Lighting the way for children with medical complexity
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Carol May, RN, MSN, MBA, CHPPN - President
Director
Supportive Care Program
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Carol May is the recipient of the 2024 Ilene Beal Courageous Provider Award from Courageous Parents Network. Click HERE.
Donna Salovay, Esq. - Vice President
Registrar
Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
Pittsburgh, PA
Morgan Lieberman, MS, CHES - Treasurer
Program Manager
Pediatric Advanced Care Team
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Nicole Hahnlen, RN, CHPPN - Secretary
Clinical Nurse Coordinator
Hummingbird Program
Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital
Hershey, PA
Susan Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, CRNP
Nurse Practitioner
UPMC Shadyside Department of Oncology
Pittsburgh, PA
Jack Brice
Principal Consultant
BCS Partners
Pittsburgh, PA
Deborah Dimasi
Nonprofit Salesforce & Fundraising Operations Consultant
Pittsburgh, PA
Dana Dombrowski, MSW, LSW
Social Worker and Psychosocial Program Coordinator
Pediatric Advanced Care Team
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Kristen Moyer, MD,MTS, FAAP
Pediatric Medical Director
Hospice and Community Care
Lancaster, PA
Allyson Weber RN, BSN
Bereaved parent
Current parent to Christopher who has medical complexity
Allentown, PA
Betsy is the Executive Director of PPCC and has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management in both healthcare and community development. As a passionate advocate, Betsy speaks extensively across the country on coalition building and pediatric palliative and hospice care. Betsy works collaboratively with other state based pediatric palliative care coalitions to further meet the needs of families and medical professionals caring for children with medical complexity. She currently serves on the NationalCoalition for Hospice and Palliative Care Pediatric Division, the NationalHospice and Palliative Care Organization Pediatric Advisory Council, theCoalition for Quality at the End of Life and the Patient Quality of LifeCoalition.
When not at work, Betsy enjoys curling up with a good book and expressing herself through textile art. She and her husband enjoy traveling, especially to visit their children and grandson.
Joan currently works as the PPCC Program Coordinator and PPC Webinar Series Coordinator after volunteering for PPCC for more than 15 years. Joan graduated with a BS in Chemistry/Biochemistry from Bethany College and pursued an MBA from Robert Morris University. She has worked as an engineer for Alcoa and a marketing manager/director for US Filter Corporation and Underground Solutions. She has also worked in the area of education for Seneca Valley School District and Cranberry Community United Presbyterian Church and has been a volunteer and fundraiser for the American Cancer Society for more than 20 years.
Joan is a mom to 3 sons and a bereaved mom to another son, Sam, who died at the age of 7 after a 3-year battle with a GBM brain tumor. In addition to Sam, who brought joy to all around him and lived his life to the fullest, Joan's husband, Dave, and three other sons, Stephen, Ben and Mark, round out her life. Joan's greatest joy is being part of such a positive family.
Rose joined PPCC in 2023 with nearly 10 years of experience in grant writing, community engagement, and nonprofit administration. Rose graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in Environmental Studies and earned her Master of Science in Sustainability from Arizona State University. She is honored to have the opportunity to use her many and varied skills to help advance the PPCC mission. Rose runs our social media accounts, works to increase awareness of the organization, serves as the staff liaison for the Parent Advisory Council and raises funds.
Outside of her work, Rose is an avid artist and crafter who can often be found with a crafting needle, drawing implement of some sort, or clay in her hand. She also enjoys cooking all sorts of cuisine and is always up to a culinary challenge!
Rose is the proud mother of three children and enjoys creating simple, meaningful moments as a family and fostering a loving and creative home with her husband, Shawn.
Katie joined the team in 2024 as an administrative assistant. As a fun fact, she interned with the PPCC while in college in 2009 when the Care Plan Book was in the works! Katie has a degree in Communications from Robert Morris University and joins us after an 8-year stint as a personal stylist. Prior to that experience, she worked in marketing doing graphic design, writing and website work. She is very excited to return to the nonprofit world, where her passion lies.
When not working, Katie spends time with her 2 children and her husband. They love downhill skiing and spending time outside. She also spends a lot of time volunteering with non-profit organizations related to the foster care system. In addition to her family and her volunteer work, Katie is actively involved in her church, St. Paul’s Presbyterian.
Krista is the Resource Matching Program Coordinator of PPCC joining the team in 2025. She has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for 25 years holding a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University in Child Development and Family Studies and a master’s degree in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Krista has adapted her clinical skills to meet the needs of families in pediatric hospital-based settings, adult hospital settings, and nonprofit/community-based environments. She is passionate about providing supportive resources and interventions to infants, children, teens and adults who are impacted by the psychosocial stressors of serious medical issues. She has supported countless families dealing with chronic and life limiting conditions. The greatest privilege and honor of her career has been helping families who are navigating the end-of-life of a loved one as well as those learning to process grief after their death.
Krista grew up in southwestern PA and is a proud Pittsburgher. In her free time, she especially loves spending time with friends and family. She also enjoys being in the great outdoors, doing home improvement projects, listening to music and seeing it performed live as often as possible. She lives north of Pittsburgh in Franklin Park with her husband, her two daughters, and her two cats.
Tara is the Resource Matching Volunteer Program Coordinator of PPCC. Tara has over 10 years of experience in social services, behavioral and mental health programs and advocacy work, and she also has over 6 years of experience as an English and Social Studies teacher. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on Social Policy and Human Services from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s in Secondary Education from Slippery Rock University with certifications in English and Social Studies.
Tara is passionate about rare disease, hospice, and palliative care advocacy because of her daughter, Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with ZTTK Syndrome in 2016. She is the co-founder of the ZTTK SON-Shine foundation, a non-profit that was developed to advocate for research, medical/ therapeutic therapies and quality of life for patients with ZTTK, a very rare and medically complex disease. Elizabeth gained her angel’s wings at the age of 8 in 2021 due to complications related to ZTTK Syndrome.
Throughout Elizabeth’s life, Tara had to adapt her education, training, and skill set to help Elizabeth live her best life. Tara has also connected with many families as a rare disease advocate and formed many relationships through the Bereaved Parents Support Group with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Parent Advisory Council with PPCC. Elizabeth’s story has been featured in local media, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and as part of the Visualizing Loss documentary through a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and PPCC. Tara is honored to share stories of advocacy, grief, bereavement, and life with a medically-complex child and to connect with other parents and caregivers who have walked this path with their children.
Tara grew up in Chicora, Pennsylvania, and she lives there now with her husband (Jason), her son (Celtan), their St. Bernard (Izzy), and two cats (Elsa and Oreo). She loves spending time with her boys and going to Celtan’s many sporting events. Tara and her family enjoy camping, being outdoors, and going to concerts. Tara’s greatest accomplishments are her children and the life that she and her husband Jason have built together, despite the challenges, obstacles and difficult moments they have experienced together as a family. Tara and her family are committed to keeping Elizabeth’s memory alive and helping other parents feel supported in their journeys with rare disease, pediatric palliative care, hospice and bereavement.
PPCC is not a health care provider and does not give medical advice or treatment. PPCC does not endorse or recommend any listed facilities, service providers, or support groups herein. PPCC offers the list and information as a resource only. PPCC does not pre-evaluate, or consider the Medicare/Medicaid status of the providers.
The Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition is a registered 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible according to the IRS’s rules and regulations. The official registration and financial information for PPCC may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999.
