2024–25 Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Graduation The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and its community leadership and professional development division, Leadership Lackawanna, is proud to announce the graduation of the 2024–25 class of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today (TLT)—a transformative program that prepares high school juniors for leadership roles in their communities. The ceremony took place at the Green Ridge Club in Scranton. Sponsored by NBT Bank, the TLT program spans seven months, immersing students in hands-on experiences across essential sectors, including healthcare, STEAM, history and heritage, crime and corrections, financial literacy, philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, and community service. Program Coordinator, Jen Strzelec states:“We are proud to congratulate the 67 remarkable teens of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Program. We’re confident they’ll use the skills and knowledge they gained over the last seven months to positively impact their schools and communities as confident and capable young leaders”. The TLT program provides these young leaders with unique opportunities to develop critical leadership, interpersonal, and managerial skills. Throughout the program, students engaged in workshops, field visits, and interactive discussions led by regional experts and industry leaders, preparing them for the real-world challenges and opportunities that await them. The class participants are: Audrey Agnello, Western Wayne High School Kathryn Apolinario, Holy Cross High School Emily Atonal, Scranton High School Molly Banik, Mid Valley Secondary Center Lauren Bartell, Abington Heights High School Lindsey Bartell, Abington Heights High School Wyatt Barucky, Forest City Regional High School Madelyn Battaglia, Riverside Jr/Sr High School Nathan Beecham, Riverside Jr/Sr High School Grace Bennett, Abington Heights High School Anthony Betti, Mid Valley Secondary Center Molly Carter, Valley View High SchoolMya Cesarini, Valley View High School Nora Crambo, Lakeland Jr/Sr High SchoolKiera Crowell, Abington Heights High School Joshua Cuck, Scranton Preparatory School Addison Daiute, Valley View High SchoolKaylyn Davis, Lakeland Jr/Sr High School Ryan DeMarco, Old Forge High School Gabriella Dennis, Scranton Preparatory School Timothy Fogley, Abington Heights High School Natalia Ghirelli, Lakeland Jr/Sr High SchoolJoseph Griffin, Commonwealth Charter Academy Emily Grover, Carbondale Area Jr/Sr High School Emma Guse, North Pocono High SchoolKatie Gutekunst, North Pocono High School Madison Hallock, Valley View High School Sona Hanumali, Abington Heights High School Gabrielle Jordan, Riverside Jr/ Sr High School Matthew Kirchner, Dunmore Jr/Sr High SchoolBrendan Korty, Forest City Regional High School Krithika Krishnan, Dunmore Jr/Sr High School Maryn Kukuchka, Tunkhannock Area High School Benjamin Kulikowski, Riverside Jr/Sr High SchoolOlivia Lach, Lakeland Jr/Sr High SchoolOlivia Lawler, Carbondale Area Jr/Sr High School Emily Loomis, Valley View High SchoolMadeleine Mackarey, Scranton Preparatory School Andrew McDonald, Abington Heights High School Khloe Mistishin, Western Wayne High School William Murphy, Carbondale Area Jr/Sr High School Julia Noto, Dunmore Jr/Sr High SchoolIsabelle O’Brien, Scranton High School Kathryn O’Hora, Riverside Jr/ Sr High School Olive O’Rourke, Abington Heights High School Mia Peregrim, Old Forge High SchoolKate Peters, Abington Heights High School James Prislupski, Holy Cross High School Natalie Puckett, Triboro Christian Academy Benjamin Reese, Abington Heights High School Ava Roberto, Scranton High SchoolGavin Roberts, Lakeland Jr/Sr High School Emmelia Rucks, Commonwealth Charter Academy Madison Smith, Abington Heights High School Kelsey Smith, North Pocono High SchoolCharlie Stampien, Abington Heights High School Ava Strzelec, North Pocono High SchoolNatalie Talluto, Mid Valley Secondary Center Raphael Thomas, Scranton Preparatory School Aidan Tinney, Mid Valley Secondary CenterJaiden Trunzo, Lackawanna Trail Jr/Sr High School Nmesoma Udoye, Scranton High SchoolGianna Vachino, Abington Heights High School Kevin Vincent Jr., Holy Cross High School Luke Warring, Scranton High SchoolKiley Williams, Riverside Jr/ Sr High School Ava Wisnosky, Tunkhannock Area High School
Geisinger Cancer Institute receives transportation grant Grant to benefit patients in need of transportation Cancer care will be more accessible to patients now that the Geisinger Cancer Institute has received a yearly grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The grant offsets the cost of transportation for patients traveling to and from radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Patient transportation grant funds are awarded to health systems and health system foundations to help patients get to and from cancer-related treatment appointments. The grants are awarded through an application process that focuses on addressing unmet transportation needs of the health system’s patients. “In partnership with the ACS, we are able to help our patients during some of the most difficult times in their lives,” said Lisa Keifer, senior director of radiation oncology at Geisinger. “This grant will allow our patients to stay closer to home to receive the lifesaving treatments and care they need. With this grant, we have been able to provide over 1,623 one-way rides since initiating this program.” Funds are provided to patients on a case-by-case basis. The grant can be used to purchase gas gift cards, cab ride vouchers, parking passes and non-emergency medical transport. To learn more about cancer care at Geisinger, visit geisinger.org/cancerinstitute.
