Dave Colner – is a nonprofit management, development and communications professional with over 15 years of experience supporting mission-driven organizations. Much of his career has been dedicated to issues related to international development, specifically global poverty, access to safe drinking water and indigenous peoples rights. His work with international nonprofits has taken him to ten developing countries across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Dave and his family moved from New York City to the Triangle in 2018, drawn to the incredible communities, abundant nature and growing reputation as a vibrant region. Seeking to become more connected to his new community, Dave began consulting with local nonprofits, and in fall of 2022 partnered with NCHN to support its year-end campaign and overall development strategy.  He became instantly motivated about the importance of supporting independent, reliable and useful local journalism, and is thrilled to be able to continue to be involved as a member of the Board.

Dave graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Ohio State University and a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. He enjoys hiking the region’s many incredible trails with his three young boys and exploring the history of his adopted state through adventures to North Carolina’s numerous small towns and state parks.

Beverly Edwards, MD – is a family physician with a practice in Ahoskie, in northeastern Hertford County who specializes in pediatrics and adolescent medicine and is one of only two pediatricians in the area. She’s from North Carolina, attended medical school at East Carolina University, has practiced in the area since 1991 and has an affiliation with Vidant Roanoke-Chowan, where she has admitting privileges and serves on their board. Many of Edwards’ patients are un- or underinsured, or receive care through Medicaid.

We met Edwards when NC Health News profiled her practice as it struggled with the financial ramifications of the rollout of a new state Medicaid billing system in 2014. Because of our story, she got help addressing those problems! Since then, she’s become an avid reader, donor, and supporter of our mission and the vital role of journalism.

Merle Carlton Green – is a native of Chapel Hill. She grew up on a large family farm on Highway 54 in Orange County and matriculated through the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.  Merle then received her undergraduate degree in Health Education from NC Central University, and her Masters in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill.  Then she earned her MBA from Elon University.

Merle has been the Public Health Director at the Halifax County Health Department and at Guilford County Public Health and Human Services for over 25 years combined.  She was an Assistant Director with the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in Charlotte for seven years. She also worked several years in Gaston and Mecklenburg Counties. 

She is an avid public health supporter, and after her retirement from Guilford County in 2020, she became the Executive Director of the Association of North Carolina Boards of Health, where she continues to support health boards, health directors, elected officials, public health staff, and clients of public health and human service agencies. 

In her spare time, Merle enjoys attending “street fairs” and sporting events.  Merle and her husband Charlie have logged many miles attending basketball or football games, Kentucky Derby, NASCAR, Olympics, boating races, Super Bowl games, and many other sporting events locally and around the globe. Merle shares that her humble beginning along with the eclectic blend of Chapel Hill diversity helped to shape her acceptance of people and cultures everywhere.  Whether traveling locally or internationally, she values the humanness of each culture and its people.  

Allison Kalloo, MPH – is a native Washingtonian with deep North Carolina roots. Ms. Kalloo has been an entrepreneur specializing in minority patient recruitment for clinical trials and held previous positions over the last 25 years focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and improving the health and empowerment of special populations. Ms. Kalloo is the founder of Clinical Ambassador and iParticipate Incorporated, both of which implement practical yet dynamic strategies to broaden access for the pharma industry and for underrepresented communities respectively. Both entities leverage communication expertise through education, community engagement and events, informed strategic marketing, and patient-centric research advocacy to reinforce DEI. She is a graduate of The Madeira School, North Carolina Central University, and Yale School of Public Health. 

Allison can be reached at akalloo@clinicalambassador.com and followed on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. iParticipate can be found at www.i-Participate.org and Clinical Ambassador’s website is www.clinicalambassador.com.

Andy Lipson – is a Certified Financial Advisor with Socratic Better Wealth and has been running his financial planning practice for over 26 years. He brings his practical and communicative approach in working with his clients to the NC Health News board.
Andy has suffered from Crohn’s Disease for over 30 years and knows some of the inner workings of dealing with doctors and health insurance companies from this experience. He is an avid donor and supporter of the NC Health News.

Mark Tosczak – has worked as a writer and communications professional for more than 20 years, including stints as a newspaper reporter and editor, think tank communications director, marketing agency vice president and PR consultant. He has written for numerous publications, including NC Health News and other North Carolina publications, The New York Times, Wired.com and other outlets.

He has a bachelor’s degree in English from N.C. State University and an MBA from Elon University. He also teaches as an adjunct instructor in Elon University’s School of Communications.

Mark used to write for us as our “business of health care” reporter, but now is focusing exclusively on his business consulting. We’re grateful he’s still involved with NC Health News as a board member, lending his considerable business acumen to making our organization a long-term success.

We are actively seeking board members!  If you would be interested in serving on the NCHN board, contact editor_at_northcarolinahealthnews.org

In particular, we need an attorney and someone who knows about fundraising!!