Get to know your NCMS team!
A number of us are working remotely right now, but you can still reach us. We’ve added contact information to all of our staff listings – just click on a photo or name to learn more about each team member and how you may reach them. Stay safe and well!
If you have specific questions and are not sure to whom you need to speak, please visit our Contact Us page.
Alan Skipper, CMP, CAE
Vice President, External Affairs
With the NCMS since 1980
Email Alan Direct: (919) 719-4167
Alan, a Certified Association Executive and Certified Meeting Professional, brings a lifetime of experience in professional society management to his role managing a variety of medical specialty societies. Born and raised in Raleigh, Alan showed his persistence early working on building and construction maintenance crews during high school to earn money to buy his first car – a brand new 1976 Camaro. He went on to earn his BA in Business Management at NC State University. When not spending time with his wife, Jennett, or grown daughters, Eva and Emily, you might find Alan on the golf course, or maybe the beach. But after a long stretch of back-to-back weekend specialty society meetings, he concedes, ‘there’s no place like home.’Alan Skipper, CAE, CMP
Vice President,
External Affairs
Ashley Newton, MBA Vice President, Member Services
Vice President, Member Services
With the NCMS since 2017
Email Ashley Direct: (919) 719-4177
Born and raised in Hickory, NC, Ashley brings her knowledge of the western part of the state and 20 + years working in pharmaceutical sale and marketing to her work as NCMS western region member services director. Ashley holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and earned her MBA at Lenoir Rhyne University, where she also was an adjunct professor in the business school. She enjoys being on the road visiting members and potential members as well as hiking, kayaking, kickboxing and working out at the gym, visiting art museums and her wine club. She also enjoys fishing with her three children – daughter Kailey, and sons Luke, and Matthew – and her significant other, Michael.Ashley Newton, MBA
Vice President,
Member Services
Ashley Rodriguez, JD Chief Legal Officer
Chief Legal Officer
With the NCMS since 2019
Email Ashley Direct: (919) 719-4171
Ashley’s roots run deep in North Carolina. She grew up in Mount Olive and goes home often to visit her parents, who both are upper level administrators at the University of Mount Olive. After earning her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington and her law degree at Campbell University, Ashley gained valuable experience as a medical malpractice defense attorney. Ultimately, however, she decided that public policy was a better fit and moved on to the North Carolina Division of Public Health as a legal consultant for the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. She and her husband, Orlando, also an attorney (they met at law school), consider themselves ‘amateur policy wonks’ and love debating the issues. Ashley spends every spare moment with her young daughter and enjoying family time boating on the Pamlico River.Ashley Rodriguez, JD
Chief Legal Officer
Ayesha Andrews Coordinator, Education & External Affairs
Coordinator, Education & External Affairs
With the NCMS since February 2021
Ayesha is a native of the New York and New Jersey area and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Liberal Arts from Rutgers University. She is currently completing her Master’s degree in Education, Learning and Technology at Western Governors University.
She has worked in a variety of positions including Project Manager, Network Training Coordinator, Career Service Specialist and Executive Assistant at various organizations, including at Princeton University.
When she is not working or studying, you may find Ayesha thrift shopping or taking a road trip with her husband, Aaron.
Ayesha Andrews
Manager, Education & External Affairs
Belinda B. McKoy Manager, Annual Fund
Manager, Annual Fund
Email Belinda Direct: (919) 865-5241
Belinda brings 12 years of customer service experience with Club Corp, to her role helping NCMS members get answers to their questions through the NCMS Solution Center. Belinda earned her BA in Business Management and Economics at NC State University. She attended high school in Raleigh, but as part of an Air Force family, she grew up 'all over.' She still loves to travel and she and her husband, Von, enjoy sampling the regional cuisine wherever they are.Belinda B. McKoy
Manager, Annual Fund
Beth Remhof Manager, Data Analytics
Manager, Data Analytics
With the NCMS since 2019
Email Beth Direct: (919) 865-5253
Beth grew up near Chicago, later relocating to Ohio where she spent the next 20 years. While in Ohio, she attended the University of Dayton where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees. Before joining the NCMS, she worked in the Advancement Division at the University of Dayton, which introduced her to the world of nonprofit fundraising and donor relations. A job transfer brought her family to North Carolina in 2016.
