Eric Behna, MSW, LGSW, is the Deputy Director of Home Care Partners, a non-profit home care agency and senior services provider in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Eric comes to HCP after working in policy, government relations, and communications for anti-poverty programs at the federal level.

Eric heads up the agency’s quality improvement committee, leads HCP’s grant writing and fundraising activities, and oversees Human Resources and recruitment/retention efforts. Outside the office, you will find Eric running, cycling, or walking his rescue pitbull Princess.

Session:

Roundtable Discussion: Beyond Pay & Benefits: Retention Strategies for Direct Care Workers

Lou Ann Brubaker is the Founder and President of Brubaker Consulting, offering management and marketing education to post-acute care professionals since 1988. Nationally recognized for her senior management and marketing seminars, her flagship program, Putting the SUPER in Supervision, focuses on skill development. She serves top-tier clients across the care continuum, including multi-facility chains, CCRCs, home health, hospice, and ancillary services.

With over 20 years of experience in sales education, she helps organizations expand in post-acute markets. Her diverse background includes managing 35+ satellite operations and 500 sales reps, directing North American marketing for a global leader in online clinical information, and overseeing a senior utility assistance program. A Kent State University graduate (B.S., Public Policy/Political Science), Brubaker is a Past-Chair and Past-Director of The Beacon Institute and a former nationally elected Director of the Business & Professional Women’s Foundation.

Session:

Roundtable Discussion: Offering Feedback That Makes a Difference

Mary Ann Buckley holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work. She has worked in the field of aging for 30 years in a variety of settings: hospital, rehab hospital, nursing home and Care Management. She has led support groups through the Alzheimer’s Association and has provided education presentations for older adults and their family members as well as professionals on topics related to aging.

Currently, Mary Ann’s professional and personal life are similar as she is a long-distance caregiver for her 95-year-old mother. Mary Ann thanks her mom and the many older adults she has worked with for sharing their wisdom and teaching her the benefits of independence and resilience in the aging process.

Session:

Breakout 203: What is Compassion Fatigue? How to Recognize When the Professional Needs Support

Cindy Celi, MSW, Mom’s Meals’ manager of Healthcare Partnerships in the Mid Atlantic, covering Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and DC. Mom’s Meals is the leading provider of refrigerated, medically tailored home delivered meals across the United States.

Prior to joining Mom’s Meals 8 years ago, her professional background focused on healthcare and community-based services serving the aging and disabled. Cindy’s focus with Mom’s Meals is closing gaps in care to reduce or eliminate food insecurity and improve life through better nutrition at home.

Session:

Roundtable Discussion: The Intersection of Food Insecurity and Quality of Life

Angela Dignan joined RCM&D in 2007 and currently serves as the Healthcare Practice Leader. With over 20 years of experience in property and casualty insurance for the healthcare industry, she is a trusted advisor to healthcare providers, helping them navigate complex risk management and insurance challenges. Angela leads strategic initiatives, sets sales goals, and fosters a culture of innovation within her team, all while embodying RCM&D’s core values.

Angela began her career at RCM&D as a Claims Coordinator, managing liability claims for self-insured healthcare organizations. After a brief time at a middle market accounting firm, she returned to RCM&D/SISCO to focus on brokerage and claims management solutions. Over the years, she has held key roles including Client Executive, Client Service Team Leader, and Liability Claims Manager, supporting hospitals and senior care organizations with a focus on captive insurance for medical malpractice exposures.

Prior to her current role, Angela served as RCM&D’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, aligning company-wide efforts with corporate goals and mission. Her forward-thinking approach, collaborative leadership, and deep industry knowledge make her a dynamic leader, helping healthcare organizations thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Session:

Paul Finamore is a Member in PK Law’s Labor and Employment Group. Mr. Finamore regularly counsels employers on employment issues, workplace policies, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws. He began practicing in employment law while serving on active duty in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Generals Corps at Aberdeen Proving Ground. In addition to his labor and employment practice, Mr. Finamore is an experienced trial lawyer who has practiced in state and federal courts throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia for over 30 years. Mr. Finamore’s experience includes litigation of general and profession liability matters, including first and third party insurance claims; and the defense of employment litigation claims.

