Rebecca Matthews, RN

President

Becky began her career as a hospice nurse and transitioned to various roles in sales and leadership. She was the Regional Vice President of hospice in the Midwest for 10 years before retiring at the end of 2021. Becky has a passion for hospice and ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of care at the end-of-life and has been serving as a board member since 2020. Becky enjoys traveling with her husband, Jim, and spending time with her grandchildren in Texas and Michigan.

Pamela Buchkowski

Vice President/Secretary

Pam received her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In 2006, she began her career in hospice as a music therapist. She worked as lead music therapist, as an education preceptor in the Education Department before moving into an Account Executive role. Pam currently works for a mobile dental company serving the senior community, and remains dedicated to hospice through her board service. Throughout her career, Pam has served on other nonprofit boards including four years on the Michigan Music Therapists board as the treasurer, and is currently president of the Detroit Curling Club Rockettes board. She remains a Board Certified Music Therapist, and enjoys curling and camping with her husband Damien and their daughter Claudia.

Libby Lashwood

Treasurer

Spanning over 23 years in the financial services industry, Libby’s roles in banking have included treasury management, branch management, consumer lending, collections, operations, and card services.  Libby’s current role at County National Bank, focuses on the promotion and sales of Business Online Banking, ACH Services, Remote Deposit, and Payment Solutions. Libby attended Jackson Community College for Business Administration, where she served as Treasurer of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is an active member of Jackson Commercial Contractors Association and Jackson Rotary, and she also volunteers with Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Michigan Center School District. In her free time, Libby enjoys gardening, kayaking and spending time with my family.

Michelle Jackson, RN

Board Member

Michelle is a dedicated healthcare professional with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northwestern State University and 20 years of experience in patient care spanning positions in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Labor and Delivery, Home Health, and Hospice.

Hospice is her true passion—a space where she finds purpose in transforming loss into moments of hope, peace, and comfort. With nearly a decade of hospice experience, she cherishes the countless stories that have left a lasting impact on her heart.

Under her leadership, her hospice branch in Monroe, LA became one of only two 5-star branches within the Elara Caring enterprise, earning her the distinguished title of 2023 Branch Administrator of the Year.

Beyond her career, she is blessed with a loving and supportive husband and a beautifully blended family of six daughters, one son, two granddaughters, three grandpuppies, and even a grandgecko! She believes in the power of human connection and is grateful for every opportunity to positively impact the lives of those she meets.

Bobby Ganton

Board Member

A Spring Arbor native and Spring Arbor University graduate, Bobby brings over a decade of experience in senior care as the owner/operator of Arbor North Living Center in Jackson, Michigan. His deep appreciation for Hospice care, inspired by personal experience, fuels his passion for supporting residents and families during life’s transitions.

Now living in Concord, Michigan, with his spouse and three children, Bobby jokes that he’s also the family’s “free taxi service” for soccer practices. When he’s not embracing the joys and chaos of parenting, he enjoys hunting and fishing to recharge.

Sarah Thurston

Board Member

Sarah’s professional career began as a clinician in hospice social work, gradually transitioning into leadership roles in learning and development.

In 2022, her career path shifted into the talent space. Currently working as the VP of Talent at Elara Caring, she oversees various aspects of talent management, including new team member onboarding, leadership development programs, performance management, and talent development initiatives.

Despite working in a new capacity at Elara Caring, Sarah’s heart remains deeply connected to hospice.

We are grateful to have Sarah on our board where she continues making a meaningful impact on the quality of life for hospice patients and their families.