I HOPE EVERGREEN CONTINUES TO
STAND STRONG IN SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION AND CORE VALUES.
- ERIN CARMINA C
in the country right now, but it feels like we’re united in working toward the shared goals that reflect the heart of Evergreen’s mission, especially the unconditional aspects that make this place meaningful."
Since Erin is one of Evergreen's "boomerangs" (she left and came back), we asked how Evergreen may have changed during her time away, and how it has remained the same. "I think our revamped core values genuinely reflect what draws many of us to this work. No place or job is perfect all the time. What brought me back wasn’t just being proud of Evergreen’s mission or reconnecting with familiar faces, it was also the people I hadn’t met yet. The ones who treat patients with care, welcome others with warmth, and show up every day committed to keeping this agency moving forward. I’m not going to lie though; I miss Linda running around the agency in her various inflatable costumes! It’s reassuring to know that we’re part of an organization that prioritizes compassion, equity, and resilience especially during these challenging political times. By staying grounded in those values, I believe we can make a meaningful impact, within our community and with each other."
Erin grew up in Cheektowaga, and moved to Lancaster at the start of 6th grade. "It was a tough age to switch schools — starting fresh and not knowing anyone was challenging. By my senior year of high school I knew I wanted to get out of Western New York, and away from my two younger sisters (thankfully, we’re very close now). I randomly applied to SUNY Potsdam, a small college in the North Country, and was excited to be accepted. It was there that I really started to figure out who I was, especially after taking an intro to Anthropology class that shaped my perspective. I double majored in Anthropology and Archaeology and was invited to join an excavation and research project in Virginia. After graduating,
I spent maybe two months back in Buffalo before getting a job offer at the same site in Virginia. The pay wasn’t great, but they provided housing and health insurance. That was enough for me. In 2008, during the recession, I realized Archaeology wasn’t my long-term path, so I moved back home and took a job as an office manager. I found an apartment in the city and learned a lot about supporting a busy office. Looking back, that’s probably where my interest in project management really began. From there, I bought a home, went back to school and earned a Master’s in Public Administration (while working full-time), and pursued a career in the nonprofit sector. Over the past 12 years, I’ve held a variety of roles: managing a farmers market and an ice rink, promoting downtown businesses, developing a fundraising strategy for an urban farm (which came with perks like fresh produce and caring for chickens), and project managing at a small marketing firm before returning to Evergreen as part of the Information Systems team. Along the way, I co-founded a commercial real estate business. My partner and I focused on helping startups and small businesses navigate leases and grow their operations."
Erin clearly likes to stay busy! Outside of work hours she loves to crochet. "It’s a creative outlet that pairs perfectly with rewatching Parks and Rec or The Good Place. I also enjoy spending time outside with our 11-month-old pup, Russell, walking through the neighborhood or playing in the backyard. My husband, Keith, and I love to travel, and I usually have a list ready of restaurants, dive bars, and off-thebeaten-path spots to explore wherever we go. I enjoy all the seasons in Buffalo, but there’s something especially magical about the first real snowfall and bundling up to be outside. Gardening is another passion of mine, especially when it comes to creating welcoming spaces for pollinators and birds."
Erin lists her favorite movies as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, any movie based on a Jane Austin novel, most of the Brat Pack movies from the ’80s, The Matchmaker (1997, with Janeane Garofalo), and pretty much any Christmas classic or comedy once Thanksgiving rolls around.
And, in conclusion: "I really enjoy supporting individuals and teams with anything related to project management or strategy, especially when we can bring clarity and structure using tools like Monday. com. Whether it’s helping to map out timelines, streamline workflows, or align goals, I’m always happy to collaborate and find practical solutions together."
Thank you Erin for everything you do for us. You are much appreciated!
Publisher/Layout
John Carocci
Copy Editors
Jean Conway
Emily McGorry
Kristy Mangel
Maggie Carrig
Contributors
Eric Poniatowski
Kelli Simpson
Adiah Powell
Connections is the official monthly newsletter for employees and board members of Evergreen Health and Community Access Services. You can submit photos, comments or a "hello" via Outlook at Evergreen Connections.
Providing professional development opportunities for managers and supervisors is a vital part of growth and training at Evergreen. To support this effort, a planning committee convened in late spring to build out ideas for an innovative new approach to leadership development. As a result, the Leadership Summit was launched this summer! Over the course of five sessions throughout August and September, a total of 77 supervisors and 33 panelists participated in hands-on, interactive leadership development. Summit sessions were broken up into three main sections - a moderated panel session, leadership networking discussions, and leadership case scenarios:
1. Moderated Panel Sessions - Panels were made up of six to eight members of the Executive and Management Teams, sharing their
expertise and insight around topics including core values, setting expectations, supervision/one-on-one meetings, disciplinary processes, and performance evaluations.
2. Leadership Networking Discussions - Panelists joined our participants in small groups for informal conversations and sharing around leadership advice and leadership success.
