Mercy’s Board of Directors is the agency’s Governing Body and made up of some of the community’s most passionate and active leaders. As such, they assist Mercy in understanding, pursuing, and attaining its mission. In particular, this means:

• Being active in board and committee meetings

• Assuming oversight and approval of all organizational policies, by-laws and procedures

• Ensuring the financial well-being of the organization

• Approving the budget

• Assisting in the design and implementation of Mercy’s strategic plan

• Providing a positive representation and interpretation of Mercy in the community

We are grateful for this tremendous team that serves us so well!

Rebecca Dyer – Board Chair

Rebecca Dyer is an attorney who partners with healthcare companies to manage costs and risk by negotiating best in market contract terms. Rebecca has worked for Passport Health Communications and HealthTrust Purchasing Group as a Contract Negotiator. Law is her second career. After spending a decade working in the hospitality business, Rebecca moved to Nashville to work for Gaylord Opryland. She worked as a paralegal while attending law school at night.

Rebecca holds a B.S. degree in Sociology from the University of Southern Indiana and a Juris Doctorate from Nashville School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Tennessee and United States District Court – Middle District of Tennessee. She is a member of Grace Community Church Nashville.

Kent Waltman – Vice Chair

Kimberly Aliotte, JD – Secretary

Kimberly Aliotte is a Corporate Executive Administrator for Cushman & Wakefield USA, Inc., where she provides administrative overview, process reporting, and client management for both national and international executive team members and clientele. She also works diligently as a contract attorney; providing administrative support, legal research, contract review, human resource training and compliance policy procedures for a variety of corporate, legal and government organizations.

Kimberly takes pride in serving and engaging in her community and enjoys working with others on projects that have a beneficial impact on those in need. She is a current supporter and donor for Girls on The Run, The Corliss Institute, the Epilepsy Foundation New England, the Nashville Symphony Annual Fund, and Nashville’s Autism Services. In addition to her service as Secretary for Mercy she also serves as an Advisory Board Member for Tennessee Youth Courts, Inc., and as a Board Member for ThriftSmart.

Kimberly graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law, where she received her juris doctorate degree. She received her bachelor of arts degree from THE Tennessee State University, and is a local graduate of Franklin High School.  Kimberly is the proud mother of one very special little girl, Anaiah; and is a long-time member of the Riverside Chapel SDA Church family in Nashville.

Craig Ballentine – Finance Committee Chair

Craig Ballentine is a principal with Patterson, Hardee and Ballentine PC, a full service CPA firm in Franklin. Craig is a born and raised native Middle Tennessean who did his undergraduate and graduate studies at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, where he was a member of the baseball team.  He and his wife, Cala, live in Franklin where they are raising their three children – Charlotte, Charlie Bert and Calahan. Craig enjoys golf, the Titans, Vols and Predators and spending time with family.  

Todd Matthews – Operations Committee Chair

Todd is a Client Advisor with SunTrust Private Wealth Management Medical Specialty Group and Registered Representative with SunTrust Investment Services, Inc. He is responsible for coordinating and advising personal relationships and specializes in working with physicians, healthcare executives and medical practice groups. Prior to joining SunTrust in 2012 he worked at another private wealth firm in Seattle, Wash. He is a CFP® and an active member of the Financial Planning Association and Estate Planning Council of Middle Tennessee.

Todd is a Young Leaders Council board training program alumni and member of the United Way’s Sennet Society. He graduated from Campbell University in North Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Trust and Wealth Management and Masters of Business Administration. Todd and his wife Rachel live in Franklin with their son, Braeden, and attend Redeeming Grace Church.

Kristen Toth – Leadership Chair

Kristen Toth joined Saint Thomas Health in January 2014, and currently serves as the System Vice President for Women’s and Children’s Services. She was instrumental in the advancement of the Saint Thomas Health Alliance model, and she has been influential in the development of the overall business development and strategic framework for Saint Thomas Health. Kristen has also been responsible for developing partnerships with key health systems, physician groups and other key entities along the system of care.

