Board of Directors

Founded in 1993, Christwood is a not-for-profit community dedicated to providing you with exceptional service. We continually reinvest in our services and amenities, adapting and evolving to meet residents' changing need and interests. Moreover, we're governed by a 16-member Board of Directors made up of leaders in our local community, many of whom you may know.

Robert H. Barnes, M.D.

Robert H. Barnes, M.D., is a retired general surgeon. Dr. Barnes was a member of the American Board of Surgery, American College of Surgeons. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and his graduate degree from Tulane Medical School. Dr. Barnes has been a Christwood resident since October 2008.

Allen Catalanotto

Allen Catalanotto, member of the Finance Committee, Senior Vice-President – Investments and Branch Manager Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. BA degree from University of New Orleans, and MBA from the University of Central Florida. He has forty years of experience in the financial service industry.

Chandler Craig

Chandler Craig has been a banker for over 30 years, the last 15 years as President of Resource Bank. He has a Finance Degree and MBA from Loyola University.

Richard W. Cryar

Richard W. Cryar, Member of the Finance Committee, is a Managing Member of F.M. Reed Company, a management consulting firm focused on assisting companies, senior and mezzanine lenders and private equity investors in improving performance and achieving short/long-term goals. He has over 37 years of experience in the fields of financial management, financing, investing, and acquisition and divestiture. Mr. Cryar is a Certified Public Accountant (Inactive), Chartered Global Management Accountant and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana Tech University.

Paul Dennis

Paul Dennis, Vice President of Christwood, member of the Executive Committee, has 28 years of experience in specialty chemicals industry in markets such as pharma, textiles, coatings, personal care, and agriculture. Paul became President of Gaylord Chemical in 2003. He was the leader of a management buyout of the company in 2007 and is now the majority owner of the business. Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee

David Duplantier, Esq.

David Duplantier, retired as the Senior Council, Chevron U.S.A in 2011 after 26 years of service. In 2001 he was nominated by Loyola University to serve on the Louisiana State Civil Service Commission. From 1982-1985, he was the Legal and Policy Adviser to Commissioner Oliver G. Richard III at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Mr. Duplantier also handled the defense of personal injury litigation on behalf of the city of New Orleans prior to practicing private law. He received his B.S. in Finance from LSU and his Juris Doctor Degree from Loyola University.

Patti Ellish, FACHE

Patti Ellish, Vice President of Christwood, member of the Executive Committee, Retired St. Tammany Parish Hospital President and CEO, Patti Ellish transformed a small community hospital into a thriving regional medical center. Under her leadership, the facility tripled in size to serve one of the fastest growing parishes in Louisiana. Ms. Ellish is a fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, past chair of Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans, board member of Louisiana Hospital Association and Northshore Healthcare Alliance and member of Northshore Business Council and Women’s Leadership Council of Greater New Orleans. She has earned regional and national recognition including YLC Role Model, Top 10 Female Achievers, New Orleans CityBusiness Woman of the Year, including its Hall of Fame and in 2017 she was named as “One of the top 130 female healthcare leaders to know” by Becker’s. Ellish is married and lives in Covington, LA, they have two children and one grandchild.

Michelle O. Gallagher, Esq.

Michelle Gallagher, Esq., President of Christwood and a member of the Executive Committee, is a partner in the law firm of Braud & Gallagher, LLC. She has practiced law in Louisiana since her admission to the Bar in 1995. She attended Louisiana State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1991 and a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1995. She previously served as a Board Member of the Brain Injury Association of Louisiana. Ms. Gallagher is a member of the American Association for Justice, Louisiana Association for Justice, and the Louisiana Bar Association.

Beverly Baker Gariepy

Beverly Baker Gariepy, Member of the Finance Committee, has been working in Louisiana Municipal and Parish Governments in leadership roles with duties primarily focused on financial management and planning that has included the areas of Human Resources, Disaster Recovery, IT, Grant Administration, Facilities Management, Risk Management, Health and Human Services, Retirement and Animal Control. She has a BA in French from Newcomb College, Tulane University and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. In addition, she has taken numerous Government Financial Officers (GFOA), Louisiana Economic Development (LIDEA) and FEMA training classes.

