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Collective Insight
meet the Team
founder
Erin McGaffigan, Ph.D., MSW, MS
Dr. McGaffigan has been recognized by her peers and clients, time and time again, for her critical analysis, problem solving, productivity, efficiency, and overall integrity in all that she does. She developed Collective Insight to share her strategies with others who work to support the “collective good.”
Dr. McGaffigan, as the founder and leader for a certified woman-owned business, has extensive experience in the area of community-based long-term services and supports for elders and people with diverse disabilities. Her expertise includes research on consumer advisory committee practices; the development of participant direction models; the creation of innovative peer support strategies; and the engagement of cross-disability advocacy groups in policy design and research. Dr. McGaffigan has assumed various consultant roles since 2006, including her most recent work informing the development of long-term services and support models for managed care as well as working with peer groups to develop new opportunities for peer expansion. She currently serves as an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Aging and Social Policy (JASP), and has maintained a Research and Development Fellowship with the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston since September of 2017. Dr. McGaffigan and Collective Insight have been awarded three separate evaluations for federally-funded grants that develop and expand addiction peer recovery supports within Massachusetts.
Prior to these roles, Ms. McGaffigan was the Public Policy Lead at Boston College’s National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services where she developed and managed the Center’s public policy agenda and stakeholder engagement strategies. Ms. McGaffigan received a Master’s of Science in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organization, Public Policy and Administration from Boston College. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she focused her dissertation research on the complex factors and related outcomes of consumer engagement practices.
Deputy Director
Airia S. Papadopoulos, Ph.D., M.P.H
Dr. Papadopoulos is the Deputy Director for Collective Insight. She brings over a decade of experience in researching and addressing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes.
Prior to joining Collective Insight, Dr. Papadopoulos began her career in research administration at University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa where she negotiated and managed federal grants and contracts for public health and mental health studies. Upon joining the faculty of the USF de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), she turned her attention to advocating for underserved communities including Medicaid recipients in Florida and racial and ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans. As a qualitative scientist and a project manager, Dr. Papadopoulos has substantive experience engaging stakeholders and managing projects that focus on depression, nutrition, obesity, older adults, maternal health and infant health. Most recently, Dr. Papadopoulos managed a team that focused on disparities in cancer outcomes at the USF College of Nursing, including coordinating a nationwide advisory board to address colorectal cancer amongst firefighters.
Dr. Papadopoulos obtained both her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in health policy and management and her PhD in applied anthropology from USF. She is also a certified lactation counselor (CLC) and a certified nutritional therapist (CNT). Her dissertation examined infant feeding experiences of African American mothers and perceptions of health professionals who work with these mothers. Her husband, Sotiris, and she have two daughters who keep them visiting Disney theme parks as often as they can.
Administrative and Financial Manager
Sherrie Allen, BS
As a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional, Sherrie has been meeting the accounting needs of non-profit and for-profit companies for over 30 years. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Central Connecticut State University. Sherrie has a wide range of accounting experience which enables her to provide relevant and timely advice and assistance to businesses with their internal accounting, reporting, and forecasting to successfully run a business. In Sherrie’s spare time she enjoys taking walks on the beach, spending time with her family, friends, and her cats.
Project Director
Danielle Skenadore Foster, MSW
Danielle Skenadore Foster has nearly 15 years of experience developing and implementing effective stakeholder engagement strategies to improve programs, policies, and research. As a Collective Insight Project Director, Ms. Foster provides client management for projects, including developing new project areas, facilitating meetings, documenting progress, and drafting interim and final reports. Ms. Foster also conducts best practice research, including developing new partnership and best practice concepts for member and community outreach; market research; individual budget design; member and provider services; person-centered long-term services and supports; participant direction models; and stakeholder engagement strategies.
Ms. Foster comes to Collective Insight with extensive experience working directly with older adults and people with diverse disabilities, informal caregivers, direct support professionals, and case managers in array of service settings and advisory capacities. As a strong proponent of self-determination, Ms. Foster led consumer and stakeholder engagement initiatives for iLIFE Financial Management, serving the Wisconsin IRIS Program -- a Medicaid HCBS waiver for self-directed long-term supports. Through this position and her leadership role at Prader-Willi Homes, Ms. Foster has developed a keen understanding of clinical operations and quality improvement structures in integrated systems serving individuals with complex health and long-term support needs. Her innovative work in LTSS design and delivery has taken Ms. Foster to a state and national stage to share best practices in participant direction through speaking engagements at various conferences. Ms. Foster, in a volunteer capacity, also facilitates the Prader-Willi Homes’ Resident Advisory Board. Ms. Foster holds a Master’s degree in Macro Practice Social Work from the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She is based in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Program manager
Kimberly Wamback, BA
Kim Wamback, BA, is a Project Manager for Collective Insight. Ms. Wamback Kimberly received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in social work from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She has more than 20 years of experience working with elders and people with disabilities.
