Dave Colner (Treasurer) – 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.
Mark Tosczak (Secretary) – is the president and founder of Flying Car Strategies, a North Carolina-based marketing consultancy. Flying Car advises nonprofits and small businesses on messaging and strategy. It also supports corporate marketing and communication teams that need to scale their copywriting and content production capabilities. Mark brings over 30 years of experience as a writer and journalist, PR professional, and marketer.
He has ghostwritten for CEOs, advised business owners and nonprofit leaders, and helped scores of marketers deliver winning campaigns. He has also coached journalists and taught writing, marketing, and strategic communications to college students.
Mark believes deeply in the importance of a robust free press for a democratic society. He is also passionate about the importance of mental health.
He holds an MBA from Elon University and a bachelor’s degree from N.C. State University.
Tracey Grayzer – is the president of Impact Alamance, a $70 million foundation resulting from the merger of Cone Health and Alamance Regional Medical Center. The foundation focuses on working to create a healthier, stronger, and smarter community for all and believes that every person deserves access to a strong grid of resources that provides them with what they need to thrive.
Tracey graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and worked in news for ten years as a reporter and anchor at stations in Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
She’s worked in healthcare since, holding senior management roles in philanthropy and public relations. She has an MBA/MHA from Pfeiffer and has also received her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America.
She and husband Austin live in Elon with her two children. Outside of work and volunteer service for numerous community organizations, you’ll find her out walking, on the dance floor, or painting and hand-lettering cards and notes for friends and family.
Kevin Spears – has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 30 years in roles ranging from program development to fundraising to finance and operations. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer for SchoolHouse Connection, a national organization advocating for the educational rights of children, youth and young adults experiencing homelessness.
Before joining SchoolHouse Connection, Kevin was Director of External Relations for the Center for Child & Family Health, North Carolina’s leading source of expertise in preventing and treating childhood trauma. Prior to that, he was a senior development officer with Visiting Nurse Health System, the largest nonprofit provider of home health and hospice services in the Atlanta region.
Kevin first began following NCHN when he worked with the Center for Child & Family Health because of its coverage of major transitions in the state’s Medicaid behavioral health programs. He continues to value NCHN as a source for in-depth understanding in a wide range of issues affecting his family, friends and community.
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Furman University, a Master of Divinity from Emory University, and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management & Social Enterprise from Georgia State University. He lives in Durham with his wife and two children.
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!!
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