Christwood is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors made up of leaders in our local community, many of whom you may know.

Gordon Atkins

Gordon Atkins graduated from The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, Austin, TX in 1990 with a Master’s degree in Business Administration; Concentration: Finance. From 2014 to present, Mr. Atkins has served on the Board of Directors for Vermillion, Inc. in Wichita, KS.  This manufacturing company specializes in wiring harness solutions for aerospace and defense industries. His other experience was in the Management of complex grocery distribution businesses. Currently, Mr. Atkins is a volunteer with James Samaritan in Covington, helping to  connect the community and church to create healthy support systems for kids and families in our foster care system.

Margaret “Midge” Collett

Margaret “Midge” Collett has been Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of St. Tammany Health System in Covington since 2005.  Prior to that she was Chief Compliance Officer (January 2001 – 2005) and Compliance Officer/Risk Manager (January 1998 – December 2000) at St. Tammany Health System.  She earned her Juris Doctor at Paul M. Hebert Law Center; Louisiana State University in May 1994 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Summa Cum Laude from Southeastern Louisiana University in May 1982.

Michael Cushman

Brigadier General Michael A. Cushman, USAF, Retired – Michael Cushman’s last assignment prior to retirement was with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), one of our Country’s intelligence agencies.  He was the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of the Air Force/Director of the NRO on all Reserve Forces matters.

Serving on the NRO Senior Command, General Cushman supported the development and execution of National Security Space programs and projects. These include dual-use technology projects that provide Department of Defense and Intelligence Community space-based applications to the warfighter and Homeland Security agencies.  He developed requirements for National Security Space systems support for operations such as ALLIED FORCE, NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and STRONG RESOLVE.  He also developed US Space Command and Air Force Space Command  mission integration assignments for Reserve Forces.

After 37 years of military service, General Cushman retired on 21 March 2004.  He is married to the former Denise L. Davidson and resides in Mandeville, Louisiana.

The General currently serves as the Military Advisor to the 22^nd Judicial District Court LA–Veterans Court in addition to several allied programs and organizations in support of Veterans in need.

Timothy J. Cutt

Mr. Cutt joined Gulfport Energy Corporation as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer in May 2021; he has served as Executive Chairman of the Board since January 2023. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Cutt served as Chief Executive Officer and a director of QEP Resources from January 2019 to March 2021. Prior to joining QEP, Mr. Cutt was the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Cobalt International Energy from 2016 to 2018. Previously, Mr. Cutt held several executive positions with BHP Billiton before serving as President of the Petroleum Division from 2013 to 2016. During this time, he was also a member of BHP Billiton’s Corporate Executive Committee. Mr. Cutt began his career with Mobil and worked for ExxonMobil for 24 years and served in various management roles including President of ExxonMobil de Venezuela, President ExxonMobil Canada Energy and President Hibernia Management & Development Company. Mr. Cutt served as a board member of the American Petroleum Institute (API) from 2013 to 2018.

Rev’d. Seth Donald

The Rev’d. Seth Donald began his tenure as rector of Christ Church in August of 2022. Prior to Christ Church, Fr. Seth served as the 5th Rector of St. Michael and All Angels in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is a native of Jennings, Louisiana and holds degrees from Rhodes College, BA; Centenary College, MBA; and The University of the South, M.Div. He is currently undergoing doctoral work at Fordham University with a special interest in Ignatian Spirituality.  Before being called to ordained life, Fr. Seth had a business career with a Fortune 30 company. He is an avid reader, enjoys travel, good food, and any excuse to be outside – gardening, hiking, hunting, and fishing. He is married to Amy Parratt Donald; they have three daughters: Mary Brooks, Eliza, and Mae and a goldendoodle named Olive.

Patti Ellish

Patti Elish, President of Christwood and a member of the Executive and Finance Committees, retired St. Tammany Parish Hospital President and CEO, Patti Ellish has transformed a small community hospital into a thriving regional medical center. Under her leadership, the facility tripled in size to serve one of the fastest growing parishes in Louisiana.  Ellish is a fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, past chair of Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans, board member of Louisiana Hospital Association and Northshore Healthcare Alliance and member of Northshore Business Council and Women’s Leadership Council of Greater New Orleans. She has earned regional and national recognition including YLC Role Model, Top 10 Female Achievers, New Orleans CityBusiness Woman of the Year, including its Hall of Fame and in 2017 she was named as one of the top 130 female healthcare leaders to know by Becker’s.  Patti Ellish is married and lives in Covington, LA; she has two children and one grandchild.

Dr. Thom Franklin, MD

Dr. Thom Franklin, MD earned his medical degree from Tulane in 1976 and completed his residency at Tulane University and Charity Hospital until 1979. His pursuit of excellence led him to specialize in internal medicine, achieving board certification that same year. Notably, Dr. Franklin was part of the first testing class in the United States to specialize in geriatrics, marking a significant milestone in his career. Dr. Franklin has been a dedicated friend of Christwood and a highly skilled physician specializing in internal medicine and geriatrics. With an unwavering commitment to patient care, he has spent 34 years diagnosing, treating, and educating residents of the Northshore and Christwood. Dr. Franklin served on the original Christwood Board of Directors, playing an instrumental role in its formative years.

Charles “Charlie” Goodyear

Charles “Charlie” Goodyear graduated from Yale University with a degree in Economics.  After two years in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant (First Armored Division) he joined Esso Standard Oil Company (now ExxonMobil). His career spanned more than 40 years, mostly spent in Retail Marketing (service stations and commercial) that encompassed logistics, design, advertising and operations.

