Jessica Hausauer, PhD, Chief Executive Officer
Jessica Hausauer, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care. Prior to joining the coalition, Jessica was the Executive Director of Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care. Jessica is the chair of the Minnesota Palliative Care Advisory Council and has led several state level education and advocacy efforts including co-convening the Minnesota Serious Illness Action Network and serving on the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging.
Theresa Profant, MS, Coalition Operations & Communications
Theresa Profant, MS, is a passionate advocate for improving care for people living with serious illness through health policy, research, and systems-level change. With more than 20 years of experience in public health, health education, and communications, she is dedicated to advancing equitable, person-centered care through advocacy and strategic collaboration.
Before joining the Coalition, Theresa led communications and operations for a federally funded pediatric end-of-life care research team at the University of Tennessee. Her work supported evidence development for concurrent hospice care policies and contributed to accessible, user-focused resources for families, providers, and policymakers. She was recognized with the UTK College of Nursing Torch Award for innovation and service.
Theresa began her career in writing and corporate communications before shifting to healthcare. She holds degrees from Tennessee Tech University (BS) and the University of Tennessee (MS), and completed executive education at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Her international experience includes study at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and the Dagbe Cultural Institute in Ghana.
Devon Dabbs, Project Director
An experienced nonprofit leader, Devon Dabbs’ strength and expertise are rooted in building effective, sustainable community collaborations for change. She is skilled in the intricacies of nonprofit management, with an emphasis on state and national advocacy, capacity building, communication, team and leadership development, and board governance. Devon is also recognized as gifted public speaker and facilitator with a talent for establishing consensus among diverse stakeholders. Devon joined Fio Partners, a Connecticut-based consulting firm specializing in nonprofit management and leadership development, in 2013. In this capacity, Devon works as an organizational development consultant, executive coach and trainer, and has advised and counseled numerous nonprofits on a wide range of issues including board and staff development, strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, and change management. Devon’s clients include Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, LISA Inc., The Connection, Inc., Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford, StayWell Health Care, The SeriousFun Children’s Network, VSA, Inc., Connecticut Community Foundation, and Orchard House Adult Day Center, among others. Devon is a graduate of Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business.
Prior to her work in healthcare reform, Devon was an award-winning documentarian and television marketing executive. Her documentary film credits include Walter Cronkite’s four-part series “Victory over Violence,” and the Peabody Award-winning CBS documentary “Break the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse.” Devon also coordinated and launched numerous national and international communication campaigns for both network and syndicated programming, including the 50th and 51st annual Emmy Awards. She has spearheaded media campaigns on behalf of the American Red Cross and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. She was instrumental in the launch of the Hilton Foundation’s 1st Annual International Humanitarian Conference in conjunction with the $1.5 million Hilton Humanitarian Prize, awarded annually to an organization making extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world. It was in this capacity, she has coordinated campaigns on behalf of St. Christopher’s Hospice, Doctors without Borders, International Rescue Committee, Heifer International, and more.
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition
Create a blueprint for excellence by establishing a comprehensive foundation for gold-standard palliative care, including evidence-based processes and practices for providing safe and reliable high-quality care for all people living with serious illness, regardless of their diagnosis, prognosis, age or where they live or receive care.
