Staff Leadership
Frances Palm, MPA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Frances Palm, MPA
Fran Palm was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Zufall Health in February 2023 after serving as Chief Operating Officer for nine years.
From a young age, she had a natural curiosity and affinity for social justice, which ultimately inspired her to earn a master’s degree in public administration from Seton Hall University.
As a leader, Palm’s dedication to mission has always guided her vision for an organization’s future. As Zufall Health COO, she led the launch of seven new service locations, oversaw numerous facility renovation projects to elevate delivery of patient care, and implemented new patient communication systems and strategies. She also managed the health center’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented a trauma informed care practice transformation for Zufall Health, including staff development activities to foster a patient-focused, collaborative team culture. In 2025, Palm’s impact at Zufall Health was honored with the Morris County Chamber of Commerce’s Exemplary Leader Award, presented annually to one nonprofit leader in the county whose organization has revenues of $1 million or more.
Previously, after six years as Executive Director of Women’s Health & Counseling Center (WHCC) in Somerville, N.J., a family planning focused health center, she negotiated its successful merger with Zufall Health. The merger secured the sustainability of the Somerset County health center and vastly widened its scope to include comprehensive health services for underserved residents of all ages and genders.
Earlier in her career, she served as Executive Director of 2-1-1 First Call for Help, Inc. in Parsippany, NJ for 11 years. There, she grew the organization’s service coverage from one to six New Jersey counties and provided leadership to build a coordinated statewide network of help line organizations.
Palm currently serves as President of the Family Planning Association of NJ and is a member of the National Association of Community Health Center’s Task Force on Healthcare in Public Housing and Subcommittee on Pharmacy, Policy, and Operations; the Healthier Somerset Steering Committee; and the NJ Cover All Kids State Organizing Committee.
Outside of Zufall, Palm likes to stay physically active – biking, hiking, and gardening with Ernesto, her husband of 30 years.
Rina Ramirez Alexander, MD, FACP
Chief Medical Officer
Rina Ramirez Alexander, MD, FACP
Rina Ramirez Alexander, MD, FACP, is an internal medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at Zufall Health. She joined Zufall Health in 2007 and has helped the organization adopt a patient-centered, integrated approach to care that focuses on quality, team collaboration, communication, and patient engagement. During that time, she has guided Zufall’s expansion of clinical services through participation in collaboratives, development of interdisciplinary care teams, and implementation of a trauma-informed primary care practice.
During Ramirez’s tenure, Zufall has achieved NCQA PCMH recognition and is a Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champion and a Target BP Gold Member from the AHA. The center has received numerous quality performance and program awards from HRSA and other national and state organizations under her leadership. Ramirez continues to promote innovative practices and excellence in patient care and health care outcomes by fostering teamwork, supporting a strong QA/PI framework, and championing staff wellness. In October 2024, she commenced a two-year term with the National Association of Community Health Centers Board of Directors as a Region 2 Representative. Her passions include teaching, project implementation, data analysis, reading and the fine arts.
Imogene Anderson
Chief Financial Officer
Imogene Anderson
Imogene E. Anderson is an accomplished accounting and finance professional with over 25 years of comprehensive experience. Her career is marked by a strong ethos of integrity, persistence, and competitive spirit, which have driven her successes in controlling costs, leading teams, and implementing effective financial strategies.
Anderson joined Zufall Health as Controller in 2018. In 2024, she was appointed Chief Financial Officer, where she continues to leverage her expertise to ensure responsible management of financial resources.
Anderson’s extensive background spans multiple industries, including health care, manufacturing, education, and retail fashion. She holds a bachelor of science in business administration with concentrations in management and accounting from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Anderson enjoys family time with her blended family, boating, golfing, cooking, and volunteering at a rehabilitation center in her community, where she reads to residents.
Annette Gonzalez, DHA, MPA
Chief Operating Officer
Annette Gonzalez, DHA, MPA
Annette Gonzalez, DHA, MPA, joined Zufall Health in 2023 as Chief Operating Officer with over 30 years of health care leadership experience.Most recently, she directed ambulatory care services for NYC Health + Hospitals Lincoln for nine years. In this role, she was responsible for the operation of 47 practices in 17 physical locations with over 304,000 patient visits and the administration of the HIV, family planning, cancer screening programs. Previously, she held leadership roles with Memorial Sloan Kettering and with Morris Heights Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, as the director of an outpatient women’s health and birthing center. Gonzalez is fully committed to serving diverse communities and advancing health equity.
Gonzalez earned her doctor of health administration from Capella University, master of public administration from John Jay College, and bachelor of science in psychology from Fordham University.
Sarah Aleman, MSW, LCSW
Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services
Sarah Aleman, MSW, LCSW
Sarah Aleman, MSW, LCSW, joined Zufall Health as its first social worker in 2010. Since then, she has played a key role in the expansion of behavioral health care and its system-wide integration into Zufall’s patient-centered primary care services.
Aleman leads a growing team of behavioral health staff who provide outpatient mental health counseling and case management both in person and via telehealth. Aleman also oversees a range of specialty programs including services focused on substance use disorders and recovery support, early childhood development, breast cancer survivorship, new motherhood, and the needs of older adults.
Prior to Zufall, Aleman supported clients through shelter, transitional living, and community counseling programs at JBWS, a full-service domestic violence and abuse prevention agency in Morris County.
Aleman is a member of the New Jersey chapter of National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA), and Latino Mental Health Association of New Jersey (LMHANJ). She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in Spanish and criminology and justice studies from The College of New Jersey and a master’s of social work from Rutgers University. She also holds a master’s level certification in Violence Against Women and Children from Rutgers.
