Board of Directors - The Friends of Patients at the NIH

Jay Shah
Jay ShahPresident
Jay Shah is the Chief Operating Officer of Octo, where he oversees all delivery and growth activities across the firm to ensure the company executes against its strategic vision. He has over 20 years of management and leadership experience in all facets of service delivery, business development, proposal creation, capture planning, and operational management. Mr. Shah has been at Octo since 2008 and prior to serving as COO, he served as the P&L lead for all Federal Health work that Octo performs. With over 15 years of experience supporting Health and Human Services, specifically the National Institutes of Health, Mr. Shah was able to grow Octo’s Federal Health business to over 300 FTEs. Prior to joining Octo, Mr. Shah held leadership positions at Gartner and Cap Gemini.
President
Jay Shah is the Chief Operating Officer of Octo, where he oversees all delivery and growth activities across the firm to ensure the company executes against its strategic vision. He Read More.
Andrew Derr
Andrew DerrFirst Vice President
Mr. Derr is a Managing Director in Deloitte’s Federal Practice, with 20+ years of management consulting, information technology and program management experience. Over the last 10+ years, his focus has been on bringing IT-enabled business transformation, and CIO services to multiple federal agencies, primarily in the health market. Mr. Derr specializes in CIO advisory services, IT strategic planning, business process engineering, IT lifecycle methodologies, program planning, Portfolio Management, IT-enabled business transformation and data analytics. Vanderbilt University, Class of 1996.
First Vice President
Mr. Derr is a Managing Director in Deloitte’s Federal Practice, with 20+ years of management consulting, information technology and program management experience. Over the last 10+ years, his focus has Read More.
Jerry Sachs
Jerry SachsSecond Vice President
Jerry served in senior public relations roles for the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves, and then joined Coca-Cola USA as its first director of sports marketing. He returned home in 1970 to be the Baltimore Bullets’ vice president and general manager. He also was president of Center Group, which included the Washington Bullets and Capitals, Centre Management and the local Ticketmaster franchise. In 2000, Jerry joined the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History as special assistant to the director. He retired in 2011, but he remains actively engaged with the NIH, as an original member of the Clinical Center’s Patient Advisory Group.
Second Vice President
Jerry served in senior public relations roles for the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves, and then joined Coca-Cola USA as its first director of sports marketing. He returned home in Read More.
Donald Hill, CFA
Donald Hill, CFATreasurer
Donald Hill is the Chief Financial Officer of our partner, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Donald has over 30 years of experience in the financial sector. He has held CFO roles with Project HOPE, a global health education and humanitarian organization, and Metabolex (CymaBay Therapeutics), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for metabolic diseases. Donald also spent over 20 years at Merck & Co. Donald holds an M.S. in Finance and Applied Economics from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Treasurer
Donald Hill is the Chief Financial Officer of our partner, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Donald has over 30 years of experience in the financial sector. He has Read More.
Steve McGowan
Steve McGowan
Stephen McGowan is an experienced executive in finance and human resources, including risk, IT and human capital management. As Director of Default Management & Real Estate Servicing, at Shared Services Solutions, LLC, he currently oversees the management of three large credit unions with over $15 billion in assets and 910,000 members in the servicing of collections, loss mitigation, consumer specialty, investor reporting and real estate servicing. He oversees the successful development of more than 70 front-line and management employees. Previously, Stephen served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administration Officer for the NIH Federal Credit Union for ten years. Stephen holds undergraduate, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Maryland.
Stephen McGowan is an experienced executive in finance and human resources, including risk, IT and human capital management. As Director of Default Management & Real Estate Servicing, at Shared Services Read More.
Randy Schools
Randy SchoolsAdvisor
Randy was formerly president of the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association which provides employee services for the Department of Health and Human Services, the NIH and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than 30 years ago, Randy helped establish three NIH charities and continues to serve all three organizations – the Children’s Inn at the NIH, Special Love and the Friends of Patients at the NIH. Randy has served in numerous community positions, including past chair of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce and current Chair of the Goodwill Dinner for the Homeless in Montgomery County. He was named a Washingtonian of the Year in 1988. Randy received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Baltimore, a Masters in Liberal Studies at Georgetown University and Certificate of Social Enterprise and Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School.
Advisor
Randy was formerly president of the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association which provides employee services for the Department of Health and Human Services, the NIH and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Read More.
Mr. Edouard “Ed” Benjamin
Mr. Edouard “Ed” Benjamin
Mr. Benjamin has more than 33 years of experience, including more that 15 years directly supporting the health public sector, most recently as the Vice President of the Health and Human Services Division at Leidos where he supports HHS headquarters, and operating and staff divisions within the department. “I am excited, inspired and humbled to join the Board and to participate in service to patients,” Mr. Benjamin said. “Supporting patients and their families is important to me, as I reflect on my own memories witnessing the devastating pain and suffering of Sickle-Cell Disease in my family. As an industry partner of NIH over many years, I am committed to working with all stakeholders in support of Friends of Patients at NIH’s mission.” Ed spent his childhood years in Montgomery County Maryland, near the NIH campus. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (Yale University) and a Master of Business Administration (University of Maryland Smith School of Business). He is the proud father of a daughter (28) and two sons (25 and 24), all of whom have embarked on their careers, having earned advanced degrees. Ed lives in Rockville, MD with his wife of 30 years.
Mr. Benjamin has more than 33 years of experience, including more that 15 years directly supporting the health public sector, most recently as the Vice President of the Health and Read More.
David Liola
David Liola
Mr. David Liola is a Federal Senior Account Executive with Armis. David graduated from Mary Washington University in 2001 and has worked in the cybersecurity industry since 2005 in various sales roles. David currently lives in Ashburn, VA with his wife, Katherine, and three children ages 8, 7 and 5. “I am a big sports fan of the DC teams and enjoy traveling, golfing, music and being in nature.” “I started as a patient at NIH in 2015 and am still in multiple protocols with NIAID (Primary Immunodeficiency Clinic) and NIDDK (Liver Diseases Branch)” said Mr. Liola. “I currently see the NIDDK group every 6 months for them to check my progress. NRH is a condition that is not very well known,I also realize that this is a lifelong diagnosis that will need to continue to be monitored and if I wasn't in the DC area or if I wasn't in a financial position to be able to take a day off of work each time I go for these visits how that can impact my health and information that the doctors can learn from me for other patients.” “It is a privilege to be on the board of Friends at NIH. I am so fortunate to be a patient at NIH and have the support of my family. Whenever I am there I look at the other people that are there and realize that they all have their own story and reason for being seen at NIH. I also realize that people who are seen at NIH are from all walks of life and need to be there (I know personally how tough it was to get into NIH as a patient). It would be an honor to be part of an organization that can help provide financial and emotional support so that someone can be seen at NIH and continue in their protocol. I understand the importance of NIH and how NIH impacts people's lives. I look forward to supporting the board, the patients at NIH and its greater community.”
Mr. David Liola is a Federal Senior Account Executive with Armis. David graduated from Mary Washington University in 2001 and has worked in the cybersecurity industry since 2005 in various Read More.
Jeffrey L Vigne
Jeffrey L Vigne
Executive Vice President Exeter ITS, a PingWind Company “I am extremely honored and proud to return to Board of Directors. The organization provides a valuable resource to so many individuals and families who receive care while in clinical trial at the NIH.” Jeff has over 30 years of leadership as a member of the greater Washington DC community. He has demonstrated skills in team building and process management. Prior to joining PingWind, he served as Executive Vice President of Exeter Government Services.  Jeff possesses a degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California. He is the former President and current Member of the Board of Directors of the National Institutes of Health, Friends of Patients at the NIH. He is the recipient of the COL Robert L. Manning Achievement Award by the Adjutant General’s Corps Regimental Association and in 2022 commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by the Honorable Andy Beshear, Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Executive Vice President Exeter ITS, a PingWind Company “I am extremely honored and proud to return to Board of Directors. The organization provides a valuable resource to so many individuals Read More.

