Our Professional Staff

AGIN Inc. was formed in 1986 to provide quality assurance consultation services to New York nursing homes. Since then, the company has grown from a single consultant to more than a dozen professionals providing a wide range of services in the entire spectrum of post-acute care settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, adult day care and long-term home health care programs. We recently began providing services to correctional facility health programs and now serve clients in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Barbara S. Nodiff, RN, RAC-C, President

Barbara S. Nodiff, R.N., M.S., is a nationally recognized expert, author and speaker on post-acute care and related issues. She founded AGIN Inc. in 1986, building on her experience as a consultant and nursing department manager at a variety of long-term care facilities in New York. A noted authority on regulatory compliance, quality assurance and operational management, Barbara is a frequent speaker at regional and national conferences and seminars, has served on advisory committees of government agencies and private companies, and has been honored by a variety of professional organizations. She is co-author of the Quality Assessment and Assurance Manual for Long Term Care Facilities, 2nd Edition and Boomer Basics: Everything That You Need to Know About the Issues Facing You, Your Children, and Your Parents, and a contributing author to Guardianship Practice in New York State. Barbara received her Masters of Science degree in Health Care Systems Management from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from New Rochelle College, graduating with honors. She has been listed in Who's Who in Nursing since 1992.

Linda M. Elizaitis, RN, RAC-C, Vice President

Linda M. Elizaitis, R.N., B.S., joined AGIN Inc. in 1994. She has expertise in post-acute, long-term and correctional health care, including the development of quality improvement programs, plans of correction and informal dispute resolution preparation. Her extensive hands-on experience includes the opening and relocation of post-acute facilities, medical litigation reviews, adult day care regulatory compliance, and development of risk management, rehabilitation nursing and pressure ulcer prevention programs. Linda graduated from the Sewickley Valley Hospital School of Nursing in Sewickley, PA, and is a Distinguished Graduate of St. Joseph's College in Patchogue, N.Y., with a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration. Her nursing background includes experience as a surgical ICU head nurse and a long-term care facility Director of Nursing. A certified gerontological nurse, she has been published in Provider, a national long-term care health publication.

Annette Amorese, RN, RAC-C, Senior Consultant

Annette Amorese, R.N., B.S., joined AGIN Inc. in 1987 and specializes in quality assurance assessment and improvement, infection control and staff development in post-acute facilities. She received an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Borough of Manhattan Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from the College of Old Westbury of the State University of New York. Annette also has advanced training in infection control and other clinical issues.

Joan L. Kelly, RN, RAC-C, Senior Consultant

Joan L. Kelly, R.N., B.S., conducts reviews of practices and procedures at post-acute facilities, assists with implementation of plans of correction, reviews Medicaid reimbursement systems, helps develop rehabilitative nursing programs and provides in-service education and other services. Joan received a Bachelor's in Community Mental Health from the New York Institute of Technology, graduating with honors, and a Nursing degree from St. Mary's School of Nursing. The Director of Nursing at a long-term and sub-acute care facility on Long Island, N.Y., for more than 20 years, she has also worked as a geriatric and operating room nurse and has lectured, wrote and testified on many aspects of health care. Joan is a member of the board of a not-for-profit visiting nurse association and a residence and school for troubled children, both in upstate New York.

Virginia Koelbel, RN, RAC-C, Senior Consultant

Virginia Koelbel, R.N., spent more than a decade as a Director of Nursing in a long-term care facility before joining AGIN Inc. in 2000. Ginger provides education and systems enhancement in post-acute facilities and has helped many clients achieve regulatory compliance. She earlier worked as a hospital staff nurse and supervisor in medical and psychiatric units, and as a home care nurse, providing services to ventilator and hospice patients. An associate of the Hunter/Mt. Sinai Geriatric Education Center, she has a Diploma of Nursing from the Central Islip School of Nursing and is a Certified Gerontological Nurse.

