The ACPHS Community Council is a group of individuals with deep ties to the neighborhoods of Albany and Schenectady that are home to The Collaboratory and the ACPHS student operated pharmacies.
Members of the Council include representatives from health clinics, non-profits, community based organizations, and state and city agencies. In many ways, the membership of the Council is a microcosm of each community.
The three areas where Council members provide the most input are in helping the College (1) Understand each community and its needs, (2) Facilitate collaborations and partnerships, and (3) Identify service goals and key health care indicators.
The Council meets twice per year.
Ladan Alomar is Executive Director of Centro Civico, Inc. a not-for-profit, community-based organization with locations in Amsterdam and Albany. Under her direction, the organization has been recognized as a model service provider utilizing innovative education and intervention strategies which highlight the possibilities of transformation within the Hispanic and low-income communities.
As CEO of Hometown Health Centers since 2009, Joe Gambino oversees one of the Capital Region’s top-rated medical and dental facilities. Hometown Health provides care to 20,000 children and adults at four health center sites in Schenectady and Amsterdam, including two school-based health centers.
Zanetta Graham is the Vice President for Education and Corporate Compliance Office at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood in Albany. In this role, she hires, trains, and supports staff working with youth, in addition to providing communities with the information and resources they need to make the healthiest and most informed choices for their lives.
Perry Jones was named Executive Director of the Capital City Rescue Mission in 1982. Under his direction and with growing community support, the Mission has become the largest shelter in the Capital Region. It now includes a residential program for men and for women and children; clothing ministry; a learning center; a free medical clinic; a chapel program; and emergency shelter.
Steven T. Longo has led the Albany Housing Authority (AHA) as its Executive Director for more than 28 years. With innovative management, sensitivity to residents’ needs, and a drive to improve Albany’s neighborhoods, Mr. Longo has made the Authority into the city’s preferred landlord and revitalization partner. AHA currently operates over 2,200 units of affordable housing.
Tom McPheeters is a retired newspaper reporter and editor and not-for-profit executive who works with AVillage…, Inc. on development and programs. His current focus is the new South End Community Collaborative, the Innovation Blocks project, and supporting new health programs. He also serves as an advisor to the Lincoln Fund, a charitable fund focusing on the South End of Albany.
Susan Millstein, LCSW, MPH has nearly two decades experience in public health and is currently the Diabetes Program Manager at the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Community Chronic Disease Prevention. In her role, Susan leads population health initiatives in community and health care settings to prevent and manage diabetes throughout New York State.
Harris Oberlander is the CEO of Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region, Inc., a multi-purpose social welfare agency. Before coming to Trinity in 2004, Harris was the clinical administrator of the 140 bed residential treatment center at the Saint Anne Institute where he worked for 17 years. A holder of Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in social work, he has learned, lived, and worked in Albany almost continuously since 1977.
Robert Paeglow – “Dr. Bob” to his patients – founded the Koinonia Primary Care Clinic in 2001. Located in Albany's West Hill community, the Clinic helps serve the needs of one of the city’s poorest and most medically underserved neighborhoods. He also runs Care from the Start, a partnership with Albany Medical College and ACPHS that brings medical and pharmacy students face to face with the health effects of poverty.
Marva M. Richards, MPH, is the Director of Community Outreach and Service Learning at Albany Medical College where she helps engage medical students in meaningful service in the Capital Region’s communities. An active community member with an interest in promoting social justice, she has served as President of the Board of Directors of AVillage Inc. in addition to serving on other local boards.
Mark Santiago has always been a champion for the underserved and disenfranchised members of society. As Vice President of Retail Outreach for MVP Health Care, he works directly with the most vulnerable populations with a goal of helping them live healthier, more productive lives. His dedication to the welfare of the public is driven by a belief that health coverage can literally give people a fighting chance at survival.
In addition to a successful career in business and real estate, Charles Touhey has served as the director of Capital Housing of Albany, helping rehabilitate homes and restore neighborhoods throughout the city. He was also chairman of the board of the Albany Center for Economic Success, an organization that helps women and minorities launch new businesses. His community revitalization work has earned him a Human Rights Award from the City of Albany.
Tiana Wyrick is a Registered Nurse and Program Manager for the cardiovascular disease program at the New York State Department of Health. Ms. Wyrick supports health systems in implementing team based approaches to care to improve hypertension and cholesterol management and control through quality improvement approaches to care.