Team – Stewards of Change Institute

Daniel Stein

President

Daniel Stein is President of the Stewards of Change Institute (SOCI), a unique not-for-profit think tank and advocacy/implementation organization. He is also Co-Principal Investigator for the National Interoperability Collaborative (NIC), a new “Community of Networks” initiative led by SOCI and AcademyHealth. For over a decade, Stein has been a thought-leader, educator, consultant and advocate in promoting and implementing interoperability and information-sharing by working nationally in the private and public sectors – at the local, state and federal levels – to instigate systemic change. Through the Stewards of Change Consultancy, which is the implementation arm of SOCI, Stein also has provided his expertise and experience nationally to create the strategies, operational regimes, tools, trainings and materials needed to achieve tangible results and fulfill the Institute’s mission. Connect with Daniel on the NIC Hub >>

Adam Pertman

Senior Consultant

Adam Pertman has provided a broad, diverse range of work since joining Stewards nearly four years ago. That has included strategic planning, board and financial development, helping to build SOCI, project management, and a variety of media and communications activities. Among his current responsibilities, Adam is the Coordination and Communications Director of the National Interoperability Collaborative. Adam came to SOCI after two successful careers over the last three decades – first as a senior, Pulitzer-nominated journalist with the Boston Globe, and then as one of the most highly regarded thought leaders in the child welfare world as head of the Donaldson Adoption Institute (a national nonprofit that he built into the pre-eminent research, policy and advocacy think tank in its field). He is a prize-winning author who has provided hundreds of keynotes, trainings and other presentations in the U.S. and internationally, regularly appears in the media in this country and others, and has received numerous awards for his work on behalf of children and families. He also serves as President of the nonprofit National Center on Adoption and Permanency and his consultancy, Myriad Strategic Partners. Connect with Adam on the NIC Hub >>

Gillian Tucker

Consultant

Gillian Tucker joined Stewards of Change in 2015, and she manages projects and activities for SOCI and NIC. She previously spent more than a decade working on communications and change management strategies for business transformation projects in Northern and Southern California. She was also instrumental in the planning efforts for Sun Microsystems semi-annual leadership conferences. She has an MA in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. Connect with Gillian on the NIC Hub >>

Grace Corr

Consultant

Grace Corr joined Stewards of Change to assist with event coordination and administrative functions. She holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from Adelphi University and a BA in Social Science from Stony Brook University. Grace has more than 12 years of experience in the financial services industry with Citigroup. Most recently, Grace led the global customer care team for CitiDirect, Citigroup’s award winning online banking platform. Additionally, she worked with several cross-functional teams to implement and improve efficiency and drive key management objectives. Grace also holds several volunteer leadership positions for nonprofit organizations, including as a board member; in that role, she has been responsible for budget management and event planning. Connect with Grace on the NIC Hub >>

Ivy Pool

Senior Consultant

Ivy Pool is a public-sector management consultant, currently advising non-profits and government agencies on improving outcomes for underserved populations. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Previously, Ivy served in the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as the Program Director for the New York State Integrated Eligibility System, a $500 million program to modernize and streamline access to health and human service programs. During New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s administration, Ivy served as the Executive Director for HHS-Connect, a nationally recognized program that established interoperability and shared case management among 12 city agencies to enable more efficient and effective service delivery. Ivy held several other positions in NYC government, including at the Department for Information Technology and Telecommunications and the Department for Citywide Administrative Services. She earned a Master’s in Public Administration from NYU and an undergraduate degree from Columbia University. Ivy was recently elected to a four-year term as a Councilwoman in the New Castle, NY, where she lives with her husband and two children. Connect with Ivy on the NIC Hub >>