Debra A. Labella, RN, RAC-C, Senior Consultant

Debra A. Labella, R.N., B.S., assist clients with education and monitoring related to corporate compliance agreements and conducts ongoing quality-improvement activities in post-acute facilities. She has 30 years of experience as a nurse and nursing supervisor at a variety of health care facilities. She worked as Director and Assistant Director of Nursing and Director of Staff Development in long-term care settings and as a staff and charge nurse in a hospital. Debra holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, N.J.

Sara Labosky, RN, RAC-C, Senior Consultant

Sara Labosky, R.N., came to AGIN Inc. with more than 30 years of experience as a Director and Assistant Director of Nursing, Head Nurse and MDS Coordinator at long-term care facilities and a staff nurse in hospitals. Sara provides consultation to post-acute and correctional health facilities in the area of quality improvement. A diploma graduate of the Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing in Manhattan, Sara is a Certified Gerontological Nurse and has been published in Geriatric Nursing magazine.

Keith H. Reilly, Senior Consultant

Keith H. Reilly, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., has been with AGIN Inc. since 1998, providing consultation in the areas of clinical nutrition services, food service operations, maintenance and Life Safety Code compliance. A Registered Dietitian, Keith holds a Bachelor of Science degree from State University College in Oneonta, N.Y., and a Master of Science in hygiene from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health. A former New York State nursing home surveyor, he has also been a maintenance, fire safety and operations consultant, a consultant dietitian, Food Service Director and therapeutic dietitian.

Paula Uhl, Senior Consultant

Paula Uhl, ACSW, M.S.W., helps facilities to assure regulatory compliance and develop and implement programs relating to behavior management, dementia, psychiatric care, PASRR screening and other social services functions. She joined AGIN Inc. in 2002 after 16 years as an Assistant Director and Director of Social Work at two large long-term care facilities. Her experience includes development of family councils, clinical support groups, activities programs and integration of hospice services into nursing home settings. She also served as a PASRR Coordinator and a member of a steering committee to implement a pain management program. Paula earned a Masters of Social Work from Adelphi University in Uniondale, N.Y., and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York in Old Westbury, and holds a certificate in Total Quality Management. She is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers.

Susan A. Berry, Consultant

Susan A. Berry, LCSW-R, ACSW, M.S.W., has an extensive background in long-term care, with experience in counseling and psychotherapy, resident assessment, discharge planning, nursing home placement, performance improvement and in-service training. She has worked as a Clinical Administrator of Social Services, Director of Social Services and social worker in a variety of long-term care facilities and as a private practice psychotherapist. Susan holds a Master of Social Work from the Adelphi University School of Social Work in Uniondale, N.Y., and a Bachelor of Social Work from Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y. She is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers.

Monica M. Willis, RN, RAC-C, Consultant

Monica M. Willis, R.N., B.S., performs audits of nursing facilities and assists clients with regulatory compliance, development and implementation of policies and procedures and staff and administration training. She worked as a Director of Nursing in two large New York facilities and as a corporate nursing director, overseeing five facilities, prior to joining AGIN Inc. in 2001. Monica earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn, N.Y., and a Registered Nursing License from Sefton General Hospital in Liverpool, England.

Susan Chester, RN, RAC-C, Consultant

Susan M. Chester, R.N., M.S., has more than 20 years of experience in long-term care. Prior to joining AGIN Inc. in 2006, she worked as Director of Nursing, Director of Performance Improvement/Risk Management, and Director of Adult Day Care for long-term care communities in Westchester County, N.Y. Her previous experience included the development of policies and procedures for and the opening of skilled nursing and sub-acute rehab facilities, assisted living/enriched housing and adult day care programs. Susan graduated from New Rochelle Hospital School of Nursing in New Rochelle, N.Y., and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Administration from Iona College in New Rochelle and a Master of Science degree in Health Care Administration from California College for Health Sciences in National City, Calif.