Leadership

Gwen Cooper, MPA, CFRE

President & CEO

Gwen Cooper joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) as Chief Executive Officer on June 1, 2020. She brings over 25 years of nonprofit executive experience in all facets of healthcare, from leading statewide voluntary health organization fundraising and advocacy platforms to serving as an executive in provider delivery systems.

Considered a subject matter expert in person-centered care delivery, Gwen has worked on notable Federal advocacy campaigns, including the rollout of Medicare Part D, 21st Century Cures Act, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery (CARA) Act, Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) and The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well support for the preservation of the Johnson Amendment.

At the state level, Gwen has authored and passed new policies in several states, ensuring people have access to medications, palliative care, addiction treatment, and mental health services.

Gwen was named a 2022 Healthcare Hero by Louisville Business First, was twice nominated for the Kentucky Healthcare Advocate of the Year Award through Kentucky Medical News, listed as Insider Louisville’s 28th most influential marketing executive in metro Louisville, and recognized as one of 20 People to Know in Nonprofits by Louisville Business First.

For the past several years, she served as a founding core team member of the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council (LHCC), created to focus on revolutionizing healthcare for America’s aging population. Gwen now serves as part of the LHCC national alumni innovation group. She is an 18-year volunteer with the American Lung Association and currently serves as a Fight for Air Climb Ambassador and Leadership Board Member of the Kentuckiana American Lung Association.

Gwen earned her BA in Communications from the University of South Florida her MPA from Indiana University and has held the Certified Fundraising Executive credential since 2009. When not advocating for patients and families, Gwen can be found running, hiking, and spending much of her time outdoors with her husband and youngest son on their farm in southern Indiana. Her oldest son, along with most of her immediate family members, are serving or have served in our military.

Deanna Callahan, JD

Compliance Officer

Deanna joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) as the Compliance Officer in February 2020. She brings over 30 years of experience in all aspects of healthcare regulation and delivery, including the nonprofit organization that oversees the nation’s human organ procurement and transplantation network, large health systems, an independent hospital, a large distributor, a medical supply company, and physician practice groups. She presents on healthcare regulation at conferences and continuing legal education programs of the American Bar Association and the American Health Law Association, and she served as a faculty member for the inaugural AHLA’s Women’s Leadership Institute. Deanna also teaches legal writing at a local college. Deanna earned her B.A. from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY and her J.D. from the University of Richmond. She is licensed to practice law in Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Dave Griffiths

VP, Development Patient Assistance Fund

Dave Griffiths serves as Vice President of Development Patient Assistance Funds for Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.), having joined the organization in November 2021. He is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing fundraising and strategic partnerships with large corporations to increase patient assistance opportunities in Accessia Health’s specific disease programs.

He joins Accessia Health after more than 20 years of working in the nonprofit industry combining his expertise in strategic corporate relations and alliance partnerships with fundraising and employee engagement for national and global nonprofits.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Dave has spent the last five years as a global partnership consultant for several European-based companies and international nonprofits. Outside of Accessia Health, Dave serves on the boards of several global volunteer organizations. He has also led strategic fundraising and partnership development training for many companies and nonprofit organizations, including the Resource Alliance U.K. and the U.S. Consulate General of Ireland office.

Dave arrived in the US to play soccer at the University of Kentucky, where he not only earned his degree but met and married his wife, Brooke, a proud Brain Tumor Survivor. They have three children and live in Louisville, Kentucky.

Tiara Green, MSEd

VP, Operations

Tiara joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) in 2013 as a Program Manager, assisting with the execution of patient programs. In 2016, Tiara was promoted to Director of Operations, overseeing call center operations and implementation of patient programs.

Most recently, Tiara was promoted to VP of Operations, where she oversees all Patient operations to ensure patients receive the most efficient and compassionate patient experience. s. Her in-depth prior experiences include working with state health departments as well as national nonprofit organizations spanning a variety of focuses, including health insurance enrollment, diabetes, sickle cell disease, preconception health, and overall wellness.

She is a hands-on leader dedicated to fostering organizational growth and coaching staff members to expand leadership skills. Tiara’s visionary mindset has assisted Accessia Health in growing its health education offerings to patients.

