The Team

Susan Guth brings to the Medical Legal Services division the crucial skillset of medical social work with diverse experience that offers valuable dimension to the team. She has served as a hospital utilization review and discharge planning specialist for a health system, as well as a community-based care manager. Ms. Guth maintains certifications as both a Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager and Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Maryland. Alongside her undergraduate degree in psychology and advanced degree in social work, she has also been trained as an emergency medical technician.

As part of her role in the Medical Legal Services division, Ms. Guth holds certifications in both care management and life care planning. Prior to joining the division, she provided care management services for children and adults with complex needs within other programs at The Coordinating Center.

Ms. Guth has presented at several national conferences and holds memberships with several high-level professional organizations. Ms. Guth currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Social Work Health Leadership Foundation within the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care.

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Kay Hairston is a key member of the Medical Legal Services division, offering a critical perspective on nursing in life care planning and care management. At The Coordinating Center, she has provided comprehensive care coordination among children and adults with the most challenging health care and social concerns through a complement of specialty community programs.

Ms. Hairston’s diversified career in nursing includes positions as a hospital staff nurse, utilization review nurse, nurse in the United States Air Force and care manager through self-funded insurance plans for children and adults. Ms. Hairston’s experience as a home care nurse has honed her view of the challenges inherent in community care management.

Ms. Hairston earned a Nurse Life Care Planning Certification and actively maintains memberships with both the Case Management Society of the National Capital Area and the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners.

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Lara Bodkin serves as a Research Associate with the Medical Legal Services division. Prior to joining The Center over 11 years ago, Ms. Bodkin had experience working in human resources and providing administrative support. In addition to supporting the research efforts for the life care planning process and assisting with various program operations, she provides administrative support for the Autism Waiver Program at The Center and has been an active member of The Center’s fundraising committee. Ms. Bodkin has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and a Master of Science in Applied Psychology.

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Deborah Meeks is a Research Associates for the Medical Legal Services division. Ms. Meeks is a valued member of the Medical Legal Services team, often serving as a key entry point for referrals to the division and our receipt of documents and records. Ms. Meeks has been part of The Coordinating Center for over 13 years. She has previously been a central member of The Center’s Family Resource Fund committee, collaborating with other Center personnel to facilitate the distribution of charitable funds to client’s with unmet service needs.  Ms. Meek’s has over forty years of experience in secretarial and administrative work, spanning from legal firms and financial institutions to the non-profit sector.

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Lauren Smelser, a Certified Case Manager within the Medical Legal Services division. Ms. Smelser provides support for care coordination clients, providing guidance in navigating community resources and programs utilized often by care management clients. Ms. Smelser can regularly been found assisting our care management clients at medical appointments, assisting with transportation and clinic schedules, and in unraveling the complexities of utilizing social service systems. She also provides support with program operations and life care planning research requests.

Ms. Smelser has experience working with both children and adults with complex needs at The Coordinating Center. Prior to joining the Medical Legal Services Division, Ms. Smelser partnered with other programs at The Center to support individuals with chronic health conditions, unmet social needs, and increased healthcare utilization. Alongside her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Ms. Smelser has a Master of Public Health degree.

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Nancy Bond leads the Medical Legal Services division as a Principal Life Care Planner and has been accepted as an expert in life care planning and care management in multiple jurisdictions nationally. Ms. Bond serves as a Senior Vice President at The Coordinating Center and has played a major role in the implementation of The Center’s award-winning and innovative care management initiatives.

As a recognized expert in life care planning, Ms. Bond has been an author and co-author featured in multiple publications. Ms. Bond has also been recognized for her groundbreaking work in inclusive education. As such, she has been a presenter at national forums on topics related to life care planning, as well as rehabilitation and education for individuals with catastrophic injuries that lead to complex care requirements.

In addition to a broad-based educational background, Ms. Bond has received advanced training in critical aspects of life care planning and Care Management.  She has been a regular contributor to the field of life care planning having the recent honor of participating in the revision of the Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners, 4^th Edition, as a member of the International Academy of Life Care Planners.  Ms. Bond was a former commissioner for the International Commission for Health Care Certification, the certifying body for CLCPs.

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