A look into how UPMC leaders are actively engaging with the community, speaking on key initiatives and driving meaningful outreach.
Feb. 2026
Twelve graduates crossed the stage at the Elsie Hillman Auditorium inside the ACH Clear Pathways’ Kaufmann Center in Pittsburgh’s Hill District — the birthplace of the original Freedom House Ambulance Service in the 1960’s.
The ceremony brought together Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor, State Rep. Aerion Abney, Pittsburgh EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist, and John Moon, former Freedom House emergency medical technician and retired assistant chief of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Service.
This graduating class marks the fifth year of UPMC’s Freedom House 2.0 program, which prepares students for careers in emergency medical services while strengthening neighborhood-based care in the community where the modern EMS movement began.
Feb. 2026
Patti Jackson-Gehris, market president, UPMC North Central Pa., recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where she joined other rural health leaders and advocacy groups along with the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania to meet with federal lawmakers — including U.S. Rep. John Joyce, MD, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, U.S. Rep. GT Thompson, U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, and U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick — about protecting access and funding to care in rural communities.
During the visit, leaders discussed the importance of the 340B Drug Pricing Program and how it helps hospitals stretch limited resources to support services such as cancer care, emergency treatment, and other critical local programs, all at no cost to taxpayers.
Feb. 2026
The UPMC Expedition Trail Outpatient Center has expanded its services to increase access to specialty and primary care in the Gettysburg area. Patients can access advanced specialty and primary care close to home — including heart and vascular, women’s health, ENT, weight management, and on‑site lab services. UPMC leaders joined the Chamber of Gettysburg & Adams County, community partners, Senator Doug Mastriano, and U.S. Senator Dave McCormick’s staff for a ribbon‑cutting ceremony and open house at the new facility.
Feb. 2026
The newly renovated 4A Medical‑Surgical Unit at UPMC Somerset represents an investment in patient care across the UPMC system. The updated unit includes enhanced privacy features and upgraded clinical technology designed to support care teams and improve patient experience. UPMC Somerset staff, community partners, and local officials joined in recognizing the completion of this renovation, which aims to provide patients with high‑quality care throughout their treatment.
Feb. 2026
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital team and Alison Beam, senior vice president and chief government affairs officer, UPMC, had the opportunity to join Pittsburgh First Lady, Katie O'Connor, for a visit to the Education Leading to Employment and Career Training (ELECT) Teen Parenting Program. The ELECT program is an initiative to support pregnant and parenting teens in Pennsylvania. UPMC Magee is proud to partner with the ELECT team in helping Pittsburgh Public School students find support and education during their pregnancy and beyond.
Feb. 2026
The Pathways to Work team engaged communities across the region through several successful events throughout February. Specifically, the team sponsored the monthly Clairton Inn community dinner, offering a meal, a children’s craft, and a presentation about UPMC careers and Pathways to Work support.
UPMC was also strongly represented at the West Mifflin High School Career Fair for 10th–12th graders, where students explored a virtual tour of the Kamin Tower, learned about telemedicine through Women in IT, viewed lab equipment demonstrations, and met with the School of Nursing to discuss nursing pathways.
Additionally, the Pathways to Work Team hosted 35 leaders from 28 community organizations at the Harrisburg CareerLink office for the Central Pa. Community Partner Meeting, where attendees enjoyed lunch and engaged in a productive discussion on supporting regional job seekers.
Feb. 2026
Following a historic winter storm that swept across Pittsburgh in late January, UPMC announced a $10 million contribution to the City of Pittsburgh to support the replacement of the city’s aging fleet of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicles and equipment. This contribution will be used to purchase nine new ambulances and one rescue truck this year, and a similar amount of equipment in 2027.
City of Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor called the contribution transformative.
“UPMC saw what was happening, approached us and stepped up to partner with us on this game-changing investment”, said O’Connor. “Their leadership sets the tone for what it means to invest in the well-being of our residents.”
Feb. 2026
Senator Devlin Robinson, Representatives Marci Mustello and Tim O’Neal, as well as Sam DeMarco and Sam Weiland from Senator McCormick’s office, toured the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex for an inside look at UPMC’s sports medicine partnership and comprehensive care model.
The visit included tours of UPMC’s clinical areas including strength and conditioning spaces, a physical therapy gym, and dedicated UPMC Magee-Womens and UPMC Children’s areas, With these essential resources for high-quality sports medicine care, UPMC is reinforcing how the Complex supports elite athletes while also serving women, children, and community patients through integrated orthopaedics, imaging, rehabilitation, primary care, and sports performance services.
The facility is also the primary training home for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the visit included a meet-and-greet with current players!
Feb. 2026
Leaders from UPMC Hamot and the Erie VA Medical Center signed a veterans’ care pledge recognizing the start of the VA-UPMC Community Nurse Liaison Program at UPMC Hamot.
The Community Nurse Liaison Program model consists of embedding VA registered nurses into UPMC Hamot and seven other UPMC hospitals — to streamline the care of veterans from admission to discharge. Coordinating continued care, including physical therapy, prescriptions and follow-up appointments by working hand in hand with the community case managers is also part of the community nurse liaison role.
