The Partnership's Leadership
The Partnership is governed by a Board of Directors elected annually from among the Provider Membership. The daily management of the association is overseen by our Executive Director, Nicholas Oliver. The Board of Directors meets monthly and its committees, which are open to all members of The Partnership, meet regularly to further The Partnership’s strategic mission, goals and objectives. There are nine members of the Board of Directors elected by the Provider Membership. The President of the Board of Directors is Cheryl Levesque of HomeCare Advantage.
Officers
President
Cheryl Levesque
Executive Director of Patient Care Services
HomeCare Advantage
Based in Cranston, Rhode Island
Cheryl has worked for HomeCare Advantage, a family-owned business, for over 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University. She is a member of The Partnership because of its “teamwork to address issues and offer solutions and that its members have similar public policy concerns in which we advocate as one voice for the industry”.
Vice President
Bethany Skinner
Chief Executive Officer
Health Care Services
Based in Providence, Rhode Island
Bethany has worked at Health Care Services, a family-owned business for over 20 years. She is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. She is a member of The Partnership because of "the commitment of the members to advocate for the betterment of the industry".
Secretary-Treasurer
Kelechi "K.C." Agwunobi
Managing Director
HomeCare Networks
Based in Cranston, Rhode Island
K.C. is a Rhode Island native and graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He joined HomeCare Networks, his family’s business in 2017 as a Managing Director. He is a member of The Partnership because he “believes in the the goal of advancing quality care and advocating for home care agencies across the state through policy. Only cooperation between agency leaders can lead toward progress for our industry, which is imperative for the ever-growing demand for our services."
Immediate Past President
Michael Bigney, CPA
Chief Executive Officer and Administrator
Home Health and Hospice Care of Nursing Placement
Headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Michael was raised in his family’s business. Nursing Placement was founded in 1976 by his mother, Marcia and her business partner, Maria Barros. He came into the business in 1983 right after earning his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Boston University. He is a member of The Partnership because “our industry cannot afford to sit on the sidelines in hopes of a better business climate, a stronger workforce and a greater system for patients and clients to access our high quality care. Only through The Partnership can we wake up our lawmakers and regulators to create the necessary reforms that support home care as the foundation of our long-term care system."
Directors
Mary Barry, RN, ICCM
Executive Director
Capitol Home Care Network, Inc.
Based in Providence, Rhode Island
Mary has served as Executive Director at Capitol Home Care Network, Inc. for nearly 20 years. She is an RN graduate of St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing, receiving her advanced education as she progressed through her career. Mary has worked in both Critical Care and Emergency Nursing. She entered the home care arena in 1985 and has held various leadership and C-Suite roles in Home Health, Infusion and Hospice Care. A patient advocate, Mary has focused her career on the safe and efficacious care provided to the adult population while navigating the challenging payor environment. Toward that end, she spends a good deal of her time educating patients, insurance companies, clinicians and physicians. Mary is a member of The Partnership because she “believes that it is imperative to create a singular voice to support and advocate for the aging Rhode Island population and the remarkable men and women who provide the care to these frail, vulnerable elders.”
Naomi Cotrone
Chief Executive Officer
Right at Home Rhode Island
Based in Warwick, Rhode Island
Naomi has owned and operated Rhode Island’s Right at Home franchise since 2014. She has over 15 years of home care leadership experience. Naomi earned her Associate of Science in Tourism and Travel Services Management from Bay Path University. She is a member of The Partnership because “every member of our industry needs to advocate for our patients, clients, caregivers and families in a coordinated way through our association."
Evelyn Pinto de Duran, RN, BSN
President and Chief Executive Officer
Your Choice of Home Care
Based in Providence, Rhode Island
Evelyn founded her company in 2019, which serves as a home care provider and CNA training school. She has an amazing life story that begins in her home country of Guatemala which led to becoming a civil war survivor in that country and then an undocumented asylum seeker and teenage mother in the United States. She dreamed of becoming a nurse and achieved her life goal after learning American English, earning her GED and CNA and becoming a U.S. citizen. Evelyn earned her Associate of Science in Nursing from the Community College of Rhode Island and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University. She is a member because she can "collaborate with colleagues to support an improved healthcare system, advocate for our patients and communities and amplify the voices of the underserved."
Deborah "Debbie" Giordano, RN, BSN, MBA
Regional Clinical Manager
Hope Nursing Home Care (CBC HomeCare)
Locally Operating in Cranston, Rhode Island
Debbie is the Regional Clinical Director of Home Nursing Home Care, part of the CBC HomeCare family of companies. She joined her company in June 2021, bringing many years of leadership experience in various home care settings. In a prior role, Debbie was a member of The Partnership and served on the Board of Directors. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Duquesne University and Master of Business Administration from Bryant College. She is a member of because of "working in conjunction with other agency leaders toward common goals and strive to improve common concerns with a unified voice at the community and state levels."
Kathleen Moren, RN, BSN, IBCLC
President and Chief Executive Officer
Healthy Babies, Happy Moms Inc.
Based in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Kathy is a graduate of Marquette University's Nursing School and became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 1995. She has enjoyed a 30-year career that has included work in a neonatal intensive care unit, home healthcare and the corporate setting. Kathy founded Healthy Babies, Happy Moms Inc. in 1999 to help mothers achieve success in their breastfeeding goals by providing them with the information and support that they need to confidently breastfeed and care for their children. She is passionate about making sure access to breastfeeding support is available to all in need. Kathy is a member to "learn more about the home healthcare and insurance industries, as well as advocate for women on Medicaid so that they receive the same benefits from the ACA [Affordable Care Act] that women with commercial health insurance receive."
Nicholas Oliver, MPA, CAE
Executive Director
Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care
In February 2013, Nicholas became the fourth Executive Director of The Partnership since its founding in 1990. His career spans over 25 years in government affairs, public relations and nonprofit management. He previously worked for the American Heart Association, Massachusetts Association for 766 Approved Private Schools, Sierra Club and The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island. He also has experience working in state government on health and environmental policy and has worked on multiple Presidential races and state office election campaigns. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Economics with a minor in Public Relations from the University of Hartford and a Master of Public Affairs from the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. His master’s thesis examined provider payment models under state Medicaid programs and offered solutions at the time for cost-effective delivery of services while financially sustaining providers of healthcare and education to pediatric patients with exceptional disabilities. He is a Certified Association Executive by the American Society of Association Executives and received the 2013 Rising Star Award from the New England Society of Association Executives. Nicholas is also a Freemason and a Shriner and spends his time volunteering to support Rhode Island's children that need the services of Shriners Hospitals for Children New England in nearby Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. He serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary-Treasurer of the New England Society of Association Executives and on the Board of Governors for Shriners Hospitals for Children New England.
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