Who We Are
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPEM) has developed Health and Medical Coordinating Coalitions (HMCC) in each of the six regions throughout the state. These HMCCs are made up of healthcare organizations and local public health departments; additionally, each coalition has an Executive Committee that consists of representatives from the following disciplines: community health centers, EMS, hospitals, local public health, and long-term care.
For each region, OPEM has chosen a Sponsoring Organization to oversee the fiscal and administrative aspects of the program. Within each Sponsoring Organization are a Program Manager and a Planning and Operations Coordinator, who each serve in a full-time capacity.
In Region 2, the City of Worcester has been named the Sponsoring Organization, with the HMCC Program Manager, HMCC Planning and Operations Coordinator, Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Regional Coordinator, and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Regional Coordinator all making up the Division of Public Health’s Office of Health and Medical Preparedness. In addition, the Worcester Regional Medical Reserve Corps (WRMRC) is housed within that office, with the WRMRC Coordinator serving in a contract role.
During its second year, the Region 2 HMCC decided to transition from “Region 2 HMCC” to a name that better represents the role of the coalition. From there ARCHE was born, which stands for “Aligning Resources for CentralMass Health Emergencies.”
Alissa Errede, MSEM
Chief of Emergency Preparedness
ErredeA@worcesterma.gov
Biography
Through her position as the Chief of Emergency Preparedness within the City of Worcester’s Division of Public Health, Alissa Errede serves as the Chief of Emergency Preparedness for the Massachusetts Region 2 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC). Alissa oversees the fiscal, administrative, and programmatic components of the HMCC grant. She also takes a lead role in the development and implementation of initiatives designed to foster a multi-disciplinary, regional approach during all phases of an emergency, such as the annual Region 2 Health and Medical Emergency Preparedness Conference. Prior to her current role, Alissa worked in a similar capacity in Maine which provided insight into how a coalition may function in a more rural environment. She holds a BA in English from Worcester State University and a Master’s Degree in Emergency Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Pamela Masters, MSEM
HMCC Program Manager
Mastersp@worcesterma.gov
Biography
Through her position within the City of Worcester’s Division of Public Health, Pamela Masters serves as the Program Manager for the Massachusetts Region 2 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC). Pam oversees the fiscal and programmatic components of the HMCC grant. She also takes a lead role in the development and implementation of initiatives designed to foster a multi-disciplinary, regional approach during all phases of an emergency. Prior to her current role, Pam worked 10 years in a similar capacity for one primary (and supported three additional) Healthcare Coalitions in Georgia. She holds a BA in Psychology from UMass Dartmouth and an MS in Emergency Management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Shane Keville-Wagner, BSEM
Planning and Operations Coordinator
Keville-WagnerS@Worcesterma.gov
Biography
Through his position within the City of Worcester’s Division of Public Health, Shane Keville-Wagner serves as the Planning and Operations Coordinator for the Massachusetts Region 2 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC). Shane is the liaison between the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the seventy-four local Boards of Health in Region 2. Shane works with all Region 2 healthcare organizations and local public health departments to ensure PHEP and HPP grant deliverables are fulfilled. Shane holds a BS in Emergency Management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Prior to his role with the City of Worcester, Shane developed Emergency Preparedness Plans for Massachusetts Municipalities, and most recently, was the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Coordinator for Southern Worcester County.
Michael Nelson, M.B.A
Preparedness Coordinator, Public Health & Hospitals
Michael.Nelson2@mass.gov
Biography
Michael Nelson serves as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Regional Coordinator with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPEM). He acts as a direct liaison to the Region 2 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC). Michael works with the Region 2 hospitals and local public health departments to aid in completion of PHEP and HPP grant deliverables. Michael holds a BS in Management from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and an MBA from Fitchburg State College. Prior to his role in Region 2, Michael served for six years as the OPEM Regional Coordinator in Region 1 – Western Massachusetts.
What We Do
Within Region 2 are seventy-four local public health departments, ten acute care hospitals, and hundreds of other healthcare related organizations, including community health centers, long-term care centers, and EMS providers. The goal of ARCHE is to align the emergency planning, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts of those entities so that they may feed into a larger regional plan.
Join Us Before You Need Us
- ARCHE staff attendance at meetings and exercises
- Access to emergency plans, policies, and tutorials
- Presentations for your team