Tim Carney, Ph.D

Senior Informatics and Data Science Consultant

Dr. Timothy Jay Carney currently operates as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Global Health Equity Intelligence Collaborative (GHEIC), LLC (est 2014). GHEIC seeks to leverage innovative technology and systems evaluation tools as a tool to foster smart health practices for eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity. Tim most served as the Senior Director, Data Analytics and Public Health Informatics (DAPHI) at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). Prior his tenure at ASTHO, Tim worked at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he taught graduate courses and conducted applied informatics research as an assistant professor at The Gillings School of Global Public Health. Tim currently serves as an adjunct assistant professor at UNC. Tim has practiced in the field of informatics for over 15 years. Tim completed a PhD in Health Informatics from Indiana University, an MPH from Tulane University, and an MBA in Information Science and Project Management from Devry-Keller Graduate School of Management. Tim served both as a fellow and consultant Informatics Specialists at the CDC (1998-2007) and closely examined the objectives and performance of national HIT initiatives that focused on cancer surveillance and national Public Health IT infrastructure improvement efforts. Current informatics research and applied practice areas include: Health Equity/Health Disparities, Chronic Disease Surveillance, Public Health Intelligence, Computational Modeling of Social and Organizational Systems, Network Analysis, Decision Support, CBPR-Community-based Knowledge Exchange Networks, and Public Health Situational Awareness. Tim’s informatics efforts focus on the evaluation of health information technology as an agent of change in a smart, intelligent, and adaptive learning health system. Tim has taught graduate-level courses offered at UNC-SPH-HPM entitled: (1) Diagnosis and Design of Multilevel Intelligence for a Smart Health System, (2) Informatics for Population Health Management, and (3) co-developed an Introduction to Public Health Informatics. Connect with Tim on the NIC Hub >>

Sondes Ben Chagra, MSc, MA

Digital Communications and Online Community Manager

Sondes joined Stewards of Change in 2018 as the Digital Communications and Online Community Manager for Stewards of Change Institute (SOCI) and the National Interoperability Collaborative (NIC). Given Sondes's versatile profile, she wears several hats, provides strategic and technical expertise to leverage the institute and NIC’s communications assets, and also helps manage the organization’s online platforms and channels. Sondes worked with 19 companies and businesses so far. She has 24 years of experience as a digital communications and engagement professional, including 10 years of international experience, during which she was the senior web manager of an international Development Bank. She organized and participated in communications activities in some 100 countries. Collaborated with international institutions such as the UN, the World Bank and other MDBs. Sondes earned with honors two master’s degrees from the University of Bridgeport, in Computer Science and Global Media and Communications Studies with a focus on New Media. She is passionate about digital communications, how to use online movements to trigger actions on the ground and positively impact people’s lives.

You may learn more about Sondes and connect with her, on social media and on the NIC hub.

Daniel Bach

Consultant

Daniel Bach joined Stewards of Change in 2018 to provide expertise in data integration and community-based program and project development. He has focused his 25-year career on data-informed change management, community development, fiscal maximization, program development, evaluation and contractual relations. He has worked in Children’s Services since 1992 as a social worker, supervisor and manager. Daniel is also the Deputy Director of the Action Council of Monterey County (CA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating public-private partnerships to promote economic and social justice, and to initiate dialogue for transformation. He studied Criminology, Psychology and Victim Services at California State University. Connect with Daniel on the NIC Hub >>

Michael Kerr

Project Consultant

Michael Kerr is a Project Consultant with Stewards of Change Institute. Prior to joining SOCI in 2013, Michael worked for TechAmerica, the largest IT industry association, where he directed many of the organization’s state and local government programs, policy initiatives and events. He focused on federal and state procurement matters, including legislation and reforms, as well as human services delivery and technology policy issues. In addition, he led and supported member programs and events, including the Human Services IT Advisory Group (HSITAG), Beyond the Beltway, and the SLG-Cloud Commission. Prior to joining TechAmerica (formerly ITAA), Michael worked for the Software & Information Industry Association, Mathis and Associates Consulting, the Columbia Institute for TeleInformation, and GTE. He earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University. Connect with Michael on the NIC Hub >>

Navah Stein

Research Assistant

Navah Stein is a Research Assistant at Stewards of Change Institute, focusing on issues relating to the social determinants of health and well-being, interoperability and the nation’s opioid epidemic. Her past work with diverse populations in Vermont has provided Navah with insights and perspectives that she brings to SOCI on health and human services. She has worked directly with resettled refugees through the Association of Africans Living in Vermont and with pregnant and parenting women healing from substance abuse and trauma through the Lund Family Center. Navah holds a BA in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from the University in Vermont. Connect with Navah on the NIC Hub >>