Meet our Staff
Ralph T. DeStefano, President and CEO
Mr. DeStefano retired July 1999 following very successful and busy careers in health care and labor law practice, and returned to the workforce in February 2009 to accept the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Passavant Hospital Foundation.
He was elected to the corporate membership of North Hills Passavant Health Corporation in 1975, and has served as chairman for both the North Hills Passavant Health Corporation Board of Directors and the Passavant Hospital Board of Trustees. He has actively participated in the Executive and Nominating Committees of both Boards and the Finance, Strategic Planning, Pension, Human Resource, and Management Development and Compensation Committees of the Hospital. Mr. DeStefano continues to actively serve as a member of the UPMC Passavant Board of Trustees and Passavant Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. He served as a member of the Pittsburgh Lifetime Care Community (Sherwood Oaks) Board of Directors.
Mr. DeStefano received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1955 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1959. He practiced law for 32 years with an emphasis on health care, and labor and employment law.
Among his many civic and professional activities, he served as a charter member of the Allegheny Regional Assets District (ARAD) Board of Directors, and served as its Vice Chairman for several years. Mr. DeStefano served as a member of the LaRoche College Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of the Brothers Brother Foundation, an organization that supplies medical supplies to distressed third world countries. He actively participates in national and international educational conference activities for the National Italian American Foundation. He is the recipient of the National Healthcare Hero Award presented to him in 1997.
Contact: 412-367-6640 or destefanort@ph.upmc.edu
Jean E. Wagner, Director of Foundation Services and Board Relations
Ms. Wagner has been affiliated with the Passavant Hospital family since January 1976. She was appointed as executive assistant and Board executive secretary at Passavant Hospital in June 1989. She provided executive assistance and support to the Hospital President/ Chief Executive Officer. She served as the executive secretary to the Governing Board and responsible for all relevant Board and Hospital issues.
Ms. Wagner transitioned to Passavant Hospital Foundation in 2003 where she serves as Director of Foundation Services and Board Relations. She is responsible for establishing opportunities and developing outreach programs in the surrounding northern region communities through the Foundation and in collaboration with UMPC Passavant Board of Trustees. Ms. Wagner established and maintains the very successful outreach programs of the Foundation which includes the Bridge to Hope, Extending the Care ETC, and the Legacy Music Series.
She is a member of the AHA Health Care Executive Assistants, Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals, and served as a member of several of the HCEA Board Committees.
Ms. Wagner is a charter member of the Society of Health Care Executive Assistants (SHCEA) of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), and served a total of six years on the SHCEA Board as President, Past-President and Secretary/Treasurer. She is also a member of the International Administrative Assistants Professionals organization and American Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, Pittsburgh Professional Women, and listed in the United Who’s Who Registry.
Contact: wagnerje@ph.upmc.edu or 412-367-6643
Cynthia Kutcher Troup, Director of Development
A lifelong resident of the North Hills, Cynthia Troup has been an avid supporter of the Passavant mission for more than 25 years as a community volunteer and consultant. She joined the staff of Passavant Hospital Foundation in February 2011 and serves to enhance relationships within the community to support the growth and sustainability of the Foundation's mission to make UPMC Passavant a leader is accessible, quality healthcare.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Mrs. Troup held leadership positions with regional professional service firms, a national financial service organization, and the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, she has received national recognition as a conference presenter and subject matter expert in business and professional development.
Honored by the Pittsburgh Business Times as a Fast Tracker for her professional and civic contributions to the region, Mrs. Troup was also a finalist for the Northern Allegheny County ATHENA Award and received the Chairman's Quality Award from Allstate Insurance Company.
Mrs. Troup has a history of community service with numerous not-for-profit organizations, including positions in leadership and fund raising. Most recently, she has served as the Chair of the Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Award Host Committee, currently one of the top five programs in the world, as well as on the boards of the American Heart Association - Allegheny Division, Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh, Professional Services Marketing Association of Western Pennsylvania, and the Women's Advisory Board of Pittsburgh. She also served as a member of the Pittsburgh Ethics Network at Duquesne University's Beard Center for Leadership in Ethics, Leaders for Literacy Committee of the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, and the Rivers Club Membership Committee and Women's leadership Forum Board.
A graduate of the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University, Mrs. Troup currently resides with her husband, Bill, in Seven Fields.
Contact: troupck@ph.upmc.edu or 412-367-6641
Janine Sidoruk, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Ms. Sidoruk has over 30 years of marketing/advertising experience on both the client and the corporate marketing side of the business.
She began her marketing/advertising career on the client side as the Manager, and then the Vice President of Marketing for one of Wendy's Hamburgers largest and most well respected Franchisees, McKnight Development Corporation in Pittsburgh. In that capacity, she was responsible for media buying, public relations, and crisis relations in addition to marketing and research for the family owned businesses which included 45 Wendy's, five Chuck E. Cheese's, six Church's Fried Chicken Restaurants and four bowling centers.
In 1995 Ms. Sidoruk was invited by Wendy's International, the parent company, to direct all of the marketing efforts of a multi state area as Field Marketing Manager working directly with franchise and company operators as well as various local advertising agencies. Subsequently she was recruited because of this franchise and corporate marketing experience to manage local co-ops for the number one quick service restaurant in the industry, McDonald's at Stern Advertising as a Management Supervisor on several markets for a number of years. She then joined Passavant Hospital Foundation full time in July 2010 after having served as a Marketing Consultant there on various projects.
Ms. Sidoruk is a graduate of Kent State University, with a B.A. degree Advertising & Public Relations, and has completed graduate work towards an MBA in Marketing with Kennedy-Western University. She holds a PA Producer license of authority in Life, Accident, Health and Long Term Care and is Certified as a Securities Registered Representative. She is a member of the Media Association of Pittsburgh and serves as a Board Member in the 12 Oaks of Hampton Condominium Association.
Contact: sidorukjt@ph.upmc.edu or 412-367-6550
Alice M. Burke, Senior Administrative Assistant
Ms. Burke is the Foundation’s Administrative Assistant. She is a Carlow University Graduate with a degree in Business Management. She currently lives in Wexford, PA with her husband and daughter. She is active in her Church and her hobbies include exercise, reading, crafts, travel, cooking and playing with her Jack Russell Terrier.
Contact: burkea2@ph.upmc.edu or 412-367-6640
Pam Taylor, Development and Programs Coordinator
Ms. Taylor joined the Foundation in April 2010. She is responsible for coordinating all of the administrative and fiscal activities of the Development office, including the Annual Campaign, the Annual Golf Outing, the United Way Campaign, the Commemorative Giving Program and the grant application process. She is responsible for coordinating all foundation special events, including the Annual Foundation Golf benefit, Holiday Celebration with Tree Lighting, and the auxiliary Fashion Show. She also works on special projects for the Foundation such as the outreach series and campus beautification.
Pam received her Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Management from Ohio State University. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University. Pam has many years of administrative nonprofit/government experience, most recently as the Director of Administration at an Ohio agency. Pam is an active volunteer in the Seneca Valley School District. She also coordinates the food bank and other mission activities at her church.
Contact: taylorps@ph.upmc.edu or 412-367-5788