Nemours Children’s Health System Announces Additions to Delaware Board of Managers
Gina Ward Becomes Chair, Sharon Mills Higgins and John Wellons Named New Members
“We congratulate Gina on her new appointment as Chair of Nemours Delaware Board of Managers and welcome Sharon and John to the Board,” says Jay Greenspan, MD, MBA, Chief Executive of Delaware Valley Operations. “Their incredible expertise and knowledge of the needs facing children in our community will be a tremendous asset. We look forward to their leadership, guidance, and commitment to the Nemours’ promise to help children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.”
Wilmington, DE – Nemours Children’s Health System, and Hugh Durden, Chairman of the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust, today announced the election of Gina Ward as Chair of Nemours Delaware Board of Managers. Nemours also announced the addition of two prominent Delawareans to the Delaware Board. Ward joined Nemours Delaware Valley Board of Managers in August 2014. She has been involved in healthcare throughout her professional life.
In 2012, Ward was appointed by the governor of Delaware as a public representative on Delaware’s Health Resources Board (DHRB), which serves to promote the efficient use of healthcare resources across the state. Ms. Ward served on the DHRB for over five years and has also held board positions at St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware, including the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and chairperson of the St. Francis Foundation.
John Wellons, President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware and Sharon Mills Higgins, an independent marketing and philanthropy consultant have also been named to Nemours Delaware Board of Managers.
Wellons was appointed to his position in 2017. He joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware in 2012 as Chief of Staff where he focused on business operations, fundraising and board development. Prior to joining the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, he held leadership positions with the Buccini/Pollin Group, Bank of America, MBNA America, KPMG Australia, and KPMG Consulting U.S.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the College of William & Mary, and is a former CPA in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is also a Trustee of the Hagley Museum and Library and Christiana Care Health System. John has served on the boards of the Delaware Community Foundation, Pilot School, and First State Squash.
Sharon Mills Higgins is an independent marketing and philanthropy consultant. She spent 20 years at Xerox Corporation in a variety of sales, marketing, and senior management positions. Ms. Higgins is a National Board of Trustees member for the March of Dimes. She has been a volunteer leader for the organization since 2004 and has held multiple leadership roles for the organization. She chaired the Campaign to End Preterm Birth from 2016-2018, raising funds to support the Prematurity Research Network, a collaborative of the March of Dimes and multiple leading research institutions in the United States and the UK.
She received a BA from Villanova University and did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. She serves on multiple boards including Bishop Shanahan high school and Partners In Outreach, both located in Chester County, PA.
“We congratulate Gina on her new appointment as Chair of Nemours Delaware Board of Managers and welcome Sharon and John to the Board,” says Jay Greenspan, MD, MBA, Chief Executive of Delaware Valley Operations. “Their incredible expertise and knowledge of the needs facing children in our community will be a tremendous asset. We look forward to their leadership, guidance, and commitment to the Nemours’ promise to help children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.”
About Nemours
Nemours is an internationally recognized children's health system that owns and operates the two free-standing children’s hospitals: the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Fla., along with outpatient facilities in five states, delivering pediatric primary, specialty and urgent care. Nemours also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, KidsHealth.org, and offers on-demand, online video patient visits through Nemours CareConnect. Nemours ReadingBrightstart.org is a program dedicated to preventing reading failure in young children, grounded in Nemours’ understanding that child health and learning are inextricably linked, and that reading level is a strong predictor of adult health.
Established as The Nemours Foundation through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, Nemours provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy and prevention programs to families in the communities it serves.
For further information: Nancy D'Argenio, Nemours Public Relations, nancy.dargenio@nemours.org
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