Our Leadership

Meeting resident needs now and in the future.

Kev

Kevin McLeod

President and Chief Executive Officer

In 2016, Kevin led the corporate restructuring efforts to create Carolina Meadows Senior Communities and Services, Inc., which is the parent corporation and sole member of Carolina Meadows, Inc., Carolina Meadows Home Care, Inc., Carolina Meadows Foundation, and sole shareholder of Carolina Meadows Management and Development Services, Inc. He served as Carolina Meadows' Chief Financial Officer prior to assuming his current role.

A portrait of Ben Cornthwaite

Ben Cornthwaite

Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President

Ben oversees all of Carolina Meadows’ community operations, including continuing care health and wellness operations, resident services, dining services, plant operations, human resources, sales and marketing, and community relations. Ben is deeply involved with all aspects of the business and works with the CEO to develop and implement strategic plans for the company. His personal mission is to make Carolina Meadows the very best place to live and work.

A headshot of Gary P. Levine, CPA

Gary P. Levine, CPA

Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President

Gary has served in his current role since April 2015, managing responsibilities for the business and finance offices as well as the information technology department. He previously served as Carolina Meadows’ Controller and Director of Finance. Gary also serves as Treasurer and a Board Member for the Carolina Meadows Senior Communities & Services, Inc., Management & Development Services, Inc. and Home Care, Inc. organizational entities.

Donna Miller, DO

Medical Director

Dr. Miller grew up in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and graduated from Muhlenberg College. She earned her DO degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine where she also completed an Internship and residency in Internal Medicine . She was the first DO to complete a two-year Geriatric Fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and was employed in the Section of Geriatric Medicine until returning to Pennsylvania to head the newly created Geriatrics Institute at St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network. After the hospital closed her department, she began her private practice which specialized in long term care. She was also the Medical Director of two nursing homes and has recently recertified as a CMD. Dr. Miller serves as the Chair of the American College of Osteopathic Internists Certifying Examination for Geriatric Medicine. She has a broad range of experience in geriatric care in all settings.

A headshot of Dan Camara

Dan Camara

Vice President, Plant Operations

Dan oversees all aspects of maintenance, improvements and operations for more than 1 million square feet of physical plant located on 166 acres. He ensures complex code and regulatory compliance is maintained, and manages capital enhancements and improvements that ensure the beauty and comfort of our campus for all who call Carolina Meadows home.

A headshot of Adele Dowell

Adele Dowell

Vice President, Resident Life

Adele oversees all aspects of Resident Life including concierge services, housekeeping, transportation and activities. She began as a nursing social worker with us in 2001 before transitioning to our assisted living administrator in 2004. Prior to her time with Carolina Meadows, Adele was a social worker in long-term care for seniors and a residential treatment program for nonviolent, female offenders. She has also held positions in office management.

Shelli Giardino

Vice President, Human Resources

Shelli oversees recruitment and benefits for the team of more than 400 people at Carolina Meadows. She previously served as director of human resources for Sinai Residences of Boca Raton in Florida and the Erickson Living communities in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and Silver Spring, Maryland, as well as other HR support roles.

Amy Gorely

Director of Community Relations

Amy has committed her career to working with mission-driven nonprofit organizations. She made a purposeful career shift into the field of aging services to align her passion with her work. Amy helps Carolina Meadows enrich and improve the lives of older adults by developing community partnerships and strategic communications.

Karen Taylor Holden

Director of Compliance, Privacy, & Risk

Karen oversees all compliance, privacy & risk management events by safeguarding assets, reviewing internal processes, and providing recommendations to assure compliance with both internal and external regulatory and legal requirements. She is also responsible for providing a strategic vision of quality care management. Karen also manages the day-to-day responsibilities of the Social Work Department. Prior to her time with Carolina Meadows, Karen was a Risk and Compliance Director, Director of Clinical Services Quality, and Hospital Compliance Analyst at UNC Healthcare in Chapel Hill. Karen enjoys spending time with her three-year old English bulldog, Bentley.

Melissa Kass

Vice President, Sales And Marketing

Melissa is responsible for developing and implementing the marketing and sales strategy for Carolina Meadows. She spent 10 years as director of sales at Judson at University Circle in Cleveland, Ohio, where she helped launch the Judson Smart Living at Home program, which continues to be a successful model that supports the option of aging in place.

Adam Melton

Health Center Administrator

Adam is responsible for the day-to-day operations, regulatory compliance, and strategic planning for the Pines, the skilled nursing community within Carolina Meadows. Adam has 20 years of experience in long term care administration, with a majority of that time in the senior living community industry. Adam is dedicated to ensuring residents have a person-centered experience with their healthcare needs. He is also passionate about advocating for the aging services industry on the local, state, and federal levels.

