(Front row) Vincent Mendes, Jessica Perlo, Richard Baron, Amberlyn Hopper, Katherine Sepulveda. (Back row) John Held, Jaime McClennen, Pamela Browner White, Nicholas Mackara, Timothy Lynch.
Dr. Richard J. Baron, board certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation. He was a former Chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Board of Directors and served on the ABIM Foundation Board of Trustees.
Dr. Baron practiced general internal medicine and geriatrics for almost 30 years at Greenhouse Internists, P.C., located in Philadelphia. Greenhouse was a pioneer in the comprehensive adoption of electronic health records in the small-practice environment. Following that, from 2011 to 2013, he served as Group Director of Seamless Care Models at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center, where he led efforts related to accountable care organizations and primary care. Until joining the federal government, Dr. Baron also served on the board of the National Quality Forum and their Health Information Technology Advisory Committee, as well as the Standards Committee of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Dr. Baron served as Chief Medical Officer of Health Partners, a not-for-profit Medicaid HMO set up by four teaching hospitals in Philadelphia, from 1988 to 1996. He was the architect of the Best Clinical and Administrative Practices program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Health Care Strategies, working with medical leadership of Medicaid health plans around the country in learning collaboratives to improve the quality of care for their members. This program reached plans serving more than half of the Medicaid managed care population in the United States. Dr. Baron is a member of the Commonwealth Fund advisory group on Health Care Delivery System Reform and has served as co-Chair of the Public Health – Health Care Collaboration Workgroup of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is a member of the Aspen Institute Health Strategy Group.
Dr. Baron received an English degree from Harvard College and his medical degree from Yale University. He completed house staff training at New York University-Bellevue Medical Center and served a three-year obligation in the National Health Service Corps in rural Tennessee.
As of October 2023, Dr. Baron reported no external relationships.
Jessica Perlo, MPH, is the Executive Vice President of the ABIM Foundation, a nonprofit focused on advancing medical professionalism and clinician leadership to improve the health care system.
Previously, Ms. Perlo led the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)’s work to support workforce well-being, which aims to reverse the worrying trend of burnout and moral injury in health care and support leaders at all levels in creating a positive work and learning environment that fosters equity, safety, meaning, choice, and a shared commitment to deliver high-quality care.
For more than 15 years, she has worked to design and implement health system improvement efforts, including roles at Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, Strong Memorial Hospital, Mass General Brigham, and the Atlantic Health Equity Fellowship. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Wellbeing and Resilience, trained in community organizing from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and is an IHI Improvement Advisor.
Vincent J. Mandes, an experienced financial management professional with a strong background in strategic planning and business development, is the Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation. He directs activities associated with the security and investment of the assets and funds of both organizations and is responsible for providing overall direction for the accounting, tax, insurance, budget, and credit and treasury functions. Additionally, he ensures that financial transactions, policies and procedures meet organization short- and long-term objectives, as well as regulatory requirements.
Previously, Vincent served as the Vice President of Finance at Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc., where he managed all aspects of financial activities: treasury, cash management, taxes, forecasts, risk management, and coordination of independent third- party professional services. Before that, he spent twelve years at Rose Management Services, a multi-million-dollar restaurant management company which operates 60 casual dining restaurants, where he served first as Controller and later as Chief Financial Officer. Early in his career, he was Controller at Wallquest/Design Directions Inc., and a CPA at K.P.M.G. Peat Marwick.
Vincent, a certified public accountant, earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Widener University and his MBA in finance from LaSalle University.
Pamela Browner White, Senior Vice President of Communications and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at the American Board of Internal Medicine and ABIM Foundation, has more than 30 years of experience in communications, public affairs, community relations and strategic development. She oversees all communications and diversity, equity and inclusion operations and activities for the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation, working to expand and enhance outreach to physicians and external stakeholders, increase organizational transparency and effectively communicate the importance of board certification and medical professionalism.
