Supervisor Respiratory Care Education
Rochester General Hospital
Adams Center, NY
AARC Member since 1981
AARC Activities
Sleep Section Chair 2009
HOD Activities
Secretary 2010—2011
NYSSRC Delegate 2004—Present
Co-Chair Ad Hoc Committee on Student Engagement 2008—2009
Chair Special Recognition Committee 2007—2009
Member Special Recognition Committee 2005, 2006
Member Orientation Committee 2009—2011
Affiliate Activities
NYSSRC Central Chapter Director 1986—1994
NYSSRC Central Chapter Presidential Track 1992—1998
NYSSRC Vice President 1998—2000
NYSSRC State Presidential Track 2000—2006
NYSSRC Homecare and Rehab Chair 2006—2010
NYSSRC PACT Co-chair 2006—present
NYSSRC Symposium Committee 2000—present
NYSSRC Public Affairs Committee 2006—2010
Government Affairs Chair NYSSRC 2006—present
Related Activities
Volunteer for CF Foundation of NNY 1988—2006
BOD American Lung Association of Central New York 1996—2000
Volunteer for Better Breathers 1991—2000
Education
BSRT Upstate Medical University, 2007
AAS Respiratory Care, Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY 1987
Certificate of Respiratory Care, Onondaga Community College 1983
RRT-NPS, CPFT
Publications
Complex Sleep Disordered Breathing, Author, AARC Times 2/2010
Identifying the Patient with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Author, AARC Times
Do Unconventional Sleep Therapies Work? Author, AARC Times 1/2012
What AARC or Chartered Affiliate offices/positions have you held where you feel you made a significant contribution to our profession? What is the contribution and how will you apply it to your new position if elected?
As the Government Affairs Chair over the last 6 years, I have worked closely with our lobbyists to ensure that the health, welfare, and safety of the public we serve are maintained. In this timeframe, we actively supported the licensure of Sleep Technologists, which ultimately lead to a bill requiring education and testing for sleep.
I have actively participated in dozens of public health events to heighten the awareness of respiratory disease and the role of the respiratory therapist. I have been actively engaged in numerous spirometry projects to highlight awareness of pulmonary diseases and have participated in the PACT events in Washington, DC, for 8 consecutive years.
As a leader, what do you see as the top 3 priorities for the AARC, and what steps would you take to advance those priorities?
1. Membership is the first priority, and I would continue to work with key AARC officials and members to maintain and increase the benefits of membership.
2. Public Awareness of the leading causes of pulmonary disease and the role respiratory therapists play in the treatment and education of the patient, family, and public.
3. Partnerships with other health organizations to promote respiratory care and the role therapists play. I would continue to advocate and participate with affiliate organizations and reach out to those we do not currently partner with by networking and continuing to notify the AARC leadership of situations and events that might benefit the organization.
Leadership development is an issue facing many organizations, including the AARC. What can the AARC do to mentor the next generation of leaders?
Fostering involvement at a local level, I believe, is key. The HOD, with the support of the BOD, has developed several committees to foster mentoring of our next generation. Continuing to develop new and build upon the current structures will be necessary to keeping the trend upward.