Tiara earned her B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and her MS.Ed. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, focusing on community health and health promotion, respectively.

In her spare time, Tiara engages in philanthropic activities and spends time with her two sons and husband.

Ashley Lee

Executive Project Manager

As Executive Project Manager, Ashley directs and integrates the activities of multiple projects within the Business Development, Operations, and Executive Departments ensuring that project efforts are cohesive, consistent, and effective in supporting Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) and the Accessia Health Foundation’s mission, goals, and strategic plan. Ashley joined the Accessia Health team in 2016 as Executive Assistant, then transitioned to Director of Development and Engagement in 2019. The Executive Project Manager role allows Ashley to go back to her career roots while continuing her passion for helping patients with rare and chronic illnesses.

Ashley received her A.A. from Richard Bland College of William & Mary in 2001 and went on to B.A. studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

As Virginia natives, Ashley and her husband reside just outside of the state capital where they spend time with their daughter enjoying the beautiful city of Richmond and East Coast Beaches.

James Romano, MBA

Government Affairs Consultant

James Romano serves as a Government Affairs Consultant for Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.). James began his career in patient advocacy at the age of 19. As a freshman in college, he lobbied for the passage of the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act (Public Law 105-369) on behalf of the Hemophilia Community. James has five members of his family with hemophilia and is the fourth generation to advocate on behalf of the rare disease and plasma community. Since joining PSI’s team, James has advocated for access of therapies and treatments for patients with expensive rare conditions, building relationships on Capitol Hill and with patient advocacy groups around the country. James is an avid reader and the author of the blog, Reading1000Books.

Daniel Wise, MBA

Director of Finance

Dan joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) in 2013 and became our Director of Finance in 2018. He oversees all financial management and accounting functions at PSI.

Prior to Accessia Health, Dan worked in a variety of management accounting and financial leadership roles at both for-profit and non-profit organizations, including Anthem Insurance, GE, and Habitat for Humanity International. In fact, he met his wife at HFHI and they have one adult daughter.

A Michigan native, Dan graduated with a BS in Economics from Valparaiso University (Indiana) and received his MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. When not busy with meetings, budgets, and other work projects, he enjoys traveling, reading, and sporting events.

Dan likes working with the Accessia Health team and finds it rewarding to be part of an organization that helps thousands of patients improve their healthcare outcomes.

Michael Brown, CFRE

Executive Director, Accessia Health Foundation

Michael became Accessia Health’s (formerly Patient Services Inc.) first Foundation Executive Director in January 2021. In this role, he is responsible for raising awareness and funds to support the programs and services of Accessia Health.

As a seasoned fundraising executive focused on creating and fostering long-lasting relationships and partnerships, Michael brings 15 years of energy, passion, and experience to Accessia Health, while abiding by his service-before-self mantra.

Previously, Michael served as the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Voices for Virginia’s Children. In this role, Michael was responsible for setting and strategically executing the organization’s development plan, raising the profile of Voices and building relationships with new and current donors, partners and funders. Before Voices, Michael worked with Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia and the YMCA of Greater Richmond. His first sports passion, baseball, paid off with a 13th round draft pick to the Detroit Tigers in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, playing two seasons in their minor league system.

Michael attended the College of William & Mary, where he was the university’s first-ever 1st Team All- American in baseball and was inducted into their athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. Michael earned the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2020, one of the highest designations in the field. He and his wife live in Midlothian, Virginia, with their son.

Jennifer Noonan, MSN, RN

Clinical Program Director

Jennifer Noonan joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) as the Clinical Program Director in April 2021 with 23 years of clinical nursing experience. She started her career in the emergency department at St. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, KY. In her 17 years there, she served in leadership roles while also assisting with EMR development and updates. Jennifer spent several years devoted to the clinical development, training, and implementation of Cerner within the Jewish Health System in Louisville. Jennifer moved into hospice and palliative care in 2014 and has served in leadership roles for both adult and pediatric patients. Jennifer earned her associate degree in nursing at Kentucky State University, her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Western Governors University, and her master’s degree in nursing informatics with a focus on data analytics at Western Governors University.

Jennifer is married to her husband Sean and has four teenagers. When she isn’t spending time with her family and two rescue dogs, you can find her practicing martial arts (Taekwondo and judo), hiking, or traveling.

Ashlea Christiansen, JD

Director of Government Affairs

Ashlea Christiansen joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) in April 2021 and serves as the Director of Government Affairs. As a licensed attorney, Ashlea has served in a variety of prior professional roles, which lend to her depth of understanding of policy, law, politics, and their intersectionality with health justice and equity. These roles included Director of Regulatory Affairs for a long-term care association, State Director and Counsel of Marsy’s Law for Kentucky, Lobbyist in Frankfort, KY and D.C. for a non-profit Medicaid managed care organization, owner of a small law firm specializing in divorce, custody, and child abuse and neglect cases, a practitioner in a boutique law firm defending clients in complex federal and civil cases; and child sexual abuse therapist at a Kentucky community mental health center.

Ashlea is the proud mom of a smart, strong, articulate and only occasionally sassy daughter, currently in college studying ways to save our oceans. Shortly after beginning her work at Accessia Health, both Ashlea and her daughter were finally diagnosed with Primary Familial Polycythemia, a disorder that causes the overproduction of red blood cells – although this had been a years-long journey to receive answers. This experience has been eye-opening and humbling for Ashlea, teaching her about the battles for diagnosis, medication, and proper care that many patients experience – simply reinforcing for her the need for policy and systemic change. When not scuba diving or hiking, Ashlea happily lives in a renovated barn with her ragtag family of rescue animals.

Lamont Brown

VP, Administration

Lamont joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) in 2008 as a staff Accountant to assist with financial services, audits, and managing the inventory reconciliations for our Free Product program at the time. Over his tenure, he has served in several leadership roles within the organization and was recently promoted to VP of Administration in August 2021. Prior to Accessia Health, Lamont served as an officer in the banking and financial industry, where he also held leadership positions in Mortgage, Private Client Services, and Commercial Credit Services.

A Richmond native, Lamont earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Old Dominion University, double majoring in Accounting and Economics, while also completing an Internal Audit program endorsed by the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Outside of Accessia Health, Lamont has also served in several leadership roles within his church and fraternity which are also dedicated to service and philanthropy. He also has volunteered with several youth sports organizations. In his spare time, Lamont is an avid video gamer and loves spending time with his wife and two kids.

Mitch Mula

Chairman of the Board

Mr. Mula received his Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health School of Physical Therapy from Louisiana State University Medical Center. He has served as a staff physical therapist at Baton Rouge Medical Center and currently owns his own physical therapy practice. In addition to Mr. Mula serving as our board member, he also is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, APTA Geriatrics Division, and APTA Health Care Administration Division. He is married and has a son and a daughter.

Brian Thomas Landry

Vice Chairman and Secretary

Brian is a native New Orleanian, and received a BS degree in Marketing from Louisiana State University. He served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, Public Affairs and Development for LCMC Health, a five-hospital non-profit New Orleans area healthcare system, until his retirement in January 2016. He is actively involved with St. Joseph Benedictine Abbey & Seminary College, located in southern Louisiana. Brian has served as Chairman of both the long range strategic planning committee and the department of institutional advancement, and was selected the college’s 2016 alumnus of the Year. Brian is a board member and past president of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana, Inc., and also serves on the boards of both the Miracle League of Greater New Orleans and North Shore, which are not-for-profit organizations dedicated to providing the opportunity for kids with special needs to play baseball and other sports in organized leagues.

“Throughout my adult life, I have been passionately involved with non-profits that serve the needs of others.”

Brian is married, and has a daughter, two sons, and eight grandchildren.

Russell E. Phillips, Jr., CPA CVA MAFF

Treasurer

Russ is the Managing Partner of The Phillips Organization, a Certified Public Accounting and Consulting Firm located in Canton, OH. He earned his B.A. degree in Accounting from Walsh University and obtained his Certified Public Accountant’s license from the Accountancy Board of Ohio. He also holds the credentials of Certified Valuation Analysis (CVA) and Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), with a specialty in bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganizations accredited by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA).

Russ has been married to his wife Tammy since 1982 and has two adult children. He currently serves on several local and national not-for-profit organizations and is an advocate for individuals with chronic health conditions.

