Board of Directors

James Hobbs is a Senior Consultant for Ernst & Young, where he specializes in Web Application Security solutions.   Additionally, he is a Realtor and Real Estate investor; roles which he is striving to utilize for community development opportunities.  He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from North Carolina A&T State University. James has a purposeful interest in philanthropy and servant leadership. 

In the Central PA region, he has served as a Board Member and/or volunteer with the Three Star Foundation, Capital Region Partnership for Career Development, Harrisburg Young Professionals, The Emerging Philanthropist Program, The Front Porch Project, and Christian Fellowship Church.

Dr. Gwendolyn Poles is a retired physician, board certified in Internal Medicine, who served as Medical Director at Hamilton Health Center and Kline Health Center, Pinnacle Health System. She was Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine from which she received the Dean’s Special Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and the Golden Apple Award.
She led health care quality improvement initiatives and provided guidance in policy making decisions for PA’s Medical Assistance Program where she was the Medical Director of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs.

Alisha Williams resides in Dallastown, PA with her husband Freddrick Williams and their three children Freddrick II, Aryka and Aden. She has designated a large part of her life advocating and taking care of her son Freddrick II living with Sickle Cell Disease. Alisha is a philanthropic and spiritual leader; she dedicates her life to helping and improving the lives of others. She is someone who cares for, guides, and tends to the needs of others. Alisha is a small business owner and served as an Executive Administrator for 10 years for one company.

​Mr. Williams retired from the Commonwealth of PA in 2018 with over 28 years of service.  He served as director for the Bureau of Administrative Services within the Department of Human Services in the Office of Administration for twelve years.  Prior to that position, he served as the director for the Bureau of Contracts and Public Records for eight years in the PA Treasury Department.  In addition, he served as the director for the Bureau of Public Assistance Audits in the PA Auditor General’s Office for over seven years.  Glenn’s service with the Commonwealth included extensive administrative, audit and professional staffing operations. 

Dr. Smink is a pediatric hematology and oncology physician at Penn State Health where she is the director of the pediatric sickle cell program.

Dr. Smink received her bachelors of science from Geneva College and then went to Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. She completed her pediatrics training at Wake Forest and hematology and oncology training at Washington University/St. Louis Children's Hospital. She has been a physician with Penn State since 2015 where she focuses on the care of individuals living with sickle cell disease.

Anthony D. Cox, Jr. is an associate of Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C. and serves as Chair of the Professional Licensing Group. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, insurance bad faith litigation, professional liability, professional malpractice, and tort defense, with a particular emphasis in civil litigation and professional and occupational licensure defense. Mr. Cox is also a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Dr. Herman Lawson is a board-certified physician in family medicine. He is semi retired physician. He is a Harrisburg native and a graduate of Lincoln University. He taught school in the Harrisburg school district for several years before entering medical school. He is a graduate of Penn State university medical school. His residency training was in family medicine. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburg medical school‘s  residency program at the McKee sport Hospital in McKeesport Pennsylvania. He was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society for several years. He currently is the Medical Director of the Harrisburg school district.