BOARD & ADVISORS

Jeannie Houchins

Jeannie Houchins is a distinguished marketing communications leader with a prolific career spanning health, wellness, nutrition, and consumer packaged goods. She created and led the inaugural Starbucks Global Coffee Week, showcasing her skill in executive thought leadership, and managed brand and issues communication for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. With senior roles at top global PR firms, Jeannie has built brands for Fortune 500 companies like Walgreens Boots Alliance and Colgate-Palmolive, generating over $5MM in new business. She leverages consumer insights to drive innovation and revenue.

A Registered Dietitian, Jeannie has contributed to public health programs at the CDC and worked with the Institute of Food Technologists on food science education. She holds a master’s degree in communication from Tufts University and Emerson College and a bachelor’s in nutrition from the University of Minnesota. Jeannie has served as the Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Scientific Chair for IFT’s Annual Meeting and as a judge for the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ cookbook competition. She volunteers for Table for Two, an international nonprofit addressing obesity and hunger. Her certifications include Bean to Bar Chocolate, Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and Creative Fragrance Development from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Jeannie is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Nutrition and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Rachael Watson | Co-chair, GGF IDEA Committee | Founder, Blue Clae

Rachael Watson is Senior Vice President at Burson Cohn and Wolfe where she advises companies, from startups to global brands, on social impact initiatives. Prior to this, she co-founded and served as CEO of Every Child Fed, an international non-profit that takes an entrepreneurial approach to establishing sustainable solutions to severe malnutrition through local manufacturing of food-based treatments in Africa. She also held the position of Community Affairs Executive with Inova Health System, where she spearheaded numerous health and wellness initiatives in partnership with local organizations. Rachael has taught social entrepreneurship at Shenandoah University and has lived and worked in 10 countries in Africa and Latin America.

Knox Singleton | GGF Co-founder; Chair, GGF Investment Committee | CEO (retired), Inova Health System

Knox Singleton is the former CEO of Inova Health System, a $3.5 Billion not-for-profit healthcare system that he led for over 35 years, comprised of hospitals, nursing homes, emergency- and urgent-care centers, assisted-living communities, an HMO, a home health agency, and community health and wellness clinics. He is currently an Executive in Residence in Healthcare Management at Shenandoah University’s. Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. In addition, he is an active investor in health technology ventures and serves as a board member and advisor to a number of health and non-health related startups and public companies, while serving as a mentor to many young social enterprise leaders in the US and internationally.

Kim Lewis | Co-chair, GGF IDEA Committee | President and CEO, Goodwill Industries of East Texas

Kimberly B. Lewis is the President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of East Texas and founder of Motivational Muse, LLC, a consulting and executive coaching business. Kimberly is a founding member and past Chair of the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Diversity & Inclusion Committee and winner of the GII 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award. She is a 2018-19 Global Good Diana Davis Spencer Fellow and serves as co-Chair of GGF’s DEI Committee. She is an honorary member of the Della Leaders Club, serves on the Board of Directors for Workability International. Kimberly has authored three books: The Fourth Generation, A Seat at the Table Or Part of the Meal, Creating a Culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Biases, a guide for uncovering areas of unconscious bias.

Fred Thompson, Jr | Chief Administrative Officer, Thompson Hospitality

As CAO at Thompson Hospitality, Fred Thompson is responsible for monitoring and maintaining corporate overhead costs and services, including vendor contracts, subcontracts, commissions and procurement contract negotiations. Fred is also responsible for client relations in the contract food service sector of Thompson Hospitality. Fred Thompson has nearly 20 years experience in purchasing and procurement, having served as small and minority business opportunities coordinator for the city of Newport News, Virginia. He earned a BA in Classical Studies from Hampden-Sydney College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Virginia.

Kristen Chou | Chair, GGF Development Committee | President and CEO, Ning Solutions

Kristen Chou is the President and CEO of Ning Solutions, Inc., a nationwide contracting firm focused on strategy & data analytics, healthcare staffing, and human capital consulting for both the Federal government and commercial clients. She has an extensive consulting background, advising a wide array of clients on strategic transformation, operations improvement, healthcare solutions and advanced analytics projects – in sum total, helping organizations meet their mission more effectively and efficiently. Kristen is passionate about providing opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serves on the board of ArtStream Organization. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Peter Page | Chair, GGF Board of Directors | Co-founder and President, SageWater

Peter M. Page, Jr. is co-founder and President of SageWater, the nation’s leading contractor for replacing aged and defective interior piping systems in occupied multi-family and commercial buildings. He started SageWater immediately after graduating from The University of Virginia with a degree in International Relations and has successfully navigated numerous evolutionary stages of growing a business: from a small start-up to a local contractor to a national service provider, including spinning off and founding other business including SageWater Renew, a water treatment system that extends the life of aging plumbing systems. He is very active UVA alumnus having served on the National Committee on University Resources, The President’s Advisory Group, The Department of Politics Alumni Advisory Board, and most recently as the Treasurer for the UVA College Foundation Board.