Judge John W. Greene

Judge John W. Greene, was Elected Judge, Division D, 22^nd Judicial District Court in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes and served from 1976 to 1997. He was appointed as Judge ad hoc on the 1^st and 5^th Circuit Courts of Appeal and is serving as ad hoc Judge by appointments from the Louisiana Supreme Court. Judge Greene founded the Youth Service Bureau serving St. Tammany and Washington Parishes youth and families in need of services and served as its Board Chairman and in various other offices. He has a BS in Finance from Louisiana State University and J.D. LSU Law Center.

Patrick "Bryan" Huval

Patrick “Bryan” Huval, CPA, CGFM, Treasurer of Christwood and a member of the Executive and Finance Committees, has more than 30 years of audit experience in a variety of industries. His areas of practice include audit, business consulting, and tax services. He has functioned as an engagement director and independent reviewer for audits and consulting engagements for financial institutions, public sector entities, nonprofits, charter and nonprofit schools, construction companies, and wholesale distributors. Bryan has a BS in Accounting from Southwestern Louisiana University, is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager.

Edwin J. Miltenberger, CLU, CEBS

Edwin J. Miltenberger, CLU, CEBS, President of Carrier and Affinity Group Strategies, LLC, is a strong corporate leader with significant senior management experience working in life and health and property/casualty markets primarily in affinity and large group programs with more than 40 years of domestic and international experience. He has a Bachelors in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, is a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), conferred by the American College, Bryn Mawr, PA; and a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), conferred by a joint program of Wharton School and International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans. A fun fact: he is fluent in German.

Kerry K. Milton, RN, MSHA

Kerry K. Milton, RN., MSHA Senior Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer with outstanding experience building and leading multi-disciplinary teams; greater than 620 FTE’s; responsible for the operations of all inpatient and outpatient clinical nursing departments, within a 223 bed not-for-profit acute care facility. Service line oversight of diverse environments including Acute and Critical Care; Emergency Care; Women’s and Children’s Services; Oncology, Community Wellness, Home Health, Hospice and Cancer Resources. Organizational accomplishments include: Improvement in clinical outcomes all core measures, implementation of national patient safety goals, surgical care process improvement; enhanced customer service standards and HCAHPS scores, implemented leadership training for managers, as well as Shared Governance for all nursing divisions; achieved physician satisfaction scores for Nursing in top 10%.

James H. "Jimmy" Rogers

James H. “Jimmy” Rogers, Retired from First NBC Bank as Senior Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer after a 34 year history of success in Commercial, Retail banking and management in South Louisiana. He is presently active in the Northshore Food Bank, the Mandeville Northlake Rotary, and the St. Tammany West Chamber. For the Department of Defense, he has served as the Sector Chairman for St. Tammany, Washington and Tangipahoa parishes for the ESGR since 1988. This is the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a volunteer group that advocates actively when Guardsmen or Reservists have a re-employment problem with their employer.

Steve Scoggin

Steve "Skip" Scoggin, Christwood Secretary and member of the Executive Committee, is currently a Partner and Managing Broker of Mauti Meredith Scoggin, a full service commercial/residential/property management real estate company. He was the Past President St. Tammany Association of Realtors, Past State Director Louisiana Realtors Association, 2014 Realtor of the Year, Northshore Area Board of Realtors, 1998 Graduate Leadership West St. Tammany Parish. He received a BA in Management and Finance from Southeastern Louisiana University. Mr. Scoggin is also a Louisiana State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser.

James "Jim" Valliant

James “Jim” Valliant, had a professional engineering career beginning with U.S. Gypsum in Greenville, MS. He joined a California engineering firm in 1964 as Design and Instrumentation leader in various petrochemical processing facilities as well as several major mining projects. Jim spent one year in the Philippines assisting in the final construction and early start-up phase of a major petroleum refining facility. Jim returned to the New Orleans area in 1966 to enter into the family business which developed into a major contributor to the automotive and marine service and parts distribution industry. He began semi-retirement in 2000 as his son Sean, third generation in the business, entered the arena. Jim continues as Advisor to Valliant Industries on a part-time basis. Jim served on the Christwood Board of Directors from 2013-2016; he served as Vice President, Executive & Finance Committee from 2014-2015.

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