Wright Center employees earn national recognition from Area Health Education Centers

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Two employees at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education earned national recognition for their work supporting health care in underserved communities.

Dr. Sandra Rabat, a resident physician with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Nicole Sekelsky, the director of needs-responsive outreach, engagement, and enrollment at The Wright Center for Community Health, received honorable mentions for the 2024 National Area Health Education Centers Organization (AHEC) 2024 Alumni/Advocate of the Year award for their work in regional communities. Both honorees are based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and have affiliations with the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC).

Dr. Sandra Rabat is a resident physician with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Residency Program.

AHEC was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train, and retain a health professions workforce committed to underserved populations.

Dr. Rabat, a second-year resident physician, is a graduate of the AHEC Scholars Program, a two-year program that aims to empower participants to make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable populations and become a force for change, according to NE PA AHEC. As a resident physician, she has led innovative projects to improve health care access. Her “Defeating Barriers to Executing Screening Mammography for Women with Mobile Mammogram Awareness” project won first place in The Wright Center’s internal competition, showcasing her ability to address gaps in care.

Additionally, Dr. Rabat has become involved in advocacy work with The Wright Center, including organ donation, encouraging patient-provider discussions, and sustainable funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program. She has worked with the National Association of Community Health Centers and participated in the American Association of Teaching Health Centers’ Fall Fly-In, advocating for reforms on Capitol Hill.

Nicole Sekelsky is director of needs-responsive outreach, engagement, and enrollment at The Wright Center for Community Health.

Dr. Rabat also mentors AHEC Scholars, sharing her expertise with the next generation of health care professionals. Her commitment to improving access to primary and preventive care is reflected in her mentorship and presentations, including her 2021 talk on prioritizing vaccinations for older adults in long-term care facilities.

Sekelsky joined The Wright Center as a community health worker in 2022 after pursuing a career in health care through the Readiness In Skilled Employment Program (RISE) that helps Lackawanna and Luzerne county residents living 250% below the federal poverty level train for in-demand careers. Through that program, she learned about and enrolled in NE PA AHEC’s community health worker training program.

Since Sekelsky began working as a community health worker at The Wright Center, she has been promoted several times. In her current role, she ensures that all patients of The Wright Center receive access to health insurance and trains employees on how to assist patients seeking health insurance. She also serves on NE PA AHEC’s board of directors.

Scranton Chamber’s ATHENA Leadership Award recognizes Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s leadership and mentorship

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The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., FACP, FAAP, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, is the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. Participating in the announcement, from left, are Carmen Passaniti, director of employee health and coordinator of continuing medical education, The Wright Center; Chelsea Chopko, chief of administrative support to the CEO, The Wright Center; Jennifer Walsh, Esq., senior vice president, executive counsel, and chief governance officer, The Wright Center; Bob Durkin, president, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, award recipient; Donna Barbetti, Mari Potts, director, membership and events, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Deborah Kolsovsky, chair, The Wright Center for Community Health Board of Directors; and Brian Ebersole, vice president of academic affairs and associate designated institutional official, The Wright Center.

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., FACP, FAAP, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, is the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient.

The ATHENA Award, sponsored locally by Michael A. Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants, honors an exceptional individual who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, has served the community in a meaningful way, and has assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Dr. Thomas-Hemak embodies these characteristics wholeheartedly.

Dr. Thomas-Hemak joined The Wright Center in 2001, became president in 2007, and CEO in 2012. Concurrent with her responsibilities as an executive, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is also quintuple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, addiction medicine, obesity medicine, and nutrition and remains a healer at heart.

“It is a true privilege to recognize Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak as the 2025 ATHENA Award recipient,” said Bob Durkin, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “Her relentless commitment to her patients, hands-on leadership style, and deep dedication to the community set her apart as an exceptional individual. We are proud to honor Dr. Thomas-Hemak for the profound and lasting impact she has made on both health care and our community. Congratulations, Dr. Thomas-Hemak!”

