BURKE COUNTY, NC
828-879-1601

Leadership Team



	BIRGIT LISANTI, RN, MSN, MBA President & CEO email: ceo@BurkeHospice.org A Canadian by birth, Birgit Lisanti, RN, BSN, MBA has over 30 years experience in hospice and home health care. She received her Bachelor of Nursing degree from the University of Manitoba and her MBA from Keiser University. She moved to the US in 1995 to become CEO of Pennyroyal Hospice in Kentucky. After several years at Pennyroyal, she moved to Tidewell Hospice in Florida, a regional organization that operates seven hospice houses across the state. Lisanti held several positions there, most recently as the Regional Director of Sarasota County. She is also a Certified Hospice Administrator and a certified Assisted Living Administrator. Lisanti became the CEO of Burke Hospice & Palliative Care in December 2011. She relocated to Burke County with her husband of 13 years, Dr. Brian Guthrie. The couple have two grown children and three grandchildren.

	DARYL BROWN Chief Financial Officer email: cfo@BurkeHospice.org Daryl Brown was born in Spruce Pine, NC. He earned his Bachelor’s in Accounting from Mars Hill College. For the next 20 years, he worked for Rexnord Corporation as a Cost Accountant and General Accounting Supervisor. After Rexnord, he worked for Blue Ridge Healthcare System for four years as a Senior Staff Accountant, then moved to Guardian Health Services in Hickory as Finance Director for four years. Daryl came to Burke Hospice in February 2008.  Daryl and his wife Iris have been married for 30 years and have one son. They attend First Baptist Church in Morganton. In his spare time, Daryl enjoys woodcarving, reading thrillers, and most of all, spending time with his wife.

	LORI REID Vice President of Human Resources email: hr@BurkeHospice.org A native of North Carolina, Lori Reid earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Western Carolina University in 1992. After college, she became the Director of Social Work for Lutheran Home-Hickory. Over the next 12 years, she gained a wealth of knowledge on federal and state regulations and patient, family and employee relations. Lori has been an active member of the National Association of Social Workers since 1991 and very involved in the Alzheimer's Association since 1993. She has served on the board for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Western Carolina Chapter and as a support group leader for Catawba County since 1993. Lori was the co-author of “Alzheimer's Disease: A Nursing Home Perspective” that was published in the North Carolina Medical Journal. Lori obtained her CSW (Certification in Social Work) in 1994. In 2001 she received the “Resident Service Award” from the North Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging. Lori joined Burke Hospice in October 2004 as a Social Worker, where she has been active with the Burke County Life Directions, Family Caregiver Support Alliance Committees, and the Blue Ridge Ethics committee. In April 2008, Lori began preparing for her current position as the Director of Human Resources by mentoring with a Human Resource professional from WCI Human Resource Services in the daily operation of HR function. That same year, she completed a HR Management and Administration course, and has completed a nationally recognized HR Leadership program in March 2009. Lori is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and a member of SHRM's Catawba Valley chapter. In her spare time, Lori enjoys cooking, gardening, swimming, and spending time with family and friends.

	VINCE BARTLOME Vice President of Program Development email: support@BurkeHospice.org Vince Bartlome was born in Bear Lake County, ID, and grew up mostly in Salt Lake City, UT. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Utah. He has been in North Carolina for the last ten years, serving as Director of Social Services at a long-term care facility, then with a neighboring hospice as Vice President of Outreach and Marketing. He was also on the Speaker’s Bureau and qualified to present continuing education contact hours for nurses and CNA’s. In 2007, Vince delivered a presentation on marketing to a national audience at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Management and Leadership Conference. Vince came to his current position with Burke Hospice & Palliative Care in February 2009. Vince is currently a member and past president of the Catawba Valley Toastmasters, Co-President of the Unifour Social Workers Support Group, a member of the Western North Carolina Alzheimer’s Advocacy Committee, and a member of the Unifour Caregiver Alliance. Vince is a private pilot who enjoys travel, do-it-yourself home renovation and landscaping, and his pets.

	CHRISTY INGERSOLL, RN, BSN Compliance Officer email: christy.ingersoll@burkehospice.org Christy Ingersoll, RN, BSN, was born in Morganton, North Carolina and has lived in Burke County all of her life. She received her Associate's Degree in Nursing from Western Piedmont Community College and Bachelor’s Degree from Winston Salem State University. Christy has practiced Nursing for more than 30 years in several areas of nursing, including Medical Surgical Nursing, Long Term Care Nursing, and Psychiatric Nursing. She has also worked as a Clinical Instructor for Western Piedmont Community College and as a Master Trainer for the Med Aide Program in NC. Christy joined Burke Hospice & Palliative Care in November 2011 as Compliance Officer. Her most recent position was Director of Clinical Operations for a private Long Term Care provider. In addition to her nursing experience, Christy brings more than 12 years of compliance experience with agencies including the Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) as a state Long Term Care and Mental Health Inspector and Regional Supervisor. She has also worked at Blue Ridge Health Care as the System Risk Manager and Nurse Recruiter, and as a Nurse Consultant for Britthaven Corporation. Christy is a member of the First Baptist Church in Glen Alpine. She volunteers with the Drexel Fair Board and Morganton Soup Kitchen, and spends her free time reading and doing crafts.

	BARBARA TARANTO Director of Nursing Services email: barbara.taranto@burkehospice.org Barbara Taranto, RN BSN CCM, was born in Hickory, North Carolina and has lived in Burke County most of her life. She received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Western Piedmont Community College and later graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western Carolina University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Barbara’s early nursing experience included Telemetry, ICU, Pediatrics, and Medical Surgical in the hospital followed by Home Health for eight years. Barbara came to Burke Hospice & Palliative Care in February 2011 after holding the most recent position of System Director of Case Management for Blue Ridge HealthCare, followed by Manager of ED Case Management and Utilization Review at Mission Hospital. Barbara received her National Certification in Case Management in 2007 and her Yellow Belt in Lean Six Sigma Training in January 2010. Barbara attends Abee’s Grove Baptist Church, enjoys spending time with family, and outdoor activities.

	LARRY CRONK Director of Support Services Larry Cronk hails from Watertown, NY. He received his Masters of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, NY. From 1987-1989, he was an hospital oncology social worker. He began his career in hospice in 1989 at Hospice of Jefferson County in New York, where he worked for the next 10 years. He moved to HospiceCare Inc. in Hartford, NY in 1999 and stayed for the next five years. In 2004, Larry moved to North Carolina to join the bereavement and counseling staff at Burke Hospice. He and his wife Susan live in Nebo, NC. Larry has two adult children and three adult stepchildren.