Our Leadership
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of CMDA. It is the final policy making body for all matters. The Board interprets and applies policies of the organization and establishes guidelines for the Chief Executive Officer and staff. It is responsible for the preparation of the annual budget with the Chief Executive Officer, supervises financial officers, and gives an accounting of the organization’s finances at the annual meeting of the House of Representatives.
House of Representatives
The CMDA House of Representatives exists to represent both the members and the Associations, so that: 1. The mission, vision, ministry, voice and governance of CMDA may reflect God's will as discerned by the membership; 2. The ministry opportunities and activities of CMDA can be communicated and implemented throughout its membership, the Church, and the community.
Executive Leadership
Mike Chupp, FACS, FCS (ECSA)
During his fourth year of medical school, he volunteered for two months at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya where he met CEO Dr. Ernie Steury and Medical Director Dr. David Stevens. During his third year of surgical residency, God brought Mike’s high school sweetheart Pam back into his life, and they married in August 1991. A few months later, they traveled to Kenya and Tenwek Hospital in 1992 for two months where both enjoyed getting to know the Tenwek community while Mike was immersed in surgical care in a busy surgery referral center in rural Africa.
Mike completed a general surgery residency at Methodist Hospital in 1993 and then joined Southwestern Medical Clinic, a group in Southwest Michigan dedicated to global healthcare missions. Former CMDA and ICMDA president Dr. Bob Schindler and his wife Marian mentored Mike and Pam until their departure for Tenwek in 1996. Mike was board certified in general surgery in 1995 while working with Southwestern.
Mike was drawn to the orthopedic surgery service as Tenwek had no long-term bone surgeon. He was also named Medical Director in mid-1997. Tenwek grew remarkably during Mike’s tenure as surgeon and medical director to a clinical staff of over 80 physicians and clinical officers and more than 700 total staff. Training programs for interns, family medicine, general surgery and orthopedics were also developed and launched during those years.
Mike and Pam left for Kenya in August 1996 with two small children and added two more while at Tenwek Hospital: Steven, Melody, Kayla and Ashley.
In 2015, Dr. David Stevens invited Mike to consider returning to the U.S. to assume the role of CMDA Executive Vice President. After seven months of prayer and seeking counsel from mission leaders, mentors and close friends, Pam and Mike decided to leave their Kenya home and mission life of 20 years and moved to Bristol, Tennessee in July 2016. Mike has counted it an amazing privilege to serve alongside David Stevens and Gene Rudd and all the national CMDA staff for nearly four years. In September 2018, after an eight-month CEO search process, the Board of Trustees asked Mike to become the next CEO of CMDA and he began September 1, 2019, when Dr. Stevens stepped down. Mike’s life verses are from 2 Timothy 1:6-7: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (ESV). To God be the glory, great things He has done!
Jeffrey J. Barrows, DO, MA (Ethics)
In 2006, he completed a master’s in bioethics from Trinity International University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Barrows was called out of full-time practice in 1999 to help administrate Christian Medical & Dental Associations’ Medical Education International (MEI) ministry. He served as the director of MEI from 2002 to 2005 before transitioning into the fight against human trafficking. He has dedicated 15 years of his career to fighting against human trafficking within the intersection of trafficking and healthcare, as well as the rehabilitation of survivors of child sex trafficking. Dr. Barrows has trained healthcare professionals on how to recognize and assist victims of trafficking within healthcare and has published numerous book chapters and articles. He has testified to the Ohio legislature on numerous anti-trafficking bills and is a speaker on human trafficking to the media, the church and in other venues. In 2008, Dr. Barrows founded Gracehaven, an organization assisting victims of domestic minor sex trafficking in Ohio. In 2014, he served as a member of the Technical Working Group on health and human trafficking under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. In addition, he is a founding board member of HEALTrafficking. In 2020, Dr. Barrows published a novel entitled Finding Freedom that realistically portrays child sex trafficking in the U.S.
Jamey Campbell, CFRE
He began his fundraising career at ETSU in leading the development effort for the Health Sciences Division before joining Precept Ministries International in 2000. Jamey and his wife Janeen live in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and they have two daughters and one grandson.
