Katherine G. Alonge-Coons LCSWR (Kathy Coons) serves as the Commissioner of Mental Health in Rensselaer County, Troy, New York. She was appointed to serve as the Commissioner in January 2013 after working in the Rensselaer County Department of Mental Health since 1987. In her capacity as the Director of Children’s Services, Kathy took on the role of Director of Program Operations for the county operated Mental Health services. During her years of employment with the Department, Kathy has participated in developing many new initiatives to serve children, youth and adults. Recently, she has provided leadership in developing cross-system planning and training between the county departments serving children, youth and families. Through her membership in the NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors she serves as the chairperson of the Child and Family Subcommittee, Second Vice Chair and Co-Chair of the Capital Region, Regional Planning Consortium. She also represents the Conference on the NYS Children’s Medicaid Redesign Team. Kathy is actively involved in the Alliance for Better Health Care Performing Provider System, of the NYS DSRIP initiative, serving on the Board of Managers, Clinical Integration Committee, leader in the project to improve MEB infrastructure, chair of the Audit Committee and a variety of other work groups and committees. She also serves on the HIXNY Regional Health Information Organization) Board of Directors, and the NYS SUCCESS Advisory Committee. Kathy graduated from SUNY Albany School of Social Welfare in December 1984 earning a Masters of Social Work, and Siena College in August 1980 with a Bachelors of Sociology. In addition, she is a graduate of St Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry having earned a Masters of Divinity in June 2006. Kathy married Earl Coons in 1982 and the couple has two adult daughters, Melissa and Grace. She and Earl have resided in North Troy (Lansingburgh) for 34 years; she has lived in Rensselaer County for her lifetime and is a graduate of Columbia High School class of 1977. Kathy enjoys reading, needlework, travel and workouts at Curves.

Dr. Antonio Reyes is a certified Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and a certified Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He attained his education entirely in the Philippines, first at De La Salle University in Manila for his B.S. in Biology, and later, his Doctor of Medicine at the University of the East. He went on to complete Residencies at both the Philippine General Hospital in Manila and St. Clare’s Hospital in Schenectady, New York. He currently serves as Chairman of Ellis Medicine’s Family Medicine Department, and is a sitting board member for both Alliance for Better Health and the Innovative Health Alliance of New York. Additionally, Dr. Reyes works at the Five Corners Family Practice in Schenectady as a partner and practicing physician.

Dr. Piacentine joined Cardiology Associates of Schenectady in July 2011. He earned his BS degree in Chemistry, Mathematics from Georgetown University where he lettered in varsity base-ball. Upon graduation from Georgetown, Dr. Piacentine spent two years as a research chemist at Pfizer. He earned his MD from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey — New Jersey Medical School, where he was elected to the National Medical Honor Society, Alpha Omega Alpha. Dr. Piacentine served both his internship and residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. Following residency, he served as an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the Department of Internal Medicine. Subsequently he completed his fellowship in cardiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disease. His professional interests include clinical cardiology, heart failure and echocardiography. Personal interests include baseball, football and travel. He resides in southern Saratoga County with his wife and three children.

Mr. Milton brings to the executive team a proven track record of collaborative accomplishments under his leadership, including the development of the Medical Center of Clifton Park, and the realignment of facilities and services at Bellevue Woman’s Center, McClellan Street Health Center and Ellis Hospital.

Prior to joining Ellis, Mr. Milton was Chief Operating Officer of The Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut, a 328 bed teaching hospital and level II trauma center. Previously, Mr. Milton held the following positions: Chief Operating Officer of Northeast Health, Troy, NY, where he played a key role in the merger of Albany Memorial and Samaritan hospitals; Vice President of Administration for Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, CT; and Vice President of Operations at the Stamford Health Care Corporation, Stamford, CT.

Mr. Milton earned his master’s degree in health services administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami University, Oxford, OH. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Among Mr. Milton’s other experience includes services as a community health care coordinator with the United States Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa.

Barden joins SPHP from Blaze Advisors, LLC, where she served as senior vice president. She has more than 30 years of experience in health care planning, marketing, business development, and operations, including leadership positions at Methodist Health System in Dallas and United Health Services in Binghamton. She also served as senior vice-president/executive officer of VHA Inc.’s Empire-Metro office, which coordinates and directs the health care network’s efforts to serve 47 hospitals across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

Barden holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. She earned a master’s degree in health administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Dr. Adetona is an accomplished and highly skilled Family Medicine physician in the capital district area of New York state. She is well respected in her community, earning many accolades for the quality of her work and her patient centered care. She has been awarded and praised as one of the Top Performing Doctor in the capital district for several years.

