Wright Center Pediatrician Receives Board Certification in Obesity Medicine Dr. Manju Mary Thomas, a board-certified pediatrician at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley Practice, recently earned board certification in obesity medicine to prepare her better to help patients manage obesity, its many comorbidities, and to lose weight. Obesity is one of the nation’s most prevalent chronic diseases and is associated with many of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. The condition is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis, certain cancers, and many additional comorbidities. The certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine gives physicians the insights and tools to help patients who are struggling with the complex issue of obesity. Thomas is also the medical director of pediatrics and community and school-based medical home services, and serves as physician faculty for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Family Medicine Residency Pediatrics program. She earned her medical degree from St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, India, and completed her residency in pediatrics at Brookdale University Hospital, Brooklyn, New York. Thomas provides primary and preventive care for pediatric and adolescent patients at the primary care practice in Jermyn. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health and its network of primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
Marywood University President Announces Retirement Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D.,the 12th President of Marywood University, has announced to the Board of Trustees her decision to retire from her role, effective June 30, 2024. Sister Mary was elected President of Marywood University by the University Board of Trustees in April 2016 and began her presidential tenure on July 1, 2016. Throughout her eight-year tenure, the University endowment has nearly doubled and maintained a fiscally responsible status, even during universally challenging financial times in higher education and while the industry as a whole has faced a national downturn in enrollments. To further strengthen Marywood’s future, Sister Mary is presently guiding the University’s $30 million comprehensive campaign, which is set to conclude upon her retirement. The campaign is designed to fund new construction and academic spaces on campus, to provide scholarships for students, and to enhance the student experience. The state-of-the-art Pascucci Family Health Sciences Pavilion, an addition to the O’Neill Healthy Families Center, which will house all students who study the Health Sciences, will be dedicated in May 2024. Since 2016, several signature programs have enjoyed expansion, including the Physician Assistant and Architecture programs, and several innovative programs in Respiratory Therapy, Construction Management, and Biotechnology were launched. Last spring, the Living City Lab at Marywood University was established and dedicated to the memory of Jane Jacobs, an urbanist and activist from Scranton; this entity is housed in the Insalaco Center for Studio Arts. Sister Mary also launched the Center for Law, Justice, & Policy, as a precursor to the engagement of students in programs that will lead to legal-related professions. Additionally, the University established the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, out of which grew the Center for Truth and Racial Healing. Sister Mary’s belief that universities exist to serve the communities that surround them was realized, in part, with the purchase of Marywood Heights, the former Holy Family Skilled Nursing Facility, which is home to nearly 90 residents. Marywood Heights is the first UBRC (University Based Retirement Community) in Northeast Pennsylvania. In addition, the NativityMiguel School of Scranton was relocated to Marywood University in 2019 and is now a permanent addition to campus. Sister Mary has represented Marywood to the broader higher education community through service on boards and by her presence in the public arena, including a six-year term on the Board of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, during which time she assumed the role of Chair for one year. She was an appointee of Governor Tom Wolf to the PA Humanities as a Director for six years and also assumed the role of Chair for some of her tenure there. In 2019, Sister Mary was asked to deliver the Commencement Address at the Catholic University of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. She currently serves as one of ten members on the Governor’s task force for Higher Education in the Commonwealth of PA and has chaired several Middle States site visits during her years as Marywood’s President. Sister Mary’s leadership has led to global accomplishments, such as online graduate Business programs to students from the Tsingsua Holdings Zijing Education Group in Beijing, China, and from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Support, Alexandria, Egypt. The Office of Global Education also was established during her presidency. Through this office, dozens of students from South Korea spend one semester at Marywood and do practical nursing training in local hospitals and clinics. When the COVID-19 pandemic arose, Sister Mary guided Marywood through unprecedented, uncertain times, successfully navigating challenges and positioning Marywood to thrive in the aftermath of a global pandemic. The University was able to pivot quickly to sustain its mission and to assist the community to curb the spread of the virus and minimize the pandemic’s consequences. Additionally, she brought national retail partnerships to campus, including Starbucks, the Gear Shop, the Apple Store, and the Amazon Store, to provide an enhanced campus culture to students. “On behalf of the Trustees, I wish to acknowledge our admiration for Sister Mary, her collaborative leadership, and her bold vision for Marywood,” stated Board President, Lisa Lori, Esq. “Sister Mary has been an inspiration to us all. Throughout the years, and long before her tenure as President, Sister Mary promoted the mission and core values of our University. She has kept them ever before our students, staff, faculty, and administration as the collective light that guides all we do.” The Board of Trustees will launch a national search for Sister Mary’s successor. The Board of Trustees has hired a search firm/consultant and will be forming a search committee, which will include members of various stakeholder groups. The position is expected to be posted in early January 2024, with a plan to announce finalists for the position in March and a President-Elect by early April 2024.