Senior Staff
Patricia "Trish" Burgess, MD
Patricia “Trish” Burgess, MD, joined CMDA as the Global Health Outreach Director in 2018. Trish went to the University of Georgia for her undergraduate degree. She took two years off before attending medical school and worked as a firefighter in Athens, Georgia during this time. She attended the Medical College of Georgia and did her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. With Global Health Outreach, Trish has traveled to Cambodia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Moldova and Peru. Each trip is a blessing in that she sees Jesus in the very people she comes to help. The body of Christ she knows has grown across the globe as she travels to seek and serve the least, the last and the lost.
Scott Ledford
A native of East Tennessee, Scott graduated from East Tennessee State University in 1994 and began his career in Human Resources with Burlington Industries, a North Carolina-based textile manufacturer. In 1998, he returned to the Tri-Cities to begin a 23+ year tenure with General Shale, the nation’s largest brick and masonry materials manufacturer, where he worked in a variety of HR capacities, ultimately overseeing the company’s North American HR operations. In 2022, God opened a door allowing Scott to become CMDA’s Director of Human Resources.
Scott and his family are active members of Fellowship Baptist church where he serves as a Deacon and Chair of the Personnel Committee. Additionally, he serves on a variety of community boards, including 2022 Chair-Elect of the Johnson City, TN Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Tracie, have been married for 26 years and have two children: Lauren (21) and Drew (19).
George Courtney
George completed his bachelor’s degree at Liberty University in church ministries and Christian counseling. For more than 25 years, George has found much joy in helping families as they consider their personal stewardship. George served CMDA earlier in his career as the Director of Development and helping to organize the ministry’s first-ever capital campaign that allowed CMDA to build its current facility in Bristol, Tennessee. Before returning to CMDA, George served as the Vice President for Partner Engagement with Medical Benevolence Foundation.
William Griffin, DDS
A member of CMDA since dental school, Dr. Griffin has served on the Dental Advisory Council since 2013. He is a 1983 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, and he has been practicing in Newport News, Virginia for 35 years. Dr. Griffin formerly served as Board Chairman and Dental Director at the Lackey Clinic, a Christian medical-dental clinic in Yorktown, Virginia. He averages four international dental mission trips each year, and he is passionate about opportunities to communicate the love of Christ to others, both domestically and internationally. Dr. Griffin is also a big fan of the Saline Solution/Grace Prescriptions conferences. He and his wife Linda have been married since 1983, and they have been blessed with two married children – Katherine and William, Jr., and one grandson – Barrett.
Nicole Hayes
Nicole Hayes serves as Director of State Public Policy for CMDA to help advance the life-affirming, biblical principles of CMDA ethical positions through state-level legislative advocacy. In this role, Nicole utilizes state legislative tracking software to identify and track legislation within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. She develops advocacy strategies to address those initiatives and advises the Senior Vice President of Bioethics and Public Policy regarding appropriate engagement. She also works closely with our American Academy of Medical Ethics (AAME) state directors to assist in their engagement on state public policy issues while building strategic relationships with public policy partners to advance the collective advocacy work and goals. Nicole is the founder of Voices Against the Grain, a bold counter-culture media and teaching ministry established in May 2013 to help audiences successfully navigate societal issues through the Word of God. Nicole has more than 14 years’ experience as a public relations professional who has provided strategic communications and media relations to elevate educational, health and racial justice issues for small business, government and non-profit clients, such as the NAACP, the Office of the Chief of Army Public Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Nicole is a Voices contributor for The Christian Post and a contributing author to the book The Right to Believe: The New Struggle for Religious Liberty in America. Nicole received her bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas and her master of public administration from Regent University in Virginia Beach.
Pastor Bert L. Jones
Bert Jones serves as the Director of Leadership & Church Relations for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA) in Bristol, TN. In this role, Bert oversees the Center for Wellbeing and church ministries. Bert also serves as the Chaplain of the CMDA.
