Staff

Lori attended Cumberland Valley High School, Harrisburg Area Community College (cum laude), and Millersville University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) degree. Lori taught Third Grade at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Harrisburg for nine years. She worked in the medical malpractice underwriting field before moving into community development work with Gateway Health Plan, a Medicaid insurer, where she acquired a deep love and respect for underserved populations. With a colleague, Lori developed and trained health care workers regarding health literacy and culture competency, long before it was accepted as valid practice.

Lori spent 14 years at Highmark Health, holding dual roles as Senior Community Relations Representative for Highmark Health and Program Officer for the Highmark Foundation. Her work centered on Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity & Inclusion Affinity groups. In addition to funding community initiatives, she actively participated on many nonprofit boards, coalitions and committees. Lori is a past Chair of the Dauphin County Health Improvement Plan (D-CHIP) Task Force for the PA Dept. of Health. In 2016, Lori completed a nine-month Chaplaincy Internship at Hershey Medical Center.

Ms. Clark Robinson began serving Beacon Clinic while it was being formed, back in 2013 and joined the board of directors in 2020. She has served as Beacon Clinic’s interim President & CEO since February 2023.

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.

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.