Our Team and Board
We are stewards. A team of community leaders with passionate commitment. As we oversee fundraising projects and manage the Foundation’s assets, we strive to ensure that your selfless generosity has purpose and impact according to your wishes — and that each and every gift enhances the quality of health care in meaningful ways.
Meet the Team
Executive Assistant
Karen Bean
Karen Bean
Karen provides administrative support to the President of the Foundation and the Board of Trustees.
252-847-5868
[email protected]
Executive Assistant
Elizabeth Briney
Elizabeth Briney
Elizabeth provides administrative support to the Senior Officer & Medical Advisor and the Health Sciences Board of Directors.
252-847-8968
[email protected]
Coordinator, Annual Giving
Scottie Brown
Scottie Brown
In her role, Scottie is focusing on building a corporate annual giving program, and digital fundraising strategies through collaboration with our donor relations and communications team, and increasing support of regional fundraising projects through collaboration with our affiliate relations team and community hospitals.
Administrator, Grants Office
Michele Cherry
Christy Deardorff
As Grants Administrator, Michele is responsible for assisting ECU Health entities in securing funding from government agencies and private foundations to relieve some of the financial burdens on the health system.
252-847-5471
[email protected]
Director, Annual Giving
Christy Deardorff
Christy Deardorff
Christy is responsible for developing and implementing the Foundation’s annual giving fundraising program. In coordination with marketing/communications and donor relations, she is tasked with increasing annual philanthropic donations through an enhanced sustaining giving program, robust donor retention and donor acquisition efforts, and detailed data analysis – all in support of ECU Health’s mission and vision.
252-847-1073
[email protected]
Manager, Operations
Dana Everett
Dana Everett
Dana serves as the database administrator for Salesforce including the day-to-day configuration, support, maintenance, and improvement of the donor database. She is responsible for donation reporting and data analytics. Dana also coordinates on special projects and campaigns to deploy needed technology and operational services across the Foundation.
252-847-5761
[email protected]
Senior Officer & Medical Advisor
Dr. Herb Garrison
Dr. Herb Garrison
As the Senior Officer and Medical Director, Dr. Garrison assists the Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) as needed in the alignment of fundraising and stewardship operations. Additionally, Dr. Garrison helps operationalize and grow the ECU Health Foundation along with fundraising on behalf of ECU's Brody School of Medicine and the Laupus Library.
252-847-7596
[email protected]
Director, Community Benefits
Kahla Hall
Kahla Hall
Kahla works with each of the nine ECU Health hospitals’ Grants Review Committees and the Foundation’s Community Benefit Committee to administer the distribution of $1.7 million dollars to an average of 175-180 grants annually. The programs funded work to improve the health and quality of life for individuals in 17 counties in eastern North Carolina.
252-847-0692
[email protected]
Director, Programs
Elise Ironmonger
Elise Ironmonger
Elise is responsible for stewarding relationships with CMN national partners to increase fundraising efforts (through visits, presentations, etc.). She manages social and digital media (Facebook, Twitter, websites, digital boards), implements email marketing and online giving strategies, and assists with planning CMN events such as radiothon and telethon, Dance Marathon and Extra Life programs. Elise provides support for other events throughout the year that support our CMN program.
252-847-2136
[email protected]
Senior Director, Health Care Philanthropy
Rhonda James
Rhonda James
Rhonda is responsible for all aspects of fundraising for James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital, including the oversight of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals program along with the support of two team members (Elise and Christina– Coordinators, Development Programs). This includes cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors; as well as, developing strategies for all fundraising activities and events. Rhonda works closely with the leadership team of Maynard Children’s Hospital to maintain a strong understanding of their needs and priorities as related to philanthropic support.
252-847-1071
[email protected]
Senior Director of Development, School of Dental Medicine
Jon Jones
Director, Development, Community Hospitals
Bobbie Lapiejko
Bobbie Lapiejko
Bobbie provides leadership for the philanthropic strategies of the eight Vidant Health community hospitals. She will work closely with community hospital team members, development councils and foundation boards. The strategies will focus on acquiring and retaining a broad base of donors while working within a budget, setting goals and objectives, and reporting outcome measurements accordingly.
252-847-2025
[email protected]
Grants Specialist
Gina Long
Gina Long
Gina serves as the application administrator for our grant management software. She works with the team to provide training and support for our project managers across the system. She also updates our Grants Office websites.
252-847-6233
[email protected]
Director, ECU Health Community Hospitals Grants and Outreach
Bridgett Luckey
Bridgett Luckey
Bridgett is responsible for convening groups within ECU Health Community Hospitals to train and provide updates on grants management policies and procedures. She also prepares and facilitates grant proposals maintaining compliance for all grants received by Community Hospitals, which includes the project evaluations.
252-847-5497
[email protected]
Senior Director of Development, College of Nursing
Elizabeth Maxwell
Elizabeth Maxwell
Responsible for all aspects of fundraising for the College of Nursing, working closely with advancement colleagues in the College of Nursing, ECU Health Foundation and ECU University Advancement. Based on the dean’s priorities, she provides philanthropic strategy and implementation for engagement, solicitation and stewardship of all donors: alumni, faculty/staff, friends of the college, and businesses/health care systems/foundations. Additionally she coordinates the college’s mini-campaigns and provides philanthropic assistance for the Hall of Fame Board of Directors and the Dean’s Advisory and Advancement Board.
252-847-5872
[email protected]
Budget Finance Specialist
Christopher Molina
Corporate Accountant
Ronald Murrell
Administrative Assistant
Nicole Nesmith
Corporate Accountant
Martha Reavis
Martha Reavis
Martha is responsible for maintaining accountability for ECU Health grant funds received from external agencies. She provides support to project managers with the initial financial set-up for grant-funded programs, as well as ongoing support to maintain proper financial controls. She is responsible for post-award financial reporting, as well as monitoring grants across the system for compliance.
252-847-8577
[email protected]
Coordinator, Development Programs
Christina Ridgeway
Christina Ridgeway
Christina stewards relationships with our national partners and is in charge of the CMN grants and children’s/CMN expense budget. She assists with planning the CMN radiothon and telethon. She also provides support for other events that benefit our CMN program.
252-847-5437
[email protected]
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Scott Senatore
Scott Senatore
Scott is responsible for the development and implementation of the Foundation’s strategic framework. This includes the daily activities, programs, policies, and procedures the Foundation executes in support of its mission and vision.
252-847-3390
[email protected]
Vice President, Finance & Development Operations
Chris Smith
Chris Smith
Chris is responsible for the financial administration of the Foundation. He provides oversight for multi-year strategies to advance philanthropy and sustain operational excellence. He and his team translate strategies into actionable initiatives that enable the achievement of results that align with established goals.
252-847-9523
[email protected]
Gift Processor
Lisa Thomas
Lisa Thomas
Lisa processes donations and other gifts to the Foundation through our Salesforce software. Sends out thank you and acknowledgment letters to our donors, as well as processes donations for community hospitals and development councils.
252-847-9846
[email protected]
Director, Leadership Annual Giving
Grace Tolson
Donor Relations Coordinator
Blair Vick
Blair Vick
Blair works with the foundation team to plan and implement donor relations activities, plan cultivation events and foundation-specific activities such as Lights of Love and the Brody Awards.
252-847-1072
[email protected]
Director, Development (ECU Health Cancer Care)
Varessa Wall
Varessa Wall
Varessa secures major gifts in support of the Foundation’s mission. Currently, her focus is on ECU Health Cancer Care programs and services.
252-847-8994
[email protected]
Governing Bodies
An agreement between the ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation and Vidant Health Foundation has been signed and executed, creating the ECU Health Foundation. The two entities will align to operate as one philanthropic arm supporting ECU Health and ECU’s health sciences campus. Under the agreement, the two foundations will remain separate legal entities, but will integrate under a new shared brand known as ECU Health Foundation.
Joint Operating Committee
Deanna Boyette, MD
William Brody
Chris Dyba
Betsy Flanagan
Will Franklin
Mitch Jones
Tess Judge
Chancellor Philip Rogers
Jordy Whichard
Dorson White
Michael Waldrum, MD, MSc, MBA
Vidant Health Foundation Board
Chair
Mitch Jones
Vice Chair
Tess Judge
Secretary
Betsy Flanagan
Treasurer
Dorson White
Past Chair
Spence Cosby
Board Members
Cassie Causey
Marshall Cherry
Melissa B. Duncan, MD
Wendy C. Farrior
Christopher Jenkins
Thomas Kulikowski
Bridgett M. Minges
Freeman Paylor
Marcy S. Sasnett
Waightstill “Wade” Morehead Scales, IV
Diane Taylor
Clark S. Twiddy
Michael Waldrum, MD
Regional Representatives
Tommy Davis
Lynne Layton
Marie Neilson
Becky Newton
William M. Parker
Jack Piland
ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Board
Chair
David “Jordy” Whichard, III
Vice Chair
William “Will” P. Franklin, Jr.
Secretary
Deanna Boyette, MD
Treasurer
William Brody
Executive Treasurer
Joel Stocks
Directors
Bimbola Akintade, PhD
Rick Bare, MD
Cassandra B. Burt
Gregory Chadwick, DDS
Robin Coger, PhD
Stephanie Coleman
Paul R. G. Cunningham, MD, FACS
Taylor Duck
Chris Dyba
Gene Faller
R. Scott Griffin
Benjamin “Bennie” Hardy, CPA
Vincent Robert “Rob” Jones
Beth Ketterman, MLS
Todd Kornegay, MD
Katherine Mackey
Julius Mallette, MD
Robert “Bob” Orlikoff, PhD
Uday Reebye, DDS
Philip Rogers, EdD
Scott Senatore
Thomas L. Southern
Lewis “Randy” Strickland, EdD
Jonathan Taft
Phillip Z. Timmons, MD
William Truslow, MD
Michael Waldrum, MD, MSc, MBA
David L. Ward, Jr.
Heber W. Windley III, DDS, MS
Kevin B. Youngs
Emeritus Members
Alice H. Bost
Hyman J. Brody
Stacy C. Brody
Richard Brown
James W. Chesnutt
Jonathan R. Day
Mary Sue Cummings Deaton, MSN, RN, FABC
Thomas L. Edwards, Sr.
E. Bradley Evans
John M. Hines
Eloise K. Howard
Robert “Roddy” L. Jones
Dasha E. Little
Suzanne Pecheles
Diane A. Poole
Douglas Privette, MD, FACC
Mary J. Raab, MD
Tom Robinson
H. L. Stephenson, III
Shelby S. Strother
Kathryn H. Walker