The Wright Center’s Top Executive Receives 2023 Pennsylvania Impact Award Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, received a 2023 Pennsylvania Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania magazine, recognizing her leadership in social responsibility. Dr. Thomas-Hemak, a Lackawanna County native, was one of 75 honorees from across the commonwealth to be chosen by the magazine for its special recognition. She accepted the award during a ceremony in Philadelphia. “I am extremely humbled and honored to be recognized for living the mission of The Wright Center,” said Dr. Thomas-Hemak. “Together, we are building a preferred future in which everyone will benefit from a health system that prioritizes equity, quality, and affordability of comprehensive primary health care services and career opportunities.” The Pennsylvania Impact Awards honor residents “who are pillars of sustainability, diversity and inclusion, charity, and community engagement,” according to the publication, known for its coverage of the Keystone State’s business, political, and community leaders. The publication noted that “there are a lot of ways to make a difference.” For example, the changemakers “have raised funds and galvanized support for patients with Alzheimer’s and autism and for children in need of early intervention.” In addition, “they have programmed software to help Pennsylvanians access medical care and legal services. The influential difference-makers included state Sen. Lisa M. Boscola, state Sen. Art Haywood, Associate Professor Teresa Hunter-Pettersen, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; Clayton Jacobs, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter; and President Jessica Ritchie, UPMC Pinnacle Foundation. Under Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s leadership, The Wright Center remains deeply immersed in community engagement activities, routinely collaborating with dozens of regional, state, and national partners on health care and workforce development initiatives. The Wright Center, for example, is spearheading an effort in Northeast Pennsylvania to establish interoperability across multiple hospital, health care, and social services systems, with the goal of giving patients and providers access to timely, actionable health care data to improve patient outcomes. Dr. Thomas-Hemakalso serves as board co-chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement,a subsidiary of the health center. The group is active throughout the year in providing material goods and other support to community members challenged by poverty and other negative social determinants of health, such as food insecurity and homelessness. Earlier this year, Dr. Thomas-Hemak hired the enterprise’s first environmental, social, and governance (ESG) specialist. He is now developing a strategic plan to tailor existing policies and decision-making systems so the enterprise can fulfill its mission while being socially responsible to the community and the planet. Similarly, The Wright Center’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is evident in the year-round programming offered to employees and community members, including a monthly DEI blog and workshop. An emphasis is currently being placed on fostering a safe, trauma-informed workplace for employees, patients, and visitors. Dr. Thomas-Hemak, who has served as The Wright Center’s top executive for more than a decade, has helped the health center optimize federal and state resources, allowing it to establish 10 primary and preventive care clinics that collectively serve more than 32,500 patients a year. She also expanded the enterprise’s graduate medical education programs, which now train about 250 resident and fellow physicians annually in eight residency and fellowship programs. These programs attract needed medical expertise, such as behavioral health and specialized geriatric care providers, to the region. Her leadership has enabled the enterprise to create hundreds of jobs and improve community health. Today, The Wright Center employs about 645 people. Dr. Thomas-Hemak graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and completed Harvard’s Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency in Boston, Massachusetts, before returning to Northeast Pennsylvania to practice primary care. She is quadruple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, addiction medicine, and obesity medicine. She directly cares for patients weekly. In April, she began a four-year term as governor for the eastern region of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians. For more information about The Wright Center, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570.230.0019.