Aside from her day job of analyzing membership data for the NCMS, you can probably find Beth with knitting needles and yarn in hand, or, as she explains, "If I’m sitting still, I’m usually knitting." A true enthusiast, Beth serves on the leadership team for the Ol’ North State Knitting Guild in Raleigh. Her other passion that she shares with her family – husband Kevin, daughter Allison, and son Daniel – is a love amusement parks and rollercoasters. They have visited 50+ amusement parks and have been on over 300 different rollercoasters in the eastern half of the US and Canada. The family looks forward to expanding west in the years to come.
Beth Remhof
Manager, Data Analytics
Blake Hamilton, Manager, Education Programs, Stress & Resilience
Manager, Education Programs, Stress & Resilience
Started with the NCMS in 2022
Email Blake Direct: (919) 719-4172 Blake was born and raised in West Michigan. He earned his BS in Urban & Regional Planning from Michigan State University with a specialization in Environmental Studies. He earned his Masters of Public Administration with a focus in Public Management from Grand Valley State University. During and post his higher education endeavors, Blake has been apart of the AmeriCorps. Program, community health advocacy, adult education, and animal welfare to name a few of the public sectors of service provided. Blake has been with the North Carolina Medical Society since 2022. He enjoys urban exploration, strength training, tabletop games, hiking, creative writing, and literature collecting.Blake Hamilton
Manager, Education Programs, Stress & Resilience
Chip Baggett, JD Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer
Executive Vice President and CEO
With the NCMS since 2007
Email Chip Direct: (919) 719-4164
In his capacity as CEO/EVP, Chip is responsible for state level advocacy efforts (primarily focused on the NC General Assembly) as well as communications and fundraising for the NCMS and NCMS Foundation.
Chip has a long history in organizational advancement and advocacy. Dating back to college, he has fundraised in numerous paid as well as volunteer capacities. He has led successful corporate and personal annual fund programs and gone through training at the Indiana School of Fundraising. Chip has worked in many different facets of health care ranging from a children’s science and health museum and pharmaceutical sales before going to work directly for physicians and PAs as a medical society executive first at the county level and then here at NCMS.
Chip graduated from the evening program at the NC Central University School of Law and passed the NC BAR in 2016 while working for NCMS. He is proud to be married to his wife, Shanon. They have two children in addition to a Great Dane-Lab mix. Chip also loves to explore the outdoors in his spare time by bike and on foot (preferably with a loaded backpack).
Chip Baggett, JD
Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer
Evan Simmons Director, Board and Executive Services
Director, Board and Executive Services
With the NCMS since 2014
Email Evan Direct: (919) 719-4165
Evan holds a BA degree in Human Resources from Peace College in Raleigh and brings a decade of experience working in HR at Glaxo Smith Kline to her role at the NCMS. She was born in Florida, but spent most of her childhood in Raleigh. If they have a long weekend, you’re most likely to find Evan, her husband, Tate, and their young son, Henry, vacationing in the mountains of North Carolina.Evan Simmons
Director, Board and Executive Services
Frank Snyder, CIC, CRM, CHP Director, Membership
Director, Membership
With the NCMS since 2018
Cell: (704) 877-2024
Direct: (919) 865-5242
No stranger to the medical community in North Carolina, Frank joined the NCMS as Director of Member Services for the eastern portion of the state after more than 15 years in the medical liability insurance field. After graduating with a BS in psychology from the University of Georgia, Frank spent about eight years in law enforcement before getting into the insurance business. When he’s not on the road for business, studying for a degree in health informatics at ECU, enjoying the outdoors or watching college athletics, you’ll likely find Frank at home on Emerald Isle with his wife, Gayle or spending time with his four grandchildren.
