Byron R. Harrell, ScD, FACHE
President/CEO
Dr. Harrell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Community Ministries, one of the largest private foundations in Louisiana. The bulk of the BCM endowment of approximately $270 million originated from the sale of Mercy + Baptist Medical Center in August 1995. Prior to the sale, he served as President of Mercy + Baptist Medical Center operating two acute care hospitals with more than 800 beds, 2,700 employees, 600 members of the combined medical staffs and annual revenues exceeding $280 million. Between 1989 and 1995, Harrell was CEO of Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, and prior to that served as President of Baptist Medical Center - Princeton in Birmingham, Alabama. Serving in other administrative and executive roles, Dr. Harrell has more than twenty-five years of experience in health systems management, hospitals, health maintenance organizations and related fields.
Harrell holds a Doctor of Science degree in Health Services Research from Tulane University with a primary interest in organizational theory as applied to health legacy foundations. His current research focuses on the structural design of successful foundations and in measuring foundation performance. Harrell consults on various hospital sale, merger, and conversion transactions primarily in the southeastern United States but has been invited to speak to similar nonprofit conversions internationally.
Dr. Harrell is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), and has served as a preceptor for the Health Systems Management Program at Tulane University (New Orleans) and Trinity University (San Antonio). He serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of New Orleans, and is a board member of Healthy Lifestyle Choices, and The School Leadership Center. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, a legislatively created public/private research partnership, and is also Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the New Orleans Downtown Development District (a local taxing authority in the City of New Orleans). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Council of Foundations in Atlanta, Georgia.
Charles E. Beasley, CPA
VP/Chief Operating Officer
Baptist Community Ministries
Mr. Beasley graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in December 1978 from the University of New Orleans. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Louisiana Society of CPAs.
Mr. Beasley joined BCM in August 1995 and served as Chief Financial Officer until 2001. His responsibilities included accounting, investments and cash management, budgeting, information systems, employee benefits and risk management. In April 2001, Mr. Beasley was promoted to the position of Vice President / Chief Operating Officer. In addition to retaining responsibility for all corporate financial functions, Mr. Beasley became responsible for all grant management and operating issues. Mr. Beasley reports to the President/CEO and serves as the primary staff person to the Finance and Grants Committees of the Board of Trustees.
Prior to joining BCM, Mr. Beasley was employed by Graham Resources, Inc., a financial asset and oil and gas management company with over $1.7 billion of funding, for 14 years where he was responsible for various accounting, treasury and supervisory capacities and was promoted to the position of Vice President and Treasurer before his departure from the company.
Charles and his wife, Laura, reside in Mandeville and have two children.
Luceia V. LeDoux
Program Director, Public Safety & Governmental Oversight
Luceia LeDoux is currently the Director of Public Safety/Governmental Oversight grants. Prior to joining the BCM staff in November 2001, she served as the Assistant Director of the LSU School of Social Work Office of Social Service Research and Development (OSSRD). OSSRD projects involving juvenile justice, corrections, addictions, mental health and community partnerships, and services include research, program evaluation and development; grant writing technical assistance, specialized training and advocacy. During her tenure at OSSRD Ms. LeDoux led development of the state's truancy prevention initiative aimed at identifying children displaying early patterns of school absence. The program now operates in 23 of the state's 64 parishes, and is still expanding. The project was recently identified for review as an OJJDP Promising Practice Program.
Ms. LeDoux brought twenty years of experience in juvenile and criminal justice program planning and administration to her work at LSU. During this time she coordinated victim/witness assistance, adult and juvenile diversion and community-based correctional programs, including two federal model projects funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Elizabeth Scheer, MN, MBA, RN
Program Director, Health
Elizabeth Scheer is the Health Grants Program Director. Prior to joining BCM, she served in senior management positions in a for-profit biopharmaceutical company incorporated in Louisiana, and both regional and national managed care organizations (HMOs) and physician-hospital organizations (PHOs). Liz began her career in the healthcare sector as a Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialists responsible for the Cardiac Rehab Program at Ochsner Foundation Hospital.
Ms. Scheer has and continues to serve on numerous not-for-profit and professional boards. She is an active member of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce serving on its Board of Directors and on numerous Jefferson Parish governmental task forces and citizen advisory committees.
Cathy L. Vaughn, MEd
Program Director, Education
Cathy Vaughn manages the grant-making program in the field of education. She represents BCM in the field of education (a major area of grant-making interest to the foundation) and to the community at large on issues related to education as well as monitors performance of grant partners against predetermined grant outcomes. Cathy also serves as lead staff contact on Board-designated special task forces in education. Prior to joining BCM, Cathy gave 32 years to the Jefferson Parish School System in varied capacities including: Director of Business, Community, Employee end Legislative Relations; Assistant Director of Personnel, Employee Evaluation and Staff Development; Director of Staff Development; Personnel Supervisor; Personnel Evaluator; Curriculum Coordinator; and Teacher. Among her many accomplishments are the following.
Ms. Vaughn was selected for six member Louisiana State Department of Education Accountability Committee responsible for developing State Bulletin 1525, rationale and guidelines mandated by Louisiana Revised Statute 17:391.5 on employee accountability and was appointed to six member Louisiana Department of Education Oversight Committee responsible for developing a new teacher certification program for the State of Louisiana. She continues to serve the community through many civic organizations and her work at BCM.
Rev. E. W. Huffstutler, DMin
President, The McFarland Institute
Director, Clinical Pastoral Education
Gene Huffstutler is an ordained Baptist minister. His degrees are Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University, Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.
His clinical training was at High Plains Baptist Hospital in Amarillo, Texas; the Texas Department of Corrections, Huntsville, Texas; and Southern Baptist Hospital, New Orleans.
He has taught Business Ethics for Tulane University's University College and is currently a Certified Supervisor with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
Frances L. Hawkins, MN, RN
Director, Congregational Wellness Division
Frances Hawkins is a registered nurse with over 30 years experience in various aspects of nursing, inclusive of nurse administration, staff development, community and acute care nursing. Her degrees are a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dillard University School of Nursing and a Master of Nursing from the Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Nursing in New Orleans. She holds a Certification as a Church Nurse from the Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries International Parish Nurse Resource Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
She is a ministry leader and Church Nurse at the Purelight Baptist Church, New Orleans, a member of Sigma Theta Tau-Epsilon Nu Honor Society, the American Diabetes Association, the Dillard University Professional Organization of Nursing (DUPON), and a member of the National Association of Public Health Administrators. She is an experienced advocate of healthcare for the underserved population and has an extensive relationship with community services and faith-based organizations.
Rev. James E. Hightower, Jr., EdD
Director, Chaplaincy Services
Jim Hightower is an ordained minister with standing in the United Church of Christ. His degrees are a Bachelor of Arts from Shorter College, Master of Ministry from Earlham School of Religion and a Doctor of Education in Psychology and Counseling from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Hightower is an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Orleans in the Counselor Education program and at the Loyola Institute for Ministry in the State of Louisiana. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Other certifications include Diplomate in The American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Approved Supervisor in the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapist, and he has been a Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains since 1978.
Charles E. Young
President, Christian Health Ministries Foundation
Charles E. Young has been president of Christian Health Ministries Foundation since 1988. He is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans and is a member of numerous civic and professional organizations. He is a past president of the New Orleans Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (formerly the National Society of Fundraising Executives) and the New Orleans Rotary Club. He is a past recipient of AFP's Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award in Louisiana and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy's (formerly National Association for Hospital Development) national award for outstanding achievement in a hospital annual giving program.