Les Chan Lowe, PHR, SHRM-CP
Senior Vice President of People Operations
Les Chan Lowe, PHR, SHRM-CP
Les Chan Lowe, PHR, SHRM-CP, is a seasoned human resources leader with over 20 years of experience driving people strategy across the health care, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. Having joined Zufall Health as Director of Human Resources in 2018, he currently serves as Senior Vice President of People Operations.
At Zufall, Chan Lowe oversees HR, talent development, and organizational culture initiatives with a focus on equity, engagement, and operational efficiency. HeLes brings a steady, thoughtful approach to complex challenges and a deep belief that strong people practices are the foundation of any successful organization.
Chan Lowe’s career spans impactful roles at various organizations, where he has led teams through growth, transformation, and mission-driven change. Prior to joining Zufall, he held positions with The Trevor Project, Area23, and Aetna.
Chan Lowe holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in human resources and psychology and a master’s degree in education with a concentration in health education, both from Kent State University.
Jade Duncan, DDS, M.Ed, MBA, MLS, SHRM-CP
Senior Vice President of Dental Services
Jade Duncan, DDS, M.Ed, MBA, MLS, SHRM-CP
A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Jade Duncan, DDS, M.Ed, MBA, MLS, SHRM-CP, is an experienced community health center dental leader. Her background blends clinical care, curriculum development, and people management. She joined Zufall Health in 2023.
Prior to joining Zufall, she served as the director of dental residency for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency program at Penobscot Community Health Care, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Bangor, Maine, where she generated a 15-fold increase in applications to the program. She concurrently served as the co-lead project manager of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the health center.
Duncan earned her doctor of dental surgery degree from the Howard University College of Dentistry and completed a general practice residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, where she was chief resident. She also earned master’s degrees in both business administration and education from the University of Cincinnati and a master of legal studies degree in health care law from the University of Oklahoma.
Douglas Bishop, MD, FAAFP
Senior Vice President of Medical Services
Douglas Bishop, MD, FAAFP
Douglas Bishop, MD, FAAFP, joined Zufall Health in 2010 as a family physician and later served as clinical site leader in Morristown before advancing to his current leadership role. In addition to caring for a large patient panel he directs Zufall’s Refugee Health Program and two medical-legal partnerships: the Health Education and Legal (HEAL) and Florecer, in partnership with the Legal Services of Northwest Jersey and the New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children (NJCIC), respectively. He also helps direct Zufall’s growing Medication-Assisted Treatment program for addiction support.
Board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Bishop earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He completed his family medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Bishop is a recipient of the Lester Z. Lieberman Humanism in Medicine Award as well as various teaching awards for work with medical students and residents. He has published and lectured broadly on immigrant health, including in Journal of Family Practice and American Family Physician. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for NJCIC.
Kathleen Felezzola, RN, MEd
Senior Vice President of Nursing
Kathleen Felezzola, RN, MEd
Kathleen Felezzola, RN, MEd, who has been with Zufall Health since 2018, works closely with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate high-quality, comprehensive care for patients. She oversees infection control, vaccination, and laboratory programs, as well as training and education for clinical support teams.
Felezzola’s prior experience includes leadership roles in long-term care and home care agencies and serving as the director of a high school medical assisting program. Earlier in her career, she worked in primary care within a hospital setting.
She holds a bachelor’s of science in nursing and a school nurse certification from Seton Hall University and earned a master’s in education with a concentration in health care education from St. Joseph’s College of Maine. She is a Certified Infection Preventionist and holds additional certifications in sterile processing (CRCST) and healthcare leadership (CHL).
Sarah Walker, MPH, MBA
Senior Vice President of Site Operations
Sarah Walker, MPH, MBA
Sarah Walker has been with Zufall Health since 2014, advancing from site manager in Somerville to director of HIV services, then director of site operations, and now senior vice president of site operations. She is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and strategic growth of all Zufall locations to ensure consistent, patient-centered care.
In 2017, Walker received the Spirit of Somerset Award from Somerset Treatment Services, which recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the Somerset County community.
Her career began as a nutritionist with the City of Plainfield WIC program and the Visiting Nurse Association. Before joining Zufall, she served as site manager and HIV program director at St. John’s Health & Family Service Center.
Walker holds a dual master’s of public health and business administration degree from Benedictine University and a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Rutgers University.
David Woods
Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Foundation Director
David Woods
Dave Woods joined Zufall Health in 2024. Most recently, he served as the Foundation Director at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Pocono campus.
Woods began his career at Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic) where he earned awards for sales achievement. He then moved into project management for print, packaging, and graphic design, combining his sales experience with a creative outlet. A personal event led to a shift in focus toward helping others and an opportunity in philanthropy.
Woods’ primary goal is to advance Zufall’s mission by connecting those with a passion and capacity to give with opportunities to positively impact the lives of its patients. He says, “Most people would like to help others in some way, but don’t always know how. We provide them that opportunity.”
Woods earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Lycoming College. He keeps affiliations with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP). He also remains an active community volunteer through Rotary International, most recently serving as President of the Stroudsburg Rotary Club. Dave is also involved with several Chambers of Commerce and has served on organizational advisory boards.
Outside of work, Woods loves spending time outdoors and is an avid hiker, cyclist, and golfer.
Board of Directors
As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Zufall Health is required to be governed by a Board of Directors which must include a majority of active, registered users of the health center who are representative of the populations served by the center. The governing board ensures that the center is community based and responsive to the community’s health care needs. Current members include:
Bill Shuler, Chairperson
Barry Petruzzi, Vice Chair
Linda Seeley, Treasurer
Michael McCloe, Secretary
Jonathan Barrera, Esq
Noah Goldman, MD
Erika Iglesias
John Krueger
Martita Roman
Magda Schaler-Haynes, JD, MPH
Peg Zufall
