Rutland County Health Partners

Board & Staff

The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Rutland County Health Partners.

The following individuals currently sit on our Board and are responsible for overseeing the organization’s activities.
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Victor Pisanelli, Jr.
Chairman Park Street Healthshare - MD

For the past six years I have been privileged to serve on the Board of Directors of the Rutland County Free Clinic. I have had the additional honor of being one of the medical providers for the many patients coming through our front door. After being in the practice of general surgery for forty years, it has been very fulfilling for me to work with the many wonderful individuals in the Clinic and on the Board. Most of all I very much enjoy interacting with the many grateful patients who seek out our services in their moment of need. I am also grateful for the many talented providers who volunteer along with me at the Clinic, and also appreciate the willingness of the many talented physicians and dentists in our community who see our patients upon referral.

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Kathleen Boyd
Vice Chairman - MSN, RN, NE-BC, CCM, RN-BC

My name is Kathleen Boyd and I have had the pleasure of being a member of the Rutland County Free Clinic Board since June of 2018. I was thrilled when I was asked to join the Board, because it was an excellent opportunity to expand my role as a professional nurse in Rutland County. My life’s passion has been to provide compassionate nursing care to those who are in need. Volunteering at the Rutland County Free Clinic allows me the opportunity to ensure I meet my professional and personal goals which are to address the population health needs of my Community.

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Harvey Reich
Medical Director - MD FACP FCCP FFSMB

Dr Reich graduated from the New Jersey College of Medicine, did his Internal Medicine residency at Berkshire Medical Center and his Critical Care fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he was asked to join its academic faculty. He has been part of the Rutland community since 1994. He has served as Medical Director of the Intensive Care unit at the Rutland Regional Medical Center, past president of the Vermont Medical Society, member of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, and held many other state and national appointments. Dr. Reich was one of the founding members of the free clinic and served as its second medical Director. He is committed to the health and welfare of our community.

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John Cohen
Treasurer

I grew up in Rutland, VT. I graduated from Northern University-Johnson with a degree in Business Administration. I was a 10 year member of the Smugglers Notch Ski Patrol as a volunteer and paid patroller and worked as a street Paramedic in Metro Boston where I was promoted to street supervisor. I left Boston in 1988 and relocated to St. Albans, VT to co-found AmCare Ambulance Service serving as President & CEO until 1996. I then moved back to Rutland in 1998 to co-found Mt. Resort Interiors where I have worked as President & CEO for 25 years. I have served on numerous Boards both in Rutland and in Northern Vermont and also I currently serve as a clinic volunteer with my wife, Laura Cohen, DNP.

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Judith Fisch
Dental Director - DDS

Dr. Fisch has had a long association with the RC Free Clinic and maintains a critical role in our ability to provide direct patient care to those in need of dental services.

Dr. Fisch has been a part of the Rutland community both personally and professionally since 1989. She is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Dentistry and has served as president of the Vermont State Dental Society and currently serves on the American Dental Association Board of Trustees.

Dr. Fisch continues to work at Heaton & Fisch Dental Associates, a private family practice that has served the Rutland area for over 50 years.

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Tracy Upton
RN

Emma is originally from the blue ridge mountains of southwestern Virginia but made the green mountains of Vermont her home in 2018.

She earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Ithaca College where her love and interest in local food systems flourished which inspires her work with the Vermont Farmers Food Center in Rutland. Emma then completed her Masters in Social Work with Boston University in 2020.

As a board member of the Rutland Free Clinic and a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition her focus is to make preventative healthcare a priority for Rutland County using food as medicine.

Emma is also a lover of the outdoors and can be found in her free time hiking in the white mountains of New Hampshire or kayaking on many a Vermont lake!

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Suzanne Ouimet
RN

Coming soon!

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Emma Hileman

Emma is originally from the Blue Ridge mountains of southwestern Virginia. She became engaged with the work of Rutland County Health Partners in 2019 when RCHP partnered with the Vermont Farmers Food Center and the Farmacy Project to reach Rutland county's residents who resided in further afield towns. At the time she was finishing up her master's degree in macro social work with Boston University and helping to run VFFC's Farmacy: Food Is Medicine program.  As a board member of Rutland County Health Partners and a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, her focus is to make preventative healthcare a priority for Rutland County using food as medicine. Emma is also a lover of the outdoors and can be found in her free time hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, kayaking on many a Vermont lake or tending to her community garden plot in Ludlow, Vermont.

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Christopher Chadwick
MS, LADC, AFC

Christopher Chadwick is a licensed Behavioral Therapist and an accredited Forensic Counseling Specialist. With more than 22 years of experience in the social services field, Chris has worked within many challenging environments.

Chris currently serves as the Director of Behavioral Health & MAT services for the Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region. He is an adjunct professor for the Castleton University Social Work program and manager of the Impaired Driver Rehabilitation Program (IDRP) through Rutland Mental Health.

STAFF

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Tia Poalino
Executive Director (Full Time)

Tia is responsible for the overall operations, staffing, budget, direction and administration of the RC Free Clinic in keeping with the organization’s mission statement, values and vision.

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Clinic Office Manager
Clinic Manager (Full Time)

Our Clinic Office Manager is the first point of contact for patients and visitors and works closely with the clinical volunteers to schedule and manage all of our clinics. They also assist our patients with insurance enrollment and access to resources and special programs.

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Diane Ponto
Business Manager (Part Time)

Diane is responsible for generating and maintaining financial and operational reports and records. Diane and Tia ensure that clinic staff and volunteers have the resources available to them to provide quality patient care.