The University of Vermont Health Network Board of Trustees recently elected Thomas Golonka (pictured) as chair and welcomed new members Dr. Dragos Banu, Dr. Sarah Harm, Heidi Melbostad and Christine Peters.
Golonka, managing partner at the investment firm Silverlake Wealth Management in Williston and Montpelier was elected to a two-year term as chair. He will serve on the leadership team alongside Vice Chair Betsy Vicencio and Dr. Kara Walker, board secretary. Former chair Allie Stickney stepped down from board leadership and will continue to serve as a trustee.
“I am deeply honored to work alongside a dedicated group of volunteer trustees who are unwavering in their commitment to the mission of this health system and the communities it serves across Vermont and northern New York,” Golonka said.
The newly appointed trustees bring diverse expertise and valuable experience to the board.
Banu is assistant professor of medicine at UVM's Larner College of Medicine and division chief of primary care for UVM Health Network's Alice Hyde Medical Center, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Elizabethtown Community Hospital and Porter Medical Center. He currently practices general internal medicine at Adult Primary Care in Essex.
Harm is an associate professor and network vice chair of laboratory medicine in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UVM Larner College of Medicine and UVM Health Network. She is an expert in transfusion medicine and leads the integration of laboratory medicine services across UVM Health Network.
Melbostad serves as CEO at Mountain Community Health, a federally qualified health center in Bristol dedicated to improving health outcomes and reducing disparities in the region. She is also a research assistant professor at the Vermont Center on Behavior and Health in the Department of Psychiatry at the UVM Larner College of Medicine, where she collaborates on behavioral pharmacology research.
Peters is commissioner of the Clinton County Department of Social Services. She is active in many community interests, including board or leadership positions for the Clinton County Bar Association, Clinton County Substance Use and Prevention Coalition, Evergreen Townhouse Community and Apple Valley Senior Housing. She holds a law degree from Vermont Law School.