Board
Innovate. Advocate. Collaborate.
Tom Koutsoumpas
CEO
Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation
President & CEO, Capital Caring Health
Tom Koutsoumpas serves as President and CEO of Capital Caring Health (CCH), one of the oldest and largest not-for-profit advanced illness care, primary care at home, palliative and hospice care providers in the nation. All CCH care services are provided in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Tom also serves as CEO of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). NPHI is a unique not-for-profit organization that includes as members, 72 hospice/advanced illness care providers. Collectively, NPHI members care for over 121,000 patients and families across America every day and annually provide over 150 million dollars in charity care. Their shared mission is care must be delivered at the bedside and not dictated by the boardroom.
Earlier in Tom’s career he helped make the hospice movement in America a reality by helping lead the effort to develop and implement the Medicare hospice benefit. His passion to improve care delivery also led him to become a co-founder of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC). C-TAC is a national, not-for-profit non-partisan alliance of patient and consumer advocacy groups, health care providers both public and private, and faith-based organizations, all with the shared mission of providing comprehensive world-class patient-centered advanced illness care especially for those who might otherwise not have access to the best available chronic illness management.
Other accomplishments include helping establish Healthsperien, a consulting and legal services firm focused on strategic issues that bring together the public and private sectors to advance hospice and advanced illness care. And, Tom is a member of the Roundtable on Quality Care for the seriously ill which is attached to the Medical Division of the National Academy of Sciences and is a contributor to the Project on Advanced Care at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.
Tom is a co-author of A Roadmap to Success: Transforming Advanced Illness Care in America. He also penned the foreword to the publication, Have Your Own Say: Getting the Right Care When It Matters Most (2012) by Gundersen Health System and the Center for Health Transformation.
A native of Indiana, Tom received his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. where he has served as a Board of Regents member.
Samira Beckwith, LCSW, FACHE, LHD
Chair
Samira Beckwith
President & CEO, Hope Healthcare
Dr. Samira K. Beckwith is a pioneer in the hospice field for the past 40 years and has served as President and CEO of Hope Healthcare for more than 30 years. With her leadership, the organization grew from a hospice caring for fewer than 100 patients a day to a comprehensive community based health care system caring for more than 4,000 individuals a day through a variety of innovative programs.
Her expertise and life time commitment to quality care is acknowledged throughout the state, nationally, and internationally. She was appointed to The White House Conference on Aging and recently served on a panel for the Senate Special Committee on Aging. She has testified before the House Judiciary subcommittee on the need for legislation to enable better care and comfort for those at the end of life. Within the state of Florida, she was given special recognition by Governors DeSantis, Scott, and Bush, having been appointed to their respective committees including the Transition Advisory Committee on Health and Wellness, the Board of Directors for the Florida Center for Nursing, and the Long-Term Care Advisory Committee. Governor Jeb Bush describes Dr. Beckwith as “a visionary who provides leadership on a local and national level – passionate about ensuring the highest quality of service,” after she served on his Long-Term Care Advisory Committee.
As a dedicated champion for palliative care and end of life issues, Samira has served as Chair for both the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the National Hospice Foundation. In addition, she is the Founding President of the Florida PACE Providers Association and a Founding Director of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation.
Dr. Beckwith’s leadership, career accomplishments, and commitment to diversity have also been honored. She was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, bestowed upon distinguished Americans who exemplify outstanding qualities in their personal and professional lives. She was also awarded The Ohio State Alumni Association’s highest recognition, The Medalist Award, presented to alumni who have gained national or international distinction in a chosen field.
She was granted a Doctor of Humane Letters by Piedmont College and by Southwest Florida College, as well as Bachelor of Sociology Degree and a Masters in Social Work from The Ohio State University, where she recently served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Diana Franchitto, MBA
Vice Chair
Diana M. Franchitto
President & CEO, HopeHealth
Diana Franchitto, president & CEO of HopeHealth, has been a strong, leading voice in hospice, palliative and home care for more than a decade. Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, HopeHealth is one of the largest non-profit hospice, palliative care and home care organizations in New England. The HopeHealth family of services includes HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, HopeHealth Visiting Nurse, HopeHealth Community VNA, HopeHealth Dementia & Alzheimer’s Services, HopeHealth PediPal and the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center.
At HopeHealth, Ms. Franchitto facilitated an academic affiliation to become the major teaching affiliate for hospice and palliative medicine of the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. In addition, Ms. Franchitto established palliative care partnerships with hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies and payers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Franchitto held a variety of senior leadership positions at Caritas Christi Health Care (the predecessor organization to Steward Health Care), then the second largest healthcare system in Massachusetts, where she was responsible for marketing, communications, public affairs and network development.
Ms. Franchitto has an MBA and a bachelor of science in business administration from Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts. She serves on the board of directors of the National Partnership for Healthcare & Hospice Innovation (vice chair), Rhode Island Quality Institute (immediate past chair), Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and CareLink, a post-acute network in Rhode Island.
Debbie Shumway
Secretary
Debbie Shumway
Executive Director, Hospice of the Valley
Debbie Shumway is Executive Director of Hospice of the Valley (HOV). She has devoted 28 years to advancing the agency’s not-for-profit mission: Bringing comfort, dignity and compassionate care to our community. Debbie helped the organization grow from 140 patients per day in 1994 to over 5,700 patients per day now with all of the agency’s programs, ranging from home-based primary care to palliative care, dementia care and hospice services.
Debbie provides leadership and direction for Arizona’s largest hospice with annual revenues in excess of $190 million. A certified public accountant, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for 22 years prior to her appointment in 2016 as Executive Director.
Under Debbie’s supervision, the agency has expanded services with an ongoing focus of providing excellent patient care. This is accomplished with an amazing leadership team and dedicated, compassionate employees. She has enhanced marketing and fund development goals, advanced use of technology and maintained strong patient satisfaction scores and strong financial results. The core strength of the agency is a service-oriented culture that puts patients and families first with emphasis on employee development and retention.
Partnerships and consolidations have strengthened Hospice of the Valley’s leadership position in a growing and competitive healthcare market. She oversees and participates in new program development and partnerships with other healthcare organizations seeking hospice, palliative care and advanced illness services.
In 2022, Hospice of the Valley opened an innovative Dementia Care and Education Campus to provide support for caregivers and individuals living with dementia, and to train a dementia-capable workforce for the future. The Campus features an education center, an adult day program with an adjacent childcare center for intergenerational enrichment, a small assisted living center and a dementia hospice inpatient home. The Campus is the hub for Hospice of the Valley’s Supportive Care for Dementia program, which this past year supported over 1,800 individuals in their homes, helping improve quality of life for those living with dementia and their caregivers.
Debbie lives with her husband in Phoenix and is the mother of three adult children.
Karen Rubel
Treasurer
Karen Rubel
President & CEO, Nathan Adelson Hospice
Karen Rubel currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Nathan Adelson Hospice. She joined the organization in 2007 as the Vice President for Development. She has extensive experience in operations, administration, major gifts fundraising and building development programs, along with strong leadership skills and strategic planning abilities.
Ms. Rubel has been influential in developing programs to enhance the experience of the hospice’s patients and their loved ones. Aside from leading the hospice team in forging relationships with large donors and health care entities, she has been instrumental in enhancing hospice operations and community outreach programs. Her accomplishments are many, with thousands of individuals in the Southern Nevada community being helped at a sensitive time in their lives.
Ms. Rubel earned a B.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University, and an M.A. in Administration from Dominican University in Illinois. She is a graduate of the Thayer Institute with a Master’s in Leadership Arts and Sciences. Her professional and community accomplishments include serving as board member, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, member of the Board of Directors for Girls Scouts of Southern Nevada, member of the Board of Directors, Nevada Donor Network, former board member, The Unforgettables Foundation, former member of the Board of Directors for The Center. She is listed as one of 2022 Women to Watch by Nevada Business Magazine, Top 100 Women by My Vegas magazine, 2015 Women to Watch by Vegas Inc., recognized as one of 10 Women Who Mean Business by the Las Vegas Business Press in 2012. She is a 2018 Jameson Fellow and graduated Leadership Las Vegas in 2011.
David W. Cook
Director
David W. Cook
President & CEO, Hosparus Health
David W. Cook, MBA, is president and chief executive officer of Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s leading non-profit care providers for patients and families facing serious illness. For over 40 years, the $90 million mission-driven organization has been a trusted partner to nearly 10,000 patients annually across a 41-county service area in Kentucky and Indiana. As the largest non-profit in Louisville, Hosparus Health has been championing equitable healthcare access for all members of the community since 1978.
Since assuming the role in September 2021, David has overseen operational and strategic efforts in response to the community’s changing healthcare needs. Under his leadership, the organization has broadened its scope of services to provide its patient-centered model across the continuum of care for those facing complex medical conditions.
David is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of operational and financial leadership experience within the healthcare and non-profit sectors. Most recently, he served as president and chief executive officer of Carolina Caring in Newton, North Carolina. During his five-year tenure with the organization, David expanded service offerings and oversaw the development of the community-based pediatric palliative and hospice program, Carolina Kids.
Before joining Carolina Caring, David spent over 15 years with Hosparus, where he started his career in healthcare after working in the banking industry. Throughout his time with the organization, he held several key leadership positions, including chief operating officer. In each role, David sought innovative opportunities to build on Hosparus’ history of compassion to improve the quality of life for people of all ages and backgrounds, regardless of their ability to pay.
David has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a post-baccalaureate certificate in accounting, and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University. He currently serves on the boards of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Kentucky Association of Hospice & Palliative Care, and the CEOc (formerly Louisville Healthcare CEO Council). In 2023, he was recognized as a Health Care Hero Innovator honoree in the Louisville area by Louisville Business First.
A native of the Kentuckiana area, David now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife and their three sons.
