NORC Staff
Lori O. Smetanka, JD, Director
lsmetanka@theconsumervoice.org
Lori Smetanka became the Director of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center in June 2004. In her role, she provides support, technical assistance and training for 53 state and more than 600 local long-term care ombudsmen programs. Lori first came to Consumer Voice in 1993 on a public policy internship sponsored by the Leadership in an Aging Society Program at Duke University’s Long-Term Care Resources Program. She joined the staff at Consumer Voice in 1994 as Law and Policy Specialist, focusing on the Nursing Home Reform Act and survey and enforcement issues. From 2002 until June 2004, Lori worked as Information Specialist for the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. Lori has a Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law.
Amity Overall Laib, Manager, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program & Policy
aoveralllaib@theconsumervoice.org
Prior to joining the Consumer Voice, Amity Overall-Laib served as a local long-term care ombudsman in Texas for six years advocating for residents in 65 nursing homes and 130 assisted living facilities in a 12-county region. During her tenure in Texas, she lead the formation of the Gulf Coast Culture Change Coalition, resulting in two free conferences for long-term care consumers, providers, advocates and regulators promoting Culture Change practices and has presented during local, state and national conferences. She also had the pleasure of representing fellow local ombudsmen on the Board of Directors for NALLTCO (National Association of Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen). Amity was also previously a consultant to NORC. Amity has a master's degree in sociology from the University of Houston.
Consumer Voice Staff
Sarah F. Wells, MA, Executive Director
swells@theconsumervoice.org
Sarah F. Wells, MA, was named Executive Director of Consumer Voice on January 15, 2009. In this role she oversees leads the operations of the organization, spearheads fundraising efforts, liaises with the Board of Directors and represents Consumer Voice in advocacy efforts for long-term care consumers. Sarah comes to Consumer Voice after nearly a decade at Women In Government (WIG), a national, nonprofit organization providing public policy education for women state legislators, where she most recently served as Vice President. While at WIG, Sarah was instrumental in significantly increasing the organization’s operating budget, establishing a public policy department from the ground up, and leading numerous policy initiatives that resulted in significant state action. Sarah received her master’s degree in public policy and women’s studies from The George Washington University and her bachelor’s degree in political science and women’s studies from American University. In addition, she holds a certificate in executive nonprofit management from the Center for Social Leadership and has completed additional health policy coursework at The Johns Hopkins University. Sarah serves as an appointed member from the Mason District on the Fairfax County, Virginia Advisory Social Services Board. She is a member of the American University Government Relations Alumni Career Committee and is a National Honorary Committee Member of the Collegiate Cancer Council.
Janet Wells, Director, Public Policy
jwells@theconsumervoice.org
Janet Wells first joined Consumer Voice in 1986 as Director of Publications after a 15-year career in civil rights and women's rights advocacy. From 1992 until 2000, Janet was a long-term care specialist with AARP, where she was team leader of the Association’s Long-Term Care Team, conceived and coordinated national conferences on long-term care as a women's issue and improving the quality of paraprofessional jobs in long-term care and developed research projects and educational and communications programs on long-term care and health-care reform issues. In 2000, she returned to Consumer Voice as Director of Public Policy to oversee the organization's legislative and regulatory initiatives and special projects to improve the quality of care in nursing homes. In this capacity, she chairs the Campaign for Quality Care, a coalition of nursing home stakeholder groups that work together on nursing home policy issues. Prior to 1986, she had been Director of an advisory council on Social Security reform for the Older Women's League; Associate Director of the Federal Education Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights under Law and a Project Director and Community Organizer with the American Friends Service Committee.
Jessica Brill Ortiz, MPA, Program Manager
jbrill@theconsumervoice.org
Jessica Brill Ortiz, MPA, joined Consumer Voice in 2006 and currently serves as Program Manager. In this position, Jessica manages grant funded projects, assists with fund development and provides information, guidance, support and technical assistance related to the continuum of long-term care services on the state and national level to consumers and advocates, including Resident Councils, Family Councils and Citizen Advocacy Groups. Jessica holds a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Arts in political science and an advanced Certificate in health services management and policy from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University.
Alia Murphy, Program and Development Assistant
amurphy@theconsumervoice.org
Alia Murphy joined the Consumer Voice in November of 2010 and currently serves as the Program and Development Assistant. In her role, she provides administrative, programmatic and fundraising support. In particular, Alia will help to coordinate training opportunities, create and disseminate educational resources, support several fundraising activities such as our biannual appeals, assist with numerous communications efforts and manage office operations. Alia graduated from Georgia Tech in 2009 with a B.S. in international affairs with a minor in history.
Christina Steier, Project Consultant
csteier@theconsumervoice.org
Christina Steier joined Consumer Voice in 2009 and currently serves as a Project Consultant. In her role, she is responsible for leading Consumer Voice’s database conversion from the current system to a more up-to-date system, creating better ways to communicate with and manage members. She also maintains Consumer Voice’s membership, corresponding with individual and group members. Christina is a recent graduate from American University with bachelor’s degrees in musical theatre and sociology.
NORC is also pleased to work with several outstanding consultants including:
Runjit Chandra, Consultant to NORC
Sara Hunt, Consultant to NORC
2011 Interns
Crystal Fletcher
Mark Zocchi