Furthermore, she is the owner and president of Lansingburgh Family Practice P.C., a successful private practice in the under-served area of Troy, NY. She also serves on the physician advisory board for Fidelis Health Care, the board of directors of Alliances for Better Health, the EPC advisory board and the board of directors for Capital District Physician Health Plan (CDPHP).

Her enthusiasm for her vocation is unparalleled, as she strives to deliver the best of health care with deep compassion, and truly meeting each patient at the point of care and need. Last but not
least, she is the wife to a privately practicing OBGYN, a loving/doting mother and grandmother.

Dr. Reider joined Alliance because as a family physician, he wants the world to be more healthy. He has worked for decades to improve the health of our communities through the innovative use of technology, and the promotion of benevolence in business. He served as CEO of Alliance for Better Health for four years and is currently President of Healthy Alliance IPA, the sister entity of Alliance For Better Health, and CEO of Huddle Health. He previously served as the Deputy National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the US Department of Health and Human Services. In his three years at HHS, he was responsible for the policies and programs designed to improve health through the development and implementation of safer, more resilient, reliable, usable, helpful and interoperable information technology. He has more than 20 years of experience in health information technology with a special interest in user experience, clinical decision support and information portability. He served as the CMIO of Allscripts, one of the nation’s largest health IT developers, and was Associate Dean for Biomedical Informatics at Albany Medical College where he continues to teach on an adjunct basis. He co-founded five successful health IT start-up companies, and has held Directorships on boards of both non-profits and private companies. He has also held leadership roles in the American Medical Informatics Association and the New York State Academy of Family Physicians. His interests include organizational leadership and culture, behavioral health innovations, shared clinical decision-making and evidence-based management of common medical conditions.

Anne joined Alliance because the mission to bring health to the communities Alliance serves perfectly aligns with her goals. Although it can be difficult to know what we want to be, she has always known she wanted to help people. Living in many different cities, towns, and states has helped to develop an appreciation for how communities can take varying approaches in trying to achieve a healthy community. Anne’s nursing career has always fulfilled this desire, from working with patients in critical condition, teaching self-management of chronic illness to patients in their homes, to mentoring a new nurse. Over the last 34 years, Anne has worked in many health care settings; starting as a nurse’s aide while attending college, working in many RN roles in hospitals, home care, and Hospice, to Director level positions in Home Care and Care Coordination. Anne has worked on several implementations of electronic medical records and believes technology platforms can link the community together to assist in making people healthier. As a graduate of Russell Sage College School of Nursing and Villanova University with a Masters in Community Health Nursing focused on Administration & Education, Anne has also worked as an Adjunct Nursing Instructor in Community Health. She is currently the Board of Directors President for Kee to Independent Growth, who serves individuals with ongoing disabilities. Her most recent work utilized Patient Centered Medical Home Model based on Population Health. Anne brings all these experiences to the Performance Team to help integrate the goal of health for people by working with our Community Based Organizations, Health Plans, and Clinical Partners. Anne loves to spend her free time with family and friends (both 2 and 4-legged), golfing, skiing, gardening, and exploring.

Kate joined Alliance because she believes that treatment of the whole person rather than symptoms is key in the future of healthcare and that the work Alliance is performing will assist in transforming the “system”. In her role, Kate is responsible for the efficient operation of Alliance’s administrative and operational infrastructure. As the lead resource to senior management, she ensures the timely follow up and execution of all commitments made to staff and/or partners. She has a B.S. in Marketing/Management from Siena College. Kate is pleased to have come back to health care after time away from the field. She previously worked at Albany Medical College in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Kate is a member of the Columbia Greene Humane society and volunteers time/efforts to many different groups in the area. She lives in East Greenbush with her husband, their rescue fuzzy babies Lucy the Foxhound and 2 cats Stella and Jewels.