Brian L. Fink, Esq.

Board Member

Mr. Fink is currently the President & CEO of an Ohio-based manufacturing company.  Brian holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Juris Doctor from the University of Akron.  Brian is admitted to practice in law in the State of Ohio.  Brian has over 30 years of diverse experience including service on profit and non-profit boards, small business ownership, executive and operational leadership, and international business development.  Brian enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and working on his farm.  Mr. Fink was introduced to Patient Services, Inc. through fellow Patient Services Board Member, Russ Phillips.

Terrie L. Glass, LCSW

Board Member

Ms. Glass is a trainer, speaker, and consultant working with both public and private sector organizations. She has expertise in leadership development, communication, customer service, and team building.

Her professional experience includes serving as president of Leadership Solutions Associates, Director of Leadership Development for Zelos, LLC, adjunct faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work and 15 years in leadership roles at Henrico Mental Health & Developmental Services.

Her education includes receiving her MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University, a MA from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and BSW from Eastern Mennonite University. Ms. Glass is a member of the National Speakers Association and is a Certified Professional Speaker.

Denise Gloede, MSN, RN, CHPN

Member at Large

Denise Gloede has more than 20 years of clinical nursing experience, with the last 15 years in leadership positions within hospice and palliative care organizations. She joined Hosparus as the executive director of palliative care on October 31, 2016. She leads the Kourageous Kids pediatric hospice and palliative care team as well as the adult community-based palliative care program. Denis recently relocated from Madison, WI, where she was the vice president of business development for Agrace leading strategic growth and expansion planning for hospice and palliative care services lines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s in nursing with a focus on leadership and health system management from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Lud Kimbrough

Board Member

Lud Kimbrough is the Managing Partner at Fahrenheit Advisors. Lud has provided financial, strategic, and executive management expertise to publicly held, private equity-backed, and startup companies. He is adept at balancing human capital, strategy and analytics, and shareholder and lender interests by serving as a leader and advisor to dozens of middle market companies during periods of turbulence, turnaround, and dramatic growth. With more than 35 years of entrepreneurial and consulting experience, Lud has built strong teams by developing a clear vision and strategies, embracing new technologies, and understanding risk tolerance.

Throughout his career, Lud has served in various roles including president, CEO, and managing director. He has led or advised businesses in diverse industry sectors including marketing, aerospace tooling, cryogenics equipment, outdoor advertising, and cable television. He has guided businesses in exiting or outsourcing non-core segments, stabilizing workforces, transitioning family owned businesses to professional leadership, and leading business spin-off and sales processes in a variety of manufacturing industries.

Lee Smith

Board Member 

Lee served as Chair of the Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) Foundation Board in 2021 before joining the Accessia Health Board. He is the area Vice President of Sales with BioTelemetry Healthcare with over 10 years of experience in effective medical-based sales management. He is an entrepreneurial leader who develops high-performance sales teams and creates winning sales organizations with heightened senses of urgency and accountability. Prior to his time at BioTelemtry, he was the National Sales Director for LipoScience and Regional Sales Manager for Hologic, Inc.

Erin Collins

Board Member

Erin Collins has spent nearly 20 years as a policy advocate across the financial services and insurance sectors. Erin currently manages the National State Legislative and Regulatory Team and related lobbying objectives for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. She also leads NAMIC’s involvement with the National Conference of Insurance Legislators and participates in NAMIC’s activities with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

At NAMIC, Erin has testified before numerous state legislatures and Congress on behalf of the association’s 1,400 member companies and their 170 million policyholders on topics ranging from frequency and severity of auto accidents, reform of opioid abuse in the workers’ compensation sector, and pre-disaster mitigation aimed to harden local communities throughout the United States.

In addition to her professional work, Erin is passionate about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization aiming to cure childhood cancers through dedicated cancer research. Erin shaved her head in September 2019 for the cause, becoming the world’s fifth-leading fundraiser for that year.

Erin received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Mary Baldwin University and her master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Prior to joining the NAMIC team, Erin spent more than six years as the director of government affairs for the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, where she led all lobbying initiatives, grassroots activity, and the Society’s Political Action Committee. Erin resides in Richmond, Va. with her wife Erin and their son Anderson.

