Leadership Team
Luanne Welch
CEO
Luanne Welch
CEO
“I am passionate about the culture and people of Easterseals PORT Health – those we serve, the families who love them, and our dedicated team members who support them. This passion drives my commitment to creating a workplace that values authenticity, engages different voices, embraces potential & supports learning to grow mission impact.”
Luanne Welch is the CEO of Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). Her view of disabilities was informed early in life by first grade friends, family and neighbors. Each relationship taught her to see the world through the lens of others, to hear and lift up their voices. Those experiences shaped her career. Luanne continues to be a thought leader, change agent and powerful voice within the national health and human services industry. In addition, Luanne is recognized as a turnaround leader with an ability to reorganize financially challenged organizations and reposition them toward sustained, healthy growth.
Luanne is dedicated to fostering positive change. She actively collaborates with an Employee Engagement Council to promote a culture of respect, fairness, authenticity and continuous growth. This rewarding and humbling journey has deepened her understanding, strengthened her leadership style and provided meaningful insight for business decisions.
Prior to leading ESPH, Luanne was the President and CEO for Easterseals South Florida. She has also held various Easterseals leadership positions with both the North Carolina affiliate and the National Office.
Luanne is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She is an Advisory Board Member for Open Minds (an award-winning source of information, executive education and health and human service business solutions) and Provider Council Member for Trillium Health Resources. She was recognized by The Triangle Business Journal with business & leadership awards in 2019 and 2022. Luanne enjoys spending time with family and has a special place in her heart for her grandson.
Recent news articles:
Jessi Ayers
Chief Financial Officer
Jessi Ayers
Chief Financial Officer
“Strong financial stewardship allows our mission to reach further, last longer and create meaningful, lasting impact. I believe in Easterseals PORT Health’s mission and I’m driven to ensure the financial decisions we make strengthen our ability to best serve the people, families and communities we support.”
Jessi Ayers is the Chief Financial Officer for Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). With almost two decades of progressive leadership experience in healthcare finance, she has a reputation for driving strong financial performance, elevating operational efficiencies and leading cross-functional teams. She has a proven track record of success in budgeting, revenue cycle optimization, compliance and electronic health records (EHR) transitions.
Prior to joining ESPH, Jessi was Chief Financial Officer for FastMed, one of North Carolina’s largest urgent care providers. In this role, she led the financial operations for their multi-site healthcare organization and managed their Accounting, Revenue Cycle Management, Procurement and Coding teams. She also partnered closely with the CEO, COO and other members of the executive leadership team to define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to enable data-driven decision-making and operational alignment.
Jessi previously held the Chief Financial Officer position for Central Carolina Hospital (Duke LifePoint) where she managed fiscal operations across the hospital, physician practices and its emergency management systems. She also served as the organization’s Chief Staffing Officer and Ethics & Compliance Officer, where she led compliance initiatives and labor strategies. During the span of her career, Jessi has held other healthcare finance leadership positions with Person Memorial Hospital, Atlanta Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County.
Jessi earned her MBA in Leadership from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Point Park University. She is also a Certified Revenue Cycle Executive from the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management.
When Jessi isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her son and pursuing interests that bring joy and balance to her life.
Hany Kaoud, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Hany Kaoud, MD
Chief Medical Officer
“I have a strong belief that every individual deserves the chance to rebuild their story—with dignity and hope. My calling has been to support those facing addiction and mental health challenges as they work to redeem their lives and reclaim their purpose.
With compassion and evidence-based care, I work with individuals to help them define their goals, begin their recovery journey and maintain lasting progress. I believe in meeting people where they are—without judgment—while building trust and strengthening the therapeutic alliance.
Recovery is not just about treatment; it’s about empowerment, safety and connection. My role is to walk alongside each person as they take meaningful steps toward healing, and to ensure they feel supported every step of the way.”
Dr. Hany Aziz Kaoud is the Chief Medical Officer of Easterseals PORT Health. He was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. His family traveled to many countries before relocating to Southern California. These global experiences shaped his worldview, instilling in him a deep sense of compassion and an ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Rooted in his heritage and driven by a passion for science, Dr. Kaoud has long nurtured a love for biological sciences. As a college student, he was an active member of the Biology Club and served as a representative of the Egyptian American Club in the Student Government Association.
