Meet Our Team
At NPHI, we boast a team of top-tier experts, each contributing unique skills vital to our mission as the nation’s leading advocate for end-of-life care. Our diverse team offers expertise in clinical, policy, communications, administration, and executive leadership, ensuring NPHI’s success.
CEO
Tom Koutsoumpas
Tom is the founder and CEO of NPHI, a passionate and innovative executive dedicated to advancing high-quality patient care delivery and ensuring healthcare organizations are prepared to meet the ongoing opportunities in the evolving landscape of healthcare. With a career spanning several decades, Tom has emerged as a prominent leader on Medicare, elder care, advanced illness, and hospice care issues. In 2023, he earned recognition as a Top Innovator by Modern Healthcare, an honor bestowed upon just 25 individuals each year. This accolade acknowledges his instrumental role in fostering innovation and steering NPHI’s expansion to over 100 members.
Prior to his current role, Tom served as CEO of Capital Caring Health for more than five years, overseeing the delivery of advanced illness, hospice, and palliative care services. Presently, he holds the esteemed position of Chairman of the Board, where he provides ongoing strategic guidance and leadership. Additionally, Tom is a co-founder and co-chair of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC), a consortium of over 200 organizations dedicated to developing person-centered care models for individuals for the seriously ill. Furthermore, Tom is a co-founder and actively involved in ACTNow for Mental Health, a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to mental health services and support while addressing mental and behavioral health stigma among young adults aged 17-32.
Early in his career, Tom played a pivotal role in creating and developing the Medicare Hospice Benefit, expanding chronic disease management through the Accountable Care Act, and advocating for the Medicare Advantage program’s expansion. His extensive experience, coupled with his commitment to innovation and advocacy, positions him as a leading figure in advancing patient-centered care nationwide.
In addition to his role at NPHI, Tom founded and serves as President of Healthsperien, LLC, a nationally-recognized health care policy consulting firm focused on federal and state regulatory and legislative policy analysis, advocacy, and implementation issues. Their mission is to accelerate responsible and sustainable healthcare system innovation and transformation to improve health outcomes for all, especially the most vulnerable. He is also a member of the Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness in the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which convenes experts in quality care for those with serious illnesses. Tom also serves as one of the leaders of the Project on Advanced Care at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.
Other notable accomplishments include serving as Senior Vice President and Founding Executive Director of the Mintz Levin Center for Health Law & Policy, a part of the Mintz Levin law firm. Tom served as Corporate Vice President of UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies, where he oversaw Public & Government Affairs and implemented their inaugural Crisis Communications initiative. Additionally, at UnitedHealth Group, Tom oversaw federal and state government relations during the implementation of Part D, the passage of the Accountable Care Act, and the expansion of the Medicare Advantage program.
Tom served as Executive Vice President and Chief of Public Affairs at VITAS Healthcare Corporation and, before that, served as Senior Advisor and Executive Assistant/Federal Affairs to former Indiana Governor (and later Senator) Evan Bayh. He was a health policy advisor with the Health Practice Group of the Hogan Lovells law firm (formerly Hogan and Hartson law firm), where he contributed to creating and developing the Medicare Hospice Benefit. He began his career working in the United States Senate and served as an associate in public affairs for Burson Marsteller.
In addition to being recognized as a Top Innovator by Modern Healthcare, Tom has drawn attention from numerous top-tier media outlets. In 2023, he was interviewed and featured in the Wall Street Journal. The article “Tom Koutsoumpas Wants to Ease the Ordeal of Dying” took the reader through his journey and work with hospice and advanced illness. In the fall of 2022, he was named to the Modern Healthcare Top 300 Influential People in Healthcare list, honoring those recognized as the most influential individuals in the industry regarding leadership and impact. Tom co-authored A Roadmap to Success: Transforming Advanced Illness Care in America and the foreword to the publication, Having Your Own Say: Getting the Right Care When It Matters Most (2012) by Gundersen Health System and the Center for Health Transformation. During COVID, Hospice News ran a piece on his work at Capital Caring and NPHI, “Changemakers: Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO, Capital Caring Health.”
Tom received his Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., attended Georgetown Law School, and serves on the Georgetown University Board of Regents.
Contact Matt Wilkinson at mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org for any media inquiries.
President
Carole Fisher
Utilizing her previous experiences and deep expertise with not-for-profit community-based hospice and palliative healthcare, Carole is charged with presiding over NPHI and leading a wide range of activities for the organization. With an emphasis on developing strategic partnerships, meaningful collaborations, and transformational innovations, Carole helps support the nation’s most notable and distinguished end-of-life healthcare organizations.
As a seasoned C-suite advisor, innovator, and public policy advocate, for the past 35 years, she has successfully led and transformed not-for-profit and mission-driven healthcare operations. Carole has significant experience in growing and transforming companies, developing people, and preparing organizations for navigating the unforeseen and unanticipated. She has a background in increasing market share, contracting with payers, building specialty provider networks, developing and integrating cutting-edge technology, facilitating M&A mid-size transactions, and is well respected for her ability to merge cultures and teams. She brings this experience to her position at NPHI in addition to her role as a Senior Advisor to Healthsperien.
