Home Care Association of New York State President Joanne Cunningham (left) presents VNA Homecare President and Chief Executive Officer Kate Rolf with the 2015 Advocacy Award.
(Syracuse, NY – June 2015) VNA Homecare President and Chief Executive Officer Kate Rolf was recently recognized by the Home Care Association of New York State with the 2015 Advocacy Award. The award is presented annually to one provider agency or person, including both elected and appointed officials, who takes risks to improve the home care industry, clients and workers through their advocacy efforts.
Rolf’s receipt of this award can be attributed to her prestigious reputation throughout New York State, which has been molded through her expertise in strategic development, public policy, managed care, financial management and customer service. Her monetary and analytical proficiency enable her to make educated, tactically sound decisions that have both an immediate and long-term positive impact on home care.
As president and chief executive officer of VNA Homecare, Rolf is the driving force behind positioning the organization as one of the most trusted, respected and widely-known home care systems in this region. In four short years, she has helped the system improve financial outcomes, increase revenue and the patient census. Rolf also developed and implemented a Managed Long Term Care Medicaid Plan, which now operates in 41 Central New York counties.
In addition to her success with VNA Homecare, Rolf also serves on the Board of Directors with the Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), where she is Co-Chair of their Policy Committee and a member of the Education Committee. She is a cabinet member with Home Care and Community Services and the PACE/Managed Long Term Care Plan, as well as Long Term Care Executive Council Board Secretary and Selective Services Board Member. She is also affiliated with the National Association for Home Care and Hospice and the New York State Association of Long Term Care Administrators. She is a fellow from the American College of Healthcare Executives, and holds a license as a New York State Nursing Home Administrator.
Rolf earned a bachelor of science in business management and economics from the State University of New York Empire State College, a master of business administration in technology management and a master of science in health services administration from the State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome and an advanced graduate certificate in gerontology from Utica College. Prior to her appointment at VNA Homecare, Rolf served as executive director of home care services at Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare.
“Kate possesses a strong vision for the future with an understanding that home and community-based care is a dynamic, rapidly changing industry, and constantly looks for opportunities in growth, advancement and improvement,” said Kimberly Graf, director of communications and development at VNA Homecare. “These characteristics, among others, exemplify what the Advocacy Award stands for.”