Eric Cucchi, MS, PA-C, CAQ-HM, DFAAPA

Director of eICU Operations and Chair of Advanced Practice (AP) Council

Eric Cucchi is the Operations Director of the eICU Support Center at UMass Memorial Medical Center. He began his career as the first graduate of the UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Physician Assistant Critical Care Residency Program and is the founding Director of the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Residency in Critical Care Program at UMass Memorial. Since residency, he continues to work clinically in Critical Care at UMass Memorial and is Immediate Past Chair of the AP Council. He has held several academic appointments...

Kayla Overly, PA-C

Advanced Practice Council (APC) Elect Member 2021-2024, Editor APPost Newsletter

Prior to pursing her Master’s in physician assistant (PA) studies, Kayla Overly was a proud UMass Memorial Medical Center employee working as a Patient Care Technician in the Emergency Department from 2010 to 2011. Her love of high-level patient care and the community at the Medical Center were major influences in her return to the organization as a PA following school. She has been with the Medical Center since her rehire in 2018 and in 2021 was elected to the APC. In 2022 she launched the advanced practice...

Sarah Skinner, MSN, ACNP

Clinical Coordinator for Critical Care Advanced Practice Providers

After graduating from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in 2011, Sarah Skinner joined the critical care advanced practice provider team as staff nurse practitioner (NP) in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Over the years, Sarah has taken on additional leadership responsibilities within critical care, including scheduling and education/onboarding of new staff and students. She moved into her Clinical Coordinator role in 2020 and has continued to support the critical care...

Lauren Fortier, CPNP, MSN

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for the Department of Pediatrics

Lauren Fortier joined the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Children’s Medical Center in 2014 and has been dedicated to the care of critically ill pediatric patients and the improvement of quality of care. As a pediatric nurse practitioner, she is actively involved in the direct care of patients, working closely with the medical team, as well as being a constant for patients and families. Shortly after joining the Pedi ICU team in 2014, she started to co-lead the Kid’s Comfort Promise Program...

Adam Katz, DScPAS, MPAS, PA-C

Senior Director of Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Services and the Critical Care APP Program

Adam Katz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and health studies from Springfield College. He has a Doctor of Science and Master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University. Adam has been working in critical care as an advanced practice provider (APP) since 2009 and in his administrative role since 2015.

He has achieved a fair amount over his short career, including completing a physician assistant critical care residency...

| Mind Matters,  Parenting

Mental Health Support During and After Pregnancy

Mental health, mood changes, and anxiety or anxiety-related conditions are very common during pregnancy and in the year after giving birth. One in five birthing people, during pregnancy or postpartum (after birth), experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), frightening thoughts, or other mental health conditions or symptoms. Getting help...

Learn More about Mental Health Support During and After Pregnancy

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

This evidence-based program can help break the cycle of recurring depression. It can also address the anxiety that often accompanies depression.

Developed by Zindel Segal, John Teasdale and Mark Williams, MBCT grew out of the practice and structure of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). MBCT integrates mindfulness practice with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help prevent depressive episodes.

Meditation and Depression

MBCT has been shown to:

  • Improve quality of life: MBCT can help participants recognize early signs of low mood and change their relationship with difficult...