Carole is a seasoned public speaker and travels frequently to speak at engagements focused on social impact issues. In this capacity, she is passionate about improving social and health equity.
Carole is the former President and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice. In a fiercely competitive market, she positioned the organization as a nationally known industry leader respected for its clinical advancements and innovations. Under her leadership, Nathan Adelson Hospice was recognized for eight years by Modern Healthcare Magazine as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in the United States.
Beginning in 2023, Carole hosted two seasons of the globally renowned and award-winning true crime podcast, The Girlfriends, produced by NOVEL, for iHeartRadio which ranked #1 in the podcast charts in six countries in 2023. The podcast explores the theme of justice and female solidarity and last summer, partnered with NOMORE.org to put an end to domestic violence – a cause Carole is extremely passionate about. In light of her advocacy work, Carole became the first Global Ambassador for NO MORE in 2024 – working hard to amplify their work and engaging with high-profile figures.
After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Carole attained a Master’s Certification in Organizational Leadership from the Thayer Institute in Asheville, North Carolina. She serves as an adjunct faculty member for Teleios University and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Thayer Institute. She currently sits on the boards of Global Partners in Care, and The Center, Las Vegas – where she champions the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Previously she served on the Board of Directors for MountainView Hospital (a subsidiary of HCA), Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation, Health Insight, UNLV Health Law Program Advisory Board, and the Nevada Hospital Association.
Since 1986, Carole has received over 25 awards, showcasing her outstanding achievements. Notable highlights include winning the 2024 Ambies® award for Best True Crime Podcast, the 2019 Brad Garrett Humanitarian Award, the Nevada Business Magazine Healthcare Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award, and being named in My Vegas Magazine’s Top 100 Women of the Year in 2018. Carole’s leadership was recognized with the Silver State Awards Executive of the Year in 2016, and she was honored as a Pioneer in the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017. These accolades reflect Carole’s impactful contributions and her esteemed status in various fields.
Carole spends her time working between her homes in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Covington, Louisiana. She frequently travels to Washington D.C. for policy-related initiatives.
You can find Carole on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram under @CaroleAFisher.
To schedule an interview or conversation with Carole please contact, Matt Wilkinson at mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org.
Chief Policy Officer
Larry Atkins
Dr. Atkins serves as NPHI’s Chief Policy Officer, overseeing the team responsible for policy development, regulatory affairs, and advocacy. He was previously Executive Director of both the Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) and the National MLTSS Health Plan Association. In 2013, he was the Staff Director for the Federal Commission on Long-Term Care. Prior to that, he headed U.S. Public Policy at the global pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck.
Dr. Atkins is a veteran of more than 40 years of health and social policy analysis, policy development, and legislative representation at the local, state, and federal levels. He directed Public Policy at Schering-Plough Corporation; was founder and President of Health Policy Analysts, Inc., a firm providing consultation on pharmaceutical, health benefits, and health care reimbursement issues; was Executive Director of the Corporate Health Care Coalition, an alliance of Fortune 100 companies on federal and state health reform issues; and headed a health and benefits policy practice in the Washington office of the New York law firm Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam and Roberts. During the 1990s, Dr. Atkins served on two quadrennial Social Security Advisory Commissions – 1991 as a Commission member and 1995 as a member of the Technical Panel.
During the 1980s, Dr. Atkins served on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging as professional staff, Deputy Staff Director and Republican Staff Director for Chairman John Heinz (R-PA) and advised Senator Heinz as a member of the Senate Finance Committee on retirement income and health policy matters, and as a member of the 1983 National Commission on Social Security Reform. Prior to his work in the Congress, Dr. Atkins developed health and human services policy at the state and local government levels.
Dr. Atkins is a founding member and immediate past President of the National Academy of Social Insurance. He holds a Ph.D. from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University where he is currently a member of the Board of Advisors. He holds Master’s degrees from the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, and an undergraduate degree from Kenyon College.
For media inquiries, please contact Matt Wilkinson at mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org.
Innovation Lab Clinical Advisor
Marian Grant
Marian Grant is a consultant for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), a policy consultant for the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) , the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), and the National Patient Advocacy Foundation, and a marketing consultant for the University of Washington’s MessageLab Serious Illness Messaging project, VitalTalk, and several hospice organizations. Dr. Grant maintains a clinical practice as a palliative care nurse practitioner at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She is adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing. In 2014, Dr. Grant was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow working on Capitol Hill and at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Dr. Grant has served on the board of the Carolinas Center and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and speaks nationally and internationally on palliative care, messaging, and health policy. Before becoming a nurse, Dr. Grant had a career in marketing at the Procter & Gamble Company and worked on the Max Factor and Cover Girl cosmetics brands there. She is the daughter of immigrants and refugees.
