Member Bios

Debby Bacinelli, MSW
Debby Bacinelli received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work from Marywood University in Scranton, PA. She has over 23 yrs. experience in the field of mental retardation/developmental disabilities. Debby also serves on the Broome DDSO Informed Consent Committee.

Dr. Patricia Bomba
Dr. Patricia Bomba is a nationally-recognized expert who currently serves as the Vice President and Medical Director, Geriatrics for Excellus Health Plan, Inc. and subsidiaries of The Lifetime Healthcare Companies. She is passionately focused on educating the medical community, the public at large with a goal of improving the quality of life for seniors and their families. She has spoken extensively regionally, statewide and nationally to professionals, community groups and professional organizations on issues related to Palliative Care, Pain Management, Advance Care Planning, End-of-Life Care, Elder Abuse and Wellness and Healthy Living. Dr. Bomba’s collaborative work with NYSDOH on health policy and her legislative advocacy for the MOLST Program aims to facilitate establishment of MOLST as a statewide program. As a result of these efforts, the MOLST Pilot Project Legislation revised the Non-hospital DNR Law (Public Health Law § 2977(13) (L. 2005, Ch.734; L. 2006, Ch. 325). The revision permits the NYS Department of Health to authorize use of the MOLST form in lieu of Non-hospital DNR in Monroe and Onondaga Counties.

Dr. Bomba is New York State’s representative on the National POLST Paradigm Task Force, a multi-state collaborative. In addition to serving as a New York State Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, she served as a member of the Review Committee of the National Quality Forum’s “Framework and Preferred Practices for a Palliative and Hospice Care Quality” project, chairs the BlueCross and BlueShield Association National Medical Management Forum and is a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York Ethics Committee. Dr. Bomba holds board certification in Internal Medicine, with Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. She attended the Executive Development Program at the Wharton Business School.

Peggy Canfield
Greater Binghamton Health Center. Full bio coming soon.

Shelli Cordisco - Coalition Chair
Shelli is Executive Director of Action for Older Persons, Inc. Under her leadership the agency’s Advance Planning for End of Life Program was launched in 2001. The primary goal of this volunteer-based program is to promote responsible planning for the end of life by empowering adults with unbiased information and free assistance regarding the completion of advance directives and a broad range of end-of-life topics. Shelli received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Binghamton University. She currently serves as chairperson for Broome County Triad and is a member of the Mental Health Subcommittee of Broome County’s Community Services Board.

James Crosby, MD
James Crosby, MD, is a family physician and geriatrician at UHS, Wilson Family Medicine. He is also an associate professor at Upstate Medical University, a faculty member at UHS Family Medicine Residency, director of the Geriatric Fellowship, and medical director of UHS Senior Living.

Maureen Daws, RN, MSN
Maureen is a Clinical Lecturer at the Decker School of Nursing. She earned her degree from Binghamton University with a focus in Community Nursing. She currently teaches Palliative Care to the nursing students at the Decker School of Nursing.

Father Jim Dutko
Fr. Jim Dutko is an Orthodox priest and has served the parish family of St. Michaels as pastor since 1991. Ordained in 1972, he is a graduate of Bucknell University, the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and Christ the Saviour Orthodox Theological Seminary in Johnstown, PA. Much of his pastoral work is centered on an outreach to the sick and elderly. He serves as a member of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, and is active in programs of the Broome County Council of Churches.

Mary Lou Faust
Mary Lou has 25 yrs. experience in Long Term Care as Administrator of the Elizabeth Church Campus of the United Methodist Homes. She is a trustee of the Decker Foundation, a member of the Binghamton University Decker School of Nursing Advisory Council, and chair of the Faith in Action Advisory committee of the Broome County Council of Churches.

Dorothy Gardner
Dorothy has a BS in healthcare management and has worked in acute and long-term care for forty years. She is now the Senior Coordinator for Stay Healthy, with specialty in issues facing those 55 years or older. Dorothy provides one-on-one, as well as group sessions, for healthcare issues throughout the community.

James Hayes, MD
Dr. Jim Hayes is a Medical Director for United Health Services in Binghamton, N.Y. with responsibilities for Utilization Management, Coding and Compliance and End-of-Life education and counseling. Dr. Hayes is a Board Certified Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon with 20 years of experience in guiding his patients through end-of-life issues and is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Upstate Medical University.

Dr. Hayes developed an End-of-Life management program for patients, families and medical personnel beginning in 2001 and this has grown into the Transitional Life Care Team service which he co-founded with Ms. Nancy Frank in 2004. Dr. Hayes has taught extensively at Syracuse University, Marywood University and Binghamton University. He is a guest Lecturer at Cornell University, Rutgers University and Broome Community College.