Community service has always been central to Dr. Kaoud’s journey. While completing a Hyperthermia Technician certification, he volunteered at the Valley Cancer Institute (VCI), where he provided transportation and case management support for cancer patients. His commitment and exceptional service earned him a full-time clinical role at the Institute.
Prior to joining PORT Health, Dr. Kaoud served as an Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatry Consultant at Wayne Memorial Hospital (now UNC Wayne). He joined PORT Health as a Staff Psychiatrist, and after eight years of dedicated service, was promoted to Medical Director, overseeing operations for the organization and growing the Facility-Based Crisis Centers. In 2024, he earned his position to serve as the Chief Medical Officer of Easterseals PORT Health.
Since 2020, Dr. Kaoud has served on the Trillium Clinical Advisory Committee. In June 2024, he was appointed by the Governor of North Carolina to serve as the Physician Member Representative for Pitt County (District 9) on the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.
Dr. Kaoud completed his Psychiatry residency, Internal Medicine internship training at East Carolina University and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Saba University School of Medicine. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from California State University, Northridge, and an Associate of Science in General Sciences from Santa Monica College.
When he’s not working, Dr. Kaoud enjoys spending time with his family traveling to explore different countries and learning about their beliefs and cultures.
Marta Quintana
Chief Development Officer
Marta Quintana
Chief Development Officer
“I’m passionate about connecting individuals to our mission to drive engagement and support for the children, adults and families we serve every day.”
As Chief Development Officer at Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH) and more than 17 years of non-profit experience, Marta Quintana manages the development team that is responsible for raising support from corporate and individual contributions, grants and fundraising events. Marta excels in strategic planning. She also has a proven track record for cultivating strong relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, partners and key stakeholders and sharing ESPH’s mission and funding needs with prospective donors. With 30+ years of management experience, Marta fosters a team environment and inspires her team to meet annual goals by successfully executing annual events, fundraising campaigns, volunteer activities and community engagement.
Before joining ESPH in 2022, Marta was Vice President of Development at Easterseals South Florida for 12 years. Prior to that, she spent five years as a Senior Development Officer at United Way of Miami Dade, where she led the fundraising efforts for the legal and real estate division, co-led the new business development team in growing the corporate donor pipeline and was part of the team that produced the renowned Annual United Way Women’s Leadership.
Marta is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the proud mom of two aspiring artists, an alumna of Miami Dade College and a graduate of the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale.
To make a donation or volunteer, send an email to marta.quintana@eastersealsPORT.com or call 919-418-4275.
Cheryl Tuning
Chief Marketing Officer
Cheryl Tuning
Chief Marketing Officer
“I have the best job at ESPH! I get to share stories about our team members while bringing the impact of our programs to life for the kids, adults and families we support.”
Cheryl Tuning is the Chief Marketing Officer for Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). As part of the organization’s executive leadership team, she is responsible for upholding the ESPH brand and bringing their marketing strategies to life. As CMO, Cheryl’s team is responsible for creating unified messaging and storytelling opportunities, web development, social media and working directly with internal teams to promote and attract new funders, new hires and new families to support.
She is both innovative and entrepreneurial, with a reputation for building meaningful relationships, exceeding expectations but most importantly, identifying and developing great Marketing talent. Cheryl and her team have the privilege of working directly with ESPH’s frontline programs in accelerating a playbook of marketing plans that promote the organization’s purpose of helping individuals with disabilities live their best life.
Cheryl was appointed by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee, a group of engaged resident advisors who provide insight and perspectives on Charlotte’s current human relations issues. She was named one of OnCon’s Top 50 Marketers by her industry peers in both 2023 and 2024.
Cheryl received her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Illinois State University. She enjoys Pilates, reading, writing and traveling with her husband.
Jodi Vilcans
Chief People Officer
Jodi Vilcans
Chief People Officer
“Making sure people are in the right roles and equipped to grow energizes me! I love HR and serving as a bridge that aligns individual development with organizational success. As the mom of an autistic child, I understand feeling isolated and needing support and guidance. My lived experience makes me extremely grateful to support the ESPH team as they do their incredible work of helping people.”
Jodi Vilcans is the Chief People Officer for Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). She believes that great organizations are built intentionally and is motivated by a sincere interest in managing the balance between employee engagement and achievement of corporate goals. She has a rich background in driving exceptional people strategy and building solid foundations for scalable, high-performing HR operations. With more than 17 years’ experience, she is a big-picture thinker with a proven ability to influence and execute across all levels of an organization.
Prior to joining ESPH, Jodi was Vice President of Human Resources at Healthy Alliance, whose purpose is to transform the way health care is delivered within and across communities they serve. In this position, she developed and led human capital, talent management, employee engagement and organizational growth strategies. She scaled the HR function and partnered with business leaders to decrease annual turnover, improved employee retention and bolster the organization’s talent management program.
Jodi also founded Allegiant HR Consulting, a boutique HR Consulting firm that helps small to mid-size organizations align their HR function with corporate objectives while increasing employee engagement. For almost 7 years, her firm successfully assisted organizations in building HR structures, talent growth, workforce planning, organizational design, leadership effectiveness and cultural transformation. Her firm also advised companies in how to effectively benchmark job roles, drive winning talent acquisition and increase employee engagement. In addition, Jodi has held other strategic HR and leadership positions along with a successful 7-year stint as the founder and principal of a specialty handmade business.
Jodi is recognized for her calm leadership style, data‑driven decision‑making and the ability to build cultures where people feel valued, supported and inspired to perform at their best. She believes people strategy is business strategy, and that HR should be both strategic and human, disciplined and approachable, and collaborative and decisive. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Ohio University. She also holds numerous advanced certifications including Senior Professional in HR (SPHR), Strategic HR Business Partner, Strategic Workforce Planning, Prosci Change Management and Executive Coaching.
Mark Germann
Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health Services
Mark Germann
Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health Services
“I have a personal connection to ESPH’s mission and I love the work we do. It’s a gift to work with an incredible team with such great passion for improving the lives of our neighbors and the communities we support.”
Mark Germann is Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health Services for Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). In this role, he plays a pivotal role in driving overall organization performance, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and promoting a culture of continuous improvement. He collaborates with cross-functional teams to establish key performance indicators related to aspects of performance, efficiency and effectiveness. Mark also leads several teams including Business Intelligence & Reporting, Product Management (Clinical and HRIS technologies), Learning and Development and Project Management.
Mark started his career in Disability and Behavioral Health services. He entered the industry as a case manager and in the past 20 years, his career has steadily progressed through a variety of operational support roles within Behavioral Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services.
Mark has five children and lives with his wife, Suzanne. Outside of work Mark is an avid hockey fan, especially when his kids are on the ice.
Liz Hill
Senior Vice President, Home + Community Based Services
Liz Hill
Senior Vice President, Home and Community-Based Services
“I love connecting, learning and empowering people to be their best possible selves. Easterseals PORT Health makes this dream a reality!”
Liz Hill is the Senior Vice President of Home and Community-Based Services at Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). She has worked for ESPH for 18 years. Throughout her professional journey, Liz has held a wide variety of leadership roles within Home and Community Based services programing.
As part of the Easterseals PORT Health leadership team, Liz develops, mentors and empowers more than 1,700 team members to provide compassionate, individualized and family-centered supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. She fosters a culture where client and family engagement, understanding and advocacy are at the forefront of the success in service delivery. She believes in the unique talents and abilities of her team and works hard to ensure team members have opportunities for promotion and always feel valued.
Liz has a personal connection with the developmental disability world. Seeking opportunities to positively improve the lives of those we support and all others, keeps Liz motivated each and every day.
Liz holds a Bachelors in Social Work and Social Policy from Saints Kiril & Metodij University in Skopje, Macedonia. She also has more than 20 years of professional and lived experience. Her CliftonStrengths are Developer, Belief, Responsibility, Context and Harmony.
Tristan Robertson
Vice President, Child + Family Services
Tristan Robertson
Vice President, Child + Family Services
“After 25 years, helping children with cerebral palsy take their first step or hearing a child with Down syndrome say her first word still motivates me today!”
Tristan has more than 25 years’ experience in providing services and life-changing support to children and families with disabilities. Her professional experience includes working directly with infants and toddlers in providing early intervention services in home-based and early childhood settings; facilitating play-based social skills programs; supporting youth led service-learning projects and providing management oversight to afterschool services, recreation programs and crisis intervention programs. For many years, Tristan has also personally fostered many at-risk children as a specialized foster parent.
Tristan also successfully leverages her vast experiences, analytical skills and passion for developing programs that support the ESPH mission as one of the agency’s lead grant writers.
Tristan holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She also holds teaching licensure through the Virginia Department of Education and Infant-Family Specialist Endorsement from the Virginia Infant Mental Health Association. Tristan is an adjunct faculty member with Radford University and has helped shaped the next generation of educators by teaching courses like Medical and Neurodevelopmental Aspects of Teaching Children with Disabilities.
Board of Directors
Rick Anicetti
Board Chair
Rick Anicetti
Board Chair
“Easterseals PORT Health magically blends a deep passion for their life-changing work and clients to produce amazing results and outcomes. It is an honor to serve on this board and personally contribute to creating more and more opportunities for those we support.”
Richard A. Anicetti is a business executive, teacher, mentor and motivational speaker with more than 39 years’ experience, almost a third of which he has spent as corporate Chief Executive Officer.
Today, Rick is a senior consulting partner at the Overfield Leadership Group, whose portfolio of services include executive leadership assessment, development and coaching, C-suite team assessment, leadership transitions and change management leadership. He is also Chairman of the Board (and minority owner) of Cielo Global Holdings, an information technology organization.
Most recently, Rick was President and CEO of The Fresh Market, which is an intimate, small box premium, specialty and gourmet food retailer based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Prior to The Fresh Market, Rick was President and Founder of The Anicetti Leadership Group LLC based in Charlotte, NC.
Prior to that, Rick was Co-Chief Executive Officer of Delhaize America, an international food retailer present in six countries on three continents. Rick is also past President and chief executive Officer of Food Lion LLC, where he led the retail operations of more than 1,200 Food Lion LLC stores and six distribution centers across 11 states.
Rick also spends considerable time providing leadership for nonprofits. He is a former member of the US Advisory Board for Duke Children’s Hospital, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the Board of Trustees for Bennett College (one of two historically black colleges for women in the United States).
Rick currently serves as Board Chair of Easterseals PORT Health. A native of Oakland, Maine, Rick graduated from Bowdoin College.
Mihali Stavlas
Vice Chair
Mihali Stavlas
Board Chair
“Two of the most under-served populations in the world are individuals with disabilities and mental health challenges. It’s been an opportunity of my lifetime to play a role in shaping and impacting positive change for those ESPH supports.”
Mihali Stavlas is the founder and CEO of Mellōnaid, an analytical and creative-driven agency in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more than 15 years at Mellōnaid, Mihali has helped clients capture and recreate their brand’s story, build brand experience and online platforms by encompassing the full spectrum of all its touchpoints: identity, collateral materials, advertising, marketing, user experience and interactive media. Mihali oversees all strategy and brand experience efforts that help clients convert prospects into advocates.
In addition to overseeing Mellōnaid, Mihali currently serves as President of the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) Professional Chapter Council. He previously served as President of the AMA Triangle, an advisor to North Carolina Center for Nonprofits and an advisor to AIGA Raleigh (American Institute of Graphic Arts). In addition, Mihali has hosted a radio talk show out of California called This Week in Marketing and is a national speaker on the topics of marketing, design and leadership.
Mihali graduated from one of the nation’s top design schools, Virginia Commonwealth University, with a Bachelor of Communication Arts. The marketing community has recognized Mihali as one of the Triangle AMA’s Volunteer of the Year and with one of the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards.
When not at work, Mihali can be found jumping out of planes, flying a Boeing-Stearman Model 75, or partnering with local organizations to help bring transformation in North Carolina. Mihali is married to his best friend, Laura and they have two children.
Donald Thompson
Secretary
Donald Thompson
Secretary
“My life’s work is dedicated to nurturing inclusion across the many dimensions of identity including race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic origin, veteran status, age, generation and acquired experiences. Easterseals PORT Health does critical work in supporting inclusion and families with disabilities…if I can be a part of furthering that incredible mission, I’m here to do what I can.”
Don is an entrepreneur at heart, driven by the win and determined to succeed. He treats every day like it’s game day and every challenge as an opportunity to demonstrate excellence. He is a dynamic, innovative leader, public speaker and inclusion expert. He uses his own life lessons to help organizations and executives unlock workplace excellence.
As a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), Don focuses on the business advantage of comprehensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming in all of his companies. In his current role as CEO of The Diversity Movement (a technology-driven diversity, equity and inclusion consultancy), he has led several companies from conception to commercial viability to exit for companies such as Adobe, KPIT and Beringer Capital, the private equity firm that owns Adweek.
Don is the author of UNDERESTIMATED: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success, a story about hustle and humility that follows his unique path of life lessons, inspirations and habits to help others realize their dreams. He is also the dynamic host of The Donald Thompson Podcast, a weekly podcast where business leaders share cheat codes for unlocking workplace excellence, lessons learned along the way and insider tips for future generations of next-level professionals. He is also the recipient of the 2023 Phil Freelon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Award, presented by the Raleigh Chamber and Triangle DEI Alliance.
Above all, Don is motivated by an intrinsic desire to give back and inspire dream chasers. He loves to help others grow, innovate and reach their full potential. He selectively serves on a few boards and invests in startups and companies focused on technology, marketing and e-commerce. His investments are not limited to money as he graciously makes himself available for coffee and helping others to pursue their goals more effectively.
Gonzalo Checa
Treasurer
Gonzalo Checa
Treasurer
“I want to make the world a better place and ensure my neighbors with disabilities have access to the support they need to live their best life.”
Gonzalo Checa is Vice President of Procurement & Category Management at Delaware North. He is an entrepreneurial expert, with a proven track-record in exceeding revenue, profit and cost savings targets for major Consumer Goods (CPG), food service and franchising organizations.
His experience includes P&L management both for products and services companies ranging from $30M to $500M. He has experience in private, public and private-equity backed companies.
Gonzalo’s core competencies include value-based leadership, developing strategies and driving flawless execution, business development and scaling-up organizations, customer and supplier management, collaborative and effective relationships with customers, suppliers and/or franchisees, managing P&Ls to deliver or exceed targets, leading transformational change, managing complex negotiations, building and leading highly engaged teams.
Gonzalo’s prior experience in North Carolina includes BNI Business Network International, Compass Group USA and The Steritech Group, Inc. He has also worked as Marketing Director for Kimberly-Clark in the Greater Atlanta area and as a Brand Manager for Procter & Gamble in Peru.
He is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and his education includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration Degree from Harvard Business School and the designation of Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) from the International Franchise Association.
His volunteer experience includes a Business Development and Marketing Committee Member and Board of Director Member for the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool Inc. He is also involved with the Autism Strong Foundation in Charlotte: https://www.autismstrong.org.
Recent news:
Hispanic Executive Magazine: Gonzalo Checa Knows How You Can Make a Difference
Sam Eberts
Immediate Past Chair
Sam Eberts
Immediate Past Chair
“The ESPH family is my brother, sister, children and friend. I believe in supporting, nurturing and helping everyone in my family grow without leaving anyone behind.”
Sam Eberts is an accomplished senior executive and board member with more than 25 years with Fortune 500 companies in health care, consumer and industrial services. He is the Immediate Past Board Chair of Easterseals PORT Health.
Sam chairs the Daerter Group, an advisory and venture firm in North Carolina and New York which he founded in 2013, working with start-ups in health care and IoT technology. He is also a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law teaching Law and Business Strategy. He recently retired as the Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary and Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings. At LabCorp, Sam led the Global Corporate Affairs group, with enterprise-wide responsibility for the global Legal, Compliance, Corporate Secretary, Shareholder Services, Public Policy/Government Relations, Communications, Community Affairs/Philanthropy, Privacy and Security functions.
Sam is an independent director and chair of the compensation committee of VB Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company focused on the healthcare sector and is an independent director and chairman of the board of Synergy VetPet, Inc., a consolidator of veterinary hospitals and practices in the United States. He also serves as a director of Duo Technologies, Inc., an innovative technology reducing greenhouse emissions and improving efficiency for transportation and energy generating systems.
Sam serves on the Board of Trustees for Endicott College in Beverly, Mass. He also serves on the advisory board for the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington, D.C., a non-partisan policy forum chartered by Congress. Sam is a member of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, one of the largest entrepreneurial networks in the United States and is an active mentor working with entrepreneurs providing practical, day-to-day professional advice and coaching.
Previously, Sam was a partner and served on the Investment Committee for MedCap Funds in Boston, Mass., an early-stage health care technology fund. He has served on the board of Alpha Marketing, a channel marketing firm, the Alamance Community College Foundation, and the World Policy Institute in New York, non-partisan think tank for global policy analysis. Sam has also served on the Health Care Policy Leadership Council at Harvard’s Kennedy School and the Corporate Governance Forum at Harvard Law School.
Sam is a frequent speaker on healthcare and leadership and has served as a lecturer at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Duke and Wake Forest University Schools of Law, Baylor University School of Medicine and the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He has also served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health, Division of Management, Policy and Community Health.
Mia D. Bailey
At Large Member
Mia D. Bailey
At Large Member
“I joined the Easterseals PORT Health Board because I may have the opportunity to help a family navigate their new normal like I’m learning to do with my adult son, who was recently disabled. I also joined to learn more about the disability community so I can help amplify the good and necessary work that ESPH is doing in this space.”
Mia D. Bailey joined the State Government Affairs team at Charter Communications in 2016 as a Director of State Government Affairs in North Carolina. In this position, Mia continues to build upon her 20+ years of experience in state and local government in both North Carolina and Virginia. A teacher at heart, Mia gets to know and educate elected officials about the cable telecommunications industry while gently redirecting them when needed.
A crusader for equity and inclusion, Mia pursues this passion personally and professionally by representing Charter Communications on the Board of Directors for; the Kramden Institute, the Urban League of Central Carolinas, the NC Cable Telecommunications Association, the NC Professional Lobbyist Association, the SE Raleigh Promise, the SE Raleigh YMCA and as the immediate past chair of the Downtown Housing Improvement Corporation (DHIC) in Raleigh.
A graduate of Shaw University and North Carolina State University, Mia lives in Raleigh with her family.
Elizabeth DeBiasi
At Large Member
Elizabeth DeBiasi
At Large Member
“Easterseals PORT Health allows me to be an advocate and a change agent for the 61 million adults and 3 million children in this country with disabilities including my son, Harley.”
Elizabeth DeBiasi is the owner of Elizabeth DeBiasi Consulting, LLC. She has over 20 years’ experience in the banking industry. Elizabeth’s vast experience includes building and implementing marketing processes, business measurements and technical capabilities in Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, Business Banking, Wealth Management, Treasury Management, Capital Markets and Investment Banking.
Prior to owning her own company, Elizabeth was Vice President of CLB Advisory and was National Manager in the financial advisory training group and Commercial Banking Client Manager at Bank of America. Elizabeth’s wide range of industry experience includes manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, general contracting, financial intermediaries and service industries. Elizabeth developed and lectured case studies at Babson College and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
Elizabeth earned her MBA from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, and holds BA degrees in both Spanish and Economics from the University of Virginia.
In 2007, Elizabeth joined the Board of Directors of Easterseals PORT Health. Elizabeth was also named to the National Board of Easterseals in 2014 and served through 2021.
Sheila Davies
At Large Member
Sheila Davies
At Large Member
“I am thrilled and honored to be a board member because of the tremendous impact this organization has on improving the lives of others. ‘To whom much is given much is required’ and I believe serving on the board is another way I’m able to personally support our communities.”
Dr. Sheila Davies is the Director of the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services in addition to being its Public Health Director, where she oversees public health operations and provides direction for social services and veterans services. Dr. Davies is also an Adjunct Faculty member with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and teaches Masters-level public health courses.
Prior to working for Dare County, she was Coordinator for the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC STeP), where she implemented telepsychiatry services in more than 50 hospital emergency departments across the state. Dr. Davies also led Dare County’s Substance Abuse Demonstration Project, which resulted in opening an outpatient substance abuse treatment clinic in Nags Head, NC and implementing evidence-based substance abuse prevention education in all Dare County Schools. In 2010, Dr. Davies was honored by the North Carolina Public Health Association with the Reynolds Medal of Achievement for her contributions to public health. In 2021, she was honored by the Dare County Board of Commissioners with the County Certificate of Achievement for her work and service to the community in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Davies was elected mayor of The Town of Kill Devil Hills in 2011 and served four consecutive terms. She serves and/or has served on numerous task forces, committees and boards including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Telemental Health Services expert panel, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Alzheimer’s Task Force and the Board of Directors for the Currituck Dare Community Foundation, PORT Health, Children and Youth Partnership, Community Care Clinic of Dare County, Healthy Carolinians of the Outer Banks Partnership and Easterseals PORT Health.
Dr. Davies received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology and Kinesiology from the College of William and Mary and her Master of Public Administration degree from Walden University. She received her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, specializing in health policy from Walden University.
Dr. Davies’ greatest treasures are her supportive husband and their two sons.
Wanda Hill
At Large Member
Wanda Hill
At Large Member
“I believe everyone deserves access to care, opportunity, and support to reach their full potential. Through Easterseals PORT Health, I’m able to align my experience and passion with a mission that creates real impact in the communities we serve.”
Wanda Hill, RPh, JD, is a former Vice President of U.S. Regulatory Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global biopharmaceutical company. With more than 25 years of experience across the pharmaceutical industry, including Merck and AstraZeneca, she has led regulatory strategies at the intersection of science, policy and commercialization. She helps organizations bring medicines and vaccines to patients with clarity and integrity amid complex external environments.
Driven by purpose, Wanda has earned a reputation as a trusted regulatory expert, people leader and strategic business partner to mission-driven organizations. Her leadership experience spans global R&D and commercial organizations, where she has built and scaled high-performing teams and regulatory affairs functions, guided enterprise-level initiatives, and helped organizations navigate complexity and regulatory uncertainty while maintaining a strong focus on patient impact.
Wanda’s rural upbringing and background in pharmacy and law, with a focus on healthcare law and policy, have shaped her mission driven, advocacy focus. She is deeply committed to mentoring, inclusive leadership, and investing in organizations and companies with a mission-driven focus in healthcare and innovative solutions to improve health outcomes and advance equitable care. She actively channels her expertise and experience to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders. She is a founder of a groundbreaking postgraduate industry fellowship program in regulatory affairs and policy, developed in partnership with GSK and her alma mater, Howard University College of Pharmacy. The program has been scaled nationally and serves as a model for strengthening talent pipelines and advancing leadership across the biopharma industry.
In addition to her professional leadership roles, Wanda is a nationally recognized advocate for community impact. She also serves on the National Board of Easterseals (2nd Vice Chair and Chair of the Affiliate Relations Committee) and is a member of the Board of Visitors for Howard University College of Pharmacy. Through her public speaking, mentoring, and board service, she continues to advance mission-driven leadership and meaningful societal impact.
Michael O’Donnell
At Large Member
Michael O’Donnell
At Large Member
“ESPH inspires me as a powerful enabling force, in my neighborhood and local community, that enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities.”
Michael O’Donnell is a Founder, Managing Director and General Partner at Hawthorne Capital Partners. Michael is responsible for Executive Committee leadership, firm operations, deal sourcing, investment analysis and management. He has more than 35 years of executive management roles throughout global industrial, transportation and technology businesses.
Michael has extensive experience across multiple companies and industries in guiding organizations through various stages of growth and business transformation. In the course of these activities, he has raised more than $5 billion in support of growth programs, acquisitions, initial public offerings and business restructurings.
Prior to joining Hawthorne, Michael served as director and member of the Advisory Board for Lookout Capital, strategic adviser and Chief Financial Officer at WasteZero Inc., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Electromotive Inc. in Chicago Illinois and Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Directors at Xerium Technologies Inc. in Boston Massachusetts.
Michael earned his BSBA from Franklin University and MBA from Ashland University.
Jonathan Shapiro
At Large Member
Jonathan Shapiro
At Large Member
“I believe LESCO and Easterseals PORT Health’s shared experience in employing individuals with disabilities can be a shining example of how businesses can unlock amazing hidden talent waiting to be shared with the world.”
Jonathan Shapiro is the CEO of LESCO Manufacturing, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a social impact entrepreneur, business leader and mentor. After graduating high school without plans for college and clear direction at the time, his dad put him to work at LESCO, the family’s electrical manufacturing company. He cleaned the warehouse, packed boxes and rearranged stalls before being promoted to the assembly line. The true lesson under his dad’s guidance was an understanding and appreciation of what it feels like to be an employee. This lesson transformed Jonathan into an incredible leader who possesses authenticity and empathy.
LESCO’s transformational business model is successful because of its unique, inclusive and purposeful commitment to maintaining a workforce where up to 70% are people with disabilities. LESCO’s assembly process is designed using manual technologies that are fast, efficient and avoids assembly errors. In addition to being profitable, LESCO’s business model successfully enables the traditionally unemployed to gain meaningful employment and opportunities for advancement.
Jonathan received his diploma in Accounting and Marketing from Boston College. He is the CEO of the South African Israel Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a proud participant in the Ben-Gurion Leadership Initiative, a prestigious opportunity for forward-looking visionaries who not only possess vision but also possess sound plans for bringing them into reality.
Jonathan enjoys swimming, boxing, traveling and drone photography.
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