Leadership Lackawanna announces Core Program Class of 2026-27 Leadership Lackawanna, a division of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the 39 professionals selected for its Core Program Class of 2026–27. The 10-month Core Program develops participants’ leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills while expanding their understanding of issues affecting the greater Scranton region. Through monthly sessions led by recognized specialists, participants explore topics that may include community and economic development, government, health care, law, education, quality of life, sustainability, regional history and media. A cornerstone of the program is the Core Class Project experience. Working in teams alongside local nonprofit organizations, participants develop and implement service projects that address genuine community needs. The projects give class members practical experience in strategic thinking, goal setting, teamwork, consensus building, problem solving, fundraising, resource development, marketing, public relations, equity and inclusion, conflict resolution and evaluation. The Leadership Lackawanna Core Program Class of 2026–27 includes: • Emily Arcaro, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania • Nicole Ash, Aramark at the University of Scranton Catering Dept. • Alyssa Bartoli, Fidelity Bank • Rik Bhattacharyya, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company • Jonathan Brady, Fidelity Bank • Melissa Calachino, The Wright Center for Community Health • Dylan Cawley, Geisinger • Nicole Cesarini, Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA • Camille Dantone, Everhart Museum • Sean Dempsey, Alliance Wealth Advisors • Samantha Donahue, The Arc of NEPA • Brittany Dougherty, Penn State Scranton • Laura Dunn, Merrill Lynch • Angelina Elders, NBT Bank • Elizabeth Ephault, The Wright Center for Community Health • Kevin Farrell, Marywood University • Morgan Farrell, Geisinger College of Health Sciences • Kyle Frable, Benco Dental • Lauretta Graham, The Wright Center for Community Health • Claire Guarneri, Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. • Natasha Hazzouri, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education • Kristen Hoover, Maximus • Teresa Kalinay, Montage Mountain Resorts • Fletcher Kanas, Barry Callebaut • Curt Kromko, Prudential • Kim Lazuka, Greater Scranton YMCA • Kristen McGoff, Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. • Todd Monahan, Stone House Investment Management, LLC • Elisheva-Lydia MR, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania • Rich Mullen, Posture Interactive, LTD • Nicole Piccoletti, Outreach – Center for Community Resources • Theodor Radu, The Honesdale National Bank • Monica Reich, Penn East Federal Credit Union • Alondra Vazquez Rivera, Wells Fargo • Lewis Schweppenheiser, Penn East Federal Credit Union • Nicholas Sherman, Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center • Kelly Siekierka, Plaskolite Pennsylvania • Jeff Snyder, Allied Services • Anthony Walaitis, Plaskolite Pennsylvania
The Wright Center hosts ribbon-cutting for Carbondale location The Wright Center for Community Health celebrated the opening of its newest community health center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 12, in Carbondale. The Wright Center for Community Health Friendship House – Carbondale, located inside Friendship House’s new Whole-Person Care Center at 30 N. Main St., Suite 100, began seeing patients Thursday, Aug. 13. Led by Medical Director Bryan Boyle, a longtime board-certified physician assistant, the community health center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new location provides whole-person primary and preventive health services, including checkups, health screenings, and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. Care is available for everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients do not need to be a Friendship House client to receive care at the community health center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5298. “For generations, Friendship House has helped children, adults, and families build resilience through an extraordinary continuum of care that includes mental and behavioral health services, autism and developmental disability programs, social services, school-based behavioral health support, and integrated primary care,” Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The Wright Center complements that work by providing comprehensive whole-person primary and preventive health services while educating and training the next generation of physicians and interprofessional healthcare teams. Together, we are making it easier for individuals and families to access compassionate, coordinated care in one trusted setting – care that recognizes each person’s inherent dignity, supports recovery and resilience, promotes lifelong wellness, and helps people achieve their fullest potential.” The community health center in Carbondale marks The Wright Center’s second partnership with Friendship House. Since November 2024, The Wright Center’s clinical team has provided primary care at more than 3,500 patient visits at Friendship House’s Whole Person Care Center in Scranton, located at 200 Wyoming Ave. The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs nearly 680 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a Federally Qualified Health Center and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
Scranton Area Community Foundation awards grant to The Wright Center The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education will use a $18,700 grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to help its patients in need with transportation, hygiene supplies and household items. Specifically, the grant money will be used to buy bus passes, transportation vouchers and gas cards for patients enrolled in The Wright Center for Community Health’s Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support program and patients being helped by The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s new street medicine program to get to and from doctor appointments at Wright Center community health centers and at community partners across the region. “Transportation assistance is essential to help patients access critical services and reduce barriers to care,” said Dr. Douglas Klamp, who leads the street medicine team and serves as The Wright Center’s senior vice president, chief medical education officer, and physician chair of resident and fellow talent acquisition. “By improving transportation access, patients will be better able to attend appointments, adhere to treatment, and remain engaged in care, especially if they are experiencing financial difficulties, housing insecurity, or other challenges.” The money will also be used to provide hygiene supplies and household items to patients at the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Clinic.
