Direction Home Akron Canton is a compassionate organization that takes a person-centered approach to care. This is in part due to the dedicated people who lead us.
Abigail Morgan, President & CEO
Abigail Morgan is the Chief Executive Officer at Direction Home Akron Canton. Her team is responsible for strategic and operational planning, provider relations, project & performance management, development, quality improvement, and new programs. She has worked with the Aging Network for 15+ years and has the privilege of working with Area Agencies on Aging all over the country. Prior to working at Direction Home, Abby held positions at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (USAging), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Abby has a Master's in Social Services and a Master's in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College, and a Master's in Business Administration/Data Analytics from Ohio University. She is a national speaker on community-integrated health networks, a trained facilitator for Organizing for Health, and Leadership Akron Graduate, Class 39.
Ljudmila Burchfield, Chief Operating & Legal Officer
Ljudmila Burchfield serves as the Chief Oper
ating and Legal Officer, overseeing human resources, provider relations, the Aging & Disability Resource Center, and community outreach. Additionally, she assists employees with legal questions they face in their daily tasks to ensure the best care for the Agency's consumers and members. Mrs. Burchfield is a Registered Nurse and an Ohio licensed attorney with certification in healthcare compliance, accumulating over 20 years of healthcare experience. She has served in various roles in healthcare systems, nursing homes, and Area Agencies on Aging. Mrs. Burchfield's early career involved taking care of older adults and individuals with disabilities and serving older adults in nursing homes. Her passion to improve the system that enables older adults to age independently inspired her to attend law school, followed by clinical and operational roles in acute and post-acute care settings. Mrs. Burchfield has experience in establishing and managing compliance programs as well as serving as legal counsel.
In her previous role at Direction Home, Mrs. Burchfield was actively involved in counseling innovative solutions for complex care management contract negotiations and transition of care. She also established an effective compliance program for Direction Home and two other AAAs in Northeast Ohio. Under Burchfield's leadership, the Agency has developed a strong culture of corporate compliance demonstrated by outstanding performance scores.
Rebecca Newman, Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Newman joined Direction Home Akron Canton in 2016 after 10+ years of experience in the health care industry, providing health care advisory services focused on reimbursement related analyses and revenue cycle management. As the Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Newman is responsible for strategic oversight of all fiscal related activities of the organization and oversees Information Technology and Security for the Agency. Rebecca obtained her Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration from the University of Akron after graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Finance. Ms. Newman volunteers as the Treasurer of Grace House, a non-profit providing a loving home for indigent, homeless and abandoned individuals at the end of life.
Brandi Chrzanowski, Vice President of Strategic Planning & Performance Improvement
Brandi Chrzanowski is the Vice President of Strategic Planning and Performance Improvement at Direction Home Akron Canton. She has worked in the field of aging as a licensed Social Worker in a variety of positions within the Agency since 2003. During her time with Direction Home, her most notable accomplishments include the creation and implementation of a long-term care transitions program called PATH (Providing Alternatives to Transition Home), which facilitated over 1,000 successful transitions from nursing facilities to community-based settings. She also led the largest, most successful HOME Choice (Money Follows the Person) program in Ohio, having successfully transitioned over 1,500 individuals from nursing facilities to community-based settings. She received her Master's degree in Business Administration from Ashford University and a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from The University of Akron. Brandi is a certified Yellow Belt in LEAN Six Sigma and a graduate of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (now USAging) Leadership Institute. She currently leads the Provider Relations, Project Management and Quality Improvement teams. In addition, she assists in the Agency's strategic, operational and area planning functions, as well as aging network funds management.
Christopher D. Fagerstrom, Senior Vice President of Home & Community Based Services
Mr. Fagerstrom began his career as a nursing facility social worker. He has been with Direction Home Akron Canton for the past 25+ years serving in a variety of positions within the care management department. Chris works diligently to maximize the health outcomes of members served, while keeping program costs low and client satisfaction high. Chris is known for his work in implementing the Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver program and for working collaboratively with UnitedHealthcare and CareSource to lead the successful launch of the long-term services and supports components within the MyCare Ohio program. Chris currently assists in overseeing the Home & Community Based Services Division, which includes 135 divisional staff serving 7,500+ members in our four-county area. Chris has a Certificate of Gerontology, a Certificate of Therapeutic Activities, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Akron, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Malone University. Chris utilizes his Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to continuously lead and guide others through process improvement initiatives.
