The Board of Directors is an elected group responsible for oversight of primary care, behavioral health services and dental care for our community. At least 51% of the Board must be Community Health patients. Additional board members are selected for their expertise in community affairs, local government, finance and banking, legal affairs, and other commercial and industrial concerns, or social service agencies within the community.
The Board is responsible for making major decisions and providing strategic guidance to ensure the organization’s sustainability and longevity. It oversees the organization’s financial management practices, fosters accountability, and ensures activities are conducted in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, serving as a critical pillar of organizational leadership.
Nancy Morlino, MBA
Chair
Nancy Morlino, MBA joined Community Health in 2019 and has served on the Governance and Finance committees. She has held the position of Vice Chair for the four years prior to becoming Chair. Nancy is retired from a career in industry and moved to Vermont to enjoy its natural beauty on a full-time basis. When she is not involved in volunteer activities, Nancy is busy seeking out new hiking trails and activities to enjoy with her family, dog and horses.
Jade Mead
Vice Chair
Jade Mead joined the board in 2021. As a trained peer support specialist with Counseling Services of Addison County she works with adults and children. A Vermont resident sine 2001, Mead “brings a new voice and perspective” to the Community Health board with a focus on underserved communities like LGBTQ and homeless populations in the Rutland area. She volunteers as a host for Sonder Recovery, an online recovery community space. A graduate of Castleton University’s Computer Information Systems program, she plans to further her interest in social work through Castleton’s social work degree programs.
Mike Gardner
CEO
Michael Gardner, CEO, received his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Liberty University and is a CPA. He joined Community Health in 2004, having gained experience in several fields, including a $10 million furniture manufacturing company and a $120 million multi-state manufacturing company that included two foreign subsidiaries. Prior to Mike’s years of manufacturing and cost accounting experience, he worked as a staff accountant for three years with the local hospital that owned and operated the primary care clinics. He gained valuable financial statement preparation and analysis experience for numerous medical practices. He became CEO in January 2022 after serving as interim CEO for the prior six months. Mike was raised in Castleton and has been a patient of Castleton Family Health Center, now Community Health Castleton, since he was a child. He has three children, the youngest being a son with special needs. Mike’s son was born extremely premature and was diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy as a result of complications from the premature birth. He is very passionate for children with special needs and the services available to them, having first hand had to depend on various programs available through the state to assist with his son’s disability.
*Non-voting member
Jill Jesso-White
Secretary
Jill Jesso-White is the Director of Communications & Development. She has been at Community Health since 2015. Her Bachelor of Arts in journalism, with a minor in political science, is from St. Michael’s College. Her Masters of Science in Administration is also from St. Michael’s College. During her time at Community Health Jill oversaw the implementation of a patient relations program, a compliance program and a marketing/public relations program. In addition she orchestrated the organization’s re-branding in 2019. In 2023, Jill completed Bi-State Primary Care Association’s Leadership Development Program and received a Certificate in Community Health Leadership. Her expertise includes working with the community to forge relationships that promote the organization. Jill lives in Hancock, VT where she is very active in promoting her town and founded a Friends group to support the town library.
*Non-voting member
Dean Rinaldo, MBA
Treasurer
Dean Rinaldo, CFO, prior to joining Community Health in 2018 he worked for another FQHC and in manufacturing. Having learned a lot about cost accounting and data analytics he wanted to rejoin the healthcare industry. Prior to becoming CFO, Dean worked as the Controller with then CFO Mike Gardner to modernize the accounting practices and eliminate manual processes and paper recording. Dean earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Castleton University. Dean then earned his Master of Business Administration in accounting from Southern New Hampshire University.
