The National Alliance for Care at Home’s (the Alliance) leadership team is rounding into form. Sherl Brand – who has significant leadership experience in provider, association and third-party roles – is set to become the next COO.

Brand will begin her new position in the middle of January. She will become the first COO of the organization, which came as a result of a merger between the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) earlier this year.

Dr. Steve Landers was named CEO of the Alliance in August.

“Sherl’s leadership experience and history of successful management of trade associations and home care and hospice organizations make her a perfect fit for the Alliance,” Landers said in a statement. “I see Sherl as the perfect partner to make sure the Alliance operational team is engaged and organized to ensure our treasured members receive amazing services and support. She has the knowledge and experience to lead our operations during this dynamic time for the Alliance and the care at home movement.”

The Alliance came to be due to the expanding scope of care that can be delivered in the home. The Washington, D.C.-based organization represents home care, home health, palliative care and hospice providers, as well as other home-based care entities.

As for Brand, she is currently the SVP of hospice and palliative care at VNS Health. Prior to VNS Health, however, she was with CareCentrix for nearly eight years. CareCentrix, now owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA), serves as a middleman between payers and home health providers.

Prior to CareCentrix, Brand held other senior leadership roles at post-acute care organizations, including VNA Health Group and Bayada Home Health Care. She also was the president and CEO of the Home Care Association of New Jersey for seven years, and a board member of NAHC.

Like Landers, the deep senior leadership experience with post-acute care organizations will likely please providers represented by the Alliance.

Her experience with CareCentrix, too, will likely be very valuable. One of the most pressing issues facing home health providers currently is their relationships with managed care. CareCentrix knows intimately what makes those health plans tick.

“I am honored, and deeply grateful, for the opportunity to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Alliance for Care at Home,” Brand said in a statement. “I am privileged to have spent my career in our industry working with high quality organizations and a state trade association supporting providers of care in the home, and I look forward to working with the Alliance team to provide the world class education, conferences, and resources our members need and deserve. The future is bright for the care at home community. We are stronger together.”