WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Foundation is celebrating a new year by announcing officers and the addition of new board members to provide stewardship and oversight of its operations and activities.
Elizabeth Madden, chair
Stepping into the shoes of former chair Joe Ely, Elizabeth Madden is a client advisor with Truist Private Wealth Management. This UNC Charlotte graduate is a former member of the UNCSA board and presently serves on the Trellis Supportive Care Foundation board. Her husband Chris Madden is also a pathologist at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center.
John Card, MD, vice chair
Lead clinician at Novant Health Medical Group, John Card, MD, began his medical career with Novant Health 26 years ago. Card graduated from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and underwent training at Loyola University Medical Center. He is also a physician specializing in internal medicine at Novant Health Adult Primary Care Harper Hill in Winston-Salem. He played a crucial part in alleviating much of the skepticism of the African American communities Novant Health served during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
T.L. Brown, secretary
T.L. Brown has nearly 20 years of experience in estate and trust administration. He earned his BA, JD and MBA degrees from Wake Forest University, and is a member of the North Carolina Bar and U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Prior to joining Members Trust Company in 2021, Brown most recently served as vice president, senior fiduciary procedural consultant at Wells Fargo Bank. Brown serves on several boards and is a member of the Winston-Salem Foundation Black Philanthropy Initiative and the Winston-Salem Estate Planning Council.
Sherry Polonsky, treasurer
Sherry Polonsky is the chief financial officer of Williams Development Group LLC, which is a privately held real estate development company in Winston-Salem. The University of Virginia graduate is also a former member of the Novant Health Triad Region board of directors.
Chuck Blixt
Chuck Blixt is the current chairman of the board at Atrum Coal NL, a leading global mining company. He has also been a member of many local boards, including Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.; Targacept Inc.; Piedmont Distillers Inc.; NatureWorks Organics LLC, and even served as the executive vice president and general counsel of Reynolds American Inc. Today, Blixt joins the board of this health care foundation with a desire to improve the health of the communities that he has continued to serve.
Gwenn Clements
Gwenn Clements is a former fashion model/consultant for brands like Donna Karan and Anne Klein. Clements was also a renowned educator who was educated at North Carolina State University before becoming teacher of the year at Lexington Senior High School in both 2002 and 2008, and District Teacher of the Year in 2008. Her love for education and women’s rights also led Clements to board seats on both The Women’s Fund and the North Carolina Black Repertory Company.
Andrea Gendrachi
Making the shift from the Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center advisory board, Andrea Gendrachi is a multilingual independent marketing and advertising professional. She worked for several years as the marketing director for the Yale School of Medicine’s OB/GYN department. She also worked in telecommunications marketing for Sprint and AT&T.
Gary Ortiz
Also making the shift from the Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center advisory board, Gary Ortiz works as a global sourcing manager for Sonos Inc. Previously, he worked as the director of engineering for Hayward Pool Products. He holds an MBA from Wake Forest University’s School of Business and a degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Kean University.
John-Mark Mitchell
John-Mark Mitchell is the founder, CEO and owner of Mitchell Prime Properties. The Campbell University graduate also serves on the advisory board of Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions and is a writer for Lux Magazine’s The Lux Report.
J.G. Wolfe IV
J.G. Wolfe IV is president and owner of Reuben Rink Marketing & Advertising firm. The Kernersville native is a graduate of Wake Forest University with a degree in psychology and is an active member of his community through the Kernersville Rotary Club, Kernersville Foundation, Kernersville Cycling Club and Körner’s Folly Foundation.
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