Our Staff
At Hebrew Health Care, we believe that the quality and compassion of our staff is what sets us apart from other health care providers. We ensure quality and encourage compassion in a number of ways:
Best practices from around the country are identified and implemented at Hebrew Health Care. The staff receives ongoing training well beyond what regulatory agencies require. Comprehensive orientation and performance improvement evaluations are standard for all employees. Background checks are conducted on all direct care workers, even though they are not required in the State of Connecticut. Staff members are encouraged to be involved in the community. Perhaps the best example of our commitment to our patients is the longevity of our staff, many of whom have been with us for more than 20 years. Our staff strive to provide the same kind of care you would provide.
Here is a brief introduction to some of Hebrew Health Care's leaders:
Bonnie Gauthier, President and Chief Executive Officer:
email: Bonnie Gauthier
Ms. Gauthier oversees all daily operations and long term planning for all aspects of Hebrew Health Care and its affiliates. She has been instrumental in building Hebrew Health Care into one of the leading providers of health care for older adults in the Northeast. She also led the effort to develop and open Hoffman SummerWood Community in 2000.
Since joining Hebrew Health Care in 1979, Ms. Gauthier has served as Director of Employee and Public Relations, Assistant Executive Director, and Chief Operating Officer, before becoming President and Chief Executive Officer in 1998.
She is active in a number of organizations that address health care issues and issues related to aging. She is currently a member of the board of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) and immediate past chair of the Connecticut Association of Not-for-Profit Providers for the Aging (CANPFA).
Ms. Gauthier earned a Master of Arts in Gerontology from St. Joseph College in West Hartford and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature/Secondary Education (cum laude) from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
David A. Houle, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer:
email: David Houle
David Houle is responsible for the overall financial management of all aspects of Hebrew Health Care and its affiliates which operate under a $34 million combined budget.He also oversees daily operations and long term planning throughout its continuum of services.
With more than 20 years experience in space planning and renovations, Mr. Houle was instrumental in the construction of Hoffman SummerWood Community as well as in obtaining $12 million bond financing through Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) for that project.
Mr. Houle has worked in health care throughout his career, and joined Hebrew Health Care in 1980 as Controller. He is a founding member of the Association of Long Term Care Financial Managers (ALTCFM) and is its immediate past president. He has also been an active member of the Connecticut Association of Not-for-Profit Providers for the Aging (CANPFA), Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), American College of Health Association (ACHA), and served on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Managers Association (HFMA) in 1998.
Mr. Houle holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA.
Kathy Mon, Vice President of Operations and Administrator
email: Kathy Mon
As Vice President of Operations Ms. Mon is responsible for the overall daily operations of the Gene and Anja Rosenberg Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center, the Hebrew Community Services Adult Day Centers and the Human Resources functions throughout the continuum.
Kathy has spent the majority of her career in Health Care. She has worked in long term care as well as Home Care. She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management, an active participant with the Human Resources Association of Central Connecticut, and Connecticut Women in Health Care Management.
Kathy is also a Board Member for the Visiting Nurse of Health Services of Connecticut and a past Board Member of the Greater Enfield ARC. Ms. Mon has her Nursing Home Administrator’s License from the University of Connecticut, an MBA in Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University.
Henry Schneiderman, MD, Vice President, Medical Services
email: Henry Schneiderman, MD
As Vice President of Medical Services for Hebrew Health Care, Dr. Henry Schneiderman is ultimately responsible for all medical practices and policies throughout the organization. He is also responsible for maintaining Hebrew Health Care's reputation for providing exceptional care to older adults.
Also, as Physician-in-Chief at Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center, Dr. Schneiderman sees patients daily, and oversees a staff of several other full-time physicians, as well as the Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center nursing staff.
In addition to his responsibilities at Hebrew Health Care, Dr. Schneiderman holds the rank of full Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) at the University of Connecticut Health Center and continues to teach at UCONN and at Hebrew Health Care. He was named "Clinician of the Year" for 2005 by the American Geriatrics Society.
Dr. Schneiderman has an undergraduate degree from Yale, and graduated from Tufts Medical School. He completed residencies in both anatomic pathology and internal medicine at Rush and Loyola in Chicago.
Ava Pannullo, MD, Medical Director
email: Ava Pannullo, MD
Dr. Ava Pannullo is the Medical Director for the Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center and for the The Hospital at Hebrew Health Care.
Dr. Pannullo oversees the medical department and treatment of all Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center residents and all The Hospital at Hebrew Health Care patients. In addition to seeing her own patients, Dr. Pannullo is also directly involved in supervising the medical care of residents and patients who are assigned to other Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center and The Hospital at Hebrew Health Care staff physicians.