Frank Snyder, CIC, CRM, CHP
Director, Membership
Franklin Walker, MBA Vice President, Solutions
Vice President, Solutions
Executive Director, Community Practitioner Program
Executive Director, Project OBOT NC
Executive Director, Our Community Health Initiative (OCHI)
With the NCMS since 2010
Cell: (919) 280-4334
Direct: (919) 865-5250
Franklin earned his BA at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and his MBA at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. Prior to his position at the NCMS, Franklin has been a restaurateur, the CEO of a medical/surgical practice, a health care consultant and on the faculty of UNC’s School of Public Health. Franklin enjoys boating, travel and reading. Born and raised in Chapel Hill, Franklin, his wife, Melanie, and teenage sons, Trey and Paul, and poodle, Fitzgerald, live in Raleigh.
Franklin Walker, MBA
Vice President, Solutions
Gail Stephenson Director, Event Services
Director, Event Services
With the NCMS since 2020
Email Gail Direct: (919) 865-5245 Cell: (919) 605-9946
Gail is one of six children and an original “Caryite” having grown up and lived in Cary, NC until graduating from Cary High School. She has remained in the Raleigh area and worked in a variety of environments from accounting, medical office, staff recruiting, ministry and research and development. Gail owned an event planning company until she semi-retired in 2011. In 2013 she went back to work as an event planner for a national company traveling throughout the United States planning product launches, grand openings, annual sales trainings and company reward trips. In May of 2019 she semi-retired again and joined the staff at the NC Medical Society in June of 2019 to assist with coordinating the Special Societies meetings as a contractor. In December of 2019 she was offered the opportunity to stay and is excited to work with the NC Medical Society as the director of event services.
When not working Gail is quite active. She enjoys gardening and has quite the “green thumb!” Her other passions include the theater, assisting her daughter operate Raleigh Area Children’s Theater and attending area theaters to watch her daughter perform. She has been blessed with three children (a son in Ft Worth, TX, a son in Wilmington and a daughter in Raleigh) and seven grandchildren that she spends a lot of time with when not working.
Gail Stephenson
Director, Event Services
Garry Linton Director, Multimedia, Communications & Marketing
Director, Multimedia, Communications & Marketing
With the NCMS since 1985
Email Garry Direct: (919) 865-5244
Garry has worked as a media tech at Pamlico Community College, a Realtor, a stager and home re-designer and co-owner of L & L Sign Company. Lately he is the videographer behind many NCMS videos including the popular “Bowtie Briefing.” Garry has an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Art and Graphic Design from Pitt Community College and a BS in Business Administration from Mt. Olive College. He grew up in Washington, NC. When not at work, you’ll likely find Garry spending time with his grown daughter, McKayla, at the beach, fishing, doing yard work or on his porch swing.
Garry Linton
Director, Multimedia, Communications & Marketing
Hannah Rice - Manager, Political Fundraising and Grassroots Advocacy
Manager, Political Fundraising and Grassroots Advocacy
With the NCMS since 2022
Email Hannah Direct: (919) 719-4162
Hannah was born in Wilmington, North Carolina and earned her BA in History from UNC Charlotte. She has worked in various fundraising roles including the Political Fundraising Manager for the North Carolina REALTORS® and a Distinguished Events Coordinator for the American Cancer Society. In her free time, Hannah enjoys reading, trying new restaurants, watching baseball or football, and traveling with her husband and dog.
Hannah Rice
Manager, Political Fundraising and Grassroots Advocacy
Jackie Davis-Jones Manager, Membership Database
Manager, Membership Database
With the NCMS since 2007
Email Jackie Direct: (919) 828-0046
Originally from Washington, DC, Jackie moved to Raleigh in her teens. She has worked as a credentialing analyst and is a published author with Life Changing Book Publishing Company. She enjoys writing, reading, shopping and watching football. She’s the proud mother of North Carolina Central University class of 2014 basketball star point guard Emanuel “Poobie” Chapman, III. Jackie enjoys time with her husband, Cleveland Jones, Jr., and if she had long weekend you’d find her someplace tropical.
