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Meg Molloy, DrPH, MPH, RD
President & CEO

Meg's career includes 20 years in prevention, health behavior change and health policy. Primarily, her work has focused on nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco prevention and cessation. Meg's work experience includes nonprofit leadership, media relations, policy development, consulting and public health nutrition practice at the state and local level. She also has taught and performed research within the UNC School of Public Health and the Duke University Medical Center and School of Medicine.

Meg earned DrPH in the Department of Health Policy and Administration with a minor in Epidemiology from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a Public Health Leadership Fellow (1996). Her dissertation topic was "Prevention Practices and Incentives of Managed Care Organizations." A decade earlier, she received an MPH in Nutrition from UNC-Chapel Hill (1985). Her bachelor's degree is in Biology from the University of Louisville (1983).

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Brandon Adams
Information Technology Assistant

Brandon Adams joined NC Prevention Partners in March 2011 as IT Assistant specializing in troubleshooting. His goal is to provide fast and friendly assistance to not only the NCPP staff, but Work Healthy America and Webinar participants as well. Brandon grew up in Seven Springs, NC and received a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from UNC Greensboro in 2006. His collegiate activities included hosting several college radio programs on WUAG 103.1 FM and pursuing a Spanish minor during a summer abroad in Spain. After graduation, he worked in the local independent film industry and as an audio-visual technician.

In his spare time, Brandon enjoys writing and performing music, and discovering all that the Chapel Hill area has to offer.

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Lindsey B. Bickers Bock, MPH
Health Promotion Manager, SC Working Well Project

Lindsey Bickers Bock joined NC Prevention Partners in March 2011.   She is a Prevention Fellow on the SC Working Well project, which works with the South Carolina Hospital Association to increase policies that support tobacco-free environments, physical activity, good nutrition, and a culture of wellness in South Carolina hospitals. 

Prior to joining NCPP, Lindsey worked for several years at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, coordinating outreach and prevention efforts on campus.  Lindsey has a Master of Public Health, with a concentration in Health Behavior and Health Education, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester in women’s studies and cognitive science. 

Lindsey is also an avid reader, a cook who loves to experiment, a runner who loves exploring new places on foot, and a group fitness instructor. 

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Beverly Biggs, CFRE
VP, Development & Marketing

Beverly Biggs, CFRE, joined the NC Prevention Partners team in November 2005. A North Carolina native, she lived in the Pacific Northwest for many years. During that time she founded two non-profit organizations, where her development leadership included corporate sponsorships, annual fund, major gifts, endowment, a capital campaign, grants and special events.

Beverly graduated from Oberlin College (BM, Pi Kappa Lambda) and Southern Methodist University (MM) and did independent post-graduate work in Amsterdam. She is a member of the Triangle Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, where she formerly served on the board. In November 2008 she was honored as Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Triangle Chapter of AFP.

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Whitney Davis, MPH
Senior Health Promotion Manager

Whitney Davis, MPH, joined the NCPP team in May 2007.  Whitney directs the NCDOT Worksite Wellness Initiative, a three-year research study focused on expanding health and wellness opportunities for employees at the NC Department of Transportation. She also oversees the development and data collection for NCPP's flagship publication, the NC Prevention Report Card, and is helping to expand that project to counties and businesses across the state.  Prior to joining NCPP, Whitney was a lobbyist for the Basic Education Coalition in Washington, DC where she advocated for increased US funding for education and health in developing countries.  Her diverse professional experience also includes working as a registered stock broker for three years in Charlotte, NC, and running an ice cream cart on the beach in California.  Whitney earned a Bachelor's degree in French at Davidson College and completed her Master's degree in Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill.    
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Kim Forrest
Chief Operating Officer

Kim joined NC Prevention Partners as the Finance Director in June 2007 and her role has now expanded to also overseeing HR, legal and IT.  She brings over 10 years of accounting and finance background to NCPP, much of it being in the non-profit sector.  Originally from upstate NY, Kim graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Binghamton University. 

In her free time, Kim loves to spend time with her friends and family, and tries to keep up with her husband and six children.

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Genevieve Joseph, MA
Individual Gifts Officer

Genevieve Joseph, MA, joined the NC Prevention Partners team in September 2011. A native of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York, Genevieve is proud to claim family roots in Wendell, North Carolina as well. After earning degrees in Communication and Sociology from the State University of New York at Albany, Genevieve worked in program evaluation and services research for the New York State Office of Mental Health before moving to North Carolina and launching a career as a nonprofit program director and fundraiser. Genevieve currently serves on the board of the Triangle Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as president-elect.

In addition to her lifelong interest in health and wellness, Genevieve is passionate about celebrating cultural diversity, experiencing the visual arts, and the enjoying the great outdoors. 

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Julie Knaack, MPH, RD, LDN
Health Promotion Manager

Julie Knaack joined NCPP in July of 2008 as Nutrition Consultant. Julie is a registered dietitian and has more than 10 years experience as a pediatric dietitian specializing in childhood obesity treatment and prevention.