Charlie served as a Board member of the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies (IFMSS)-London from 1985-2000 and on the Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society from 1995-2005. After retiring in 1998, he served on a number of local town bodies in Darien, Connecticut.

Charlie moved to Christwood with his wife, Linda, in September 2020.

John Graham

Mr. John Graham entered private practice with the New Orleans Law firm of Milling, Saul, Benson, Woodward and Hillyer, then the Largest Law firm in Louisiana, where he specialized in oil and gas Law and became a partner in 1967. He is qualified to practice Law before all state and federal courts in Louisiana and before the United States Supreme Court. In 1969 and entered the private business sector where he became engaged in oil and gas exploration and the management and development of oil service companies. From 1975 until the Company’s sale to Prudential Insurance Company in 1994, he was president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Graham Resources, Inc. a private company engaged in acquisition and investment management of oil and gas production properties and oil service companies, including over 100 acquisitions and mergers. Mr. Graham has served on multiple civic and philanthropic committees as well, such as the Madison Society of the Library of Congress and he was a founding member of Baptist Community Ministries in New Orleans, one of the largest grant makers in the region. Mr. Graham was also a former member of the board of Southern Baptist Hospital.

Kerry K. Milton, RN, MSHA

Kerry K. Milton, R.N., MSHA, Senior Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer, St. Tammany Health Systems.   After launching her career as a medicine and oncology nurse at East Jefferson General Hospital,  Kerry Milton joined St. Tammany Health System as a telemetry registered nurse.  Through bachelor’s and master’s degrees and successive promotions in nursing management, Kerry built her executive career on patient care and sound management principles. Her roots at the bedside bring an important perspective on the value of personal attention and quality initiatives.

Kerry is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, VHA Gulf States Nurse Executive Group, Women’s Healthcare Executive Network and Louisiana Organization of Nurse Executives.

Frances M. Phares, JD, MPS/MSC, LPC

Fran has been in full-time legal practice since 1981 with special focus on toxic torts and pharmaceutical injuries. She holds dual masters’ degrees in Pastoral Studies and Counseling from Loyola University, New Orleans, with an emphasis on older-adult mental wellness. She serves on the boards of Christwood Foundation, Solomon Episcopal Conference Center, and Bethany Presbyterian Church and Cemetery Foundation. Fran is a Lay Pastoral Minister at Church Episcopal Church where she sings in the choir, serves on the Endowment Committee, and co-facilitates a women’s spirituality group. She has three adult children and two grandchildren and enjoys traveling the world.

Chavgney “Chav” Pierce

Chavgney “Chav” Pierce is the As Director-in-Charge of Tax Services. Chav leads a team of over 60 professionals providing a wide range of compliance and consultative tax services including preparation and filing of state, federal, and international tax returns as well as business acquisitions and dispositions, structuring of business transactions, and tax accounting methods. As a member of the LaPorte Real Estate Industry Group, Chav has extensive knowledge in tax accounting, with a focus on real estate transactions. His experience includes valuing real estate businesses for the various purposes of financial reporting, mergers and acquisitions, estate and gift planning, marital dissolutions, shareholder disputes, and buy/sell agreements. Chav is a member of several professional and civic organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Forensic and Valuation Services Section, the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants and the New Orleans Estate Planning Council.

M. Todd Richard

M. Todd Richard is a retired Insurance Executive.  A Louisiana native, he graduated from LSU with a B.S. in Business Administration/Risk & Insurance in 1985. He continued his training in London, England where he worked as a broker at Lloyd’s of London. Upon returning to Louisiana, he joined FARA Insurance Services holding several technical and managerial positions.  In 1998, Todd was named CEO of FARA and grew the Mandeville, Louisiana-based insurance services organization to 23 locations across the country employing 500+ team members.  He sold FARA in 2011 and successfully transitioned the business prior to his retirement in 2012.

Todd is active in the community; past/present Board service includes: The Northshore Community Foundation (Chairman), St. Paul’s School Board of Trustees (Chairman), Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (Public Board Member), St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commissioner (Vice Chair), Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West, St. Tammany Recreation District 1 (Commissioner), St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce (Vice Chair Public Policy), and the Safe Haven Foundation.

James H. “Jimmy” Rogers

James H. “Jimmy” Rogers – Prior to his retirement in 2017, Jimmy served as a Senior Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer with FNBC NBC Bank based in Mandeville. He has enjoyed a 34-year history of success in Commercial, Retail banking and Management in South Louisiana and especially in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington Parishes. Active in the community throughout his career, Jimmy was awarded the West St. Tammany Chamber’s highest award in 2007, The Community Leadership Award.

Steve “Skip” Scoggins

Steve “Skip” Scoggins was a past Christwood Board Member from 2013 to 2022, serving as secretary and on the Executive Committee. Skip has been a Licensed REALTOR® since 1985 and a Broker since 1989. Skip is the founder and President of Scoggin Properties, Skip is known for his innovative marketing strategies, leadership, and commitment to service excellence. As a mentor and trainer, he inspires performance and professionalism in his team while maintaining active engagement in real estate sales and valuation. He is an experienced and highly respected real estate broker, appraiser, with a track record of success in residential and commercial real estate. Skip is a recognized expert with GAA designation from the National Association of REALTORS® and he is the Past President of the St. Tammany Association of REALTORS®.