Sandy Mouras

Assisted Living Administrator

Sandy is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and strategic planning for the Fairways and The Green, the assisted living communities within Carolina Meadows. Over her career in senior living, she has held a variety of leadership positions including Administration, Dining, Strategic Planning and Resident Life, bringing her whole range of experience to support whole person wellness for those who reside in Assisted Living. Sandy lives in Durham with her husband, Matthew, daughter, Violet and their neurotic rescue dog, Lollipop

Todd Ohle

Vice President, Dining Services

Todd Ohle is Carolina Meadows’ VP of Dining Services, Todd is an honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York where he developed a passion for food and service. He went on to study hospitality management at Florida International University in Miami. Todd has more than 20 years of experience as a Chef and leader in restaurant operations spanning a wide spectrum to include serving as a personal chef for the Versace family in South Beach, managing banquet operations at Fearrington Village, and various leadership roles restaurant operations and ownership. Todd also has more than nine years of senior living experience having previously led the dining operation of The Cypress of Raleigh, an upscale CCRC serving 300+ residents. Todd resides in Wake Forest with his wife and their two children.

Our Board of Directors

This volunteer community-based governing body maintains four resident members.

Richard Andrews, Ex-officio

 

 

Richard “Pete” Andrews – A native of Newport, Rhode Island, Richard (“Pete”) Andrews earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Yale University, served for two years in the Peace Corps in Nepal, then earned his Ph.D. degree in environmental planning and policy at UNC-Chapel Hill. He taught public policy at UNC for 34 years, and also served as director of the Institute for Environmental Studies, chair of the Department of Public Policy, and Chair of the Faculty.

Pete met his wife Hannah in graduate school at UNC, and they have an adult son and daughter and five grandchildren. They became Early Advantage members of Carolina Meadows in 2017 and residents in January 2020. Pete is a member of the Carolina Meadows University Steering Committee, served as Vice President of the Residents’ Association during 2022-2023, and is now President of the RA. Hannah is a precinct secretary and is active on the Library’s Book Donations Committee and in the Gift Shop. Both are long-time members of the Chapel of the Cross and of their respective choral groups, the Choral Society of Durham and the Women’s Voices Chorus of Chapel Hill.

 

Gregory Herman-Giddens, Chair

Greg Herman-Giddens is the President and Founder of TrustCounsel, a law firm with offices in Chapel Hill, NC and Naples, Florida.  Greg is a trusts and estates attorney, having practiced law for over 35 years.  He holds a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, a J.D. from Tulane Law School, and an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law.  Greg is certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and is a Certified Financial Planner.  He is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Florida, New York, and Tennessee.  Greg grew up in Chapel Hill and is an avid Tar Heel basketball fan.

 

 

Robin McDuffie, Treasurer

Robin McDuffie is a principal of Blackman & Sloop, CPAs, P. A. in Chapel Hill where she has over thirty years of experience working with individuals, businesses and not-for-profit organizations.  Robin works in the assurance area providing audits, reviews and compilation of financial statements.  Many of her assurance clients are in the construction and not-for-profit industries.  In addition, she has expertise in tax compliance and consulting for individuals and nonprofits.  Robin has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants.  She volunteers her time and talents throughout the community and serves on the board of directors for non-profit organizations.  Robin lives in Chatham county where she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Kim Allen

Kim Allen is focused on educating and encouraging people to discover their purpose. She also works with people to remove blocks to achieving what matters most to them, Kim takes pride in putting her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to good use for the betterment of others. Students and peers have recognized her strengths as a compassionate advocate and empowering listener. As a testament, she was awarded the 2022 staff recipient of UNC’s Annual Diversity Award. The opportunity to impact lives and help people realize their dreams gets her up in the morning. That is what motivates Kim as the Executive Director of the Luther Hodges Scholars Program at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

In her off time, you can find Kim developing her practice as a transitional coach, camping in one of North Carolina’s beautiful state parks, or enjoying the beach and the great outdoors with her three spirited grandchildren—Zara, Moses, and Isaiah. If pressed to say, what she enjoys most is time spent in thoughtful conversation with her son, Allen. When all is said, legacy is her touchstone.

Dean Block , Secretary

Dean Block – After serving as a Naval officer on active duty for 5 years, Dean served as a local government executive until retirement. He also continued to serve in the Navy reserve, retiring as a Commander. His responsibilities in local government included serving as budget director for some 20 years in two cities, including a city of 400,000 residents, developing and monitoring both operating and capital programs. He then served as Director of Public Works for over 7 years. He was responsible for overseeing design and construction of small and large capital projects, including a new conference and convention center. These responsibilities extended to architect selection, design oversight, construction contracting and project management. Additionally, his department-maintained city facilities and streets and highways, among other functions. Following retirement and relocating to this area, he served on the Board and as President of the local chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Further, he has greatly enjoyed facilitating a discussion course at OLLI at Duke for over 6 years.

