FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lenexa, KS – (March 3, 2026) – The Board of Directors plays a critical role in supporting Heart to Heart International (HHI) through strategic oversight, financial stewardship, and community engagement. With these new board leaders and members, the organization is well positioned to continue working to improve healthcare access in the U.S. and around the world by ensuring quality care is provided equitably in medically under-resourced communities and in disaster situations.
HHI is pleased to announce the appointment of the 2026 Executive Committee:
Christian Frank, HHI Board Chair, is the president of Redwood Wellness Partners, a management consulting firm serving clients in human and veterinary healthcare, home services, business services, and manufacturing. He has been interim CEO for two Private Equity roll-ups, run an employee wellness screening startup and served as the Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for ADP, preceded by executive roles at IBM and 8 years at McKinsey & Company. Christianhas been on the Board of HHI since 2024 and served as a volunteer and member of the Finance Committee.
Rick Heise, HHI Board Treasurer, is the Executive Vice President, Director of Commercial Payments Commerce Bank. Since 2017, Rick has held a variety of roles with Commerce Bank including Senior Vice President, Director of Specialty Healthcare Solutions and has been in his current role since 2022 where he is responsible for leading cross-functional teams to drive strategy for the bank’s CommercePayments® division. Prior to Commerce Bank, Rick worked for Cerner Corporation, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and RSM McGladrey. Rick formerly held board positions with RegaloRx® (a former affiliate of HHI) which provided patient assistance programs designed to improve access to life-changing medicines and devices. He joined the HHI Board of Directors in 2025.
Angie Foltz, HHI Board Secretary, currently serves as the Director, Aviation Business Analysis for Garmin International, where she has worked for the past 19 years. She has previous experience with Sprint, GE Insurance Solutions and SwissRe in various Finance and Internal Audit roles. She joined the HHI Board of Directors in 2025.
“I am honored to serve as Board Chair of Heart to Heart International at such an important time in our organization’s growth,” Christian Frank said. “I look forward to working with our board and staff to further our mission to provide healthcare to those who need it most in under-resourced communities and in natural disaster situations.”
The organization also welcomes the following new board members:
Kelly Carnago, HHI Board Member, has held senior roles in sales, marketing, operations and general management. Her career at Sprint/EMBARQ gave her opportunities to lead large sales organizations, Product and Business Development and Ethics and Compliance. At HYLA Mobile Kelly joined a startup as the seventh employee and helped it grow to 300+ employees in 10 countries. At Google, she led the first and largest market for Google Fiber and was later the Chief of Staff of Global Operations at YouTube. Her experience includes developing and implementing strategic and business operating plans, leading high growth start-ups and turning around underperforming business units.
Mike Close, MBA, HHI Board Member, currently serves as the Executive Director, U.S. Commercial Distribution, GPO & Patient Services at Menarini Stemline where he brings deep leadership and product launch experience from the pharmaceutical, medical device/supplies and consumer products industry. He has rich experience in worldwide distribution, sales, customer engagement, and leading high-performing teams across industries.
Bobbie Harsch, HHI Board Member, currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at SelectRx, a division of SelectQuote. Under her leadership, the pharmacy team has achieved remarkable growth, expanding its membership from 4,000 to over 100,000 members in just over three years. This growth has significantly improved medication adherence and health outcomes for countless individuals, reflecting Bobbie’s commitment to making a meaningful impact on members’ lives. Before her current role, Bobbie held the position of Vice President of Sales and Operations for SelectQuote’s Auto and Home division.
Bob Lambrechts, Ph.D., P.E., HHI Board Member, is Senior Counsel at the law firm of Lathrop GPM, LLP and an intellectual property attorney focused on patent strategy and prosecution. He brings an engineering background (formerly a senior automation engineer at Allied Signal) and public-service experience (U.S. EPA Region VII special assistant), plus 28 years as a U.S. Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officer. He has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Schools of Law and Engineering for 33 years. Bob is a registered USPTO patent attorney and advises clients on building and maximizing patent portfolios. Bob has served on the HHI Board previously and is returning.
“These new board members bring a diverse range of skills, perspectives, and professional experience that will strengthen our governance and help guide our future,” said HHI CEO Kim Carroll. “We are excited to welcome them and grateful for their commitment to our mission.”
2026 HHI Board of Directors:
Executive Committee:
Christian Frank, Chair
President – Redwood Wellness Partners
Rick Heise, Treasurer
SVP, Healthcare – Commerce Bank
Angie Foltz, Secretary
Director, Aviation Business Analyst – Garmin
HHI Board Members:
Sonja Bachus, CEO – Community Care Network of KS
Kelly Carnago, Chief of Staff of Global Operations – YouTube, Google, Retired
Jennifer Clark, Senior Director, Patient Services Hub Leader – Stemline Therapeutics
Mike Close, Executive Director, U.S. Commercial Distribution, GPO & Patient Services – Menarini Stemline
Rebecca Cisek, Global Communications Leader – Johnson & Johnson
Alan Edelman, Assoc. Executive Director – Jewish Federation, Retired
Bobbie Harsch, SVP Pharmacy Operations – SelectRx, a division of SelectQuote
Jordan Koenig, VP & Trust Officer – Midwest Trust Company
Bob Lambrechts, Senior Counsel – Lathrop GPM, LLP
Anita Newton, Entrepreneur, Startup Advisor, and Investor
For more information about HHI and its board leadership, visit hearttoheart.org.
About Heart to Heart International
Heart to Heart International is a nonprofit international health organization with its headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas. Since its inception in 1992, HHI has delivered medical aid and supplies worth $3.6 billion to more than 130 countries, including within the United States. HHI responds to natural disasters both domestically and internationally by supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers. The organization is a 4-star Charity Navigator charity, a BBB Accredited charity and is on the “Philanthropy 400.” To learn more, visit hearttoheart.org.