Feb. 2026
Marc Migala, director of Veterans Care Services at UPMC, recently met with the newly appointed Mayor of Mechanicsburg and the CEO of Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital to discuss initiatives aimed at enhancing support for military members and veterans in the region. This meeting represents an important step toward continuing to strengthen collaboration and increasing visibility for veterans' care coordination throughout Central Pennsylvania.
Jan. 2026
Elizabeth Ritter, president, UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Community Osteopathic, UPMC Carlisle, and UPMC West Shore, participated in a recent meeting with Governor Josh Shapiro, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger, and local elected officials to discuss ongoing revitalization efforts in the City of Harrisburg.
Elizabeth underscored UPMC’s longstanding commitment to downtown Harrisburg and the broader capital region. She emphasized our continued partnership with city leadership and our dedication to serving the needs of the community.
The discussion brought together public officials, small businesses, and community partners, as each contributes valuable perspectives on the city’s future. As work moves through a newly established collaborative group, we will ensure that UPMC’s engagement will help support meaningful progress.
Jan. 2026
At the Susquehanna Regional EMS (SREMS) annual meeting, Pennsylvania State Representatives Joe Hamm, Jamie Flick, and Clint Owlett presented SREMS with a citation recognizing its selection as the 2025 Dick Ferneau Career EMS Service of the Year.
Leaders at the annual meeting noted that “Susquehanna Regional EMS is more than a vital link in central Pennsylvania’s healthcare system – it is a model for how modern EMS can blend clinical excellence, innovation, and community partnership into a cohesive mission.”
The meeting also included participation from Senator Yaw’s office, Rep. GT Thompson’s office, and local county commissioners.
1st photo: Patti Jackson, president of UPMC North Central Pa. and UPMC Williamsport; Pennsylvania State Rep. Jamie Flick, Tony Bixby, Director of Prehospital Services, UPMC North Central Pa.; Mark Trueman, senior manager of Prehospital Services, UPMC North Central Pa.
2nd photo: Representatives with the Susquehanna Regional EMS team.
Jan. 2026
At UPMC Western Maryland's Government Affairs Summit, leaders briefed local, state, and federal officials on the upcoming transition to the CMS AHEAD model in 2026. As part of its longstanding commitment to advocacy, UPMC continues to champion policies that strengthen access to high quality, patient centered care across the region. The Maryland Hospital Association, including presenter Jake Whitaker, outlined key legislative priorities such as payer denials, liability reform, and staffing mandates. Attendees also discussed Medicaid changes and opportunities within the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program. Maryland lawmakers will convene for the 2026 legislative session in Annapolis from January 14 through April 13.
Jan. 2026
UPMC Washington announced the renaming of the CARE Center for Family Birth and Women’s Health to UPMC Magee-Womens in Washington, aligning local women’s and maternal health services with the nationally recognized Magee-Womens brand. The event highlighted UPMC’s commitment to expanding access to high-quality care close to home and underscored the system’s broader $300 million, 10-year investment in Washington and Greene counties.
With participation from senior UPMC leadership and local elected officials including Nick Sherman, Washington County Commissioner; JoJo Burgess, Mayor, City of Washington; Nate Nevala, District Chief of Staff, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14); and Casey Grealish, Executive Assistant to Washington County Commissioner Electra Janis, the announcement reinforced strong regional partnership, patient impact, and continued investment in the community.
Dec. 2025
On Monday, Dec. 22, Mayor Elect Corey O’Connor accompanied PGA Tour golfer and Pittsburgh native Neal Shipley for a special visit to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to deliver gifts to patients and spread some extra holiday cheer.
Nov. 2025
Patti Jackson, president, UPMC in North Central Pa, co-led the Maternal Health Workgroup alongside Donald Zaycosky, senior vice president and chief legal officer of Guthrie at the Northern Tier Rural Health Summit. Patti’s leadership guided important discussions on maternal health challenges and opportunities in rural communities.
Patti also played a key role in the Rural Health Summit at IUP, where she shared takeaways in the “Mobilize and Execute: Post Pennsylvania Regional Rural Health Summit Action” Session.
The group discussed updates from the 2025 Rural Regional Health Summits across Pennsylvania, highlighting progress, sharing lessons learned, and planning next steps for continued collaboration in rural health initiatives statewide.
Nov. 2025
UPMC Washington Hospital recently welcomed Congressman Reschenthaler, Congressman Bresnahan, and County Commissioner Sherman for a visit, showcasing the hospital’s commitment to advancing health care in the region.
The visit highlighted UPMC’s significant investments in behavioral health and maternal health, as well as workforce strength and retention.
It was a productive discussion that underscored UPMC Washington’s role as a model for how regional partnerships can preserve access, strengthen the workforce, and expand specialty care while stabilizing local health care delivery.
Sept. 2025
UPMC Western Maryland welcomed Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and representatives from Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks’ offices.
The team showcased Schwab Cancer Center, as well as the Center for Hope and Healing, which is a residential facility offering comprehensive care for adults battling mental illness and addiction.
This visit highlights the power of advocacy and partnerships to make a difference in our communities through rural health care access, workforce development, and sustainable funding.
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