Staff

Staff

The principal office of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council is in Nashville, Tennessee. Staff and contractors pursue our ambitious agenda in research, training, education, organizing, and advocacy from offices in various locations. Staff members include:

Bobby Watts CEO of National Healthcare for the Homeless and The national Institute for Medical Respite Care

Bobby Watts, MPH, MS

Chief Executive Officer

Bobby Watts is the chief executive officer of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which supports the 300 federally-funded Health Care for the Homeless programs and 100 medical respite providers with training, technical assistance, sharing of best practices, research, publications, and an active policy and advocacy program working to eliminate homelessness.

Bobby has 30 years of experience in administration, direct service, and implementation of homeless health services, beginning as a live-in counselor at the New York City Rescue Mission.

He spent most of his career prior to joining the Council at Care for the Homeless, which operates clinics and shelters and conducts policy analysis and advocacy in New York City. Learn more about Bobby.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292 | Email Address: bwatts@nhchc.org

Beau Antonelis

Medical Respite Coordinator

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 275 | Email Address: bantonelis@nhchc.org

Lauryn Berner, MSW, MPH

Director of Implementation Research

she/her

Lauryn works with the research team to support the Health Care for the Homeless field by developing and disseminating knowledge, increasing visibility of HCH-related research through publications and external collaborations, and providing data-driven support to inter-departmental teams and workgroups. Lauryn serves as the Council’s subject matter expert on housing and HIV, and her work has focused on the social determinants of health.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 230 | Email Address: lberner@nhchc.org

Headshot of staff member Tarryn Bieloh

Tarryn Bieloh, MPH(c)

Medical Respite Manager

Tarryn works with the NIMRC and NHCHC team to manage projects focused on capacity-building for medical respite programs. This includes technical assistance, education, training, project management and research.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 249 | Email Address: tbieloh@nhchc.org

Alaina Boyer, PhD

Senior Director of Programs

Alaina provides oversight and guidance for the research activities of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which include quality improvement projects and providing educational resources for health care clinics that serve individuals experiencing homelessness. She coordinates and facilitates the Research Committee and Practice-Based Research Network initiatives, which are currently focused on improving health outcomes and providing quality care across systems for vulnerable populations.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 233 | Email Address: aboyer@nhchc.org

LaReace Carr

Manager for Administration

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 274 | Email Address: lcarr@nhchc.org

Lily Catalano, LMSW

Senior Clinical Manager

she/her

Lily coordinates the work of the Health Care for the Homeless Clinicians’ Network and develops resources to improve access to and quality of health care for people experiencing homelessness.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 231 | Email Address: lcatalano@nhchc.org

Brandon Cook, Sr.

Sr. Medical Respite Manager

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 273 | Email Address: bcook@nhchc.org

Photo of Kimberly Chiaramonte

Kimberly Chiaramonte, MSS

Senior Project Manager

she/her/hers

Kimberly coordinates peer ambassadors at Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) health centers to build trust and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 258 | Email Address: kchiaramonte@nhchc.org

Barbara DiPietro, PhD

Senior Director of Policy

Barbara directs the policy and advocacy activities for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. This includes conducting policy analysis, providing educational materials and presentations to a broad range of policymakers and other stakeholders, coordinating the Council’s policy priorities with national partners, and organizing staff assistance to the Policy Committee.

Barbara also serves as Director of Policy for the Council’s National Institute of Medical Respite Care, where she works to promote public policies that support high-quality medical respite programs throughout the country.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (443) 703-1346 | Email Address: bdipietro@nhchc.org

Julia Dobbins, MSW

Director of Medical Respite Care

Julia joined the Council in 2012 and leads our work on medical respite care. She provides guidance and oversight for medical respite activities, including training, technical assistance, and resource and program development. Additionally, she is the staff liaison to the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN) and coordinates and facilitates the activities of the RCPN steering committee.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 232 | Email Address: jdobbins@nhchc.org

Kevonya R. Elzia, MA, BS, RN

Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

she/her/hers

Kevonya organizes, facilitates, and delivers Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) focused promising practices for the HCH and health center community through training, publications, and the creation of safe peer-learning spaces. 

Kevonya is the Council’s subject matter expertise in the areas of supportive housing, behavioral health, school-based health, and other clinical areas.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 270 | Email Address: kelzia@nhchc.org

Julia Gaines

Sr. Medical Respite Manager – California

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 276 | Email Address: jgaines@nhchc.org

Kate Gleason-Bachman, RN, BSN, MPH

Clinical and QI Nurse Manager

she/her

Kate collaborates with the Council’s teams and committees to identify emerging topics in primary care that impact people experiencing homelessness and serves as a resource on clinical quality issues and services.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 225 | Email Address: kbachman@nhchc.org

Chelsea Hardin Hensley, MSP

Project Manager, Membership & Database Manager

Chelsea runs the Council’s membership program and works within the donor & member database. Additionally, she supports the Vaccine Ambassador project, as well as the Council’s work with the Corporation for Supportive Housing..

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 255 | Email Address: chensley@nhchc.org

Etel Haxhiaj, MA

Sr. Policy Manager

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 271 | Email Address: ehaxhiaj@nhchc.org

Chad Hunter, MPH

Epidemiology Research Manager

Chad Hunter, MPH serves as the National Health Care for the Homeless’ epidemiologist and a member of the Implementation Research Team, whose work focuses on improving the use of data to inform our work, and improve our understanding of health equity within our communities and the populations we serve. He supports the internal data needs of the council through data analysis and interpretation.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 267 | Email Address: chunter@nhchc.org

Devora Keller, MD, MPH

Director of Clinical Quality Improvement

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 277 | Email Address: dkeller@nhchc.org

Joseph Kenkel, BS

Research & Data Manager

Joey works with the research team to support the Health Care for the Homeless field by developing and disseminating information, increasing visibility of HCH-related research through publications and external collaborations, and improving the HCH field and community’s capacity for quality improvement and engagement in research. Joey also performs activities aimed to increase the knowledge base, skill set, and resources of health center staff engaged in supportive housing initiatives in partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH).