Blake joined Alliance because he enjoys contributing to a mission of bettering the health of the Capital Region. Prior to joining Alliance, Blake served as the Vice President of Birch Hill Catering, where he modernized an 83-year-old family business, overhauling its technology infrastructure head-to-toe. Blake earned his dual degree in Engineering and Management from Clarkson University, from which he graduated a year early. He started at Alliance as an independent contractor, working on overseeing and overhauling Alliance’s IT infrastructure. He was brought on full-time in September of 2019, where he grew into a managerial roll, overseeing the IT department. Blake currently builds custom applications to support the landscape of future VBP contracts to promote and improve community health.

Naomi joined Alliance because she believes that the highest human act is to inspire. She feels that we all are in search of inspiration every day. The opportunity to inspire or be inspired is what creates movements. Being a part of Alliance’s movement allows her to inspire people to make connections that they might not have known were available to them in their community. Human service has always been her passion. After working at the Sister Maureen Joyce Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen her eyes were open even more to see the layers of poverty in the community where she was born and raised. After working there, she began working at Healthy Capital District Initiative where she began enrolling people of all ages in health insurance and seeing how people struggled with medical insecurities. Totally different viewpoint from her prior 7 years in the Medical ICU at Albany Medical Center before the pantry and soup kitchen. Being creative, resourceful and committed to serving those often unheard is what keeps Naomi going. In her spare time, you can find her out enjoying the sunshine, or up early at a yard sale or flea market looking for hidden treasures for her refurbished furniture business.

Chris joined Alliance because she has a passion for helping and advocating for underserved populations. She has dedicated her life’s work to advocating and giving voice to those who have not been heard. She was a young teenage mom who left high school, received her GED, then moved on to gain her Associates degree from HVCC in Human Services. Chris is currently enrolled at Empire State College to finish up her BA in Human Services. Throughout the progression of her career, Chris spent many years in community-based organizations working in food pantries, assisting with SNAP and HEAP applications and case management. She also spent time working in the housing field as a referral coordinator. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends. She is excited to be part of a team that is so passionate about helping people achieve great things and feels like Alliance is a perfect match! After all, she hearts (loves) referrals!

Michele joined Alliance because of her continued desire to support clients and their families through a team based approach to care coordination & support services that fosters independence and self-management, reduce redundancy in services, and create a more seamless approach to medical and social care needs – while helping to minimize the burden of navigating a complex system of health and social care in our communities. As a Registered Nurse serving the community for over 30 years, Michele has spent much of her career serving clients and their families, providing a holistic client centered approach to care and services. Placing the clients’ needs first in all we do is essential in meeting the challenges our clients and communities face daily. In her free time, Michele enjoys hiking, reading, golfing, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Keshana joined Alliance because she believes that it is important to serve those in need. Community Based Organizations are the front-line to serving the impoverished and those with basic need emergencies. Every role that she has held in her career has been through a Community Based Organization, and now she is able to provide them with support to continue to break silos, demonstrate value, and align their services with the medical community. As a former Community Health Worker and Transition Coordinator, Keshana saw firsthand the needs of not only of the community, but also the needs of the workforce. The importance of knowing the population served, the resources available in the community, and the ability to engage community members are critical skills needed to truly serve the community. Keshana has held various workforce development positions for the community health workforce, and currently teaches at both Hudson Valley and Schenectady County Community College. She holds a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and is pursing a Master’s in Human Resource Management at the University of Connecticut. Her interest in social determinants of health elevated when she became a mother. Keshana was fortunate enough to know how to navigate resources available to her family but seeing other families struggle hurt. She has led family skill building groups and facilitated a women’s bible study, called Propel Women. Her husband and she have four beautiful children and they ensure that they understand the importance of giving back by volunteering at the South End Children’s Café in Albany, NY.

Linda joined Alliance because she believes that the community is full of innovated ideas and Alliance is the catalyst to make things happen. In her role as a Product Manager, she scopes out, plans and implements innovative ideas. She has had the pleasure of guiding Alliance’s partners in meeting the 2017 DSRIP deliverable and launching new products such as AristaMD and Circulation. Linda loves applying her strategic, execution, and relationship building skills on every project that she works on. Prior to joining Alliance, Linda worked for over 10 years in a Medicaid and Medicare managed care setting as an executive and as a consultant. Her primary focus was enhancing patient center care models that allow individuals to remain safe and healthy in the place they call home. Linda grew up in the Western NY snow belt region, but her husband and she have called Albany their “hometown” for the past 25 years.

