The Wright Center for Community Health Names Two New Practice Managers

The Wright Center for Community Health recently promoted two longtime clinical employees to the leadership roles of Practice Managers.

Kimeth Robinson will lead The Wright Center’s Kingston Practice at 2 Sharpe Street. A graduate of McCann School of Business, Robinson joined The Wright Center in 2016 as a medical assistant. She most recently served as medical scribe for Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, President/CEO of The Wright Center, and as Co-Manager of Medical Assistants, responsible for monitoring patient care quality and coordination as well as daily oversight of all medical assistants on staff. Robinson resides in Peckville.

Mary Georgetti will lead The Wright Center’s Wilkes-Barre Practice located inside the Children’s Service Center building at 335 South Franklin Street. A Wyoming Valley West High School graduate, Georgetti joined The Wright Center in 2011 as an administrative assistant. She most recently served as a practice coordinator for The Wright Center’s Luzerne County offices, maintaining physician schedules, electronic health records and community outreach. Georgetti resides in Plains Twp.

As Practice Managers, both Robinson and Georgetti will be responsible for the daily operations of their respective locations, including oversight of patient flow, staff and services. The Wilkes-Barre and Kingston practices are home to physicians and clinical staff who provide primary and preventive care for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients, including routine check-ups, sick visits, behavioral/mental health, and addiction and recovery services.

“Kimeth and Mary have proven themselves as reliable leaders who each represent the very best of The Wright Center’s core values, as they are exceptional team players who strive for excellence in service to our communities every day,” said Kathleen Barry, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of The Wright Center.

The Wright Center Names Interim Associate Designated Institutional Official

Michelle Ostroski, a licensed social worker with a background in nonprofit healthcare and educational settings, has been named interim Associate Designated Institutional Official (ADIO) for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

In this leadership role, Ostroski is responsible for supporting and sustaining an environment that promotes academic excellence. The Wright Center trains close to 250 physician learners enrolled in internal medicine, family medicine and psychiatry residency programs as well as gastroenterology, geriatrics and cardiovascular disease fellowships.

The ADIO oversees academic and organizational compliance with accrediting bodies and partnering institutions of higher learning, and also monitors the quality and safety of clinical learning venues where Wright Center residents and fellows rotate through. As the largest Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Consortium in the country, The Wright Center trains doctors to provide care to the nation’s most vulnerable patients in high-performing, certified Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and community-based hospitals. Residents and fellows train at Wright Center clinics and hospital systems throughout Northeast Pennsylvania as well as locations in four states across two coasts, including Tucson, Arizona (El Rio Community Health Center); New Richmond, Ohio (HealthSource of Ohio); Auburn, Washington (HealthPoint); and Washington, D.C. (Unity Health Care).

Ostroski joined The Wright Center in June as the Director of Graduate Medical Education Workforce Operations, promoting innovative learning opportunities and best practices in education, and will continue to maintain that role in addition to her new responsibilities.

“Michelle’s commitment to empowering our residents and fellows with the best educational experience possible makes her a great fit for this role,” said Dr. Jumee Barooah, Designated Institutional Official for The Wright Center.

“My goal is to foster a collaborative learning environment that optimizes the training physician learners receive at The Wright Center and each of our partnering sites,” Ostroski said. “Ensuring these community-minded doctors emerge as competent and compassionate primary care providers goes to the heart of The Wright Center’s mission.” Ostroski earned her master’s degree in social work with specialization in behavioral health from Marywood University, and her bachelor’s in secondary education and English at Temple University. She is pursuing her doctorate in education and leadership in healthcare from Nebraska Methodist College and resides in Forty Fort.

Lackawanna College Assigns Key Leadership Role

Lackawanna College President Dr. Jill Murray has named Stephanie Decker as the Associate Vice President of Social and Economic Impact and a member of the President’s cabinet. Decker previously served as the Executive Director of Social and Economic Impact and as the Program Director for the Lackawanna College Kiesendahl School of Hospitality. In this role, she assisted in the creation of new associate degree programs and the region’s only bachelor’s degree in restaurant and foodservice management. Under her leadership, her colleagues opened the student-run restaurant, 409 on Adams, which distinguished Lackawanna’s School of Hospitality as a school of choice for students to advance their careers in the hospitality industry. 

Decker has served in a leadership role on specialized teams dedicated to driving the formation of new and innovative programs at Lackawanna College, including the region’s first collegiate esports program and ecommerce initiatives. Additionally, she guided her leadership team in transitioning the College’s cafeteria from a retail-style foodservice program to a full-service, high-end cafeteria, which now serves students and the college community. She assisted in the development and execution of the College’s Food for Thought program, The Giving Room and the College’s fellowship program.