In the community, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is actively involved in multiple organizations, countless committees, nonprofit boards, and workgroups aimed at benefiting the community, generating efficiencies in health care delivery, and promoting primary health care workforce development, both regionally and nationally. Additionally, she is a founding board member of the Scranton-based Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Dr. Thomas-Hemak promotes the advancement of women by leading boldly and strategically, fostering inclusive opportunities and career advancement, and mentoring opportunities for female leaders to pursue meaningful, transformative careers in health care.

The ATHENA Award will be presented to Dr. Thomas-Hemak at The Chamber’s International Women’s Day Breakfast, sponsored by The Honesdale National Bank, on Friday, March 7. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ScrantonChamber.com.

The ATHENA Award was first presented in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan, and has grown to include presentations to more than 5,000 individuals in hundreds of cities in the United States as well as in Canada, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The award takes the form of a hand-cast bronze sculpture, symbolizing the strength, courage, and wisdom of the recipient.

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com.

State selects two Ryan White Clinic staff members for HIV advisory group

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Two employees of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Ryan White Clinic will join an advisory group collaborating with the state Department of Health, including its Division of HIV Health and Bureau of Communicable Diseases, as well as the University of Pittsburgh.

Sharon Whitebread, manager of medical case management at the Ryan White Clinic, and Deanna DiGiampaolo, the clinic’s outreach and prevention education coordinator, have been appointed to three-year terms on the HIV Planning Group. The advisory group panel brings together stakeholders from across the state to coordinate efforts in HIV care and prevention planning.

Sharon Whitebread, manager of medical case management
at the Ryan White Clinic

“The HIV Planning Group envisions a future where everyone living with HIV, as well as those most vulnerable to the disease, have access to the latest prevention methods, treatment, care, support, and services,” Whitebread said. “We will offer guidance to the Pennsylvania Department of Health on HIV-related care, prevention, testing, and the state’s progress in achieving the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.”

Whitebread, who holds a degree in human services, has been with The Wright Center for nearly five years and has worked in the HIV field since 2001. Throughout her career, the Luzerne County resident has been an HIV testing counselor for the state Department of Health, an HIV/AIDS instructor and instructor trainer for the American Red Cross, an HIV intervention specialist, and an educator and outreach professional in the field.

Deanna DiGiampaolo, outreach and prevention education
coordinator at the Ryan White Clinic

DiGiampaolo’s clinical background includes working in emergency rooms, laboratories, and pharmacies. The Wayne County resident has a public health degree with a concentration in communicable diseases and a biology degree.

Membership in the HIV Planning Group is by invitation only. Whitebread and DiGiampaolo, chosen for their unique backgrounds, will join 23 other representatives from across the commonwealth.

The Wright Center has been a federally designated Ryan White provider since 2003. It delivers comprehensive HIV primary medical care, essential support services, and medications to individuals living with HIV, including the uninsured and underserved, across seven counties in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Currently, The Wright Center serves nearly 500 patients through its Ryan White clinical program, provides specialty health care, and has about 300 clients through its medical case management program. Some individuals are enrolled in both services.

City & State PA names Spadaro to statewide ‘Who’s Who in Government Relations’ list

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A longtime employee of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education has been included in a statewide list honoring the most influential individuals who help their companies, organizations, and associations communicate their legislative priorities to elected officials.

Laura Spadaro headshot

Laura Spadaro, vice president of primary care and public health
policy and chief primary care and public health policy officer
at The Wright Center

Laura Spadaro, vice president of primary care and public health policy and chief primary care and public health policy officer at The Wright Center, has been named to City & State Pennsylvania’s “Who’s Who in Government Relations.” She joins Teresa Osborne, a Northeast Pennsylvania native and former state secretary of aging who now serves as the state advocacy director for AARP Pennsylvania; Stephanie Watkins, senior vice president of advocacy & policy at Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania; and Gregory Thall, the former secretary of the budget in Gov. Tom Wolf’s Cabinet who now serves as vice president of budget & regulatory affairs for GSL Public Strategies Group.

