Our Councils

The programs and offerings of the Newton-Wellesley Community Collaborative are supported by strategic councils funded through the generous support of our community. The councils are formed around focus areas with compelling community impact and include:

• Cardiovascular Council
• Domestic and Sexual Abuse Council
• Elder Care Council
• Maternity Services Council (including Postpartum Services)
• Palliative Care Council
• Resilience Council (Youth Mental Health)
• Substance Use Services Council
• Workforce Development Council

Each council has approximately 20 members. The representatives include:

• Internal Newton-Wellesley experts (such as surgeons, primary care physicians, social workers, nurses and others)
• External community partners (such as leaders from local businesses and community nonprofits as well as municipal officers representing public health and safety, councils on aging and more)
• Volunteer community members who are passionate about the focus area

Leading each council are community chairs/co-chairs, supported by the Community Collaborative team. The councils meet quarterly, with specialized subcommittees that meet on an ad-hoc basis.

Council Objectives

• Ambassadorship & Advocacy
• Community Education
• Programmatic Impact
• Philanthropy

Community Collaborative councils aim to increase community awareness of important focus areas. Each council hosts community education programming which may feature speakers, panel discussion, documentary screenings, and more.

“I joined NWH’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Council because I believe firmly in a community-based approach to meeting the complex needs of survivors, raising broader awareness of this scourge and helping to secure resources for NWH’s critical work in this area. I find that the council’s diverse group of health professionals, survivors, and community members allows for a comprehensive, trauma-informed approach to addressing domestic and sexual violence in all its forms.” - Sarah Perry, Chair, Domestic and Sexual Violence Council and community member

“Given conflicting information on the web and social media, there is a need for a better understanding of how our food choices and lifestyle affect our physical, mental and emotional health. As a Maternity Services Council member, I want to help women make more connections between what they are eating, how they are sleeping, moving and managing their stress with how they are feeling. The council informs women and gives them the tools to not only create a better pregnancy but also help prevent chronic health conditions in the future.” - Anne Lemons, PT, FNLP, Maternity Services Council member and community member

“Every community in Massachusetts has been impacted by substance use disorder in some way. Through my role on the Substance Use Council, I hope to help position NWH as a resource for people in our area who may be struggling with this disease. Engaging other philanthropists in this mission is vital so that we can raise awareness and expand services to combat substance use, helping patients on their path to recovery.”- Alicia Abad, Substance Use Council member and community member

Cardiovascular Council

• Community Chair: Beth Keane
• Hospital Champions: George Philippides, MD, and Daniel Destin

The Cardiovascular Council is a group of community and health care leaders who are united through their passion to create a heart healthy community. Cardiovascular disease is widespread in the communities that Newton-Wellesley serves. Its damaging effects can often be managed, reduced or, even, eliminated through appropriate treatments, procedures or lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise. Council members evaluate the impact of existing community resources. Additionally, they discuss the potential of supplementary supports that could be interwoven to optimize hospital and municipal programs. The council works to advance initiatives and education by emphasizing:

• Community health programs encouraging physical activity
• Preventive health and disease management

Domestic and Sexual Abuse Council

• Chair: Sarah Perry
• Hospital Champion: Josephine Pang, LICSW

The Domestic and Sexual Abuse Council is a group of survivors, advocates, community members, and healthcare providers, all lending their skills to ensure robust healthcare and community-based responses to violence and abuse. The council is currently focused on enhancing access for survivors who face linguistic and cultural barriers. As a result of the council’s work, Newton-Wellesley Hospital is now funding expanded services to immigrant, Latinx, and Spanish-speaking survivors of partner abuse through REACH Beyond Domestic Violence. In addition, the council is drafting both written and web-based materials in multiple languages. Further efforts include:

• Growing community education regarding the health impact of violence and abuse
• Increasing the hospital’s capacity to respond to diverse needs of survivors seeking services
• Supporting stronger bridges between healthcare providers and community-based providers
• Empowering public health approaches to violence, abuse and trauma

Elder Care Council

• Community Co-chairs: Thomas Cunningham, MD and Ellen Leiter, RN

The Elder Care Council is a group of compassionate community members united in their concern to address the health and wellness needs of our elders. These devoted volunteers look for ways in which the community can collaborate to optimize care. The care needs of our elders are unique and require tailored strategies. The council explores solutions and evaluates options through the lens of elders themselves, health care providers, home caregivers, municipal professionals and others. The council respects the goals of our community elders and values services and programs designed to increase independence, safety and happiness throughout life. They examine many elements of physical and emotional well-being. Recently, the council has had a focus on health and wellness programs, many in collaboration with area senior centers, including:

