The RAH Board of Directors and Staff embody a wide range of expertise in many fields, including public health, finance, marketing and promotions, and health management. The Board is committed to a vision of Rockland as the healthiest community in the nation.

MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joan H. Facelle, MD, MPH    |    President

Dr. Facelle served as the Commissioner of Health for Rockland County from 2001 until her retirement in 2013. As Commissioner she directed a department of over 240 employees whose work encompasses community health promotion and chronic disease prevention, operation of public health clinics, communicable disease control, administration of Early Intervention and Pre-Kindergarten programs for children with developmental disabilities, public health emergency preparedness and a large division responsible for environmental health and safety. She is currently working part-time on population health issues for the Bon Secours Charity Health System. Dr. Facelle received her medical training at New York University School of Medicine followed by a residency in pediatrics at Bellevue Hospital and New York University Medical Center.  After serving in the United States Air Force for three years as a general pediatrician, she practiced pediatrics with Ramapo Valley Pediatrics in Suffern and Central Valley, N.Y. from 1987-2000. She received a Masters of Public Health at the New York Medical College School of Public Health in 2003.

Lisa D. Lieberman, PhD    |    ice-President

Dr. Lisa Lieberman is Associate Professor of Public Health at Montclair State University.  She received her PhD, in Health Behavior and Health Education, from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, in 1986. Committed to improving health through policies and structural changes, Lisa has conducted programs and research in the areas of tobacco, teen sexuality, drug abuse, and chronic disease prevention.  Her evaluation of the county’s Put it Out Rockland Program contributed to program improvements resulting in the lowest smoking rate of any county in NYS, and exceeding the US Healthy People 2010 tobacco goals. She has served as a Clarkstown Board of Education member and past president, as a member of the New City Rotary Club, and together with her husband, raised two strong healthy children in Rockland.

Sandra King, RN, MPH    |    Treasurer

Sandy King was the Director of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention at the Rockland County Department of Health from 1976-2010. During her tenure she coordinated the provision of Health Education Services provided by 30 staff  and worked on several boards serving youth and older adults in a Rockland County. Sandy received her MPH from CUNY Hunter College in 1982. She currently enjoys spending her free time with grandchildren.

Melissa Jacobson, MPH    |    Secretary

Melissa Jacobson is the Assistant Director for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention at the Rockland County Department of Health where she has worked since 2002. She obtained her Masters Degree in Public Health from Columbia University in 2001. She became interested in public health as an Anthropology and Human Biology undergraduate student at Emory University, where in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a Thursday night lecture series on Public Health was presented.  Ms. Jacobson has an interest in mitigating lifestyle-related chronic disease.  She believes in good nutrition and exercise; she is a vegetarian who enjoys long walks and yoga.  Ms. Jacobson was raised in Rockland County, graduating from Clarkstown North.

Sally Borgman, MSW, M.Ed.    |    Board Member

Sally Borgman retired as the Community Resources Programs Specialist in Children’s Services at Rockland County’s Dept. of Social Services. She worked for the County in this, and in similar capacities since 1991. Sally holds a Masters in Social Work from Temple University, and a Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.  She is a NYS licensed social worker and a NYS Credentialed Prevention Professional.  Sally was a consultant at Nyack Hospital for 5 years and worked for 10 years with parents and children in group homes, foster homes, residential and placement.  She worked for Rockland Family Shelter in a program for Victims of Domestic Violence as an Advocacy Coordinator.  She served as a board member of Rockland Family Shelter for eight years and was a founding member of the organizing committee instrumental in bringing Drug Court to the County.   She has worked for the Office for Community Resources as the Training Coordinator. Sally assisted in implementing and coordinates the Student’s Against Destructive Decision (SADD) conference. Sally assisted in developing the annual Advancing Youth Development conference for the last 15 years, collaborating with all 9 school districts the Police Chiefs Association. Sally has presented many workshops in Media Literacy.  Sally is working as a volunteer with various organizations.  She has been working for literacy volunteers as a tutor and her tutee just received his American citizenship. 

George J. Jacobson, MBA    |    Board Member

Moving to New City in 1977, one of the first things George did was get himself a library card.  Over the past 35 years he has seen the library grow into the institution that it is today. His goal is to enable the library to continue to provide the services he has become accustomed to. In these trying financial times that is no easy task. George’s background has been rather diverse.  He was a teacher in the New York City public school system during which time he pursued a Masters in Business Administration at Pace University.  His second career has been as an accountant preparing income tax returns.  Presently he am a member of the Board of Directors for The Rockland Alliance for Health – a 501 c 3 organization whose goal is to make Rockland County the healthiest community in the nation by offering sustainable, high quality public health initiatives built on strong local partnerships. While this organization is only three years old, it has already been able to achieve some of its goals. 

Dornzella Milligan, MA, CPP, ICPS    |    Board Member

Dornzella is a NYS Credentialed Prevention Professional and Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist.   A social change agent, Ms. Milligan’s 25 years of experience include presentations in the practices of alcohol and substance use/abuse prevention, media literacy, youth development, healthy family’s competencies and the critical analysis of structural racism.  She is a certified facilitator for science and evidence-based programs recognized by both the US Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Ms. Milligan holds an MA in Social Policy and a BA in Community and Human Services. She currently works as a Coordinator of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Awareness & Prevention Programs in Nyack Public Schools and sits on several boards. Ms. Milligan continues to mentor young girls throughout the Rockland County community.

Geraldine (Ghery) Chery, MPH, HS-BCP, CASAC, ICADC    |    Board Member 

Ghery currently is a PhD candidate, pursuing a PhD in Human Services, specializing in Social and Community Services with a concentration in Public Policy, Management and Governance. IGhery is a Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP). She has earned her Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH), with a concentration in Epidemiology, received from the State University of New York at Albany University, School of Public Health. Additionally, In addition, she has earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Wellness, from the State University of New York at Buffalo State College. She has the following credentials to include: Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP), Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and Internationally Certified Alcoholism and Drug Counselor (ICADC). Needless to say, Ghery loves higher learning. 

Ghery is of Haitian heritage, born and raised until I moved to Spring Valley, NY at 14. She fluently speaks, reads and writes French and Creole; and reads and writes Spanish, "I speak emergency Spanish" as Ghery would normally say. She is a proud auntie of five beautiful nieces and nephews (3 boys and 2 girls).  

Ghery is an experienced and advanced level Human Services Practitioner. She is currently involved in the substance abuse prevention field as a Prevention Program Coordinator.  As well she is an Independent Wellness Consultant. Her independent practice focuses on areas to include wellness education, substance abuse education and young women’s issues; at levels to include, group and community. With over 10 years in the field, Ghery has held numerous positions to include program manager where she proudly managed a 28-bed residential rehabilitation program for young women, for over 7 years. That was her most rewarding position yet; as it involved working directly with young women in need. In addition, She has worked as a case manager, mental health specialist and project coordinator; to name a few, for over ten years. Ghery has been an active member of the National Organization for Human Services for several years; an Emerging Leaders Council at Planned Parenthood for over a year; and serves on the board of the Commission de Parole et Action de Fond-Parisien (CPAP) for a year. 

Ghery is very passionate about the human services field and as well is over-zealous about inspiring, educating and empowering young women; and it shows in the way she has immersed herself in the field. She's been coordinating projects that influence underserved young women from all walks of life. Some of my projects include motivational and educational seminars, talks, workshops, luncheons, and other recreational projects. She has conducted several research projects nationally and internally that shed lights on social concerns in underserved communities.  Ghery's favorite quote is “to be aware is to be alive”. Her main goal and life dedication involves her legacy on earth; and that is to leave her foot prints in this world, by simply making a small difference every day. She is a feirce advocate for young women in terms of raising their aware of their roots and knowing who they are and whose they are. She is the proud chief operating officer of a website (www.gheryisms.com) that she had created, where the goal is to educate, inspire, and empower women in all areas of their lives to include the mind, body and the soul. 

In her spare time, she enjoys doing a lot of things to include reading, exercising, traveling, dining out, being around positive and inspirational people, to name a few. IShe is a proud Licensed Zumba Instructor as well.  Ghery is a positive and resilient person who imagines big, dreams big, believes faithfully; and more importantly, she is always hopeful.