Patty Obermaier | Vice President for US Health & Life Sciences, Microsoft

Patty Obermaier serves as Microsoft’s Vice President for the US Health & Life Sciences Organization. This $3 billion business covers the entire Health and Life Sciences ecosystem, extending across partnerships that drive innovation in this sector. In this capacity, Patty is accountable for helping customers digitally transform, achieve more and improve care for their customers. She leads a diverse team focused on delivering customer success with a dedicated set of industry, sales and architect professionals. With a strong track record for accelerating business results and building high performance teams, Patty is passionate about driving innovation in the health industry so every person on this planet can achieve more.

Jeremiah S. Buckley | GGF Secretary | Partner, Orrick

At Orrick LLP, Jeremiah assists clients with counsel on business formations and acquisitions, risk management, and enforcement matters involving federal and state regulators. He also currently serves as an adjunct associate professor of law at the Washington College of Law at American University. He was named a member of the “2005 BTI Client Service All-Star’s” team for law firms, and was selected for inclusion in both Best Lawyers (2013-2014) and Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2008-2014). In Chambers 2014, he is ranked as a Senior Statesman in Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance).

Dan Kotter | Assurance Partner, EY

Dan leads EY’s life science practice in Greater Washington and has worked with high growth companies his entire career. Dan is an assurance partner with over 20 years of experience working with private and public companies, including successful initial public offerings, multiple secondary offerings, acquisitions, spin-offs and divestitures. Dan is a steering committee member for the local chapter of the Association of Bioscience Financial Officers and is a board member of The Global Good Fund and Boy Scouts of America National Capital Area Council. Dan’s passion for supporting entrepreneurship is evidenced through his current role as a Co-Director of the Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of The YearTM program in Greater Washington.

Carrie Rich | CEO + Co-founder, The Global Good Fund | Managing Partner, Global Impact Fund

Carrie Rich is the co-founder and CEO of The Global Good Fund. Built by and for social entrepreneurs, The Global Good Fund was created in 2012 based on the belief that growing leaders is the best strategy for solving complex social problems and achieving global good. Carrie tested the theory behind The Global Good Fund while working as Senior Director of Vision Translation at Inova Health System and teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University. There she co-authored, Sustainability for Healthcare Management: A Leadership Imperative, a Handelsblatt’s Top 5 Business Book. Carrie has been recognized as a 2018 Enterprising Women of the Year Awardee.

C.E. Andrews | Ex-officio | Board member, Marriott Vacations Worldwide

C.E. Andrews served as MorganFranklin’s Chief Executive Officer for 4 years, leading the firm to significant growth, expansion into new markets, and a transition to a 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) structure. Prior to joining MorganFranklin, Andrews served as President and Chief Operating Officer of RSM McGladrey, Inc. where he built the firm’s brand, talent, and share in the middle market and continued its profitable growth while under the ownership of H&R Block, Inc. Andrews has served in various positions at SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae), including President, CEO, Chief Financial Officer, and Executive Vice President, among others. Andrews started his career at Arthur Andersen where he spent 28 years in roles of increasing responsibility including leadership positions in the Greater Washington region and globally.

Hooks Johnston

Hooks Johnston was a co-founder and a general partner at Valhalla Partners. Over his 25 years as an operating executive, venture investor, and board member, Mr. Johnston served as a CEO of a venture-backed company, the President of a public software company, managed four venture capital funds totaling $650 million, and served on 17 corporate boards of directors. Mr. Johnston was on the board of SEPATON, Inc. and Five Talents International. Additionally, he served on the Virginia Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority and the Inova Healthcare Services Board.

Mr. Johnston passed away on September 4, 2017.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus | Chairman, Yunus Centre

Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Yunus founded the Grameen Bank and pioneered the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.

Sheila Crump Johnson | CEO, Salamander Hotels and Resorts

Sheila Crump Johnson is an American businesswoman, co-founder of BET, CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, and the first African-American woman to attain a net worth of at least one billion dollars.

Todd Stottlemyer | CEO and Board member, Acentra Health

Todd Stottlemyer is the CEO of CNSI, a Rockville, Maryland-based health IT solutions firm and the former CEO of the Inova Center for Personalized Health (ICPH). At Inova Stottlemyer was responsible for developing and growing all activities on the 117-acre ICPH campus, which includes the Inova Schar Cancer Institute and the Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI).