At NCPP, she contributes her nutrition expertise to both the Zone Health Program and the Healthy Hospital Food Environment Project. Julie is a past intern of NCPP. In 2006, she helped revise the Zone Health Toolkit while working on her MPH in Maternal and Child Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Dietetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A native of Wisconsin, Julie worked at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin from 1996-2004 providing nutrition assessment and counseling to parents of infants and children with problems including diabetes, feeding disorders, food allergies, and obesity. In 2002, Julie became board certified as a specialist in pediatric nutrition through the American Dietetic Association.

On a daily basis, Julie keeps busy with two kids and active husband. She is a loyal "Badger" fan, has been called a "foodie" and loves to play outside. 

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Kristy Lange-Lowther, MSW
Senior Manager, Information Technology

Kristy joined NC Prevention Partners in August 2004 and manages Information Technology for NCPP. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She also earned her Master's in Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill.

During her time away from work, Kristy enjoys spending time with her friends and family, venturing outdoors, camping, hiking, dancing, water sports and traveling.

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Amy Meador, MPH
Health Promotion Manager 

Amy Meador joined NC Prevention Partners in April 2011 as a Prevention Fellow to spearhead work with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on developing a national hospital worksite wellness surveillance index. A North Carolina native, Amy has made the rounds in the triangle completing her undergraduate work at N.C. State University in Psychology and Religious Studies, earning a Master of Divinity at Duke University, and concluding with a Master of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill.

Prior to beginning her career in public health Amy worked for several years as a minister in the United Methodist Church and then as the volunteer and resource coordinator for Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center in Chapel Hill. Amy is a dedicated ACC basketball fan (you’ll have to ask her which team she pulls for) who loves learning new things and staying active.

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Katherine McIlwain
Communications Assistant

 Katherine joined NC Prevention Partners in August 2011 as the Communications Assistant. Born and raised in Chapel Hill, Katherine is currently a junior studying Advertising in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina. 

When she’s not writing press releases for NCPP, Katherine serves as the Business Manager of the UNC Loreleis, Carolina’s premier female a cappella group. She is also an active member of the UNC Advertising Club and French Club. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends on campus, jogging, cooking turkey chili and traveling to new places. 

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Ingrid Morris, MPH
Senior Health Promotion Manager

 Ingrid Morris, MPH, joined NC Prevention Partners in July 2008.  Ingrid leads the NC Prevention Partners initiatives with schools, helping them put healthier nutrition and physical activity policies in place for students and staff. Ingrid has an interest in partnering with organizations to help them create healthier environments. She also enjoys coordinating the internship program and mentoring future public health leaders.  She has 12 years of experience in health promotion and disease prevention with work in health insurance, medical clinics and communities. Ingrid earned her master's degree in Health Behavior and Health Education from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her bachelor's degree is in Human Biology from Stanford University.

Ingrid's passions include traveling, playing ultimate frisbee and spending time outdoors with her family.

Heather Berdanier
Quit Tobacco Coordinator

Heather joined NC Prevention Partners in March of 2009. She works on the Healthy NC Hospitals project as the Quit Tobacco Coordinator. Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. A Northeast Ohio native, she has more than eight years of health program implementation with non-profit organizations. In her free time, Heather enjoys hiking, volunteering and spending time with family, friends and her two dogs.

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Melva Fager Okun, DrPH
Senior Health Promotion Manager

Melva Fager Okun, DrPH, has worked for NC Prevention Partners since February 2002. Melva manages the Healthy NC Hospitals Initiative. She completed her doctorate in the Public Health Leadership program and has a Master's in Education in Instructional Design, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Melva has extensive experience training healthcare professionals. She helped NC hospitals to develop and implement policies to be 100% tobacco-free campus wide. NC hospitals led the nation in this initiative. She is currently working with hospital leaders to increase their efforts and support for hospital employees and patients to quit the use of tobacco. Melva has worked with hospital leaders, local health directors and boards of health on environmental and health issues. She enjoys mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and supervises interns for NC Prevention Partners. 

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Hannah Prentice-Dunn
Zone Health Program Assistant

Hannah Prentice-Dunn joined NCPP in January of 2011 as a Program Assistant for Zone Health.  She will help develop the Zone Health Program in school districts across the state, as well work on the NC School Health Connection website.  Hannah is a first-year MPH student in the Health Behavior and Health Education Department at UNC, and is particularly interested in childhood obesity prevention.  As an undergraduate at UNC, Hannah majored in Biology and International Studies.  After graduation she worked as a clinical research coordinator at Health Decisions in Durham for two years. 

Hannah was raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but decided to trek “north” for college.  She is an avid walker and loves taking advantage of Carrboro/Chapel Hill’s walkability.  Hannah typically spends her off-time watching movies, exploring the Triangle, drinking coffee, gardening, going to the NC mountains, and hanging out with her friends and fiancée.

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Kinga Rapacz
Executive Office Assistant

Kinga Rapacz joined NC Prevention Partners in October 2010. Her primary focus is to ensure the smooth operation of the office and assist anyone that needs help. Kinga graduated from Bowling Green State University and relocated to North Carolina from Ohio (Go Browns, Cavs and Bucks!). NCPPs mission and the opportunity to have an impact on others is what attracted her to NCPP. In her spare time Kinga enjoys coaching Special Olympics, traveling, reading and staying active.

