Our Team.

Patrick Brown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Patrick Brown is a pharmacist by training and currently serves as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration. In this role he serves to lead the Collaboration’s three organizations: the North Carolina Public Health Association, North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors and the North Carolina Alliance of Public Health Agencies. Prior to joining the Collaboration, Patrick worked in advocacy roles supporting independent community pharmacies, and was part of the North Carolina Division of Public Health COVID response team. He graduated with his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

Becky Hughes

SR. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Becky Hughes has been with the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration since 2008 and currently serves as the Sr Director of Finance and Operations. In this role she serves the Collaboration’s three organizations overseeing all financial operations and directs the day-to-day operations of the NC Alliance of Public Health Agencies.

Prior to joining the Collaboration Becky worked in the accounting departments of both WakeMed and Wesley Long Hospital. She started her career as a CPA with McGladrey and Pullen after graduating from UNC-CH with a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting.

Karen Davis

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Karen has been with NCALHD, NCPHA and NCAPHA since 2012. Before her work with the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration, Karen worked with State Government for 32 years, retiring in 2012. Karen also worked with NCDPI for 25 years and spent 7 years with the NC Education Lottery.

Upon retirement, Karen was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Originally from Johnston County, she currently resides in Clayton with her rescue dog Xena.

Joanne Brassington

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

Joanne serves as the Human Resources Director for NCAPHA (the Collaboration.) Prior to working at NCAPHA, she was the HR Manager at another public health nonprofit in RTP. She also worked in HR at IBM and taught business courses at Wake Technical Community College.

She has a Bachelors of Business Administration from Pace University and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development/Counseling from the University of Bridgeport.

She has 3 boys and 1 granddaughter and lives in Raleigh with her husband Scott and her rescue dog, Nova.

Kim Dittmann

OPERATIONS OFFICER

Kim joined NCPHA in 2012. Previously she had been employed by the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A), the NC Museum of History, and UNC-TV. In her role with NCPHA, she’s responsible for event management, membership management, and the overall operations of the organization. She is a graduate of Meredith College and has numerous years of volunteer experience in leadership roles with the Junior League of Raleigh, multiple PTA’s, and her church.

Bethany Milford

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PROGRAM MANAGER

Bethany brings a strong health communications background to the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration. Prior to joining the Collaboration, Bethany worked in health care agency settings, where she focused on translating science into compelling content for communication campaigns, disease awareness initiatives and patient advocacy programs. She also served on the North Carolina Division of Public Health COVID response team, and supported the Division with key initiatives, including the rollout of the AA program and workforce development. Bethany graduated with her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Originally from England, Bethany moved to Charlotte at a young age and has since called North Carolina home. She resides in Wilmington enjoying the coast with her husband and playful dachshund Arlo.

Raymundo Gonzalez

ACCOUNTING AND OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

Raymundo Gonzalez is an Accounting and Operations Specialist who joined NCAPHA (Collaboration) in the summer of 2024. In this role, he provides essential accounting and operational support to NCAPHA, NCALHD, and NCPHA. He earned his Business Associate degree from a community college before receiving his BS in Business Finance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).

Prior to joining NCAPHA, Raymundo worked as an Assistant Controller for a family-owned business, where he gained valuable experience in financial management. He then transitioned to a global medical staffing company, further honing his skills in a dynamic environment. With a strong background in accounting and operations, Raymundo is dedicated to supporting the mission of NCAPHA and its partners.

Amanda Blackwelder

DATA MANAGER

Amanda Blackwelder is the Data Manager for the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration, with expertise in public health data and epidemiology. Holding a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Epidemiology and a background in Environmental Health, Amanda contributes to a variety of initiatives with the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors (NCALHD). Her work includes coordinating the NC Data Summit, conducting data analysis and creating visualizations from multiple sources, and facilitating the Performance Measures Work Group at NCALHD monthly meetings.
Outside of work, Amanda enjoys camping in the Appalachian Mountains and spending time with her pets, Ollie and Junie.

Katie Hughes

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST

Katie Hughes (no relationship to Becky Hughes) was born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Illinois. She has a bachelors of Science degree from the University of Illinois Springfield. In 2019 she moved to North Carolina with her husband and two dogs. She has two daughters.  In her free-time you can find her spending time with her husband and daughters or watching sports while crafting. She has been with the Alliance since December 2021.

Jessica Garner

FINANCIAL ANALYST

Jessica is a Financial Analyst at the North Carolina Alliance for Public Health Agencies specializing in the Medicaid Cost Settlement and Separate Directed Payment Clinical and Administrative reimbursement process.

She holds a Master of Public Health from Liberty University and nearly twenty years of local and state public health experience. Jessica’s strong background in clinical programs, fiscal management, billing, fee structures, and Medicaid financial and administrative policies allows her to focus her expertise on areas within the clinical setting that may have significant impacts to an agency’s settlement.

In her free time, Jessica loves spending time with her family, enjoying the beach and traveling.

Steven Garner

DIRECTOR OF COST REPORTING AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES

Steven is the Director of Cost Reporting and Financial Consulting Services at the North Carolina Alliance of Public Health Agencies specializing in the Medicaid Cost Settlement and Separate Directed Payment reimbursement process.

He holds a BBA in Banking and Trust Management from Campbell University and a Master of Public Health from Liberty University. His nearly thirty years of expertise in Medicaid Regulation and Reimbursement, developing cost accounting systems and working directly with Local Public Health Finance and Accounting systems gives him an edge to maximize federal revenue to the State of North Carolina’s public health system.

Steven’s expertise and solid background in Cost Reporting and Financial Consulting continues to support federal revenue of more than $75 Million Dollars annually to both the State and Local Public Health Agencies across North Carolina.