Leadership Team
Dr. Jessie L. Tucker III, FACHE
President & CEO
Dr. Jessie L. Tucker III, FACHE joined the Wayne UNC team as President & CEO in 2020. A retired Army Lieutenant Colonel that progressed from the rank of private, he has over three decades of experience in executive healthcare leadership. Dr. Tucker has a long track record of gains in clinical quality, teammate and physician engagement, financial performance and service line growth.
With a strong focus on improving value and optimizing resources across the enterprise, Dr. Tucker is committed to continually improving outcomes for patients and families by leveraging academic affiliations and innovative wellness options in the communities he serves.
Dr. Tucker and his wife, Dr. Patricia E. Kennedy-Tucker, live in Goldsboro and they have two children.
William Thoma
Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Bill Thoma joined Wayne UNC in 2018, bringing decades of financial leadership experience with expertise in accounting, reimbursement and audit in both health care and insurance. Bill provides technical and managerial support to the Wayne UNC executive team and Board of Directors, promoting and maintaining strong financial controls and monitoring the supporting execution of strategic goals.
A Certified Public Accountant, Bill previously served as Vice President of Finance at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pocono, Pennsylvania. He holds an MBA from DeSales University in Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Rowan University in New Jersey.
Brian Fillipo, MD, MMM, FACP
Vice President, Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Brian Fillipo joined the Wayne UNC team in 2020, with over 25 years in executive leadership. Responsible for advancing the Mission through relationships with providers and ensuring a collaborative approach to quality, safety and strategic imperatives, Dr. Fillipo has a strong track record of improvements in length of stay, infections, falls, readmissions and other key quality indicators. He also maintains executive responsibility for medical staff affairs, care coordination, quality, safety, performance improvement and graduate medical education.
He has his medical degree from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association for Physician Leadership.
Howard Whitfield, OTR/L, MHA
Vice President, Clinical Operations
Part of the Wayne UNC team for over 19 years, Howard Whitfield assumed the role of Vice President, Clinical Operations in 2020, overseeing imaging, pharmacy, wound care, laboratory services and cardiopulmonary services.
Beginning his career as an Occupational Therapist, Howard has risen through the ranks, leading enhancements in the quality of clinical services at Wayne UNC. Howard has a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from East Carolina University and a Masters in Health Care Administration from Pfeiffer University.
Board of Directors
Ken Gerrard, Chair
Samer Kasbari, MD
Harold D. Brashear, Vice Chairman
Kate Daniels
Freeman Hardison
Jessie L. Tucker III, FACHE, CEO
Dimitrios Lintzeris, DO
Chris Wise
Dr. Joseph Flynn
Charles Branson (Branny) Vickory III
Dr. Anthony W. Hamm, DC
Adrian Worrell
Medical Staff Officers
Medical Staff President
Dr. Joseph Flynn, OBGYN
Medical Staff Vice President
Dr. David Chesnutt, Ophthalmology, Pediatric Ophthalmology
Medical Staff Secretary/Treasury
Dr. Jonathan Lozevski, Radiology
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