Administrative Assistant
Shelby Jones
Shelby Jones serves as the Administrative Assistant at NPHI, supporting a variety of administrative functions including membership management, communications, and calendar and meeting coordination. She also provides executive support to NPHI’s leadership, handling various administrative and communication tasks.
An experienced administrative professional and dedicated social justice advocate, Shelby is committed to supporting the mission-driven work of nonprofit organizations and helping them make a meaningful impact in their communities.
In addition to her administrative role, Shelby is a yoga teacher specializing in Yin and Hatha Yoga. She focuses on helping her students find a sense of safety, presence, and calm in their bodies. Her classes incorporate breathwork, physical movement, and mindfulness techniques to regulate the Central Nervous System, aiming to send more happy, balanced individuals into the world.
Senior Director of Member Engagement
Beth Kurta
Beth serves as NPHI’s Senior Director of Member Engagement. In this capacity, she successfully oversees new member recruitment and onboarding, meeting and event production, as well as leading all NPHI member relations. She is responsible for the Organizational Excellence Initiative which enables her to work directly with member leadership through Forums, Workgroups, and User Groups. Additionally, Beth leads and manages all aspects of NPHI’s Annual Summits – from securing venues and soliciting sponsors to directing staff, vendors, and partners.
Beth first discovered hospice as a college-aged volunteer in 1989 and has worked with members of NPHI since 2007. As such, she possesses strong expertise and deep connections that enable her to successfully engage with NPHI’s 100+ members.
Beth brings a wealth of experiences that have refined her organizational and operational skills. A 1992 graduate of Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Administrative Gerontology, she is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and certified Director of Activities. Beth has spent her career as a servant leader, beginning with Hospice of Michigan, working at various elder care facilities in the Detroit area, and serving as Executive Administrator for the Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee prior to joining NPHI in 2007.
Akin to her role as a convener of people at NPHI, Beth also organizes a weekly public yoga session in her front yard, in addition to hosting an annual community food truck roundup and live music event fundraiser for local nonprofits.
A lifelong resident of metropolitan Detroit, Beth has served as the first female member of the Board of Directors for the Grosse Pointe South Gridiron Club, is Past Commodore of the Grosse Pointe Sail Club, is an active member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, and is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Beth is an avid traveler, gardener, sailor, and beekeeper and has two adult sons.
Regulatory & Compliance Director
Margherita Labson
Margherita serves as NPHI’s Regulatory and Compliance Director. She is a well-recognized expert in home care quality, legal, and regulatory issues across the home care continuum. An experienced clinician, she is certified in both healthcare quality and case-management and has practiced across the spectrum of home care services. She is a published author and an experienced presenter, having taught at the University of Akron, in their College of Nursing.
She is responsible for helping to create the first quality-based recognition for home health franchise organizations as well as those providers delivering community-based palliative care. Following the completion of 25 years of work in her most recent position as the Executive Director of the home care program for the Joint Commission, she undertook a sabbatical and spent 18 months studying the needs and problems of health care consumers at home. She now works with organizations to help home care providers gain recognition for the care they provide in order to align their efforts with other health care delivery systems resulting in better-integrated care and services.
Her interests include advancing frameworks of care that enable improved outcomes, advocating for home-based health care including palliative care as a recognized specialty, and promoting the recognition of the home health aide in the care delivery system.
Currently, Margherita serves on several boards including the Home Centered Care Institute, Healwell, California-State University Institute for Palliative Care and the Florida Palliative Care Coalition. She works with organizations to promote regulatory compliance, advance thought leadership in the industry, and foster contemporary practice models capable of producing improved outcomes of care.
Senior Advisor
Judi Lund Person
As a Senior Advisor, Judi brings decades of experience to NPHI and a steadfast dedication to advancing regulatory and compliance standards in hospice care. She is the principal of the newly established LundPerson & Associates, LLC, hospice consulting. For 21 years, she served as the Vice President, Regulatory and Compliance at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, where she served as a key contact with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, other federal agencies, helping to ensure that NHPCO’s voice was heard with policymakers. She also represented NHPCO with each of the Medicare Administrative Contractors and established a monthly NHPCO/MAC Collaborative meeting with all three MACs.
Over her two-decade tenure with NHPCO, Judi developed and updated countless tools and resources for hospice providers, including compliance guides for Medicare hospice Conditions of Participation, toolkits for traveling patients, survey preparedness, live discharges, and the admission process, as well as state/county rate charts for Medicare rates each year. She has spoken at state hospice meetings throughout the country and is known for turning regulations into “plain English” so that providers will understand how a change will impact their program.
Prior to joining NHPCO, Judi served for 22 years as the President and CEO of The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care, where she provided support and resources for hospice providers and end of life care coalitions in the Carolinas. Early in her career, Judi was a part of a small group of advocates that worked for the passage of the Medicare Hospice Benefit in Congress. That advocacy work resulted in the addition of hospice to Medicare in 1982, with the original Medicare hospice conditions of participation published in 1983.
Judi is the inaugural recipient of the NPHI Lifetime in Excellence Award, an accolade she received at the 2024 Annual Summit for her remarkable advocacy efforts across the United States.
