Board

Current Officers and Executive Committee

Audrey Wathen, Immediate Past-Chair

Individual Member

Victoria Walker, Chair

Individual Member

Allison Rainey, Secretary

Supporting Member
MatrixCare

Erin O’Brien, Treasurer

Organization Member
Director, Clinical Affairs & Education
Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed)

Chad Worz, Vice-Chair

Organization Member
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists

Board Members

Organization Member
LeadingAge

James Chang

Organization Member
1199 Training Fund

Patrick Cote

Organization Member
Good Sam

Emily Dieppa Colo

Organization Member
PHI

Janine Fink-Boyle

Organization Member
American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing

Zoie Garza

Organization Member
AgingIn

Cynthia Morton

Organization Member
Advion (Fmrly NASLTC)

Erin O’Brien

Organization Member
Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed)

Allison Rainey

Supporting Member
MatrixCare

Kara Reiser

Organization Member
NCCAP

Lisa Thomson

Supporting Member
Pathway Health

Victoria Walker

Individual Member

Audrey Wathen

Individual Member

Chad Worz

Organization Member
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists

EX-OFFICO MEMBERS

Barbara Bowers

Ex-officio
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Penny Cook

Ex-officio
Center for Innovation

Christopher Laxton

Ex-officio
AMDA The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine

Jay Sackman

Ex-officio
Jay M Sackman Consulting Services LLC

LEGACY OF LEADERS

 

In addition to its diverse membership, Advancing Excellence has a legacy of active and engaged leadership. Board chairs have included:

2006 – 2009
Larry Minnix, former President & CEO, LeadingAge

2009 – 2012
Mary Jane Koren, MD, MPH, former Vice President of Delivery System Reform, The Commonwealth Fund

2012 – 2014
David Gifford, Senior Vice President, Quality & Regulatory Affairs, American Health Care Association
Cheryl Phillips, Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Advocacy, LeadingAge

2014 – 2016
Beverley Laubert, Ohio State LTC Ombudsman; past-president, National Association of State LTC Ombudsman Programs

2016 – 2018
Jay Sackman, Representative, The New Jewish Home

2018 – 2021
Chris Laxton, Former Executive Director, AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine

2021 – 2022
Barbara Bowers, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing

2023 – 2022
Penny Cook, Chief Culture Officer, Center for Innovation

2024 - Present
Audrey Wathen

  • Larry Minnix 2006 – 2009
    former President & CEO, LeadingAge
  • Mary Jane Koren 2009 – 2012
    MD, MPH, former Vice President of Delivery System Reform, The Commonwealth Fund
  • David Gifford 2012 – 2014
    Senior Vice President, Quality & Regulatory Affairs, American Health Care Association
  • Cheryl Phillips 2012 – 2014
    Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Advocacy, LeadingAge
  • Beverley Laubert 2009 – 2012
    Ohio State LTC Ombudsman; past-president, National Association of State LTC Ombudsman Programs
  • Jay Sackman 2016 – 2018
    Representative, The New Jewish Home
  • Chris Laxton 2018 – 2021
    Former Executive Director, AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
  • Barbara Bowers 2021 – 2022
    Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing
  • Penny Cook 2022 – 2023
    Chief Culture Officer, Center for Innovation
  • Audrey Wathen 2024 – Present