Alma’s Staff
Meet your professional care team
Debra Altland
Chief Operations Officer
Deb completed several courses at HACC and worked for MedStaffers as their Director of Home Care for seven years before moving to Alma Health Skilled Services in 2012. When asked what she enjoys about working for Alma Health Skilled Services, she replied, “Everything!” She enjoys the daily changes and challenges that are associated with this line of work. She is always looking towards how we can make things better and better assist our consumers. She enjoys listening to consumers’ ‘stories’ because “every consumer has a story if you are willing to listen.” When she was younger, her family joked about her not having enough patience to work with people, but when she was 16 she applied for a nursing home position and was accepted to the CAN program. She absolutely loved it and has been in healthcare ever since! Debra is married and has two sons and a step-daughter all in their twenties. She enjoys traveling to other countries – mainly beaches.
Angela Russell
Billing Coordinator
Before coming to Alma Health Skilled Services, Angie was a CNA. She has now been with Alma Health Skilled Services for two years and enjoys talking to consumers. She entered the healthcare field because she is a people person and loves working with people. She has a teenage son and enjoys watching him play baseball. She is a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan and is currently enjoying personalizing her newly purchased home!
Melissa Foreman
Compliance Officer
Melissa attended Brigham Young University and Shippensburg University. She also worked as a paralegal in the fields of bankruptcy, social security disability insurance, unemployment benefits, domestic, and estate law. She is new to Alma Health Skilled Services this year and likes that her employers are dedicated to their employees and their clients, alike. She entered the healthcare field because it is paramount at Alma Health Skilled Services for a client’s care to be exceptional; that requires maintaining accurate charts, paperwork, and documentation. In her free time, Melissa enjoys traveling, kayaking, and riding her Harley. She and her husband Tim have been married for 16 years and have four children.
Rachael Tackett
Service Coordination Supervisor
Rachael has a Master’s in Psychology from the University of Phoenix as well as a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood Education from Shippensburg University. She has been with Alma Health Skilled Services for four years. She loves working here because our company is very family oriented, which is important to her. She enjoys the ability to get to know her consumers and that no day is ever the same here because we are a continuously growing company. She found her way here through a passion for social work and has worked her way up from being a service coordinator to being a supervisor. She has two dogs, Bailey and Malcom, enjoys bowling, and crochets in her free time.
Tammy Nowick
Service Coordinator Supervisor
Tammy is a New York native, who recently relocated to Pennsylvania. She graduated from Empire State College with a Family and Children Services Degree. It gives her great pleasure to be a part of the team at Alma Health Skilled Services. Working in Human Services for 14 years has enriched her life as a mother, giving her the knowledge and ability to cope with challenges not only at work, but at home. Tammy enjoys spending time outdoors with her spouse! It is difficult for her to "do nothing," so she enjoys reading a good book and "keeping busy" by working out, taking a walk, and running. She has a passion for photography and is always looking to capture a breathtaking sunrise or sunset!
Chad Cameron
Service Coordinator
Chad graduated from the California University of Pennsylvania with a major in Social Work. He has been with Alma Health Skilled Services for almost two years and enjoys the people he works with and the consumers we serve. He entered healthcare to be able to assist those who need quality care. Chad enjoys fishing, working out, reading different newspapers, and watching football in the fall.
Ashley McKee
Service Coordinator
Ashley attended the University of Phoenix and Anthem College for Healthcare Management. She has been with Alma Health Skilled Services for over a year and loves that her job allows her to help her consumers remain independent in the community. She found her way to this job because her grandfather was in a nursing home and she didn’t like the way he was treated. She wanted to change the way the elderly are treated once placed in a nursing home. She has a big heart and just loves helping people! Currently, she is working on her Bachelor’s Degree at Anthem College after having worked in the healthcare field for eight years. She does not have any children, but plans to start a family after finishing college. She has four cats and a dog named Echo. She is very close to her family, loves the Cowboys, music, and going to her family cabin in Potter County.
Christina Casses
Service Coordinator
Christina graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a major in Sociology. She is new to Alma Health Skilled Services this year, but loves that all the coordinators and administrative staff are approachable and genuinely care about helping our participants. She entered the healthcare field because she wants to help people in need.
Sonia Moore
Service Coordinator
Sonia has her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Mercyhurst University. She has several years experience working in the social services field and loves working with people! Sonia is a newer service coordinator with Alma Health Skilled Services. She loves working with people to try to make their quality of life better by helping them to stay in their home, surrounded by family and their own belongings. Sonia's goal is to make each person feel valued and heard! She has four children and two grandchildren. She spends her free time having fun with her family and friends and also loves biking and beach glassing on the shores of Lake Erie.
Helaine Krebs
Service Coordinator
Helaine has been in healthcare all of her working career. She has worked for Highmark for over 26 years, specializing in Medicare Part B. The years prior to coming to Alma Health Skilled Services, she was working in Healthcare IT. She has a 24 year old son and enjoys spending time outside. On most evenings and weekends, you can find her on the back of a Harley - specifically riding for charities.
Melissa Demorest
Service Coordinator
Melissa attended the University of Pittsburgh and Westmoreland County Community College and has a degree in Criminal Justice. She has been working in the Human Services/Healthcare field for over 20 years. She is new to Alma Health Skilled Services, but loves how they care so much for their consumers. Melissa enjoys helping others and assisting them so they are able to live independently in their own homes. She is married and has an 8 year old daughter, a 20 year old old step son, and 17 year old step son. When not working, Melissa enjoys spending quality time with her family, scrap booking, and doing anything outdoors.
Chris Grassi
Service Coordinator
Chris recently graduated from Marywood University with a degree in Social Work, where he is also now working towards a Masters Degree in Social Work. He recently joined Alma Health Skilled Services and has been thoroughly impressed with the amount of support that everyone here has to offer him, which is important to him in a job! In his spare time, he enjoys learning about new technology, playing piano, working out, and seeing movies.
Sandy McMaster
Service Coordinator
Sandy graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education and a minor in Physical Fitness Management. Prior to working for Alma Health Skilled Services, her career work experience included Service Coordination through the Office of Long Term Living, Program Specialist for Licensed Residential Programs/Intellectual Disabilities through the Office of Developmental Programs, Supervisor/Program Specialist for Unlicensed Home and Community Based programs through the Office of Developmental Programs, and Therapeutic Staff Support for Community Based Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services. She is new to Alma Health Skilled Services and enjoys working for a flourishing and thriving company!
Nicole Chaplauske
Service Coordinator
Nicole graduated from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland with a Masters in Health Science and Society and successfully defended her thesis on public health initiatives and community collaborations for enhancing health. She has been with Alma Health Skilled Services for just under a year and loves working here because it lets her go out into the community and truly make a difference in people's lives. She enjoys working with different cultures to ensure her consumers live active healthy lives in their home and community. She says that people need programs like Alma Health Skilled Services to help facilitate not only for their physical health, but for their psycho-social well-being, and she is proud to be a part of a company that makes that a reality!