The U-VOL Board of Directors and Advisory Board are comprised of people who are leaders in their own fields and who voluntarily serve as sources of leadership, inspiration, guidance and wisdom for the U-VOL Foundation. All Board members are committed volunteers without pay.
Faith Adole
Founder/President
Founder of U-VOL Foundation Inc, Faith Adole is a visionary Healthcare Leader. She is an experienced Nurse Practitioner & Chief Clinical Officer and is currently pursuing her Doctoral studies in Executive Nursing Leadership and an MBA degree at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Adole is an experienced Healthcare Leader that is passionate about inspiring Nurses and Midwives to lead in Global Health settings and is committed to healthcare advocacy, and bridging the gap for existing healthcare and wellness needs for the less privileged communities throughout the world. She has won various humanitarian awards including the Humanitarian of Africa-African Heart award, the GLPA Lifetime Philanthropic Award and others. Ms. Adole is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Leaders and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Pamela Ruiz
Board Vice President
Pamela Ruiz is the Chief Business Development Officer at Inteleos, a global healthcare nonprofit. Ms. Ruiz has over 20 years of comprehensive global experience in leadership, strategy, business development and global expansion. Ms. Ruiz’s focus is on sustainable infrastructure and ecosystems to ensure equity, access, and agency. An avid learner, listener and builder, she strives for collaborative impact and to do the most good by connecting people and ideas, and ensuring action on even the most ambitious of endeavors. Ms. Ruiz has a degree in Art History from James Madison University, a graduate certificate in Organizational Development from Penn State University and holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Pamela is fluent in Italian and basic Spanish and resides in the metro Washington DC area with her husband and three sons.
Dr. Pooja Vyas, DO
Board Secretary
Dr. Pooja Vyas is an osteopathic physician who graduated from Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine
in 2015. She completed an Internal Medicine Residency
with Hofstra – Northwell in Long Island, New York. She excels in her leadership skills from her residency days where she was involved with quality improvement projects, to completing a physician
administrative fellowship, working alongside Northwell Health’s system level C-Suite members. Dr. Vyas currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer/Vice President of Christian Hospital Northeast
and Northwest Healthcare since 2021. Dr. Vyas is an active member of CHIEF, American College of Healthcare Executives, and American College of Physicians and is a strong advocate for patient safety, women in leadership, and physician well-being. Dr. Vyas has participated in many volunteer service activities to provide medical care in underdeveloped nations, and resources to underserved communities.
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Melissa Ursi, JD
Advisory Board Member
With a strong background in labor law, healthcare IT, international start-ups, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Melissa serves as the COO and Managing Partner of a healthcare IT organization. Her role encompasses driving growth, increasing global mobility, and facilitating exceptional customer relationships. She also handles daily operations, financial management, strategic planning, and team collaboration. As a dedicated Chief Member actively involved in DEI committees, Melissa is proudly committed to inclusivity. Additionally, her passion for advocacy and prior involvement in women’s safe houses and youth mentoring programs inspires her to develop initiatives that promote equity and empowerment for underrepresented groups.
Dr. Michael Grinn, MD
Advisory Board Member
Michael Grinn, MD, MPH, is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology, and a double board-certified physician in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology, specializing in both Anesthesiology and Advanced
Perioperative Echocardiography. He currently serves as the Director of Medical Outreach and Education for The Emergency Project, as well as clinically practicing with some of the most advanced technology in
medicine available. Dr Grinn founded Grinn Anesthesia Corp and is actively involved with the Envision Envoy Program. He also has been able to travel internationally working with the Envision DART program, on medical missions and
educational programs.
Dr Grinn is an active member of The Explorer’s Club, The Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and
American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Sandra Beaver
Advisory Board Member
Sandra Beaver is the Chief Financial Officer at Evolus. She has more than 20 years of financial experience, driving company growth through strategic planning, long-range forecasting, executing corporate development and capital markets transactions, and improving operational efficiency. Prior to Evolus, Ms. Beaver served as SVP of Finance at Experian, a global information services company, where she was responsible for half the company’s North America B2B business units. She is a former Board Member of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Executive Chair for the Southern Nevada Go Red for Women luncheon. Sandra holds a B.A. in Finance and Economics from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Cindy Nelly, DNP
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Cindy Nelly is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Certified Nurse-Midwife. She has worked in full-scope women’s health and high-risk obstetrics as an educator, administrator, and in executive management, along with an extensive background in Global Health. Dr. Nelly has previously served as a Chief Operating Officer and managed large medical teams. Cindy is passionate about public health, humanitarian health, and providing care to vulnerable populations. She is dedicated to promoting collaborative healthcare education and training to healthcare providers worldwide. Dr. Nelly is pleased to serve on U-VOL’s Advisory Board to further help and support the organization’s mission.