Jackie Davis-Jones
Manager, Membership Database
Joy N. Avery Manager, Engagement
Manager, Engagement
With the NCMS since 2000
Email Joy Work: (919) 833-3836 ext. 200
Joy grew up in Garner, NC, but if she has a long weekend, you’ll most likely find her at Carolina Beach. By day, Joy is our social media specialist and Morning Rounds editor; by night she is a prolific and best-selling romance novel writer. Joy supports her glitter and Sharpie marker obsession by operating an Etsy shop — Lady Lioness Handmades — where she offers hand-crafted items. Fellow NCMS staff members also know Joy for her cake decorating skills and the delicious cakes she treats us to on special occasions.
Joy N. Avery
Manager, Engagement
Katherine Croom Director, Financial Operations
Director, Financial Operations
With the NCMS since 2014
Email Katherine Direct: (919) 865-5243
Before arriving at the NCMS, Katherine served as an accountant at the NC Central Office of Child Support and as a fiscal manager at the NC State University Office of Contracts and Grants. Katherine holds a BS in Accounting from Strayer University. She grew up in Kinston and enjoys traveling, shopping and baking. While she is not a pet person (she’s scared of dogs; allergic to cats and her goldfish died), she does enjoy spending time with her son Preston and her daughter, Aliyah.
Katherine Croom
Director, Financial Operations
Kelly Wilson Director, Business Operations
Director, Business Operations
With the NCMS since 1993
Email Kelly Direct: (919) 865-5249
Kelly was born in Indiana but spent a good bit of her childhood in Ontario, Canada. This may explain her affinity for hockey – she loves the Carolina Hurricanes. When she’s not at a ‘Canes game, doing yard work, reading or hanging out with her poodle, Carbon, you’ll most likely find Kelly spending time with her daughter, Bailey, and Bailey's husband, Josh, in Wilmington.
Kelly Wilson
Director, Business Operations
Kerry Kendall Coordinator, Membership and Communications
Coordinator, Membership and Communications
With the NCMS since 2021
Email Kerry Direct: (919) 865-5255
Kerry works primarily with our specialty societies. Please contact her in reference to:
- Specialty society finances and membership dues
- Specialty society membership information
Kerry Kendall
Coordinator, Membership & Communications
Kristen Shipherd Director, Marketing & Creative Services
Director, Marketing & Creative Services
With the NCMS since 2002
Email Kristen Direct: (919) 865-5247
Equipped with a BA in Classical Archaeology and Anthropology and a minor in Art History from George Washington University, Kristen’s career path began with editing field reports for an archaeologist and segued into a job with an art auction house as editor of their lifestyle magazine. At the NCMS, she gives the visual pizzazz to our website and publications, including the NCMS Member Calendar and online Bulletin magazine.
Kristen is the proud mother of daughter Kaleigh and caretaker of Winnie the rescue pup and three cats (Pixie, Francesca and Joel).
Kristen Shipherd
Director, Marketing & Creative Services
Kristen Spaduzzi, MS Director, Health System Advocacy
Director, Health System Advocacy
With the NCMS since April 2017
Email Kristen Direct: (919) 719-4169
Kristen was born in Hong Kong, but grew up in Marietta, GA and Union City, TN. She earned her BS in Exercise Science and her MS in Sports Management at Middle Tennessee State University. She has worked as a practice manager at UNC Physicians Network and the director of center operations for Lifesigns in Raleigh. Not one to be idle, Kristen got her real estate license while out on maternity leave with her daughter, born in 2013. In her downtime, Kristen does love watching Georgia football, live music, reading and exploring.
