Coastal Hospice announces staff transitions

Coastal Hospice has announced the promotion of Susan Olischar to Vice President of Finance. She is responsible for optimizing the financial performance of the organization, providing accurate and timely reporting, financial planning and forecasting, and managing cash flow to ensure that we meet our financial commitments.

She has worked for Coastal Hospice for 12 years. Olischar received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Salisbury University and is a licensed CPA

Stacy Cottingham has been tapped as the new Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives. Cottingham has been with the agency for five years.

She originally started as Manager of Quality/Performance Improvement and Education. Before joining Coastal Hospice, she was a case manager at a regional hospital and worked in management in both the cardiac and oncology departments.

She is a nurse with 25 years of experience and is certified in hospice and palliative nursing. She has a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from UMES.

Bob Miller will now serve as the Senior Director of Business Development.

Miller has been with Coastal Hospice for over five years. He worked as a chaplain and in bereavement services, then moved into provider relations as an associate and eventually managed the department.

He holds a master’s degree from Eastern University and a bachelor’s from Lee University.

Lauren Blair has been promoted to Provider Relations Manager after having been with Coastal Hospice since last fall.

Prior to her joining the Coastal Hospice team, Blair worked at Salisbury Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for nine years, where she most recently served as the Memory Support Program Director.

She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Salisbury University in Social Work, and is a Licensed Master Social Worker.

Blount, Edwards join Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities is pleased to announce that Tomasha Blount and Shontia Edwards have joined the staff at its Seton Center in Princess Anne location as case managers.

The two bring with them a variety of community service experiences that will support the clients that come to the agency for support.

Blount most recently was a case manager at the Lower Shore Shelter, assisting residents to find the resources needed to transition to permanent housing. Edwards was a coordinator of community services for the state of Maryland, supporting and assisting clients in accessing services and resources.

In their new positions, both Blount and Edwards will work with individuals and families struggling to maintain, or in some cases, regain, permanent housing. Their work includes helping the households to resolve the financial disruption in their lives, set up and maintain workable budgets, find income, and provide information and referrals to other beneficial services. They will remain in contact until the household regains its financial self-sufficiency.

Ketcham achieves Bay Landscape professional status

Suzanne Ketcham of Lower Shore Land Trust has earned the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional designation.

The achievement of the CBLP Level 1 designation demonstrates an advanced level of professionalism and knowledge of sustainable landscaping practices for a healthier Chesapeake Bay.

Certification is voluntary and candidates must pass a comprehensive exam that assesses an individual’s command of sustainable practices in the design, installation and maintenance of landscapes.

Lower Shore Land Trust is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust that is dedicated to preserving rural lands, promoting vibrant towns, and to building a healthier and more connected Eastern Shore. For more information contact lowershorelandtrust.org or 443-234-5587.

John Aukward to become Rotary Club president

John Aukward, a 13-year Rotarian, was nominated by a committee of Past Presidents and unanimously accepted by club members on January 3 as the 2020-2021 President-Elect of The Rotary Club of Salisbury.

Aukward, Vice President, Eastern Shore Branch Manager at The Bank of Delmarva, has held a number of leadership roles in the club. He is the Immediate Past Membership Chairman, a three-term member of the Board of Directors and has served as the District 7630 Treasurer.

His community service includes Wicomico Hope, Lower Shore Children’s Center, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, the Furnace Town Board, and a term as President of his homeowners association.

He’ll serve during a period of The Rotary Club of Salisbury’s 100^th anniversary.  Aukward will succeed Chris Layton, the club’s Immediate Incoming President, whose one-year term begins in July.

Beigler promoted at Bank of Delmarva

John W. Breda, President and CEO of The Bank of Delmarva, announced that Geri Beigler has been promoted to Assistant Cashier/Senior Relationship Associate.

She will continue working from the bank's administrative offices on Northwood Drive in Salisbury and from the Loan Production Office on Miller Road in Rehoboth Beach.

Beigler has 30-plus years of banking experience, including 14 years in the commercial sector.

She resides in Sussex County.

Dr. Jo Ann Fields certified in hospice care

Dr. Jo Ann Fields of Salisbury has been certified in hospice and palliative medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Board certification from ABIM is the highest standard in internal medicine and its subspecialties and signifies that physicians have demonstrated to their peers and to the public that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for providing excellent patient care.

After being certified in Internal Medicine, Fields completed a yearlong fellowship at Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown, Pa.

Fields is the primary physician at Coastal Hospice At The Lake and has been with the agency for two years.

Founded in 1980, Coastal Hospice is a nonprofit health care organization that cares for individuals facing life-limiting conditions but who want to remain as active and engaged as possible. Coastal Hospice cares for patients in their home, nursing home, assisted living facility or at Coastal Hospice At The Lake, and serves Somerset, Dorchester, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

Cullen, Whitten honored at PRMC

Three nursing staff members have recently been honored at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.

Samantha Cullen of 5 East recently earned the Sunshine Award for being an outstanding CNA. The person who nominated her praised Cullen because “she is always calm with patients and puts them at ease.”

Rebecca Whitten, a certified nursing assistant, also won a Sunshine Award for extraordinary work with patients and being a skilled and enthusiastic member of the care team.

Said her nominator: “She makes a huge difference in the lives of her patients and coworkers.”

Both Cullen and Whitten were honored ceremonies before their co-workers, and were presented with fresh flowers, a pin and a certificate recognizing her exceptional care