New York, NY (June 12, 2019) – The John A. Hartford Foundation Board of Trustees approved the promotions of Eva Cheng, CPA, Marcus Escobedo, MPA, and Rani E. Snyder, MPA, to the respective roles of Vice President, Finance; Vice President, Communications and Senior Program Officer; and Vice President, Program. In addition to approving the promotions, the Foundation announced the hiring of Nancy Wexler, DBH, MPH, as its newest Program Officer (pictured right).
“Eva Cheng, Marcus Escobedo, and Rani Snyder are tremendous assets to our Foundation, who contribute expertise and passion for our mission of improving care for older adults every day,” said Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “I look forward to continuing the strong working relationship we have and I congratulate these three outstanding individuals on their new roles. They are a pleasure to work with.”
As Vice President, Finance, Eva Cheng will be responsible for accounting and financial reporting, monitoring investment performance of the Foundation’s portfolio, taxes, budgeting, and other administrative functions including supervising accounting staff. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Foundation.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Mrs. Cheng served as a senior financial analyst at D.E. Shaw and held tax and accounting positions with Sanwa Bank and Spectrum Capital. She earned a BS degree in Accounting, cum laude, from the Stern School of Business at New York University. She is a CPA licensed in New York State, and a member of the Foundation Financial Officers Group, Foundation Financial Managers Group, and Foundation Administrators Network.
As Vice President, Communications and Senior Program Officer, Marcus Escobedo will be responsible for the Foundation’s communications operations, including developing communications strategy, overseeing media relations, and managing consultants and communications staff. He will also continue to oversee a grants portfolio focused on improving care of older adults in the acute care setting and through policy change and communications activities.
Mr. Escobedo formerly worked at the Women’s Foundation of California and Communities in Schools of Georgia. He taught elementary school in Oakland, California through the Teach for America program. He received a BA in Sociology and BS in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin and he earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
As Vice President, Program, Rani E. Snyder will be responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s grantmaking and program development, including making funding recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, administering approved grants, and managing program staff. Ms. Snyder previously served as Program Director of the Foundation.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Snyder served as Program Director at the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation where she directed its $437 million health care programs. Ms. Snyder earned her BA in Sociology from Trinity College and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration in Health Care Policy from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, followed by a doctoral program in Health Services Research at the UCLA School of Public Health.
Ms. Snyder currently serves as the board chair for Grantmakers in Aging, a membership organization comprised of philanthropies with a common dedication to improving the experience of aging. In addition, she serves on the Board of Managers for the Delmonico Plaza, a business high rise condominium complex at 55 East 59th Street in New York City. She is also a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. Previously she served as a Volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsman for the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division from 2014-2016.
In addition to the three staff promotions, Nancy Wexler, DBH, MPH, joins the Foundation as a Program Officer. She has more than 16 years of experience in developing and managing integrated care delivery and population health models aimed at improving the quality, value, and experience of care, particularly for older adults with co-occurring behavioral health conditions.
Dr. Wexler most recently served as Director of Innovation and Collaborative Care for Banner University Arizona Health Plans, where she developed care programs for older adults with complex needs and created alternative payment models and payer-provider partnerships. With the University of Arizona Center on Aging and Department of Geriatrics, she designed and launched primary care at home and interdisciplinary co-management care programs. She serves as a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University in the College of Health Solutions doctoral program in integrated care.
Previously, Dr. Wexler spent almost 10 years at two Federally Qualified Health Centers developing and leading programs in the areas of community health, integrated behavioral health, oral health, and domestic violence. She has also directed a multi-agency community collaborative in the arena of family support.
“Nancy Wexler brings extensive experience and passion for improving the care of older adults and underserved populations,” said Dr. Fulmer. “Nancy’s perspectives on how innovative payment and care delivery models can improve outcomes for older people is in perfect alignment with our mission and we couldn’t be more pleased that she is joining our team.”
Dr. Wexler is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the History of Science, received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Arizona, and completed a Doctorate of Behavioral Health Management at Arizona State University where she also earned a graduate certificate in Healthcare Innovation.
Learn More