Independence Health System Welcomes New Trustees to the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation Board

Independence Health System is pleased to announce the addition of four new trustees to the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation (LAHCF) board. Geoffrey Bisignani, MD, James R. Breisinger, Lisa Frederick, and Stephanie Szwerc, PA-C have joined the board for three-year terms, beginning July 1, 2024.

A Westmoreland County native, Dr. Geoffrey Bisignani grew up in Irwin, PA, and graduated from Greensburg Central Catholic High School. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame and his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He completed his general surgery and urology residencies at the Penn State University Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Bisignani joined GU Inc. Urology Group in Greensburg in 1999 and has been a practicing urologist in the area since then. He is board-certified by the American Urological Association. A former Excela Health board member and recognized physician leader, he currently serves on the Credentials and Robotic Surgery committees. He and his wife, Kelly, have four children and live in Latrobe.

Mr. James R. Breisinger is a retired senior executive leader with more than four decades of experience in general and financial management, mergers and acquisitions, and strategy formulation and implementation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Duquesne University, graduating magna cum laude. He began his career at the international auditing, tax, and consulting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, now known as PWC. In 1979, he joined Kennametal Inc., where he served as vice president and held numerous leadership roles including president of the Advanced Materials Solutions Group, chief financial officer, corporate controller and managing director Europe. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Financial Executives Institute. He also achieved a Kennametal Lean Green Belt and the Alex G. McKenna Award. Mr. Breisinger resides in Latrobe with his wife, Donna.

Lisa (Ernette) Frederick is president of Unity Printing Co., Inc. in Latrobe, PA, the family firm which her father founded in the basement of their single-family home. She attended Saint Vincent College and earned a degree in business. Ms. Frederick has extensive experience in sales, management, business strategy and operations and has successfully helped the family business grow throughout the past 30 years. She currently serves as a trustee and board secretary of the Valley School. Additionally, she is on the board of directors for the Latrobe 4th of July Celebration. Ms. Frederick resides in Latrobe with her husband, Joe. They are the parents of “two children and a German wirehair pointer dog.”

Stephanie Szwerc, PA-C, has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare field, specializing in cancer-related care. She completed her undergraduate studies in health sciences and her master’s degree in physician assistant studies at Duquesne University. She currently provides outpatient cancer care at UPMC Palmer Cancer Center in Unity Township, having previously held clinical positions at West Virgina University Hospital in Morgantown, WV, and Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA. She is actively involved in the local community, including singing in the choir at the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg. She and her husband, Michael Szwerc, MD, live in Greensburg and are the parents of two daughters.

“We warmly welcome our new members to the LAHCF Board of Trustees,” said Barbara Wang, MD, Chair of the LAHCF. “Our foundation was founded in 1997 with the mission of continually attracting charitable support for the Latrobe Area Hospital in the quest to provide the highest quality medical care in a community hospital setting. I have every confidence that these four outstanding individuals will enhance our capability to expand our outreach and enable us to continue to fulfill that mission.”

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Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.

The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually. The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health