The Future Leaders Awards program honors exceptional professionals aged 40 and under who are shaping the future of aging and healthcare. Honorees represent a wide range of sectors, including ambulatory surgery centers, behavioral health, complex rehab technology (CRT), home health & home care, home medical equipment (HME), hospice & palliative care, senior housing & senior living, and skilled nursing.
“The Future Leaders Class of 2026 reflects a strong, collective commitment to improving the well-being of the individuals and communities they serve,” said Tim Mullaney, VP and editorial director of WTWH Healthcare. “These leaders are elevating patient experiences, supporting caregivers and driving innovation across the care continuum. Their dedication to excellence sets them apart, and their influence will continue to shape the future of healthcare.”
Each honoree will be featured in upcoming WTWH Healthcare publications and invited to participate in future in-person WTWH Healthcare conferences.
The 2026 Future Leaders Awards honorees are as follows:
Home Medical Equipment (HME) – Vendor
Vito Morgese – General Manager & Operations Manager, Blue Chip Medical Products, Inc.
Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) – Provider
Anthony Novella – Director of Nursing, Orthopaedic Surgery Center at Bryn Mawr
Behavioral Health – Provider
Aaron Bruzzese – Director of Patient & Community Support Services, Ashley Addiction Treatment
Brianna Fitchett – Vice President of Clinical Impact, Catalight
Cainan Oliver – CEO, Found Recovery
Corinne Orr – Head of Client Operations, Birches Health
Dan Kendall – Vice President of Operations Strategy, LifeStance Health
Elizabeth Prigge – Treatment Director of Non-Residential Addiction Services, Sagent Behavioral Health
Jessica Hernandez – Director of Behavioral Health, Easterseals Northern California
Jordan Anselma – Regional Director of Operations, BasePoint Academy
Josh Wilson – Senior Market Partnerships Specialist, Wayspring
Julia Reed – National Director of Clinical Training & Development, Acorn Health
LaLonnie Villa Gray – Senior Associate General Counsel, LifeStance Health
Mackenzie Barta – Director of Business Development, Connections Health Solutions
Behavioral Health – Vendor
Emily Roy – UR Team Supervisor, Hansei Solutions
Rachel Dowse – Chief Commercial Officer and Advocate for 1 Million Kids, Hi Rasmus
Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) – Vendor
Dejon Gary – Regional Sales Director, Rehab Medical
Evan Rosenberg – Co-Founder & Lead Engineer, Kalogon
Patrick Taylor – Regional Sales Director, Rehab Medical
Home Health & Home Care – Provider
Alexandra Vick – Area Sales Manager, TheKey Home Care
Amanda Ward – Chicagoland Market Leader, Help at Home
Ashley Sasser – Area Vice President of Clinical Operations, Maxim Healthcare
Audrey Strunewitz – Director of Marketing, TeamLife Health Group
Chelsea Gonzalez – Vice President of Private Duty & Community Care, VitalCaring Group
Dialina Emmons – Administrator, Elara Caring
Diana Deleanu – Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Emerest Health
Elnaz Safavieh – Director of Caregiver Services, Family & Nursing Care
Emma Miller – Vice President of Operations – Palm Coast, FL, Home Halo
Joyce Magbanua – Vice President of Quality, Safety & Clinical Integration, Help at Home
Kasey Bruns – Branch Director, Elara Caring
Kierstin Conner, RN – Vice President of Client & Caregiver Engagement, Home Halo
Kimberly Greenberg – Director of Rehabilitation & HHA, Innovive Health
Lauren Malik – Agency Director, Caring Senior Service
Mary Bausch – Director of Strategic Operations, VitalCaring Group
Melody Broney – Market Leader – Delaware, Help at Home
Raquel Lerner-Greenstein – Market Leader – New York, Help at Home
Rebecca Ahrens – Vice President of Clinical Services, Summit Healthcare Services
Sam Williams – Director of Palliative Care Operations, Compassus
Stephanie Aguilera – Regional Manager of Disability Services Operations, 24 Hour Home Care
Home Health & Home Care – Vendor
Anthony Smith – Vice President of RCM Operations, SimiTree
Brittany Lepore – Sr. Product Management, Viventium
Dane Ruccio – Senior Product Director, Axxess
David Griffith – Managing Partner, DCC Associates
Dustin Cowan – Director of Operations, Maxwell TEC
Irisi Dalzon – COO, AZBilling
Hospice & Palliative Care – Provider
Amanda Tippin – Vice President of Organizational Integrity, Deputy Compliance Officer & Privacy Officer, Empath Health
Benjamin Thompson – National Medical Director for Workforce Development & Strategy, Gentiva Hospice
Erica Farr, RN – Director of Hospice, Healing Hands Healthcare, LLC
Erin Horsley – Hospice Regional Executive of Clinical Operations, Compassus
Haven Banks – Director of Marketing & Outreach, MiraSol Health
Katie McCue – Hospice Social Worker, EverTrue
Kyle Rice – Vice President of Operations, Gentiva
Marisa Hernandez – Director of Operations, HealthView Hospice & Palliative Care
McKayla Hamiel – Clinical Educator, St. Francis Hospice
Rebecca Conner – Director of Patient Services, Anchor Health and Palliative
Tasha Bryant – Area Vice President of Operations, Elara Caring
Whitney Layton – Vice President of Compliance, Education & Quality, Delaware Hospice, Inc.
