Program Manager, Aging Initiatives
Stacie Bonenberger is a program manager at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, with a primary focus on initiatives related to the aging population, including the design of new models for senior living. Bonenberger is one of the statewide coordinators for Dementia Friends Pennsylvania, a global initiative that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. She is an active member of the Dementia-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh leadership work group. Bonenberger is also a member of the Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s Task Force. As part of the JHF Aging Team, Bonenberger uses coaching skills to develop and implement customized curricula helping healthcare organizations with quality improvement efforts. Current projects include Revisiting the Teaching Nursing Home Initiative, a pilot project in three regions of Pennsylvania working to demonstrate how enhanced partnerships between academic nursing schools and skilled nursing facilities can improve quality outcomes and address workforce challenges. During 2020 - 2021, she worked closely with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health to provide Learning Networks for staff in skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and congregate living through the Educational Support and Clinical Coaching Program and Regional Response Health Collaborative Program. This work continues with the Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Learning Network for nursing facilities. Previously, Bonenberger worked to help long-term care facilities reduce avoidable hospitalizations through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation grant, RAVEN (Reduce AVoidable hospitalizations using Evidence-based interventions for Nursing facilities). Prior to joining JHF, she was the assistant facility director of occupational therapy at UPMC Passavant and has 17 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist in Pennsylvania and Colorado. Bonenberger received her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Massachusetts and her master’s in occupational therapy from Chatham University. She also earned a certification in computer programming from the University of Denver.