Leadership Team
Dr. Ann Barnes
President and Chief Executive Officer
832-807-2568
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Dr. Ann Barnes is President and CEO of Episcopal Health Foundation. She joined EHF in October of 2022. Throughout her career, Ann has led innovative care solutions that go beyond the doctor’s office to tackle social, economic, and environmental drivers of health.
Most recently, Ann served as Senior Vice President and Chief Health Officer at Harris Health, the largest safety-net health system in Greater Houston. Ann was responsible for developing the system’s health equity strategy and also led the system’s efforts to improve population health, prevent disease, and address chronic conditions by integrating community resources that impact underlying, non-medical conditions like food security, safe places to exercise, poverty, and more.
Prior to Harris Health, she was Chief Medical Officer at Legacy Community Health, a large federally qualified health center system in Houston that serves more than 170,000 patients. Ann oversaw all clinic services and was instrumental in introducing the Health Leads model for patient health that focused on non-medical drivers of health.
She also served as the principal investigator for a National Institute of Health project that established a first-of-its-kind registry to understand factors that lead to successful weight loss maintenance in African Americans.
Ann is a proud native of Houston’s Fifth Ward and came back to work with Houston’s at-risk communities after graduating from Yale University and Harvard Medical School. She’s a board certified internist who completed her residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and also earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health.
She serves on several boards including Good Reason Houston, Healthy Living Matters, Texas 2036 and the Kinder Institute.
Jo Carcedo, MPA, MBA
Vice President for Grants
832-807-2571
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Jo Z. Carcedo is the Vice President for Grants for the Episcopal Health Foundation. In this role she developed the foundation’s grantmaking system, oversees all operational aspects of the organization’s grantmaking portfolios, supervises program officer and grants management staff, directs the foundation’s $45 million grants budget and all organization-wide grantmaking policies, processes, and systems to ensure EHF’s grantmaking is aligned with its core values and strategic goals.
She has raised more than $300 million in public grants and contracts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services including: Administration for Children and Families, Health Resources & Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the Texas Education Agency and several private philanthropies. She is published in The Foundation Review, blogged for Health Affairs, and has been featured in the Annual Report of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (2018). She has served as board chair of Philanthropy Southwest, served on the Selection Committee of the Lone Star Prize—a statewide competition to source transformative solutions that improve the quality of life for Texans sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies; is a grant reviewer for the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration, and served on the Grants Committee for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by the Mayor of the City of Houston and the Harris County Judge.
Jo has a Master of Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University, a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University.
Shao-Chee Sim, PhD, MPA
Vice President for Research, Innovation and Evaluation
832-807-2565
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Dr. Shao-Chee Sim is the Episcopal Health Foundation’s Vice President for Research, Innovation and Evaluation. He leads the division’s work in health policy analysis, research, planning and pilot projects to advance the strategic plan of the Foundation. Current priority areas include statewide health policy public opinion surveys, managed care organizations (MCO) social determinants of health strategies, multi-sectoral community health collaborative, health center payment reform, and rural healthcare service delivery.
Shao-Chee comes to EHF after more than 20 years of research, planning, and strategy experience within philanthropy, federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, he was the chief strategy officer of the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in New York City. Dr. Sim also assumed research leadership roles at the Wallace Foundation and the Asian American Federation.
He currently serves on the Board of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, National Rural Health Resource Center, on the advisory committee of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Value Based Payment and Quality Improvement Committee, and the Asian American Policy Review at Harvard’s JFK School of Government. Dr. Sim earned his Master’s degree in public administration from the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and a doctorate in public policy from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.
Susybelle Gosslee
Chief Administrative Officer
832-807-2580
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Susybelle Gosslee is the Episcopal Health Foundation’s Chief Administrative Officer. She is responsible for all business and administrative functions of the Foundation, including operations, human resources, human capital, information technology, process improvement, and facilities management. Susybelle oversees EHF’s internal finance function and interfaces with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas which provides accounting, finance, and payroll/benefits processing support to EHF.
Susybelle’s background includes more than 10 years of experience overseeing the business and administration function in law firms in Houston, Austin and Dallas and nine years serving as a political compliance consultant for political candidates and political action committees. She served as Houston Mayor Bill White’s campaign Comptroller for six years. Susybelle has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and is a life-long Episcopalian.
Brian Sasser
Chief Communications Officer
832-807-2575 • 832-795-9404 (Cell)
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Brian Sasser is EHF’s Chief Communications Officer. He spent 20 years in television news as a reporter, producer and photographer. Most recently, Brian spent 13 years as the investigative producer and national field producer at KPRC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Houston. He oversees all of EHF’s internal and external communications, including media relations, public relations, news and research releases, website management, video production, and communications consulting with grant partners and others.