Ms. Wamback initiated her career by providing direct support and then program management for Road to Responsibilities’ day and vocational services supporting people with various disabilities. For the past 12 years, Ms. Wamback supported research and informed policy while holding various roles within the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS). She has addressed a wide range of long-term service and support focus areas, including employment, financial literacy, transportation, participant direction, medical school curricula, and stakeholder engagement. Ms. Wamback assisted in the successful implementation of three Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) grants administered by UMMS on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was an instrumental player in applying the disability philosophy “nothing about us without us” by bringing state policy administrators and stakeholders from various disability and aging communities together to examine participant direction models and improve home and community-based service options. Ms. Wamback’s most recent work included the outreach and engagement of a wide range of Medicaid Waiver providers to support individuals to transfer from nursing facilities into their communities. Ms. Wamback is currently managing the evaluation of two Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants for two recovery support centers in Massachusetts, which were awarded to Collective Insight in 2017.
Ms. Wamback is an avid swimmer, cyclist, and runner, and Iron Woman, completing two triathlons consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. She volunteers extensively within her community at local soup kitchens and spent several years being an active board member and President of the Central Mass Striders running club (a 700+ member organization) as well as being on the Executive Board for Central Mass Multisport. Ms. Wamback is passionate about helping others to lead a fulfilling, healthy lifestyle within their own community.
program manager
Missy Destrampe, BA
Missy Destrampe, as a Program Manager, effectively assumes numerous roles within Collective Insight to support the design, implementation, and success of Collective Insight projects. In this capacity, Ms. Destrampe is responsible for planning, outreach, and overseeing projects while engaging stakeholders throughout the process. Her attention to detail and excellent communication skills ensure projects are completed as planned and on time.
Ms. Destrampe assumes the role of Stakeholder Engagement Specialist for a significant portion of Collective Insight’s work as seen in her experience implementing Steering Committees, focus groups, and strategy workgroups. In this role, Ms. Destrampe is responsible for recruiting participants, organizing and facilitating meetings, and building and sustaining positive and productive relationships with stakeholders. Additional responsibilities include conducting structured and semi-structured interviews and creating and implementing surveys. Most recently, Ms. Destrampe supported the upstart of a research advisory board made up of older adults to provide guidance for the Sages’ Symposium to Expand Researcher Readiness, a PCORI funded initiative.
Ms. Destrampe also assumes the role of Research Assistant and Technical Writer for many of our projects, including those that address peer and community network development, policy development, and program and service evaluation. Ms. Destrampe specializes in demographic and market analysis and is currently supporting a pilot program for a large national healthcare corporation. Her strong organizational and analytical skills play a critical role in reporting our project findings in formats that are accessible to a wide range of audiences. As a Technical Writer, Ms. Destrampe lends her strong writing skills to successful proposal and grant requests for our clients. Most recently, Ms. Destrampe co-authored a case study on stakeholder engagement within a large medical center.
Ms. Destrampe holds a BA from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
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Research Coordinator and Social media manager
Sophia Webber
Sophia works for Collective Insight managing social media and developing broader communication strategies as well as conducting web-based research. She is a senior at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where she is studying to attain a Bachelor of Science in Community and Environmental Sociology as well as certificates in Global Health, Food Systems, and Gender and Women’s studies. Relying on past experience as a music teacher and manager of an educational farm and garden, she now gives back to her campus community as the Educational Director of F. H. King Students for Sustainable Agriculture, an organization focused on connecting land, food, and people. As Educational Director, Sophia organizes programming around sustainable agriculture and equitable food systems, as well as works to distribute free produce from the organization’s garden to those in the community. Sophia is also a Speaker Liaison for the campus Tedx organization. A recipient of the Lowenstein Academic Excellence Award, an alum of Conserve School, a selective, semester-long environmental stewardship program, and an active volunteer, she is a passionate advocate for environmental justice, healthcare access, and food sovereignty.
Consultant
Christina Battista
Christina Battista is a motivational speaker who holds a Master's in Program for Rehabilitation Counseling from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Rhode Island College. Christina has worked as a Peer Navigator at the Rhode Island Parent Information Network and as the co-coordinator of the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council's Cross Disability Coalition. Christina currently serves on the RI Statewide Independent Living Council and the RI State Rehabilitation Council and previously served on the Personal Choice Advisory Board, the National Participant Network Board, and the LivingRite Advisory Committee. Christina loves the opportunity to share her story and meet new people.
Consultant
Keith Jones
Keith Jones President of SoulTouchin’ Experiences is an African American activist and entrepreneur with cerebral palsy. As a strong advocate for independent quality living in the community, Mr. Jones has participated actively in addressing various issues that people with disabilities face. These areas include housing, education, and voting access.
Peer Evaluation Liaison
Sugar Johnson
Ms. Johnson identifies as a person in recovery from addiction and an advocate for people who require personal care. She is the Peer Evaluation Liaison for Collective Insight’s evaluation projects funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this role, Ms. Johnson participates in grant meetings, drafts meeting notes, and provides support with data collection, analysis, and reporting. Ms. Johnson also provides home-based personal care for two older adults receiving services through the Veterans Administration Aid & Attendant Program.