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Home Health & Hospice President Judy Peterson retiring after 8 years at helm

Board of directors announces search for next chief executive

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Judy Peterson, President, Home Health and Hospice

COLCHESTER, Vt. – Judy Peterson, president and chief operating office for the University of Vermont Health Network – Home Health & Hospice, today announced her plans to retire in January 2021 after eight years of leadership in the role.

Peterson, a registered nurse and native Vermonter, began her role as president and chief operating officer at UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice (then the VNA of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties) in July 2012. At that time, she committed to remaining in the position for five years, but stayed on to guide the organization through affiliation with The UVM Health Network, formalized in October 2018. She also presided over the $7.1 million capital campaign and building of the McClure Miller Respite House, and greatly expanded Home Health & Hospice’s embrace of telemedicine, using technology to complement in-home patient care with virtual clinical assessment and monitoring.

Peterson came to Home Health & Hospice from Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in Berlin, where she served as chief executive officer for the last five of her 27 years there.

“I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to lead a remarkable organization like UVM Health Network - Home Health & Hospice,” Peterson said. “Since my first day on the job, I have been continually amazed at the strength of the mission, the diversity of programming, the support of our donors and the commitment and dedication of our staff. This organization truly strives to meet the needs of our community and I am proud to have played a small part in that service.”

Peterson’s broad impact has been acknowledged by colleagues and members of Home Health & Hospice’s Board of Directors, including Chair Jeanne Hutchins.

“Judy is the quintessential leader,” Hutchins said. “She is professional, calm and thoughtful. What really makes Judy special is that she genuinely cares about the Home Health and Hospice staff, clients and supporters. To tie it all together is her great sense of humor. The board wishes her the best in her retirement.”

John R. Brumsted, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the UVM Health Network, highlighted the vision and leadership that showed throughout preparations and affiliation with the Network.

“Judy has been a tireless advocate for all people in need, and especially for caring for people in their favorite setting – the home. We will miss her,” Dr. Brumsted said. “As we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, home health is becoming more important than ever for our system of care.”

Peterson says she plans to continue to oversee daily operations for the next six months and finalize some current projects. “I will lead an effort to assess our strengths and challenges as an organization and plan for new initiatives to position our organization for 2021 and beyond. I am keenly aware that Home Health & Hospice represents the future of health care. Our strength as a team, and the work our team does today, is what will create the stage for a better, more affordable and more compassionate health care system tomorrow.”

Erika Schramm, a member of Home Health & Hospice’s board of directors, announced the board will conduct a nationwide search for the agency’s next president. Schramm will chair the committee.

“Our goal is to find the right leader — a leader of Judy’s exceptional caliber — to guide our organization through a post-COVID-19 landscape while meeting our mission of helping people thrive in healthy communities,” Schramm said.

Schramm also announced fellow members of the search committee. They are:

  • Al Gobeille, executive vice president of Operations for The UVM Health Network;
  • Steve Grant, M.D., associate chief medical officer, Care Coordination and Patient Transitions at UVM Medical Center;
  • Jeanne Hutchins, chair of The UVM Health Network - Home Health & Hospice Board of Directors;
  • John Maitland, labor and employment attorney and director at Burlington’s Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC;
  • Martha Maksym, president and chief executive officer of Wake Robin Life Plan Community in Shelburne;
  • Jill Olson, executive director of the Montpelier-based Visiting Nurse Associations (VNAs) of Vermont;
  • Tara Pacy, board chair-elect of The UVM Health Network - Home Health & Hospice Board of Directors, and director of Clinical Support Services at UVM Medical Center; and
  • Allie Stickney, trustee, The UVM Health Network, and former president and chief executive officer of Wake Robin and other organizations.

“Members of the search committee were selected for their experience, understanding of the current state of the health care industry and awareness of the increasing opportunities for home health and hospice services,” Hutchins said. “I believe this committee represents a wide range of perspectives that will ensure a strong new leader.”

Hutchins expects the search process to conclude by December 2020 and the new president to begin in January 2021 upon Peterson’s retirement.

 

About The University of Vermont Health Network – Home Health & Hospice
We are a 116-year-old organization dedicated to delivering health care to patients wherever they call home in Chittenden or Grand Isle counties. Especially during this global pandemic, providing care in the familiar, comfortable, convenient home environment not only meets patients’ and families’ preferences, it is also cost effective and ensures the greatest level of safety.

Our visiting nurses, physical, occupational and speech-language therapists, licensed nursing assistants and personal care attendants bring high-tech professional clinical care directly to patients’ homes. Compassionate end-of-life care is provided at Colchester’s McClure Miller Respite House, Vermont’s only Medicare-certified inpatient hospice facility.

Home Health & Hospice is a member of The University of Vermont Health Network, an integrated system established to deliver high-quality academic medicine to every community it serves. The network includes:

For more information, visit www.UVMHomeHealth.org or visit our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram sites.