TRANSHEALTH - Key Persons


Celia Overby - COO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Operating Officer
Celia serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Transhealth. Previously the organization's VP of Operational Innovation, Celia is an expert systems thinker who excels at strategic development, high-level operations, and the implementation of complex and multi-faceted growth.

Joan Erwin - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Registered Nurse
A lifelong resident of Western Massachusetts, Joan grew up in South Hadley, earning his first bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College, followed by a second bachelor's in nursing from UMass Amherst. As a registered nurse, she worked primarily in emergency and critical care before moving into administrative and leadership roles. For the past decade, Joan has worked in the outpatient addiction space, leading national expansion and operations teams most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations at Wellpath. Prior to this, they served as Senior Vice President of Innovation at Promises Behavioral Health, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Chief Operating Officer at CleanSlate, and Director of In-Patient Services and Director of Emergency and Critical Care at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, MA. He has also served as a Nurse Consultant at the NEARI School in Easthampton for 24 years. As a gender-non-conforming lesbian with non-binary children, Joan brings an unyielding passion for removing barriers to quality healthcare. In their spare time, they enjoy spending time with their wife and family, as well as their three dogs.

Lauri Meade

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Perry Cohen - Chairman, Founder

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Founder
  • Member of the Board of Directors
Perry Cohen (he/him/his) is the Founder and Board Chair of Transhealth. He brings a wealth of experience from his many years of work in the for-profit, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors.

Peter Straley

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
Most importantly, Peter is a husband and father of four sons, one of whom is transgender. His son, as well as other trans and gender-diverse people in his life, have inspired his passion and commitment to supporting our community and ensuring compassionate, gender-affirming care for all.