Leadership at UNC Health Blue Ridge

GARY PAXSON, FACHE, is the President and Chief Executive Officer at UNC Health Blue Ridge. Before coming to Blue Ridge, Gary had served as President and CEO since 2018 of the independently owned White River Health System in Batesville, a 224-bed licensed medical center located in North Central Arkansas, which employs 1,700. The system also includes a 25-bed critical access hospital, White River clinics, an employed group of 16 primary care clinics and 20 specialty clinics totaling more than 100 employed physicians and practitioners, and the White River Health System Foundation. His tenure was marked by significant accomplishments in employee engagement, business fundamentals, quality metrics, innovation, and growth. Under his leadership, the organization saw notable improvements in operational performance, patient satisfaction, and community engagement. 

ANDREW THOMAS, MBA, FACHE, is Chief Operating Officer - Drew has had various leadership roles with UNC Health Blue Ridge since 2012, each with progressively increasing responsibilities.

Drew has a diverse background in the medical field; serving as an EMT from 2003 until 2014, He served in the US Army Reserve’s Medical Service Corp, and worked as a financial services officer in the banking industry before transitioning into an administrative role in the healthcare field. Drew received his Master’s degree in Business Administration with a healthcare management concentration from The Ohio University, and a bachelor’s in Business Administration from Appalachian State University. Drew is a Fellow and a Board Certified Healthcare Executive through the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Drew currently serves as a volunteer firefighter with West End Fire Department. He is also an active member of the Catawba Valley Freemason Lodge 217, the Rotary Club of Morganton, and serves on the Finance Committee of East Valdese Baptist Church.

Drew and his wife, Holly, have a son and two daughters. 

PAT MOLL is Chief Financial Officer and Senior VP, and is responsible for all the functions related to the financial operations of the system. She gathers and analyzes all the financial data and information to make sure the hospital is operating within budget and to determine how to allocate funds to various areas.

Pat joined UNC Health Blue Ridge in October 2020 after serving two years as Director of Financial Operations at Southeastern Health in Lumberton. Prior to Southeastern, Pat served CHS Blue Ridge as Vice President of Finance/Controller for 13 years. She has 27 years of experience in healthcare finance.

Pat obtained her undergraduate degree in Business Administration/Accounting from the University of Maine and holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Pat Loves the beach, but she is happy to be back home with her children and grandson.

THOMAS (Thom) L. EURE is Chief Legal Officer and Senior VP of Corporate Services. He provides counsel to the board of directors on all legal matters, attending all committees of the board. He serves as a member of the executive management team providing advice to senior management on legal and regulatory issues; manages legal department and budget for outside counsel, as required; and manages interaction with various regulatory agencies.

Upon graduating law school at Campbell University, Thom went to work for an established law firm in Laurinburg in 1991. For the next six years, he had the privilege, as a general practitioner, of working in the district and superior courts, representing clients in a small-town practice. In 1997, having previously represented the local hospital in legal matters, Thom was invited to become its full-time employee.
Given the growing regulatory environment in healthcare delivery, he was asked to develop a compliance program. In 2002, he moved to Burke County to become the first general counsel of Blue Ridge HealthCare System, Inc., the then newly formed joint operating company of Valdese General Hospital and Grace Hospital, now with 1,800 employees.

He was a member of the North Carolina Association of Healthcare Risk Management Board of Directors serving as chair of Legislative Updates Committee, 2000-2002. He also services on the board of the Good Samaritan Clinic, Morganton, NC and he is a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher for adult couples at Burkemont Baptist Church, Morganton, NC.

Thom and his wife, Lynn, have four children. 

ANTHONY FRANK, JR., MD, MBA, FACEP, CPE, FAAPL, is Chief Medical Officer and Senior VP of Medical Affairs. He joined UNC Health Blue Ridge in July 2019.

Dr. Frank previously served as the Regional Emergency Department Medical Director for Vidant Medical Center and East Carolina University, covering six hospitals.

Dr. Frank received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Computer Science from Washington and Lee University.  He went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School and did his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of South Carolina, Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, where he also served as the Chief Resident in Emergency Medicine. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine through the American Board of Emergency Medicine and holds a subspecialty board certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine.

In addition, Dr. Frank holds a Master of Business Administration from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a Certified Physician Executive through the American Association for Physician Leadership.  He is a prolific author of journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters. Dr. Frank has presented a multitude of lectures regionally and nationally. His recognitions and awards include the FBI Service Recognition Award and the AMA Physician Recognition Award.

Dr. Frank and his wife, Karen, have two daughters.

ANN POHL, DNP, MSN, BSN, is the Chief Nursing Officer. Pohl brings more than 30 years of clinical healthcare experience and over 25 years of nursing leadership to her role. From 2011 to 2024, she served as the CNO of Lima Memorial Health System, a 328-bed hospital system in northwest Ohio with 1,700 employees and 200 providers, serving a 10-county area.

Pohl holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Quinnipiac University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Drexel University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green University. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong focus on improving patient outcomes and empowering teams through innovative leadership and governance structures.

Originally from Maryland, Pohl’s family relocated to the St. Mary’s, OH, area, where she began her healthcare career as a respiratory therapist before transitioning into nursing.

Pohl is married and has three adult daughters.

MARK PITTMAN is Chief Human Resources Officer, VP, and is responsible for managing 1,800 employees, employee relations, rewards and benefits and employee health. His job duties also are related to organizational development, recruitment and staffing, performance management, and compensation and benefits. In addition, he provides management, leadership and direction to the HR staff and employee health while fulfilling the role of senior level advisor to executives and employees regarding human resources trends and employee issues.

Pittman, originally from Cramerton, NC, began his healthcare human resources career at Vidant Health in Greenville, NC, where he served as the administrator of the Total Rewards program, and the manager of compensation and benefits for 13 years. He most recently worked for Hamilton Healthcare System in Dalton, GA, a nonprofit regional health care organization serving the northwest Georgia and southeast Tennessee region. He also served as the VP, Human Resources at North Mississippi Health Services for four years.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Belmont Abbey College and completed graduate level course work from East Carolina University. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Society for Human Resources Management, and American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration.

DANETTE BRACKETT - With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, Danette Brackett, MHA, serves as VP and Chief External Affairs Officer at UNC Health Blue Ridge. In this role, she oversees Marketing, Communications, Community Relations, the Blue Ridge Healthcare Foundation, Volunteer Services, and Chaplain Services.

Originally from Marion, NC, Danette has called Morganton home for over two decades. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotions and a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. She is an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development. In addition to her leadership at UNC Health Blue Ridge, she currently serves as the Chair-Elect for the Burke County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. 

Passionate about strengthening community connections, Danette is dedicated to ensuring UNC Health Blue Ridge delivers exceptional care and remains a trusted community partner. She and her husband, Scott, have two children and enjoy being actively involved in the community they call home.