Education & Certification

Dr. Peggy Terhune has been CEO of Monarch since June 1995. Under Peggy’s leadership as President/CEO, Monarch has implemented evidence-based and best practices in all areas, has successfully added numerous services, enhanced community integration, improved customer satisfaction, reduced turnover, and has effectively developed programs to serve consumers with multiple disabilities. She has grown the company significantly and diligently pursues her methodology to incorporate continuous improvement within the organization.

Peggy has served as an advocate for people with disabilities for more than 40 years and has presented often at conferences and technical workshops, particularly on emerging practices that are used at Monarch. She is a founding board member of the North Carolina Providers Council and past president of the National Conference of Executives of the Arc. Additionally, Peggy was appointed to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Waiver Advisory Committee (DWAC) and has been appointed twice to the N.C. Commission on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. She is also a board member of the N.C. Council of Developmental Disabilities, also appointed twice by the Governor. Peggy is a past member and officer of the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) North Carolina and former member of the Benchmarks’ Board of Trustees.

Peggy is the recipient of numerous regional and national leadership awards. In 2016, she was the first-ever recipient of the Distinguished Professional Award in Diversity and Cultural Competency by The National Conference of Executives (NCE) of The Arc. This award recognizes leaders from The Arc’s national network of nearly 700 chapters that provide innovative programs that meet the needs of the diverse I/DD community.

Peggy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Teaching with a concentration in Cultural Studies/Human Development/Families from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her competencies include a wide range of clinical and administrative skills and she is culturally competent.

In addition to her career, Peggy is married to Bob and mother to seven adult children. The couple fostered children for ten years, the last three as therapeutic foster parents to teenagers. A servant leader, Peggy is heavily involved within her community and church. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the MBA program at Strayer University and teaches at Wingate University. In her spare time, she enjoys family, needlepoint, knitting, reading and traveling.

As the Chief Administrative Officer of Monarch, Terri oversees the Human Resources and Information Technology operations.

She is a 1993 graduate of Appalachian State University, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications Media with a Minor in Management. In 1999, Terri was also awarded her National Society of Human Resource Management Certification. This was accomplished by showing competencies in all areas of human resource management including employee relations, risk management, strategic planning and workforce planning. Terri has been employed with Monarch since 1993. She and her husband Matt live in Salisbury.

Dave Brown is Monarch’s Chief Information Officer. He has nearly three decades of progressive IT leadership and transformative adoption of technology experience across the healthcare, insurance and financial services industries and has led teams in the development of use-case driven outcomes, focused application development and strategic IT deliveries.

As Chief Information Officer, Dave is responsible for implementing a dynamic and responsive IT strategy in support of Monarch’s vision to help people of all abilities thrive in their homes and communities. 
He provides strategic vision and leadership in the development of Monarch’s population health analytics services, enabling a data-driven approach to health care delivery for the betterment of the people we serve.

Dave is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University.

He and his wife Cindy live in Matthews with their three daughters: Jenna, Sarah, and Olivia.

Melissa oversees Monarch’s behavioral health operations statewide, provides clinical and administrative oversight and helps to direct the company’s service expansion strategies.

Melissa has worked at Monarch close to 25 of the 30 years she has spent in the health and human services field. She previously served as Monarch’s Vice President of Operations for Long-Term Services and Supports for the eastern region of North Carolina.  A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in English. She completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Pfeiffer University.

She also completed Leadership Richmond through the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce and the N.C. Advancing Strong Leadership Initiative through the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and the University of Delaware.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Melissa moved to North Carolina in 1994. She and her husband, Robby, have two children.

Cindy has been employed with Monarch since November of 1984. She received her B.S. Degree in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, May 1983.

She is a member of Beta Alpha Psi, Accounting Honorary Fraternity. Currently serving as the treasurer for Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, she Is an active member in her community, and has also held the office of treasurer with the PTO organizations and Optimist Club. She lives in Albemarle with her husband Richard and her two children.

Christy oversees major clinical and administrative operations as well as developing and ensuring the implementation of new and existing programs and services for Monarch statewide.

She has been employed by Monarch for over 20 years and previously served as Vice President of Operations for Long-Term Services and Supports for the western region of North Carolina. Christy has worked in the field of mental health and human services for more than two decades in both direct support and administration, and helped lead Monarch’s residential, vocational and community services in supporting, educating and empowering people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) to choose and achieve what is important to them.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Gardner-Webb University and completed her Master of Health Administration degree at Pfeiffer University. She is a graduate of the N.C. Advancing Strong Leadership Initiative through the North Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council and the University of Delaware and she is a Master Trainer for “Getting It Right.”

She is married, has one daughter, and lives in Albemarle.