The Wright Center Names Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Erin McFadden, a board-certified internal medicine physician and medical director of The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Practice, has been named deputy chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. In her new role, Dr. McFadden will oversee various critical administrative duties to deliver high-quality primary and preventive care services to patients of all ages, regardless of their insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. She will also lead training initiatives and various educational and professional development opportunities for resident and fellow physicians, providers, and support staff. As medical director of the Scranton practice, Dr. McFadden will continue serving as the clinical leader for all ambulatory health and primary care services and provide clinical oversight and direction to all support services, including nursing, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and related functional areas. She will also serve as medical director for The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Counseling Center location and other clinics as needed. Dr. McFadden received her undergraduate degree from the University of Scranton and her medical degree at Temple University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency training at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. McFadden began working for The Wright Center in 2020 and has been the medical director of The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Practice since 2021. In addition to providing patient care, Dr. McFadden will continue serving as the dean of undergraduate medical and interprofessional education and as a core faculty member for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency. Dr. McFadden is also involved in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Geriatric Fellowship program. In addition, she plays an integral role in developing the lifestyle medicine curriculum and serves as co-regional director of medical education for A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine – Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). The Wright Center for Community Health operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental unit. For more information about the primary and preventive care services provided by The Wright Center for Community Health or for the nearest location, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
Two Wright Center Locations Earn National Recognition Two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary and preventive care practices recently received commendations from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Practice, 501 S. Washington Ave., and The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre Practice, 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave., each achieved the NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home certificate of recognition, acknowledging that they have the tools, systems, and resources to provide patients with the right care at the right time. Both practices initially earned the NCQA voluntary accreditation in 2021. Every year, the practice locations undergo a formal review to ensure they comply with the Washington, D.C.-based organization’s high standards. For the public, the NCQA accreditation is a signal that The Wright Center for Community Health maintains a focus on quality improvement and has key processes in place so that its clinics are prioritizing the needs of patients by following the patient-centered medical home model of care. The model is designed to allow patients and their care teams to build better relationships, help patients to more effectively control chronic conditions, and improve the overall patient experience. In addition, the patient-centered medical home model has been shown to increase staff satisfaction and reduce health care costs. “We are proud to retain this recognition seal for both practices, which is a reflection of the dedicated work being done by The Wright Center’s employees to use our information technology and team-based delivery system so we can coordinate care and get the best results possible for patients,” said Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. “The NCQA seal lets people know these practices will be open outside traditional business hours to meet their primary care needs and that we do all we can to put our patients at the forefront of care.” The NCQA was founded in 1990 with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It seeks to improve health care quality through measurement, transparency, and accountability. The Wright Center’s Mid Valley and Clarks Summit practices also maintain the NCQA’s respected recognition seal, undergoing annual renewals. Overall, The Wright Center operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental vehicle called Driving Better Health. Its practices offer integrated whole-person care, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. The Wright Center accepts most major health insurance plans, including Medical Assistance (Medicaid), Medicare, and CHIP. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. To learn more about The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary and preventive care services, call 570-230-0019 or visit TheWrightCenter.org.