Since 1988 Bert has led multiple teams across the street and around the world. Bert has traveled on 5 different Continents and to over 33 different Countries to teach and preach the Gospel. He has engaged in Leadership development nationally and internationally throughout his ministry.
Bert coauthored the book “Servant Leadership Proverbs” in 2017, with Dr. David Stevens, published by the CMDA. Prior to this project, Dr. Stevens and Bert coauthored the book “Leadership Proverbs” published by the CMDA as well. Bert is also the author of “Practical Youth Ministry” published by Bristol books.
Bert holds his ordination through the Missionary Church USA. The Missionary Church is an evangelical denomination committed to Church planting and world missions. Bert is under special appointment from the Missionary Church to CMDA.
Prior to rejoining the staff of CMDA, Bert served as the Senior Pastor of Woodburn Missionary Church (from 2014-2021) and as the President & CEO of GO InterNational. Bert previously served on the CMDA staff as Chaplain and Director of Leadership & Church Ministries. In 1998 Bert planted Harvest Community Church in Kittanning, PA and served as its Lead Pastor. Bert has served both in the local church and in Para church organizations throughout his ministry.
Bert grew up as no stranger to the ministry & evangelism. His father and grandfather were both involved in full-time ministry and evangelism. Bert grew up traveling with his family in music and evangelistic ministries. Bert was active in their family radio ministry that was on the air for over 50 years on more than 50 different radio stations around the country (a ministry that his grandparents started). His grandmother was the author of the Hymn “In Times Like These.”
Bert graduated from Asbury University in 1989 with a degree in Bible. Bert completed 2 years of Seminary at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Bert and his wife Cheryl have been married since 1989 and have three children: Joshua, Allyson and Aaron. His wife Cheryl is a teacher and is very active in their ministry.
Bert currently serves on several leadership boards. He serves as the Moderator on the General Oversight Counsel (GOC) and Constitution committee for the Missionary Church USA and Has served on the World Partners advisory board and the board of directors at GO InterNational. He currently serves in an advisory capacity as “Past President” for the ministry of GO InterNational.
Doug Lindberg, MD
Doug joined CMDA as the Director for the Center for Advancing Healthcare Missions in 2020. He and his wife Ruth are both family physicians. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2003, completed his Family Medicine residency at Waukesha Family Practice Residency outside Milwaukee in 2006, and did a one year Rural Health Fellowship at East TN State University.
The Lindbergs served in Nepal as missionaries from 2009-13, and Doug served as the medical director at HDCS TEAM Hospital Dadeldhura. They returned to the US in 2013 for what was intended to be a one year furlough. But a series of events, including a life-threatening cancer diagnosis for Ruth, led them to permanently relocate back to Wisconsin. Ruth is now miraculously cancer free since 2015. Doug is thrilled to utilize his experiences as a healthcare missionary and family physician to advance the cause of healthcare missions! In addition to his work with CMDA, he continues to practice part time as an urgent care physician for ProHealth Care. They have two children, Maddie (2008) and James (2011).
Mandi Morrin
Mandi Morrin is CMDA’s Director of Communications and the editor of CMDA Today. She has served with CMDA for more than 10 years, where her responsibilities include magazine editing and publication, graphic design, coordinating the ministry’s communication initiatives, media relations and more. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Milligan College in Tennessee in 2006. Prior to joining CMDA, she worked in retail marketing and administration. Despite having lived in Tennessee for nearly 20 years, Mandi is an avid Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan. Mandi and her husband Chad reside in Bristol, Tennessee.
Gregory Neal, DHA, MSHA, MBA
Dr. Neal brings to CMDA 30 years of executive leadership experience in multiple facets of the healthcare delivery system. He completed a doctorate in healthcare administration from the Medical University of South Carolina, and he earned his MSHA and MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is co-founder and Director of CMDA’s Christian Healthcare Executive Collaborative (CHEC) with an aim to connect and engage administrative healthcare leaders with opportunities to serve one another and the kingdom of God through a not-for-profit consulting service for missional healthcare professional organizations worldwide. Dr. Neal is also currently serving as Executive Vice President of Kanad Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. He and his wife Beth have been married for 33 years and have two daughters, Katie and Lauren.
