Twenty-three volunteer leaders have been named to fill positions on three of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s (VUMC) advisory boards and councils.
The new members include 16 individuals joining the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Advisory Board, four joining the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) Board of Overseers and three joining the Vanderbilt Eye Institute (VEI) Advisory Board.
As volunteers, advisory board members are critical to the success of VUMC’s mission as an institution, passionate about the research, training and clinical care at the Medical Center and committed to serving as philanthropic supporters and advocates in the community.
“We are grateful for the time, wisdom and resources that all of our advisory board and council members offer in service to the Medical Center’s missions. These individuals come from diverse backgrounds and bring important insights serving as our community ambassadors,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of VUMC and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “I want to welcome these new members and thank them for their contributions to our continued success.”
The Children’s Hospital Advisory Board, formed in 1975, is an advocacy, fundraising and advising organization for Children’s Hospital. Board members are actively involved in outreach to and education of important constituents in the community to secure investments and other financial resources for the highest priorities of Children’s Hospital.
The new Children’s Hospital board members are:
- Scott Borchetta, president and CEO of Big Machine Label Group, and Sandi Spika Borchetta, senior vice president of creative for Big Machine Label Group
- Tuwanda Coleman-Shaw, reporter-producer with NewsChannel5 Network
- Sean Henry, CEO and president of the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena
- Wes Pass, vice president with the national For Profit Healthcare Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Colin Reed, chairman and CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc., and Brenda Reed, community volunteer
- Al Ross, co-owner of Troubadour Entertainment, The Diner, Harry O’s (opening soon) and other properties, and Children’s Hospital volunteer
- Lynn Scarola, community volunteer
- Meredith Seacrest, executive director and chief operating officer of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation
- Troy Vollhoffer, president and CEO of Nashville-based Premier Global Production Co. Inc., a privately held lighting and staging equipment company
- Vera Lee, president-elect of the Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
- Marsi Shelton, immediate past president of the Nashville Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Mary Lynn Davis and Diana Day-Cartee, 2017 Eve of Janus co-chairs
- Jennifer Osland Hillen, president-elect of the Junior League of Nashville
New emerita/emeritus board members are:
- John Stein, who has served on the board for 14 years, including three as board chair
- Brenda Hale, who has served on the board for 12 years
- Mike Reinfeldt, who has served on the board for nine years.
Among many important activities, the board supports activities in partnership with the Nashville Predators, including Hockey Fights Cancer nights which benefit the Nashville Predators-365 Pediatric Cancer Research Fund and create an unforgettable experience for child ambassadors. The Predators have raised more than $1 million for Children’s Hospital since 2009.
The VICC Board of Overseers, formed in 1998, is an advocacy, fundraising and advising organization for the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Members are actively involved in outreach to and education of important constitutents in the community to secure investments and other financial resources required to fund the highest priorities of the Cancer Center.
New board members for the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Board of Overseers are:
- Major Brock, community volunteer
- Marcus Cheney, equine racetrack practice veterinarian and owner of M.W. Cheney, DVM, PA, in Lexington, Kentucky
- Allison DeMarcus, television personality, community volunteer and current chair of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Advisory Board
- Amanda Mathis, chief financial officer for Bridgestone Americas
The VICC Ambassadors, formed in 2009 with the support of the Board of Overseers and its chair, Orrin Ingram, are a group of young professionals with a shared passion for fighting cancer. They have established and raised money to benefit the VICCtory Over Cancer Fund, and with their help, more than $835,000 in discovery grants have been awarded since 2009. Discovery grants support groundbreaking cancer research by providing seed funding to support early-stage, high-risk discovery, and have helped VICC researchers secure more than $15 million in follow-up funding.
The VEI Advisory Board is actively involved in outreach to and education of important constituents in the community to secure investments and other philanthropic resources required to fund the highest priorities of VEI. The VEI Advisory Board has three new members:
- Carlene Lebous, retired, community volunteer
- Suzanne Moore, trustee, Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation
- Deborah Sherman, MD, oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon
In addition to philanthropy contributing to the department’s endowment, the VEI Advisory Board also has made gifts that have an immediate impact on faculty trainees.
The advisory board is also awarding an annual VEI Board Discovery Grant to support the development of a translational research project involving a well-defined collaboration between clinicians and scientists. Funds must be used to develop a novel study, tool, approach or potential treatment addressing a well-defined clinical program. Board Discovery Grants are traditionally awarded at the spring board meeting.
More than 200 community members serve as volunteers on VUMC’s advisory boards and councils.
