club to create a sustainable field renovation and equipment donation campaign aimed at supporting underserved neighborhoods in Monterey, Mexico.
The owner of Inpact Learning LLC, an independent consulting firm, Anes has over 30 years of experience developing successful diversity and inclusion strategies, organizational development, and training across nonprofit, educational, corporate, military, and government sectors. He also is a K-5 English/language arts, history, and geography teacher at Notre Dame Academy in Scranton, where he recently launched a private donation campaign to support the school and its students, securing essential items such as uniforms, winter coats, printers, teaching aids, classroom supplies, equipment, books, and funds for educational field trips.
Anes has held diverse roles, including as a senior U.S. Army non-commissioned officer, adjunct professor, chief talent officer, and multilingual partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau.
He holds a Ph.D. (ABD) in human development from Marywood University in Scranton, a master’s in administration from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, and a bachelor’s in management from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Raised in East Harlem (Spanish Harlem), New York, he moved to the Poconos in 1998 and Scranton in 2002.
Anes is also the Mideast region representative of the National Council of the United Nations Association of the United States of America, vice president of the Lackawanna Interagency Council, and a City of Scranton Human Relations Commission member. Earlier this year, he was an organizer and panelist of the 2024 United Nations International Peace Day Interdependence Hexagon Project “Posters for Peace” art exhibit. He was also selected as a panelist representing the National Council of the United Nations Association of the United States of America for the “Finding Peace Through Action: A Community Conversation,” which was streamed live during the Yoko Ono, World of Peace Concert tour in Europe.
Board member at The Wright Center honored for community health advocacy
SCRANTON — Gerard J. Geoffroy, immediate past chair of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Patient & Community Engagement Boards of Directors, was recently selected for City & State Pennsylvania’s 2024 Fifty Over 50 List.
The list celebrates Pennsylvania’s most influential and accomplished leaders across nonprofits, government, business and media, honoring their exceptional achievements, visionary leadership, philanthropic contributions, and unwavering commitment to driving positive change and enhancing the quality of life throughout the Commonwealth.
The multimedia news organization selected Geoffroy, a longtime Jermyn resident and patient of The Wright Center for over 20 years, in recognition of his steadfast advocacy for high-quality, accessible health care, his leadership in health care governance, and his unwavering support for community health centers during his 14 years of service as a volunteer board member at The Wright Center.
“Gerard is a true champion for the people and exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose, compassion, and a deep belief in the power of community,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education and co-chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement Board of Directors. “His unwavering commitment to and advocacy for community health and affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services for everyone is exemplary. His work with us at The Wright Center has helped shape the future of community health in countless ways, notably giving voice to those who have historically too often been overlooked.”
Geoffroy joined The Wright Center for Community Health Board of Directors in 2010, once serving on 13 board committees. He served as board chair from January 2020 to June 2024.
City & State Pennsylvania also recognized Geoffroy for his instrumental role in transforming the board’s composition, shifting it from being exclusively physician-led to including community members – primarily patients from diverse backgrounds – ensuring that patient voices are central to decision-making. Additionally, he played a crucial role in The Wright Center’s transition to a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike in 2019, a milestone that unlocked vital resources for patients and communities and support for the organization.
Geoffroy was also the founding chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement Board of Directors, which was established about four years ago. The nonprofit affiliated entity of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education tackles the socioeconomic determinants of health like poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, and other barriers to health care.
His commitment to health care began while caring for his late wife, Anne Dowd Geoffroy, which inspired his ongoing dedication to patient education and quality care.
With more than 40 years of experience in mental health and education, Geoffroy, a Lowell, Massachusetts native, retired as a faculty specialist in counseling and human services at the University of Scranton, where he also served as an adjunct faculty member for 15 years. His extensive experience includes being a school counselor at Delaware Valley Middle School in Pike County, Pace University’s School of Continuing Education in White Plains, New York, and Fordham Preparatory School in Bronx, New York. He also maintained a part-time private counseling practice.
He received a bachelor’s degree in English from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York, a master’s degree in counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, New York, and a master’s degree in public administration from Fordham University, Bronx, New York.
Board member at The Wright Center, CEO of Scranton hospitals receives state award
SCRANTON — Michael P. Curran, CEO of Commonwealth Health System’s Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital and volunteer member of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Board of Directors, received a 2024 Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania during an awards ceremony in Philadelphia.
The multimedia news organization recognized Curran for nearly 25 years of transformative leadership in health services and his strategic emphasis on fostering strong public-private partnerships to build a pipeline of health care professionals within Northeast Pennsylvania communities. A standout initiative is Commonwealth Health System’s partnership with Jersey College to establish a School of Nursing on the Moses Taylor campus in Scranton. This project tackles Pennsylvania’s looming nursing shortage, which is expected to reach a deficit of 20,345 nurses by 2026, according to the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.
City & State Pennsylvania also highlighted how, as a volunteer board member at The Wright Center, Curran uses his expertise in workforce strategy to enhance partnerships between health care organizations and academic institutions. His efforts ensure that physician residency and fellowship programs are aligned with the region’s evolving health and social needs, helping to cultivate a sustainable, interprofessional health care workforce that is deeply connected to the communities they serve.
“Michael’s leadership exemplifies the power of collaboration and strategic vision,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “His leadership work has strengthened health care delivery and medical education in Northeast Pennsylvania and paved the way for future generations of health care professionals. We are proud and honored to have him as a board member of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, where his expertise in workforce development continues to make a positive and lasting impact on our region.”
