Staff

Deb McClain came to Beacon Clinic for Health and Hope as the Executive Director in August 2018 after more than three decades as a licensed insurance and financial services professional. In addition to Deb’s role at Beacon Clinic she is currently serving as the volunteer Board Chair for the Pennsylvania Charitable Healthcare Coalition and sits on the Health Initiatives Committee at Grandview Church in Lancaster, where she attends. She also serves on Advisory Committees for the Messiah University Nursing Program and the York College Nursing Program.

Deb also served as the volunteer President & CEO of the Central Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (now known as Keystone Business Alliance). She served as a Supplier Diversity Panelist on behalf of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and on Governor Wolf’s Advisory Board for Energy, Business & Economic Development. She was also the coordinator of a homeless ministry through MCC of the Spirit and part of the Compassion Action Network through Christian Churches United.

In her spare time Deb became part of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs with her wife, Lin, and their dog Nina. They are part of the Embark Pet Therapy Team at Harrisburg International Airport, providing comfort and smiles to awaiting passengers. Deb is also a mother to two adult children and grandmother to two spunky granddaughters and a cat mom to three cats. She enjoys time with her family and friends, singing, sewing, jigsaw puzzles and crocheting.

Olivia Alcaraz first came to Beacon Clinic as a Messiah University nursing student during her community health clinical rotation. Inspired by the mission of Beacon, she returned shortly after graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing to volunteer at the clinic. Since graduation, she’s worked in various nursing roles around the city; both as a staff nurse and clinical nurse manager on the Medical Transplant Unit at Harrisburg Hospital, and as an elementary school nurse in the Harrisburg school district. In 2022, she officially joined the staff at Beacon Clinic, making the clinic not only a permanent part of her schedule, but often the highlight of her week.

As the result of a growing passion for population and global health, she pursued a Master of Science in Global Health from Northwestern University. This program took her back to Rwanda to complete her global health practicum. She returned to Society for Family Health, an NGO where she had completed an internship during her undergraduate study abroad semester eight years prior. While there, she learned about the importance of implementing evidence-based social and behavioral change practices to empower individuals to choose healthy lifestyles.

Olivia recently joined the Messiah University nursing faculty as an adjunct clinical instructor for the Population and Global Health course that first brought her to Beacon clinic; a full circle moment! In her role as Clinical Director, she hopes to continue elevating and working towards access to healthcare for all — health as a human right. She also hopes to continue strengthening relationships with our patients and their families, making sure they know they always have a welcoming place to land at Beacon.

Olivia enjoys traveling both locally and abroad with her husband to spend time with their family and friends, while experiencing the art, culture, and culinary cuisines of our global community.

Dr. Joseph A. Cincotta is a board-certified family physician, graduated from Hamilton College with a B.A. in biology, then attended Upstate Medical University where he earned his M.D. Degree. He served as a family medicine resident at Harrisburg Hospital. He also co-founded a private medical office in Mechanicsburg, then took a position as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at his medical school alma mater where he assisted in starting Upstate’s first Family Medicine Residency Program until his retirement in December 2021. He remains active in medical education by serving as adjunct faculty at the Penn State College of Medicine facilitating a course in problem-based learning for first year medical students. He has volunteered at Beacon Clinic, caring for patients and attending Operations Committee meeting March 2023.

Dr. Joe has three grown children, three grandchildren, and enjoys private time at his home in rural York County reading, riding his bike, and taking care of his yard and woods.

Dr. Helm is excited to serve as Medical Director of Beacon Clinic—a clinic she began to work with during her training years in Family Medicine in 2018. She has had the honor of directing the Food as Medicine Program since 2018–2019 for many of Beacon Clinic’s patients and families. She has a passion to serve families in need, with focused interests in Health Equity, Global Health, medical missions, care of marginalized populations, and Dermatology.

Dr. Helm currently serves as an outpatient physician and Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State Health Nyes Road Family Practice in Harrisburg, PA. She received her Bachelors in Cellular Molecular Biology from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She then received her Doctor of Medicine (M.D) and Master’s of Public Health (M.P.H) from the State University of New York at Upstate Medical University. She completed her Family Medicine Residency training at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

My Journey to become a proud member of Beacon Clinic is the culmination of my journey as an international physician, having trained and practiced in Mexico before coming to practice in the U.S. Upon hearing the vision of Beacon Clinic, I was immediately drawn to it. Apart from my full time job as an Internal Medicine physician who takes care of patients every day in the hospital, I often lacked the part of medicine that makes a real and meaningful change; change not only in the physical health of the patient, but more importantly, in their souls. Beacon is that great place where all the staff and volunteers make a difference in our community; showing respect to our patients and providing healthcare with dignity, no matter your language, culture or background. Trying to help is important, but taking action and making it real is our goal.