Home health and hospice agency Granite VNA recently promoted three senior leaders to new roles in the organization. Sarah DeFalco, previously chief human resource officer, is now chief administrative officer; Julie Stone, formerly vice president of strategy, becomes chief strategy officer; and Angela Arria, who served as vice president of home care, was promoted to vice president of home care and hospice.

The promotions enhance Granite VNA’s leadership team by providing additional targeted support in DeFalco’s, Stone’s and Arria’s respective areas of responsibility, further enhancing the agency’s strength and ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives, while also ensuring that patients and their families continue to receive high-quality care.

“We believe our organization’s strength comes from our people, and our dedication to internal growth and leadership development reflects this commitment,” said Granite VNA President and CEO Beth Slepian. “By empowering and promoting dedicated team members like Sarah, Julie and Angela, we are ensuring the continuity of our mission to provide compassionate, high-quality care to the communities we serve. These promotions reflect their expertise, our collaborative spirit and the agency’s ongoing focus on innovation and excellence in healthcare.”

Granite VNA’s senior leadership team is a collaborative, highly experienced group of healthcare professionals dedicated to serving patients, families and team members throughout the 82 New Hampshire communities the agency serves. These key team members embrace the agency’s core values of respect, compassion, competence and leadership, which contribute to its 125-year tradition of excellence.

Sarah DeFalco – Chief Administrative Officer
As a strategic, top-level leader, DeFalco will oversee Granite VNA’s daily operations, including human resources and home care and hospice operations. She will collaborate with the senior leadership team to implement strategic initiatives, develop processes for high-quality care, ensure compliance with regulations and position Granite VNA as an employer of choice. She will also work alongside President and CEO Beth Slepian to continue fostering a collaborative culture and support the agency’s financial and operational goals.

DeFalco has more than 25 years of experience in human resources. Prior to joining Granite VNA in 2022, she served as chief human resources officer for Results Physiotherapy based in Franklin, Tenn. She previously held human resources consultancy and management positions with Cultural Chemistry in Manchester, Panera Bread in Framingham, Mass., and Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
DeFalco is a New Hampshire native. She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from McGill University in Montreal.

Julie Stone – Chief Strategy Officer
Stone will lead the agency’s community engagement team with business development strategies, community health programs, communications and philanthropy. She will work closely with the senior leadership team to support strategic initiatives and oversee collaborative efforts for home health, hospice and community health programs. Additionally, Stone will provide education on Granite VNA’s services and community benefit programs to staff, board members and community members.

Stone has more than 20 years of experience in home health and hospice services, as well as with organizations providing services for older adults and adults with disabilities. Prior to her promotion, she was Granite VNA’s vice president of strategy, after previously working as the director of strategy, innovation and engagement for Home Health & Hospice Care in Merrimack.

Stone holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work with concentrations in public policy, nonprofit management and health management from the University of New Hampshire. She serves on several boards of directors and committees for organizations including Riverbend Community Mental Health, Hospice Help Foundation and New Hampshire Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Alliance.

Angela Arria – Vice President of Home Care and Hospice
Arria will manage the daily operations for Granite VNA’s home care, hospice, and paraprofessional programs. She will work with senior leadership to align programs with the agency’s strategic goals, ensuring clinical, operational, and administrative consistency. Arria will develop strategies to enhance service delivery and raise awareness of the agency’s various programs.

Arria brings more than 20 years of experience in various healthcare settings, including large senior living facilities and rehabilitation centers, as well as post-acute home care and multi-location clinic operations. Before joining Granite VNA in 2023, Arria served as regional director of operations for a large urgent care, overseeing nine regional locations in New Hampshire. She also held leadership roles at Foundation Medical Partners, Kindred Transitional Care and Benchmark Senior Living.

Arria is a licensed nursing home administrator and holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from New England College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern New Hampshire University.