D.R. Bryan

D.R. Bryan was born in Rocky Mount, NC and has lived in Chapel Hill since 1998. He is married to Frances Bryan and is the father of two children, Emily Aycock and Paul Bryan.  He is a graduate of East Carolina University and Wake Forest University School of Law. He is the founder of Bryan Properties, Inc. a company that specializes in building walkable,  mixed-use communities including Southern Village in Chapel Hill. The company has been named developer of the year in the Research Triangle and Charlotte regions.

DR believes that service to the community is an important part of one’s life. He has been involved with a number of organizations, most recently serving as President of the North Carolina chapter of The Nature Conservancy and Chair of the Orange County Economic Development Commission.

Nancy Chescheir, Vice Chair

Dr. Chescheir came to Chapel Hill in 1973 as a college freshman and has remained here since, except for a 4 year hiatus in Nashville, Tennessee and Gaborone, Botswana between 2008-2010.  Since 1988, Dr. Chescheir has worked at the UNC School of Medicine as a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology since completing her fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (high risk obstetrics) and has also been an editor in chief of an Ob GYN journal.  Her husband is a research engineer studying water-management and is retired from NC State University. They have 2 sons, one who lives in Durham and one who lives in upstate NY.  Her hobby is photography and they have two jack Russell rescue dogs.

 

Judy Jones

Judy Jones was born and raised in California where she enjoyed exploring the San Francisco Game Reserve with her younger brother. She went on to receive her degree in Biological Sciences (minor in Chemistry) and her M.A.T. from Stanford University. She took her love of biology and spent 32 joyful years as a high school biology and chemistry teacher (primarily in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System). She was also active at the state level as a curriculum writer and has mentored many student teachers. She earned her National Board Certification for Adolescent Science and was a Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching. She occasionally served as an adjunct professor at UNC-Chapel Hill to support the science teacher observation and evaluation process. As a Carolina Meadows resident, Judy has been Precinct Secretary and Precinct Representative to the RA Council, served as chair of the Community Outreach Committee, helped with the resident website, MeadowLife and managed the resident listserv, MeadowTalk. She also helped work on the CM Pandemic Project, specifically the book of stories – Chronicles of the Pandemic. Currently, she is President of the Residents Association. Judy and her late husband, Morgan, moved to Carolina Meadows in 2017 after living for 35 years in Chapel Hill. Together, they raised three wonderful children and welcomed two lovely granddaughters.

Ralph Karpinos

Mr. Karpinos grew up in the Washington DC area.  He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University where he served as editor of the student newspaper during his senior year.  He received his law degree from the University of South Carolina, where he was an articles editor of the Law Review.

Returning to North Carolina in 1978, he was the Assistant City Attorney in Winston-Salem until 1985, when he was appointed as the Town Attorney in Chapel Hill, a position he held until September, 2020.  He is the past president of the N.C. Association of Municipal Attorneys and past chair of the Government and Public Sector Section of the N.C. Bar Association.  Following his retirement from local government service in North Carolina he received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from Governor Roy Cooper.

Ralph’s wife is a former concert pianist and retired attorney.   They have three children and five grandchildren.

 

Judith Kramer

Dr. Kramer was born in Hartford Connecticut. She received her MD degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1977. Her professional career has included direct patient care, clinical research, and scientific administration. In 2018 Judith and her husband Lloyd moved to Carolina Meadows, where she is a very active member of the community. In 2020 she joined the Health and Wellness Committee (HWC), where she chaired the Subcommittee on the New Pines and the Subcommittee on the Emergency Medical Assistance Program.  In June 2022 she was appointed Chair of the HWC for her dedication on the health and wellbeing of the community.  In addition to her volunteer activities, Judith likes to keep physically active, taking advantage of the Carolina Meadows exercise programs with yoga twice weekly and NIA dance weekly and maintaining close relations with friends and relatives outside of Carolina Meadows. During the last 8 years, she has been learning classical piano.

Leah Ogden

Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where she graduated cum laude, and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was a Fuqua Scholar. Leah currently serves as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, she was an advisor with Raymond James, where she focused on collaborative and holistic financial planning, creating customized investment strategies for high-net-worth clients. She has also held senior and vice president-level positions in the bond and fixed income industry, where she led the management of multibillion-dollar portfolios. Leah has earned the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) that many refer to as one of the gold standards of professional credentials within the investment community for measuring competence and integrity in the fields of portfolio management and investment analysis. Leah is passionate about empowering women in the areas of personal finance by demystifying the process of investing. Leah also loves teaching young adults about saving early and the power of compound interest.

Aron Silverstone

Aron graduated from the University of California, Davis, Ph.D., Plant Physiology 1994.

