Meals on Wheels America CEO and leadership

Erika is the Chief Membership and Advocacy Officer at Meals on Wheels America. In this position, she oversees education and training, grant making and group discount programs, and all advocacy initiatives designed to support and strengthen the nationwide network of local senior nutrition providers and the individuals they serve. Erika is responsible for developing and assisting State Associations and ensuring overall Membership satisfaction and engagement.

Prior to joining Meals on Wheels America in January 2011, Erika worked as a Legislative Assistant for Congressman Ike Skelton of Missouri. Her legislative portfolio on Capitol Hill focused on hunger, poverty, welfare and human services, education, among others. Erika graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with a BA in Social Sciences and completed minors in politics, economics, and secondary education.

Ipyana is the Chief Health Officer with Meals on Wheels America. In her role, she oversees the development and growth of Meals on Wheels Health, a newly created division of Meals on Wheels America that partners with health care payors and health systems to expand the impact and scope of local Meals on Wheels services to seniors and vulnerable adults who are managing multiple chronic conditions or recovering from recent hospitalizations.

Ipyana comes to Meals on Wheels America with more than 20 years of diverse, cross industry experience across the legislative, public policy, health care and data analytics arenas.

Ipyana’s experience in the healthcare sector includes eight years at the country’s largest health and wellness company, UnitedHealth Group. Ipyana worked as the Vice President of Industry Outreach and External Affairs, where she was responsible to cultivating relationships with key external advocacy and consumer organizations to promote policy and regulatory priorities of UnitedHealth Group. She also served as the Vice President of Community and Strategic Engagement of UnitedHealthcare Community and State, where she established and managed a team to lead and support strategic initiatives that aligned with the Medicaid division’s business development and growth priorities.

Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Ipyana worked in the legislative, political, and public policy sectors for almost a decade. She served as a senior legislative staffer to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey, both of New York. She also was the Deputy Finance Director on the U.S. Senate and 2004 Presidential Campaign for U.S. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina. Ipyana also worked as a Government Affairs Consultant where she advised, crafted and executed legislative and regulatory outreach strategies for her clients.

Ipyana received a Master’s in Public Policy, with a Non Profit Management concentration, from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and her BA in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Ken is the Chief Financial and Operations Officer at Meals on Wheels America. With more than 30 years of experience in finance, Ken has focused the last two decades of his career helping non-profits thrive. Prior to joining Meals on Wheels America, Ken spent nearly 17 years at United Way Worldwide in various roles including Vice President - Controller, Vice President of Membership Accountability, Director of International Member Accountability and Director of Membership Financial Accountability. He also served as a member of the USA Financial Accounting Standards Board Non-profit Advisory Committee, and as United Way Worldwide’s liaison with other organizations such as the USA Internal Revenue Service, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance and the World Bank Foundation. Ken is a frequent speaker at conferences, seminars, and webinars on a variety of topics including, preparation of non-profit audited financial statements, USA government required tax exempt organizational reporting, collaboration and merger among non-profits, maintaining strong internal controls, building reserves, good governance, and ethical practices. Ken holds a B.A. in Accounting from Western Michigan University.

Kristine is the Chief Development Officer with Meals on Wheels America and oversees the national fundraising strategy for corporate partnerships, major donors and special events while working collaboratively with the Meals on Wheels Member programs. With more than 20 years of cross industry experience, Kristine has focused the last decade of her career on forging strategic partnerships, and developing highly creative and visible consumer/cause marketing campaigns. Drawing upon her keen business sense and passion for building scalable and sustainable cause programs, she has worked with leading national and global non-profit brands including the American Red Cross, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Special Olympics, and helped Fortune 500 corporations tell their partnership stories in a ways that authentically connects with their stakeholders.

Kristine most recently served as the Chief Development Officer at the Trust for the National Mall, an official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, and led fundraising efforts in support of the Trust’s $350 million campaign goal.

Kristine holds a B.S. in Political

Lucy joined Meals on Wheels America in January 2016 as Chief Strategy and Impact Officer. She is responsible for strategy and planning, research, and efforts to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Prior to joining the Association, Lucy served in multiple roles at AARP. Most recently she served as SVP for Organizational and Management Effectiveness and, prior to that, as SVP for Enterprise Strategy. She also has many years of experience in aging, health and long-term care at AARP, as well as other health and aging non-profit Associations. Lucy received a B.A. in Sociology from George Mason University and an MA in Health Care Administration, Policy and Planning from George Washington University.

Bob has been working with Meals on Wheels America for more than 20 years, having served in various capacities. Currently, Bob is the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, working closing with the healthcare industry to build relationships and guide the broader engagement of Meals on Wheels in the nation’s healthcare system, a top priority for Meals on Wheels America. In addition, Bob continues to serve as General Counsel, a role he has undertaken during his entire tenure at Meals on Wheels America.

Immediately prior to being asked to serve in his current capacity, Bob was Chief Development Officer, a position he held for more than two years. During his time with Meals on Wheels America, Bob helped to develop and manage a comprehensive national transition care program, which has become a model for similar initiatives across the country. He has been engaged in providing governance assistance to the Meals on Wheels America Board and also has been instrumental in developing, implementing and participating in purchasing, training, research and advocacy programs designed to bring greater value to the more than one thousand local Meals on Wheels programs that make up our membership.

Previously, Bob was a partner in the Illinois law firm of Herbolsheimer, Lannon, Henson, Duncan and Reagan, P.C. from 1993 to 1999. Prior to that, he was a partner of the national law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Washington, DC, which he joined in 1985. Among other accomplishments, he has written three labor-related manuals, including a comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance handbook. He has received major awards from his national clients for the legal representation he has provided, including his receipt in June 2004 of the prestigious Dankoff Award for Public Policy and Legislative Service. In 1992, Bob was a nominee for U.S. Congress in the 11th District of Illinois, and was described by the Chicago Tribune in one of his editorial endorsements as an “outstanding” candidate offering “an intelligent agenda for his district and the nation.”

He graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota with a major in geology (with Distinction on Comprehensive Exercises) and a minor in political science, and from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was Editor of the Journal of Minnesota Public Law.