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(Silver Spring, Maryland) – Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring, Maryland is pleased to announce the appointment of Theresa Brown and William LaFond to its Board of Directors as well as the election of Hercules Pinkney as chair, Sister Ruth Marie Nickerson, C.S.C., as vice chair, Lynne D. Diggs, M.D., as secretary, and Paul Kaplun, Esq., as treasurer.
"Theresa Brown and Bill LaFond are well acquainted with Holy Cross Health, having served previously as board members of Holy Cross Health Foundation, and we look forward to their continued service on the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors," said Kevin J. Sexton, president and CEO of Holy Cross Health. "I have also had the pleasure of working with Dr. Pinkney during his tenure as Provost and President of Montgomery College, and more recently, as a member of the Holy Cross Health board. I am appreciative of and delighted by his willingness to serve as the board chair during this important time in the history of Holy Cross."
In addition, Holy Cross Health announces the appointment of Edward Bersoff as chair of Holy Cross Health Foundation. With reference to the new position for Bersoff, Sexton added, "I also thank Dr. Bersoff for his service as past chair of Holy Cross Health and look forward to his service as chair of Holy Cross Health Foundation."
New Directors
Theresa Brown
Ms. Brown is the owner of ENCORE Properties, LLC, a commercial real estate investment company. Ms. Brown is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of ENCORE Management Corporation, a diverse multi-management consulting firm established in 1987. Ms. Brown is an active leader of the Montgomery County business community, and is recognized as a compassionate leader that has earned her and ENCORE local, state, and national credibility awards and commendations in recent years. Ms. Brown served on the Holy Cross Health Foundation Board of Directors from 2011-2013. She joined the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2015 and serves on the Mission and Population Health Committee.
William LaFond
Mr. LaFond leads Wilmington Trust's offices in Washington D.C., the Greater Washington Region, and the state of Virginia, which includes all client service and business development functions for investment management, trust and estates, and private banking services in the region. Mr. LaFond is a member of the firm’s Wealth Advisory Leadership Team and also oversees Wilmington Trust’s Advisory Solutions Group. He has two decades of experience advising individual and institutional clients on wealth management issues such as investment management, estate and trust planning, risk management, business succession, and retirement planning. Mr. LaFond holds a JD from Seton Hall University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Scranton. Mr. LaFond joined the Holy Cross Health Foundation Board of Directors in 2014 and the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2015. He serves on the Finance Committee and the Corporate Compliance and Organizational Integrity Committee.
Officers
Chair - Hercules Pinkney
Dr. Hercules Pinkney is President Emeritus of Montgomery College, having previously served as Vice President and Provost of the Germantown Campus. The College named its Germantown Campus business park the “Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park” in his honor. He is currently Executive Leadership Advisor to Elaunchers.com, a locally grown and nationally prominent data science and marketing automation company. Dr. Pinkney was named Leadership Montgomery’s “Leader of the Year” in 2010 and served on its Board of Directors. Dr. Pinkney was appointed in 2007 by Governor Martin O’Malley as a member of the 15-member Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board. He was appointed to two consecutive two-year terms. He was named 2003 Educator of the Year by the African American Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Pinkney earned his BS degree in Biology from Claflin College, and his Master’s degree in Education from South Carolina State College. He also holds a Doctor of Education degree (EdD) in Educational Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA. Dr. Pinkney joined the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2012 and was elected chair in 2015. He also serves as chair of the Executive and Governance Committee and serves on all current committees of the Board. He previously served on the Task Force on Opening Germantown Hospital and the Corporate Compliance and Organizational Integrity Committee.
Vice Chair - Sister Ruth Marie Nickerson, C.S.C.
Sister Ruth Marie Nickerson, C.S.C. was the Area Coordinator of North America for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana from 2010-2014. She served on the Congregation’s Leadership Team and First Councilor from September 2004-2009. Prior to that, she was President and CEO of Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, California (1984-2004) and President and CEO of Holy Cross Hospital, Mission Hills, California (1976-1984). She currently serves on several other boards and has received several awards and recognitions. Sister Ruth received a B.S. in Nursing from Seattle University in 1968 and an M.S. in Health Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado in 1974. She joined the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2012 and is vice chair. She also serves as chair of the Corporate Compliance and Organizational Integrity Committee. She previously served on the Quality and Patient Safety Committee and Finance Committee.
Secretary - Lynne D. Diggs, M.D.
Dr. Diggs is a board-certified internist in private practice in Kensington, Maryland. She was named as one of the Washingtonian Magazine, “Top Doctors” in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. She is a member of Med-Chi of Maryland. Dr. Diggs currently serves as vice president of the Montgomery County Medical Society and previously served as secretary (2012-2014). Dr. Diggs received a B.A. in 1981 from the University of Pennsylvania and her M.D. in 1985 from the University of Maryland. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at Washington Hospital Center in 1989. She served as chair, Department of Medicine at Holy Cross Hospital and served on the Medical Executive Committee (2009-2011) and on the Credentials Committee (2008-2014). Dr. Diggs joined the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2012 and serves as secretary. She also serves on the Executive and Governance Committee and the Mission and Population Health Committee.
Treasurer - Paul T. Kaplun, Esq.
Mr. Kaplun is a partner in the corporate, securities, and business transaction practice of the Venable LLP law firm, in its Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining Venable, Mr. Kaplun was the managing partner at the law firm of Tucker Flyer, which merged with Venable in January 2000. His practice consists of advising and representing clients, including high wealth individuals and their families, in mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, recapitalizations, restructurings, succession planning transactions and management buyouts, equity and debt financings, entity formation and governance, business disputes, and day-to-day corporate and business matters and transactions. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Kaplun practiced as a certified public accountant. He received his B.S.B.A. in accounting, magna cum laude, in 1978 and his J.D. in 1984, both from Georgetown University. Mr. Kaplun joined the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors in 2009 and served as vice chair from 2012-2014. He also served as chair of the Corporate Compliance and Integrity Committee and on the Executive and Governance Committee, and currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee. Mr. Kaplun has served on the Holy Cross Health Foundation since 2006, as vice chair in 2008 and chair from 2009-2011.
Holy Cross Health Foundation Chair
Edward Bersoff, Ph.D.
Dr. Bersoff is the Chairman of Greenwich Associates, LLC, a Bethesda-based business consulting firm serving technology businesses in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Dr. Bersoff has a long history of involvement in business, community and professional activities with his primary outside interests in education and health care. Dr. Bersoff holds A.B., M.S., and PH.D. degrees in mathematics from New York University and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program. He is an adjunct Professor at George Mason University’s School of Management and serves on the Board of Marymount University.