Cynthia Egan | Public Company Director and Funds Director/Trustee

Cynthia Egan is a company director who has held senior operating positions with both Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price. She has also been an NPO chief executive, industry leader and spokesperson.

John Maxwell | Author, Coach, and Speaker

John Maxwell, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 25 million books, was identified as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Associationand the world’s most influential leadership expert by Business Insider and Inc. Magazine in 2014.

Loretta Penn | President and Founder, Penn Executive Consulting and Coaching

Loretta Penn is the president and founder of PECC, an executive coaching and consulting company. She is the former President of Spherion Staffing Services, a two billion dollar staffing and recruiting company, holding this role from 2008 to 2011 when the company was sold to Randstad. Loretta holds a BS from North Texas University and a Certificate of Studies from Harvard University. Penn formerly served as Executive Chair of the Board for YUPRO (a division of YearUp), and on the board of TECO Energy. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The North Highland Company, ZRG Partners, The Global Good Fund and Virginia Ready.

Brian Hays | Principal, MPV Development

Senior executive with a long track record of founding, managing and growing companies. He has particular specialization with reorganizing troubled companies. Former captain in U.S. Marine Corps.

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons | President, Shenandoah University

Tracy Fitzsimmons is the 16th President of Shenandoah University. She is the institution’s first female president since its founding in 1875 and one of the youngest university presidents in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Larry Warren | Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Trinity Health Corporation

Larry Warren was the interim President and CEO of Trinity Health Corporation. With more than 30 years of hospital and human resource management experience, he previously served as CEO at Howard University Hospital and the University of Michigan Hospital.

Dr. Nava Ashraf | Associate Professor, Harvard Business School

Associate Professor in the Negotiations, Organizations, and Markets Unit at Harvard Business School. Her research has focused on technology adoption, intra-household decision making, and employee motivation.

Shaza Andersen | CEO, Trustar Bank

Ms. Andersen is the CEO and founder of the WashingtonFirst Bank. She is on the Board of Trustees for Youth for Tomorrow and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners Leadership Circle. She founded the WashingtonFirst Youth Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to enriching the physical, social, and mental well-being of children.

Wood Parker | Member, Board of Directors, Engility Corporation

Wood Parker is the former CEO of TASC. He is a former White House Fellow and also has written extensively about change management, leadership, and transformation initiatives to achieve improved business results.

Barrie Zucal | Author and Founder, Global Coaches Network

Barrie Zucal is the founder of Global Coaches Network, a global executive coaching organization with 300 coaches in 75 countries coaching in 47 languages. Since the sale of GCN, Barrie Co-Founded Broad Views, a conscious business and global community supporting women leaders. She is a passionate coach and mentor to women entrepreneurs and senior organizational leaders.

Dr. Gary Filerman | President, Atlas Health Foundation

Gary L. Filerman, PhD, is a nationally-recognized authority on management systems and competency development for health systems. He is president of the Atlas Health Foundation located in the Washington, DC region.

Caren Merrick | Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Commonwealth of Virginia

Corporate executive, entrepreneur, and politician who co-founded webMethods, the most successful software IPO to date. Founding partner at Bibury Partners, an early stage investment and advisory fund.

Marc Andersen | Senior Partner/Principal, EY

Marc Andersen is a highly regarded influencer and connector of people in the greater Washington community. Having key relationships and longtime experience serving both the public and private sector allows Marc to easily navigate the complex dimensions of DC and globala communities. Marc currently serves as Senior Global Client Service Partner for EY, advising global technology, public sector, consumer products, banking and capital market clients. He previously served the firm in strategy, public policy, and markets leadership roles to include creating EY’s US Federal Consulting Business. Prior to joining EY, Marc was a partner at Arthur Andersen LLP and a business leader in the high-tech and services industries. Serving his community has been a cornerstone of Marc’s life and work, and he focuses his investments in organizations and people supporting youth, education and entrepreneurship. Washington Football Legens recognized Marc with their annual Community MVP Award for his extraordinary philanthropic endeavors and established a scholarship in Marc’s name for minority higher education assistance. Marc also makes significant investments supporting military and veteran professional development and private sector career transition. Capitol File Magazine recognized Marc as a DC Community Builder and selected Marc for “The List” of prominent business and community leaders in the Washington, DC region.

Archana Vemulapalli | Head of Solutions Architecture for Americas, Amazon Web Services

Archana Vemulapalli was nominated to serve as the District’s Chief Technology Officer by the Mayor as of January 12, 2016. Prior to this role, Ms. Vemulapalli was Chief Technology Officer for Pristine Environments where she helped business leaders use technology as an enabler.