The Wright Center, Training The Next Generation Of Physicians Remains The Heart Of Our Mission Fifty years ago, our visionary goal, championed by Dr. Robert E. Wright, established a medical residency program with a clear purpose: to train the next generation of doctors and encourage them to serve our communities in Northeast Pennsylvania. That mission took shape on Feb. 17, 1976, with the formation of the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, thanks to community support and a Primary Care Workforce Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health Manpower, along with several smaller grants. On July 1, 1977, the journey officially began when six internal medicine resident physicians started training in Scranton under our banner. Over the decades, class after class followed, helping transform a small residency program into what is now The Wright Center for Community Health, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, and The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement – one of the nation’s largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year, it is rewarding to reflect on how far we have come. Yet our core purpose remains unchanged. At a time when physician shortages continue to challenge communities across Northeast Pennsylvania and the nation, preparing highly skilled, compassionate physicians has never been more important. Today, nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians train annually through our Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs, including residencies in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; our Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Integrated Residency and Fellowship Pathway; and fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease, Gastroenterology, and Geriatrics. Our Internal Medicine Residency Program remains our largest and longest-running, training more than 100 physicians each year. Meanwhile, our Family Medicine – Scranton Residency Program provides a uniquely community-centered experience, with residents caring for patients at our Scranton community health center, the community-based Regional Hospital of Scranton, and other clinical training sites throughout the region. The future of these programs was on full display this spring during National Match Day on March 20, when medical students across the United States and around the world simultaneously learned where they would continue their medical training. This year, we welcomed 68 new resident physicians and nine fellow physicians into our graduate medical education programs. The incoming class includes 49 physicians in our Internal Medicine, seven into Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency, and six in our Family Medicine Residency programs. In addition, two physicians matched into our Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Integrated Residency and Fellowship Pathway, while four matched into the Family Medicine – HealthSource of Ohio Residency Program, a collaboration between The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and HealthSource of Ohio in Hillsboro. One of the greatest strengths of our residency and fellowship programs is the diversity of the learners we attract. This year’s incoming residents in our residency programs, for example, represent 15 countries, bringing a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and talents that enrich both the educational environment and the communities they serve. On July 1, these physicians began the next chapter of their professional journeys. Watching them take this important step is always inspiring. They arrive eager to learn, grow, and serve. In return, they help us fulfill our mission by providing compassionate, high-quality whole-person primary and preventive health services to patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses throughout our region. For nearly five decades, our graduates have gone on to practice medicine in communities across the country and around the world. Many have chosen to remain in Northeast Pennsylvania, strengthening the local healthcare workforce and expanding access to care. As we look toward the future, preparing the next generation of physicians remains one of the most meaningful ways we can serve our communities.
The Wright Center To Host Drug Take-Back Event In Scranton With Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office Of Drug & Alcohol Programs The Wright Center for Community Health will host a drug take-back event with the Lackawanna/Susquehanna County Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs on Friday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m. at its community health center in Scranton. Anyone can stop by The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave., to drop off unused or expired medications. Medications accepted include prescription and over-the-counter medications, such as pain relievers, antacids, cold medications, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, as well as topical medications, creams and ointments, eye drops, and pet medications. Drug take-back programs are essential public health and safety initiatives designed to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, primarily to prevent opioid misuse, accidental poisoning, and environmental contamination. Officials with the Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs and members of the Scranton Police Department will be stationed in the community health center’s waiting room to safely collect items for proper disposal. For more information, call the Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs at 570-963-6820, ext. 32037.
