Dallas, TX, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) today announced the induction of four new members to its board of directors, as well as the selection of Jerri Garison to serve as the organization’s Vice Chair and Chair-Elect for fiscal year 2022. All appointments officially begin on July 1, the start of the NTFB’s fiscal year.

Garison, who serves as President for Baylor Scott & White – Plano and East Region, first joined the NTFB board in 2018. She brings crucial healthcare expertise at a critical time as the food bank seeks to expand partnerships to address the underlying causes and impacts of food insecurity on community health.

The four newly inducted board members include Anna Asava, President of Asava Consulting; Diana Flores, VP of Organizational Development for the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Patti Hansen, Senior Vice President of Financial Services at Capital One; and Kim Kesler, Office Managing Partner at KPMG Dallas. Their induction bolsters the NTFB’s expertise and engagement across vital business operations and community issues. 

“The past 15 months have brought significant challenges for many North Texans, and for the North Texas Food Bank,” said Michael Brookshire, Chairman, North Texas Food Bank Board of Directors. “As we shift from crisis and disaster response to sustained elevated service, it will be critical to have diverse perspectives and expertise to guide our way forward. While our new board members come from varied industries and backgrounds, they share a common commitment to creating a hunger-free, healthy North Texas. Additionally, it is with equal enthusiasm that we congratulate Jerri Garison for her new role as chair-elect.”

Trisha Cunningham, CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, added, “We’re extremely fortunate to have a board of directors comprised of some of Dallas’ most dedicated, strategic leaders. Today’s announcement not only strengthens the NTFB as an organization, it will also have a material impact on how we support communities across our 13 county service area.”

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Jerri Garison-MSHA, BSN, RN, leads Baylor Scott & White - Plano while also coordinating six additional hospitals, Baylor Scott & White – Carrollton, Baylor Scott & White – McKinney, Baylor Scott & White – Lake Pointe, Baylor Scott & White – Centennial, and The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano and Denton.  Jerri is also responsible for collaboration among the respective business entities within her geographic region and assists with facility growth and development, standardizing services, developing strategic initiatives, physician growth and development, stewardship and quality improvement. 

Anna Asava has track record of leading organization-wide transformational programs, and over 20 years of experience in the Global IT Industry. In 2009, Anna left corporate America to engage in impactful philanthropy. She has played an instrumental role at NTFB for many years in helping to collect food, raise funds, and promote awareness for the Food Bank through Hunger Mitao: an affinity group for NTFB which encourages Indian Americans to “give where they live.”  She currently serves as President of Asava Consulting.

Diana Flores serves on the Dallas College Board of Trustees representing District 6 since 1996 – she is the longest-serving Latina elected official in North Texas. She has served as Board Chair and is the first Latina/o in the history of the Dallas College to Chair the Board.  Professionally, she serves as the Vice President of Organizational Development for the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In her role, she is responsible for working with the President/CEO to operationalize the GDHCC’s strategic plan, grant writing, program planning and administration, and board affairs.

Kim Kessler currently serves as the KPMG Dallas Office Managing Partner and continues to provide audit services to clients in the Energy and Chemical industries.  She has nearly 20 years of experience providing financial statement audit and audit of internal control services. As Office Managing Partner, Kim is responsible for the delivery of high-quality client service, executing business development strategies, attracting and retaining exceptional talent, and representing the firm in the Dallas marketplace.  Kim also coordinates the Dallas Community Impact programs which empower KPMG professionals to take action, foster a culture of giving and bring KPMG’s core values to life.

Patti Hansen is an SVP in Financial Services at Capital One. She is a Business Architect accelerating business outcomes by building solutions that integrate world class talent, end to end customer experiences and advanced technology systems. Since joining Capital One in 2000, Patti has held leadership and executive roles in Technology, Card, and Financial Services across numerous disciplines including Rewards Marketing and Analytics, Card Technology, Card Operations, and COO for Card Partnerships among others. Patti and her teams have delivered numerous award-winning innovations and transformations over the years.