Rory Farrand serves as the Vice President of Palliative and Advanced Care for NHPCO and is a seasoned healthcare executive who brings more than 20 years of proven health care successes in focus areas including palliative care, geriatric primary and acute care, geriatric psychiatry, assisted living management, Alzheimer’s/dementia care, clinical health care management and operations, clinical research, innovative program development, nursing, and training.

Prior to NHPCO, Ms. Farrand supported the palliative care initiatives of VITAS Healthcare, as the National Director of VITAS Palliative Care. In that role, she worked to improve and expand palliative care for VITAS patients, families, and health care providers. Her key objectives included development of VITAS’ community-based palliative care initiatives (including a bespoke digital application to support clinician billing and to determine clinical risk), education and training to raise clinicians’ expertise related to goals-of-care conversations, as well as serving as an industry advocate for legislative and regulatory action toward community-based palliative care delivery models.

Ms. Farrand’s career has included a role as Vice President of Medical Management for Centene Corporation’s PA Health and Wellness, serving Pennsylvania—a position that included national program development for projects on palliative care and social determinants of health. She previously served as Vice President of Clinical Learning & Development and Regional VP of Clinical Operations for PA/WV for Aspire Health, with multistate oversight of dispersed interdisciplinary teams providing high-quality palliative care.

By background and training, Ms. Farrand is a board-certified adult nurse practitioner with an MSN focused on geriatric and adult health. Additionally, she holds an advanced practice certificate in palliative care, a BA in Psychology, an MS in Behavioral Neuroscience, and an MA in Art Therapy. She has worked as both a Nurse Practitioner and an Art Therapist. She is active in multiple professional organizations, including HPNA (Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association) and the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. Rory enjoys baking, yoga, reading, and spending time with her sons.