*Non-voting member
Bob Riley, PhD
Bob Riley, Ph.D., MPA, MS, served on the Finance Committee and Governance Committees of Community Health, as well as being past Chair. Prior to joining Community Health, Bob served as the Executive Director of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), the recognized credentialing organization representing more than 15,000 recreational therapists throughout the Untied States and Canada. In addition, Bob served as an academic administrator and university professor for over 25 years holding an array of academic positions at several institutions. His research interests include health care outcomes, systems evaluation, and professional credentialing. He is most noted for his contributions to quality assessment, standards of practice, and credentialing exam development. He has also worked in child psychiatry, geriatrics, and with individuals with intellectual disabilities. Bob is an avid runner, golfer, and cyclist. He and his wife Maria enjoy extensive hikes throughout Vermont and New England. They have lived in Vermont for over 40 years and currently reside in Middletown Springs.
Carol Ballou, MS
Governance Committee Chair
Carol Ballou received her Master of Science in Elementary & Special Education from Adelphi University. She received her Bachelor of Science (with honors) in Professional Food and Institution Administration from Pratt Institute. Carol is currently Chairperson of the Governance Committee for the Community Health Board of Directors.
She was an English teacher at Black River Jr/Sr HS in Ludlow, VT where she assisted with their yearbook, was the Model UN advisor, developed a theater appreciation program, and organized a French student exchange. Carol was a Resource Room teacher at Proctor Jr/Sr HS in Proctor, VT where she worked with colleagues to share mainstreaming practices and taught self-contained English classes.
Carol researched & wrote a “Motion to Intervene” and “Comment Letter in Opposition” for VT PSB to successfully prohibit a wind farm in a residential area. She drew the architectural plans and helped build a timber frame home.
While living in New York, Carol was a Special Ed teacher at Patchogue-Medford HS where she developed a parallel curriculum to facilitate eventual mainstreaming and better enable students to pass the NYS Regents Competency. In an earlier career Carol was the School Lunch Director at Baldwin Public Schools where she developed an employee training program and enlarged and supervised a student Work/Study program. While working as a Dietitian at Skidmore College, Carol supervised food prep & service in the main dining hall. She was an Assistant Food Service Manager for the Silver Bay Association and trained inexperienced college students for summer employment. She was co-founder, president, and newsletter editor for the Bayport Civic Association where she successfully lobbied to prevent construction in a wetland area.
Damien Barnes
Damien has lived and worked in Rutland for over 18 years and is the current Director of the Rutland County Community Justice Center at BROC Community Action. Damien is very passionate about restorative justice and helping justice involved people take accountability for their actions and repair the harm they have caused.
Luther Brown, PhD
Governance Committee Vice Chair
Luther Brown earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University and is a professor in the Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice at Castleton University. His primary teaching areas are human behavior, clinical practice, and community dynamics. For the past thirty-five years, he has taught graduate and undergraduate students at Rutgers University, Arizona State University, the University of Tennessee, the College of St. Joseph, and Castleton University. He is a past Program Director of social work for both Castleton University and Rutgers University. He has practiced professionally in the fields of mental health, public social services, community intervention, and corrections. He sits on the Vermont Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and is a Commissioner on the Rutland Police Commission. Within Community Health, Luther is a member of the Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the Governance Committee.
Joanne Calvi, BSN, RN
Joanne Calvi has been a board member for Community Health for over ten years and she currently serves on the Finance and Quality Commitees. Joanne received her Bachelor of Science Dgree in Nursing from the University of Vermont in 1973. Joanne’s 48-year career in Nursing began as a Public Health Nurse where she worked for the Vermont Department of Health and continued working for VDH as a Nursing Supervisor and District Director in Rutland County. Joanne’s long career in Public Health focused on Maternal-Child health, Envirnmental health, Immunizations, Epidemiology, and other public health events and initiatives. Joanne continues to be interested in population health issues with a focus on prevention and a desire to protect and improve the health of all Vermonters. Since retirement, Joanne volunteers with the Vermont Medical Reserve Corps. Joanne is a long time resident of Fair Haven and Castleton Vermont where she currently lives with her husband on Lake Bomoseen. Both enjoy time with their family and outdoor activities including walking, biking, swimming, and Nordic skiing.