Harvard College, A.B., magna cum laude, Biology 1987.

He is a research and development scientist with a diverse scientific and project management background, including leading team members and driving strategic planning.

Aron is now retired and was formerly employed by Syngenta Crop Protection of Greensboro, NC, with his base in the Research Triangle. He led team of scientists overseeing residue studies for regulatory submissions in US and Canada. He supported the product development of new active ingredients and expand the use of registered pesticides. He interacted with regulatory and marketing colleagues to identify opportunities for robust product performance. Aron served on leadership teams to ensure Residue Science perspective contributes to strategic decisions

Rose Snipes

Dr. Snipes trained in internal medicine, nephrology and endocrinology. Her undergraduate and medical training was at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Following her fellowships, she served as an Assistant Professor at UNC Department of Medicine/ Nephrology before moving into industry. She has spent 30 plus years in pharmaceutical clinical research. She retired as VP of US Medical Affairs from GlaxoSmithKline based in Research Triangle Park. She returned to industry a year ago to work in the biotechnology sciences and she is currently employed at UCB Biosciences as Senior Medical Director of Developmental Medicines. During her pharmaceutical career, she has provided leadership and oversight across many therapeutic areas; most notably, she has led in the development and implementation of large outcome trials in both the cardiovascular and metabolic areas. Additionally, she has engaged in the development of medicines in the areas of neurology and respiratory. She has maintained her clinical skills via volunteer work. She has a passion for science and people.

Hugh Tilson

Dr. Tilson M.D. (Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 1964), Dr.P.H. (Harvard School of Public Health 1972) has spent fifteen years each in public service, the multinational pharmaceutical industry, and academia, and continues as an active consultant and researcher. Recognized as a public health systems and workforce, pharmacoepidemiology, and outcomes researcher focusing on drug safety, he is a Lifetime National Associate of the National Academies of Science. He recently completed his duties as member of the national Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).

At Carolina Meadows, he has been an active volunteer and committee member/chair. Among others, he has served as an officer for the Resident Health and Wellness Committee; the Medical Ambassadors; the ad hoc task force on the future of the Pines; the “Connect and Engage” Taskforce;  Carolina Meadows University; UNC TV Annual Fund Drive; and as a Precinct Representative to the RA Council.  He and his wife received the 2015 CM Residents’ Association Presidents Award.  They are proud parents of four offspring, proud in-laws of their spouses, and happy grandparents to eleven.

 

Kevin J. Tunick

Mr. Tunick retired from UNC Management Company (“UNCMC”) in January 2023. He spent 15 years at UNCMC as Vice President and Managing Director of Private Investments where he was responsible for managing the more than $5.2 billion Private Investment portfolio. Prior to joining UNCMC, Mr. Tunick spent seventeen years at Harvard Management Company (“HMC”) in Boston, MA, where he was Manager, Private Equity and co-managed a $4.1 billion portfolio of alternative investment partnerships. Prior to HMC, Mr. Tunick was also Chief Investment Analyst for The Rockefeller Foundation in New York City, where he managed an $80 million short-term fixed income portfolio and a $3 million equity portfolio. Before the Rockefeller Foundation, Mr. Tunick was Manager of Partnership Fund Accounting at Commodities Corporation USA in Princeton, NJ, as well as the controller at American Handling Equipment, Inc.

Mr. Tunick received a B.B.A. from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and a M.B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA.

Rosemary Waldorf

Rosemary was born in Chatham County and grew up on a dairy farm in Silk Hope. She holds degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill (BA in English, MA in Journalism). Rosemary and Gary married in 1974 and have two grown children, Ben and Alex.

Rosemary has served on many community boards and projects, including the Chapel Hill Town Council and six years as Mayor of Chapel Hill (1995-2001). From 2003-2017 she worked for Bryan Properties, a real estate development firm based in Southern Village.

Gary and Rosemary have lived in Chapel Hill their entire married life and moved to Meadowmont in 2004. She enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, traveling, hiking and going to classes at the Wellness Center.

Kevin A. McLeod, Ex Officio

A headshot of Kevin A. McLeodMr. McLeod currently serves as the President/Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Meadows. He previously served as Carolina Meadows’ Chief Financial Officer from 1998 to January 2006. Prior to joining Carolina Meadows, he was the Chief Financial Officer at Friends Home, Inc. from 1992 to 1998. He worked in public accounting with the national CPA firm of BDO Seidman from 1990 to 1992 and Bernard Robinson & Co, LLP, CPA’s from 1987 to 1990. Mr. McLeod currently serves as a financial and administrative surveyor with CARF-CCAC, the national accrediting organization for CCRC’s. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he completed his accounting coursework at North Carolina State University. He is a member of the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He currently serves as Board Member and Past Chair of LeadingAge North Carolina.

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