NRI Advisory Board
Our advisory board plays a crucial role in elevating the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) to world-class stature. Comprised of visionary leaders and experts from diverse fields, our board members are dedicated advocates for the NRI’s mission. They enhance our local, national, and global presence, secure essential resources, foster strategic partnerships, and provide invaluable guidance. By supporting groundbreaking nutrition research, our board helps us revolutionize nutrition science and achieve advancements in health and wellness.
Board Member Profiles
Meg Dees
Vice President of Development
Catawba College
Salisbury, NC
Meg Dees, Vice President of Development at Catawba College since 2019, previously served as Interim VP and was on loan from the Foundation for The Carolinas, where she worked from 2008 to 2019. Her earlier roles include Assistant Director of the NC Main Street Program and Executive Director of the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation. A Mary Baldwin College graduate with a master’s in Public Administration from NC State University, Meg is a lifelong Tar Heel fan and has deep family ties to UNC Chapel Hill. She serves on the Catawba College Center for the Environment Board of Advisors and is Vice Chair of the non-profit One Green Thing.
John Fennebresque, Jr.
Managing Director
Fennebresque & Co., Investment Banking
Charlotte, NC
John Fennebresque, Jr. founded Fennebresque & Co. in 2007, a leading investment bank in the food industry, and is a partner with North State Capital and EHF Capital. He previously worked with McColl Partners, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Bank of America. John is also the CFO of the early stage technology venture Szl.it. He holds a degree from UNC Chapel Hill and an MBA from Columbia University. He serves as President of the Charlotte Latin Alumni Governing Board and is on the boards of the North Carolina Museum of Art, Miracle League of Charlotte, and the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.
J. Steven Fisher
Chairman and CEO
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Salisbury, NC
Steve Fisher, a native of Rowan County, is Chairman and CEO of F&M Bank and F&M Financial Corporation. He holds degrees from UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University School of Business, and Wake Forest University School of Law. Formerly a practicing attorney in Atlanta, he joined F&M Bank in 1998. Dedicated to community service, he supports numerous organizations through the F&M Bank Foundation and serves on several boards, including the Rowan County United Way and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. Steve is married to Robin Ennis Fisher, and they have three sons.
Erika Gantt
Surgeon
OrthoCarolina
Charlotte, NC
Dr. Erika Gantt, an orthopedic surgeon affiliated with OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, NC, has 27 years of practice experience. She earned her BS from UNC Chapel Hill and her MD from Harvard Medical School, completing her residency at Hospital for Special Surgery and a fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Gantt has contributed to peer-reviewed articles and presented at national conferences. Active in Partners in Health, she has provided medical services in Haiti.
Melissa Harman
Manufacturing Manager
Lonza
Portsmouth, NH
Melissa Harman is a people manager at Lonza Biologics, overseeing operations at the North American flagship site in Portsmouth, NH. With Lonza since 2005, including four years in Singapore, she has a proven track record in leading teams through large-scale expansion projects and regulatory inspections. Melissa, a UNC graduate with a Master’s in Science Education from Georgia State University, is a site ambassador for Lonza’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging Council and a mentor for the RiseUP Women in Leadership program. She began her biotechnology career in 1999 at CryoLife, Inc. When not working, she enjoys golfing with her family.
Jason C. Holt
Financial Advisor
F&M Investment Services
Kannapolis, NC
Jason Holt, a native of Kannapolis residing in Davidson, graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in Business Administration in 1995. He began his financial services career the same year, he holds Series 24, Series 65, and Series 7 licenses. After working with First Union Brokerage Services until 2001, he joined F&M Investment Services, where he is now Senior Vice President. Recognized as one of the Top 50 Investment Advisors in the US by Bank Investment Consultant magazine from 2012 to 2019, and also recognized as the best Financial Advisor in the Greater Cabarrus area from 2017 to 2022. He is married to Laura Wilson Holt and they have two children.
