Hospice Center located at
11 Stokum Lane
New City, NY  10956

pdfs/hospiceoverview

Mission, Vision and Values

Mission
United Hospice of Rockland, Inc. (‘UHR’) provides care, hope, comfort and improved quality of life to individuals and their families facing serious illness. We offer compassionate support to members of our community who have experienced the loss of a loved one. We lead the health and human services community in improving the provision of care to those affected by serious illness.

Vision
United Hospice of Rockland envisions a community in which all individuals and their loved ones facing serious illness retain their dignity and hope while receiving the best care and support that hospice has to offer.

Values

We value:

• the dignity of those we serve and their rights to choice and self-determination.

• and are committed to enhancing the quality of life for those we serve.

• and respect the variety of cultural and religious traditions within our community.
• families and loved ones as our partners in providing care.

• those who invest in our mission by providing philanthropic support.
• our professional staff and volunteers; we recognize their achievements and provide education and support for their personal and professional growth.

2009 Annual Report

Board of Directors

United Hospice of Rockland Board of Directors

• Vincent Abbatecola, Business Owner - Abbey Ice.
• Helen Airo, UHR Secretary, Business Owner - Quality Auto.
• Charles Apotheker, Esq., County Court Judge.
• Ann Mendelsohn Byne, President - The Byne Group.
• Steve Dranow, Business Owner - Hellman Memorial Chapel.
• Dr. Edward Fisher, Pediatric Dentist.
• Sister Ursula Joyce, Ph.D., Executive Director - Thorpe Village/Dowling Gardens.
• Joseph Lagana, Business Owner - US Information Systems.
• Irwin Librot, MD., Physician.
• Judy Pachter, Business Owner - Pachter & Pachter, Inc.
• Harold Peterson, UHR Treasurer, Sr. VP of Provident Bank.
• Tess McCormack Raso, UHR Chair, Community Leader.
• Lisa Schachter, Proferssor of Nursing, Rockland Community College
• Heidi Snyder, Business Owner - Drug World.
• Wylene Wood, Community Leader.

Management Team

Amy Stern, Executive Director   
Amy Stern has been UHR’s Executive Director since 1989.  Prior to becoming director, Amy was the first social worker for UHR's community hospice program.  Before UHR, Amy’s work included the establishment of a palliative care home care program at Good Samaritan Hospital and social work in acute care hospitals and foster care. 


Amy is a member of the board of directors of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State.  She presently serves on the executive and public policy committees.  She is currently a member of the ethics committee of Good Samaritan Hospital, the palliative care committees of both Good Samaritan and Nyack Hospitals, the Rockland Business Exchange, the Rockland Business Association and a founding member of the Institute for Non-Profits. She received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Dominican College in 2009.

Bonnie Walsh, Assistant Director 
Bonnie Walsh graduated from St. Clare’s Hospital School of Nursing and she has been working at UHR since 1989. She was formerly a nurse manager of the Intensive Care Unit at Nyack Hospital. As Asst. Director of UHR, Bonnie's responsibilities consist of community outreach including education to healthcare professionals. She manages the community based palliative care team and is Chair of the Ethics Committee. In 1997, Bonnie was the first recipient of the NY State Hospice Association's Clinical Service Award and in 1998, she received an award for "Excellence in Practice" among Rockland County nurses. She is board certified in hospice and palliative care and she is an approved educator for the ELNEC program, (End of Life Nurse Education Consortium) and the national organization of Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses. She received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Dominican College in 2009.

Susan Lang, Director of Clinical Services 
Susan Lang received her BS in Nursing from Michigan State University and her MS in Nursing from Wayne State University.  Susan has been UHR’s Director of Clinical Services since February 2005 and has 25 years of nursing experience.  Her responsibilities include management and clinical direction of all clinical staff.  Prior to coming to UHR, Susan developed wellness centers in Assisted Living Facilities.  
 

Eileen Schmidt, Director of Counseling Services  
Eileen Schmidt attended the College of New Rochelle and graduated with honors. Eileen received her Masters of Social Work from NYU.  She has worked in the field of grief and bereavement since 1989. Eileen worked in several hospices in New York City before coming to UHR in 2002.

Lanie Etkind, Director of Development 
Lanie Etkind graduated cum laude with a degree in political science from Newcomb College of Tulane University.  After holding development positions at the New York Philharmonic and Beth Israel Medical Center, Lanie joined the Hospice staff in 1993.  She oversees UHR’s fundraising activities, including the Capital Campaign to build a Hospice Home, as well as annual programs including special events such as the Spring Benefit, Golf Outing and Tree of Life.  Lanie is an officer of the Rockland Development Council, and in 2004 was presented with the group’s Fundraising Professional of the Year award. She also serves on the board of the Rockland Community Foundation.  In 2003, Lanie was selected by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation as one of “Forty under 40” leaders in the community, and in 2007, she was honored as a Rockland County Woman of Distinction by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Fran Gray, Director of Finance  
Fran Gray has a BS in Accounting from Hunter College in NY.  She has been with UHR since November 1990.  As the Director of Finance, Fran oversees all accounting functions of the agency including billing, payables, payroll, federal and state reporting and much more.  Prior to joining UHR, Fran worked in both public and private accounting.

Chaquanna Cotten, Director of Performance Improvement
Chaquanna Cotten graduated cum laude with a Bachelors degree in Biology from Bennett College and she received her Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Health Policy, Management and Finance from New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. She has more than 10 years of experience working in acute and long term care facilities where she has worked diligently to improve the quality of care received by families and patients. Her background includes Quality Management and Performance Improvement, Customer Service/Patient Relations, and Program Coordination/Development. She believes that quality happens when you care enough to do your best!

Karen Damiani, Manager of Human Resources
Karen has a B.A. and an M.S. in Special Education from Lehman College. She taught Special Education before joining the Rockland County Department of Social Services as an Income Maintenance Examiner, then a Caseworker for the Rockland County Department of Health. For many years she worked for the County's Department of Probation first as an Officer, then Supervisor, and finally Director. Karen consulted in HR for many years as well, with Randy Hangers,   JW Pet Company, and finally, with the Mainetti Group, becoming their Director of HR in 2006. Karen became UHR's first Manager of HR in 2008.

 Joan O’Brien, Office Manager 
Joan O’Brien has a B.A. in Economics from S.U.N.Y. Purchase.  Joan joined the organization in 1996 and has just recently celebrated her 12 year anniversary at UHR.  Joan believes in giving back to the community and volunteers with the W.S.H.S, an animal rescue organization.  Prior to joining hospice, Joan worked for 13 years with Saks Fifth Avenue.

Judy Lin, M.D., Medical Director 

Dr. Lin received her Baccalaureate from Yale University in chemistry and her Master’s Degree in organic chemistry from the University of California at Irvine. She attended Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University for her medical degree and completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.  She is board certified in internal medicine.  Dr. Lin has practiced medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey and most recently was a general internist at Hudson Valley Medical Associates, PLLC. She is on the medical staff of both Nyack and Good Samaritan Hospitals.