Kristen Spaduzzi, MS
Director, Health System Advocacy
Kristina Natt och Dag, PhD, MA Vice President, Education & Training
Vice President, Education & Training
With the NCMS since 2014
Email Kristina Cell: (919) 889-3809 Direct: (919) 719-4166
Kristina received her undergraduate and MA degrees in Human Rights from Lund University in Sweden and her Ph.D. in educational research and policy analysis from NC State. At the NCMS she oversees the leadership development activities of the Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership, which includes organizational development services. Her career has taken her all over the world including working with Estee Lauder companies as director of education and development in New York and throughout Europe. Her experience also includes the finance sector as well as non-profit.
She has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the George Washington University and was more recently affiliated with Executive Education at Poole School of Management at North Carolina State University. Kristina, her husband Magnus and their two children, Alexander and Emma, enjoy the beautiful North Carolinian weather, spending time outdoors as a family hiking and boating.
Kristina Natt och Dag, PhD, MA
Vice President, Education & Training
Megan Eberle Director, Client Services
Director, Client Services
With the NCMS since 2020
Email Megan Direct: (919) 865-5254
Megan was born in Eugene, Oregon, but grew up in the Raleigh area and remained in North Carolina for her college career. She studied business administration with a concentration in accounting at UNC Wilmington and soon went to work in meeting and event planning with Health-Scripts and BCD M&E on the Pfizer account.
When not spending weekends at numerous specialty society meetings, Megan likes to cook, read, run, go hiking, travel and spend copious amounts of time with her black Lab mix, Shadow, her Bernese Mountain Dog, Henry, and her family – her parents, two sisters and her niece all live in the Raleigh area.
Megan Eberle
Director, Client Services
Michelle Laws, PhD Chief Experience Officer
Chief Experience Officer
With the NCMS since 2021
Email Dr. Laws Direct: (919) 865-5251
Dr. Michelle Laws is the Chief Experience Officer for the North Carolina Medical Society. Prior to taking on this new position to lead the Society’s communications and member services teams, Dr. Laws served as the Assistant Director of Consumer Support Services and Community Engagement and the DEI Chair for the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services (MH/DD/SAS).
In March 2020, the NCDHHS Secretary hired Dr. Laws to help lead the Historically Marginalized Populations (HMP) Workgroup to guide the Department’s work to improve health outcomes for North Carolina’s historically marginalized populations during the pandemic as part of the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Team. This work included providing guidance to increase testing and vaccine access among African Americans, COVID-19 communications and serving as a member of the Health Equity Braintrust team. Dr. Laws’ distinguished professional career also includes serving as the Director of Policy and Public Advocacy for the NC National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-NC); Assistant Director of the Community Health Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit organization working to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes for poor and medically marginalized communities in North Carolina; serving as the former Executive Director of the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP; and teaching undergraduate courses in sociology, research methods, and introduction to statistic as an adjunct professor at North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, and college-transfer courses in federal and state prisons. Dr. Laws also was the legislative liaison for NC DHHS’s Division of MH/DD/SAS under former DHHS secretaries David Bruton, MD, and Carmen Hooker Odom, when the state was undergoing major reform including the dismantling and restructuring of area MH/DD/SAS authorities.
Dr. Laws has been widely recognized both nationally and internationally as a dynamic speaker and passionate advocate for marginalized and underserved populations, including women and children living in poverty, the homeless, justice involved youth, veterans, and persons with mental illness and substance use disorders. She has earned the respect of diverse communities of peers, colleagues, and policy makers for being a politically astute and diplomatic leader, operating in various capacities, including policy, public affairs, advocacy, and health and human services program development and evaluation. Dr. Laws’ service to the community has won her numerous awards and honors however she says: “I consider myself as a servant leader. I firmly believe that ‘service is indeed the price we pay for occupying our space on this earth.’ Awards and recognition are nice but being able to serve in positions that have allowed me to be a voice and advocate for those who have been ignored, excluded, or disregarded are much grander aspirations.”
Dr. Laws, a Chapel Hill native, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; a Master of Arts in Sociology from North Carolina Central University (Magna Cum Laude); and a Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine’s Department of Health Policy and Behavior.