Policy Associate
Quinten Lyons
Quinten Lyons (He/Him) serves as a Policy Associate at NPHI and supports a wide range of strategic activities with a strong emphasis on policy support, development, and analysis. His role involves pursuing research questions, analyzing complex trends, and communicating findings to NPHI membership. Quinten also manages day-to-day tasks for NPHI forums, workgroups, and policy initiatives, while collaborating closely with the policy team to advance our advocacy goals.
Quinten graduated from DeSales University with a degree in Political Science and Government in May of 2024. During his time at DeSales, he maintained a spot on the Dean’s list while serving as the men’s lacrosse team captain for two years. Quinten was also a member of the DeSales Students for Progress Club and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Before joining NPHI, Quinten served as an intern at the Association of Air Medical Services, where he drafted policy briefs summarizing the effects of significant legislation on the air medical industry, including the No Surprises Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Affordable Care Act. Subsequently, he spent over a year as a policy and strategy intern at Healthsperien, LLC, where he managed a diverse portfolio of clients. At Healthsperien, Quinten’s work centered on Medicare reform, state landscape research, monitoring legislative hearings, and drafting letters to Congress to advocate for client initiatives.
Policy Director
Ethan McChesney
Serving as Policy Director for NPHI, Ethan is responsible for leading a wide range of initiatives including, but not limited to, monitoring policy and regulatory developments, interfacing with industry and government officials, preparing collateral materials, assisting with event planning, and providing strategic guidance to advance the priorities of the Partnership and its members. Ethan also plays a critical role in supporting the work of the NPHI Innovation Lab, where he provides policy and project management oversight.
Prior to joining NPHI and Healthsperien, Ethan held multiple public policy-focused roles, namely, with the National Coalition on Health Care, where he was involved in communications, message development, and policy analysis efforts. He also spent time with Wynne Health Group, one of the preeminent healthcare policy consulting firms in DC, where he assisted in servicing their diverse set of clients. Additionally, Ethan has prior experience in the congressional office of the senior Senator from Colorado, Michael Bennet.
Ethan recently received recognition from the Aging Media Network which named him as one of Hospice News’ Future Leaders, class of 2023. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Sociology and Psychology.
If you would like to contact Ethan, please email him directly at
For media inquiries regarding Ethan, please contact Matt Wilkinson at mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org.
Chief Medical and Innovation Officer
Cameron Muir, M.D.
Dr. Cameron Muir serves as the Chief Medical and Innovation Officer for NPHI, where he established and oversees the NPHI Innovation Lab. Unique in the hospice space, the Lab focuses on population health, claims analytics, practice optimization, and other systematic approaches to enhance and improve advanced illness care for NPHI members. Cameron is a nationally recognized physician, educator and executive leader in hospice, palliative medicine, and advanced illness care. He is the Principal and Founder of CMC, Cameron Muir Consulting, LLC, where he works with healthcare provider organizations to help them innovate and develop or enhance high-quality value-based care and payment models.
In additional innovations work, Dr. Muir has served as the medical director for a Medicare Innovations (CMMI) high-needs ACO REACH program, where he worked with multiple advanced illness provider organizations to develop standardized approaches to claims analytics, quality measurement, and care coordination strategies to help drive double-digit savings in year one of the program. Dr. Muir also served as an executive leader for a PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly) program, where he was responsible for oversight of both the clinical and medical director for this start-up PACE program.
Dr. Muir received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He also earned fellowships in bioethics at the University of Chicago Medical Center and in Medical Oncology and Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Muir is Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Internal Medicine.
For sixteen years (2002-2018) Dr. Muir served as the Chief Medical Officer and EVP for Clinical Services at Capital Caring Health (CCH). As CMO, he recruited and managed a medical team of over 60 professionals who delivered over 260,000 hospice and palliative care encounters. Additionally, Dr. Muir developed systems of quality advanced illness care that resulted in the publication of over a dozen peer-reviewed articles defining innovations and best practices in advanced illness care. He also managed teams devoted to business development, marketing, and communications.
Dr. Muir has been married for nearly 30 years and has two grown children and a Labrador retriever. He enjoys running, cycling, sailing, and playing his grandfather’s bagpipes.
For media inquiries, please contact Matt Wilkinson at mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org.
Finance Coordinator
Wendy O’Brien
Wendy serves as Finance Coordinator for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), assisting the executive leadership on all financial matters. Her responsibilities include oversight of finance and accounting operations.
Wendy brings a diverse background to NPHI. In 2003, she worked for a real estate land broker where she assisted with the purchases and sales of land properties. Wendy went on to work for Ameriprise Financial Services as the Office Manager to a Certified Financial Advisor. During this time, she gained knowledge in financial planning. Wendy established and maintained clients’ insurance policies, retirement, and brokerage accounts. In 2015, she became the Executive Assistant to the CEO at Nathan Adelson Hospice and expanded her background experience in the healthcare industry. She maintained multidimensional complex calendars and served as a liaison to the board of trustees, senior leadership, and operations team.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Wendy moved to Las Vegas in 1998. She attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Landscape Architecture. She enjoys traveling the world and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Senior Strategic Advisor
John Richardson
John has 30 years of experience in health care financing, Medicare and Medicaid legislative and regulatory analysis, and policy-focused data analysis. John serves as a senior strategic advisor to NPHI, providing consultation for ongoing improvements to quality, benefit redesign, and reform work at NPHI. He additionally serves as a senior advisor at Healthsperien, providing strategic analysis and communications on Medicare hospice policy and other client-focused issue areas. Prior to rejoining Healthsperien in 2024, John was a principal at Health Management Associates, where he provided consulting services to clients on Medicare Parts A, B and D, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid. Before that, he was a senior advisor in the Office of Legislation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Washington, DC, focusing on skilled nursing facility issues, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), and rural providers. Prior to that, John served as a vice president at Healthsperien, focused on hospice and home-based care delivery for high-acuity patients, and before that he was a principal policy analyst at the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), where he led MedPAC’s work analyzing policy options and making recommendations to improve Medicare’s quality measurement and value-based payment programs for hospitals, physicians, health plans and other providers.
Prior to MedPAC, John was a vice president at Avalere Health, a Washington, DC-based strategic advisory and consulting firm, where he focused on implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Before that, he was the director of program development at CalOptima, a large Medicaid managed care organization in Orange County, California. He started his career as a Medicare program examiner in the Health Division of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), analyzing and making recommendations to White House policy officials on physician payment, beneficiary cost-sharing, and Medicare budget issues.
John earned an MPP from Duke University and he has a BA from Harvard University.
Director of Member Services
Stephanie Rogers
Stephanie serves as the Director of Member Services at the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). In this capacity, she leads the administration and management of thousands of members, including all aspects of their interaction with NPHI.
Stephanie is responsible for maintaining the member database, all membership data metrics, including the collection and dissemination of annual member information, and managing access to and content on the Member Portal. She also assists with website management and handles internal communications through a weekly newsletter distributed to thousands of individuals across the United States. Additionally, Stephanie manages all in-person meeting administrative functions, facilitating registration, hotel reservation, and on-site check-in process for attendees, speakers, and sponsors, while also overseeing the Annual Summit program and event app.
Beyond these responsibilities, Stephanie supports numerous short- and long-term initiatives, including the administration of all NPHI’s Innovation Lab advanced illness guide initiatives. She serves as a liaison between NPHI and partner organizations, such as the American Lung Association, ensuring the timely completion of project pipelines and other internal projects.
Stephanie is responsible for the administration of the NPHI Center for Education, coordinating course implementation with external partners and facilitating the registration process for NPHI members.
Prior to joining NPHI, Stephanie worked in Retail Management and as a Call Center Manager. She also volunteered on various PTO boards in the role of Treasurer. In addition to her role at NPHI, Stephanie runs a successful small business.
Born and raised in Germany, Stephanie brings a wealth of international experience to NPHI which enables her to engage successfully with a variety of individuals. Prior to her time in the United States, she lived on every continent bar Australia. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, boating, and spending time with her husband and two grown daughters. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University, where she graduated magna cum laude.
If you would like to contact Stephanie directly, please email her at srogers@hospiceinnovations.org.
Communications Director
Matt Wilkinson
As NPHI’s Communications Director, Matt leads a wide range of activities from public affairs to strategic communications that help strengthen the organization’s position as the national voice in end-of-life care.
In his role, Matt is responsible for communication planning and execution through storytelling, brand development, and creating content for public-facing material and educational purposes. He oversees the dissemination of timely and critical information to vast internal and external audiences, in addition to equipping NPHI’s 100+ member organizations with directions and tools to capitalize on their unique value propositions and service offerings. When it comes to PR, Matt plays a crucial role by engaging creative agencies and facilitating NPHI’s press relations through news releases and by serving as a liaison between NPHI staff and media outlets such as the New York Times and USA Today.
Prior to joining NPHI, Matt served as the Policy Communications Intern for AARP’s Chief Public Policy Officer where he worked in the areas of policy, research, and international affairs. His previous experience was obtained in the tech sector, city government, as well as research and communications experience with a property development company in the United Kingdom.
Outside of work, Matt has cultivated a lifelong passion for social impact and health equity, especially inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community and those who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. He spent 8 years leading some of the nation’s largest disability programs for Best Buddies International in Utah—accumulating that service as the state’s Advisory Board Chair in 2021. Additionally, he has previous engagements with Special Olympics and assisted in winter sports activities at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah.
Matt grew up in England where his family still resides. Prior to his time in Washington D.C., he lived in New York, Salt Lake City, Wales, and Madrid, Spain. He received his Bachelor of Science in Geography – Geospatial Intelligence from Brigham Young University and his Master of Arts in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs at Syracuse University. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, hiking, swimming, and all things outdoors – you might find him scaling a mountain in the Rockies, tubing the river with friends, or enjoying the wineries of Virginia.
