The Board and Staff at Rx Partnership - free medicine for Virginia's Uninsured

Andrew Wilson, Pharm.D., FASHP, Chair
Andy Wilson is a founding member of the Rx Partnership Board. He is a pharmacist with 25 years of experience as a pharmacy director in academic health centers and integrated health systems. He is a Senior Manager in the Health Sciences Advisory Services Practice of Ernst & Young and leads the National Hospital Pharmacy Advisory Services Practice. He joined E&Y after working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD where he served as the Chief Pharmacy Officer. Mr. Wilson has managed a broad range of pharmacy programs in integrated healthcare delivery systems, including an acute care hospital, a network of retail, home infusion, specialty pharmacy and mail-order pharmacy services as Director of Pharmacy Services at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, and served as Associate Dean at the VCU School of Pharmacy. He has worked extensively with pharmacy safety net programs, including the development of large scale patient assistance programs and has extensive 340B Pharmacy experience, including service as a member and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Public Hospital Pharmacy Coalition (PHPC) and as a Chair of the DSH Advisory Board of the 340B Prime Vendor Program (PVP). Mr. Wilson has published numerous articles and lectured nationally on pharmacy practice, management and leadership.

Beth A. Bortz, Immediate Past Chair
As Executive Director of the Medical Society of Virginia Foundation (MSVF) for the past six years, Beth Bortz has been influential in increasing access to quality health care for all Virginians. Her dynamic leadership has helped to spearhead a number of innovative programs and initiatives including: Rx Partnership, the Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Campaign, TO GOAL Chronic Disease Improvement Program, the Claude Moore Physician Leadership Institute and DOC Rx Relief Medication Access Program, which have made a real difference in the health of the Virginia’s uninsured and underserved. Her commitment to forming partnerships to create these innovative health care solutions has proven highly effective, and in 2006 she was recognized for her accomplishments with the Stettinius Award for Nonprofit Leadership. She is a graduate of the 2007 LEAD Virginia Program, which connects diverse leaders to promote a statewide perspective about the quality of life in the Commonwealth. Ms. Bortz graduated from the College of William and Mary where she received a Master of Public Policy and a BA in Economics and Government.

Deborah D. Oswalt, Vice-Chair
Deborah Oswalt is the founding Director of the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), where she has dedicated her efforts to making primary health care more available to uninsured and medically underserved Virginians since 1992. Under Ms. Oswalt’s leadership, the VHCF has funded 238 projects providing health services to over 500,000 medically underserved and uninsured Virginians. Prior to her position at the Foundation, she served as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources in the Cabinets of Governors Baliles and Wilder and worked for seven years closely with state agencies that regulate, deliver and monitor health services, including the Departments of Health, Health Professions, Medical Assistance Services (Medicaid), and Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; as well as the Health Services Cost Review Council. Her Richmond work began at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, where she worked as a staff attorney for four years. She graduated from Rutgers University School of Law in 1979 and has worked on issues related to health and human resources ever since.

Gina Pitrone, Vice-Chair
As the first Executive Director for the Sentara Health Foundation, Gina Pitrone has made a profound and lasting impact on the health of the medically underserved in the community. She helped to establish an endowment that has grown to $15 million and currently funds a number of community recognition grants and critical health care initiatives. Prior to Sentara she was the Executive Director of the Bon Secours DePaul Health Foundation, where she established the Sister Agatha Community Endowment to provide health care to the poor. She served as Chairman of the Virginia Department of Health steering committee for the Cardiovascular Health Coalition, Healthy Pathways from 2000 to 2005 and has a mayoral appointment to the Mayor's Commission to End Homelessness in Norfolk, Virginia. She received a Governor appointment to the State Planning Grant Steering Committee and has been a Board Member and community action group member for a number of organizations in the community.

Katharine M. Webb, Treasurer
Katharine Webb is senior vice president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) where she has over 25 years of experience developing and advocating health care policy issues for the Commonwealth. As a veteran lobbyist for the Association, she has advocated on critical issues such as children’s health insurance, and is committed to improving the quality of health for all Virginians. She also serves as executive vice president of the Virginia Hospital Research and Education Foundation (VHREF) that helps further the education of health professionals. Prior to joining VHHA, she worked at the Virginia Department of Health as a policy analyst. She was director of social work at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital and was on the faculty at the University of Virginia Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics in Charlottesville. She has served on the Board and as Chairman of Senior Connections (the Capital Area Agency on Aging) and on the Board and as Chairman of the Virginia Public Access Project (a campaign finance disclosure project). She holds an A.B. in American Studies from Sweet Briar College and a Masters in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Board of Pharmacy Representative, Ex Officio
Rx Partnership’s ex officio representative from the Virginia Board of Pharmacy is an important link between the organization and a state regulatory office. The Board of Pharmacy sets standards for pharmacy operations and creates laws and regulations to protect public health, safety and welfare in pharmaceutical matters. It is also responsible for creating guidance documents, educating both consumers and pharmaceutical providers on a variety of topics including recommended medication usage, over the counter medications, drug assistance programs, and health insurance. The insight and experience provided to RxP by a member of the Board of Pharmacy is integral as the organization navigates the patient assistance program world and shares best practices and recommendations with its 20 Affiliate free clinics and community health centers. www.dhp.virginia.gov/pharmacy

Joy Bechtold
Joy Bechtold has been managing community relations programs for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia since 2006. Prior to that, she had eight years experience in government relations and strategic communications, primarily representing health care clients before the Virginia General Assembly. She is committed to the goal of increasing quality medical care to vulnerable citizens, and believes that Rx Partnership is a vehicle that helps achieve this, weaving manufacturer’s PAP programs into Virginia’s health care safety net for the uninsured. She is also involved in the community as Associate Board Vice President of the Richmond SPCA and a member of the Board of Directors for Connor’s Heroes Foundation. She received her B.A. in Political Science/Journalism from Randolph-Macon College.