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Lisa Ratliff Roper
Development Services Assistant

Lisa joined the NC Prevention Partners team in January 2012. A native of Burlington, NC, Lisa began her collegiate career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lisa later received her Bachelors of Arts in Human Service & Psychology from Elon University. After earning her degree, Lisa worked for the Alamance County Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy coordinating a mentor program she created and received funding for as a student intern. Lisa has also served as program officer for the Lyndhurst Foundation in Chattanooga, TN through its Southern Community Partners Program based in Durham, NC. Most recently, Lisa worked in the Alumni Relations Office at her alma mater, Elon University, coordinating regional chapter programming and affinity group reunions and fundraising.

Lisa is a proud, 22-year member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  and has served in many roles on the collegiate and alumnae levels including Scholarship Chair and Primary Advisor to the Omicron Iota Chapter on Elon’s campus. Lisa has a son, Quintin, who is currently serving as a CityYear DC corps member and a daughter, Quierra, who is a freshman at UNC-Charlotte.
 

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Anne Thornhill, MPH
Senior Manager, Business Development

Anne Thornhill, MPH, joined NC Prevention Partners in March 2008. Anne earned her Master's degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after receiving her Bachelor's of Arts in Philosophy from Grinnell College. She has extensive experience in policy development, implementation and evaluation. She is a member of the NC Alliance for Health Executive Committee, helping to promote statewide prevention policy at the legislative level. Anne manages business development, helping to partner with organizations in new and innovative ways to improve work site wellness and employee health. Anne was born in Chicago but has lived in North Carolina for more than half of her life, and hopes one day to be considered a southerner. An avid cook and gardener, you can distract Anne at any point by asking her when to plant tomatoes or how to best mince garlic.

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Leah Tilden, MHE

Leah joined NC Prevention Partners in August 2011 as the Prevention Fellow for the Quit Tobacco program. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, and a Master’s degree in Health Education from East Carolina University. Leah also has 6 years of experience in adult education, teaching for Durham Technical Community College. She has lived in the triangle area her whole life.  In her free time, she enjoys training for and participating in triathlons, cooking, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.

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Kate Turner, MPH
Prevention Fellow, Value-Based Insurance Design

Kate Turner, MPH, joined the NCPP team in April 2011 as a Prevention Fellow to spearhead the development of a new topic area within NCPP’s WorkHealthy America^SM program focused on value-based insurance design (V-BID).  Kate’s work will enable NCPP and its partners to better understand what health plan incentives are currently being offered by NC employers, and of those, which have the most impact in encouraging employees to adopt healthier lifestyles.

A native of Wilmington NC, Kate lived and worked in New York as a health, wellness, and holistic consultant with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and Orange Regional Medical Center of NY, among others. She received her MPH from the SUNY Albany School of Public Health in 2007, completing a one-year internship with the NY State Department of Health’s Bureau of Chronic Disease Services.  Upon graduation, she returned to NC, working with the NC Employment Security Commission’s Wilmington office as a Program Manager.   

She is passionate about local food, weasely felines, the wisdom of the natural flow of Life, and how clean living shows up in body, heart, and mind.

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Sharmila Udyavar
Program and Data Analyst

Sharmila Udyavar joined NC Prevention Partners in June 2011 after a 7 year stint at Fayetteville State University where she was part of a team that worked on a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The grant was funded primarily to conduct research on health disparities among minority populations in the Cape Fear Region. Sharmila has been working in the area of public health research for a number of years and is passionate about her primary interest researching social determinants of health disparities among immigrant and minority populations.  She has a MA in Sociology and a BS in Nutrition. Her research is primarily quantitative, but she has also used mixed methodologies in some multicultural studies conducted at the Center. Nutrition, dietary changes occurring as a result of acculturation and lifestyle behaviors that result in disease and poor health outcomes has been the focus of her work.

In her private life, Sharmila loves culture, travel and is a self-professed “foodie” who reads recipes and recipe books in her free time. She loves cooking and is currently interested in finding out more about the traditional, structured Indian vegetarian plated meals called “thali’s” that provide a complete balanced nutrition without the use of meat or eggs. She is looking forward to the culinary diversity that exists in the triangle. 

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Elina M. Urli Hodges, MSPH
Program Manager, WorkHealthy America^SM

 Elina Urli Hodges, MSPH, joined NC Prevention Partners in March 2010 (she previously worked with the organization from 2006-2009).  Elina earned her Master of Science in Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs and French from the University of Virginia.  Prior to moving to North Carolina, she lived in Washington, DC for several years managing grassroots advocacy activities for several non-profit organizations.  Elina currently manages a research study that aims to reduce chronic disease among state government employees by focusing on worksite and individual wellness. 

Elina grew up as a ‘global nomad’ (her parents are U.S. diplomats) but anticipates that North Carolina will be her home for quite some time.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, walking her dog, gardening and spending time with friends and family.