He is co-chair of the Communications Committee for Philanthropy Southwest and serves on the board of directors at HOPE Clinic in Houston. Brian previously served as co-chair of the Health Subcommittee for the Houston/Harris County 2020 Census Complete Count effort and was a member of the board of directors at Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston. Brian graduated from TCU with bachelor’s degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science.
Staff
Loretta Aldape
Executive Assistant to the President and CEO, Ann Barnes
832-807-2568
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Loretta supports the President in administrative areas.
Sheryl Barmasse
Administrative Specialist
832-807-2588
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Sheryl provides administrative support for the President’s Office and is responsible for regular communication with the Board.
April Barnes
Director of Grants Management
832-807-2573
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April is responsible for overseeing the online grantmaking system and integrating its work with other EHF departments, and for monitoring all other grants management functions to ensure the overall high quality of all grants processes.
Willie Bennett
Senior Congregational Engagement Officer
832-807-2590
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Willie is responsible for developing and implementing EHF’s collaborative work with the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Zahyrah Blakeney
Senior Program Officer
832-658-2672
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Zahyrah is responsible for investigating and evaluating grant proposals and supporting Foundation initiatives through soliciting proposals, conducting due diligence, maintaining communications with stakeholders, and project management related to grantmaking.
Troy Bush-DiDonato
Senior Community Engagement Officer
832-807-2563
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Troy implements EHF’s community engagement strategy through training and capacity building with community partners, grant partners and congregations.
Dale Dodds
Director of Finance
832-658-2664
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Dale assists with matters relating to the finances of the Foundation.
Jimmy Donelson III
Grants Manager
832-807-2577
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Jimmy manages EHF’s grants portfolio and oversees the grants management cycles.
Anne Eisner
Administrative Assistant, Engagement
832-658-2600
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Anne supports the Engagement team in administrative areas.
Claire Elestwani
Graphic/Data Visualization Designer
832-658-2606
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Claire creates and oversees data visualization, graphics, illustrations, and other design work across all of EHF’s divisions and initiatives.
C.J. Eisenbarth Hager
Senior Research Innovation Officer
832-807-2589
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C.J. provides leadership, planning, and management of research projects in support of the Research Division’s goal of providing timely and relevant data and research to inform EHF’s work.
Tanweer Kaleemullah
Program Officer
832-807-2579
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Tanweer is responsible for investigating and evaluating grant proposals and supporting Foundation initiatives through soliciting proposals, conducting due diligence, maintaining communications with stakeholders, and project management related to grantmaking.
Cindy Lucia
Senior Program Officer
832-658-2663
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Cindy is responsible for investigating and evaluating grant proposals and supporting Foundation initiatives through soliciting proposals, conducting due diligence, maintaining communications with stakeholders, and project management related to grantmaking.
Briana Martin
Research & Evaluation Associate
832-658-2665
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Briana provides project management and oversight of assignments in support of the Research and Evaluation projects.
Lisa Mendoza
Grants Database Coordinator
832-807-2574
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Lisa is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of EHF’s grants database. In accordance with grant guidelines, she processes applicants’ inquiries regarding the online application process.
Jennifer Mineo, DrPH, LMSW
Senior Research and Evaluation Officer
832-658-2671
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Jennifer provides leadership, planning, and management of evaluation projects in support of the Research Division’s goal of providing timely and relevant data and research to inform EHF’s work.
Eric Moen
Senior Congregational Engagement Officer
832-807-2582
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Eric is responsible for developing and implementing EHF’s collaborative work with the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Roosevelt Neely
Community Partnerships Officer
832-658-2604
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Roosevelt is responsible for developing and implementing EHF’s capacity building strategies for strengthening community health.
Christy Serrano
Program Officer
832-807-2572
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Christy is responsible for investigating and evaluating grant proposals and supporting Foundation initiatives through soliciting proposals, conducting due diligence, maintaining communications with stakeholders, and project management related to grantmaking.
Laura Thewalt
Executive Assistant, Business and Communications
832-807-2578
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Laura supports the Business and Communication teams in administrative areas.
Melodee Toles
Senior Congregational Engagement Associate
832-658-2662
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Melodee supports EHF’s collaborative work with congregations by developing resource materials and communications, and provides project management for the Congregational Engagement team.
Kirstie Valverde
Administrative Assistant, Research and Evaluation
832-658-2672
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Kirstie supports the Research and Evaluation team in administrative areas.
Amy Willa
Research & Evaluation Associate
832-658-2566
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Amy provides project management and oversight of assignments in support of the Research and Evaluation projects.
Aerial Williams
Administrative Assistant, Grants
832-807-2587
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Aerial supports the Grants team in administrative areas.