For President-Elect
Josh Escudero, BSRT, MBA, RRT
Josh has his MBA from the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business, with a dual concentration in Health Sciences Management and Finance. He also holds a BS in Respiratory Care from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, and a BA in Biology from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. He is currently Director of the Respiratory Care Program at SUNY Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY. He is also employed as a per diem staff therapist at Rochester Regional Health, Rochester General Hospital. He has been in the RT profession for 15 years and an AARC member for 17 years. He is currently the Secretary of the NYSSRC and co-chairs the WNY Regional Symposium Planning Committee.
For Vice President (selecting one)
Charles Boogaard, MS, RRT
Charles holds his MS in Health Care Administration from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY, and his AAS in Respiratory Therapy from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, NY. He also received a BS in English from St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY. Charles is currently the Manager of Respiratory Care for the Eastern Region of Rochester Regional Health (Newark and Clifton Springs) and has been in the RT profession for 17 years. He currently serves as the Vice President of the NYSSRC.
Thomas R. Harvie, RRT, CPFT
Tom is a graduate of the Respiratory Therapy Program at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, MA. He is currently the Ventilator Program Director and Director for Respiratory Care at Northeast Center for Rehab and Brain Injury in Lake Katrine, NY. He has been an RT and AARC member for 24 years. He is currently one of the regional directors from the Northeastern Region of NYSSRC on the Board of Directors, and has previously served as NYSSRC Treasurer. He has also served the NENY Region (Chapter) of NYSSRC as treasurer for many years and has served on numerous committees for NYSSRC. He is currently Co-chairman of the Program Committee. He is also Secretary for the Hudson Valley Respiratory Directors group.
For Secretary
Maureen Welch, BSRT, RRT
Maureen holds a BS in Respiratory Care from SUNY Health Science Center (Upstate Medical) in Syracuse, NY, and a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently works in Clinical Sales for Atlantic Medical and is also a per diem therapist at Golisano Children’s / Strong Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic in Rochester, NY. She has 24 years in the RT profession and 13 years as an AARC member. She currently serves on the WNY Regional Symposium Planning Committee and also on the Erie Community College Advisory Board.
For Treasurer
Connie Zimicki, EdM, RRT
Connie received her AAS in Respiratory Therapy from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. She also holds a BPS from SUNY Empire State College and a Master’s Degree in Education from SUNY University at Buffalo. She is currently the Director of Clinical Education at Erie Community College in Williamsville, NY. She has been in the RT profession for 30 years and an AARC member for 13 years. She currently serves the NYSSRC as a Regional Director for Western NY and as Co-chair of the WNY Regional Symposium Planning Committee. In addition, she is a board member of the Niagara County Cooperative Extension.
For Delegate (selecting one)
Joseph McDonald, BSRT, MS, RRT, CCRP
Joe received his MS in Health Care Services and Policy from the New School for Social Research, New York, as well as a BS in Advanced Cardiopulmonary Science and his AAS in Respiratory Care from SUNY Upstate Medical  / Health Science Center in Syracuse, NY. He is currently Associate Director, Upstate Hospital and Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse. He has been an RT for 27 years and an AARC member for 22 years. He currently serves on the NYSSRC BOD as Past President and has also served on the BOD as a regional director for the CNY Chapter for several years. . He has chaired the Awards, Judicial, Elections and Public Relations Committees and served on several other committees. He is a member of the NYSSRC Annual Symposium (Turning Stone) Planning Committee. In addition, he is an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 43.
Sheri Tooley, BSRT, RRT-NPS, AE-C, FAARC
Sheri holds her BS in Advanced Cardiopulmonary Science from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY and her AAS in Respiratory Therapy from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. She is currently the Supervisor for Education at Rochester Regional Health in Rochester, NY. Sheri has been in the RT profession and an AARC member for 34 years. She was named as a Fellow of the AARC in 2012. She recently completed a term on the AARC Board of Directors as a Director at Large and also serves the AARC on the Membership and Virtual Museum Committees. She is a past Secretary of the AARC House of Delegates and a Past President of the NYSSRC and has also served NYSSRC as Delegate and Regional Director for many years. She currently represents the NYSSRC on the PACT Committee, chairs the Government Affairs Committee, is a member of the WNY Regional Symposium Planning Committee, and serves as Parliamentarian. She is a Past President, Secretary and Director of the CNY Region (Chapter) of NYSSRC and has served on multiple committees for both NYSSRC and CNY Chapter.
For Regional Director, Hudson Valley Region
Regina Ambrosini, BSRT, RRT
Regina holds her BS in Respiratory Care from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse NY. She is currently the Manager of Cardio-Respiratory and Neurodiagnostics at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. She has been an RT for 24 years and a member of the AARC for 15 years. She is a member of the Hudson Valley Respiratory Directors Association.
For Regional Director, Northeastern Region (selecting one)
Brandi Ewing, MSRC, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, AE-C
Brandi received her Master of Science in Respiratory Care Leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and her BS in Respiratory Care from Quinnipiac College in Hamden, CT. She also holds a certificate as an EMT-Paramedic from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY. She is currently Manager, Respiratory Therapy at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY. She has been and RT and an AARC member for 15 years and serves on the Program Committee for the NE Region of the NYSSRC.
James Myers, RRT
Jim received his AAS in Respiratory Therapy from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse NY. He is currently a Respiratory Therapist at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY. He has been an RT for 34 years and an AARC member for 31 years. He has served on the NYSSRC Board of Directors as President of the Northeastern Chapter and has also co-chaired the NYSSRC Annual Conference at the Turning Stone Committee. He is also a past member of the NYSED Respiratory Therapy Board (aka licensure board).
For Regional Director, NYC Region (selecting two)
Thomas F. Paolillo, RRT-NPS, FAARC
Tom is a graduate of the NYU / Bellevue Respiratory Therapy Program in New York and currently serves as Clinical Education Coordinator, Respiratory Therapy Services, US Dept of Veterans Affairs, NY Harbor Healthcare System, NYC and Brooklyn Campuses in NY. Tom was named as a Fellow of the AARC in 2015. He has been an RT for 35 years and an AARC member for 36 years. He has served the NYSSRC as a BOD member and President of the former Southeastern Chapter.
Warren Weiner, BS, RRT-NPS, RPFT
Warren holds an AS from Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, NY and a BS from Long Island University. He is currently Assistant Technical Director, Respiratory Care Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, NY Harbor Healthcare System. He has been an RT and AARC member for 33 years. He has served the NYSSRC as a BOD member and Chair of Awards committee, as well as member of the Nominations Committee. He is a Past President of the former Southeastern Chapter of the NYSSRC, also serving that chapter as secretary, BOD member and chair or member of Awards, Education, Symposium, Membership and Public Relations committees.
For Regional Director, WNY Region (selecting one)
John Gugliardi, RRT
John holds his AAS from Erie Community College and is currently a Staff Therapist at the VA Medical Center in Buffalo, NY. John has been an RT for 43 years and an AARC member for 30 years. He currently serves on the WNY Regional Symposium Planning Committee.
Caroline J. Spoth, BA, RRT
Caroline received her BA in Business Management from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and her AAS in Respiratory Therapy from Indiana University, Indianapolis Medical Center. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Erie Community College in Williamsville, NY and retired as Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk, NY. She has been an RT and AARC member for 30 years. She has been a member, chairperson, and honoree of the Erie Community College Advisory Council for many years, as well as a Mentor Contact for the Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI) Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Initiative.