Staff

Heidi S. Williams
Heidi S. WilliamsChief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of Friends of Patients at the NIH since 2007, Heidi currently oversees and manages all operations at Friends including fundraising, event planning, financial oversight, HR, board governance, strategic planning, program development, community and donor relations, legal compliance and all matters related to successfully providing services to NIH patients and their families. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Montgomery County, MD, Heidi has been a life-long active member of the community as a fundraiser and event planner for local schools, licensed Realtor since 1986 and member of Leadership Montgomery. Heidi is fluent in Spanish and served as a legal interpreter for State of Maryland Circuit and District courts, medical interpreter for The Language Doctors and volunteered as an interpreter for Ayuda in Washington, DC. While traveling throughout her life to Bogota, Colombia, Heidi expanded her Spanish skills by studying at the Colegio Nueva Granada and volunteering to teach English to the students. Heidi enjoys any opportunity to volunteer her skills and has a deep commitment to the mission of Friends at NIH. Her greatest pride is her four grown children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, and playing tennis, golf and traveling.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of Friends of Patients at the NIH since 2007, Heidi currently oversees and manages all operations at Friends including fundraising, event planning, financial oversight, HR, board governance, strategic planning, program development, community and donor relations, legal compliance and all matters related to successfully providing services to NIH patients and their families. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Montgomery County, MD, Heidi has been a life-long active member of the community as a fundraiser and event planner for local schools, licensed Realtor since 1986 and member of Leadership Montgomery. Heidi is fluent in Spanish and served as a legal interpreter for State of Maryland Circuit and District courts, medical interpreter for The Language Doctors and volunteered as an interpreter for Ayuda in Washington, DC. While traveling throughout her life to Bogota, Colombia, Heidi expanded her Spanish skills by studying at the Colegio Nueva Granada and volunteering to teach English to the students. Heidi enjoys any opportunity to volunteer her skills and has a deep commitment to the mission of Friends at NIH. Her greatest pride is her four grown children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, and playing tennis, golf and traveling.
Christine Brake
Christine BrakeDevelopment Manager
Christine Brake joined Friends part time as Development Manager. Previously Christine served as executive director of Friends starting in 2003 and departing in 2007, when she joined NIH as a contractor helping to coordinate NIH’s annual Combined Federal Campaign. During her ten year tenure there, the NIHCFC raised over $2 million annually and was recognized with multiple awards for outstanding communications and special events. Most recently, Christine spent four years abroad accompanying her husband on work-related moves, first in Ukraine and then in Austria. While abroad, Christine volunteered with a Ukrainian charity including serving as board member for three years. Christine is an avid hiker and want-to-be biker, and is a volunteer at a local shelter for at-risk mothers and children. She lives in Bethesda with her husband, one of her two daughters, and the family’s AmStaff.
Development Manager
Christine Brake joined Friends part time as Development Manager. Previously Christine served as executive director of Friends starting in 2003 and departing in 2007, when she joined NIH as a contractor helping to coordinate NIH’s annual Combined Federal Campaign. During her ten year tenure there, the NIHCFC raised over $2 million annually and was recognized with multiple awards for outstanding communications and special events. Most recently, Christine spent four years abroad accompanying her husband on work-related moves, first in Ukraine and then in Austria. While abroad, Christine volunteered with a Ukrainian charity including serving as board member for three years. Christine is an avid hiker and want-to-be biker, and is a volunteer at a local shelter for at-risk mothers and children. She lives in Bethesda with her husband, one of her two daughters, and the family’s AmStaff.