Peter F. Gallagher
Peter F. Gallagher is senior vice president/chief financial officer for the Bon Secours Richmond Health System. He is responsible for financial management of the local health system, as well as financial planning,control and approval of all managed care arrangements. In addition, he is a member and CFO of the Steering Committee of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. Prior to joining Bon Secours, he was senior vice president of the Facility Consulting Group at W.R. Adams Company,a healthcare facilities consulting firm specializing in planning, program management and facility development. He is very active in the community and has been a member of a number of organizations including: the Healthcare Financial Management Association National Board of Examiners, and the Virginia Hospital Association Council on Finance. He is a Board Member for the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, among others. Peter received his BS from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and his MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

R. Neal Graham
Since 2001, Neal Graham has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Community Healthcare Association where he has been dedicated to assuring that all Virginians, regardless of geographic location or income, have access to appropriate and affordable primary health care. Prior to this position he worked for nine years for the Virginia Department of Health as the Director of Tobacco Use Control Programs. In August of 1999 he was assigned as Executive Staff-On-Contract to the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation. Prior to his tenure at VDH, Mr. Graham held Executive Director positions with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, the Maryland Special Olympics and the Drug Education Service. He has been an essential leader in the community, where he has served on numerous national, regional and state boards and committees related to health care. Mr. Graham graduated from Virginia Tech where he received a MS in Community Health Administration and BS in Health Education.

Delegate S. Chris Jones
Delegate Jones, a pharmacist by profession, has represented the 76th district portions of the cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk in the Virginia General Assembly for ten years. Del. Jones began his career as a City of Suffolk Councilman, quickly rising to become the city’s youngest mayor from 1992 to 1996. He received his pharmacy degree from the Medical College of Virginia, where he is now a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy & Pharmaceuticals and also demonstrates his dedication to continuing education as a Preceptor for the School of Pharmacy Externship Program. His hard work and commitment to the community has been recognized through numerous awards including the J. Paul Councill, Jr. Community Service Award 2005, VCU-MCV Alumni Association Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award 2002, and Virginia Society of Health System Pharmacist, Legislator of the Year 1999. He is a member of the American Pharmacists Association, Virginia Pharmacists Association, International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists and National Community Pharmacist Association.

L.M. “Lou” Markwith
L.M. “Lou” Markwith is the Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics (VAFC) where he works to improve access to necessary health care for those who need it the most: the working poor. Mr. Markwith has extensive experience with nonprofit organizations including the National Kidney Foundation of the Virginia’s, Inc., and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Mr. Markwith has over twenty-five year’s involvement with institutions of higher education including the University of Wisconsin Foundation, Longwood University, Gallaudet University, and the University of Richmond. Responsibilities in these positions included: fund raising, alumni relations, government relations, planning and publications. Mr. Markwith earned his B.S. in Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Richmond.

Delegate Harvey B. Morgan
Delegate Morgan, a pharmacist by profession, has represented the 98th Legislative District in the Virginia General Assembly since 1980. Del. Morgan’s service began as a young pharmacist in Gloucester and West Point where along with his father and brother, he owned and operated Morgan’s Drug Store—an experience which exposed him to the challenges that many Virginians face in accessing affordable, quality health care. As part of his service as a State Delegate, Del. Morgan has served as Chairman of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is a member of the House Appropriations’ Health and Human Resources Subcommittee. He has also received gubernatorial appointments to the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Medicare/Medicaid, and the Virginia Drug Abuse Advisory Council. Dozens of organizations including the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the Virginia Primary Care Association have recognized Del. Morgan for his profound contributions to health care in the Commonwealth.

Rosalyn “Jean” Nelson
Rosalyn “Jean” Nelson has been the Executive Director of the Northern Neck Free Health Clinic (NNFHC) for over 15 years. Under her dedicated leadership, the clinic has grown from a one-night-per-week operation in borrowed space, to an 8,500-square-foot permanent health care home for the uninsured; providing more than $26 million to date in medical, dental and pharmaceutical services to thousands of people in the Northern Neck. Ms. Nelson currently manages the clinic’s more than $1 million operating budget, as well as a $500,000 endowment challenge for 2008. She serves on the Board and is Secretary of the Lancaster Education Foundation, serves on the board of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics and DuPont “Sustainable Community.” She is a past Board member of Children’s Advocacy and Three Rivers Health Beginnings. In 2005, Ms. Nelson’s outstanding service to the community was honored when she won Rotarian Citizen of the Year. Ms. Nelson received her BS in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University.