About Us
William McKendree
William McKendree, Director
Donna Wolfson
Donna Wolfson, Board Member
Donna L. Wolfson is a retired employee benefits paralegal, with nearly 30 years’ experience working with qualified retirement benefit plans and employer welfare benefit plans. A graduate of Penn State University and Duquesne University’s Paralegal Benefits Institute, she earned the professional designations of Qualified Plan Administrator and Qualified 401(k) Administrator from the American Association of Pension Professionals and Actuaries.
Donna is co-founder and secretary of the Western PA Kidney Support Groups, a non-profit self-help organization for those with kidney disease, dialysis patients, kidney and pancreas transplant recipients, those waiting for a transplant, and caregivers.
The Western PA Kidney Support Groups has worked closely with Bill McKendree since 2013, assisting those patients who are eligible for Medicare and/or Medicaid due to End-Stage Renal Disease. Bill has been a frequent speaker at the Support Group educational seminars.
David McDonald
David McDonald, Board Member
Dave McDonald’s main claim to fame is that he was a teacher at North Allegheny High School for 38 years and a coach for 15 years before retiring in 2006. While at North Allegheny he served as the English Department’s Chairperson for several years, overseeing curriculum and instruction and directing in-service activities for his department. He was also selected to be a Staff Development Trainer, instructing staff on a variety of teaching modalities. And this serves him well in helping adult learners.
A long-time officer in his teacher’s union, he was the Executive Vice President of a 600+ member organization and served on the union’s various negotiating teams leading to successful teacher contracts.
He currently is the President of North Allegheny Retired, a 350+ member organization that provides social and educational activities for its members. After being trained by Dr. McKendree in 2007 on Medicare and its functions, he runs a number of workshop seminars each year on that topic for retired and current staff members who need explanation and has assisted Dr. McKendree in a number of community outreach sessions since 2007.
Marilyn Howe
Marilyn Howe, Board Member
Marilyn is a Professor Emeritus at PennWest Clarion University. Prior to the professorship, she was a partner in an international management consulting firm in Pittsburgh that focused on organizational topics for middle managers and CEOs. She is the author and co-author of peer-reviewed publications and has presented at numerous local, state, regional, and national conferences. Additionally, Marilyn has provided consultative services, reviewed manuscripts (textbooks) for Pearson, Prentice-Hall, and Jossey-Bass and manuscripts/research proposals for professional organizations.
Marilyn’s current focus pertains to issues that affect older adults. She recently published, Ageism and Age Discrimination in Healthcare, Allegheny County Law Library, and is co-authoring a manuscript, Age Discrimination, for William S. Hein & Co. Publishing. She brings these scholarship areas as well as her research agenda to the PHBSP Board.
She is appreciative of the opportunity to be a member of an organization whose primary interests are directed toward the pursuit of helping others understand and navigate the healthcare system.
Kaitlin Kerr-Heidenreich
Kaitlin Kerr-Heidenreich, Board Member
Kaitlin is a disabled artist and advocate. She holds degrees in English Literature, Nursing, and Nursing leadership (MSN, RN) and currently works as a nurse educator for disability awareness. Kaitlin lives with several physical disabilities. On her better days, Kaitlin focuses on running a Shakespearean theatre company with her husband. She is also a published poet, and she serves on several committees and teams for organizations working toward more equitable healthcare and disability justice, such as the Faith Above My Ability, The United Way’s #IWantToWork Campaign, and the Pennsylvania Health Action Network (PHAN). She also volunteers for PAAR (Pittsburgh Action Against Rape) as a sexual assault counselor and is a trained intimacy choreographer/director for theatre (a role grounded in boundaries and consent). Much of her work grows out of the reality of living with a rare chronic pain disorder and the goal of finding meaning in art, advocacy, and connection with others.
Jonathan Heidenreich
Jonathan Heidenreich, Board Member
Joy Cao
Joy Cao, Creative Director
Joy Cao is a student pharmacist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy with an interest in clinical work. In addition to being a full-time student, she works as a hospital intern, clinic provider, and PIER mentor, and she holds multiple leadership positions in student organizations such as SilverScripts, Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP), and Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP).
Joy is also very passionate about artistic pursuits. She is a freelance photographer, senior staff photographer for The Pitt News, and creative director for PHBSP. She hopes to use her skills in digital production and design to increase patient access to healthcare insurance education and counseling services.
School of Pharmacy
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
PHBSP partners with the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Students are given the opportunity not only to learn about Medicare and Medicaid in a traditional classroom setting but to apply their knowledge and understanding to actual client consultations. Throughout the school year, select students are invited to continue working with PHBSP via the School of Pharmacy Internship Program. Students work alongside PHBSP’s Director, Dr. McKendree to create a database for informational podcasts and Zoom videos to educate the community on relevant healthcare topics.