By: Thomas H.

Judy Emmons has a rich background in public health and community service.  As Senior Vice President of Home Care Services at JEVS Care at Home, she shared her experience in nonprofit healthcare, her dedication to helping underserved populations, and her creative ideas for improving home care services. 

1. Please tell us a bit about your professional background and how you came to JCAH? 

I’ve always been interested in working with underserved populations and improving the social determinants of health in various communities. I have a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Rutgers University, and a master’s degree in public health from Drexel University.  My first job out of college was in Camden, NJ, at a non-profit called Puerto Rican Unity for Progress, where I ran afterschool programming for at-risk teens. It was one of my favorite jobs, and I still keep in touch with some of the teens from my time there. They are now adults, and it’s amazing to see all of the wonderful things they are doing and the people they’ve become.  Prior to joining JEVS Human Services, I worked at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Inc. (Congreso) for twelve years, where I served in various roles, including Director of Primary Care and Vice President of Healthcare Services.  My roles focused on overseeing the agency’s Federally Qualified Health Center and HIV/AIDS department, as well as the implementation of an on-site pharmacy.  During my time at Congreso, I met many colleagues who are currently serving in roles here at JEVS, which is how I learned about the great work being done at JEVS.  I decided to join the JEVS Care at Home team in January 2024, and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. We have an amazing team of administrative staff who are very committed to the clients we serve, plus so many dedicated caregivers doing this important work every day.   

2. What do you do in your role as Senior VP for Home Care Services? 

In my role as Senior VP for Home Care Services, I oversee both our Personal Assistance Services in Pennsylvania for JEVS Care at Home and our self-directed homecare model in the Financial Management Services department of JEVS Human Services.  My role supports both leadership teams to align with our agency’s strategic priorities and goals, including implementing quality assurance and compliance projects, overseeing operations, developing successful teams, and managing our financial health and sustainability.  I’m also responsible for guiding our division to new opportunities, including new services and geographic expansion.   

3. What aspect of your work do you find most fulfilling? 

I enjoy program design and finding solutions to barriers through the use of human-centered design (HCD) practices.  I have been working with my team over the past year to utilize some basic HCD approaches, including development of Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), personas, and build-measure-learn feedback loops.  The Human Centered Design approach is something that I find very helpful in planning and approaching challenges, both big and small.  I am currently working with our Health and Education and Quality Assurance teams to implement or improve various value-based care initiatives at JEVS Care at Home, including addressing gaps in care and preventing client re-hospitalizations.   

4. How would you explain “The JCAH Difference” to a potential client or partner organization? 

JEVS Care at Home has the advantage of being a part of JEVS Human Services, which allows us access to a multitude of resources and programming for our clients and caregiver staff, including opportunities for career and technical education.  We also offer our caregivers professional development, such as CPR training, Mental Health First Aid certification, and Dementia Capable Care, through our Nursing and Education department.  These trainings help our caregivers better support the clients they serve, and also develop new skills for their own development.  Additionally, we’ve recently added resources and staff to our team to help our clients navigate various systems and address barriers to care, with the intention of improving the social determinants of health in the client population we serve.   

  5. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? 

I have a toddler who is almost three years old, so right now I enjoy exploring and learning about the world through her eyes.  We enjoy going to the zoo, the aquarium, amusement parks, and playgrounds, and she’s just starting to speak in full sentences and ask questions, so it’s really interesting, and sometimes funny, to hear her impression of things she is seeing for the first time.  She recently got to feed a giraffe at the zoo. I was afraid she’d be scared, but she giggled the entire time.  When I’m not doing toddler things, I’m a big fan of visiting museums; my favorite local museum is The Barnes Foundation, and my two favorite museums that I have been to are the Reina Sofia National Museum of Art in Madrid and the Louvre in Paris.   

 6. If you could acquire a superpower, what would it be? 

If I could have any superpower, it would be the ability to time travel.  I’d love to see both the past and the future of our world, and visit important times in our history, and personally, I’d like to be able to go back and re-visit certain times or people in my life, especially as my daughter keeps getting older.   

  7. Tell us one the things you love the most about Philadelphia. 

The thing I love most about Philadelphia is our diversity, and opportunities to learn about other cultures.  I recently took my daughter to the Dia de Los Muertos celebration in the Italian Market, where she got to see first-hand this tradition from the Mexican culture – we had so much fun seeing the art and imagery associated with the holiday, listening to the music, and trying new food.  We also love the Chinese Lantern Festival at Franklin Square, especially at nighttime when all of the huge installations are glowing, surrounded by traditional Chinese music and performers.  Another favorite of mine is Taller Puertorriqueño, an arts and culture center in North Philadelphia that features art and literature from Philadelphia and Puerto Rican born artists.  No matter where you go in Philly, you are always surrounded by culture and history, and there is always a celebration or festival to explore.