Please note that all media-related inquiries for NPHI staff must be directed to Matt.
Communications Intern
Alexandra Campos
Alexandra Campos is a rising professional in communications and international relations with diverse experience across the public and nonprofit sectors. As part of NPHI’s Communications team, she contributes to various initiatives, ranging from content creation to public relations. In her previous roles, Alexandra has driven communications strategy, advocacy, and media relations for organizations dedicated to healthcare, justice, and equality.
Alexandra’s journey began with her internship at Equally American, where she worked on the landmark 2022 Supreme Court case, 20-303 United States vs Vaello Madero, advocating for equal healthcare rights for U.S. citizens residing in U.S. territories. Following this, she interned in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, working with international affairs associates to analyze complex legal cases and author reports for agencies like the CIA and the Department of State. This experience sharpened her skills in research, policy analysis, and communications.
In the private sector, Alexandra gained valuable experience at InfluencerNexus, an influencer marketing agency. There, she managed content creation, social media strategy, and data analysis to drive client engagement. She collaborated on influencer partnerships and conducted competitor analysis to inform effective marketing strategies, positioning her as a versatile communicator.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Alexandra is fluent in both English and Spanish and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Studies from Montclair State University. She went on to earn her Master’s in International Relations with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean from American University and is currently completing her second Master’s in Communications at Johns Hopkins University, expected to graduate in December. Her academic and professional background have equipped her with the skills needed to thrive in fast-paced environments, where she contributes to impactful communications efforts.
Meet Our Senior Advisors and Loaned Executives
We rely on a variety of external advisors to help us lead the end-of-life care community. Each of these individuals have decades of experience between them, covering many professional settings – enabling them to advise NPHI on all matters related to our work.
As a Strategic Advisor, Peter works closely with NPHI and our members to help leverage their hospice experiences and competencies to assure their continued relevance in providing end-of-life care in a value-based world. Peter serves NPHI concurrently with his role as a Partner at the Huntington Consulting Group – which he established in 1996. Prior to Huntington, Peter was the Vice President of Marketing at VITAS Healthcare and has an extensive background in sales, marketing, product management, and consulting. He previously served on the Board of Trustees at Intermountain Home Health, based in Salt Lake City. Peter resides in Miami, Florida with his wife, and business partner, Kate Callahan, PhD. Together, they are passionate about advance care planning – a topic that is woven into Peter’s work history. Chris Comeaux (KO-mo) is an award-winning expert and lifelong student of leadership and the performance required to truly be a leader. He has spent his life and career researching, learning, coaching, and implementing the pushes and pulls necessary to create high-performance leaders and high-performance organizations. Chris is currently the President and CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) which is a collaboration founded by Four Seasons Compassion for Life, Carolina Caring, AMOREM, and Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative Care and is 13 members strong over 8 states. TCN has been named by Modern Healthcare as one of America’s Best Places to Work in 2021 and 2022 and was #2 in the nation in 2021. The goal of TCN’s collaboration is to harness the best of each hospice and enable the network to better care in each community for the patients and families being served as well as introduce innovations across the membership network and work with payors for new innovative solutions for those dealing with serious and advanced illness. Over the years, Chris has become nationally known as a leader in our country’s hospice and palliative care industry, where he has spent a large portion of his career as President/CEO of Four Seasons in western North Carolina, a two-time American Hospital Association Circle of Life Award Winner. In 2005, the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care honored him with the Peter Keese Leadership Award. In 2006, Chris left Four Seasons for two years to build an alliance between the prestigious national healthcare consulting firm, the Studer Group, and Covenant Hospice in Pensacola. The vision was to transform, develop, and grow leaders throughout the hospice and palliative care world. Chris developed this venture from its infancy to an established coaching firm partnering with post-acute healthcare organizations from New York to California. He returned to Four Seasons in 2008 to apply what he learned in the trenches on leadership to an organization he knew and loved. In 2020, Chris helped co-found Teleios Consulting Group (TCG), a coaching and consulting company taking the leadership principles used in TCN as well as the “Leadership System” Chris has researched and developed to clients all over the US. Chris says, “If the principles and tools we teach work in hospice and palliative care, they would work in any business.” Chris’s hospice career began in 1997 at Covenant Hospice in Pensacola, Florida. Earlier in his career, he worked with KPMG Peat Marwick, a “Big Four” CPA consulting firm, and with Cooper Industries, a Fortune 100 Company, in its Executive Development Program. Chris holds a master’s degree in leadership from the Thayer Institute for Performance Virtuosity. Chris is married to Deshia, and they are the proud parents of 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls). In his spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, reading, learning, and hiking in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Steve Cone is Chief of Communications, Marketing, and Philanthropy at Capital Caring Health and serves as a Loaned Executive advising on communications and philanthropy to NPHI. In his role at Capital Caring Health, he provides leadership to increase public and brand awareness of the organization, and he oversees the organization’s philanthropic activities and develops strategies to enhance the organization’s impact and reach. Prior to his role with Capital Caring Health, Steve co-managed a data consulting and marketing services firm headquartered