Our Health Coaches

Better Health Program

Kelly DeLeon

Kelly spent the first ten years of her career in elementary education where she honed skills vital to her role today as a health coach at Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus.

These include patience, kindness and empathy while also clearly articulating lesson plans to achieve academic goals and drive student performance. After leaving education, she worked in a customer service role for a major health insurance company, developing skills in customer service while also learning about issues relevant to health care consumers.

When Kelly is able, she makes mission trips to Haiti, providing medical outreach and health education to those in need. She is truly committed to helping others and in her role as a health coach has developed an appreciation for the health struggles aging adults face. Kelly is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in health education and promotion. She lives in Manchester with her husband and three sons.

Claire Verruni

For Claire Verruni, R.N., C.H.P.N., education isn’t dry lesson plans. Her job as a community health educator at Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus (MMCSC), gives her a chance to help older people shatter the rocking-chair stereotypes and live actively, making each day count.

“I enjoy promoting health and wellness in the communities we serve,” says the Sea Girt resident, a married mother of two who has lived in New Jersey for 25 years and has been part of the RWJBarnabas Health family for the past 15.

Verruni’s duties include promoting the medical center, its Center for Healthy Living and the Better Health program by providing health education, screenings, wellness programs and other nonclinical services. She helps with the day-to-day operations of the Center for Healthy Living and all of MMCSC’s geriatrics programs. Verruni also assists the diabetes education program by working with Lauren Dorman, certified diabetes educator, in performing glucose screenings and educating seniors about diabetes.

Healthy seniors stay engaged with friends and the community, and Verruni sets an example with her own active community life, serving on many hospital and community related committees. In keeping with her broad definition of education, she helps to develop programs that put the latest scientific knowledge to work helping seniors maintain health and apply recommended best practices to the Center for Healthy Living, community organizations, geriatrics, on-site MMCSC programs and senior communities.

In her spare time she enjoys the beach at Sea Girt – and at Florida’s Siesta Key.