Cancer Institute Announces New Officers and Members to the Board of Directors The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Board of Directors elected new officers. William Conaboy, Esq. was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors, Susan Shoemaker, Secretary and Holly Roever Carron, Treasurer. In addition to the new officers, the Board of Directors appointed Michael L. Brown, Dale Johns, Cynthia Mailloux, PhD, RN, CNE and John A. Ruddy, M.B.A., D.P.S. to the Board of Directors. Michael L. Brown is a member of the Commonwealth Health leadership team where he serves as CEO for Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. Prior to joining CHS, he served with Amita Health, the largest hospital system in Illinois, where he held hospital executive positions including COO, CNO, CEO and President since 2005. Most recently, he served as Regional President and CEO of the Amita Health Fox River Valley Region, overseeing two hospitals, two joint venture cancer centers and an ambulatory surgery center. Both hospitals have been recognized for safety and quality by Health Grades, Consumer Reports, U.S. News and World Reports and with Leapfrog A grades. In addition to collaborating with physicians for quality and growth, Michael has a track record of building and leading high-performing teams and achieving strategic and operational objectives. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Following military service, Michael worked as a professional firefighter/paramedic before he earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing with honors and MBA in organizational leadership/management from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Dale A. Johns is the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Dale is an experienced healthcare leader with a focus on exceptional patient care, quality, and operational objectives. Dale joined Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in September of 2020 from Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, part of Steward Health Care, where he held the CEO position since 2013. During his tenure in Wilkes-Barre, the hospital has been recognized for safety and quality with a 3 Star CMS Quality Rating and a Health System of Pennsylvania Patient Safety Excellence Award. Dale leads the hospital’s COVID-19 response which has provided care to hundreds of patients who were admitted and required specialized treatment like monoclonal antibody infusion therapies. Dale has been instrumental in driving growth at the hospital through strategic planning, market development initiatives, and service line expansions. Throughout his almost thirty-year healthcare career, Dale has worked extensively on physician recruitment, leading quality improvement efforts and fostering cultures of physician and employee engagement. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves where he achieved the rank of Sergeant and served in Desert Shield/Storm. Following military service, Dale earned his Bachelor’s degree in health services administration and MBA from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cynthia Mailloux, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., is professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at King’s College. She was the chair of the Department of Nursing at Misericordia University for 12 years prior to going to King’s College. Dr. Mailloux earned her doctorate in nursing with a concentration in education from Penn State University, her master’s degree in nursing from Misericordia University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wilkes University. She is a member of the Pennsylvania State Nurse Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. She has been involved in grant writing and lobbying efforts in Washington DC with Senators and Representatives advocating for an increase in the allocation of nursing education money. She has participated in service-learning trips to Guyana, South America and Tanzania trying to offer nursing students a more global perspective of nursing. She serves on numerous university and college committees. She has also been selected as an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Wharton Nurse Leadership Scholar. Dr. John A. Ruddy, CFA, CPA is an Assistant Professor of Finance in the Economics and Finance Department of The Arthur J. Kania School of Management, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania. He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in Accounting and Finance. Dr. Ruddy has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (1991). He has an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1996). He also holds a Doctorate in Professional Studies, with a focus in Finance from Pace University, New York City (2017). As is noted above, he also has passed the Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst examinations and has the requisite professional experience for both designations. The University of Scranton recognized Dr. Ruddy for his teaching. In October 2013, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2013-2014 Outstanding Professor of the Year award. In May of 2014, he was the recipient of the University of Scranton’s Teacher of the Year award, as selected by the 2014 Graduating class. Most recently in February 2017, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2016-2017 Outstanding Professor of the Year award. He previously served as the Finance Committee Chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees. He currently serves on the Board of The Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School.