Julie Esack, Vice President of Elder Rights
Julie Esack is a seasoned healthcare leader with over 20 years of experience in the long-term care industry, specializing in quality improvement, customer service, and employee engagement. Julie was previously a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator for eight years, leading 100+ employees, achieving deficiency-free health surveys, and prioritizing resident-first approaches in decision-making. Julie joined Direction Home Akron Canton in 2018, initially serving as the Quality Improvement Ombudsman, where she led successful nursing home staff engagement and customer service projects. Julie now serves as the Vice President of Elder Rights, overseeing the operations of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program across 13 counties.
Julie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Kent State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. In addition, she is a licensed Massage Therapist certified by the Ohio State Medical Board and is Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certified. She is currently pursuing Green Belt certification to further enhance her expertise in process improvement. An advocate for the elderly, disabled, and underserved, Julie is deeply committed to her community, combining her professional experience with a personal dedication to improving the lives of those she serves.
Tracey Nauer, Vice President of Home & Community Based Services
Tracey Nauer is the Vice President of Home and Community Based Services at Direction Home Akron Canton. As Vice President of HCBS, Tracey uses her healthcare background in clinical nursing, hospital, palliative care, long term care, home care, and administration to focus on operations management, performance improvement, and Lean Six Sigma. Tracey is a member of Class 3 Tony Gorant Community Leadership Institute as well as the Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society. She has also been honored as a Stark State "Winner" and as one of Crain's Cleveland Business "Who's to Watch in Health Care" designees. At Direction Home, Nauer manages staff, programs, and services to provide daily utilization management, transitional care, short-term care management, and incoming referrals activities. Tracey graduated Torchbearer's Class of 2012, holds a Master's degree in Nursing Administration from the University of Akron, and has a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt from Kent State University.
Matt Reed, Senior Vice President - Community Engagement
Mr. Reed has been with Direction Home Akron Canton over 20 years. He spent his first five years with the Agency as a Long-Term Care and Family Caregiver Consultant, designing programs and training for informal caregivers. Mr. Reed then transitioned to the Communications Manager role providing executive direction on public relations, marketing, fundraising and advocacy. In 2011 he was promoted to Vice President of Communications and Quality, adding provider network management, strategic planning, aging network funds management, and training and education to his responsibilities. As the Senior Vice President of Community Engagement, Mr. Reed now supervises Communications, Community Services, Training and Education, and the Aging and Disability Resource Center. He has an undergraduate degree in Business and Organizational Communication from The University of Akron, a master’s in Public Administration from Kent State University, and a master’s in Business Administration from Ohio University. Mr. Reed volunteers on the Board of Directors for Regina Health Center, a faith-based nursing facility.
Board of Directors
Officers
David B. Reynolds, M.D., Board Chair
Charles L. Greene, Vice Chair
James Masi, Vice Chair
Deborah Rutherford, Vice Chair
Julia T. DiFrancesco, Treasurer
Jack T. Diamond, Secretary
Jennifer Drost, D.O., MPH, Chief Medical Officer
David J. Peter, M.D., Immediate Past Chair
Directors
Julie Aultman, Ph.D.
Pamela Banchy
Jodi Edmunds
Jeannie Flossie
Iris E. Harvey
Horace Highland, Sr.
Tom Keathley
Fran Rice
Harvey L. Sterns, Ph.D.
Karen L. Talbott
Charles R. Vignos
Lee S. Walko
Lorrie A. Warren
View Board Meeting Schedule
Location: Zoom Meeting or at DHAD office. Please contact bleghart@dhad.org // 330-899-5210 for more information.
Foundation Board of Directors
Officers
Directors
Natalie E. Lindsay-Smith
Margaret F. Medzie
Fran Rice
View Foundation Meeting Schedule
Location: Zoom Meeting or at DHAD office. Please contact bleghart@dhad.org // 330-899-5210 for more information.
Board Member Emeritus
Kyle R. Allen
Michael A. Bernatovicz
Charles E. Booth
Mercer F. Bratcher
Beatrice J. Gingery
William L. Luntz
D. Bruce Mansfield
Nancy McPeek
Anne T. Nixon
David J. Peter, M.D.
William A. Reynolds
Willard P. Roderick
Edwin P. Schrank
Helen I. Spitzer
Joseph J. Straw
John C. Weiser
Learn more about who we are and what we do as an organization.