Spadaro joined The Wright Center in February 2021, where she has played a pivotal role in advocating for federal and state policies impacting public health, particularly for community health centers. Her work addresses critical issues such as equitable investments in Federally Qualified Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alikes, sustainable funding for Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education programs, protections for the 340B Drug Pricing Program, health care workforce innovations, and greater health information interoperability, vaccine access, and Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for key primary care and preventive health services.

Under her leadership, The Wright Center has secured $4 million to support underserved communities, achieved gold-status Advocacy Center recognition, and amplified primary care clinicians’ voices through over 50 regulatory responses.

Before joining The Wright Center, Spadaro worked at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, where she led initiatives to curb the opioid epidemic, maternal mortality, gun violence, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

City & State is the premier multimedia news organization dedicated to covering Pennsylvania’s local and state politics and policy. To read the “Who’s Who in Government Relations” article, go to www.cityandstatepa.com.

Health centers in Clarks Summit and Jermyn earn national recognition for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care

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Two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s clinics received commendations from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit, 1145 Northern Blvd., and The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, achieved the NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home certificate of recognition. The award recognizes both locations’ commitment to delivering affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services using the patient-centered medical home model. In addition to strengthening patient-clinician relationships and enhancing the management of chronic conditions, the patient-centered medical home model also increases staff satisfaction and reduces health care costs.


The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave., and The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave., earned NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home certificates of recognition in September. The Mid Valley location first achieved this distinction in 2011, followed by Clarks Summit in 2014, and both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre in 2021. All four health centers undergo an annual review to maintain compliance with NCQA’s rigorous standards.

“Our continued certification as a Patient-Centered Medical Home reaffirms to the communities we serve that our team-based care approach and advanced technology deliver timely, effective care,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, senior vice president and chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “This model fosters strong partnerships between patients and clinicians, enabling more responsive and comprehensive health care. We’re honored to receive this recognition once again for our dedication and hard work.”

The NCQA, based in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1990 with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It seeks to improve health care quality through measurement, transparency, and accountability.

National organization names Dr. Long a ‘Well-being Champion’

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Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr., an internal medicine-pediatrics (Med-Peds) physician at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been selected to serve a three-year term as an American College of Physicians (ACP) 2025 Well-being Champion for the Pennsylvania Chapter’s Eastern Region.

Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr.

The ACP Well-being Champion Program was launched in 2015 to address physician burnout and improve well-being, professional satisfaction, and practice efficiency amid health care challenges. Its goals include promoting individual and community well-being, advocating for systems change, and improving the work environment to enhance physician engagement, quality of care, and patient satisfaction.

As a trained ACP Well-being Champion, Dr. Long joins a network of over 250 ACP Well-being Champions who are committed to improving the practice of internal medicine by leading efforts to enhance physician well-being and foster professional satisfaction.

“I am truly privileged to be selected as an ACP Well-being Champion,” said Dr. Long, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, native who is board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. “Physician well-being is critical to providers’ health and the quality of care we deliver to our patients. I am committed to working alongside my colleagues to foster a supportive, sustainable work environment that prioritizes both professional fulfillment and patient-centered care.”

As the nation’s largest medical specialty organization, the ACP is dedicated to advancing health care quality and effectiveness by promoting excellence and professionalism in medicine. It advocates for quality patient care, education, and career fulfillment within internal medicine and its subspecialties. Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center, serves as the governor of the ACP’s Pennsylvania Chapter, Eastern Region.

A University of Scranton graduate, Dr. Long earned his medical degree from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and completed his Med-Peds residency at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland before returning to Northeast Pennsylvania.

Dr. Long is available for appointments with patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit, 1145 Northern Blvd., South Abington Township, on Mondays and Tuesdays and The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, from Wednesdays through Fridays. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Long, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call the Clarks Summit location at 570-585-1300 or the Mid Valley location at 570-230-0019.

Dr. Long is married to Juliette Meyers, an Archbald native and art therapist at The Wright Center.