Joseph Frank serves as regional hospital president for Penn State Health’s East Region, which includes Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center and the new Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center, scheduled to open in 2022.

He provides executive-level leadership for the two hospitals in Berks and Lancaster counties, driving operations, growth and coordination across each region. He oversees the continued development of the Lancaster Medical Center, its staffing plans, recruitment of its leadership team and planning for its clinical services. He also develops and maintains strong relationships with local referring physicians in private practice.

Prior to joining Penn State Health’s senior management team in 2018, Frank held a variety of leadership roles in entrepreneurial health care ventures. He was CEO of The Heart Group, a Lancaster cardiology practice acquired by Lancaster General Health, and CEO of Valley Forge Dental, where he developed and operated 90 multispecialty dental practices in nine states.

As senior vice president for Surgical Care Affiliates, Frank oversaw the company’s growth from a single surgery center in Lancaster to 79 facilities in 39 states.

Frank earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, he holds a master’s degree from West Virginia University and a bachelor’s degree from Shippensburg University.

James Bennett is senior vice president and chief operating officer for Penn State Health St. Joseph. In this role, he works with surgical services and medical staff leadership on physician recruitment, case volume growth and surgical process improvement. 

Prior to joining St. Joseph, Bennett worked for United Surgical Partners International, Addison, Texas. He joined the organization in 2014 as administrator of Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center, an ambulatory surgery center jointly operated with Penn State Health at 15 Hope Drive, Hershey. In 2017, he became CEO of the Surgical Institute of Reading, Wyomissing, Pa., where he was responsible for more than 200 staff members and the operations of a surgical hospital, an ambulatory surgery center and three outpatient physical therapy centers. While under Bennett’s leadership, the Surgical Institute of Reading received the Distinguished Guardian of Excellence Award for exceptional patient experience, was recognized by Healthgrades as a Top 100 Hospital for Total Joint Replacements and Safety and earned a five-star quality rating from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Bennett began his career in health care in 1994 as a nurse, eventually joining Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in 2003 as a staff nurse in the surgical intensive care unit. Two years later, he became clinical head nurse of the post-anesthesia care unit and, from 2007 until 2014, he was nurse manager of a 44-bed postoperative surgical floor and a 14-member nursing vascular access team

Bennett serves as a member of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance. He earned both a master’s degree in health care administration and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Penn State. He is currently completing the requirements to become a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
 

Edward Chabalowski is vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) for Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center and Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center. In this role, he serves as the senior financial leader for both medical centers and works in close coordination with Penn State Health Medical Group practices in the region.

Chabalowski has 35 years of experience in health care finance, operations and strategy, as well as proficiency in building partnerships with hospital leadership and physicians to ensure effective execution of strategic goals. His career has included serving Tower Health as CFO for Phoenixville Hospital, Phoenixville, Pa., and Pottstown Hospital, Pottstown Pa., Geisinger Health System as CFO of Community Medical Center in Scranton, Pa., and Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia as CFO.

A graduate of Rutgers University, Chabalowski earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Rutgers University, Camden, N.J.

As chief nursing officer for Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, Wendy Clayton is responsible for oversight of all nursing activities and clinical operations.

Clayton joined Penn State Health from Saint John Vianney Center, a residential behavioral health hospital, in Downingtown, Pa. She started her nursing career with St. Joseph Medical Center in 2009 as a critical care staff nurse. She stayed with the hospital until 2020, advancing from nursing supervisor to Pathway to Excellence program manager, interim clinical coordinator, nurse case manager and clinical program manager. 

Prior to completing her nursing education, Clayton served in multiple human resources management positions with The Vanguard Group in Malvern, Pa., and as a hospice clinical manager with the former Covenant HomeCare and Hospice in Shoemakersville, Pa.

A Certified Case Manager, Clayton also is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. She is an active member of the Academy of Certified Case Managers, American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Nurses Association and National Association for Healthcare Quality.

A master’s of science in nursing graduate of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish, Maine, Clayton earned a diploma in nursing at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences in Reading, Pa., and a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders at West Chester University in West Chester, Pa.

Scott Mengle is vice president of human resources for Penn State Health’s East Region, which includes Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center and Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center. He has oversight of human resources operations in both markets. Additionally, Mengle supports other departments, including environmental services, food and nutrition services, security and transportation and the child day care program.

Prior to joining St. Joseph in 2000, he held a similar position with Catholic Health, Buffalo, N.Y., a multiemployer health system with 8,500 employees. Before its acquisition by Catholic Health, he was vice president of human resource operations at Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, N.Y.

Mengle serves on the Berks County Workforce Development board of directors and is both a board member and board secretary of Hospital Central Services. He is a member of the American Society of Health Care Human Resource Administration and the Society for Human Resource Management.

He earned both a bachelor’s degree in human resources and an MBA in human resources and health care management at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

As a member of the senior leadership team, Dr. Kimberly Wolf works with the president of the medical staff and other medical staff leaders as liaison to the employed and independent members of the medical staff, hospital and health system administration and Penn State Health Medical Group operational leadership. Prior to accepting this position, she served as senior medical director of quality.

Wolf's key focus is the ongoing coordination of clinical activities and resources to ensure the efficient delivery of health services aimed at achieving high quality patient outcomes. This requires continuous assessment and development of clinical competencies that are the staple of St. Joseph's culture of safety. Her efforts include working with nursing leadership and other clinical departments to develop clinical policies and processes that support the health system’s quality and safety goals, as well as requirements related to patient experience and engagement.

Wolf also provides direction to the medical staff office; assists organizational leadership and medical staff leadership and members in the application of the hospital and medical staff bylaws; and oversees Joint Commission and Department of Health regulations and policies.

Wolf completed her medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa.