Key officials from The Wright Center pose with the Liberty Bell at the dedication ceremony held Wednesday, Nov. 12 at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley. From left, Lauretta Graham, data manager; Kellie Knesis, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer; Sheila Ford, vice president and chief compliance officer; Dr. Jumee Barooah, senior vice president of education and designated institutional official; Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO; Terrell H. McCasland, vice president and chief revenue officer; and Dr. Jignesh Sheth, senior vice president and enterprise chief operations and strategy officer.

A piece of American history will forever be located at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley.

Wright Center leaders and staff joined community members and local dignitaries at its community health center, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, for a ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to dedicate a hand-painted fiberglass Liberty Bell in honor of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, commonly known as America250PA, is working to place at least one fiberglass bell in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

It’s the fifth Liberty Bell sponsored by The Wright Center in Northeast Pennsylvania. Others are located at Carbondale City Hall, 1 N. Main St.; The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave.; Wayne Memorial Hospital, 601 Park St., Honesdale; and Wyoming County Healthcare Center, 5950 U.S. Route 6, Tunkhannock. The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock is located in the Wyoming County Healthcare Center.

The Wright Center for Community Health sponsored five Liberty Bells in honor of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. From left, the bell placed at Carbondale City Hall; the bell at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley; the bell at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale; the bell at Wyoming County Healthcare Center, 5950 U.S. Route 6, Tunkhannock; and The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre

Artwork adorning each bell was meticulously researched by Gina Lettieri, The Wright Center’s archivist, and hand-painted by Allison LaRussa, The Wright Center’s associate vice president of health and wellness, to reflect the unique spirit and landmarks of the communities where they are placed.

“Each of our five Liberty Bells embodies the strength of our rich, collective history and our ongoing responsibility and commitment to safeguard the well-being of our communities,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, The Wright Center’s president and CEO. “May this Liberty Bell in Jermyn serve as a bedrock reminder of the innovation, compassion, solidarity, service, and leadership that define both this remarkable, hard-working community and our mission at The Wright Center to improve the health and welfare of our communities through responsive, whole-person health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.”

For more information about America250PA and to see a full list of Liberty Bells across Pennsylvania, visit www.america250pa.org/PPE:_Bells_Across_PA. 

In fiscal year 2024-25, The Wright Center served about 38,300 unique patients at its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, it serves vulnerable and medically underserved populations, regardless of age, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. It accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines that considers family size and income. For more information, visit TheWrightCenter.org.

An internal medicine physician and teaching hospitalist has joined The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Maheswara Reddy Koppula will serve as an internal medicine teaching hospitalist, focusing on the quality of patient care, teaching, and supervising physicians participating in The Wright Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Koppula will develop, implement, and assess the curriculum and mentor residents to ensure they achieve competency in their specialty. He will also serve as an associate program director for The Wright Center’s Internal Medicine residency program.

Additionally, Dr. Koppula will provide whole-person primary health services for individuals 18 and older, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries at The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave. The community health center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570.230.0019.

Dr. Koppula, who is board-certified in internal medicine, joined The Wright Center after serving as a faculty hospitalist and associate program director of the internal medicine residency at Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania, since 2023. Prior to that, he worked as a hospitalist in Buffalo, New York; Springfield, Ohio; and Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Wright Center’s growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties provides affordable, high-quality, whole-person primary health services to everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care. For more information, visit TheWrightCenter.org.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education was established in 1976 as the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, a community-based internal medicine residency program. Today, The Wright Center is one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums in the nation. Together with consortium stakeholders, The Wright Center trains resident and fellow physicians in a community-based, community-needs-responsive workforce development model to advance its mission to improve the health and welfare of communities through responsive, whole-person health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.

An employee of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education has been named among Pennsylvania’s most influential leaders over the age of 50.

