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Health Advisory Committee
The Town of Greenburgh Health Advisory Committee
The Town of Greenburgh Health Advisory Committee acts as liaison to the Town Board and focuses on addressing health issues.
The members of the committee are medical and health professionals and patient advocates. The committee’s goals are to
- Educate members of the community about various health topics by participating in public events, providing information, recommending education programs, sharing resources on health topics and fostering well-being
- Share patient advocates’ experiences with health for the benefit of others
- Empower members of the community to discuss any concerns with their health care providers and share in treatment decisions
The committee also encourages the community to share this information with others, so even more people have the chance to live healthier and happier lives.
If you would like to join the committee, or have suggestions for the committee, please email jbarmecha@gmail.com
Chair, Health Advisory Group
Dr. Jitendra Barmecha MD, MPH, SFHM, FACP (Jeet) began his clinical and healthcare leadership career at SBH Health System as Chief Medical Resident after completing three years in the Internal Medicine Residency Program. He earned his MPH in Health Management and Policy at New York Medical College. In 2001, he joined Partners in Health, a health plan affiliated with SBH, as an Assistant Medical Director, and was appointed the Medical Director in 2005 and also appointed Chief Medical Officer of Union Community Health Center (UCHC). In 2006, he became Medical Director, Case Management at SBH and in 2011, Vice President of Medical Informatics & the Chief Medical Informatics Officer. He is now Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Health Care Data & Analytics and Clinical Engineering. As a board member and chair of the clinical committee, he provides clinical leadership to the Bronx Regional Health Information Exchange and the Bronx Regional Informatics Center. He also serves on the advisory panel for the physician payment reforms and practice transformation at the American College of Physicians, New York eCollaborative’s Physician Advisory Group, is a fellow of American College of Physician, Senior Fellow of Hospital Medicine and Fellow of New York Academy of Medicine, past president and chairman of the Board of Bronx County Medical Society. Jeet says, “While continuing my passion for patient care, I enjoys teaching clinical staff and medical students, and speaking on health care management, technology and policy.”
Members, Health Advisory Group
Judith Watson, RN, BSN, MPH has worked at the Greenburgh Health Center, a division of the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. and a Federally Qualified Community Health Center since 1994. Until 2002 she worked as a nurse and then became Executive Director. Judith currently manages four health center sites in White Plains, Greenburgh and Valhalla. Before joining the health center, Judith served in the United States Army on active duty from 1987-1990. She joined the Army Reserves upon discharge and served until 1994, having achieved the rank of Sergeant E-5. Judith completed a Bachelor of Science in Registered Nursing from Pace University in 1994 and a Master of Public Health from New York Medical College in 2008. Judith says, “Quality, comprehensive, primary and preventive care is my passion, particularly for those in need.”
Gayle T. Williams is a 27-year resident of the Fairview section of Greenburgh and has long been interested in health matters. A former newspaper and magazine reporter, ombudsman, editorial writer and editor, she covered health-related issues for The Journal News and Consumer Reports, and also worked in community relations and communications with United Way of Westchester and Putnam and the American Cancer Society. She now serves as the Development Communications Manager with Weill Cornell Medicine. Gail is the wife of Greenburgh Central School District Trustee Terry Williams and she is the mother of two sons, Reece and Nile, both graduates of the district.
Ron Cohen has a great sense of humor and says he started out early in life as a child. After college one semester of college he was drafted into the Army where he served as an infantryman in Viet Nam. Four years after leaving the Army he married his wife Susan and in August 2018 they celebrated their 46th anniversary. They have two children, Brian and Meredith and often take road trips together. Ron worked for 29 years as a photographer. 17 of those years as a staff photographer for Bristol-Myers Squibb. In 2002 Ron changed careers and worked in sales for Fortunoff for 10 years. Ron was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in Nov. 2010. On September 16, 2012 Ron received a single lung transplant after on the transplant list. He now volunteers registering people to become organ donors and is a board member of Transplant Support Organization. Ron says, “I feel fortunate to have had a transplant and want to pay it forward. I truly enjoys participating in health events and talking to people.”
David Verge is an activist for human life. After a near fatal heart attack, his heart was too damaged to keep alive so he later had an LVAD, a heart pump, to stay alive and now he has a transplanted heart from another. He works in the field of organ donation and LVAD education. Whether he is in the ICU encouraging people to go forward with a heart transplant or on the sidelines of a parade trying to sign people up to become an organ donor, the purpose is the same, to save lives. He is a member of Transplant Support Group in lower NY, an LVAD ambassador for life, a volunteer for LiveOnNY and New York Donate Life and now a member with the Greenburgh Health Committee. David says, “Life is good; it is a good day to be alive. Dance and sing the blues.”
Natalie Carey is a registered nurse with experience in care management in both the hospital and home health care industries. Natalie’s professional background includes hospital based nursing, community health, geriatric care management and various nursing management positions. She received her Baccalaureate degree in nursing from Boston University and a master’s degree in Nursing Education from Pace University. In 2017, her employer, New York Presbyterian Hospital chose her as the first annual recipient of the Excellence in Care Management award. Natalie holds certification in Case Management from The Commission for Case Management. In September of 2018, she began a doctoral program at Pace University.
Joanne Reisch, MD did her undergraduate study at Cornell University, where she majored in Biological Sciences. She obtained her master’s degree in Microbiology at Rutgers University. She then received her MD degree at New York University. Dr. Reisch did her internship and residency at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She practiced Internal Medicine in Connecticut for 20 years. Dr. Reisch is passionate about protecting the environment for future generations.
Morri Markowitz, MD is the Director, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, at the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Helpful Links
United Network of Organ Sharing. This group matches organs, directs were they are distributed and explains everything you need to know about Organ donation, how it works and is managed
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. This site has statistics about organ procurement and distribution. OPTN works with and is part of UNOS.
https://organdonor.gov/index.html
Department of Health and Human Services. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) serves as the OPTN under contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). UNOS is a private, non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia
NY State registry. General organ donation information, what to do, provides lists most of the transplant organizations in NY with links: procurement organizations, eye and tissue banks and transplant Centers.
The Transplant Support Organization works with Live On NY. They cover lower NY to organize organ donor events, take registration for new donors, educates the public and we do many events together.
Donate Life America is for people to enroll nationally. It explains to understand organ donation, has statistic and information, types of donations, FAQ and how to get involved
Health Resources and Service Administration
Easy to understand information for newly diagnosed congestive heart failure patients
https://ahainstructornetwork.americanheart.org/AHAECC/ecc.jsp?pid=ahaecc.studentlanding