NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 16, 2004
CONTACT:
Janice Freedman
(919) 828-1819
North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation Announces
Additions to the Board of Directors
Five North Carolina Leaders Tapped
to Help Guide Foundation's Efforts
August 16, 2004 – (Raleigh, NC) The North Carolina
Healthy Start Foundation announces the appointment
of five statewide healthcare leaders to its board of
directors. Additions include: Robert
F. Burgin, President & CEO of Mission Hospitals; Fred
B. Davenport, President of PPD, Inc; Eva
M. Gómez, RN, MSN, Hispanic Patient Educator
at Brenner Children's Hospital; Eleanor
Greene, M.D. OB/GYN and President of The Old
North State Medical Society; and Kathy
Higgins, Senior Director of Community Relations
at Blue Cross and Blue Shield North Carolina and Vice
President/Vice Chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield
North Carolina Foundation.
The new board members will play a significant role
in advancing the policies and programs of the Foundation,
which conducts statewide, bilingual public education
campaigns to reduce infant death and illness and to
improve the health of young children.
"We are delighted to be able to draw on the talents
and experience of this diverse group of individuals,” said
Janice Freedman, Foundation executive director. “Each
is dedicated to the advancement of health care in our
state, and their unwavering commitment to excellence
will be especially valuable in improving the health
and well-being of children and women of childbearing
years."
The North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation, nationally
recognized for its successful infant mortality reduction
programs, coordinates six of the state's most highly
regarded public education campaigns in North Carolina.
The foundation was established in 1990 shortly after
North Carolina reported the nation's highest infant
mortality rate. Since then, the rate has decreased
by 35% to a historic state low.
In addition to the new directors, the Foundation has
also announced that four directors will assume emeritus
status, after an unprecedented 14 years of service.
This includes: Charles A. Sanders, M.D., retired Chairman & CEO,
Glaxo, Inc.; Stuart Bondurant, M.D., Dean Emeritus
of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine; W. Travis
Porter, Attorney, Maupin Taylor, PA; and Howard Fitts,
Ed.D, retired educator, N.C. Central University.
“The Foundation owes a great deal to the dedication
of these four individuals, and has been extremely fortunate
to have had their leadership for nearly 15 years,” said
Freedman. “They have been integral to the success
of our organization and we are grateful for their continued
involvement.”
Sanders, Bondurant and Porter are relinquishing duties
as board Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary/Treasurer,
respectively. Thomas J. Bacon, Dr.Ph.D, Director, N.C.
Area Health Education Center will assume chairmanship,
with Julius Mallette, M.D., Dean of Academic Affairs,
East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine,
serving as the board's new Vice Chair. The Honorable
Robert Hunter, N.C. Court of Appeals begins his tenure
as Treasurer, with Leslie Bevacqua Coman, Capstrat,
filling the position of Secretary.