Jessika Acosta

Board Member

Jessika is the Agile Delivery Lead at Capital One. She is an experienced IT professional with a unique combination of technical and managerial experience, business development, design, and production support to lead the delivery and implementation of mission-critical software systems. Prior to Capital One, Jessika worked for McKesson, a medical distribution company, for over 12 years managing document management software development.

Angela Martin

Board Member

Angela has over 21 years in diverse pharmacy practice areas including managed care, hospice consulting, hospital, long-term care, home infusion, pharmacy management, and retail. In these roles, she actively engaged in providing clinical support to various clients, marketing specialty physicians, home health agencies, and nursing homes; negotiated contracts for infusion services; and supported and created clinical initiatives that would deliver positive outcomes for a varied patient base.

Angela is currently employed with OptumCare as an Associate Director of Pharmacy Strategy and Programs. Prior to joining Optum, she was with Anthem as a Provider Clinical Liaison on their Oncology and Palliative Care Solutions team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Louisiana Tech University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. 

Heather Reinecke

Director of Human Resources

Heather joined Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.) in 2016 in the role of Human Resources.  She focuses on, benefits administration, personnel relations, recruiting, and company culture.

Prior to joining Accessia Health, Heather served as a Human Resource Consultant for a variety of small to medium size companies helping clients establish best practices for all human resources processes.

Heather received her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and will forever be a proud Hokie.

Heather and her husband Rich live in the Northern Neck of Virginia.  They enjoy all activities on the water and exploring restaurants, wineries, and live music.  They are proud parents of twin sons who attend Virginia Commonwealth University.

Mike Holdren

Vice President of Information Technology

Mike Holdren serves as the Vice President for Information Technology for Accessia Health (formerly Patient Services, Inc.). As VP of Information Technology, Mike is charged with the creation of strategic IT initiatives that align with the Accessia Health mission and long-term goals.

Mike has extensive experience in all aspects of healthcare technology. He has recently provided CIO leadership and consulting services to a number of non-profit organizations. Mike was with Marlin Private Equity as a Technology and Operations Executive, providing due diligence and CIO leadership for Marlin healthcare technology acquisitions. Mike has also served in roles as the Executive Director of Software Program Delivery for Aetna Healthcare, Vice President of Applications Development for Coventry Healthcare, CIO of First Health Services, and VP of Application Development for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia.

Anna Brown

Vice President, Marketing and Communications

Anna joins Accessia Health with 16 years of nonprofit healthcare experience. She earned the prestigious Professional Certified Marketing credential from the American Marketing Association and has won numerous awards for executing digital and print brand campaigns. Anna is responsible for the strategic implementation of Accessia Health’s omnichannel marketing and communication efforts that establish the nonprofit as the premiere patient assistance organization in the nation.

“Everything about a business connects back to marketing and communications and it’s my job to showcase that. Nothing is linear in marketing, it’s often a complicated matrix of current processes and new idea building, and seeing all that as one big picture that moves a company forward is what excites me about marketing.”

Based in Louisville, KY, Anna previously served as Director of Marketing & Communications at Hosparus Health, the nation’s 19th largest nonprofit hospice and palliative care organization in the US and serving Kentucky and Indiana. In this role, she was responsible for the brand reputation and marketing strategy for multiple brands and service lines. She has served in numerous volunteer roles at her church and is a Girl Scout leader for her daughter’s troop. When not working, Anna spends her time with her husband and 3 kids. She is a houseplant enthusiast and loves weekends spent reading books or watching Netflix.

Mark Harris

Board Member

After a brief stint in minor league baseball, Mark’s career started as a database programmer with Choicepoint/LexisNexis. He was convinced by an acquaintance to move into consulting at Ariba (since purchased by SAP) where he found a successful niche implementing spend management software. Rising through the consulting ranks, including a brief detour at IBM, he made his way into management. Since then he has held roles across SAP’s procurement software division, including Customer Success, Solution Management, Marketing, and Product Management. He recently spent two years in Japan working on a comprehensive regional improvement program before returning to the US and the Product organization.

Mark acquired his BS in Psychology from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. He currently lives in San Diego, CA where he enjoys spending as much time outside as possible.