3. Leadership Case Scenarios - Groups tackled realistic and challenging workplace scenarios across a wide range of areas, brainstorming ideas on how best to navigate issues and think creatively about practical approaches to guiding teams through challenging situations. Participants and panelists were kept on their toes, moving around the space to different groups for each section. Mixing the groups up helped to facilitate networking, hear different perspectives, and allowed participants to learn from people they may not typically interact with at Evergreen.
Moderators/facilitators for Leadership Summit 2025 were Matt Iwanski-Jackson, AVP of Human Resources, Maria Cruz, AVP of employee engagement, and Kelli Simpson, director of talent strategy. Reviews of the summit have been overwhelmingly positive. Participants have provided great feedback and ideas for future leadership development opportunities. Thank you to all who participated!
groups tackled realistic and challenging workplace scenarios across a wide range of areas
Over the years, a leading factor driving the opioid epidemic has been constant change in the drug supply. Efforts to curb the spike in prescription overdose deaths in the 1990s led to a decline in their availability, which in turn led to a spike in heroin overdoses. This was soon followed by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, an extremely potent substance often mixed with other substances without the user's knowledge. There was no way for a substance user to know with any degree of certainty if their supply was tainted, or if so, with what and variance in potency very often lead to an overdose.
Services like the Harm Reduction Center's new drug checking program have become more prevalent in recent years as a way to help people who use substances make informed decisions and keep themselves safe from overdose. Here at Evergreen, our drug checking program utilizes a spectrometer to analyze drug samples and identify any dangerous substances present. "The process takes about 20 minutes," explained Zachary Rombough, harm reduction technician. The machine passes an infrared beam through the sample, and then interprets the way molecules react and cross-checks those reactions against an ever-growing database of substances.
While waiting for the results, Zachary is able to spend time with the patient, assessing their needs and creating a bond of trust. "Our conversations are often candid," he said. "I try to determine what they need. It might just be a snack, or it might be pantry services, primary care or another wraparound service." Zachary embodies Evergreen's harm reduction model of care and constantly meets patients where they’re at whatever their health and wellness goals may be.
Once the scan results are in, it's an opportunity for the patient to make a more informed decision. For example, certain types of new substances change what an overdose looks like entirely. "They might need to pay attention to breathing patterns rather than overall responsiveness to realize an overdose is happening," said Zachary. "They can then decide not to use this batch, use less of the substance or make sure they're not alone while using. They need accurate information to make that decision."
Zachary is proud of the fact that Evergreen is the designated drug checking site in Western New York
Monday, October 13 (Monday game)
BYE WEEK (football term for a week off)
Friday, October 24 (Sunday game)
Friday, October 31 (Sunday game)
Friday, November 7 (Sunday game)
Friday, November 14 (Sunday game)
Thursday, November 20 (Thursday game)
Friday, November 28 (Sunday game)
Friday, December 5 (Sunday game)
Friday, December 12 (Sunday game)
Friday, December 19 (Sunday game)
Friday, December 26 (Sunday game)
Last game TBD, so stay tuned! (final game in old stadium)
through the the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Drug Checking Program, and since the spectrometer is mobile the service is available in Jamestown as well. "This type of spectrometer is commonly used in the private sector for things like quality control," he said. "We're putting it to work for harm reduction."
The spectrometer works for all types of substances. Zachary said that about half of the samples we test are opioids, and another quarter or so are stimulants. "Buffalo's supply is dynamic for a smaller city. Substances are often being sold as something else, and there's something new appearing all the time. Our motto is 'expect variance'".
The drug checking service is a big part of Evergreen's commitment to eradicating health inequity through unconditional care—otherwise known as our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG). "We're offering a cutting-edge service to people who wouldn't otherwise have access to this information, which in turn decreases gaps in health equity," said Zachary. "Don't assume people who use substances don't care about what they put into their body, they need information to make that decision. We give them that information, and knowledge really is power."
If you have any questions about the drug checking program, please contact Zachary at @zrombough@evergreenhs.org.
Norma Bocanegra October 1
Maygen Mancini ................................. October 2
Hind Alhallafi October 3
Lauren Voelkle October 3
Darrion Morrison October 4
Stephanie Green October 4
Cortney Anderson October 4
Cydney Adams ................................... October 4
Davion Stallworth October 4
Meghan Murphy October 7
Destiny Camacho October 7
Kandice Hood October 9
Eric Moeller October 10
Courtney Rhines ................................. October 11
Jean Conway October 11
Alexander Flaitz October 11
Amanda Dingeldey October 12
Bianca Morris October 12
Shelby Knight October 13
Jillian Beard ......................................... October 13
Christina Cornell October 14
LaTanya Washington October 14
Alexandra Streb October 14
Wolfgarr Lobo. October 15
Krystal Kwasniewski October 15
Maggie Gonzalez ............................... October 16
Andrea Keogh October 17
Ebony McCall October 17
Stephanie Williams October 18
Karina DeJesus October 19
Nicole Coonly October 21
Kayleen O'Halloran ............................ October 22
Lilkizzy Tell October 24
Yvonne Shepherd October 25
Sarah Bos October 26
Adiah Powell October 26
Ray DeNormand October 26
Teresa Hill ............................................ October 26
Mistine Keis October 27
Collin Ranney October 29
Justin Salazar October 31