Kathleen A. Kaney
Senior Vice President
Atrium Health
Charlotte, NC
Dr. Kaney is a former C-suite healthcare thought leader with over 25 years of experience in developing and implementing innovative health programs. A bestselling author of “Both/And: Medicine and Public Health Together,” she has overseen a $3.5B portfolio in various medical services and co-created pioneering population health programs. Founder of the Whole Person Index and CEO of LovEvolve, she advises companies like Guideway Care, GE Healthcare, and Pfizer. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, she holds numerous accolades, including Top 25 Women in Business and Public Health Leader of the Year. Dr. Kaney earned her DrPH from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and her MBA and BA from the University of Buffalo.
Farzaneh Keshmiri-Sanchez, DDS
President
Carolina Aesthetic Dentistry Experience
Concord, NC
Dr. Farzaneh Keshmiri graduated with highest honors in Physiology from Southern Illinois University and earned her DDS from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry on a Research Scholarship in 1991. She practiced dentistry in Parris Island, SC, and Jacksonville, NC, receiving a commendation for her services before moving to Kannapolis. Dr. Keshmiri focuses on orthodontics, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment planning, and cosmetic dentistry, earning an Academy of General Dentistry fellowship in 2008. She splits her time between practices in Concord and Cornelius and is active in the community, having served as President of the Cabarrus County Dental Society and the West Cabarrus YMCA Advisory Board. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading.
Jean Kitchin
Television Producer
WHIG TV
Rocky Mount, NC
Jean Kitchin, a television producer and host since 1986, has authored two cookbooks and currently hosts “Cuisine with Jean” on WHIG, a local station. She has worked for ABC, NBC, and UNC TV. She has also been the CEO/owner of three independent pharmacies in Rocky Mount for 16 years. A UNC Chapel Hill graduate, Jean has continued serving her alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees for eight years, Chair of the General Alumni Association, and a member of the Lineberger Emeritus Board of Visitors. She was recently awarded the William R Davie Award and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Her father was instrumental in establishing the NCSU Food Science Department.
Chris Komelasky
CEO and Co-founder
SiteBridge Research
Chapel Hill, NC
Chris Komelasky is the CEO and Co-founder of SiteBridge Research, an Integrated Research Organization launched in 2021 in collaboration with the American Medical Association. SiteBridge partners with community-based practices to enhance access to industry-sponsored clinical research for underserved, diverse communities. With extensive experience as a management consultant and healthcare executive, Chris has expertise in strategy, operations, data analytics, commercialization, and business transformation in Pharmaceutical and CRO organizations. Before founding SiteBridge, he served as the Executive Director of PPD’s Site and Patient Access group, leading innovation and strategic initiatives for data-driven decision-making and site collaboration. Chris also held leadership roles at GSK and worked in management consulting at Accenture and ZS Associates. He holds a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and resides in Chapel Hill, NC, with his wife and three children.
Monique May
Regional Medical Director
United Healthcare
Charlotte, NC
Jeffrey M. Petry
Managing Director, Life Sciences & Healthcare
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Charlotte, NC
Almer Reddick
Regional Sales Director
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
Conshohocken, PA
Rina K. Shah (Chair)
Durham, NC
Rina Shah is a healthcare professional with extensive industry experience, currently serving as Vice President of Clinical Programs at Beacon Laboratory Benefits Solutions, a LabCorp subsidiary. She leads the development of clinical programs and plays a crucial role in sales, product development, and IT platform design. Rina holds a degree in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, with concentrations in Health Sector Management and Marketing. Her previous roles include healthcare consultant at Deloitte and founder of her own consulting firm, where she specialized in revenue cycle operations, system integrations, and utilization management. Rina also contributes to the Fuqua School of Business’ Health Care Alumni Advisory Board, having served as Chair in 2016-17.