Since becoming CEO in 2022, Curran led the successful merger of Regional and Moses Taylor hospitals, navigating complex regulations, fostering collaboration among physicians, staff, board members, and community partners, and uniting the hospitals’ 233 years of combined service under a single license.
Moses Taylor is the region’s leader in obstetrics, gynecology, neonatal care, and senior mental health services, featuring Lackawanna County’s only Level III neonatal intensive care unit and state-of-the-art family birthing suites. Regional Hospital stands as a comprehensive acute care hub, excelling in medical, surgical, and cardiovascular specialties, with a nationally recognized Heart and Vascular Institute and the first in Pennsylvania to earn all four orthopedic certifications for hip fracture, and knee, hip, and shoulder replacement from The Joint Commission.
Before joining Commonwealth Health, Curran served as system chief operating officer at Crozer Health, where he was key in developing an innovative neurosciences program that brought comprehensive stroke and brain surgery interventions to Delaware County for the first time. He also guided the integration of Prospect Medical Holdings into the Crozer-Keystone Health System, ensuring a smooth transition for the nonprofit, four-hospital system. He also served as president of Crozer-Chester Medical Center, a premier tertiary care teaching hospital in Delaware County, where he played a pivotal role in the hospital’s transformation, expanding specialty services like burn treatment, trauma services, and kidney transplant care.
He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s in health administration from Cornell University.
CEO and president of The Wright Center honored
Scranton — Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, was named one of the 100 most powerful and influential female leaders in Pennsylvania by City & State Pennsylvania. The multimedia organization debuted its third annual Power of Diversity: Women 100 list on Dec. 23.
The list highlights the achievements of women in diverse fields — including government, nonprofits, education, business, labor, and advocacy — who are shaping Pennsylvania’s future with their visionary leadership and significant contributions. Honorees included Kim Ward, president pro tempore, Senate of Pennsylvania; Joanna McClinton, speaker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives; Cherelle Parker, mayor of Philadelphia; Debra Todd, chief justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court; and Leslie C. Davis, president and CEO, UPMC.
This is the second time this year that City & State Pennsylvania has recognized Dr. Thomas-Hemak for her exceptional leadership and achievements. In July, the organization selected her as a 2024 Trailblazer in Health Care.
Concurrent with her executive responsibilities, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is also quintuple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, obesity medicine, addiction medicine, and nutrition. She sees generations of patients at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley in her hometown of Jermyn.
“Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s well-deserved recognition as one of Pennsylvania’s 100 most powerful and influential female leaders reaffirms what we at The Wright Center already know: she is a brilliant, visionary, and inspirational leader, as well as a compassionate, dedicated, and exceptionally skilled physician,” said The Wright Center for Community Health Board of Directors Chair Deborah Kolsovsky. “She has an infectious passion for helping others and a remarkable ability to inspire a shared vision. She has devoted her entire career to advancing health equity, especially among our region’s most vulnerable populations, improving access to high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services, and training and mentoring the next generation of health care professionals.”
Dr. Thomas-Hemak graduated from Scranton Preparatory School and the University of Scranton. After graduating as a Michael DeBakey Scholar from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completing Harvard’s Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program in Boston, she returned to Northeast Pennsylvania, joining The Wright Center in 2001, becoming president in 2007, and CEO in 2012.
Under her stewardship, The Wright Center has expanded its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health.
She also guided The Wright Center to achieve numerous prestigious distinctions, including its designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike in 2019, which unlocked essential federal resources for the region and significantly expanded health care access. The Wright Center has also been recognized as a Top 30 Site for National Primary Care Innovations by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and, in 2024, was inducted into the esteemed American Medical Association’s ChangeMedEd Consortium.
Dr. Thomas-Hemak also led The Wright Center for Community Health’s transformation into one of the first state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Centers of Excellence in 2016, improving access to substance use disorder treatment. Amid rising obesity rates, she guided physicians in obtaining board certification in obesity medicine to better address critical health needs.
She also transformed The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education into one of the nation’s largest Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums (GME-SNC). Through inclusive, interprofessional workforce development and targeted initiatives, the GME-SNC model seeks to improve public health by addressing the national primary care physician shortage, misdistribution and related health and health care career access disparities.
Dr. Thomas-Hemak also serves as the governor for the Eastern Region of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the nation’s largest medical-specialty organization. She sits on numerous local, regional, and national health care and medical education nonprofit governing boards, cross-sector committees, and workgroups, including the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Council on Graduate Medical Education, a federal advisory committee that assesses and recommends actions on physician workforce trends, training issues, and financing policies.
She is chair of the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Governing Board and a governing board member of the Keystone Accountable Care Organization, The Institute, and the Center for Health and Human Services Research and Action. She is also a founding member of the consortium that established the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and a founding board member of the American Association of Teaching Health Centers.
Dr. Thomas-Hemak has received several prestigious state and national awards for her leadership, mentorship, and advocacy initiatives, including the 2024 Hometown Scholars Advocacy Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and A.T. Still University for her exemplary leadership in mentoring and inspiring others; the 2024 Wilford Payne Health Center Mentor Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers; NACHC’s 2022 Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Award for her efforts in engaging Congress and expanding grassroots advocacy; and the 2020 Ann Preston Women in Medicine Award from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians for advancing women’s leadership in medicine.
She and her husband, Mark, reside in Jermyn and have three children, Mason, Maya, and Antoinette. Dr. Thomas-Hemak is the daughter of the late William Thomas and Johanna Cavalieri Thomas, who lives in Archbald.
