New Members Appointed to NCCHC Resources Board of Directors

NCCHC Resources, Inc., the consulting subsidiary of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, has named three individuals to its Board of Directors.

Assistant medical director for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Kimberly Kane, APRN-BC, CCHP-RN, CCHP-CP, provides strategic leadership for the delivery of health care services throughout the system, including nursing, physician, radiology, dental, behavioral health, substance use, infection control, and consultant services. She started at RIDOC as a nurse practitioner in 2011 before becoming nursing director and moved into her current role in 2021.

“I am enthused about collaborating with colleagues who share my passion for improving the quality and overall delivery of health care to those facing incarceration, and I’m confident that NCCHC Resources will continue to support and grow the culture, workforce, and quality of health care delivery in corrections,” said Ms. Kane.

Jim Martin, MPSA, CCHP, is chief operating officer for Physician Correctional USA, a subsidiary of Physician HMO Inc., the health care provider for the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections system. Before joining Physician Correctional USA, Martin was vice president of program development for NCCHC. He also worked in law enforcement for more than 20 years, serving as a lieutenant and assistant jail commander with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office in southern Indiana.

“When I took the oath to serve and protect the citizens of Vanderburgh County and the State of Indiana as a Sheriff’s Deputy in 1992, I would have never dreamed that my career would include the National Commission on Correctional Health Care,” Martin said. “Now, after crisscrossing the United States and its territories, I have a deep appreciation for the needs of our facilities and the benefits of NCCHC and NCCHC Resources. I bring these experiences to the Board of Directors for continued growth in the field.”

With more than 30 years of correctional health care experience Ralf Salke, BSN, RN, CCHP-A, is founder and managing director of the Salke Advisory Group, providing business development, operations, policy/ procedures, and client relations strategies. Previously, he was vice president of operations at YesCare. Mr. Salke serves on the CCHP Board of Trustees and is a past recipient of the Missouri Hospital Association’s Visionary Leadership Award for Health Care Excellence.

“As a health care professional for over 35 years, I have continually worked to improve services for our patients in both the medical and mental health arenas at jails and prisons across the country,” he said, “I look forward to continuing this work with the NCCHC Resources Board of Directors and their parent organization, NCCHC.” 

Joseph Penn, MD, CCHP-MH, as newly elected treasurer of the NCCHC Governance Board, also joins the board of NCCHC Resources. Dr. Penn is director of mental health services with University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional Managed Care.

NCCHC is the only national organization dedicated solely to improving the quality of health care in the nation’s jails, prisons, and juvenile confinement facilities. NCCHC Resources, Inc., its nonprofit consulting arm, was formed in 2014 with a mission to provide comprehensive customized consulting and technical assistance services that help to elevate the quality of correctional health care.