In addition, Dr. Pannullo is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the UCONN School of Medicine, and is Board Certified in Geriatric Medicine.
Dr. Pannullo earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University, and graduated from the UMDNJ. She also completed her residency at the UMDNJ, and earned a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine from the University of Connecticut Travelers Center on Aging.
Jonas Steiner, Vice President for Admissions and Social Work Services:
email: Jonas Steiner
Jonas Steiner is responsible for identifying appropriate candidates for admission to Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center based on individual assessments of all applicants in a sensitive, timely, and professional manner. He also oversees all social work and community outreach activities within Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center.
Key contributions that Mr. Steiner has made to Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center include consolidation of admissions and social services to streamline and accelerate the admissions process, negotiation of favorable managed care rates, and initiation of formal procedures for determining reimbursement source for all applicants for admission.
Mr. Steiner joined Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center in 1980 as a social worker. He became Director of Admissions in 1984, and has been in his current position since 1998. He has a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Social Work from St. Louis University School of Social Service in St. Louis, MO.
Louise Leitao, Vice President for Nursing Services
email: Louise Leitao
Louise Leitao, is a Vice President for Nursing Services at Hebrew Health Care. She oversees the quality and performance of nursing services throughout the Hebrew Health Care continuum of care, supervises nursing staff, provides clinical direction to community programs, coordinates internal and external care centers, oversees nursing administration, works with vendors to develop new products, and hires nursing assistants and per diem staff.
Ms. Leitao has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Connecticut and a Masters in Gerontology/Human Development from Saint Joseph College. She has been certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Gerontological Nursing Practice continuously since 1975.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Leitao was Director of Staff Development and worked in a variety of clinical projects at Hebrew Health Care. She also worked for 23 years in community health, geriatrics and dementia and then Hospice programs in various Visiting Nurse Associations in the greater Hartford area. She began her career at the Hebrew Home as a Staff Nurse from 1972 through 1976.
Pamela K. Atwood, Director of Life Enrichment and Dementia Care
email: Pamela K. Atwood
Pamela Atwood has worked with older adults professionally for almost 15 years. Ms. Atwood joined Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center in 2002, and now runs the highly regarded Dementia Care Program.
Before joining Hebrew Health Care Ms. Atwood was the Director of Programs for the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association where she created education and support programs for people affected by dementia. She has done extensive public speaking on topics related to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and has worked for many years as a community case manager and in several skilled nursing facilities.
Ms. Atwood earned a Master's Degree in Gerontology and Human Development from St. Joseph College.
Joan Carney, Executive Director, Hoffman SummerWood Community
email: Joan Carney
As Executive Director, Joan Carney is responsible for the administration and operation of all programs at SummerWood, from strategic planning through implementation. She brings a unique combination of clinical and administrative skills to her role as Executive Director.
Ms. Carney has been with Hebrew Health Care since 1995. Prior to becoming Executive Director at SummerWood, she was director of Hebrew Home and Rehabilitation Center's Home Health Care Agency (now part of Hebrew Community Services). Ms. Carney also worked for various visiting nurse associations, for 12 years, 7 of them in a supervisory or management capacity.
Ms. Carney began her career as a registered nurse, after receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA.
Marty Sawyer, Supervisor of Clinical Services, Director, Hebrew Community Services Home Health Agency
email: Marty Sawyer
Marty Sawyer is responsible for ensuring that the Home Health Agency meets the needs of its members by ensuring the delivery of high quality services. She also develops new programs, provides oversight to existing programs, and implements ongoing improvements in Home Health Agency services.
Ms. Sawyer joined Hebrew Health Care as a Supervisor of Clinical Services in 2005. Prior to that, she spent 12 years working at Hartford Hospital as a floor nurse, and in an outpatient clinic. Her most recent experience was with the Visiting Nurses Association in Vernon CT. She also has taught in the Medical Assistant Program at Porter and Chester Institute.
She has a Bachelor of Nursing degree from The University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT.
Maureen Toce, Director, Adult Day Center at Immanuel House
email: Maureen Toce
Maureen Toce was responsible for implementing the development of the day center at Immanuel House in Hartford in 1993, and has continued as its director. She brings 18 years of experience caring for older adults to this position.
Ms. Toce spent a large part of her nursing career at Jefferson House, a special division of Hartford Hospital devoted to geriatric short term rehabilitation and hospice care. As a primary care nurse, her responsibilities included the planning, organizing, and delivery of care. She also served as the Nurse Coordinator of the Jefferson House satellite Adult Day Center.
Ms. Toce has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Hartford, is a certified geriatric nurse, and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society.