Yvette Vega – Clinical Manager, THEMA Health Services – Hospice
Hospice & Palliative Care – Vendor
Chase Knight – Chief Growth Officer, Empassion Health
Spencer Jennings – Chief Financial Officer, Empassion Health
Wendy Amerson – Director of Hospice Sales, Axxess
Senior Housing & Senior Living – Provider
Allison Reisch – Director of CRM and Data Strategy, Vi Living
Amanda Pierce – Assistant Fitness Coordinator, Vi at Bentley Village – Vi Living
Brasra London – Assistant Director of Resident Care, The Aspenwood Company
Bridget Banks – Administrator, Friendship Village
Danielle Gorddard – Assisted Living Administrator, St. Mark Village
Edward Craft – Senior Lifestyle Director, Frontier Senior Living
Jessica Brown – Executive Director, Academy Point at Mystic, a Benchmark Senior Living Community
Julian Criss – Senior Director of Sales & Marketing, The Aspenwood Company
Kenny Faunce – Personal Home Care Administrator, Juniper Village at Bucks County
Kimberly Varley – Sr. Vice President of Human Resources, The Aspenwood Company
Madisen Medley – Vice President of Business Development, Merrill Gardens
Matt Meyers – Senior Managing Director of Analytics, Arrow Senior Living
Megan Herwig – Director of Resident Engagement, Priority Life Care
Molly Lutz – Executive Director, Anthem Memory Care
Nicole Puccia – Regional Director of Operations & Wellness, Monarch Communities
Paulina Komperda – Interior Design Manager, Vi Living
Rachel McDonald – Resident Engagement Director, Stroudwater Lodge
Rob Cain – Vice President of Compliance, Arrow Senior Living
Robert Braley – Executive Director, Frontier Senior Living
Sarah Marr – Executive Director, ThriveMore
Shelly Mattscheck – Executive Director, The Branches of Framingham, a Benchmark Senior Living Community
Sophie Mitten – Sales Director, Skybrooke at Simsbury
Tim Wood – Vice President, Asset & Portfolio Management, LCS
Tyler May – Operations Specialist, American House Senior Living Communities
Zachary Volz – Director of Workforce Solutions, Health Dimensions Group
Senior Housing & Senior Living – Vendor
Desiree Geib – Project Architect, Kasian Architecture Interior Design & Planning Ltd.
Hunter Hein – President & Chief Financial Officer, O’Reilly Development Company, LLC
Jono Bowles – Industry Product Manager, Healthcare & Director of Industry Solutions, Ottimate
Matthew Ferry – COO, Parasol Alliance
Skilled Nursing – Provider
Alexander Ortega – General Manager & Administrator, Ignite Medical Resorts
Malee Barker – Director of Hospitality, Avondale Health and Rehab
Nicole Kollman – Licensed Practical Nurse & Clinical Nurse Consultant, EF Senior Care
Roman Fernandez – Administrator, Genesis HealthCare
Skilled Nursing – Vendor
Martine Dorgely – Head of Clinical, Sage
Mitchell Reiser – Deputy Chief Underwriter, Bravo Capital
For more information about the program and to view the complete Future Leaders Class of 2026, visit https://futureleaders.wtwhmedia.com/.
