Leadership Team

William E. Finn became CEO of Hospice of the Western Reserve in February 2011 and has dedicated over 40 years of his career to hospice and palliative care. Bill has leadership roles in state and national end-of-life care organizations, including the National Hospice Work Group, Leading Age Ohio, and the Hospice Alliance of Ohio, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Bill has presented at the state and national levels on hospice and healthcare issues is published in healthcare journals, and has consulted across the country.

Dr. Robert Ancker joined Hospice of the Western Reserve as Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director in 2021. Dr. Anker has over 20 years of clinical leadership experience in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, including roles as the Medical Director for Blue Ridge Hospice, Winchester, Va., and Barton Memorial Hospital, South Lake Tahoe, Calif. He is highly regarded for his ability to foster a culture of continuous process improvement, constantly seeking new ways to innovate and provide exceptional care.

As Hospice of the Western Reserve’s primary clinical leader, Judy Bartel administers, directs, and coordinates activities related to all clinical services and operations. She is accountable for more than 760 clinical team employees in home care, alternative home care, referral assessment and liaison, on-call, the Bereavement Center, inpatient units, palliative care, the Navigator program, an advanced illness program, pediatrics, pharmacy, and dietary. She has been employed at Hospice of the Western Reserve for over 20 years in a variety of roles, including, staff nurse, marketing and Director of Clinical Programs.

Todd Benenati joined Hospice of the Western Reserve in 2013 and is Vice President of Information Systems, overseeing technology strategies and initiatives. He holds both a Bachelor of Science and MBA from John Carroll University. Previously, Todd was Director of IT at Lifetime Financial Alliance and IT Manager at Progressive Insurance.

Dr. Sean Cannone is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hospice of the Western Reserve, responsible for clinical care, quality and compliance, and education. Before joining the agency in 2024, he was System Medical Director for Population Health at University Hospitals, managing the UH Post-Acute Quality Network and overseeing the clinical integration of physician and advanced practice providers, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, home health care and hospice. Dr. Cannone's experience includes geriatric patient care, nursing home and hospice medical direction, clinical education, and population health management.

Jeff Kovacs became Chief Financial Officer for Hospice of the Western Reserve in May of 2020. Jeff is responsible for all the agency's accounting and finance functions, including financial reporting, budgeting, banking relationships, and general business operations. A healthcare industry finance and operations expert with more than 20 years of successful experience, Jeff has proven abilities in streamlining processes using strategic planning and financial leadership skills. With deep tech industry knowledge, he has a reputation for developing business strategies that support revenue-generating models.

Elizabeth McIntyre is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Hospice of the Western Reserve, overseeing all internal and external communications. Before joining the organization in 2024, she spent over 30 years in journalism, including 20 years at The Plain Dealer in various editorial roles and nearly a decade as executive editor of Crain’s Cleveland Business. Elizabeth also served as a PR specialist for the Cleveland Foundation and as vice president of strategic communications for the National Association of College Stores.

Lynn Mock was appointed Vice President of Marketing and Provider Relations in September 2021 and is now Chief Strategy Officer. As an effective and positive leader, she plans and directs the agency’s strategic marketing plan and oversees a staff of Provider Relations Managers. Lynn also builds collaborative relationships with Health Systems, payers, and professional referral sources across Hospice of the Western Reserve’s service area. Before joining Hospice of the Western Reserve, she had 24 years of healthcare industry experience including long-term care pharmacy, hospice, and skilled nursing,

As Vice President of Human Resources, Jessica Prinzo oversees all aspects of human capital management HR strategy, including talent management, employee engagement, leadership development, compensation, and benefits. Jessica is certified as a Society of Human Resources Management Senior Professional (SHRM-SCP) and implements human capital initiatives to support the agency’s strategic goals.

Laura K. Rayburn was appointed President of the Hospice of the Western Reserve Foundation in June 2020. A veteran fundraiser, Laura is responsible for all philanthropic activities and the establishment of the Hospice of the Western Reserve Foundation. Before joining Hospice of the Western Reserve, Laura held leadership positions at Saint Martin de Porres High School, Great Lakes Science Center, and The Cleveland Orchestra.

Mary Kay Tyler, MSN, CNP, CHPCA was appointed Vice President of Quality in 2016. Mary Kay has been with the agency since 1999, having previously served as Director of Pediatrics & Clinical Support Teams for 10 years. She is responsible for overseeing corporate quality and compliance programs and initiatives and HIPAA Privacy for all programs of Hospice of the Western Reserve. Mary Kay is Chair of the Ohio Pediatric Palliative/End-Of-Life Network (OPPEN), a state coalition of organizations caring and advocating for children and families receiving palliative and hospice services.