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Lorna Barnett, President
Lorna Barnett recently retired as Director of Community Health Link in Jackson County, NC where she worked for 8 years. She worked in the public health field for the 6 years prior to that. Lorna has a BS in Foreign Language Education from the University of Central Florida and an MPH in Leadership from UNC Chapel Hill. Lorna continues to contribute to rural health issues through service on several community and state boards and by serving as a reviewer for federal rural health grants. Ms. Barnett volunteers for several nonprofit organizations assisting with grants and program development. Lorna Barnett is originally from Montreal, Canada and has two grown daughters. Retirement opens many new adventures in North Carolina and all around the world.
Mary Bobbitt-Cooke, Member
Mary Bobbitt-Cooke has been the Executive Director of Healthy Carolinians, Inc. for the past five years and has recently retired from the position of Director of Office of Healthy Carolinians/Health Education, Division of Public Health, NC Dept. Health & Human Services. She has an MPH from the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina. Mary expanded the public health statewide community health assessment system to be integrated with state 2010 health objectives. For the past 12 years, she has provided leadership for Healthy Carolinians (public-private partnerships dedicated to community health improvement) expanding it to 84 counties across North Carolina. She also received the 2003 Leadership Award from CDC/ASTDHPPHE, for leadership resulting in a demonstrable coalescence of state, local and national constituencies to the goal of expanding Health Promotion/Health Education activities in the State of North Carolina and the nation. Mary is the Secretary on the Board of Directors for Healthy Carolinians, Inc., Ex Officio Member of the Governor's Task Force for Healthy Carolinians, a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Center for Health Promotion/Disease Prevention at UNC Chapel Hill. Mary currently resides in Hillsborough, NC.
Byron Grimmett, Treasurer
Byron Grimmett has been the Director of Physicians Reach Out, an initiative of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, since 2005. He received his undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and his Masters in Medical Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi. Byron currently serves as president of the North Carolina Medical Group Managers and is a board member of the newly formed Care+Share initiative whose purpose is to promote and support community based healthcare networks for the uninsured. He has been politically active since 1999, and has helped lead efforts resulting in several managed care related bills being passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. Byron is originally from Birmingham, AL and has now lived in Charlotte, NC for the last 16 years.
Carolyn Scruggs, Secretary
Carolyn J. Scruggs has been the Executive Director of Mecklenburg County Medical Society for the past 21 years. She has received a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Certified Association Executive degrees. Carolyn initiated Physicians Reach Out, MedAssist of Mecklenburg and the Community Intern Program in Mecklenburg County. She was born in Camp Lejeune, NC and currently lives in Matthews, NC. She is a member of the boards off Mecklenburg County Medical Society, MCMS Foundation, Bioethics Resource Group, and the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment. She also recently completed a term as co-chair of the Health Council of the United Way of Central Carolina.
Mary Anne Squire, Vice President
Mary Anne Squire has been the Executive Director of HealthCare Access since its beginning in 2003. She holds an MSSW from the University of Tennessee and has completed 50 hours toward an MBA. Mary Anne served as the first female chairperson of Lutheran Services for the Aging, Inc. (a non-profit organization that owns five nursing homes, two retirement communities and several community based programs). Mary Anne is a board member for Community Care Center of Forsyth County and the Infant Mortality Reduction Coalition of Forsyth County. She serves as a member of the Community Investment Cabinet of United Way of Forsyth County. She has been asked to serve on the newly formed Care+Share NC Advisory Board. She was also awarded board of trustee of the year by the North Carolina Non Profit Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Mary Anne is originally from Tennessee and now lives in Winston-Salem, NC.