As a true not-for-profit health system, Phoebe is operated by a volunteer board drawn from the community it serves. They serve without pay, volunteering time and expertise. They set policy, create goals, evaluate management’s performance, and ensure Phoebe operates in the best interest of the community. Below you can learn more about our volunteer governing board members for Phoebe Sumter Medical Center.
Frederick McLaughlin, EdD, is a professor of biology at Fort Valley State, where he teaches microbiology.
He has earned numerous degrees, including Doctor of Education from Argosy University in Sarasota, Florida. He and his wife, LaVerne, have one child.
Sandra Daniel, Ph.D., RN, is the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, GA.
She is actively involved in community service organizations and state/national professional organizations. Currently she serves on the Board of Directors of SOWEGA-AHEC and the Sumter Faith Clinic.
Brian Church, is chief financial officer and chief administrative officer for Phoebe Putney Health System.
He joined Phoebe in 2014 after 12 years at a large not-for-profit healthcare system in southwest Florida. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
John Crisp, is the President and CEO of Georgia Cold Storage Co. and Gulf States Cold Storage Co, which operates freezers and coolers in South Georgia and Alabama.
He has served on the Southland Foundation Committee, the Sheriff’s Youth Homes Golf Tournament committee, and the Sumter One Committee for Sumter County, GA PDA.
Angela Holt, was born and raised in Americus, Georgia. She spent 10 years serving in the U.S. Air Force as a Munitions Systems Craftsman where she also received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Serving as Chief Munitions Control Officer.
After an honorable discharge, she moved back to Americus in 2000 and was hired at Middle Flint Health and Wellness in 2003. After more than 20 years and many roles there, she is now Chief Executive Officer of Middle Flint HW. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia Southwestern State University and an MBA – Executive Option from the University of North Alabama.
Bardin Hooks, is an Americus native. He received a B.A. in History from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee in 2003. He received his Juris Doctor from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2007.
After practicing estate planning, real estate, and corporate law in Americus for many years, Bardin joined Edward Jones as a Financial Advisor in 2023, where he helps clients plan for their financial futures. He currently serves on the boards of Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, Phoebe Sumter Foundation, and the Americus Housing Authority. He is a former board member of the Americus-Sumter County Hospital Authority. He and his wife, Hayden, are members of Calvary Episcopal Church in Americus, and they are proud parents of a son, George.
Alton Marcus, Sr., has been a member of the Americus community for more than 20 years.
He is the district manager for Dollar Tree Stores and owns a small real estate and property management company. He is actively involved in his church, Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, and has served as a financial officer on the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Sean Sheff, is a general and minimally invasive surgeon who joined Phoebe Physicians in 2011 and is a member of the medical staff at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center and Phoebe General Surgery of Americus.
Dr. Sheff earned a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala. He then earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, and upon graduation he completed a General Surgeon Residency at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He then went on to a Surgical Fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Gundersen Lutheran Hospitals in LaCrosse, Wisc. In his fellowship, Dr. Sheff spent an extra year learning to perfect laparoscopic and minimally invasive techniques, foremost among being bariatric surgical procedures. He is Board Certified in Surgery from the American Board of Surgery. He is an active member of both the Society of General and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Rene Smith, is President/CEO of Sumter EMC in Americus. He joined Sumter EMC in 1988, and has progressed through the ranks to his appointment as CEO in January 2020.
He has served on various committees representing Georgia’s electric cooperatives and serves on the boards of affiliated statewide organizations. He is active in the local community, serving on several boards including the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation and the Ignite College and Career Academy. He is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Americus, is a recipient of the Rotary Sheffield Presidential Leadership Award and has served as an Assistant Governor for District 6900 of Rotary International. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Auburn University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering at Kennesaw State University. He and his wife, Angela, reside in Americus, Georgia, are members of Cornerstone Church, and have five adult children and eight grandchildren.
Scott Steiner, joined the Phoebe family in March, 2019.
He previously served as CEO of four Tenet hospitals in Detroit, MI. He began his career in healthcare administration as Director of Physician Network & Development for a hospital in East St. Louis, IL in 1992. Scott and his wife, Tracy have two daughters. Scott is a member of the Phoebe Health System, Phoebe Hospital, Phoebe Sumter, Phoebe Worth, Phoebe Health Ventures and Phoebe Physicians Boards.
Sandra Zornes, MD, is chief of pathology and director of the clinical laboratory at Phoebe Sumter.
She is a fellow of the College of American Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and is a member of the American Medical Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, the Sumter County Medical Society, the College of American Pathologists, and the Georgia Association of Pathologists.