Pam joined Monarch in February 2016 as Chief Strategy Officer. She is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Throughout her professional career, she has been engaged in community healthcare services for people that depend on the public system for their care. Most recently, Shipman was the CEO of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions from July 2011-July 2015.

Pam is a highly accomplished executive responsible for the re-engineering of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare to become a highly successful public managed care organization which became the standard for North Carolina’s Medicaid Reform for special populations. She exercised an intense focus on quality of care, consumer empowerment, and satisfaction of all the organization’s many customers. The mission of Cardinal Innovations, to effectively use limited public resources to serve people disadvantaged by poverty, disability, and other chronic conditions, has remained a guiding force throughout Shipman’s tenure.

Even though Pam’s tenure as CEO took place during a period of high uncertainty and unprecedented changes in the healthcare market, Cardinal Innovations experienced significant growth in size and strength. Shipman effectively managed growth of the organization from 5 to 16 counties resulting in an increase in general population from 750,000 to 2.4 million and more than doubling Medicaid covered lives from 125,000 to 350,000. During her tenure revenue quadrupled from $166 million in 2011 to $650 million in 2015, even while the organization maintained operational and financial stability.

Pam served as Chief Operating Officer from 2001 until she was appointed as CEO in 2011. During 2003-2004, Shipman designed and managed efforts that divested over $35 million in publicly operated services to the private sector. This included the development of DAYMARK Recovery Services, a highly successful not-for-profit company providing community mental health care. Shipman led the initiative to design an at-risk Medicaid managed care waiver in partnership with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. She managed the successful implementation of the Managed Care waiver pilot at Cardinal Innovations in 2005. The Medicaid Waiver has been in operation for over ten years and has achieved innumerable positive outcomes for people in need, the communities where they live, and demonstrated efficient and effective use of public resources.

Pam has served as a principle figure in the Medicaid healthcare debate in North Carolina, working with provider groups, legislators, state officials, advocacy organizations and others to develop a unique North Carolina based Medicaid solution that is acceptable to all stakeholders. She has served on the Boards of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, the Cabarrus Community Health Center, Community Care of the Southern Piedmont and Community Care of North Carolina, most of which are organizations dedicated to serving poor and disadvantaged North Carolinians.

Education & Certification

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Alexandra Spessot ensures all medical administrative processes for the company’s mental health locations and telemedicine procedures meet the ever-evolving healthcare standards, as well as provide a continuum of excellent care to the thousands of people Monarch supports.

Dr. Spessot will also be responsible for providing medical leadership at the community and state level. As part of Monarch’s strategic plan, she will help the organization foster positive relationships with local stakeholders, legislators, potential donors, payers and physician groups as it relates to mental health services. She will provide oversight and direction for nearly 50 medical providers at Monarch.

Dr. Spessot has served as the director of psychiatric emergency care at the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Psychiatric Association. She completed her residency training at Duke University Medical Center in General Adult Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Sociology from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

Andy leads information technology support operations and strategy across Monarch’s footprint. As Chief Technology Officer, he is responsible for ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and processes are in place for effective and efficient IT development, technology and implementation.

Andy joined Monarch in 2012, bringing extensive experience leading mission-critical IT and security objectives. He has worked in information technology and security for three decades and has specialized skills in enterprise-wide information security design, network and systems infrastructure oversight. Prior to his appointment at Monarch, Andy held the role of senior manager of security engineering at New Breed Logistics in High Point. He spent 25 years at Food Lion’s corporate headquarters in Salisbury, where he served in various technology positions, including information security operations director.  

Monarch’s Vice President of Risk Management Amy Boone oversees the agency’s safety program, HIPAA program and medical records, and all lines of insurance, including worker’s comp and general liability.

Before joining Monarch, Amy spent 24 years as a registered nurse and worked in health care risk management and hospital accreditation. She earned her RN degree from Wake Tech Community College and holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Barton College.

As Vice President of Business Intelligence and Process at Monarch, Lee Fandel ensures process efficiency within the organization and determines the best business intelligence tools and techniques for analysis and reporting.

Lee joined Monarch in 2014, bringing experience in both the manufacturing and health care industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina – Aiken. He has received multiple leadership awards and is a certified Black Belt in Six Sigma, a data-driven methodology for process improvement in business and has been featured in Six Sigma Magazine. He also is a former member of Toastmasters, where he won multiple awards for public speaking.

Lee lives in Tega Cay, S.C. with his wife and five children. A former college baseball player, he enjoys community activities, including coaching and sports training.

In her role as Vice President of Operations – Behavioral Health, Robin oversees behavioral health operations for Wake County and Eastern North Carolina.

Robin joined Monarch in 2016, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field. She graduated from Long Island University with a master’s degree in Public Administration and also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Adelphia University.

