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Rob Sank is the Director of Operations for Telemedicine at UBMD Emergency Medicine, where he leads the strategic growth and daily operations of EMConnect. With a background in EMS leadership and healthcare operations, he focuses on expanding digital access to high-quality medical care and building systems that support both patients and providers. His early career in emergency medical services shaped his belief that healthcare should meet people where they are, driving his passion for virtual care as a powerful tool for community impact.
In his role, Rob oversees initiatives that improve patient care, strengthen program reliability, and advance innovative telemedicine solutions. He prioritizes technology that makes virtual care easier for patients to access and for providers to deliver. Guided by honesty, clear expectations, and collaboration, he works closely with clinical teams, coordinators, and partner organizations to design workflows that enhance safety, efficiency, and the overall patient experience. His long-term vision for EMConnect is to build a virtual urgent care model that connects patients to compassionate, high-quality medical care whenever they need it.
Rob holds an MBA from Syracuse University, a bachelor’s degree in public policy, and maintains certifications as both a New York State Paramedic and Nationally Registered Paramedic. Outside of work, he is deeply involved in youth sports leadership and committed to his community. He’s a dedicated family man who loves golfing and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.
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Dr. Varughese is an emergency physician and EMS medical director in Buffalo, NY. He currently practices at Buffalo General Hospital, ECMC and the Veterans Affairs WNY Hospital. His focus is on telemedicine and community paramedicine. He serves as the Medical Director of Telemedicine at MATTERS.
Recent Publications
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John Carnevale is the Operations Lead and is responsible for the front line and management of the daily operations of our Telemedicine Division. The Senior member of the Telemedicine team, he brings 20+ years of clinical experience as a former Paramedic and 14 years in the Telemedicine Division. As a degreed computer professional he uses his skills to help the Division work through the technical aspects of the program.
For the greater group of UBMD Emergency Medicine he is responsible for the company SharePoint site, editing and updating the University of Buffalo UBMD EM website and occasional photography and videography for the group.
Outside of work, you will find John cranking out the miles on his bike in the Southern Tier of WNY.
MATTERS Leadership Team
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Kimberly Boulden holds a PhD in Education and brings extensive leadership experience developing and scaling effective health promotion programs that serve people who use drugs. Boulden’s leadership practice centers on effective systems change and sustainable community collaboration.
In addition to her work connecting individuals to resources and support within their community, Boulden has published research on a variety of topics, including the negative impacts of stigma on health-seeking behaviors, best practices in sustainable community partnerships, inclusivity in university programming, and responsible computing practices. With a passion for program assessment and sustainability, she has consulted on a number of university-community partnerships and grants, such as the Mozilla Foundation’s “Responsible Computing Challenge” which aimed at addressing ethical issues in machine learning and artificial intelligence. She also sits on the board of directors for the Impossible Project, an education nonprofit that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to societal challenges. At MATTERS, Dr. Boulden is responsible for strategy, program expansion and sustainability, and organizational development.
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Dr. Lynch completed an emergency medicine residency at the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, where he served as Chief Resident in his final year. He is an Associate Professor of Emergency and Addiction Medicine at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a senior physician with UB|MD Emergency Medicine. Dr. Lynch is a national leader in substance use disorder and serves as a technical advisor for the New York State Department of Health. Additionally, Dr. Lynch has nearly 25 years of EMS experience and is a medical director and flight physician for Mercy Flight of Western New York, serving on the board of directors at the 100 Club of Buffalo, and recently served as trustee for the Clarence Board of Education.
He is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of the MATTERS (Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals) program focused on prevention, education, increasing access to treatment for substance use disorder, rapid referrals to long-term substance use treatment, harm reduction supplies and education, along with emergency telemedicine assessments. He has been an invited speaker to many state, national, and international meetings on the topics of emergency medicine, EMS, and addiction medicine.
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Mila Pakhomova holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and brings 15 years of experience in healthcare operations, administration, and program management to her role as Associate Director of Operations at MATTERS. Recognized for her ability to bring order to chaos, she has spent her career strengthening programs, improving workflows, and supporting teams to work more effectively.
At MATTERS, Mila oversees operational functions across the organization, ensuring programs run efficiently and meet the needs of partners, the individuals they serve, and the broader community. Her work focuses on process improvement, system optimization, and operationalizing services to support successful linkage to resources. She also partners with new regions to guide MATTERS’ expansion, helping ensure services are effectively implemented and accessible to local communities.
In leading these efforts, Mila focuses on collaboration and team support. She works closely with teams to navigate challenges, refine workflows, and strengthen processes, creating an environment where people feel empowered and equipped to do their best. Her work is driven by her commitment to community health and her belief in the positive impact MATTERS has on the lives of the people it serves. Beyond her professional life, Mila can often be found enjoying family time, exploring nature, or getting lost in a book.
Research Team
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Dr. Clemency has been involved in emergency care for nearly 20 years, beginning his career as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. Dr. Clemency completed both medical school and an MBA in health care administration in 4 years, before coming to Buffalo to continue his medical education. He is double boarded in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. Dr. Clemency has become a local, regional and national leader in prehospital care, education and research. Dr. Clemency has authored over 30 peer reviewed publications, including 3 on the topic of opioid overdose. Dr. Clemency is the Research Director and oversees external funding.
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Dipesh Patel is a seasoned leader in clinical research operations with expertise spanning public health and business management. As Director of Operations for the Department of Emergency Medicine Research Division, he leads initiatives that advance research innovation, streamline study execution, and enhance data infrastructure. He has extensive experience managing complex research portfolios, mentoring multidisciplinary teams, and aligning operational strategy with scientific goals to maximize impact. One of his favorite aspects of the MATTERS Network is leveraging technology-driven solutions to remove barriers to care, a reflection of his passion for improving access and outcomes. His dedication to public health leadership is further demonstrated through his service as a Governing Councilor for the American Public Health Association’s Epidemiology Section, where he contributed to national advocacy and policy efforts.
UBMD Admin Staff
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Jeremy Juliano is the Administrative Director for UBMD Emergency Medicine. In his role, he oversees administrative and operational functions across all divisions. With over 20 years of management experience spanning multiple critical functions, including credit and collections, customer service, supply chain, and procurement, Jeremy aims to align operational strategy with business objectives.
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Dr. Robert McCormack is an attending physician in the emergency department of Erie County Medical Center. In addition to his emergency medicine work at ECMC, he is also a Clinical Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Vice Chair at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and Chief of Service of Emergency Medicine for the Kaleida Health system. Dr. Robert McCormack is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services Community Service Award and the Western New York Heroes award.
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Jackie serves as Chief Financial Officer for UBMD Emergency Medicine, bringing more than 30 years of experience in non-profit and healthcare financial management. She oversees financial operations including budgeting, analysis, planning, and compliance, and provides strategic guidance to the board of directors to ensure the organization’s long-term financial health. Jackie earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Bonaventure University.