Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation announces inaugural board members

Concord, NH (PRESS RELEASE) – The Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation (GRCHF), which announced its formation earlier this year, has appointed its inaugural board of directors. Members are (in alphabetical order): Betsey Andrews Parker, CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County of Dover and Rochester; Jennifer Gullison, RN, vice president of operations at Cornerstone VNA in Rochester; Brian Hughes, president and CEO of Holy Rosary Credit Union (HRCU) in Rochester; Sandra Jalbert, philanthropist and volunteer from Rollinsford; Frank Jones, attorney at Wensley & Jones, P.L.L.C. in Rochester; Raude Raychel, founder and president of the Indonesian Community Connect in Somersworth; and Emmett Soldati, owner of Teatotaller Café in Somersworth. The board will hold its first meeting this fall.

GRCHF’s mission is to improve the health and well-being and reduce the burden of illness of people residing in Strafford County and surrounding communities. GRCHF will do this work by awarding grants, making program-related investments, and providing other financial assistance to health and social service programs, organizations and projects that benefit the community.

GRCHF (formerly the Frisbie Foundation) is being funded with proceeds from the sale of the nonprofit Frisbie Memorial Hospital to HCA Healthcare, Inc. (Frisbie Memorial Hospital remains open to serve the community, under the ownership of HCA Healthcare, Inc.). It is expected the final foundation balance will be about $20 million once the remaining sale transaction obligations and escrows are concluded.

GRCHF is a “supporting organization” of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, drawing on the Charitable Foundation’s community knowledge and financial and investment expertise to meet its mission.

The Charitable Foundation issued a call for applications in June to invite community members interested in serving on the GRCHF board of directors, which consists of seven people who live or work in Strafford County.

“We had a tremendous response from the community and are honored to be working with such an accomplished and dedicated group of volunteers who are interested in stewarding this important community asset for the benefit of Strafford County residents,” said Anne Phillips, director of grantmaking for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

Jennifer Gullison, RN, MSN of Rochester is the vice president of operations of Cornerstone VNA in Rochester. Jennifer joined Cornerstone after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and has served in various roles, including case manager, team leader, team manager and clinical director. She holds a master’s degree in Nursing Administration from Saint Joseph’s College in Maine.

Brian Hughes of Greenland is president and CEO of HRCU in Rochester. Brian has served on many community boards, including Frisbie Memorial Hospital, where he served as board chair and helped lead the partnership with HCA Healthcare; the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce; Rochester Opera House; Rochester Country Club; and the Economic Development committee for Rochester Mainstreet. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rochester Rotary Club.

Sandra Jalbert of Rollinsford is a lifelong resident of Strafford County and focuses her time on giving back to the community through volunteerism and philanthropy. She is the past interim executive director and board chair of the Triangle Club in Dover, an addiction recovery meeting house, and has volunteered for several local nonprofits, including Gather and the Salvation Army. She is also a member of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Piscataqua Region Advisory Board.

*Frank Jones of Rochester is an attorney and managing member of Wensley & Jones, PLLC in Rochester. He has practiced law in New Hampshire since 1973 and focuses on banking, commercial and residential real estate transactions. He has served on the boards of Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Strafford Health Alliance, Strafford County Mental Health Council and the Rochester School Board.

Betsey Andrews Parker, MPH of Dover is the CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. She is president of the New England Community Action Partnership, board member for CAPLAW (a national membership organization), and former six-term vice chair of the Dover School Board. She is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Boston University. She was named to the  Union Leader’s “40 under 40” list in 2011, was a member of the Leadership NH Class of 2007, and the organization she leads was named one of the top Women-Led Nonprofits by Business NH Magazine in 2013 and 2015.

Raude Raychel of Somersworth is a strategy consultant, activist and “social-preneur.” Raude is the founder and president of the Indonesian Community Connect Inc. in Somersworth, which is working to create the world’s first “Little Indonesia” district. She works closely with the General Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. and with New Hampshire state and local governments. Her work to build community across cultures has been recognized by New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation and state officials.

Emmett Soldati is a small-business owner, activist, and proud Somersworth “townie.” He has spent the last decade working to connect and uplift his hometown. In 2019, he won Entrepreneur of the Year for his cafe, Teatotaller, a hub of LGBTQ+ programming, community gatherings and social justice activism. He was also a primary candidate for Executive Council District 2 and for chair of the NH Democratic Party and currently serves as the town chair for the Somersworth Democratic Committee.

About the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is New Hampshire’s statewide community foundation, founded in 1962 by and for the people of New Hampshire. The Foundation manages a growing collection of 2,000 funds created by generous individuals, families and businesses, and awards more than $50 million in grants and scholarships every year. The Foundation works with generous and visionary citizens to maximize the power of their giving, supports great work happening in our communities and leads and collaborates on high-impact initiatives. For more information, please visit www.nhcf.org or call 603-225-6641.

*Update, November 2022: Frank Jones passed away October 8, 2022.