Yolanda joined Alliance because healthcare should be accessible and affordable for all. Hearing and learning from others sustains her passion for uplifting and empowering our community. In her position, she uses her skills to assist in the delivery of Alliances’ programs and initiatives, ultimately working towards health equity for all. Prior to Alliance, Yolanda has worked for the New York State Nurses Association, Albany Medical Center, and a Nurse Case Management company. She has a BA in Sociology, Medical Humanities concentration from Davidson College, and a BS in Nursing from University of Virginia. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and providing home health care services.

Lisa joined Alliance because she believes the transition to a value-based payment world is integral to the success of our healthcare system. Reforming the way funds flow to support health care services at every level, including social care, is essential for cultivating the change that is needed to support the improved health of our community members while simultaneously driving down the overall costs. As the Finance Manager at Alliance for Better Health, she works on all finance-related activities, including fiscal stewardship, budget, and value-based payment. She works with a multi-disciplinary team to create strategic and innovative funds flow models that support the communities we serve, while readying our partners for a value-based world. Prior to joining Alliance, Lisa served as the Finance Manager at Albany Medical Center PPS, now know as Better Health for Northeast NY, and has held various roles in finance, sales, marketing, and public relations in the workers’ compensation, public accounting, and software industries. She loves to spend her free time with her family, usually enjoying the outdoors on the shores of Cape Cod or Long Island, skiing in the winter, or escaping to a tropical place when possible.

MaryBeth joined Alliance for Better Health because she believes that connectedness is key to our overall wellbeing. Having spent her career supporting people with developmental and other disabilities so that they are able to be included in all aspects of community life, MaryBeth recognizes that employment, safe housing, and other social determinants of health are an important complement to clinical care. In her work with people with disabilities, she encouraged self-empowerment, advocated for rights protection and used creative, person-centered approaches to help people meet their life goals. She worked to cultivate a strong and dynamic coalition of businesses that embrace and understand the value of an inclusive workforce. She greatly values the friendships, perspective and skill development her career has afforded and is very happy for the opportunity to use her experience in support of Alliance’s mission. MaryBeth has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Texas State University and master’s degree in Public Administration from The Sage Colleges. She proudly serves on the Board of Grace Children’s Foundation which seeks to connect children from all over the globe to vital health and continuous care resources. For fun, MaryBeth loves to cook for friends and family and spend time with her husband, son, and daughter. Her favorite quote, “it is in the shelter of each other that the people live,” reflects her beliefs about the importance of inclusive communities.

Scott is a seasoned executive who is highly respected among his colleagues at St. Mary’s and throughout the Capital Region for his knowledge, judgment, insight, analytical abilities and collaborative leadership. He is able to see the big picture while maintaining focus on mission and what drives performance on a daily basis. Scott has established an excellent rapport with his peers and with those who report to him. He is respectful, creative and ever mindful of the poor and vulnerable who seek care at St. Mary’s. As one colleague stated, “Integrity and values are the backbone of Scott’s leadership style.”

With Scott’s guidance, St. Mary’s Healthcare will continue to move toward its vision of being a strong, independent, catholic health care ministry dedicated to improving the health and well-being of our community.

Tammy joined Alliance because she was excited to be able to continue to help build a network designed to foster the holistic health of our communities. Bringing people together to work for a common goal has always been central to Tammy in her professional life. Making connections, creating value, and supporting others as they strive to help members within our community brings her joy. Most of Tammy’s career entailed developing programs and services in the CNY region for survivors of crime, particularly domestic and sexual violence. Prior to joining Alliance, she served as the project manager for three initiatives – Palliative Care Integration, Care Transitions, and the CNY Referral Network projects. It was the work of the CNY Referral Network that afforded her one of the greatest opportunities to truly improve the well-being of community members by connecting individuals to timely services through the technology of Unite Us. Tammy is enthusiastic about continuing with this vision for the future.

Aleks joined Alliance because he believes in the team’s mission to help improve a health care system that he believes is fragmented and riddled with misaligned incentives. Prior to joining Alliance, he was a Manager of Program Solutions at Ellis Medicine, where he monitored value-based payment programs such as MIPS, PCMH, CPC+, PCF, IHANY, and other payer-specific incentive opportunities. He has experience in guiding and managing practices through quality improvement as a consultant and practice administrator. Aleks received a BS in Neuroscience from St. Lawrence University and an MBA in Healthcare Management from Clarkson University. He loves spending his time traveling to different countries, playing hockey, golf, and making pizzas for his family (including the crusts for his dogs, Bubba and Dats).