Richard Griffith
Quality Care Committee Chair
Richard grew up in Rutland and attended Castleton State College and the Breadloaf School of English at Middlebury College. He currently is the chairman of the Board’s Quality Care Committee. Richard was an editor at the Rutland Herald and later worked for eBay. He was a recruiter for the University of Vermont Migrant Education program, directed the housing rehab program at BROC and the transportation program at the Council on Aging, where he was also a grant writer. He has lived in Clarendon Springs for 50 years and currently resides there with his wife Judy and dog Ella.
Bob Hedden
Bob is an Efficient Heating Consultant and Educator with over 50 years’ experience in customer retention, marketing, finance, sales, energy conservation, and service department operations. Bob has written four technical books: OMA's Advantages of Oilheat, NORA's Oilheat Technicians Manual, NORA’s Efficient Oilheat, a Guide to Energy Conservation, and NORA's new Gold Advanced Efficiency workbook. He teaches energy efficiency, customer service, leadership & management, sales & marketing, and technical courses for over 400 energy and HVAC companies, trade associations, technical schools, and colleges in the US and Canada. Bob is the former Chair of the Board for Community Health and also served as Chair of the Executive and Finance Committees. He currently serves on the Executive, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committees. Bob graduated in 1970 with a BA from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA where he majored in Economics and Sociology. His hobbies include building stonewalls, alpine skiing, snowshoeing, and painting.
Thomas W. Huebner
Finance Committee Chair
Tom Huebner, MBA currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee. Tom is retired but served at the Rutland Regional Medical Center for 28 years including 21 as CEO. Tom serves on a variety of other boards, all focused on providing health and wellness services to Vermonters. Tom has lived in Vermont and Rutland City for more than 30 years.
Lawrence G. Jensen, MBA
Strategic Planning Committee Chair
Lawrence “Larry” Jensen has been associated with the Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region and its predecessor, Rutland Region Physicians Group, for 25 years. Prior to his joining the Rutland Regional Medical Center in 1998, he spent 26 years in the ski business including being Vice President of the Killington Ski Area. Larry has served on the Board of Directors of regional and statewide organizations including Vermont Public Radio, The Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Northeast Delta Dental insurance company. He served as the Chair of the Rutland City Police Commission for six years. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Vermont. Larry enjoys sailing and traveling.
Elizabeth Kyhill, MSN, RN
Elizabeth is a native of Fair Haven, Vermont. She graduated from Fair Haven Union High School, then St. Anselm College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, and later a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Management from Walden University. Elizabeth began her career with Rutland Regional Medical Center in 2004 as a nurse and has worked in several clinical positions throughout her tenure at the hospital that eventually led her to her current role. As Vice President of Medical Group Operations, Elizabeth is responsible for the overall direction, leadership, and operational management of all clinic-based medical practices at Rutland Regional. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has built a range of leadership experience in healthcare regulatory compliance, cultivating effective provider and community relations, clinical and operational processes, facility management, budget and financial analysis, interdisciplinary teamwork, and human resource management. Elizabeth is an active member of the local community, volunteering on various committees including the Fair Haven Revitalization Committee, the Fair Haven Union High School Boosters and various school related efforts. She enjoys outdoor recreation such as skiing, golfing, hiking, and boating.
Amy R. Menard, Esq
Amy is an attorney licensed to practice in Alaska and Vermont with a background in representing medical providers and institutions in liability, licensure, governance, and regulatory matters. Amy was born and raised in Vermont and, after 17 years in Alaska, returned to Vermont in 2011 to be closer to family. She resides in Brandon. She has served on the Board for 10 years.
Jennifer L. Scott, PsyD, ABPP
Dr. Jennifer Scott is a licensed clinical psychologist and is the Executive Director of Southern Vermont AHEC. She has contributed to the fields of psychology and education with numerous presentations, publications, and professional service and has been recognized at the local and state levels for excellence in teaching and clinical practice. Jennifer earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.
As a leader, educator, clinician, and advocate, Jennifer is committed to the education and training of students and young professionals, creating opportunities for all to succeed, and serving the needs of individuals, families, and communities. She lives in Rutland and enjoys spending quality time with her family, connecting with friends, reading, hiking, and watching football.