Michael Oldham
Michael Oldham joined the staff of CMDA in March 2013. He holds a master of accountancy degree from the University of Tennessee and has the professional designations of Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He was previously CFO for 11 years with a Christian ministry headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a global focus, and he has been in the accounting field for 23 years. He is married to Pam and has four children, Paige, Anna, Rachel and Isaac.
Anna Pilato
Anna Pilato has spent much of her career in public service at the federal, state, and local levels,as well as time in the non-profit sector. She has worked on policy areas such as pro-life issues, religious freedom, foster care/adoption, human trafficking, fatherlessness, and emergency preparedness/disaster relief. She has been intentional in partnering with faith-based and community organizations who best serve these populations.
Prior to joining CMDA as Director of Federal Public Policy, Ms. Pilato most recently served asSenior Advisor and Deputy Assistant Secretary, External Affairs at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a federal agency housed under the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As a presidential appointee, she directed engagement with internal and external ACF stakeholders and intergovernmental affairs for ACF with a budget of over $62 billion. Ms. Pilato also oversaw the offices of Communications, External Affairs, Regional Operations and Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response.
She joined President Trump’s Administration January 2017 as a member of the “beachhead team” in the Office of the Secretary at HHS. Prior to accepting this second presidential appointment, she was on the Presidential Transition Team where she vetted personnel to serve on the transition team and for positions with the future Administration.
Ms. Pilato served in Governor Sam Brownback’s Administration as Deputy Secretary for the Kansas Department for Children and Families. There she established new statewide initiatives to address needs of vulnerable children and families, spearheaded an anti-human trafficking initiative and oversaw training and professional development for staff. She advised the Agency’s Secretary on policy reform, change management and intergovernmental relations.
She was a presidential appointee in the George W. Bush Administration and served as the Director at the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at HHS. Prior to that position,she served more than three years in Presidential Correspondence as the Director of Administration in the Executive Office of the President at the White House.
Additionally, Pilato has several years of experience in the non-profit sector at Operation Blessing and The Christian Broadcasting Network.
Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Nazareth College and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Regent University.
Bill Reichart, MDiv
Bill is an ordained minister within the Presbyterian Church of America. With more than 25 years of ministry experience, Bill recently was the Atlanta area director with CMDA before moving into his current role with the ministry. Prior to CMDA, Bill worked on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ for more than 16 years. Throughout the years, Bill has worked with college students at University of Rhode Island, UVA and Towson University outside of Baltimore, MD - his hometown. Bill earned his M.Div from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando.
K. Scott Rimell
Scott is a graduate of Lindenwood University with a degree in Mass Communication. He was a director, editor, and producer of corporate television in the St. Louis area for 20 years before moving into digital medical publishing with Reed Elsevier; at the same time, adding website development to his skill set. In 2010 Scott was called to work with Precept Ministries International, serving for 6 years as Director of Marketing & Media. He has been with CMDA since late 2016 and is leading website development, email and social media, video technologies, and the marketing team.
Mick Williams
Mick received his BS in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and his MBA from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania before online classes were a thing. His diverse background includes positions as a Product Designer, Engineering Manager, Plant Manager, VP of Operations and General Manager for the NA division of two European companies. Nine years ago, God picked him up and put him in Information Technology where he led a division of the largest Managed Services Provider in East TN/SW VA. In 2019, he was called to CMDA, where he utilizes his varied background to support the ministries of CMDA.
Mick and his wife of 33 years, Cindy, have 3 married children and 4+ grandchildren. Four of his legacy are practicing Christian healthcare professionals and one is an IT manager, so his current role gives him plenty to talk about at family gatherings.
Interested in Inviting Our Leadership to Speak at Your Event?
Thank you for your interest in requesting Dr. Mike Chupp, Dr. David Stevens, or Dr. Gene Rudd to speak for your event. Please note the following speaking requirements must be fulfilled to be considered for a booking:
-
Travel and lodging expenses paid in full to CMDA (arrangements for CEO will be made by his assistant.)
-
Minimum honorarium of $1,000 made payable to "CMDA"
