The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Board of Directors elected new officers. Robert Cole, PhD, was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors, Holly Roever Carron, Secretary and John Ruddy, DPS, CFA, CPA, Treasurer.  In addition to the new officers, the Board of Directors appointed three new Board members, Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD, Michael P. Curran, and Samuel Lesko M.D., M.P.H. 

Holly Roever Carron is President at HW Roever Inc, an independent, family operated franchisee of Dunkin. Holly is responsible for operating nine Dunkin in the Greater Scranton area and is extremely knowledgeable about quick service restaurant trends. Ms. Carron is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University at University Park with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business with a concentration in Spanish. She currently serves as Chair of the Board at St. Joseph’s Center, an organization designed to assist those with intellectual disabilities and developmental delays. Ms. Carron is currently a member of the Dunkin’ Brands Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Ad Committee assisting in making marketing decisions for 78 stores.

Robert Cole, PhD, is the Senior Vice President, Chief Analytics Officer at Allied Services Integrated Health System. He is a 25-year employee of the health system. The non-profit organization is the leading provider of healthcare and human services for northeastern Pennsylvanians with disabilities and chronic illness. Robert earned a Master’s and a Doctorate in Experimental Psychology from the State University of New York at Binghamton, NY and brings strong data analytics into the organization’s business lines. Robert Cole, PhD, lives in Duryea with his wife, Donna, and their daughter Carsyn. He grew up in Duryea, graduated from Pittston Area High School and earned his bachelor’s in psychology from Bloomsburg University in 1992. 

Michael P. Curran serves as the CEO of Commonwealth Health’s Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital of Scranton. Prior to this role, Michael was the Vice President of Operations for the east region of Prospect Medical Holdings, where he was responsible for several acute care facilities. Michael also held executive positions at Crozer Health. He holds a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Michael is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.  

Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD serves as President and CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS), a non-profit health and human service organization working to improve the health of Pennsylvania women and children in 17 counties by offering programs that prevent disease, promote wellness, and empower individuals to make healthy choices. Dr. Montoro Edwards has a doctorate in Human Development, is a certified research administrator with a credential in protecting human subjects in research and has a certificate in Executive Leadership for Healthcare Professionals from Cornell University. She has taught grantsmanship and research methods on the graduate level. She serves as board member and secretary of the Alliance of Pennsylvania Councils and is a voting member of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) and the Family Planning Councils of America (FPCA). She is past Co-Chair of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Rainbow Alliance and currently serves as chair of the Nonprofit Community Assistance Center (NCAC) board and Vice Chair of Telespond Senior Day Services board. Dr. Montoro Edwards has more than 25 years’ experience in non-profit administration and a record of success in securing, implementing, evaluating, and stewarding public and private funding. 

Samuel M. Lesko, M.D., M.P.H. received his undergraduate degree from Drexel University and his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, both in Philadelphia.  Dr. Lesko completed residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Connecticut and has been certified by the American Board of Family Practice.  He has also served as a Senior Staff Fellow with the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Public Health Service and has earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from Yale School of Medicine.  Dr. Lesko has more than 35 years’ experience conducting health research.  He has held appointments at Boston University School of Public Health, Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.  He has been affiliated as Medical Director with the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute since 2000. 

Dr. John A. Ruddy is an Associate Professor of Finance in the Economics and Finance Department of The Arthur J. Kania School of Management, University of Scranton.  There he teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in Finance. Dr. Ruddy has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Scranton and an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments from The George Washington University. He also holds a Doctorate in Professional Studies, with a focus in Finance from Pace University.  He holds the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designations. The University of Scranton has recognized Dr. Ruddy four times for his teaching.  He was the recipient of the Kania School of Management Outstanding Professor in 2013 and 2017 and the University’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2014. Most recently, he was the recipient of the 2020-2021 KSOM Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.  He previously served on the Scranton Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees and the Howard Gardner Board of Directors.  

About the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute
The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is a nonprofit community-based agency serving 7 counties in northeast Pennsylvania with offices located in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.  Focusing on surveillance, community and patient services, and hospital and practice support services, the Cancer Institute invests 100% of its resources locally. The mission of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is to ease the burden of cancer in Northeastern Pennsylvania.