In a significant move to boost healthcare accessibility in rural regions, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has unveiled the NC Rural Health Transformation Program’s Advisory Committee. This newly formed committee, comprising over 40 members, aims to enhance healthcare services in one of the country’s largest rural populations.
North Carolina, home to more than 3 million rural residents, holds the title for the second-largest rural population in the United States. To tackle the persistent issues surrounding healthcare access and delivery in these areas, the North Carolina’s Rural Health Transformation Program has been established. This initiative, backed by an impressive $213 million in federal funding from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, seeks to improve the healthcare framework across the state.
“Our state plan for the Rural Health Transformation Program emerged from extensive engagement with the communities it will serve, and this committee will continue the mission to keep our efforts person-centered,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “Members will provide real-world insight on access challenges, implementation barriers, and sustainability opportunities, helping ensure the program addresses real world challenges and provides meaningful impact.”
The committee is an amalgamation of voices from various sectors including healthcare providers, community organizations, and elected officials, all working towards a common goal: transforming rural healthcare in North Carolina. With Dev Sangvai serving as the Committee Chair and Debra Farrington as the Co-Chair, the Advisory Committee brings together a diverse group of experts.
Committee Members
- Dev Sangvai, NC Health and Human Services Secretary (Committee Chair)
- Debra Farrington, NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Health (Committee Co-Chair)
- LaPonda Edmondson, President, North Carolina Healthcare Foundation
- Lacy C. Hobgood, President-Elect, North Carolina Medical Society Foundation
- Tina C. Gordon, CEO, North Carolina Nurses Association
- Jennifer Greene, Health Director, Appalachian District Health Department
- Chris Shank, President/CEO, North Carolina Community Health Center Association
- Lilly Parker, Chair, State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee
- Mary Jones, Director of Client Care and Engagement, El Futuro NC
- Zack Green, Director, High Country Area Agency on Aging
- Casey Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority
- Celeste Hunt, Program Director, Lumbee Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation
- Greg Bryant, Chair, North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs
- Jason Baisden, Senior Program Officer, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
- Chris Estes, Chief Program Officer, North Carolina Rural Center
- Mike Hawkins, Community Member Representative
- Chilton Rogers, Community Member Representative
- Vivianette Ortiz, CASE Bilingual Supervisory Advocate, Disability Rights North Carolina
- Kim Evans, Community Member Representative
- Cherry Beasley, Community Member Representative
- Mozine Lowe, Executive Director, Center for Energy Education
- Peter Daniel, Executive Director, North Carolina Association of Health Plans
- Dave Richard, Senior Vice President, McGuireWoods Consulting
- Melinda Munden, SHIIP Director and Deputy Commissioner, North Carolina Department of Insurance
- Lotta Crabtree, Chief Administrative Officer of the State Health Plan, Office of the State Treasurer
- Andrew Gardner, Associate Vice President of Workforce Strategies, North Carolina Community College System
- Geoff Coltrane, Senior Director of Government Affairs and Strategy, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- Wallace Nelson, President, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners
- Vincent Ginski, Senior Director of Workforce Competitiveness, North Carolina Chamber
- Leah Catotti, Policy Director, North Carolina Department of Administration
- Alex Sepez, Regional Manager, North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
- Reginald Speight, Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development, North Carolina Department of Commerce
- Annette Taylor, Senior Adviser to the Secretary for Community Partnerships, North Carolina Department of Information Technology
- Jordan Rogers, Vice President of Strategy and Growth, NC Telehealth Network Association
- Leslie Cofie, Assistant Professor, Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University
- Suzanne Wertman, Certified Nurse-Midwife, North Carolina Affiliate of American College of Nurse-Midwives
- Ryan Estes, Chief Operating Officer, Coastal Horizons Center
- Amy Galey, NC State Senator, R-District 25
- Kandie Smith, NC State Senator, D-District 5
- Donna White, NC State Representative, R-District 26
- Eric Ager, NC State Representative, D-District 114
- Leighton Roper, Shareholder, Maynard Nexsen
- Michelle Laws, CEO and Chief Consultant, Symbiotic Strategies
- Philip Cooper, Founder and Chief Change Agent, Operation Gateway
The NCRHTP Advisory Committee is scheduled to convene for its first meeting on August 5, 2026, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This meeting is accessible to the public and will be held both physically at the NCDHHS Headquarters in Raleigh and online via the NCDHHS YouTube page.
For further details, visit the North Carolina Rural Health Transformation Program website.
Stevens Amendment Disclosure: This news release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $213,008,356.47 with 100% funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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