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 226 | Email Address: jkenkel@nhchc.org

Kelli Klein, BA

Clinical Manager

she/her/hers

Kelli is responsible for planning and coordinating national peer learning opportunities for the HCH community, including learning collaboratives, webinars, and written materials. As part of the clinical team, her focus includes supporting health centers in providing high-quality, equitable gender-affirming care and street outreach services for people experiencing homelessness.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 247 | Email Address: kklein@nhchc.org

Katie League, LCSW-C

Behavioral Health Manager

she/her

Katie draws on her 9 years of clinical experience at an HCH program to support the Council’s policy team on clinically related topics. Her background in disabilities determination, street outreach, enrollment, and administration combine to help the policy team create new resources, coordinate with HCH and medical respite programs, and elevate best practices to the national policy discussion.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 257 | Email Address: kleague@nhchc.org

Melissa Lien

Director of Marketing and Communications

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 272 | Email Address: mlien@nhchc.org

Cindy Manginelli, BS

Director of Community Engagement

Cindy directs the Council’s efforts to engage and create a diverse community of individuals, coalitions, and programs that directly address issues at the intersection of homelessness and health care. She also manages the Council’s ongoing work to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community of those who experience and address homelessness.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 239 | Email Address: cmanginelli@nhchc.org

Samantha Marco, MA

Medical Respite Manager

she/her/hers

Samantha works with the medical respite team on projects of the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) and the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN).

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 266 | Email Address: smarco@nhchc.org

Meredith Mollica, LCSW

Consumer Engagement Manager

she/her/hers

Meredith supports the National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB), helps to coordinate consumer initiatives, and further develops Council relationships with local Consumer Advisory Boards (CABs) to advance the work of The Council in the areas of consumer engagement, workforce development, health education, health equity, outreach, research, and advocacy.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 268 | Email Address: mmollica@nhchc.org

Sandra Mooney, BS 

Consumer Engagement Coordinator

Sandra engages, supports, and advocates for the unique health care needs of people experiencing homelessness nationally and locally within the state of Tennessee.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 264 | Email Address: smooney@nhchc.org

Brett Poe, BS

Senior Events Manager

Brett manages logistics and educational content for the Council’s major training events, including our annual National Health Care for the Homeless Conference and Policy Symposium, and Governing Membership Meeting. He serves as the point person for these major training events working in concert with the Director of Finance and Administration, Administrators Committee, other staff members, and other stakeholders.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 242 | Email Address: bpoe@nhchc.org

Louisa Post

Associate Director for Development

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 231 | Email Address: lpost@nhchc.org

Kayla Ritchie

Community Engagement Coordinator

Kayla coordinates the Council’s efforts to meaningfully create and engage a community of individuals, health centers, agencies, and organizations with the desire to serve and support those experiencing homelessness.  In this capacity, Kayla welcomes new members, responds to requests for technical assistance, and contributes to trainings, publications, webinars, and other activities that address the needs of our community.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 221 | Email Address: kritchie@nhchc.org

Brady Seymore

Education Manager

As the Council’s Instructional Design Manager, Brady partners across the organization to help develop curriculum and course offerings. He is responsible for ensuring that educational experiences are presented in the most effective and engaging way possible. He is also focused on staying up to date with promising practices and technology tools in the world of education.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 253 | Email Address: bseymore@nhchc.org

Christa Signor, MSRLS CTRS

Medical Respite Manager

Christa works with the Director of Medical Respite on projects of the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) and the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN).

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 234 | Email Address: csignor@nhchc.org

John Soto

Media and Technology Manager

John manages media-based communication activities for the Council — including webinars, videography, photography, and music production — and provides guidance and support for information technology services.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 241 | Email Address: jsoto@nhchc.org

Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH

Assistant Director

Caitlin is an occupational therapist with clinical experience working with adults experiencing homelessness to improve their quality of life and engagement in their preferred communities. As the Medical Respite Manager, she works with the Director of Medical Respite on projects of the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) and the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN).

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 254 | Email Address: csynovec@nhchc.org

Stephen Wilder, LMSW

Medical Respite Manager

Stephen works with the Director of Medical Respite on projects of the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) and the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN).

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 260 | Email Address: swilder@nhchc.org

Brenda Wright

Executive Assistant

Brenda serves as Executive Assistant to the CEO and is responsible for Board meeting preparation, special projects, and administrative support including scheduling, preparing executive documents and correspondence, managing travel itineraries, maintaining files, and other administrative duties.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 251 | Email Address: bwright@nhchc.org

Headshot of staff member David Wunsch

David Wunsch

Senior Director of Administration

David directs operations for the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC), ensuring responsibilities and mutual accountabilities are met with NIMRC’s funders and affiliate consultants.  David also brings a change management lens and approach to Council-wide initiatives that foster needed capabilities, operating models, and structures to support the Council’s recent growth.

Contact Information

Phone Number: (615) 226-2292, Ext. 269 | Email Address: dwunsch@nhchc.org

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Kate collaborates with the Council’s teams and committees to identify emerging topics in primary care that impact people experiencing homelessness and serves as a resource on clinical quality issues and services.

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