HNB Promotes Ryan Ehrhardt to Commercial Loan Officer I Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, has announced Ryan Ehrhardt has been promoted to Commercial Loan Officer I. In making the announcement, Sheridan stated, “We are pleased to have Ryan expand his profession here at HNB.” He continued, “He has shown incredible commitment to supporting our community partners by incorporating his professional demeanor and local expertise.” As Commercial Loan Officer I, Ehrhardt will be responsible for developing and maintaining commercial loan relationships and negotiating terms for small businesses and other commercial loan applicants. Ehrhardt began his career in the financial industry in 2019 with a Commercial Lending Internship at HNB. After graduating college, he managed Client Services at Vanguard before returning to HNB as Credit Analyst in 2021 and soon after Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager. He will continue his career as Commercial Loan Officer I. In commenting on his new role at HNB, Ehrhardt noted, “Working at HNB has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. I’m grateful to be a part of the HNB family and I am excited for the continued opportunity to work closely with local businesses and members of the communities we proudly serve.” Ehrhardt is from Paupack, Pennsylvania and graduated from Wallenpaupack Area High School. He is a graduate of Bloomsburg University, 2020 (Magna Cum Laude) and has obtained a Bachelor of Science and Business Administration (BSBA) in Marketing and Finance. Outside of the bank, he enjoys spending time with his dog Levi, skiing, boating, fishing, hunting, and hiking. The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions. For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.
Geisinger Recognized as Top Employer by Military Organizations Geisinger has been recognized as a top employer for its continued support of military veterans and active service members with two recent designations. The Pennsylvania-based health system earned the 2024 Military Friendly® Employer with Gold distinction designation by VIQTORY and was also recognized by Military Times on its 2023 Best for Vets: Employers list. This is the fifth consecutive year Geisinger has been recognized with a Military Friendly Employer designation and the second year in a row the system has achieved the gold ranking. It’s also the fourth consecutive year Geisinger has been recognized by Military Times. Both honors demonstrate Geisinger’s ongoing commitment and efforts to building programs and opportunities for military veterans. The Military Friendly Employer with Gold distinction signifies that an employer is setting the example for veteran and service member inclusivity with their programs and initiatives. Companies earning the Military Friendly Employer designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,200 organizations participated in the 2024 Military Friendly survey. Final ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score with an assessment of the organization’s ability to meet thresholds for applicants, new hire retention, employee turnover and promotion and advancement of veterans and military employees. Geisinger will be showcased as a 2024 Military Friendly Employer in the winter issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and on militaryfriendly.com. For the Best for Vets recognition, Military Times evaluates the areas of greatest importance to transitioning service members, veterans and their families when looking for an employer. Recruitment and employment practices, along with retention and support programs were given the most weight in scoring and final rankings. Geisinger employs more than 800 veterans and active-duty service members throughout the system. As part of its commitment to the military and its veterans, Geisinger offers a paid military leave benefit, which allows service members employed by Geisinger to be paid for time at annual trainings, encampments and drills. It also is part of a military fellowship program that eases the transition of active-duty service members looking to move into a civilian career.To learn more about Geisinger’s veteran programs and career opportunities, visit jobs.geisinger.org/veterans.
HNB’s Sarah O’Hora Promoted to Commercial Loan Officer II Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Sarah O’Hora has been promoted to Commercial Loan Officer II. In making the statement, Sheridan noted, “Sarah has shown commitment to both our customers and entire community throughout her longstanding career at HNB.” He continued, “Her promotion is a result of her dedication and contributions to the strength of our Commercial Lending Team.” O’Hora is a graduate of Greencastle-Antrim High School and received a Bachelor of Science Degree (Cum Laude) from Millersville University in 2011. She also attended the PA Bankers School of Banking in 2015, and Leadership Northern Poconos Class of 2016, ABA Bank Marketing School Program in 2016, and PA Bankers School of Commercial Lending in 2023. Currently residing in Lake Arial, PA, she started her 12-year career in the financial industry with HNB. Previous positions included Teller, Customer Service Representative, Marketing Assistant, Marketing and Communications Specialist, and Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager, Commercial Loan Officer I, and she will continue her career as Commercial Loan Officer II. In this role, she is responsible for developing and managing commercial loan relationships, collecting and analyzing financial information, and negotiating terms for small business and other commercial loan applicants. In mentioning her time with HNB, O’Hora said, “My work at HNB has always allowed me to support those in my local community.” She continued, “As a commercial lender, I get to help local business owners reach goals, expand their growing businesses, and much more. I believe these business owners are the foundation on which our communities are built.” In her spare time, she is a Worship Director, Leader, and Partner at Wallenpaupack Church. She enjoys spending time with her family, golfing, pheasant hunting, target shooting, side-by side rides, and walks in the woods with their family dog, Nelli. The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions. For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.