in New York. From 2015 to 2017, Steve was Chief Revenue Officer of the American Bar Association and from 2010 through June 2015, Steve was AARP’s Executive Vice President responsible for all membership activities and partnerships with corporations across America. With more than 45 years of senior-level marketing and fundraising experience, he has created or led efforts to develop many national loyalty programs including United Airline’s MileagePlus®, Hyatt’s Gold Passport, and Saks Fifth Avenue’s, SaksFirst rewards program. Steve has provided marketing services to major organizations including Apple, American Express, FedEx, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and the San Diego Zoo. Steve has also led marketing campaigns for environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund. He has also provided marketing support to presidential campaigns for both major parties. During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy co-authored the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he founded The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and addiction. In 2015, Kennedy co-authored the New York Times Bestseller, “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction,” which details a bold plan for the future of mental health care in America. In 2023, The Kennedy Forum launched the Alignment for Progress, a movement to align leaders from across industry and across the aisle to achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals will be screened for mental health and substance use disorders; 90% of those screened will be able to receive evidence-based treatment; 90% of those receiving treatment will be able to manage their symptoms in recovery. Kennedy’s second co-authored book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage” available April 2024 will delve into the compelling stories of a diverse group of Americans who have struggled with their mental health – many of whom are sharing their stories for the first time. Kennedy served with distinction for eight terms (1995-2011), representing Rhode Island’s first congressional district. In Congress, Kennedy was recognized for his leadership in establishing high-quality mental and behavioral health standards in the United States. During his 16-year tenure in the United States House of Representatives, Rep. Kennedy championed policies aimed at ending discrimination against those suffering from mental illness, addiction, and other brain-related disorders. Notably, he served as the lead sponsor of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which ensures equitable insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. Since its passage, Rep. Kennedy has successfully ensured proper oversight of implementation and enforcement of the Act so that more Americans can access the mental health and substance use disorder care they need. Kennedy is also the founder of DontDenyMe.org, an educational campaign that empowers consumers and providers to understand parity rights and connects them to essential appeals guidance and resources; co-founder of One Mind, an organization that pushes for greater global investment in brain research; co-founder of Psych Hub, the most comprehensive online learning platform on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention topics in the world; co-chair of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response); and co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force. Annette Kiser is a nationally recognized expert in compliance and quality in the hospice and palliative care community with more than 36 years of experience. As the Chief Compliance Officer for Teleios Collaborative Network for the past six years, she provides subject matter specialty coaching, technical assistance, and education to clinical and administrative staff in organizations across the country. She works with organizations to implement quality and compliance best practices, address compliance needs, and navigate the challenges of federal and state audits and surveys. After a short stint as a registered nurse in the hospital setting, Annette dedicated more than 20 years working with community-based nonprofit hospices as a nursing leader and a quality and compliance expert. She worked more than six years with a hospice and palliative care member association providing technical assistance and education to organizations across North Carolina and South Carolina. This gave her the unique opportunity to see the differences in care delivery in both a Certificate of Need state and a non-CON state. In her capacity as NPHI’s Technical Strategic Advisor, Annette co-chairs the NPHI Quality Improvement and Regulatory and Compliance Forum. She additionally represents NPHI on the Post-Acute Care/Long-Term Care (PAC/LTC) Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) Committee – contributing her expertise to the Partnership for Quality Measurement endorsement process. Annette is certified as a nurse executive and in healthcare compliance. She is an experienced presenter at the local, state, and national level. As a member of the Palmetto GBA Hospice Coalition for 15 years, she works collaboratively with the Medicare Administrative Contractor to address issues around billing, reimbursement, and medical review. She is involved with state and national groups to provide expertise and education and to advocate for the needs of hospice and palliative care providers and those they serve. Dr. Mach, a geriatrician with 40 years of clinical and business leadership experience, is the Founder and General Manager of Mach Health Care Strategies providing consulting services to entities serving high-needs, high-risk populations. John spent 13 years as CEO and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Evercare, UnitedHealth Group’s award-winning division and the country’s largest private sector entity serving frail elderly and people with disabilities. He currently serves as Senior Advisor for Healthsperien, a nationally recognized health care consulting firm and as CMO at Ceresti Health, a technology-enabled platform supporting family caregivers. Previously he has served as CMO at Medica Health Plans and held CMO positions at Evolent, UnitedHealth Group’s Medicare division and XL Health. John was also the President of Complex Care Management at Univita, an integrated and risk-bearing home care services company serving people nationally. As of June 2022, John is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the John A. Hartford Foundation of New York, the country’s oldest and largest private philanthropic funder of geriatrics research and education. Andrew MacPherson is a Founding Principal and Managing Partner at Healthsperien, LLC, who serves concurrently as a Senior Advisor to NPHI. Andrew brings two decades of federal and state health care legislative