Before joining the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation, Pamela was the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Strategic Development at Esperanza, Inc., the largest Hispanic faith-based nonprofit organization in the U.S. There, she developed a dynamic communications strategy to build a local and national reputation with key internal and external stakeholders and managed relationships with top-tier media and advanced strategic partnerships to secure resources to support the organization's mission.
Previously, she was the Vice President, Public Affairs for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, where she engaged various audiences, including patients, physicians, media and industry leaders on important health care issues. She also held senior leadership roles with the Philadelphia Eagles and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. In addition, Pamela has a history of community service and is Chair Emeritus of the Board of Directors for the Marian Anderson Award and Former Chair of the Workforce Investment Board and Philadelphia Youth Council.
She earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Youngstown State University.
John Held is the Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management for the American Board of Internal Medicine and ABIM Foundation. In this role he is responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external communications campaigns aimed at increasing physician engagement in the American Board of internal Medicine’s programs, as well as efforts to advance the Foundation’s communications initiatives in medical professionalism and building trust.
He previously served as the Director of Communications for the ABIM Foundation, where he helped create and lead strategic communications initiatives to support the Foundation’s organizational goals, including the nationally-recognized Choosing Wisely campaign.
Before that John was the Director of Communications for the American Cancer Society, where he oversaw communications strategies in a number of areas, including income development, mission delivery and advocacy. While with the Society, his work in the communications field was recognized with first place Pepperpots for Excellence in Communications, multiple times, by the Philadelphia chapter of Public Relations Society of America.
John earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Millersville University and is President of its Alumni Association.
Tim Lynch is the Senior Director of Foundation Programs for the ABIM Foundation. Tim joined the Foundation in 2010 and is responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s programs related to advancing medical professionalism.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Tim was an officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts, where he worked on a range of health and other state policy issues. Among other projects, he was instrumental in creating an initiative designed to increase children’s access to oral health services. Earlier in his career, he served for six years as a Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC. He has also worked as an attorney in private practice in Washington and Philadelphia.
Tim graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University, and received his law degree with honors from The University of Chicago Law School.
Jaime McClennen is the ABIM Foundation’s Senior Communications Manager. In this role she oversees all day-to-day Foundation communications, including social media, media relations, and Building Trust initiative communications.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Jaime worked with various health care and tech organizations at national public relations firm Gregory FCA. Prior to that she managed all communications for Benefits Data Trust, a Philadelphia-based health and human services nonprofit. Other past experiences include various communications work for Crouse Hospital, AARP New Jersey, and the National MS Society.
Jaime received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in both communications and human resources, and her master’s degree in public relations from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University.
Nicholas Mackara is the Digital Content Specialist at the ABIM Foundation. In this role, he has a hand in creating all things interactive: design, user experience, and ensuring the Foundation’s digital communications are staying current with industry best practices.
He manages the Foundation’s websites, social media, and video production.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, Nick worked with political candidates and nonprofit organizations to develop online fundraising strategies, create eye-catching graphics, and implement digital strategy. Prior to working in the digital space, Nick worked in the banking industry and for the Walt Disney Company.
Nick received his Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Rowan University.
Amberlyn Hopper is the Program Associate at the ABIM Foundation. In this role, she assists with the coordination of many programs and initiatives, including the Foundation’s annual conference and the John A. Benson Jr., MD Professionalism Article Prize.
Before joining the ABIM Foundation, she worked for various nonprofits and B Corps where she assisted with their community outreach and event planning operations, as well as other high-level projects and trainings. She has also worked as a writing tutor at Drexel University. In her free time, she volunteers as a grant writer for various nonprofits.
Amberlyn received her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Political Science from Drexel University.
Katherine Sepulveda is a Program Associate. She provides executive-level support to Executive Vice President Jessica Perlo and research and programmatic support to the Foundation.
Before arriving at the ABIM Foundation, she was an executive assistant at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. In this role, she supported the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation co-chairs. Katherine recently completed a PhD in philosophy at Villanova. She has an undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College, where she graduated cum laude with departmental honors, majoring in philosophy and minoring in international studies, and a master’s in theological studies from Boston College. She was previously a Fulbright grantee, studying health care, chronic pain, community, and society in Belgium.