Kristen worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 12 years prior to joining the Alliance, specializing in women’s and pediatric health. While with Mead Johnson, Kristen was a project manager for the national Salesforce.com rollout, and she was voted MVP by her colleagues for her contributions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Maryville College and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Tennessee. Kristen is married to Marty, and has two children, Maddie and Preston.

Dumkele Anifowoshe

Dumkele Anifowoshe (Kele) is a self-employed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), who specializes in working with individuals and small businesses to identify and apply tax planning opportunities. Kele also provides assistance with both individual and business filings. She is a member of the Tennessee State Society of CPAs.

She immigrated to the United States in 1999 from Nigeria where she earned a bachelor’s degree in applied physics from the University of Benin in Nigeria (1992) and also became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Kele has more than two decades experience in the tax and accounting industries including working with one of the Big Four firms in Nigeria, then H&R Block and the Tax Audit Department at the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

She is married and has three children, loves traveling and is a member of Church of the City in Franklin.

Mabel Arroyo

Lacretia Crosby

Tania Davila

Tania Davila works in the healthcare industry as a lead of operations at a renal pharmacy. She is the first in her family to pursue a post-secondary education and holds a B.S. degree in nutrition and food science from Middle Tennessee State University. Tania participates in activities promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness about the healthcare needs of our community. She is passionate about encouraging young adults, specifically minorities and underprivileged students to seek higher education. In her spare time, she loves to play board games with her family and take long walks with her husband and their two dogs. Tania is a member of St. Phillip Catholic Church in Franklin where she sings in the choir.

Gonzalo Elorza

Gonzalo Elorza, CPA, MBA is a director of finance at LifePoint Health. Originally from Argentina, Gonzalo attended Trevecca Nazarene University on a soccer scholarship, where he earned an accounting degree and graduated magna cum laude. After graduating, he worked at Deloitte as an external auditor for three years while also obtaining his CPA license. Later, Gonzalo spent six years at HCA. During his time at HCA, Gonzalo earned an MBA degree from Lipscomb University. Since 2014, Gonzalo has worked at LifePoint in various roles associated with operations finance. Gonzalo has two daughters, Emma and Lexi.

Rev. William Herbert Johnson

The Rev. William Herbert Johnson was called to Greater First Baptist Church in Lewisburg, Tenn. November 30, 1997. In this same church, he confesses Jesus Christ as Savior under the pastorate of his father, Willie Payne Johnson. Rev. William Herbert Johnson received the mantle of pastorate from the church and his father who served the church for 60 years.

Herbert, as he prefers to be called, was educated in the Marshall County Public School System. He received his high school diploma in 1975. He attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1980. He then attended American Baptist College Seminary in Nashville followed by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 1995.

He is a member of the Marshall County Ministerial Alliance and currently serves as president. He also serves as a chaplain of Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg. Herbert served as the vice president of the Middle Region in the Tennessee Baptist Missionary & Educational Convention and has served as the moderator of the Duck River Missionary Baptist District Association. He is also a member of the Marshall County Senior Citizen Board and an active member of the NAACP of Marshall County.

Herbert is married to Deborah Kay (Williams), and they have two children Christy Nicole and William Daniel Johnson.

Ashlie Kerr 

Lupita Martinez

Matthew Piatko

Valerie Wilson, RHIA, CDHA

Valerie Wilson is a senior consulting product analyst at HCA Information Technology Group. She has been with HCA for almost 20 years. Valerie received the Noel Williams Award of Excellence for outstanding service in 2016. Prior to moving to Nashville and working for HCA, she served as a medical record/health information management director at various hospitals in Oklahoma from 1980 to 2001.

She completed her bachelor’s degree in Medical Records Administration/Health Information Management at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Valerie is married to David, and has three children and five grandchildren. She is a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Spring Hill, where she serves as music director and organist.

Will Brown, Young Leaders Council Intern