Mr. Finamore has lectured extensively on employment and litigation law topics throughout his career. He is rated AV-Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell, awarded by peer review, for the highest standards of professional skill and ethics. He has been recognized as a top attorney in general litigation and employment and labor by Maryland Super Lawyers since 2008, selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2019 ,and was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” award recipient in Litigation – Insurance in Baltimore. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and community is honored with a “Lawyer of the Year” award.

Paul Finamore and Halle Gray are co-authors of the Independent Contractors Chapter for the 2024 Lexis Nexis Treatise, Employment Contracts and Agreements: A Guide for Corporate Counsel. They also recently co-authored, Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law State Q&As, Maryland: Background Check Laws and Drug Testing Laws.

Session:

Halle Gray is a Senior Associate at Pessin Katz Law, P.A. (PK Law). She focuses her practice on labor and employment, general litigation, insurance defense, premises liability, personal injury, and auto tort defense. Prior to joining PK Law, Ms. Gray was an Assistant Public Defender with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Eastside District Court where she represented indigent clients in criminal matters. With a caseload of 20-30 cases per daily docket, Ms. Gray was trial counsel in hundreds of contested cases and gained extensive litigation experience. Prior to this position she was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Karen C. Friedman of the Baltimore City Circuit Court. Ms. Gray has been named to the Maryland Super Lawyers Rising Star list for Employment Litigation Defense since 2023.

Paul Finamore and Halle Gray are co-authors of the Independent Contractors Chapter for the 2024 Lexis Nexis Treatise, Employment Contracts and Agreements: A Guide for Corporate Counsel.  They also recently co-authored, Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law State Q&As, Maryland: Background Check Laws and Drug Testing Laws.

Session:

Breakout 101: The Evolving Compliance Landscape for Medicaid Personal Care RSAs: A Panel Discussion

Daniel Gold is a seasoned healthcare executive and entrepreneur, known for building, scaling, and selling multiple healthcare technology and service companies. His extensive career includes leadership roles in venture-backed startups and publicly traded companies, with expertise in homecare, healthcare technology, and senior care services.

Recently, he led Lifematters, a $40M+ multi-state homecare company, through a successful acquisition by HCA/TheKey. Before that, he drove the growth of Homecare.com, a marketplace for healthcare workers valued at over $1.5 billion. Mr. Gold excels in organizational transformation and value creation, particularly at the intersection of technology and healthcare. His pioneering work in telemedicine, healthcare monitoring, and innovative care models highlights his impact. Holding both a J.D. and MBA, Mr. Gold’s blend of legal, financial, and operational skills has led to successful acquisitions to industry leaders like GE Healthcare, Bosch Healthcare, Tunstall Health UK, and Walgreens, showcasing his strategic growth and innovation expertise.

Session:

Breakout 201: Revolutionizing Healthcare: The AI Adventure Begins!

Lindsey Howard serves as the regional director of government affairs for Maxim Healthcare Services, focusing on 10 northern states. There, she advocates for patient access to care, the needs of caregivers and nurses, and the importance of private duty nursing. She has 15+ years of experience within the home health care industry including caregiving to patients as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Since then she has moved through the ranks throughout the industry as a Client Services Manager, Home Health Aide Recruiter, Quality Assurance auditor, and in the past 5 years has worked as a member of a Government Affairs team. Understanding all parts of home health care has been essential to her professional development and career. She is passionate about ensuring quality care is delivered to those requiring care in the home and working with industry partners to improve those services.

Session:

Breakout 103: Advocacy 101

Throughout her career Danna has worked in various levels of State government and in the private sector. She has established a reputation as a problem solver and consensus builder who can handle complicated issues in a trusted and professional manner.

Beginning in 1997, Danna served as Counsel to the then House Environmental Matters Committee, working on complex health care issues, and then spent three years as a senior legislative advisor to Governor Glendening, where she worked on a wide range of issues in the areas of health, environment, civil rights and homeland security. Immediately prior to joining the Firm, Danna served as the Senior Vice President of Public Policy for LifeSpan Network, the leading senior care provider association in Maryland.

