Get to Know us
Kelly M. Smith
PhD, CPHQ, CLSSBB, CDP
Co-Owner
Dr. Kelly Smith is the Co-Founder of Q3 Healthcare Consulting, Dr. Smith brings a systems-based approach to quality improvement—connecting strategy, workforce engagement, operations, and customer satisfaction. Her expertise lies in evidence-based frameworks, such as the Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence and Lean Six Sigma, which she applies to improve long-term care outcomes. Dr. Smith was previously the Director of Process Improvement at a large senior care provider, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and post-acute care. Dr. Smith holds a doctorate in Aging Studies, is an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program Gold Examiner and Trainer, a Certified Professional in Healthcare, and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Jennifer Ziolkowski
Glenda Colvin
BS, NHA, CDP
Sr. Growth & Operations Consultant
Ms. Glenda Colvin is an accomplished Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with a decade of executive leadership experience in long-term and post-acute settings. Ms. Colvin’s leadership philosophy for quality improvement and quality assurance is grounded in data-driven decisions to create measurable and repeatable results. Her methods have led to improvements in Medicare quality measure ratings and overall Medicare facility star ratings at multiple facilities. Ms. Colvin was previously the Executive Director and CEO of a full-service senior living community that included assisted living, nursing home, and independent bed units. Ms. Colvin holds a bachelor’s degree in health care management, is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and has a nursing home infection prevention certification from the CDC.
Pamela Carrube
RN GERO-BC, QCP, CDP, CADDCT, CHSP, SHRM-CP
Senior Healthcare Consultant
Ms. Carrube is a seasoned Registered Nurse with 25+ years of leadership experience in long-term and post-acute care. She previously served as the Vice President of Human Resources & Learning and Team Member Development to a multi-facility organization. Her skill set includes process improvement, training and development, healthcare safety, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Carrube integrates systems thinking, QAPI, and evidence-based improvement methodologies to strengthen processes and align daily practice with strategic goals. Ms. Carrube is certified as a Quality Certified Professional, a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer.
Wendy LaBate
MSN, RN, MHA, NHA
Senior Healthcare Consultant
Ms. LaBate is a dedicated post-acute clinical and operations leader with over 35 years of experience in quality and outcomes management. Ms. LaBate creates efficient and effective interprofessional teams, with the needs and experiences of the patients serving as the guiding star. She previously held roles as the SVP of Operations and VP of Clinical Operations for over 120 facilities and served as an Examiner for the AHCA/NCAL
National Quality Award Program at the silver level” program at the Silver level. She is a past Co-Chair and Board Member of the MRW Foundation, a non-profit foundation supporting caregivers of post-acute care patients with financial hardships. Ms. LaBate has a master’s degree in both Nursing and Healthcare Administration.
Carin Vitale
BSBA, RN, RAC-CTA, QPC, CPC
Senior Healthcare Consultant
Ms. Vitale is an experienced and accomplished clinical reimbursement expert with over 25 years of experience in the skilled nursing services industry. She previously served as the Senior Director of Clinical Reimbursement at one of the nation's largest post-acute care provider systems. She was responsible for the management and accuracy of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and ICD-10-CM regulatory updates. Ms. Vitale holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and is a Registered Nurse, a QAPI Certified Professional, a Certified Professional Coder, and a Certified Resident Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CTA).
Michelle Pleasant
PhD, MA
Research Scientist and Gerontologist
Dr. Michelle Pleasant is a health services researcher with 10 years of experience in Medicare health care policy and research. Her background includes gerontology, quality improvement, quality measurement, dementia care, and online curriculum development and learning. Dr. Pleasant was previously a Research Scientist supporting federal contracts for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and is currently an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida, teaching courses in gerontology. Dr. Pleasant has a doctorate in Aging Studies. Dr. Pleasant also supports Q3’s curriculum development