Kara Seitzinger, the executive director of public affairs and advisor to the president and CEO, has been named in City & State Pennsylvania’s prestigious “Fifty Over 50” list. It recognizes prominent and accomplished leaders in the Keystone State’s government, business, media, advocacy, and nonprofit sectors who are over the age of 50. These individuals are honored for their achievements and their continued impact on the commonwealth, according to the publication.

Honorees include former U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr.; Jill Murray, president and chief innovation officer of Lackawanna College; and John Fry, president of Temple University. Seitzinger and the other honorees were recognized during a dinner in Philadelphia on Oct. 28.

In addition to her tireless efforts on behalf of The Wright Center, Seitzinger is also deeply involved in her community. The Scranton native serves on the American Heart Association’s executive leadership board of directors and received its Eastern State Region’s 2024 Distinguished Achievement Award. In 2023, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers honored her with the APEX Community Ambassador Award. Seitzinger also serves as a board member of Scranton Tomorrow and the Wyoming Valley Run.

City & State is the premier multimedia news organization dedicated to covering Pennsylvania’s local and state politics and policy. To read the “Fifty Over 50” article, go to www.cityandstatepa.com.

Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center has a growing network of community health centers across Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. Its locations offer affordable, comprehensive, high-quality, whole-person primary and preventive health services to people of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, addiction and recovery, and Ryan White HIV services.

For more information, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.

The Wright Center for Community Health is proud to announce that it is participating in the “Building Care With You” campaign, a national effort led by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) to amplify the vital role community health centers (CHCs) play in improving health outcomes, expanding access to care, and strengthening communities.

For over 60 years, CHCs have delivered affordable, effective, comprehensive, and trusted care — in the neighborhoods where people live, work, and raise their families. The “Building Care With You” campaign unifies and elevates the voice of CHCs across the country as the largest primary care network in this nation, by:

• educating local residents, community partners, and policymakers about the full range of services CHCs provide;
• strengthening patient trust and engagement with CHCs in their communities; and
• reinforcing the importance of ongoing investments in CHCs at the local, state, and federal levels.

Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center has a growing network of community health centers across Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. Its locations offer affordable, comprehensive, high-quality, whole-person primary and preventive health services to people of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, addiction and recovery, and Ryan White HIV services.

The “Building Care With You” campaign is a national branding and awareness initiative led by NACHC. Through shared storytelling, it aims to build long-term recognition of CHCs as the provider, employer, and partner of choice. Visit NACHC.org for more information.

Dr. Gail Brenner, a board-certified audiologist and founder of the Tinnitus Treatment Center of Philadelphia, will be a guest speaker at the Tinnitus Support Group of Northeast Pennsylvania meeting on Friday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn. 

The Tinnitus support group welcomes individuals living with tinnitus, their loved ones, and anyone interested in learning more about this complex audiological and neurological condition. Participants can connect, share their experiences, and explore coping strategies in a compassionate and supportive environment. New participants are always welcome. Virtual meeting options are available for those unable to attend in person.

The support group meets on the first Friday of each month from 2-3 p.m. For more information or to obtain the virtual meeting link, contact Nicole Flynn, director of the geriatrics service line at The Wright Center for Community Health, at [email protected] or 570-230-0019.

The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton will host a Caregivers Resource Fair on Thursday, Nov. 20, offering family members and caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia an opportunity to connect with local support services and learn more about the Scranton JCC’s Café Connections and a regional support group.

The Wright Center for Community Health’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program offers coordinated, comprehensive support for patients, families, and caregivers. The initiative is part of Age-Friendly Lackawanna, a collaborative network of nearly 30 community organizations dedicated to improving quality of life for older adults across the county.

“Caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s or dementia can be both deeply meaningful and incredibly challenging,” said Nicole Flynn, director of the geriatrics service line at The Wright Center for Community Health. “Events like our Caregivers Resource Fair help families know they’re not alone. By connecting caregivers with local programs, education, and one another, we can build a strong, more compassionate network of support in our community.”