She has been married to her husband, Al, for 27 years, and they have a son, Cameron.

Lyndril Leonard is the Vice President of Operations for Enhanced Services at Monarch. She is responsible for overseeing internal operations, assisting with growth and expansion, and improving performance for all of Monarch’s enhanced services across North Carolina.

Lyndril joined Monarch in October of 2013 as the Clinical Operations Director in the Partners Managed Care Organization (MCO) catchment area.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Belmont Abbey College, and a Master of Arts degree in counseling from Webster University. As a North Carolina licensed professional counselor (LPC), Lyndril has experience working with children, adolescents and adults. She has more than 15 years of experience working in the field of mental health, substance use disorders and developmental disabilities. She has worked in various capacities at different levels of the service delivery systems including private practice, residential group homes, and community-based provider organizations.

Lyndril lives in Lake Wylie, S.C., with her husband Cotye and their son, Cotye Jr.

Education & Certification

Dr. Nora Dennis, MD, MSPH, serves as a one of two Medical Directors at Monarch and is responsible for oversight of the quality of services provided by the Behavioral Health division. Her role includes ensuring quality of providers and quality of services delivered. As Medical Director, Dr. Dennis will work closely with the Chief Medical Officer, and other clinical leaders, on clinical initiatives and monitoring quality of care. Her primary focus is to ensure that structures for clinical operations are developed that promote company-wide consistency and integrity of clinical treatment.

Originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Dr. Nora Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency in Psychiatry at Duke University, where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Dennis has worked as a staff psychiatrist at the Durham VA Medical Center where she was Medical Director of the Psychiatry Emergency Care Clinic and she started an outpatient clinic for veterans with treatment-resistant psychotic disorders. She was concurrently an assistant professor at Duke University School of Medicine and a faculty attending for the Duke Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Clinic. She has published numerous peer-reviewed papers on ECT, mental health disparities, and emergency psychiatric care. She is passionate about access to high quality mental health care for all.

After graduating from The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Dr. Dennis attended UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar and Duke University School of Medicine where she was a Nanaline H. Duke Scholarship recipient and received the Dean’s Award. She received her Master of Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Public Health.

Dr. Dennis and her husband, Paul, have three young children. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, volunteering for her children’s school and teaching yoga.

Education & Certification

Dr. Robert James McHale, M.D., M.S. has been Medical Director of Monarch since July 2010. He provides supervision and oversight for the behavioral health services of Monarch. In addition, he works with people of all ages dealing with mental illness and substance abuse concerns. He has a special interest in intellectual disabilities and general medical conditions of the people we serve.

Dr. McHale earned a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology at Saint Louis University, a Masters of Science Degree in Biology at University of Missouri – St. Louis, and his Medical Degree from Saint George’s University School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Psychiatry at the University of Kansas – Wichita, School of Medicine. He was named Chief Resident during his training. He has been Study Physician and Sub-Investigator at the Clinical Research Institute in Kansas, involved with research concerning Depression, Psychotropic medications and drug – drug interactions of medications. Prior to entering into medical school, Dr. McHale worked as a biochemist at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and has been a co-author of over 30 scientific publications and abstracts. He was also involved in research and study of Sleep Disorders at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry – Sleep Disorders Center. He has given numerous lectures and presentations on mental illness and believes education is a hallmark for quality of care for all the people with serve in our communities.

Dr. McHale was awarded Excellence In Service Award from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), The Laurie Coyner Award: Excellence For Psychiatric Inpatient Care at University of Kansas, Saint Louis University Undergraduate Research Award. He is a Member of several Professional Associations; American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, North Carolina Psychiatric Association, North Carolina Medical Society, Kansas Psychiatric Society, Collaborative Family Health Care Association. Dr. McHale recently has been recognized as a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. He received his Board Certification in Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Preventative Medicine.

Dr. McHale and his wife (Amy) are new to the North Carolina area and are pleased with the generosity and hospitality of the North Carolinians. Robert and Amy are the proud parents of a young son named Thomas.

Education & Certification

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Alexandra Spessot ensures all medical administrative processes for the company’s mental health locations and telemedicine procedures meet the ever-evolving healthcare standards, as well as provide a continuum of excellent care to the thousands of people Monarch supports.

Dr. Spessot will also be responsible for providing medical leadership at the community and state level. As part of Monarch’s strategic plan, she will help the organization foster positive relationships with local stakeholders, legislators, potential donors, payers and physician groups as it relates to mental health services. She will provide oversight and direction for nearly 50 medical providers at Monarch.

Dr. Spessot has served as the director of psychiatric emergency care at the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Psychiatric Association. She completed her residency training at Duke University Medical Center in General Adult Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Sociology from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.