About Harbor House of Rochester
A Rochester Community Project of Caring
For many patients receiving heart failure and transplant care at the University of Rochester Medical Center in upstate New York, hospital stays can result from an emergency situation and may last for months. A great number of the families live outside the Rochester area and must travel many hours to receive care, finding themselves in an unfamiliar city with no support system, unsure of when they will be going home. This situation is often an emotional and financial hardship for the patients and their families.
Harbor House of Rochester Inc., founded in 2008, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping patients and families who are experiencing this hardship.
The mission of Harbor House of Rochester is to serve as an invaluable support for families by providing temporary lodging needs during health emergencies and for periods of long-term care. It offers an environment of safe and supportive living that eases the burdens on families during these difficult times, providing a "home-away-from-home" in an effort to reduce the emotional and financial stress. Plans for the future of Harbor House call for additional houses to further meet the needs of patients and their families.
Member of the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses Incorporated (NAHHH) since May 2008.
Current Board Members
Robert Wackerman - President
Rob Wackerman recently retired after 25 years with Motorola Semiconductor (now Freescale Semiconductor) where he was a Global Account Sales Mgr. Rob graduated from Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA with a degree in Business Administration & Economics. He is a founding member and first Board President of the Harbor House of Rochester. He resides in Brighton with his wife Peggy. Rob & Peggy enjoy spending time in the summer at Keuka Lake with their 4 adult children, spouses, and 6 grandchildren and winters in Sanibel, FL.
Thomas Arcara - Vice President
Thomas Arcara is a Kitchen and Bath designer at Countryside Cabinetworks. He is one of the founding members and Vice President of the Harbor House of Rochester. Tom had a heart transplant at Strong Memorial Hospital in September 2005. He resides in Spencerport, NY, and has two sons who live in the area.
Gary Acker - Treasurer
Gary Acker has been in the financial services industry with Mass Mutual for 35 years. His recent-past outside activities have included serving on Brighton Little League board of directors and on Citizens Advisory Board for Recreation in the Town of Brighton. Professionally, he is a member of Rochester Area Financial Advisors. Gary had a heart transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in September 2000. Gary and his wife, Linda, have four grown children. They enjoy summers at Keuka Lake and live in Brighton.
Christine Arcara - Secretary
Christine Arcara is the Supervisor of Ambassador and Guest Services at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Christine graduated with a degree in Administrative Assisting and has worked at the Medical Center for the past eight years. Prior to her position at the University, Christine was employed in a private pediatric office. She is a founding member and Secretary of the Harbor House of Rochester. Christine serves as a volunteer and chairperson for many events and committees. She lives in Spencerport, NY, and has a daughter in Arlington, Virginia and a son attending Niagara University.
Dr. Leway Chen - Physician Advisor
Leway Chen, MD, MPH, is the Director of the Program in Heart Failure and Transplantation and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Chen has been at the University of Rochester since 1999, starting the heart transplant program in 2000. He is a founding member of Harbor House of Rochester. He resides in Pittsford, NY, with his wife, Marilyn Ling, MD (radiation oncologist) and their three children.
Douglas Liszka - Construction Coordinator
Douglas E. Liszka was born in Buffalo , New York. Served as a Combat Engineer in the U.S. Army. Studied Business at Empire State College Rochester, New York. He has served Rochester for over 20 years as a Residential Restoration/Universal Design specialist. Douglas enjoys Art, Cooking, Sports, Culture and being around great friends. He currently serves as the Construction Coordinator for the Harbor House of Rochester.
Karin Gaffney Christensen - PR & Marketing Communications
Karin Gaffney Christensen is a senior public relations associate at the University of Rochester Medical Center. For more than a decade she has handled communications for various medical specialties, including cardiology, heart surgery, and the URMC Program in Heart Failure and Transplantation. A former print journalist, Karin has worked at weekly and daily newspapers in New York and New Hampshire, and continues to do freelance projects. She resides in Pittsford, N.Y., with her husband, Mitch.
Geordie Robertson
Geordie Robertson came to Rochester New York in 1979 to play for the Rochester Americans Hockey Club. In 1989 he retired from wearing the red, white and blue to start his second career working in the financial services industry which he continues to do to date. He is an honored member of the Rochester American Hall of Fame (1993) and Frontier Field Walk of Fame (1998). Past outside activities include youth and junior college hockey coach, member of the T. Franklin Williams Foundation Board at Monroe Community Hospital, and serving with the C.F. Foundation and the School of the Holy Childhood. Geordie and his wife Pam are proud to raise their children Cody and Hayley in their adopted hometown of Rochester.