• Matter of Balance (building strength, avoiding trips and falls)
• Walk with a Doc (casual, gym track walk with a NWH physician)
• Tai Chi classes and Mindfulness workshops
• Senior Suppers

Maternity Services Council

• Community Co-chairs: Erin Kelly and Anne Steer
• Hospital Champion: Lisa Dunn-Albanese, MD

The Maternity Services Council is a group of volunteer leaders, drawn from the community and hospital staff, who share a special interest in improving Maternity Services during pregnancy and after delivery with a special mission to increase awareness and improve treatment of pregnancy-related depression. The council evaluates strategies on how best to meet the needs of women and families, engaging related community and hospital services to enhance care. All council members recognize the need to provide leadership, guidance, build awareness and offer philanthropic support to help strengthen services for new mothers and families. Members also investigate approaches to screening for depression. Importantly, the council helped establish:

• A screening tool to be used three or more times during pregnancy/postpartum
• A new social worker position
• Improved communication through social media
• Support groups for mothers and families

Palliative Care Council

• Community Co-chairs: Ann Ingram and Steve Sullivan
• Hospital Champion: Kosha Thakore, MD

The Newton-Wellesley Hospital Palliative Care Council is a group of individuals who have an interest in palliative care and a willingness to help support and build awareness for the NWH Palliative Care Division.  Individuals who sit on the Palliative Care Council offer a range of experience, making them well suited to provide hospital leadership with feedback on its vision. Council members provide strategic leadership, counsel, expertise and philanthropic support with the goal of increasing access to palliative care at NWH for patients and their families. The council is particularly focused on:

• Supporting the growth of palliative care service across the continuum of care
• Integrating palliative care services with population health goals

The Resilience Council

• Community Co-chairs: Anne Hall and Brenda Haynes, MD
• Hospital Champion: Elizabeth Booma, MD

The Resilience Council is a group of volunteer leaders who have a specific interest in improving the impact of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (CAPS) within the community. All members demonstrate a willingness to help build awareness and provide philanthropic support to help strengthen, expand and increase access to mental health care at NWH for children and their families. The members of the Resilience Council champion CAPS as a high-priority area of NWH and enhance the work of the Resilience Project, which is dedicated to helping local schools manage the mental health and wellness of their students. Additional current topics of interest include:

• Psychiatrist and social worker connection to each high school and, most recently, middle school
• Annual Summit (professional development opportunity for school guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, teachers, and other educators and administrators)
• Parent and teen support programs
• Community education

Substance Use Council

• Community Co-chairs: Alicia Abad and Carol McMullen

The Substance Use Council is a group of highly committed individuals willing to offer their expertise and support to arrest the spread of what has become a serious threat to community health and wellness. In recent years, concerns about substance use have escalated nationally and regionally. Its effects can be insidious, with long-term damage to individuals, families and communities. Council members represent both clinical and societal perspectives. As a group, they discuss ways in which to provide critical services at the time of greatest impact, embedding treatment and preventive care throughout our community. Some approaches the council is currently evaluating include:

• Recovery coaches
• Psychiatry clinical expertise
• Primary care provider support and training
• A focus on alcohol use in college-age individuals

Workforce Development Council

• Community Chair: Phara Boyer
• Hospital Champion: Beth Downie

The Workforce Development Council comprises hospital and community leaders and individuals who are devoted to improving career opportunities, especially for area youth. By developing our regional workforce, we not only expand potential career options for both youth and adults, we also enhance family financial security and, importantly, provide a ready pool of talent for local businesses. A strong local economy can positively and more broadly impact health and wellness. Some of the council’s key initiatives include:

• Waltham summer youth intern program
• Student and community exposure to healthcare careers across all levels, highlighted by an annual career fair
• Opportunities for non-working adults and adults in the workforce in need of additional support

Join Us

To learn more about our Councils or for membership inquiries, please email NWHCollaborative@partners.org

The Newton-Wellesley Community Collaborative is a philanthropy driven initiative that is committed to weaving the hospital into the social fabric of the communities it services. Donations in support of the collaborative and the work of specific councils can be made by visiting our donation page.