Director
William E. Finn
President and CEO, Hospice of the Western Reserve
Bill Finn has been involved in hospice and end-of-life-care for 40 years. Bill has held CEO positions at multiple not-for-profit hospices and has been active at both the state and national level in advancing innovation, access, and quality of care at end of life. Bill has served on multiple state and federal association boards and has spoken and consulted extensively. Bill is the President & CEO of Western Reserve Care Solutions and Hospice of the Western Reserve, based in Cleveland, and regularly volunteers in hospice inpatient units as a caregiver.
Bill received his Master of Business Administration degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and has a certification in Hospice and Palliative Care Administration.
Phillip W. Heath
Director
Phillip W. Heath
President & CEO, Samaritan
Phillip W. Heath is the president and CEO of Samaritan, an independent not-for-profit provider of home-based healthcare and supportive services in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Founded in Moorestown in 1980 as one of the country’s first hospices, Samaritan now provides an expanding range of life-enhancing services for more than 11,000 patients and their families annually in five New Jersey counties.
Before joining the Samaritan leadership team, Phillip’s career was distinguished by 30 years of leadership experience with various local, regional, and national healthcare organizations in the areas of sales, marketing, business development, government affairs, and operations. With extensive experience in the hospice, senior housing, long-term care, and healthcare technology arena, he was also involved in corporate community affairs, social responsibility, inclusion and diversity initiatives, and as a community volunteer throughout his career.
Phillip served as Chief Marketing and Sales Officer and Chief Administrative Officer with a provider of long-term care services and Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Most recently he was the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for a healthcare technology firm where he was responsible for providing instructional leadership to department managers, working to develop and implement the company’s strategic plan, administrative policies, and performance of all corporate departments.
Phillip currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Responsive Care Solutions, and the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey.
Phillip holds a B.A. from Morehouse College and an M.S. in Health Services Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy. He earned a certificate in Healthcare Leadership from Cornell University and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
At Samaritan, Phillip is responsible for leading the vision, mission, and strategic direction to provide advanced clinical expertise and extraordinary compassion through our comprehensive and growing family of life-enhancing services including: primary care at home, palliative medicine, hospice care, grief support, education, and advocacy.
Prior to being unanimously elected to the role of President and CEO in 2022, Phillip led Samaritan’s volunteer board of trustees as chairman for four years, working alongside the senior leadership team to expand the organization’s care options to help more people—especially those who are most vulnerable—in more ways.
Throughout his career, Phillip has understood his mission of service to be “provide what the patient wants and what the patient needs.” That priority continues today as he leads Samaritan’s mission to help patients, and those who care about them, live their best lives every day.
Patricia “Patti” Moore, APRN, MSN
Director
Patrice “Patti” Moore
President & Founder, The Watershed Group
Patrice C. “Patti” Moore, APRN, RN, MSN is President and Founder of The Watershed Group, a nationwide healthcare consulting and coaching company working with organizations and people to attain advanced levels of success and achieve their ideal mission. Since 1999, Patti and The Watershed Group have tailored their services to meet the unique needs of each client and achieve positive growth and financial stability. Patti is a Certified High Performance Coach, expert consultant and thought leader in end of life care.
Patti’s insights help clients create and sustain high performance cultures in order to realize their full potential—even in periods of change and transition.
Prior to founding The Watershed Group, Patti was the Executive Director of Hospice of North Central Florida (now Haven Hospice), leading that organization to a position of national prominence. She began her career in the nursing profession, where her commitment to service and compassionate leadership first took root. Ms. Moore was a surveyor/consultant for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, former president of Florida Hospices and Palliative Care, Inc., founding member of the National Hospice Work Group, Board member of the National Hospice Foundation, founding Board member of the National Partnership of Hospice Innovation and Board member at Oak Hammock CCRC in Gainesville, Florida. She has spoken widely on issues of caring for the dying and end of life care.
Patti is the author of the book, No Mission No Margin: Creating a Successful Hospice with Care and Competence and co-author of the book How Goes It With Your Soul.
Patti has her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing from University of Florida and she lives with her husband in Gainesville, Florida.
Director
Lynne M. Sexten, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer, Agrace
Ms. Sexten has been with Agrace since 2012. During her tenure, Agrace has grown tremendously. Hospice census has increased 100%, a second hospice inpatient unit was opened, as well as a new hospice memory care unit. Additional satellite offices were established, a palliative care program was initiated, a non-medical home care company and an adult day center were launched, as was a new home medical equipment company.
Ms. Sexten came to Agrace from Unity Point Health - Meriter in Madison, Wisconsin where she served as executive vice president and chief operating officer. During her tenure, she was responsible for all inpatient and outpatient clinical services. She oversaw the development of a new multi-specialty medical group with eight clinic locations as well as the complete replacement of health system’s operating rooms.
She holds a master’s degree in health care administration and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical communications from The Ohio State University. She is certified as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Ms. Sexten is active in the community, serving on several local boards and committees. She has been recognized for her leadership with several awards including being named one of Madison’s Most Influential People in 2015. Ms. Sexten is presently the Chair of the Board for the Wisconsin Hospice and Palliative Care Association, a national director of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and a board member of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation.