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View our most recent edition of Rural Focus.
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Darlene joined SCORH in November 2018 and currently serves as a Practice Transformation Consultant with the Center for Practice Transformation. Darlene has in-depth knowledge of the provision of patient care, quality improvement processes, risk management, strategic planning, accreditation and regulatory standards. In her previous roles as a Chief Operating Officer and Chief Quality Officer, Darlene directed a quality improvement program include planning, assessing, monitoring and coordination of all activities as well as monitored and evaluated risk management occurrences involving inpatients, outpatients, and visitors.
Darlene has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina and a Master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix. She serves on the Advisory Board for ECPI University and is a member of the South Carolina Association for Healthcare Quality and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Jessica joined SCORH in May 2018. In this role, Jessica supports efforts to attract and retain physicians, advanced practice providers, and other essential providers to rural and medically underserved communities. Further, she leverages relationships with rural healthcare employers to maximize promotion of those communities, and connects students and clinicians to state and national programs and resources to support long term rural retention. She also works with state and national partners to address the primary care workforce shortage through promising practices and collaboratives.
Jessica is from Columbia, South Carolina and received B.A. in Social Work from Columbia College and her Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education and Behavior from the University of South Carolina. Jessica has spent the last 18 years working in the healthcare field in various capacities including marketing, management and community education. Most recently she worked as Project Coordinator for the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network at the University of South Carolina.
Paola Gutíerrez joined the SC Office of Rural Health in April, 2018 as the Rural Health Action Plan Lead Strategist.
Prior to joining SCORH, she was the Multicultural Program Developer for Clemson Extension Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program. Paola returns to the Columbia area for this statewide position as she also served as the PASOs Director of Programs and Training at the Arnold School of Public Health. For the last 12 years, Paola has worked in programs in the Carolinas to alleviate a variety of social determinants of health and improving outcomes for limited English proficiency populations. Paola received her Bachelor’s degree in French Literature and German Studies from the University of South Carolina and her Masters in Healthcare Administration from American Intercontinental University. She is a native of Greenville, South Carolina with a background from Medellín, Colombia. As an invested member of the community she serves on local and state boards such as 4-H, Hispanic Alliance Health Team Chair, Clemson’s President’s Commission on Latino Affairs, and Mental Health Champions-Greenville. She looks forward to meeting an assortment of statewide entities which tie into our state’s Rural Health Action Plan.
Andrea Heyward joined the South Carolina Office of Rural Health in February 2018, and currently serves as a Practice Transformation Consultant for the Center for Practice Transformation (C4PT). Prior to SCORH, she served as a Project Coordinator for the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy where she was primarily responsible for managing the Community Support for Young Parents program. She has over a decade of experience working in the non-profit sector. As an experienced program manager, technical assistance provider and trainer she has worked with various youth-serving organizations to implement evidence-based programs focused on improving the health outcomes of adolescents and young adults. Andrea received a Master of Health Science in Health Education and Health Communication from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina. She is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. Andrea hails from “Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea”. She grew up on Coosaw Island, South Carolina and is proud to represent the beautiful people of the Gullah Geechie Nation. Growing up herself in a rural community she has a passion for working to improve the overall health and economic outcomes of rural communities across the state.
Andrea Gibson joined the South Carolina Office of Rural Health in February 2018. In this role, she serves as program manager and will be providing support for the activities of the Center for Practice Transformation (C4PT) and all clinic focused services. She will also work closely with grant awarding agencies and organizations. Andrea is from Columbia, SC and received her B.S in Biology from Claflin University. She received her Master of Public Health degree along with a Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication from the University of South Carolina in 2016. She has worked many federally funded grants to implement health promotion programs in rural South Carolina and has an extensive background in conducting research in community health and cancer health disparities for the University of South Carolina.
Yvonne E. Miller is a Perinatal Social Worker with Family Solutions of the Low Country. Yvonne has worked at Family Solutions for over eight years and says that “Having the opportunity to watch the program participants improve their lifestyle behaviors and build on their self-esteem and self-worth to become productive members of their community is a great win for Family Solutions.”
Yvonne believes in empowering and strengthening the family through education, cultivating positive lifestyle behaviors, and increasing financial stability.
Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Charleston Southern University; a Social Work degree from Limestone College; and a Master of Health Care Management degree from Troy University.
Windy L. Holliday currently serves as a Senior Perinatal Manager for Family Solutions of the Low Country. Windy has worked in the Maternal Child Health field and has also been employed at Family Solutions for ten years. Windy works to establish and maintain partnerships which benefit the program participants and their families in the Family Solutions service area. Monthly, Windy leads the program’s “Tomorrow Scholars” Leadership Initiative, helping young women to empower themselves and be productive in their community.
Prior to joining Family Solutions, Windy was employed for fifteen years at Dorn Veterans’ Medical Center. During Windy’s tenure at the Veterans’ Medical Center, she received several awards, including Employee of the Month, Exceptional Customer Service Award, and Special Service Award. Windy previously has been a part of the March of Dimes and Palmetto Healthy Start Heroes in the Field, SC Breastfeeding Coalition, Moving up Management Training Program, Narcotic Inspection Committee, and March of Dimes African Americans Steering Committee.
Windy received a Bachelor of Environmental Health and Science degree from Benedict College and a Master in Health Services Management degree from Webster University.
She is the proud wife of Mr. Marvin G. Holliday.
Virginia Berry White serves as the Director of Family Solutions of the Low Country for SCORH. Virginia manages and leads all strategies and objectives related to Family Solutions of the Low Country, including the federally funded Healthy Start grant. She has been with SCORH since 1998.
Prior to joining SCORH, Virginia served as a Maternal Child Health Coordinator for the Resource Mothers Program with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. She managed a team of indigenous community workers and provided psychosocial assessments to pregnant teens. During this time, she received the District Social Worker of the Year Award.
Virginia received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from South Carolina State University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina. She is also licensed by the state of South Carolina to practice social work.
Virginia is married and has three children and three grandchildren.
Tracy Golden serves as Senior Client Navigator Manager and a Certified Childbirth Educator for Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she supervises the client navigators. Additionally, she is responsible for coordinating and implementing activities for FSLC to assure goals, objectives and strategies of the program are met. Tracy’s responsibility as a Certified Childbirth Educator is to plan, implement and teach childbirth classes to the participants in all five counties served by Family Solutions.
Prior to joining Family Solutions, Tracy was an Information Systems Engineer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. Tracy is a member of the SC Breastfeeding Coalition, Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association, SC Community Health Workers Association, and the SC Perinatal Association. Tracy also serves as Bamberg County First Steps Board Chairman.
Tracy received her Bachelor of Science degree from Voorhees College. She is married to Edward Golden.
Tiyonia Fields serves as a Perinatal Social Worker for Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she provides education and support to prenatal and postpartum women within Orangeburg County to help decrease infant mortality among African American women. She brings great organization skills to the team as well a strong ability to multitask.
Tiyonia obtained a Bachelor of Social Work degree from South Carolina State University in 2014. She is currently enrolled at the University of South Carolina expecting to obtain her Master of Social Work degree. She believes social work is a rewarding career because it affords the opportunity to help individuals and families cope and solve problems they are facing.
Selena Perry serves as a Client Navigator for Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she provides education and support through home visiting to individuals and families in rural areas. She assists these families with improving their health, health status, and socio-economic status. She works with Perinatal Women and their families, health providers and community.
Prior to joining Family Solutions of the Low Country, Selena was an Early Steps to School Success Home Visitor for an organization called Save the Children. As an ESSS Home Visitor, she promoted literacy in the home by reading and doing activities with parents for children’s development. She also did community outreach.
Selena is an United States Army Veteran (5 years active; 3 years inactive). She is married and the proud mother of 3.
Sara H. Myers has served as a Client Navigator for Family Solutions of the Low Country for 11 years. In this role, she provides home visiting services to pregnant women and their families living in the rural counties of Allendale and Hampton.
Sara has made a difference in the lives of many young ladies by helping them find employment, further their education, and secure child care for their children. She believes that it is important for women to seek and receive the care they need in order to have a healthy life.
Sara received a CNA certification and has a passion for helping others live their best quality of life.
Romaine Stephens began her work with Family Solutions of the Low Country in 2010. Over the years, Romaine’s compassion for women and children has led her to be very successful in reaching those that are sometimes difficult to reach. In April 2011, she received certification as a Lactation Consultant. This certification has allowed her to provide education to increase mothers’ knowledge and skills. Additionally, it has provided her with the opportunity to help them develop positive attitudes toward breastfeeding by reducing stigma surrounding this practice. By understanding the importance of breastfeeding, Romaine goes beyond the call of duty to offer support to breastfeeding mothers.
Romaine is also a Reproductive Health Specialist for Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she educates about and connects women and men to reproductive and contraceptive care at partnering health care locations.
Romaine received her Master of Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Arts degrees from South Carolina State University.
Ramona Cox serves as the Nurse Manager for the Nurse-Family Partnership Program at Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she provides direct supervision to the nursing staff ensuring compliance to the fidelity of the Nurse-Family Partnership Program. She also provides support and guidance to the Nursing staff through one-on-one weekly meetings as well as via bi-monthly staff meetings and case conferences.
Ramona has been an Registered Nurse for 28 years and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Nursing. Ramona has worked in Labor and Delivery, High-Risk Obstetrics for 13 years and 11 years on a Mother-Baby unit. She has also served as a Lactation Consultant. Ramona has been with Nurse-Family Partnership since June of 2015 as a Nurse Home Visitor until April of 2017 when she became the Nurse Supervisor.
Penny Cherry has been employed with Family Solutions of the Low Country for 12 years and currently works as a Perinatal Social Worker in the counties of Allendale and Hampton. She enjoys working with and changing the lives of the women she serves. She is also a Reproductive Health Specialist at Family Solutions, helping to navigate women through the process of obtaining contraception.
She is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree at Walden University.
Penny enjoys spending time with her family. She is married and has a 15-year-old daughter, Yinasia.
Otiti Uwagbai-Wright provides administrative services for Family Solutions of The Low Country. A native of Georgetown, South Carolina, she has learned the fundamentals of life through trial and error. After working several years as a certified nursing assistant, Otiti decided to enroll (with encouragement from her parents) at Denmark Technical College. After graduating with an Associate Degree in Science, she continued to further her education by matriculating at South Carolina State University. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
Otiti’s mantra is to assist her community by helping individuals reach their maximum potential.
Sabina (Lizzie) Hannibal is a Home Visitor for Family Solutions of the Low Country under the Nurse-Family Partnership program. In this role, she is responsible for visiting mothers and babies in their homes to provide them with program support. Additionally, she provides information regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenting to clients in order to facilitate informed choices and promote self-efficacy.
Prior to joining Family Solutions of the Low Country, Sabina was employed as a Certified Diabetes Educator at The Regional Medical Center. In this position, she served as the Coordinator of an American Diabetes Association certified diabetes self-management program. She provided individual and group education to hospitalized clients and community members with diabetes. She also worked in the Healthy Living Center where she counseled clients about weight loss and diabetes.
Latasha King joined Family Solutions of the Low Country as a Client Navigator in November 2015. In this role , she provides case management and follow up services to prenatal and postpartum women. Latasha is a former client of FSLC and therefore has used the knowledge gained to teach women the steps to having a healthy pregnancy outcome.
Latasha has worked in the medical field for 5 years. Prior to joining FSLC, she was employed with The Medical University of South Carolina as a Patient Care Technician. In this position, she received the honor of Patient Care Technician of the Year.
Latasha received her Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Health Care Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Latasha has a daughter named Taylor.
Lamikka Purvis, a licensed Social Worker, is the Director of Social Work for Family Solutions of the Low Country. She received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina in 2003 and has worked since that time with vulnerable populations to improve the quality of and access to health. She has facilitated grief/loss support groups, conducted community focus groups and educational sessions, provided individual and family counseling, and has served as a pregnancy prevention advocate in the school district.
Prior to joining FSLC, Lamikka worked in one of South Carolina’s major hospital systems providing case management for adult patients in the Heart Hospital. Additionally, she worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit helping families of premature, low birth weight, and/or critically ill babies to cope with unexpected, and sometimes devastating, birth outcomes.
Lamikka believes that each person encountered should be treated as if that person was oneself.
Ladovia Washington serves as the MSW Perinatal Social Worker at Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she provides intensive counseling, coordination, and management of complex cases. In addition to her social work role, she is also a Community Outreach Liaison and Certified Family Planning Worker.
Ladovia brings a wealth of social work experience to Family Solutions of the Low Country. As a former participant of the LCHS program, she is well versed in the program and what it has to offer. Ladovia has a background in working with adolescent, prison, and adult populations.
Ladovia received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina and her Bachelor of Social Work from South Carolina State University. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of the Rockies pursuing her Doctorate degree in Philosophy and Human Services.
Estella J. Cohen has been with Family Solutions of the Low Country (FSLC) for 19 years and currently serves as Senior Perinatal Manager. In this role, she assists the Director with implementing activities in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton and Orangeburg Counties.
Estella started her work at FSLC as a Perinatal Home Visitor. Throughout her time with FSLC, she has provided education and support to program participants to encourage healthy lifestyles, worked with mothers so that they can understand the importance of having a healthy baby, and empowered women to become better mothers and leaders in their communities.
Prior to joining FSLC, Estella worked at Fairfax Elementary School for 16 years. Estella completed High School at Fairfax Training School in Allendale County. She also received a degree in Business Administration from Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC and USC-Salkehatchie.
Estella is married with two children and 5 grandchildren.
Christina joined Family Solutions of the Low Country in October 2016 as a Client Navigator. In this role, her responsibilities are to give education on prenatal and postpartum care during and after pregnancy. She also provides education on parenting skills and child development and keeps clients up to date with community resources and activities.
Christina has one daughter.
Carla Geter serves as a Client Navigator for Family Solutions of the Low Country in Bamberg County and portions of Orangeburg County. In this role, she is responsible for educating women and families during the perinatal phase as well as encouraging healthy interaction with and development of babies.
Carla is passionate about the young people she serves, and goes above and beyond to ensure that they receive the appropriate resources needed to be productive citizens.
Carla earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Voorhees College. She has one son, Eric Washington.
Brittany Fogle serves as a Perinatal Social Worker for Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she aims to reduce infant mortality by providing counseling services, education and support to pregnant women and infants. Brittany also serves as co-facilitator of Grief Support with a focus on becoming certified.
Brittany is a native of Orangeburg, S.C. and a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she received her Master of Social Work degree. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctorate of Social Work degree through Capella University.
Brittany chose to go into the field of social work because she is devoted to helping others.
In her spare time, she enjoys planning events and making creative gifts for her business “Uniquely Different”.
Barbara Busby serves as a Registered Nurse Home Visitor for Nurse Family Partnership, a program of Family Solutions of the Low Country. In this role, she provides nursing education and support to first-time mothers and their families.
Barbara brings a variety of nursing experience to Family Solutions of the Low Country. Prior to joining Family Solutions, she worked as a Nurse Consultant for the Department of Health and Human Services with the Community Long Term Care program. As a Nurse Consultant, she connected numerous families with services and support to improve their quality of life.
Barbara received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South Carolina State University. She also has a wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters.
ZirMed provides cloud-based financial and clinical performance management solutions including claims and AR management, charge integrity, patient access and engagement, population risk management, and cost utilization. ZirMed offers a full range of solutions for every kind of healthcare organization including large hospitals and health systems, practice-level healthcare and medical services such as home health providers.
Unique Solutions Associates (USA), Inc. is a creative platform that enables key decision makers in healthcare and other industries to connect with USA’s panel of SolutionsProviders, or consultants. USA provides a number of healthcare-specific solutions to practices that help them achieve amazing results. Some of their services include medical supply cost reduction, telecommunications, LED lighting, and patient communication and bill consolidation.
Southern Hospitalists is located just north of Atlanta, GA and has been in the consulting business since 2006. They are committed to providing the highest level of personal attention and clear communication to their clients and patients. Hospitalists can make substantial improvement for patients by increasing physician availability, coordinating care for patients with multiple health issues, managing inpatient and outpatient resources for the best outcomes, and Continuing Medical Education focused on inpatient services.
HSA is a practice management consulting firm promoting access to care with clients across the United States. HSA began in the 1980s specifically for the purpose of promoting access to health care through delivering consulting services to communities, hospitals, and practices in rural and underserved communities. Their firm consists of professionals who have over forty years of individual experience in direct care delivery and management for rural practices. They work closely with the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), Rural Assistance Center (RAC), and various State Offices of Rural Health in order to stay up to date on all changes and regulations. Some of their consulting services include cost reporting, human resources management, rural health clinic certification, medical billing services, and financial management.
First Choice Cooperative (FCC) is a member-owned group purchasing organization providing a process in which all healthcare providers can reduce costs across the continuum of care. FCC seeks to reduce supply costs, while maintaining the highest level of quality for its providers. Any healthcare practice is able to join the Cooperative. The Cooperative has regular meetings where each member has the opportunity to identify products and services for which they can seek a proposal. The Cooperative votes on which vendor will provide their products and services at a discounted rate.
The mission of Azalea Health is to improve patient care by providing the highest level of innovative technologies, solutions, and services to the healthcare community. They provide cloud-based healthcare management and medical billing solution connecting the clinical and financial sides of a practice and integrate easily with existing systems. Their EHR is Meaningful Use certified and their billing service, Azalea RCM, boasts a 98% accuracy rate, reducing the amount of denied claims and protecting the fiscal health of your practice. Azalea products have the flexibility to accommodate multiple specialties of any size practice, from a single physician to entire hospital system. Azalea provides pre-certification services, support and implementation services, and billing services to its clients throughout the southeast.
Tiffany Simpson-Crumpley serves as a consultant and Quality Improvement Coach for the Patient-Centered Medical Home Program at the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. Previously, Tiffany served as the Director of Network Activities where she provided technical assistance to the 5 rural health networks to sustain systems of care for their uninsured residents.
Prior to joining the SC Office of Rural Health, Tiffany served as Assistant Director of the Mecklenburg County System of Care, an initiative that supports multi-disciplinary collaboration to support families and youth struggling with mental health conditions.
Tiffany holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Health Science and African American Studies. She received a Master in Health Services Administration from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Stacey Day Halford serves as the Director of Education for SCORH. In this role, Stacey leads and coordinates the Office’s education and training efforts for rural providers and communities.
She formerly served as the Director of Provider Recruitment for SCORH, where she supported efforts to attract and retain physicians and mid-level providers to rural and medically underserved communities. Prior to joining SCORH, Stacey served as a Social Worker/Case Manager with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. Stacey Day Halford received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Columbia College and a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina. She is also a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).
Shannon Chambers serves as the Director of Provider Solutions for SCORH. In this role, Shannon assists private physician offices who desire to convert to Rural Health Clinic (RHC) status and also provides technical assistance to RHCs in compliance activities. She also provides technical assistance in billing and coding, EHR implementation, and practice management for all RHCs.
Prior to joining SCORH, Shannon worked in multiple physician practices. She has experience in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Orthopedics, Urology, Pediatrics, and many other specialties.
Shannon is a Certified Professional Coder with the American Academy of Professional Coders, having maintained her certification for over 10 years. Shannon is also an AHIMA approved ICD 10 CM/PCS Trainer, a Certified Revenue Cycle Associate, and a Notary Public.
Sarah M. Craig serves as the Director of Health System Innovation for the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. In this role, she provides targeted support to rural hospitals, emergency medical service (EMS) systems, and primary care providers in South Carolina. She is responsible for engaging the state’s 5 critical access hospitals in quality improvement activities/initiatives. In addition to these duties, Sarah is involved in the South Carolina Office of Rural Health’s Center for Practice Transformation (C4PT) team. The C4PT team is dedicated to providing technical assistance around practice improvement and practice transformation for Rural Health Clinics and other Primary Care Practices in the palmetto state.
Prior to this position, Sarah held a graduate assistantship at the SC Office of Rural Health. Her residency project revolved around the Abbeville Community Paramedic Pilot Program in Abbeville, South Carolina. During her residency, Sarah developed the first draft of the South Carolina Community Paramedic Blueprint.
Sarah received a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina.
Michele Stanek serves as the Director of Practice Transformation for the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. In this role, Michele provides support to rural health clinics and other rural practices in practice improvement and medical home development. She is responsible for coordinating the activities of the Center for Practice Transformation. Michele also works with providers and staff to support practices as they build their capacity for practice transformation.
In addition to working with SCORH, Michele has a faculty appointment in the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. In this role, she manages the I3 Practice Improvement Collaborative and directs the Department’s quality improvement program.
Prior to her current roles, Michele served in several health policy and governmental relations roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She was responsible for developing and directing advocacy efforts on state and federal health policy and financing issues for the medical school and health system.
Michele received a Master of Health Sciences in health policy and management and a Certificate in Healthcare Finance from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts from Dickinson College.
Marsha Marze serves as a Consultant for SCORH focused on our Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Programs. She retired from full-time work with SCORH in December 2011.
Prior to joining SCORH, Marsha served as the supervisor of Primary Care – Physician Services with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from 1972 to 2003. In this role, Marsha managed the Medicaid Primary Care Program for Primary Care physicians, supervised seven primary care program managers and established the program policies and billing procedures for the South Carolina Medicaid Rural Health Clinic Program.
In 2002, Marsha received the President’s Award from the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians.
Lindsey Kilgo joined SCORH in July 2017 as the Director of Network Development. Lindsey’s professional passions include community engagement as well as addressing systemic barriers to quality health care with an emphasis on uninsured/underinsured populations. In her role at SCORH, she provides integrated health care service support through the development of relationships with individuals, organizations, and the community.
She received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Social Work, from Western Carolina University. Lindsey is also an adjunct professor with the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina.
Lindsey is married and has a daughter.
Lindsay Williams serves as a Practice Transformation Consultant for the Center for Practice Transformation (CPT). In this role, she is responsible for helping rural health clinics push towards Patient Centered Medical Home recognition. Previously, she served the SC Office of Rural Health as a billing specialist for 4 years.
Lindsay received an Associate Degree in Health Information Management and a Certificate in Medical Record Coding from Midlands Technical College. She has been certified through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) as a Registered Health Information Management Technician (RHIT) and Certified Coding Associate (CCA).
LaShandal Pettaway-Brown serves as a Practice Transformation Consultant for SCORH. In this role, she provides practice facilitation support to clinics that participate in activities of the Center for Practice Transformation. She also coordinates assistance to rural providers in support of oral health integration.
Prior to joining SCORH, LaShandal served as a Quality Improvement Coordinator at The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence where she focused on The Million Hearts Initiative, the Physician Quality Reporting System, Meaningful Use and Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition.
LaShandal received Master in Business Administration and Master in Healthcare Administration degrees from Webster University. She earned a Bachelor of Science with specialization in Healthcare Administration from Austin Peay State University.
LaRonda Johnson joined the SC Office of Rural Health as the QPP Consultant in September 2017. In this role, she assists physician offices and offers technical assistance for the new Medical Quality Payment Program.
She has twenty years of combined experience in the arenas of education, training, quality assurance, leadership development, and child advocacy.
She holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from South Carolina State University, in the fields of Education and Counseling.
LaRonda’s community involvement includes providing training and workshops to organizations on a myriad of topics ranging from servant leadership to coaching. She is also a Certified Adoptions Investigator, ensuring children are protected and placed in safe homes.
Doug Williams Joined the South Carolina Office of Rural Health as a QPP Consultant in August 2017. In this role, he assists physician offices and offers technical assistance for the new Medical Quality Payment Program.
Prior to joining SCORH, Doug has worked in multiple physician practices. He has experience with Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Retina Surgery, Gastroenterology, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, as well as Federally Qualified Health Center billing. He has managed billing for 2 physician central billing offices with over 80 clinicians.
Doug has been a Certified Professional Coder with the American Academy of Professional Coders for over 10 years.
Darlene Lynch joined SCORH as the Director of Community Health Transformation in July 2017. In this role, Darlene provides technical assistance and supports local partner coordination for the Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas program funded by The Duke Endowment. She also provides leadership in the office for other rural population health based efforts, including a focus on health equity and health disparities.
Prior to joining SCORH, Darlene worked for the American Heart Association as their Senior Manager of Volunteer Management. In this position Darlene managed 59 volunteer executive committees and subcommittees and an estimated 1,500 volunteers across the Eastern United States to influence the quality and growth of the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Training Network. She also worked with government officials to develop chain of survival programs and initiatives that increased training and improved survivor outcomes.
Darlene has three children and four grandchildren.
Andrew Chandler serves as a Program Manager for the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. In this role, he provides technical assistance to rural communities across the state who are participating in the Blueprint for Health program. The Blueprint for Health program helps to build capacity at the community level by addressing the social determinants of health and creating a long-term vision of the community’s health.
Andrew brings strong program management experience to the South Carolina Office of Rural Health’s staff. Prior to joining SCORH, Andrew was a Research Associate for the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health. As a Research Associate, Andrew helped to implement, coordinate, and promote local efforts to improve healthy eating and active living in South Carolina as he supported the work of the SCale Down Initiative.
Andrew received his Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of South Carolina.
Vicki Ott serves as a Financial Analyst for SCORH. In this role, Vicki manages the Office’s accounts payable, accounts receivable and account reconciliation. She also serves as the Grants Management Specialist for several grants.
Prior to joining SCORH in 2004, Vicki worked as the Financial Assistant for the Windermere Golf Club and was also a Financial Analyst at the Policy Management Systems Corporation. While serving as the Financial Analyst for thirteen years, Vicki received the 2000 Employee of the Year and the 1998 Employee of the Quarter awards.
Vicki received an Associate Degree in Business Management from Midlands Technical College.
Vicki is married.
Debbie Benton serves as an Administrative Assistant for SCORH. In this role, she facilitates internal and external communication, organizes the office calendar, and assists staff members with their daily activities and projects.
Prior to joining SCORH, Debbie worked in several different professions where she was a liaison between the public and staff, booked meetings, arranged appointments and much more.
Debbie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration from the University of South Carolina.
Debbie has two sons.
Chrissy Hutchinson joined the South Carolina Office of Rural Health as the Communications & Marketing Manager in April 2017. In this role, she is responsible for all of SCORH’s communications efforts. These include promotion of the office’s annual events, content creation in both digital and print forms, maintaining and expanding social and web communications, and streamlining company branding strategies.
Chrissy graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2015 with a degree in Visual Communications. She has extensive experience in photography and videography, and also created media content on a freelance basis for various companies prior to joining SCORH.
Caroline Tevepaugh serves as the Executive Assistant for the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. In this role, she works directly with the management team and assists them with their daily administrative needs. She also assists staff members with their daily activities and projects. Previously, Caroline served as the receptionist for the SC Office of Rural Health.
Prior to joining the SC Office of Rural Health in 2010, Caroline worked with elementary and preschool children. She received a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Presbyterian College. She has also taken classes at Midlands Technical College in Administrative Technology.
Caroline is married and has a son and a daughter.
Virginia Berry White serves as the Program Director for Low Country Healthy Start. Since 1998, Virginia has been responsible for the management and leadership of all strategies and objectives related to the federally funded Healthy Start grant. Under Virginia’s leadership, the Low Country Healthy Start received the Outstanding Community Health Project Award from the SC Rural Health Association.
Virginia Berry White has served on boards for the SC Perinatal Regional Association, the SC Perinatal Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the Orangeburg Health Improvement Council, and the March of Dimes Program Service Committee.
Prior to joining the SC Office of Rural Health, Virginia served as a Maternal Child Health Coordinator for the Resource Mothers Program with the Department of Health and Environmental Control. She managed a team of indigenous community workers and provided psychosocial assessments to pregnant teens. During this time, she received the District Social Worker of the Year Award.
Virginia Berry White received a Bachelor of Social Work from South Carolina State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina. She is also licensed by the state of South Carolina to practice social work.
Virginia is married and has three children and three grandchildren.
Stephanie Gibbs serves as the Director of Finance and Human Resources for SCORH. In this role, Stephanie oversees all payroll, human resources, accounts payable and accounts receivable activites of SCORH. She also serves as benefit coordinator for the Office and is the financial manager for our grants.
Prior to joining SCORH in 2007, Stephanie worked at the Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina as their Office Manager. In this position, Stephanie oversaw payroll, human resources, and accounting functions. In addition, Stephanie worked in conjunction with the Membership Director in planning and orchestrating three annual meetings.
Stephanie earned an Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Midlands Technical College.
Stephanie is married and has a son.
Melinda A. Merrell serves as Senior Program Director for SCORH. In this role, she provides oversight and guidance for all programmatic activities of the office. In addition, Melinda works with rural communities and rural providers and staff to ascertain needs and facilitate solutions at the local and state level
Prior to joining SCORH in 2010, Melinda was the Director of the Northeastern Rural Health Network located in rural Chesterfield, Dillon, and Marlboro Counties, South Carolina.
Melinda is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Health Services Policy and Management from the University of South Carolina. She received Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Mark Griffin serves as the Chief Operating Officer for SCORH. In this role, he assists in the development and administration of all of SCORH’s federal and state grant programs, contractual agreements, income generating services, and other services, including the Rural Health Revolving Loan Fund program. He acts as the information technologies and facilities manager for SCORH also.
Prior to joining SCORH, Mark served in the United States Navy for twenty years, retiring in 1997. During this time, Mark served as the Tugmaster and Division Officer for the port services unit assigned to Submarine Squadron 14, in La Maddalena, Italy and as Division Officer for various ships and boat units throughout his naval career.
Mark Griffin received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Carolina.
Dr. Graham Adams serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Office of Rural
Health, a statewide non-profit organization striving to improve access to care, quality of life and
health outcomes in rural and under-served communities.
Since joining the SC Office of Rural Health in 1995 and his appointment as CEO in 2002, Dr. Adams
continues to provide technical assistance regarding strategic planning, grant development, funding
opportunities, infrastructure development and resource allocation. He holds adjunct faculty
positions at several universities, as well as serving on the board of trustees for numerous national
and statewide organizations. Dr. Adams has had the opportunity to provide congressional testimony
on several occasions in addition to receiving Secretarial appointments to national advisory
committees for both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Veterans Health
Administration. Dr. Adams received a doctorate in health administration and masters of public health
degree from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from
Frostburg State University in Maryland.