Staff
Robert Pugh, MPH, Executive Director
Robert M. Pugh, MPH, is the Executive Director of Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA) and has held that position since October 1980. Mr. Pugh has been involved in the healthcare arena in the State of Mississippi as a health care professional since 1975 and has held numerous health care professional positions in State Government, as well as in the private sector including hospital management and operations.
Mr. Pugh holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in Public Health-Hospital Administration from the University of California at Berkeley. He has a wealth of experience in health care management, health care planning, policy research and development. He serves on numerous committees and task force groups at the state, regional and national levels involved with health care, with special interest on prevention and primary care.
Kim Hancock, MS, Director of Communications
Kim Hancock, MS, joined the staff of the Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA) in February of 2002 as the Director of Communications. She is responsible for internal and external communications, marketing, media and public relations, member services, Federal and State policy and advocacy, MPHCA’s website and newsletter, The Focus, and MPHCA’s Annual Conference. Prior to joining MPHCA, Kim served as the Program Services Director for the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi. She has worked in the communications and public relations field primarily in the health care arena for the past 23 years including positions with what is now Central Mississippi Medical Center (CMMC) and the Mississippi Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), IQH - Information and Quality Healthcare. Kim holds a Masters Degree in Mass Media Communications from Mississippi College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is passionate about working in the non-profit sector and being part of an association that advocates for quality primary and preventive health care services for all Mississippians, especially the underserved and uninsured. She is actively involved in numerous health initiatives as both an advocate and participant. Kim enjoys community service work and reading in her spare time. She and her husband, Jim, live in Raymond, MS with their two boys, Jamie (12) and Sam (5).
Sandi Munden, CFO, Chief Financial Officer
Sandi Munden, CPA, is the Chief Financial Officer of the Mississippi Primary Care Association. Mrs. Munden is a graduate of Balboa High School in the Panama Canal Zone, and Pennsylvania State University, where she majored in Accounting and minored in Economics. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Prior to joining MPHCA, Mrs. Munden served as a controller for a private company for many years and most recently worked for the State of Mississippi, first with the Mississippi Gaming Commission, auditing casinos for internal control compliance and performing corporate investigations both in the United States and overseas, and later with the Office of the State Auditor as an investigator.
Vera Nickelberry, Executive Assistant
Serves as Executive Assistant for the MPHCA, where she provides administrative support to the management and staff, as well as performing a wide variety of administrative duties to assist the Executive Director in accomplishing corporate objectives. Ms. Nickelberry joined the Association in 1996. She maintains the Executive Director’s calendar, arranges meetings, makes travel arrangements and supervises the maintenance of corporate files. Ms. Nickelberry has 30 years of Office and administrative experience.
T. C. Washington, Director of Information Systems
Anne Weems, Secretary/Receptionist
Shermaile Williams, Administrative Assistant
Shermaile L. Williams has served Mississippi Primary Health Care Association in a couple of capacities since joining the company in 1999, being hired as the Receptionist and then being promoted to her current position as Administrative Assistant in 2001.
Shermaile assist the association in all of its day-to-day activities as well as conference tasks. Her exceptional customer service and organizational skills are fully utilized in her role as Administrative Assistant. She holds an AA Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
LaShelia Young, Communications & Member Services Coordinator
LaSheila Young serves as the Communications & Member Services Coordinator for the Mississippi Primary Health Care Association. Ms. Young joined the Association in 2000. She holds an Associate Degree in Office Systems and an Associate Degree in Graphic Design. Ms. Young has over 16 years of administrative/support experience.
Helen Brown, Financial Assistant
Helen Brown has served as Financial Assistant for the Mississippi Primary Health Care Association since 2007. She is a native of Gluckstadt, Mississippi, where she attended Madison Central High School and graduated in 1992. She holds an AA Degree in Business Accounting from Holmes Community College.
Mitch Morris, MPH, Special Projects Director
Mitch Morris, MPH, is the Special Projects Director of the Mississippi Primary Care Association (MPHCA). After various experiences in health insurance, community health, and health education, Mr. Morris joined MPHCA in 2007.
Mr. Morris hails from Columbia, Mississippi, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from William Carey University, and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Southern Mississippi. While at William Carey, he was inducted into Kappa Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honor society. At USM, Mr. Morris was inducted into Eta Sigma Gamma, the national health education honor society.
In addition to professional experiences in community and public health, Mr. Morris has participated in numerous federal grant review panels, and has served as Board Member and President of the Mississippi Rural Health Association.
Joyce Smith, RN, Director of Clinical Quality
A native Mississippian, Joyce was born and raised in rural Plantersville, MS. She attended the Lee and Monroe County public schools systems. She graduated with high honors from Tupelo High School and received her associate’s degree in Nursing from Itawamba Community College in Fulton, MS. She completed undergraduate studies at University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS and began her nursing career at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS. Her fifteen year nursing career has included, medical surgical and renal nursing, occupational health nursing, home health/ hospice, private duty nursing and legal nurse consulting. She is a published playwright who enjoys writing and directing stage plays. Other relaxation and enjoyment activities include arts, crafts, cake decorating and interior decorating and design.
Carley Jefcoat, Outreach and Workforce Coordinator
A native of Greenwood, MS, Carley Jefcoat serves as the Outreach and Workforce Coordinator for MPHCA. Carley received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Delta State University (DSU) in 2005, and in 2009 completed her Masters of Science in Community Development also at DSU.
While enrolled in the DSU graduate program, Carley was awarded the Outstanding Research and Scholarship award as well as Student of the Year at the 2009 Recognition and Scholarship Banquet.
Ms. Jefcoat began working with the Institute for Community-Based Research as a graduate student then as a Research Fellow and continued that work until joining the staff at MPHCA. In addition to research focused on health care access, Carley also has experience working with projects on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, numerous projects in the Mississippi Delta, and also as the student leader for a project in rural Grenada, West Indies.