Samuel L. Taggard
Executive Vice President
AMS Management Group
West Simsbury, CT
Samuel L. Taggard is Executive Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio Development at AMS Management Group, where he oversees reporting and analytics, business strategy, strategic investment, partnerships, and special projects. He is also the Co-Founder and COO of Adaptrack, a platform designed to help healthcare providers manage risk and avoid burnout. Before AMS, Samuel spent nine years at Cigna Healthcare, holding various roles in strategic business development, national contracting, and value-based care enablement. He played a key role in forming a partnership with Catamaran and helped establish Cigna Ventures. Samuel began his career as a physical therapist at Beth Israel Deaconess and HCA’s Portsmouth Regional Hospital. He holds a BS in Economics and Finance from Bentley College, a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Duke University School of Medicine, and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Jenise Tate
Coach, Collaborator, Connector
Harrisburg, North Carolina
Jenise Tate serves on the Executive Board for the Boy Scouts of America Mecklenburg County Council, where she is the annual fundraising chair for the Good Scout Award Luncheon and a member of the Exploring committee. With over 13 years of service, she has also completed her Wood Badge training and served as a committee member and merit badge trainer. Professionally, Jenise has a background in financial services, including roles in relationship management, program management, and investment banking, where her strategic thinking and attention to detail have made a significant impact. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Finance, and a minor in African-American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as an MBA with concentrations in Finance, Strategic Management, and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Toigo Fellow. Jenise is an active community volunteer, dedicating her time to various causes.
Richard A. Vinroot
Attorney at Law
Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
Mayor of Charlotte, 1991-95
Charlotte, North Carolina
Richard A. Vinroot is an attorney with Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson in Charlotte, specializing in commercial litigation, including land use, real estate development, construction, employment, and charter school representation in North Carolina. He holds a B.S. and LL.B. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a John Motley Morehead Scholar. Vinroot served as Mayor of Charlotte from 1991-95, was a Charlotte City Council member from 1983-91, and the Republican nominee for Governor of North Carolina in 2000. He has served on the boards of Martin Marietta Materials and Sugar Creek Charter School, is a trustee of the Charlotte YMCA, and has been a high school Sunday School teacher at Myers Park Presbyterian Church for 40 years. Vinroot served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1967-68. He is married to Judy, with three children, and four grandchildren.
Jason Walser
Executive Director
Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation, Inc.
Salisbury, NC
Jason Walser, a native of Statesville, N.C., attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar, majoring in Business, and later earned a law degree from the UNC School of Law. He practiced law in Hendersonville, N.C., before joining The Land Trust for Central NC in Salisbury in 1999, where he served as Executive Director for nearly 16 years, conserving over 15,000 acres and creating public nature preserves and parks. In 2017, he became the Executive Director of the Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation, overseeing community investments and improvements, including Bell Tower Green Park. Jason, who ran for Congress in 2016, serves on several nonprofit boards and is active in community initiatives, advocating for public policy engagement. He enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and biking. He is married to Tracy Thomas Walser, and they have two children.
Mary Jo Walter
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
Lumberton, NC
Mary Jo Walter, a financial advisor with Edward Jones for 20 years, holds a Series 7 General Securities License and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, registered with NASDAQ and the NYSE. She is Series 63 licensed in 15 states, a Series 66 Investment Advisor, and an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) with the College for Financial Planning. At Edward Jones, she has reached the Highest Production Level (10) and been named one of the top 400 advisors out of 19,000, also being recognized as a Top 40 female advisor at the Barron’s Women’s Conference for three consecutive years. Mary Jo supports her alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill, through roles such as Board of Visitors member and chair of the Robeson/Bladen Chapter of the UNC Alumni Association, where she is a lifetime member. In the community, she is involved with the Lumberton Area Chamber of Commerce, Lumberton Rotary Club, UNC Southeastern Health Foundation Board, Robeson Historical Society, Lumberton Arts Council, First Baptist Church Bladenboro, and Friends of the Library Robeson County.
Amanda G. Watlington, PhD, APR Founder
CEO City Square Consulting, Founder Searching for Profit
Durham, NC
Amanda Watlington, as the Founder of Searching for Profit, a strategic SEO/Integrated Marketing consultancy. Her previous experience included over twenty years as a communications, sales and business strategy consultant. She was the associate editor of Health Care Strategic Management and Hospital Materials Management, two monthly health care management and strategy journals.
She holds a B.A. Degree in Classical Civilization from Douglass College in New Jersey, a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.B.A. in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University.
Committed to professional and community service, she has served as a member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), where she co-chaired the Search Engine Marketing Council. She chaired the Research Committee of the Web Analytics Association (WAA). She also served US Rowing as the NE Regional Representative to the Referee Commission and refereed rowing at the collegiate and national level for twenty-seven years.
Currently, she serves on the board of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis, NC and on the board of the UNC Institute for Arts and Humanities.