MORRISVILLE (January 21, 2020) – The North Carolina Institute of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of seven new members to our Board of Directors by state government officials. The new board members are Lori Byrd of the North Carolina Community College System; Reuben Blackwell, CEO of Opportunities Industrialization Center; Carrie Rosario of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Adam Sholar, president and CEO of the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association; Costa Andreou of CaroMont Health; Lyndsay Jensen, PA of Mitchell County; and Perrin Jones of Greenville.
The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina’s population. As part of that charter, state government executives regularly appoint members to the Board of Directors, which meets on a quarterly basis to govern the health policy work of the NCIOM.
“We welcome these North Carolina leaders in health and medicine to serve on the board of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine,” said Adam Zolotor, MD, DrPH, president and CEO of the NCIOM. “We will be stronger for having their leadership and experience.”
Dr. Lori Byrd has more than 30 years of experience as a registered nurse, working in both urban and rural communities. She is also a nursing educator and a clinical supervisor in a rural health system. She serves as the Associate Director of Health Sciences for the North Carolina Community College System.
Reuben Blackwell is the pastor at Cornerstone Community Christian Church in Roxboro and the CEO of OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Center), which offers education, job placement, training, and leadership services to more than 25,000 people annually in Edgecombe and Nash counties. He is the vice-chair of the North Carolina Community Health Center Association and served as co-chair of the NCIOM Task Force on Accountable Care Communities.
Carrie Rosario is an associate professor in the public health department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where her research is focused on addressing tobacco-related health disparities among communities of color and low-income communities. Her work investigates tobacco use among young adults, and she is currently studying the relationship between health literacy and use of alternative tobacco products, among other issues.
Adam Sholar a legal and policy expert, serves as the president and CEO of the nonprofit North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association. He was previously legislative counsel and director of government affairs for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. He has worked closely with state public health officials and lawmakers on health policy issues.
Costa Andreou is an interventional and nuclear cardiologist and the executive vice president of CaroMont Medical Group in Gastonia. He has been in practice for more than 20 years, and previously served on the Board of Directors of Mid Carolina Cardiology. Prior to his role as EVP at CaroMont Health, he served as its Accountable Care Organization medical director.
Lyndsay Jensen is a physician assistant at the Mountain Community Health Partnership in Bakersville. She received her BS from Appalachian State University and her MMS from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. She lives in Spruce Pine and is an active volunteer in her community.
Perrin Jones practices at East Carolina Anesthesia Associates in Greenville. He received his medical degree from Wake Forest University and previously served as president of the North Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists. In September 2019 he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives to fill the 9th district seat vacated by Rep. Greg Murphy, who won a special election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
For more information, visit www.nciom.org.
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The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina’s population. For more information, visit www.nciom.org.