Leadership

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Carol Woods values collaboration between board members, residents and staff. Carol Woods is a single-site, not-for-profit community, and a local, all-volunteer board of directors has ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the community.

From its inception in the 1970s, resident initiative has been a cornerstone of the Carol Woods community. Residents serve on the board of directors and advisory committees. They also make up more than 80 committees and interest groups that plan activities and give input into day-to-day life at Carol Woods.

Our CEO has an open-door policy, and encourages all residents and staff to contribute to making Carol Woods the standard of excellence among continuing care retirement communities. With a flattened organizational structure, an educational mission and a policy of promoting from within, Carol Woods strives to develop employees and interns into leaders with a passion for the field of aging.

Board of Directors

The Carol Woods Board of Directors includes 16 members selected from and broadly representative of leadership in the larger Chapel Hill/Durham communities. In addition, four Carol Woods residents and the Carol Woods president/CEO serve on the board. The board provides strategic direction to management and receives input directly from residents. The board, residents and staff work collaboratively to ensure Carol Woods retains its position as a leader in the field of aging and as a desirable place for present and future residents to live.

Our Board

  • A. Nape Baker (resident), retired director of pastoral care at UNC Hospital.
  • Jack Benjamin, retired associate chair of the department of pediatrics at UNC and retired pediatrician in chief at NC Children's Hospital.
  • Richard Blankenship, chartered financial analyst and partner and senior portfolio manager with Franklin Street Partners of Chapel Hill
  • Robert E. Dunham (chair), pastor at University Presbyterian Church.
  • John P. Evans (vice chair), interim dean of Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill.
  • Audrey Galloway, associate state director for AARP North Carolina.
  • Thomas R Haber, CEO of Hadley Investments.
  • Melvin Huston, senior vice president of professional and support services for UNC Hospitals.
  • Jim Kitchen, professor of entrepreneurship and an entrepreneur-in-residence at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School.
  • Larry McManus, certified financial planner and chartered retirement planning counselor.
  •  Brenda Mitchell, associate professor and associate chair for Student Services and Area Health Education Centers operations in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill and is on the faculty in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences.
  • Patricia Moore-Boyette (treasurer), vice president of reimbursement for UNC Health Care System.
  • Ruth Oiumette (resident, ex officio), retired nurse and nurse educator and former director of nursing at Carol Woods.
  • Marlene Rifkin, senior vice president of operations at UNC Health Care System.
  • Dina Rousset, associate director in the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School.
  • Mark Royster, pastor and former banker.
  • Robert Saunders (secretary), tax and business lawyer with experience in the nonprofit sector.
  • Patricia Sprigg, president and CEO of Carol Woods.
  • Marian Stephenson (resident), retired dental hygiene educator and associate professor.
  • Deborah L. Stroman, administrator & adjunct assistant professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School.
  • Hendrick van Dorsten (resident), former program and marketing manager at General Electric and Xerox.

Resident Council

The Resident Council is a nine-person resident board that is elected annually by all Carol Woods residents. The president and vice president of the council serve as ex officio members on the Carol Woods Board of Directors. Each month, all Carol Woods residents gather for a Residents’ Association meeting to hear a report from the council and the Carol Woods CEO, and to discuss any issues facing the community.

Management Team

The Management Team oversees general operations for the community. Departments also have Resident Advisory Committees that assist in the guidance of decision making.

Patricia E. Sprigg, President and CEO

Pat has been the president and CEO at Carol Woods since 1992. She has a passion for providing excellent support and services to older adults, and works closely with local universities and professional associations to pass on that passion to those who will be future leaders in the field of aging.

Pat has over 40 years of experience in the field of aging. Prior to coming to Carol Woods, she worked with the Kendal Corporation in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She was also an adjunct professor at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, where she taught two graduate-level courses: Long-Term Care Administration and Characteristics of the Aged Population. Earlier in her career, she was vice president and director of resources at Cathedral Village in Philadelphia.

Pat is a coach for the LeadingAge National Leadership Academy and was a member of the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging. She has served on the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging’s (AAHSA) Board of Directors, was chair elect of the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission and was formerly the chair of the North Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging, known now as LeadingAgeNCBoard. She also served as the congressionally appointed vice chair and member of the first Armed Forces Retirement Home Board.

Additional team members

  • Dave Wilkerson, chief operating officer
  • Ken Reeb Jr., chief financial officer 
  • Heather Altman, vice president of outreach and community connections
  • Nikki Bodkin, vice president of technology and compliance 
  • Liz Tomajko, vice president of human resources
  • Jen Wilson, vice president of well-being
  • Christophe Arnaud, director of dining services
  • James Best, director of facilities and safety officer
  • Gretchen Likins, director of admissions and public relations
  • Scott Lang, manager of grounds
  • Daniel Scrimenti, manager of security, communications, and transportation