The Wright Center Promotes Men’s Health Awareness During Men’s Health Month The Wright Center for Community Health is recognizing Men’s Health Month this June by encouraging men to prioritize preventive care, healthy lifestyle habits, and routine medical screenings to support long-term wellness and improved health outcomes. “In my many years of practicing medicine, one truth has remained consistent: men are often less proactive about their health than women. That reality continues to affect health outcomes across our communities and multiple generations,” said Dr. William Dempsey. Observed each June, Men’s Health Month raises awareness about the physical, behavioral, and emotional health challenges men face while promoting education and early detection of preventable health conditions. This year’s theme, “Partners in Care: For Better Lifespans Across the Lifespan,” highlights the important role families, caregivers, and communities play in supporting healthier lives. Men’s Health Week, taking place June 14-21, also promotes awareness through outreach and educational initiatives, including Wear Blue Day on June 19. Healthcare professionals continue to emphasize the importance of routine primary care visits, prostate and colon cancer screenings, and early health education to help reduce the risk of advanced disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men in the United States experience a shorter average life expectancy than women and face increased risks for conditions such as heart disease, lung cancer, HIV, and prostate cancer. Through its Patient-Centered Medical Home model, The Wright Center provides comprehensive, whole-person healthcare services, including medical, dental, behavioral health, recovery, and preventive care services for patients of all ages. The Wright Center’s Lifestyle Medicine initiative also promotes healthier living through nutrition, physical activity, stress management, improved sleep habits, stronger personal relationships, and tobacco cessation programs aimed at reducing chronic disease risks and improving quality of life throughout the region. “Improving men’s health is a shared responsibility,” Dr. Dempsey added. “By encouraging the important men in our lives to prioritize preventive care and healthier habits, we can help build stronger families, healthier communities, and longer lives.”
The Wright Center To Host Tinnitus Support Group Meeting In June Tinnitus Support Group of Northeast Pennsylvania will host its next meeting on Friday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley. Virtual meeting options will also be available for those unable to attend in person. The support group welcomes individuals living with tinnitus, their loved ones, and anyone interested in learning more about the audiological and neurological condition. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with others, share experiences, and discuss coping strategies in a supportive and compassionate environment. There is no fee to attend, and new members are welcome. Tinnitus, commonly described as ringing, buzzing, or whooshing in the ears or head, affects more than 50 million adults in the United States. While some individuals experience temporary symptoms, others face chronic and life-altering effects. The program is supported in part through the Support Group Grant Program of the American Tinnitus Association. For additional information or to obtain the virtual meeting link, contact Joe Kelly at kellyj@TheWrightCenter.org or by phone at 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center Names New Vice President, Enterprise Chief Operating Officer An experienced health care executive with deep ties to Northeast Pennsylvania has joined The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education as its vice president and enterprise chief operating officer. David Hall will oversee all business operations within The Wright Center, working closely with clinical and administrative leadership. He will play a key role in developing and implementing enhanced clinical delivery models supporting innovative care redesign in the communities served by The Wright Center. Hall earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and allied health sciences from Bloomsburg University and a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in health care administration from Eastern University. He has been a certified medical practice executive since 2018. Before joining The Wright Center, Hall served as the chief executive officer of Hazleton-based DermDox, a division of Seven Isles Capital, and as the chief operating officer of Mission Autism Clinics in Hazleton, also a Seven Isles Capital division. He has also held leadership roles, including associate vice president at Guthrie Medical Group in Sayre, further building his experience in advancing patient-centered care within community-focused, nonprofit systems. He resides in Beach Lake, Wayne County. The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement are a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs more than 677 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. In fiscal year 2024-25, The Wright Center served about 38,300 unique patients across its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, as well as its mobile medical and dental unit, Driving Better Health. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay.
The Wright Center, Resident Physician Commits Career on 50th Anniversary When Sandra Rabat, D.O., first arrived in Scranton six years ago, she didn’t realize she was putting down roots for her future. The 30-year-old Erie, Pennsylvania, native spent three years in the Electric City as a member of the inaugural cohort from A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA), completing her clinical rotations at The Wright Center for Community Health during medical school. She remained in the region to pursue a three-year Internal Medicine residency with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. As The Wright Center marked its 50th anniversary – celebrating a legacy of preparing highly skilled, compassionate primary care physicians to expand access to care in Northeast Pennsylvania and underserved communities nationwide – Dr. Rabat signed a contract to continue her career there as one of its newest primary care physicians. “I’m so proud to be able to sign my contract on our 50th anniversary. How special is it to be a part of something like that,” said Dr. Rabat, who will graduate from The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency Program on June 20. “Home is where your community is, and I’ve formed a community here in Northeast Pennsylvania.” The Wright Center’s story began in 1976, when a young oncologist named Dr. Robert E. Wright returned home to Scranton and realized the extent of the physician shortage in Northeast Pennsylvania. With community support and a Primary Care Workforce Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health Manpower and several smaller grants, he established the Scranton-Temple Residency Program on Feb. 17, 1976. The program, designed to attract medical school