Chamber Member Vince Galko Named to PA “Fifty Over 50” One of Pennsylvania’s top government affairs strategists, Vincent Galko has over 25 years of experience with national, state and local political and issue-based campaigns.With Harrisburg-based Mercury Public Affairs, where he is senior vice president, Galko recently helped score state legislation that dramatically expands the commonwealth’s autonomous vehicle industry. He also successfully lobbied for refinements to the state’s remote work rules in the financial industry and for millions in state funding for clients, including Philadelphia’s University of the Arts.On the campaign side, Galko recently helped engineer election wins in Berks, Chester and Lehigh counties – where judicial candidates won both GOP and Democratic primary nominations – as well as races for Lackawanna County Commissioner and numerous local council and supervisor posts.Galko previously served as regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Education and as executive director of the Pennsylvania GOP. He has worked for multiple U.S. senators, members of Congress and Pennsylvania governors.He is a commissioner for America250PA, the commonwealth’s organizing effort for the United States’ 250th-anniversary celebration. Galko is also currently member of the University of Scranton Alumni Board, a board member of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the NEPA Economic Alliance and an Adjunct Professor in Lackawanna College’s Business Department.
Wright Center Dr. Receives Ann Preston Women in Medicine Award The Pennsylvania Eastern Region Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) has presented Dr. Erin McFadden, a board-certified internal medicine physician, deputy chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health, and the medical director of The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice, with the Dr. Ann Preston Women in Medicine Award. Recognized as the world’s largest medical-specialty society, the ACP honored Dr. McFadden as part of its efforts to “recognize excellence and distinguished contributions to internal medicine.” Dr. McFadden accepted the award at the ACP’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in November. Dr. McFadden joined The Wright Center on Jan. 1, 2020, after earning her medical degree at Temple University School of Medicine and completing her internal medicine residency training at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. She also serves as the dean of undergraduate medical and interprofessional education and is a core faculty member for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency. Dr. McFadden is also involved in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Geriatric Fellowship program. In addition, she plays an integral role in developing the lifestyle medicine curriculum and serves as co-regional director of medical education for A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Mesa, Arizona. As the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, Dr. McFadden led an educational support and clinical coaching program with the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Penn State University, Temple University, Geisinger, and Allegheny Health Network to assist more than 400 personal care, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities in Northeast Pennsylvania with pandemic care. She also led an outpatient infusion center at The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Practice, providing monoclonal antibody treatment for patients with severe COVID-19. To watch her speak about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit bit.ly/3MHVtR7. The Women in Medicine Award was first awarded in 2019. It recognizes an ACP chapter member whose outstanding efforts and achievements have promoted career success, leadership, and overall quality of life for women in medicine, fostering tomorrow’s women leaders in medicine, according to the ACP. The award is named after medical pioneer Dr. Ann Preston, a lifelong Philadelphia resident in the first class of women who enrolled in the Female (later Women’s) Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1850. After the Board of Censors of the Philadelphia Medical Society effectively banned women physicians from the public teaching clinics of the city, she raised funds to start a new hospital where teaching could occur and opened The Women’s Hospital in 1858. She later created a nursing school and was named the first woman dean of the Women’s Medical College in 1866. The Wright Center for Community Health operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental unit. It treats individuals of all income levels and insurance statuses, including the underinsured and uninsured. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. For more information about the primary and preventive care services provided by The Wright Center for Community Health or the nearest location, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