Debra Hicks RN, BSN, MS
Debra is the Director of Lourdes Hospice Program since July 2003. Prior to that, she served as Administrator of the In Home Care division of Memorial Hospital, Inc which included Home Health and Hospice as well as other supportive services. Debra has extensive experience in meeting the needs of the community by participating on various community committees. She has participated in two PA DOH task forces: Nursing Shortage and Palliative care and has done consulting work for the Home Health and Hospice industry.

Reverend Gregory Johnson
Reverend Gregory Johnson Pastors Cornerstone Community Church. He has a varied background in ministry and teaching. Pastor Johnson was honored in the Metropolitan Who’s Who in 2006, selected as a member of United Health Service Ethics committee and currently serves on the American Baptist New York State Mission Board, The Broome County Counsel of Churches Board of Directors and Jail Ministry committee. Pastor Johnson also service as Board member of the Family Violence Prevention Council of Broome County.

Pastor Johnson is a graduate of the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA with a Masters of Divinity. He also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.

Melissa Klinko
Melissa is currently employed as the Regional Communications and Media Relations Manager for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. In this role Melissa serves as the primary contact and media spokesperson for the region. Melissa has over eleven years of communications and media relations experience.

Prior to being employed at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, she served as the media relations coordinator for Lourdes Hospital. Melissa received her Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and her M.B.A. from Binghamton University.Melissa currently serves on the Lourdes Hospice Board, the Family and Children’s Society Board, American Cancer Society Board and is President of the Communications Association of the Southern Tier. Melissa has been involved with the STEOLC since its inception.

Jennifer Marshall, MSW
Jennifer Marshall currently is the Director of Field Education in the College of Community and Public Affairs MSW program at Binghamton University. She is committed to improving end of life care for individuals and their families and loved ones from diverse backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. She worked for over ten years as the Director of Social Work in a long term care facility and prior to that worked in Hospice.

Terrance M. McGuinness, Esq.
Terrance McGuinness is an attorney with Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP in Vestal, New York. His practice areas include Elder Law, Health Law, Family Law and Real Estate. Prior to joining Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP, he volunteered with Legal Services for the Elderly and Disabled of Western New York. He received his Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School, a Masters degree from Binghamton University, and a B.S. from SUNY Oswego.

Renee Micalizzi
Renee Micalizzi received her MSW at Marywood University. She is a Licensed Master’s Social Worker with 20 years of experience in the field of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities. Currently, employed by Broome Developmental Services she is working with medically frail/aging individuals and their families which often involves end of life issues including advanced directives. She also serves on the Southern Tier Aging and Developmental Disabilities Coalition.

Dr. Francine Rainone, DO, PhD
Francine Rainone is Medical Director of the Palliative Care Service at Lourdes Hospital. After several years as a Family Physician she specialized in caring for people with advanced, chronic, life-limiting illness. She is Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. During her years at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx she served as Project Director of the Community Palliative Care Initiative, Clinical Director of the Palliative Care Inpatient Suite, and Program Director of the Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Her published work covers a broad range of topics, from allopathic symptom management in cancer and HIV infection to complementary and alternative treatments for common symptoms in both the end of life and the general population.

Reverend David L. Schriber
Rev. David L. Schriber has pastored churches of several denominations and served in volunteer capacities with the Broome County Council of Churches and Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton. He was Spiritual Care and Bereavement Coordinator for the former Tioga County Hospice. He is currently volunteer Spiritual Advisor and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Parish Nurse/Health Ministry Program at Lourdes Hospital. In 2000 he launched an ambitious full-featured congregational health ministry program, including parish nursing, in a 900-member United Methodist congregation. He is a chaplain of the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, an ecumenical body of clergy and laity devoted to the ministry of healing and wholeness. In 2004 he was keynote speaker and principal resource at the 5th Annual Conference of the Canadian Association of Parish Nursing Ministry, meeting in Saskatoon SK. In 2006 he was a workshop presenter at the 48th Annual North American Healing Conference of the Order of St. Luke, meeting in San Antonio TX.

Jean Van Kingsley MS, RN, FNP-BC
Jean Van Kingsley is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford New York. With over 10 year of experience guiding veterans of the armed services, and their families through end of life decisions. She is also an active volunteer for the Surrogate Decision Making Committee for New York State Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for persons with disabilities.

Tanya Walker
Tanya is the Coordinator of the Advance Care Planning for End of Life (APEL) Program at Action for Older Persons. This program enhances community awareness and education regarding advance directives and end of life issues. She is also the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator, covering over 30 facilities in Broome and Delaware Counties. She holds a Bachelors of Psychology from SUNY at Buffalo and a Masters degree from Florida State University.