Welcome to “Paying it Forward,” a monthly interview series made possible by Piedmont Health. In this series, we hear from the folks at Piedmont about the importance of community health centers – and why they chose a career in community health.

This month, Aaron welcomes one of Piedmont Health’s board members: Victoria Freeman, who joined the board as part of a four-decade career in public health in the Triangle.

“I started my career as a pediatric nurse in New Mexico,” Freeman says of what drew her to Piedmont’s mission, “and I saw what happened to children who didn’t have primary care: they’d end up in the hospital often. And I was in public health, so I recognized the importance of primary care – (and) of having a medical home, a place where you can go with all your health problems and know that you’ll be taken care of or directed to the right place for care.

Freeman first joined Piedmont’s board in 2009 and she’s been there ever since, minus a brief hiatus that coincided with the pandemic.

“The board is very participatory,” she says of their work. We have a quality committee, we have a finance committee, we have a community engagement committee. We meet monthly and we’re active participants in making the big decisions.”

And as a federally-funded community health center, Piedmont has a unique requirement for its board: at least half of the board members have to be Piedmont patients themselves. Freeman says that requirement not only makes Piedmont’s board better – it’s also a crucial component of the very philosophy behind the whole idea of community health centers in the first place.

“It started 60 years ago when community health centers started, because it was very much a community movement – (in fact) we still call community health centers ‘the movement,’” she says. “Community members often got things rolling for their communities to get health care. So we honor that by having community members on the board, because they bring a perspective that only someone in the community can bring. They let us know what they’re hearing. They let us know who’s had problems getting care. And they also let us know when things really meet their needs or don’t meet their needs.”

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

Listen: 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Cold Temps Drive Up Demand For Shelter
The icy temperatures are driving up demand for emergency shelter at the Inter-Faith Council’s Community House.
Man Dies Outside IFC Building as Shelter Struggles with COVID, Winter Cold
January's cold snap turned deadly last week, as a person experiencing homelessness died while sleeping outside at the IFC's building in downtown Carrboro.
'It's a Beautiful Thing': Chapel Hill Man Warms Hearts With His Quilts
Five years ago, one Chapel Hillian found himself experiencing homelessness. Ever since then, he’s been handmaking quilts to wrap up the community in a whole lot of love.
Orange County Partnership Serves Homeless Population Amid Pandemic
The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, is working hard to provide critical resources for the homeless population amid the pandemic. The OCPEH is a coalition of service providers, local governments, and community members — a group working together towards the goal of ending homelessness in Orange County. The partnership has been around for 12 […]
Carrboro Debates IFC's Plan To Relocate Community Kitchen
As the IFC contemplates moving its Community Kitchen to Carrboro, town leaders are wrestling with how the new service will fit into the fabric of downtown.
Concert Saturday To Benefit IFC Community House
The folk trio Brother Sun will perform Saturday night at the Community Church of Chapel Hill, to raise funds for the IFC.
'We Are Extremely Concerned': Carrboro, Hillsborough Weigh Tough Budget Choices
Tough budget decisions are looming in Carrboro and Hillsborough, where officials have to choose between higher taxes and major cuts.
Preventive Care for Whole Populations: 'Paying It Forward' with Piedmont Health's Rui Ariyapala
Aaron welcomes population health specialist Rui Ariyapala, who serves as Associate Medical Officer for Piedmont Health Services.
On the Porch: Rebecca Sommer-Petersen and Julianne Kluk - Chatham Salvation Army 
This Week: Rebecca Sommer-Petersen was born and raised in Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill. She spent her adult years in New York and Massachusetts, where she earned 2 master's degrees from Boston University School of Theology. Rebecca has worked in a variety of church and social service settings, including early childhood, youth development, camp and conference program design, and adult services. Rebecca returned to NC in 2021 and became the Director of The Salvation Army service center in Chatham County, fitting her skills in Social Services and Ministry. She lives in Chatham County with her husband and her dog Ivy.  Julianne Kluk is a South Carolina native and proud University of South Carolina alumna who is passionate about helping others overcome difficult moments. She has worked with The Salvation Army for the past year and a half as a Case Manager Specialist, where she leads the Pathway to Success program. Through this program, Julianne supports individuals and families experiencing crisis, helping them access resources, build stability, and take meaningful steps toward a more secure and hopeful future.
Fulfilling the Vision of 'The Movement': 'Paying It Forward' with Piedmont Health's Victoria Freeman
Piedmont Health board member Victoria Freeman discusses her 40-year career in healthcare - and the philosophy of community health centers.
›