and regulatory policy and political experience. As Managing Partner, he co-leads a team of over forty experts who specialize in developing comprehensive legislative and regulatory policy strategies, in-depth analyses, and strategic advocacy and communications initiatives for a wide-range of health care organizations, including Fortune 100 businesses, national health plans, professional associations, issue-based coalitions, health care start-ups, and not-for-profit providers. Andrew has a special emphasis and regularly speaks to national audiences on policy and political issues related to person-centered health care delivery transformation, including the crisis of social isolation and loneliness in the U.S., value-based insurance design (V-BID), and person-centered advanced illness and end-of-life care delivery. Andrew has been featured in a variety of national media outlets on a range of health policy issues, including The Washington Post, Health Affairs, InsideHealthPolicy, Home Health Care News, Scripps News, The Messenger, and National Public Radio. Prior to launching Healthsperien in 2013, Andrew served as Director of Government Affairs at Jennings Policy Strategies, Inc. (JPS), a nationally recognized health policy consulting firm led by Chris Jennings, Former Senior Health Care Advisor to President Barack Obama and previously to President Bill Clinton. From 2006-2013, Andrew staffed a wide variety of client and pro bono initiatives in the policy, political, and communications arenas with JPS, Inc., including the Obama for America and Hillary Clinton for President presidential campaigns, the Bipartisan Policy Center health reform project with former Majority Leaders Baker, Daschle, Dole and Mitchell, and the Clinton Global Initiative. From 2001-2006, Andrew worked for a range of policy and political organizations and elected officials, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Democratic Governors’ Association, and Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc., a market research and strategic communications consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. Originally from Vermont, Andrew received a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University in May 2005. As a strategic advisor to the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Mike works to advance the organization’s strategic and innovative support to its members and helps coordinate outreach to potential new member organizations across the country. Prior to joining NPHI, Mike served as CEO of Hospice of Santa Cruz County on the central coast of CA. Mike is an attorney, having graduated from the University of Santa Clara Law School in 1981. Subsequently, Mike did his graduate work in Theology and Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union at UC Berkeley. Mike has served as a hospice chaplain and bereavement specialist for almost 25 years. In addition to his advisory role with NPHI, Mike serves as the CEO of the California Hospice Network, an affiliation of CA non-profit Hospices. As a Senior Strategic Advisor, Ray provides consultation to the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation and its 100+ members. In his capacity, he helps guide strategy, internal and external messaging, policy analysis, and advises stakeholder outreach for NPHI. More broadly, Ray is engaged in overall health system delivery transformation, including the work in his role as Managing Partner of Healthsperien, LLC, a nationally-recognized health care policy consulting firm focused on federal and state regulatory and legislative policy analysis, advocacy, and implementation issues. Ray’s two decades of experience in health policy strategy has made him knowledgeable in the diverse issues impacting hospice care. He has led and been actively involved in numerous multi-stakeholder coalitions aimed at improving our nation’s health care delivery and financing systems. Ray is currently Executive Advisor to the Multicancer Early Detection Consortium and Co-Director of the Smarter Health Care Coalition. He proudly serves on the Board of the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness. Ray served as Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the American Osteopathic Association. His government relations background also includes positions at Merck Pharmaceuticals, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP). Additionally, Ray provided grassroots and public affairs counsel to a range of health care clients while serving as Vice President of Strategic Alliances at SevenTwenty Strategies. Ray’s career began in health care government relations as a policy advisor in the Health and Life Sciences practice of B&D Consulting. A native of Arizona, Ray received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Arizona, where he served as Student Body President and on the Arizona Alumni Association Board. Tasha Walsh, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Professional Certified Coach, has been on the leading cusp of the health and wellness field for more than 30 years. She has helped organizations develop a positive workplace culture while implementing best practices in their service line. As an executive coach, Tasha excels at helping leaders reinforce their effectiveness and foster balance in their lives. Tasha served as the Chief Learning Officer for an international behavioral healthcare company, providing key strategic resources and guidance in leadership and professional development. In this role, she was a key team member for an innovative NHI funded research/practice partnership with Vanderbilt University focused on measurement-based feedback interventions in integrated healthcare. She is proudest about establishing an award-winning leadership development coaching program. Currently, Tasha serves as CEO of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice in the southern Shenandoah Valley/Appalachia region. Along with her CEO role and coaching practice, she is a member of the faculty for the Healthcare Coaching Institute. She brings extensive experience in positive psychology, organizational and professional development, and behavioral healthcare. In addition to her capacity at ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice, Tasha serves NPHI as a Loaned Executive, drawing upon her expertise in educational initiatives to benefit NPHI’s 100+ member organizations.Strategic Advisor
Peter Benjamin
Loaned Executive, Teleios Collaborative Network
Chris Comeaux
Loaned Executive, Capital Caring Health
Steve Cone
Senior Strategic Advisor
Patrick J. Kennedy
Technical Strategic Advisor
Annette Kiser
Senior Strategic Advisor
Dr. John Mach
Senior Strategic Advisor
Andrew MacPherson
Strategic Advisor
Mike Milward
Senior Strategic Advisor
Ray Quintero
Loaned Executive, ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice
Tasha Walsh