Q3 Healthcare Consulting
Our People

Get to Know Us

Clinicians, operators, and data scientists united by one purpose — quality by design.

Kelly M. Smith, professional woman with blonde hair in a black turtleneck

Kelly M. Smith

Chief Executive Officer
PhD, CPHQ, CLSSBB, CDP

Dr. Kelly Smith is the CEO of Q3 Healthcare Consulting. Dr. Smith brings a systems-based approach to quality improvement—connecting strategy, workforce engagement, operations, and customer satisfaction.

Her expertise lies in evidence-based frameworks, such as the Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence and Lean Six Sigma, which she applies to improve long-term care outcomes. Dr. Smith was previously the Director of Process Improvement at a large senior care provider, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and post-acute care. Dr. Smith holds a doctorate in Aging Studies, is an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program Gold Examiner and Trainer, a Certified Professional in Healthcare, and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Glenda Colvin, smiling woman with dark hair wearing a blue sleeveless top

Glenda Colvin

Sr. Growth & Operations Consultant
BS, NHA, CDP

Ms. Glenda Colvin is an accomplished Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with a decade of executive leadership experience in long-term and post-acute settings.

Ms. Colvin’s leadership philosophy for quality improvement and quality assurance is grounded in data-driven decisions to create measurable and repeatable results. Her methods have led to improvements in Medicare quality measure ratings and overall Medicare facility star ratings at multiple facilities. Ms. Colvin was previously the Executive Director and CEO of a full-service senior living community that included assisted living, nursing home, and independent bed units. Ms. Colvin holds a bachelor’s degree in health care management, is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and has a nursing home infection prevention certification from the CDC.

Pamela Carrube, professional woman with glasses and brown hair

Pamela Carrube

Senior Healthcare Consultant
RN GERO-BC, QCP, CDP, CADDCT, CHSP, SHRM-CP

Ms. Carrube is a seasoned Registered Nurse with 25+ years of leadership experience in long-term and post-acute care.

She previously served as the Vice President of Human Resources & Learning and Team Member Development to a multi-facility organization. Her skill set includes process improvement, training and development, healthcare safety, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Carrube integrates systems thinking, QAPI, and evidence-based improvement methodologies to strengthen processes and align daily practice with strategic goals. Ms. Carrube is certified as a Quality Certified Professional, a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer.

Wendy LaBate, smiling woman with glasses and short blonde hair

Wendy LaBate

Senior Healthcare Consultant
MSN, RN, MHA, NHA

Ms. LaBate is a dedicated post-acute clinical and operations leader with over 35 years of experience in quality and outcomes management.

Ms. LaBate creates efficient and effective interprofessional teams, with the needs and experiences of the patients serving as the guiding star. She previously held roles as the SVP of Operations and VP of Clinical Operations for over 120 facilities and served as an Examiner for the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program at the Silver level. She is a past Co-Chair and Board Member of the MRW Foundation, a non-profit foundation supporting caregivers of post-acute care patients with financial hardships. Ms. LaBate has a master’s degree in both Nursing and Healthcare Administration.

Carin Vitale, smiling woman with blonde hair in a black top

Carin Vitale

Senior Healthcare Consultant
BSBA, RN, RAC-CTA, QPC, CPC

Ms. Vitale is an experienced and accomplished clinical reimbursement expert with over 25 years of experience in the skilled nursing services industry.

She previously served as the Senior Director of Clinical Reimbursement at one of the nation’s largest post-acute care provider systems. She was responsible for the management and accuracy of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and ICD-10-CM regulatory updates. Ms. Vitale holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is a Registered Nurse, a QAPI Certified Professional, a Certified Professional Coder, and a Certified Resident Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CTA).

Michelle Pleasant, Research Scientist and Gerontologist

Michelle Pleasant

Research Scientist and Gerontologist
PhD, MA

Dr. Michelle Pleasant is a health services researcher with 10 years of experience in Medicare health care policy and research.

Her background includes gerontology, quality improvement, quality measurement, dementia care, and online curriculum development and learning. Dr. Pleasant was previously a Research Scientist supporting federal contracts for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and is currently an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida, teaching courses in gerontology. Dr. Pleasant has a doctorate in Aging Studies. Dr. Pleasant also supports Q3’s curriculum development.

Taylor Drury, Chief Data Officer

Taylor Drury

Chief Data Officer
PhD

Dr. Taylor Drury serves as Chief Data Officer for Q3 Healthcare Consulting, bringing expertise in research, analytics, and data-driven performance improvement.

She earned her doctorate in Aging Sciences from the University of South Florida, where her research focused on the impact of sleep and stress on the well-being of cancer survivors. She also served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of North Florida. In addition to her role at Q3, Dr. Drury is the founder of TaylorMade Analytics, where she helps organizations apply scientific inquiry and data analytics to solve real-world challenges. She remains actively engaged in her community through her work with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. At Q3, she leads data strategy and analytics initiatives that help clients transform information into actionable insights that support quality improvement and organizational excellence.

Mike Ziolkowski, Chief Information Officer

Mike Ziolkowski

Chief Information Officer
CISSP, CCSP

Mr. Mike Ziolkowski is a seasoned cybersecurity and IT executive with over 30 years of experience spanning financial services, healthcare, and enterprise technology management.

He has overseen IT operations for organizations with 2,000 to 8,000+ employees, managing both internal teams and external managed service providers. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated expertise in system integration, identity management, enterprise security frameworks, and comprehensive automation solutions. Mr. Ziolkowski holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and a Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP). He also holds certifications from Microsoft, Google, and AI Singapore in areas including generative AI, machine learning, and automation.

Julie Morris, Leadership and Strategy Consultant

Julie Morris

Leadership & Strategy Consultant
LNHA, MHA

Ms. Julie Morris is a seasoned long-term care leader with more than 30 years of experience in skilled nursing facility operations, leadership development, and organizational performance improvement.

A Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Master of Healthcare Administration, she has held executive leadership roles across the post-acute care continuum and most recently served as Vice President of Operations for Aston Health. Julie is a past President of the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), where she also served in numerous leadership positions, including Senior Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Region Vice President, and District President. Throughout her career, she has been a passionate advocate for quality improvement, workforce development, and advancing excellence in long-term care. Known for her collaborative leadership style and operational expertise, Julie brings practical, results-driven solutions to organizations seeking to strengthen performance, develop leaders, and enhance resident outcomes.

Susan Conigliero, Executive Assistant

Susan Conigliero

Executive Assistant

Ms. Susan Conigliero brings more than 30 years of experience in customer service, hospitality, and organizational support.

Known for her exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to build strong and lasting relationships, Ms. Conigliero has a demonstrated history of coordinating complex projects, managing high-impact events, and supporting organizational leadership across multiple sectors. Prior to joining Q3, Ms. Conigliero served as Special Projects and Transformational Ministries Coordinator for Love INC of Metro Tampa, where she led program development, coordinated community partnerships, and oversaw volunteer recruitment and development. A skilled communicator and facilitator, Ms. Conigliero’s expertise includes executive support, project coordination, team building, and cross-functional collaboration.

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Every engagement is led by consultants who have lived the challenges you’re facing.