LWB Program and Graduation Year:
Core Class of 2016; Executive Class of 2016
Title/Company:
Associate Vice President, Clinical Operations, Geisinger Northeast
Describe your LWB experience in three words or phrases:
- Transformational
- Exciting
- Uplifting
What are you doing in the community these days?
I serve on the Board of Directors for three tremendous local organizations – Leadership Wilkes-Barre, the Luzerne County Community College Foundation, and Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. I’m on the planning committee for the LWB 40th Anniversary Celebration. My wife and I enjoy volunteering at Blue Chip Animal Refuge periodically. I look forward to moving past COVID so we can get back to gathering as a community and volunteering our time for worthy causes.
How do you spend your free time?
I love to be outdoors and enjoy any kind of outdoor activity – cycling (road and mountain), running, tennis, hiking, etc. My wife, Jana, and I have two wonderful rescue dogs, both from Blue Chip – they keep us on our toes! We love interesting food and enjoy the Northeast PA food scene. We miss traveling terribly! Since we’ve been together we’ve taken international trips to Costa Rica, Tanzania, Spain and Paris, plus several great trips stateside.
Current professional and/or professional goals:
- Continue to lead Geisinger Wyoming Valley and Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre effectively and compassionately, all while learning new skills and gaining new knowledge in my field.
- To play a leadership role in the region’s recovery from the pandemic.
- To maintain a strong work/life balance, remaining active, and being the best husband and doggy-dad that I can be!
If you could master one new ability, what would it be?
While I’ve gotten better at home improvement since we bought our house four years ago, I wish I had more trade skills! Our community members in the skilled trades are truly essential workers and we have to find a way to build a next generation of skilled tradespeople or we’ll find it even more difficult to find someone reliable when we need them.
What advice would you give to current LWB participants?
Take it all in and enjoy your time! I wish I could go back and participate again – it was a transformational experience and I met so many terrific people. I think back on some of the experiences I’ve had and how they’ve helped shape our lives since. We did our Core group project at Blue Chip, and then we ended up adopting our dogs from there. I was so inspired by our day at Head Start, and was so honored when I was nominated to join their Board of Directors.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Jana and I have loved our nearly seven years in Northeast PA and we’re so grateful that Geisinger, LWB, and the broader community have embraced us with open arms. This community is on the upswing and we’re honored to be a part of it. We are always finding new things to do, great places to eat or get a cup of coffee, and plenty to keep us busy!