ACHCA Announces 2021 Election Results

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2021 – The American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) is pleased to announce the results of its 2021 election to fill positions on the ACHCA Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. The election results were accepted by the Nominating Committee on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Results are based on a plurality of the votes cast by the voting membership. 

Those elected to the ACHCA Board of Directors will be sworn in at the inaugural Board meeting in April, and then begin their terms. The Nominating Committee thanks the members who submitted nominations and participated in the elections process.  We welcome our new and returning Board members:  

Blair Quasnitschka, FACHCA

Blair was re-elected to a three-year term to serve as an At Large Director on the Board of Directors.   Blair's ACHCA local experience includes serving as the Connecticut Chapter Board Director, Vice President, President, and Immediate Past President.  He credits his growth to the leaders he met during his chapter experience.  Blair successfully chaired the National IT Task Force focusing on revamping the ACHCA website and online experience. Additionally, for the past two years, he has served in the Mentoring Program. Blair's current role as a CCRC Executive Director grants him exposure to the challenges of both nursing home and assisted living operations. He believes that part of ACHCA's future as an organization should include bolstering its support and presence in the AL sector, which ACHCA does represent but lacks in membership. 

Cydney Bare, FACHCA

Cydney is familiar with serving as an At Large Director on the Board of Directors. She served in the role during 2015.   Her chapter service has included serving as Ohio Chapter Secretary and President.  Having previously served on the National Board including representing the District 3 chapters as D3 Director, Cydney believes her knowledge of the industry in multiple areas across the post-acute spectrum will help guide ACHCA as we continue to support leaders.  She noted in her position statement that ACHCA played an important role in her career as an Administrator. "The value of friendships, networking opportunities, education, and professional support cannot be matched by any other Professional Organization." 

Israel S. Ray, CNHA, FACHCA

Israel has been re-elected to a three-year term to serve as the District 3 Director on the Board of Directors.  The District 3 Director serves the states Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.  As a past chapter president of ACHCA Kentucky and a member for the past 11 years, Israel has learned the true value of the College.  In his position statement, he notes that "the College has afforded him to learn from and network with some of our best and brightest Administrators and CEO’s in the country."  In 2016, Israel received the ACHCA Outstanding Member Award.  

Helaine Ledany, CNHA, FACHCA

Helanie has been elected to a three-year term to serve as the District 4 Director on the Board of Directors.  The District 4 Director serves the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, DC, Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.  She has been a member since 1999 and served as President of the New Jersey Chapter.  In 2017, she was honored with the Distinguished Administrator Award.  Additionally, she has received the Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award from 2011-2017 as Administrator of Buckingham at Norwood in New Jersey.  Over the years, she has actively served ACHCA on the Nominating, Awards and Professional Advancement Committees, Mentoring program, and as an Item Writer for the Certification Exam. At Convocation and Winter Marketplace, Helanie has presented programs on a variety of topics and also volunteered as a session monitor. On the state level, she sits on the NJ Ombudsman’s LTC Ethics Consortium and serves on the NJ Long Term Care Leaders Coalition.  Throughout her career, Helanie has been dedicated to enhancing the lives of our elders. She believes her talents, expertise, and experience will benefit the mission of ACHCA. 

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View the current ACHCA Board of Directors.  

The newly elected members to ACHCA's Nominating Committee include:

Kenneth (Ken) Huhn, FACHCA is the Administrator of Seaport Village Healthcare at First Atlantic Healthcare in Bangor, Maine.  Ken has been in Healthcare for over 40 years as both a clinician and a Healthcare Manager. He has managed healthcare programs in Acute Care Hospitals, Homecare, Skilled Nursing & Rehab Centers & Long-term Care. Ken’s principal interest in aging is in extending the abilities of people as they age and lessening the impact of diseases of aging, including dementia. 

 

Richard Gamache, FACHCA of Rhode Island is the chief executive officer of Aldersbridge Communities. Gamache is a recognized expert and leader in Eldercare, with over thirty-five years of experience in the field. A Fellow since 2002, he was named Rhode Island Distinguished Administrator in 2006 and National Distinguished Administrator in 2009. Additionally, he is well-regarded within the Rhode Island community, and at the State House, and is keenly aware of the challenges facing our industry. 

  

Mark A. Jacobs, FACHCA is the Administrator of Pinnacle Health & Rehab in Canton, Maine. Mark recently served as the distinguished president of the Maine Chapter President and maintains active participation in the Maine Health Care Association.  Having managed healthcare institutions in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee earlier in his career, he brings many years of administration experience as Administrator of his skilled nursing facility and CEO of the 114-bed nursing and residential care campus.

 

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