Foundation Team
Charles "Boo" Hagerty
President
Email BooCharles “Boo” Hagerty is the president of the Hamot Health Foundation which is the philanthropic organization that supports UPMC Hamot and many community health initiatives. He first joined UPMC Hamot in 2001 as the vice president of marketing and corporate communications and transitioned to vice president of strategic resources in 2009 overseeing marketing, corporate communications, community advocacy and patient services. He was named the vice president of northern tier markets for UPMC Health Plan in 2012 and served in that role for four years, helping the health plan to further grow its market share in the northwest region of Pennsylvania.
As a lifelong member of our community, he has served as a volunteer and board member of many non-profits and organizations. He currently serves on six boards including ACES, Erie Bank, Safe Harbor Behavioral Health, Erie Center for Arts and Technology, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, and the United Way of Erie County.
Boo received a bachelor's degree in advertising from West Virginia University and was the founding partner and owner of Fishtank Creative from 1989–2001. He is the proud husband of Aimee and together they have 5 children — Brendan, Kirsten, Maria, Kaitlin, and Alex.
Jaimee Black
Vice President of Operations
Email JaimeeJaimee joined Hamot Health Foundation in February 2006. Her role is instrumental in developing short and long-term strategies for development priorities and ongoing fundraising initiatives and managing daily operations of the foundation.
Jaimee graduated summa cum laude in 2004 from Edinboro University with a bachelor's degree in marketing. She also previously attended St. Bonaventure University and has a background in real estate sales. Jaimee and her husband Travis have been married since 2006. They have a son and two daughters.
Nick Cianci
National Major Gifts Officer
Email NickNick joined Hamot Health Foundation in November 2018. His role is focused on connecting the strategic vision of the hospital with the passions and interests of donors.
Nick graduated magna cum laude from Mercyhurst University with dual bachelor’s degrees, and earned a master’s degree from Edinboro University. He has a background in community and educational leadership, having most recently served as the development officer for United Way of Erie County. Nick and his wife Hannah have been married since 2018.
Rebekah Garlock
Enrollment Navigator Assister
Email RebekahRebekah grew up in Erie, PA with 5 siblings with a large extended family (Wurst). She is a graduate of McDowell High School and Penn State University with a Bachelors of Social Work.
Rebekah moved to Alaska in 1993 and lived in Clam Gulch, Kasilof, Fairbanks and Barrow (an Arctic Eskimo Village). She moved back to Erie in 2014 after the death of her husband, so her son Garrett could spend more time with family.
Her career highlights include 15 years in mental health and family based counseling and social work, 8 years with Alaska State Legislature, Public Information Office as Legislative Assistant and Public Information Officer.
Her role at Hamot Health Foundation and UPMC Hamot is to educate and provide outreach to individuals who are uninsured. They offer independent and unbiased enrollment assistance, including but not limited to completing coverage applications, gathering required documentation, and troubleshooting the enrollment process. She will also play a vital role in helping to address immediate needs of the people they serve, addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) needs during the enrollment process by connecting the consumer to community resources that provide cultural mediation, reliable food resources, language assistance, transportation, housing, legal needs, and more.
Rebekah enjoys traveling with her son, hiking/long walks, and enjoying her family and friends.
Emily Kahler
Executive Assistant
Email EmilyEmily joined the Hamot Health Foundation team in August 2010. In this position, she provides direct support to Boo Hagerty and the entire Hamot Health Foundation team. Emily joined UPMC Hamot in 2006 as a Unit Secretary in the MICU/TCU department. In 2008, she joined UPMC Hamot's Information Systems as an Administrative Staff Assistant. A short time later, in 2009, she joined Regional Health Services doing physician billing. Emily has her Associates degree in Business from Bradford School of Business in Pittsburgh, PA. Emily and her husband Jason have been married since 2009 and have one son.
Annmarie Kutz
Director of Grants and Contracts
Email AnnmarieAnnmarie joined the Hamot Health Foundation in March 2023 as the Director of Grants and Contracts. In this position, she assists with grant writing, data coordination, and the creation of HHF’s e-newsletters and magazines. She is passionate about the foundation’s groundbreaking work and strategic vision, and relishes the opportunity to communicate it with federal, state, and local audiences.
Annmarie has worked at UPMC Hamot since 2010, serving most recently in the department of quality and patient safety. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University in 2010 and a master's degree from Mercyhurst University in 2013. She is a dedicated mother and a zealous Wordle player.
Mark Louis
Major Gifts Officer
Email MarkMark brings years of volunteerism and community involvement to the development efforts of Hamot Health Foundation. Over the past three decades, Mark has served on numerous boards including the Flagship Niagara League and the Penn State Behrend Council of Fellows. He is a past president of The Rotary Club of Erie and has been a distinguished member of the UPMC Hamot Board of Corporators for the past 11 years, serving also as its president.
Mark joins the Foundation at a vital time when philanthropy is playing a key role in such milestone projects as the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot, UPMC Hamot Patient Care Tower, Magee-Womens Research Institute in Erie, and the Hillman Cancer Fund.
Michelle Robertson
Grants Officer
Email MichelleMichelle holds an MBA from Gannon University and a bachelors degree in Math and Management from Rice University in Houston Texas. She is also a volunteer Certified Marketplace Navigator assisting individuals in the community who need to obtain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Susmita "Susmita Sarki" Sarki
Enrollment Navigator Assister
Email Susmita SarkiSusmita is originally from Nepal and grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania. Susmita graduated from Gannon University with a bachelor’s and master's degree in Sport and Exercise science, Minor in Nutrition. During the 2020 pandemic, while pursuing a master's degree, she worked as a Lead Community Health Worker to help underprivileged and vulnerable populations by providing education, mitigation, testing, vaccinations, and addressing health disparities. Working with communities over the past three years has made her realize how fortunate she is to work in a field that is all about connecting and helping people. Currently her role at the Hamot Health Foundation as an Enrollment Navigator to assist those who are uninsured and to address social determinants of Health. Outside work, Susmita enjoys traveling, photography, and exploring new culinary experiences. She lives with Parents- Willie & Sunita Williams and her siblings Amrita & Joshua whom she adored and loved.
Drevell Showers
Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator
Email DrevellDrevell joined Hamot Health Foundation as development coordinator in September 2021. In this role, he assists the vice president of operations with various projects, such as researching, preparing, submitting, and managing grant proposals and reports that support the foundation. With a background in sales and broadcasting, he most recently served as the special content fundraiser at WQLN PBS NPR.
Drevell graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, with a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting and mass communications. He is a recent graduate of the Jefferson Civic Leadership program at The Jefferson Educational Society in Erie. He and his wife, Rosa, have been married since 2019, and they recently welcomed a baby boy to their family.