ITHACA, NY Joe Sammons will continue serving residents of Tompkins and Cortland Counties as the eighth executive director of Hospicare & Palliative Care Services.
 Sammons, who succeeds Kimberly De Rosa, is scheduled to join Hospicare Feb. 15. Former County Administrator Joe Mareane stepped in as interim executive director after De Rosa left the nonprofit in September 2020.
 The Board of Directors of Hospicare made the announcement earlier this month. Betsy East, president of the Hospicare Board of Directors, said Sammons has a strong background in managing community-based nonprofit health organizations such as Hospicare.Â
 Weâre so excited that Joe has agreed to join us,â East said. âHe has such extensive experience in healthcare leadership and has been successful in leading all of those organizations forward with strategic thinking and great listening.â