Raised in Howard County, Maryland, Danna holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Towson University, where she graduated cum laude. In 1996, she graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she was an editor on the Maryland Law Review. Prior to entering State government service, Danna began her career as a litigation attorney at Smith, Somerville and Case, P.A. Danna resides in Annapolis with her two children.

Session:

General Session: State Legislative Update

Marla Lahat, MSW, LICSW, is the Executive Director of Home Care Partners, a non-profit home care agency and senior services provider in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Prior to becoming Executive Director in 1999, Marla developed and managed the Alzheimer’s home care programs at Home Care Partners since 1986.

She has published articles and presented seminars on working with clients with Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving, and other home care topics. She serves on several community-based committees including AgeFriendly DC. Marla was honored with the EXCEL award for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership in 2013. Marla is a dog lover and particularly enjoys having dog boarders “vacation” with her family while their owners are away.

Session:

Roundtable Discussion: Beyond Pay & Benefits: Retention Strategies for Direct Care Workers

Michelle Lynn is the senior director for clinical support services at MedStar Health Home Care, working primarily with the Intake, Scheduling, and Physician Orders teams. Michelle represents MHHC on the systemwide EI&D core council and is the co-chair of MHHC’s EI&D committee. Previously, Michelle served as President of the Board of Directors for the United States Lactation Consultant Association and was instrumental in their implementation of EI&D strategies, including significant business operation decisions that increased the accessibility of the organization to all lactation care providers.

Michelle holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration and is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant. Michelle and her husband reside in Columbia, MD, with their beautiful, blended family of eight children.

Session:

Breakout 202: Equity, Inclusivity & Diversity in Home Care: Lessons Learned & Future Planning

Dr. Monika Virk, an accomplished home healthcare expert, brings over 13 years of experience to her role as the Founder and CEO of HOP into Homecare! Her career is highlighted by pioneering work in developing home-based clinical programs, including Enhanced Ortho Care at Home, MD House Call, and hospital at home. At Inova Health Systems, she was instrumental in enhancing clinician onboarding and training program as the Director of Quality, Education, and Program Development.

Currently, Dr. Virk is committed to increasing the pool of trained home health care clinicians through her focus on comprehensive orientation and continuous education in the sector. She lives in Northern Virginia with her family and a dog named Rex.

Session:

Breakout 102: Empowering Home Health Providers: Strategies for Success with 2025 VBP, Sepsis Management, and Complex Patient Care

Lisa Toland is the Chief of the Provider Integrity, Claims, and Compliance Division within the Medicaid Office of Long Term Services and Supports for the Maryland Department of Health. She stepped into this role as chief in February 2021.

Prior to this role, she served as the Supervisor of the Quality and Compliance Unit for Medicaid assisted living facilities and residential services agencies. In past and current capacities she has been responsible for overseeing the development and coordination of new directives, regulations, sub-regulatory guidance, agency policies and procedures. She is the lead for the Medicaid Home and Community Based Settings Final Rule and her Division handles billing integrity and compliance for Community Options, Community First Choice, and the Increased Community Services’ providers.

She has been working for Medicaid within the State of Maryland for 30 years. She holds a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and continues to be committed to ensure provider compliance for Medicaid programs throughout the State of Maryland.

Session:

Fariborz Zarfeshan, RPh is a veteran pharmacist with 38 years of experience and the CEO and co-founder of ALFA Specialty Pharmacy. His diverse career includes experience at acute care at institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, projects with medical faculty at George Washington Medical Center, and Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center, as well as home infusion services, long-term care, and disease management program development.

For the past 18 years, he has focused on delivering high-touch, pharmacist-led care to vulnerable populations—especially those with developmental disabilities and chronic conditions requiring complex medication regimens. A forward thinker and passionate mentor, Fariborz believes pharmacy must evolve into a more collaborative, patient-centered model. He encourages pharmacy students and professionals to embrace this shift, delivering care where it’s needed most—with empathy, innovation, and clinical excellence.

Session:

Roundtable Discussion: Medication Management of Home Health Patients -- Challenges and Opportunities