graduates to the region for internal medicine residencies, welcomed its inaugural class of six resident physicians one year later. Since then, the program, which was renamed in its founder’s honor in 2010, has graduated more than 1,100 physicians in a variety of residency and fellowship programs. Those graduates, who hail from all over the world, have gone on to work across the country – including right here in Northeast Pennsylvania. As part of its mission, The Wright Center has expanded to offer interprofessional training opportunities for a variety of other health care careers, partnering with more than a dozen academic institutions. One such partnership, with ATSU-SOMA, is where Dr. Rabat first became familiar with The Wright Center and the region. “Scranton is where I learned to practice medicine in a way that prioritizes compassion, access, and continuity of care,” Dr. Rabat said. “I have built strong relationships with mentors, colleagues, and patients, and that sense of community is something I value deeply. Staying feels like a way to give back by continuing to serve this community and helping to train future physicians with those same values.” That commitment to patient-centered care is rooted in a personal loss that shaped Dr. Rabat’s path to medicine. After her father’s unexpected death from a heart attack in 2010, when she was a high school freshman, she was inspired to pursue a career focused on helping people live healthier lives. Throughout her journey to become a doctor, she found opportunities to hone her skills and expand her knowledge. As a medical student, Dr. Rabat joined the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center’s prestigious Scholars Program to strengthen her focus on caring for vulnerable populations, integrating behavioral health services into primary care, engaging communities, and advancing access to health care for everyone. During her medical residency, she became involved in local and federal advocacy, working alongside colleagues and leaders to champion causes such as the vital role of teaching health centers and the needs of rural and underserved communities. In her last year of residency, she served as chief resident of the Internal Medicine Program, acting as a vital liaison between residents and faculty, managing schedules, mentoring junior residents, and facilitating clinical training. She is also a passionate advocate of organ donation awareness and advanced care planning services, both of which encourage patients and families to make informed, proactive decisions about their health. She has also led a community-oriented primary care project to increase rates of routine breast cancer screening, emphasizing preventive care and patient education. “Throughout my training, I developed a deeper understanding of health disparities and the importance of improving how care is delivered,” she said. “I have been especially drawn to prevention and access, whether that is identifying gaps or finding more effective ways to meet patients where they are.” Her enthusiasm and dedication caught the attention of Wright Center leadership, especially President and CEO Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak. “She is an AHEC Scholar, a Pennsylvania resident, and she embodies the idea of mission-driven work,” Dr. Thomas-Hemak said. “Welcoming her as one of our newest primary care physicians is a huge victory for our legacy.” After graduating from The Wright Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program in June, Dr. Rabat is looking forward to fully stepping into the role of a primary care physician and building long-term relationships with patients. “Starting as an attending physician at the same community health center where I trained makes this next step especially powerful,” she said. “It allows me to care for the same communities that shaped me while growing into a new level of responsibility. I feel honored to continue serving these communities and to step into this role with purpose.”
Medical Professionals and Music Bring Colon Cancer Awareness A group of physicians who share a passion for both medical education and rock music will take the stage for a one-of-a-kind community concert, “Louder Than Cancer!,” Friday, March 27, at the Theater at North in Scranton. Doors open at 5 p.m. and is part of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of preventive screenings. The educational event will feature Rockdoc and the Healers, a rock band made up of medical professionals and musicians who use music as a platform to spark conversations about health. In addition to live music, the evening will include educational information tables highlighting the importance of colorectal cancer screenings and connecting attendees with regional providers of whole-person primary health services. The idea for “Louder Than Cancer!” was conceptualized by Dr. Vikas Khurana, program director of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Gastroenterology Fellowship Program. More than 20 years ago, Dr. Khurana along with Dr. Steve Eskin, now the lead singer of the rock band and a fellow gastroenterologist, dreamed of combining their passions for medicine with music. That vision is finally coming to fruition, grounded in a simple but powerful belief: music can make a deeper, more lasting impact than wordy teaching alone. The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education are the platinum sponsor of the event, reinforcing their shared commitment to prevention, education, and community well-being. Dr. Eskin talked about how music can help people take control of their wellbeing. “Colon cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when it’s caught early, yet too many people delay or avoid screening… Music has a way of breaking down barriers. If we can get people in the door for a great rock show and leave them feeling empowered to take charge of their colon health, then we’ve done something truly meaningful,” Dr. Eskin said. Dr. Eskin will be joined on stage by Dr. Reese Hofstrand, a fellow physician in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, along with the Giron brothers, rounding out the band’s high-energy lineup. The educational program and concert are being organized by Dr. Peter Iskander, also a fellow physician in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, who is leading efforts to blend entertainment with evidence-based health education. Tickets for “Louder Than Cancer!” are free and available through Eventbrite. While there is no cost to attend, audience members are asked to complete a brief educational survey about colon health as part of the program’s awareness initiative. Concertgoers will also have the opportunity to make a voluntary financial donation, with all proceeds from sponsorships and donations benefitting the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. “We want the message to be clear: screening saves lives, and taking that first step doesn’t have to be intimidating,” Dr. Eskin said. For more information and to reserve your free tickets, visit Eventbrite and search for “Louder Than Cancer!” To donate, visit bit.ly/4cbJMQ2.
