Meet Our Team

Hospicare is staffed by approximately 90 skilled and compassionate individuals. Please feel free to contact us or call us at 607-272-0212 and we will direct you to the person who can help. If you are interested in employment opportunities, please visit our Careers page.

Your Care Team

The below are just some of the 70+ clinical and support staff members who help care for patients and their loved ones, raise money, manage billing, keep the gardens beautiful for patients and guests, and more.

Hospicare Board of Directors

The Hospicare Board of Directors oversees the financial, clinical and regular operations of Hospicare & Palliative Care Services. Board members are recruited from the community and generally serve a three-year term.

• President: Jane Powers, Senior Extension Associate, Cornell University, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research 
• Vice Presidents: Laurie Mante (Executive Director, Kendal at Ithaca) and Kathy Schlather (Retired Exec. Dir., Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County)
• Interim Treasurer: Crystal Doner, Director of Finance & Administration, Cornell University HR Division
• Kenneth Clarke, Sr., Dir. Tompkins County Office Of Human Rights
• Jerry Dietz, Owner, C.S.P. Management
• Andreia de Lima, MD, Cayuga Health
• Betsy East, Retired Associate Dean, Cornell University College of Engineering
• Eliza Mulhern, CFCU Community Credit Union
• Joe Mareane, Retired, Tompkins County Administrator
• Mary Opperman, Senior Vice President and University Secretary Syracuse University
• Alison Smith, Director of Development, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
• Kansas Underwood, BSN, RN, MSM, CNML, CPC, Chief Nursing Officer/VP of Operations at Guthrie Cortland Medical Center
• Linda P. Wagenet, Retired, Senior Research Associate, Cornell University

Hospicare Foundation Board

The Hospicare Foundation Board owns the Hospicare property at 172 East King Road in the town of Ithaca. The Foundation oversees Hospicare’s long-term investments and capital.

• Chair: Loren Gardner, Senior VP, Tompkins County Trust Co.
• Vice-Chair: Betsy East
• Bonni Voiland
• Joe Mareane
• Nina Miller
• Chuck Guttman
• Jerry Dietz

Hospice Foundation of Cortland County

The Cortland Hospice Board works to raise funds and awareness for hospice services in Cortland County. Every winter, the Cortland Hospicare Board organizes and hosts the Light of My Life event, a beautiful public lights display that gives people an opportunity to remember and celebrate those they have lost. 

Although a separate entity from Hospicare & Palliative Care Services, the Cortland Hospice Board owns the Cortland office building used by Hospicare’s nurses and social workers and is a steadfast booster of Hospicare’s work with patients and families in Cortland County. 

• President: Julie Vernum, RN, BS, CDMS, Retired NYS Regional Nurse Manager – Coventry Health Care Services/GENEX 
• Vice President: Gail Van Patten, Retired 3^rd grade teacher and Retiree Representative, Homer CSD
• Secretary: Brenda Teeter, Major Gift Officer, Cornell University College of Human Ecology
• Treasurer: Dianne Higgins, Retired Vice President & Training Director – Alliance Bank (now NBT)
• Chris Cecconi, MA, retired Speech Language Pathologist, Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Program Director – Ithaca College Dept of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
• Larry Hayes, Retired Marathon CSD Superintendent
• Merle McKown, BA, Retired teacher and advisor
• Jim Povero, Retired Educator, Marathon CSD
• Kathy Rutan, Retired Teacher, Athletic Director, Coach
• Evelyn Sammons, Retired NYS School Administrator
• Pam Sullivan, Payroll Manager, SUNY Cortland
• Nancy Wainwright, Retired Elementary School Secretary, Marathon CSD