2021 Board of Directors
David (Dave) Marusiak | Chair
Michael (Mike) Lammers | Vice Chair
Deborah Kelly | Treasurer
Andrea W. Bernthal | Secretary
Kyle Brown
Teresa Cole
Martha Coffin Evans
Erik Hanson
Pablo Hester
Constance Holden
Timothy Johnson
Richard W. Lawrence
Michael McHale
Dr. Antony Pearson
Claire Riley
Porter Storey
Jill J. Stravolemos
David Thrower
Hillary Wallace
James F. Williams
Executive Leadership Team
Michael McHale │ President and Chief Executive Officer
Michael McHale has dedicated his professional career to health care with more than 17 years of management, marketing and customer service experience within the hospice and long-term care industry. He has held various leadership positions with hospices in California, Michigan, Maryland and Illinois prior to joining TRU Community Care. Most recently, McHale was charged with integrating Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care into the Presence Health System – the largest Catholic health system in the state of Illinois. Michael holds a Masters of Health Care Administration from National University in San Diego. As a board member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in Washington, DC, he is committed to improving quality of care, regulatory oversight and patient and family satisfaction in both hospice and palliative medicine.
Dr. David Wensel │ Chief Medical Officer
Before coming to TRU, Dr. Wensel spent 10 years as Chief Medical Officer for hospice, palliative care, home health, and PACE at Midland Care in Topeka, Kansas. There, David was instrumental in developing the PACE program. He also helped to start the palliative medicine consultation service at St. Francis Medical Center in Topeka and one of the first outpatient palliative medicine clinics in a community oncology practice at Topeka’s Cotton O’Neal Cancer Center. He is a past chair of the Membership and Communities Committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and serves on the Board of Directors for the Hospice Medical Directors Certification Board and the Governance Committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is also the current chair of the Primary Care Committee for the National PACE Association and serves on that organization’s Board of Directors.
James (Jim) Woodard │ Chief Operating Officer
Jim Woodard is a seasoned healthcare executive who has 15 years of senior leadership experience. Jim has held leadership positions at Denver Health, Devereux, and Centura Health. He has facilitated the development of a wide variety of innovative healthcare delivery systems that focus on improving care for patients and their families. Most recently, Jim was the Vice President of Patient Care/CNO for Centura St. Thomas More. Jim holds degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and Regis University where he received his MBA.
Scott Gresser | Chief Financial Officer
While completing his third term on our Board of Directors, Scott applied to serve as CFO and successfully transitioned into the role in 2012. A seasoned financial executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in the publishing and broadcasting industries, he is well equipped to oversee the finance, facilities, information technology, and administrative functions of the agency.
Samantha Black, LCSW | PACE Executive Director
Sam Black has worked with TRU Community Care since 2007 as a social worker, clinical manager, Vice President of Clinical Services, and now PACE Executive Director. Sam is a leader in the field of hospice and palliative care, with 20+ years’ experience as a medical social worker and over 15 years of service in the hospice industry. Sam brings a sensitivity and compassion to TRU’s mission that serves families, patients, staff, and volunteers equally well, with a passion for high quality care through outstanding staff training and support, as well as outreach to the community we serve.
Directors Team
Heather Bowie | Director of Senior Housing
Alan Catterson | Director of Technology and Facilities
Sonia Fossen| Director of Specialty Care
Raegan Gyorffy | Director of Clinical Services
Chad Hartmann | Director of Access and Palliative Services
Sandi Klatt | PACE Center Director
Deborah Layton-Root | Director of Human Resources and Thrift Store Operations
Selina Morelli | PACE Director of Community Relations
Shravan Mupparapu | Director of Quality and Compliance
Audra Rohn | Director of Accounting
Jen Thomas | Director of Development and Communications
