Wartburg Boards Appoint Several New Directors

Wartburg Boards Appoint Several New Directors

Mount Vernon, N.Y. (December 11, 2020) – Wartburg, a premier senior residential and healthcare provider in lower Westchester County, announced the appointment of several new Board members to serve as members of the governing body.

Erum Azeez Khan is co-founder and CEO of Soundmind, a company dedicated to providing

more autonomy and dignity to seniors while giving overworked caregivers a helping hand. Soundmind is an enterprise voice assistant platform for senior facilities to centrally manage and customize voice assistants like Alexa to deliver high quality care. Soundmind’s care-focused voice assistants have seen 95% adoption by older adults and 5x more usage than the average consumer. This usage resulted in a 44% reduction in depression scores as measured by the PHQ9 questionnaire. Before Soundmind, Erum worked with tech startups and social initiatives with TED, Singularity University, Google, and the UN. She studied Chemistry from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and started her career as an analytical chemist at GSK then J&J for 5 years before entering the global tech ecosystem in 2012. Ms. Azeez Khan will serve on the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function Board.

Robyn Moss is a real estate agent with Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty specializing in residential real estate transactions. Prior to real estate, she spent nearly a decade working in finance managing multi-asset portfolios for high-net worth families and institutions. Robyn is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder and has held multiple series licenses. A Los Angeles native, Robyn earned both her undergraduate and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Southern California. Robyn has served on the boards of non-profits in Los Angeles and is currently a volunteer for the Friends of White Plains Hospital. Robyn, her husband, and two daughters live in Mount Vernon and are excited to serve the local community by joining the Wartburg family. Ms. Moss will serve on the Foundation Board

Nancy J. Hardy, MS is a retired pharmaceutical sales professional with multiple successful product launches in psychiatry, neurology, and diabetes. She has an in-depth understanding of the changing payer landscape in state, federal and private sectors. She is a licensed Special Education Educator, and a licensed Psychotherapist. She is a Deacon at Huguenot Memorial Church in Pelham, NY where she resides. Ms. Hardy will serve on the Home Operations Board.

Juliet “Dawn” Graham is a consummate healthcare professional who brings to Wartburg a wealth of healthcare industry knowledge and experience garnered over 30 years in the pharmaceutical and managed care industries. Dawn’s various industry roles, which include healthcare finance, business development, sales, and marketing, encompassed the development and execution of provider engagement strategies, as well as provider network development, reimbursement, and contract negotiations. Dawn earned her BA in Economics from Cornell University as well as an MBA with a concentration in Marketing Management from Pace University. In addition to her decades-long work in healthcare and dedication to ensuring that all New Yorkers have affordable access to value-based healthcare, regardless of income or status, Dawn’s other passion is education. Recognizing that access to education is ultimately a social determinant of children’s overall health and well-being, Dawn’s goal is to someday work with non-profit initiatives to ensure that all children have equal access to education beginning at an early age. Ms. Graham will serve on the Home Operations Board.

“We look forward to welcoming our newest volunteers into this time-honored governance role. Their diverse experience and perspectives will be invaluable as the organization continues to transition to meet the needs of seniors throughout this region,” said Dr. David J. Gentner, Wartburg’s President and CEO.

“Our Board of Directors is comprised of a dedicated team of community leaders committed to furthering the mission and vision of Wartburg,” said Wartburg Foundation Chair Dr. Nicholas Cicchetti. “We are excited to channel their talent, expertise and energy into furthering our mission.”

“All of our newest Board Members embody the spirit of community and bring talent, expertise and energy to the table. We are very fortunate to have them by our side as we continue to evolve to serve the needs of seniors in this community,” Robert Ranieri, Home Operations Board Chair.

Wartburg

Wartburg, located in Westchester County, NY, offers integrated, comprehensive senior residential and healthcare services. Unlike conventional retirement communities, Wartburg provides a wide range of services to both residents living on its beautiful 34-acre campus and people in their own homes. From independent, assisted living and award-winning nursing home care to inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, home care and adult day care services, its continuing care approach has earned Wartburg a trusted reputation in Westchester. Wartburg also provides caregiver support at every stage with an array of options to find the level of care that considers the whole family. Wartburg was named one of the “Best Nursing Homes in New York State” by U.S. News & World Report for the tenth consecutive year in 2020. In addition, Wartburg received the 2016 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators and the 2015 Legacy Award from the Westchester County Chapter of the Links. In 2018 the IMNF joined Wartburg to provide innovative music therapy programs to residents throughout its 34-acre campus, further opportunities for student affiliations, and to advance neurological studies of music and the brain through research.