Friday, April 17, 2009

Meet Our Team

Amy Post-Grady
Amy is an Internal Medicine physician, board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She has worked in hospice as an Associate Medical Director for the past five years. She came to the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast one and a half years ago. Prior to her work with hospice, Amy cared for HIV/AIDS patients and became a certified HIV physician specialist. She has had the opportunity to participate in medical care in Malawi and Kenya, Africa in the past. Amy finds it highly rewarding to care for the very sick and those that have poor access to healthcare. During our upcoming trip to South Africa, she hopes to assist with project development, patient care, teaching and securing medications for South African patients through fund raising and collaboration with the Soweto hospice pharmacy.

Stacy Orloff
Dr. Stacy Orloff is the Vice President of Palliative Care and Community Programs at the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. She has been employed by The Hospice for over eighteen years. Stacy is active nationally in several end of life care projects and initiatives and is also published in peer review books and journals. This is her second trip to South Africa and to our sister hospice. She says, “The people I met in South Africa have become part of me, their stories my story. It is more than my privilege to share these stories; it is my obligation and responsibility.”

Roxie Smith
Roxie Smith has been involved in the African Hospice effort for more than seven years. Prior to retirement in 2008, she was employed as The Hospice’s grants manager and worked closely with the Soweto staff in applying for grants to U.S. foundations. In 2008, she co-chaired The Hospice’s first major fundraiser for Soweto, A Taste of Good Hope. As a team member in 2009, she expects to become a more effective advocate for Soweto through writing and public speaking.

Lea Ann Horton
Lea Ann Horton is that rare species – a native Floridian born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. She wanted to be a nurse since childhood and achieved that dream in 1993 working in various capacities as an RN. For the past eleven years she has been privileged to be employed by Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. She became aware of our sister hospice in Soweto, South Africa after becoming an active member in the Soweto Support and Fundraising Committee and is eager and committed to experience Soweto in person by participating in this year’s staff exchange. After she returns, she is hoping her enhanced passion for this cause will help her to persuade others to join the endeavor by spreading the word to groups and individuals whenever possible. She has tried to live her life since a teenager by following this quote: “Being a success is knowing one life breathed easier because you were born.”

Laura Mosby
Laura Mosby, LCSW, is the Director of Organizational Integrity. She has been affiliated with Hospice over 16 years and recently joined The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. She is a Clinical Social Worker with experience in developing and administration of Children’s Programs and Community Outreach Programs as well as Clinical Hospice Programs. Currently, her role is focused on Organizational Quality and Compliance.

Laura will work with the Soweto team on Leadership Development and Quality and Process Improvement Initiatives as well as collaborating with the Social Workers and Children’s Programs.

Laura sees the value venturing out of her “comfort zone”. She believes that by engaging another community or culture we learn more about ourselves. “I’m looking forward to this experience”, said Laura.

Stephen Lasky
Stephen Lasky, a producer of film and video projects for advertising and television, has supported the Suncoast Hospice for many years. As a member of the 2009 Exchange Team, Stephen will be teaming up with his wife, Cathy, to provide content for a daily web log that will chronicle the team’s activities, and allow viewers to witness both the challenges facing the people of Soweto and solutions offered by the Soweto Hospice.

Cathy Lasky
Cathy is the senior graphic artist and digital content producer at The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. She has been involved with events promoting the Soweto Hospice since 2000. The trip to Soweto this year is an opportunity for Cathy to use her photography and video production skills to put a face with the AIDS statistics and to meet and learn from the people affected by this pandemic. It is Cathy’s hope that she will effectively communicate to anyone who wants to follow along on this journey, an accurate portrayal of the people of Soweto and their lives.

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