Our Purpose
Formed in 2018 by founding partners Alivia Care and the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association, the Florida Palliative Care Coalition now serves as the only organization solely focused on advancing the understanding, visibility, availability, and practice of palliative care in Florida.
OUR MISSION
To support and inspire the acceleration of solutions that promote better quality of life for Floridians living with serious, chronic, or advanced illness through research, education, advocacy and access to holistic health care.
OUR VISION
A future in which Floridians with serious, chronic, or advanced illness and their caregivers receive holistic health care that aligns with their goals, values and preferences and provides the best quality of life.
Florida Palliative Care Coalition Steering Committee
| Name | Affiliation |
| Jim Akin |
Executive Director Chapter Staff NASW-Florida Chapter |
| Steve Bahmer |
President & CEO Leading Age Florida |
| Dorene Barker |
Associate State Director, Advocacy AARP Florida |
| Travis Blanton |
Owner, Partner Johnson & Blanton |
| Audrey Brown |
President & CEO Florida Association of Health Plans |
| Maria Cabrerra | American Cancer Society |
| Tony Carvajal |
Executive Vice President Florida Tax Watch |
| Christopher Cogle, MD |
Chair, Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council (CCRAB) |
| Dr. Kenneth Goodman, PhDm FACMI, FACE |
Professor and Director, Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy Director, WHO Collaborating Center in Ethics and Global Health Policy Co-Director, UM Ethics Programs Director, Florida Bioethics Network Chair, Ethics Committee, University of Miami Hospitals and Clinics Chair, Adult Ethics Committee, Jackson Health System University of Miami Miller School of Medicine |
| Christie Grant | Florida Hospice & Palliative Care |
| Kristen Griffis |
Executive Director Elder Options |
| Leonard Hock |
Chairman, Board of Directors Florida Medical Directors Association Lead, Florida POLST |
| Melissa Jordan |
Chief of Public Health Florida Health |
| Scott Kistler, MHA |
Vice President for Strategy & Business Development Empath Health |
| Sheri Kittelson, MD, FAAFP |
Associate Professor Chief, Division of Palliative Care Department of Medicine University of Florida |
| Ken Kniepmann |
Associate for Health Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops |
| Wendy Kraszewski |
VP Palliative Care Executive Director for Connexis Medical Services |
| Margherita Labson, BSN, MSHSA, CPHQ, CCM | Labson & Associates |
| Michael Lawton |
CEO Florida Health Plan United Healthcare |
| Paul Ledford |
President & CEO Florida Hospice & Palliative Care |
| Bobby Lolley |
Executive Director Home Care Association of Florida |
| Paul D. Malley |
President Aging with Dignity |
| Gail Matillo |
President & CEO Florida Senior Living Association |
| Barbara McCann |
Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP) |
| Bobbie McKee |
Research Advocacy Manager Moffitt Cancer Center |
|
Donna Melogy |
Vice President, Case Management, Long Term Care Sunshine Health |
|
Cindy Meredith |
Director Client Relations Florida Association of Health Plans |
| Jeff Mislevy |
President & CEO Covenant Health and Community Services |
| Samer Nasr, MD |
VISN 8 Clinical Lead, Rehabilitation and Extended Care Integrated Community of Care Network 8 (10N8) |
| Juan Palacios |
Service Chief Palliative, Geriatrics & Extended Care Orlando VA Medical Center |
| Susan Ponder-Stansel |
President & CEO Alivia Care, Inc. |
| Emmett Reed |
Executive Director Florida Health Care Association |
| Mike Simmons |
President and CEO Bridge Builder Strategies |
| Laurence M. Solberg, MD, AGSF |
Staff Geriatrician NF/SG VAHS GRECC 182 US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration |
| Kim Streit |
Vice President Florida Hospital Association |
| Megan Wessel |
Vice President, Regional Cancer Control American Cancer Society Southeast Region |