Michelle Laws, PhD
Chief Experience Officer
Pam Highsmith, MEd, CFRE Vice President, Advancement
Vice President, Advancement
With the NCMS for 17 years
Email Pam Cell: (919) 830-4127 Direct: (919) 865-5246
Born and raised in Burgaw, NC, Pam earned her BA in Education at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her M.Ed. at The Citadel. She taught English for six years and was the Executive Director of the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education and a hospice administrator. Pam also has experience as a lifeguard, a bank teller and is handy with a skill saw. When she is not spending time with her large extended family, which includes three siblings and their spouses, 11 nieces and nephews and 20 great nieces and nephews and counting, you’ll likely find Pam swimming, biking, running or cheering on the Tar Heels.
Pam Highsmith, MEd, CFRE
Vice President, Advancement
Rachel Thompson Coordinator, Solutions
Coordinator, Community Practitioner Program and Solutions
With the NCMS since 2021
Email Rachel | Direct: (919) 865-5253
Rachel was born and raised in Washington, DC and attended boarding school at Groton School in Groton, MA. She moved to the area to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied Sociology. Rachel decided to stay because of southern hospitality, better traffic patterns, and because the tea is always sweet. She caretakes for her mom, loves to travel and when she's not journaling, you can find her hiking with her three rescue dogs, catching up on the latest k-drama, or out ballroom dancing.
Rachel Thompson
Coordinator, Community Practitioner Program and Solutions
Riaz Mullick Vice President, Finance & Administration
Vice President, Finance and Administration
With the NCMS since 2016
Email Riaz Direct: (919) 865-5252
Riaz is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Information Systems Auditor and holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He spent most of his childhood in New Castle, PA, and began his career at what is now Bank of New York Mellon in Pittsburgh. He has also worked for a Transamerica sub-prime finance joint venture and a non-profit financial institution as well as a Federally Qualified Health Center in North Carolina. When not crunching numbers, Riaz enjoys watching movies (his favorite is Back to the Future) and spending time with his wife, Shireen.
Riaz Mullick
Vice President, Finance & Administration
Shawn Scott, MBA Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer
With the NCMS since 1998
Email Shawn Cell: (919) 621-5919 Direct: (919) 719-4170
Shawn began her career at NCMS as Director of Member Services and Marketing in 1998. In 2013, she was promoted to her current role. A Virginia native, Shawn earned her BA in Speech Communication from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and her MBA at Meredith College in Raleigh.
Prior to joining the NCMS, she was Director of Marketing and Communications for the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) where she also began the ATSS Foundation, raising more than $100,000 for college scholarships in traffic engineering fields. After seven years at ATSSA, she joined Capitol Broadcasting Company to develop consumer marketing programs, returning to the association world when she joined the NCMS. In 2008 she earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
Shawn is active in community and school arts programs, serving as Board Member for the Carolina Youth Theatre. When she is not busy making sure all is operating efficiently at NCMS headquarters, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Tom McSwain, and son, Jack.
Shawn Scott, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Toni Hill Manager, Member Services
Manager, Member Services
With the NCMS since 2021
Toni grew up in the beautiful mountains in Telluride, CO, returning there to work for a few years after completing her BA in Business Administration at the University of San Francisco. Never one to shy away from new things or adventure, Toni made the decision at the beginning of the pandemic to climb in her truck, drive across the country and move to Raleigh to begin a new chapter of her life -- and to be closer to her twin brother/best friend, Keith, and her mother who had been living in the area since 2019. Toni's father, who originally hails from England, remains in Colorado where he owns a coffee roastery, an endeavor that has left its mark on Toni who declares that she is an unabashed "coffee snob."
When Toni is not at the NCMS, she can often be found pursuing her love of adventure with her friends -- hiking, biking, and skiing or seeking out the new trendy and hip restaurants.
Toni Hill
Manager, Member Services