Executive Board
Danny Ellis, PhD, MBA, LPN
Chair
Term: 2026 – 2029
Dr. Danny Fitzgerald Ellis is a ECU College professor, Real Estate Professional, Executive Director, and President of Ellis Research and Consulting Service, LLC which specializes in business and systems analysis and growth. Shortly after a brief stint in college, he joined the military. While in the military he was selected to attend the prestigious U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy. He was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal for actions taken during the Persian Gulf War. He is a senior academic and administrative leader with over 30 years of progressive experience across higher education, military operations, healthcare administration, nonprofit executive leadership, and public-sector governance. Holds a PhD (with distinction) and an MBA/ Healthcare Management, with demonstrated expertise in Organizational and Senior leadership, health disparities research/advocacy/intervention. strategic planning, partnership development, financial stewardship, process improvement, fundraising, and organizational change.
Currently serving as a Professor in the College of Business at East Carolina University, with 12 years of sustained university service that includes organizational governance leadership, program evaluation, curriculum assessment, student recruitment and retention, and service on Provost-appointed strategic committees focused on program alignment and institutional effectiveness. A former senior hospital administrator, nonprofit executive director, and military healthcare operations leader, with a proven record of managing multi-million-dollar budgets, supervising diverse teams, engaging donors, and securing and stewarding more than $20 million in grant funding. Known for a collaborative, data-driven leadership style and a deep commitment to team success, military-affiliated learners, rural communities, and mission-aligned community engagement, and well-positioned to advance the strategic growth and operational excellence.
Dr. Ellis’ board experience includes the Friday Fellowship Leadership Board, the UNC Nash Hospital Foundation Board, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Eastern NC Ministerial Alliance. He is the current President of the Black Faculty of Pitt County, Inc. He is the author of three dynamic books called “Why Keep Trying” and “It’s Never 2 Late, and Why Men Don’t Come Home After Five. He has authored research articles and a college textbook related to health disparities and community engagement.
Maria Milagros Kneusel Rivera,
DNP, MSHCE, MSN Ed, RN, CMGT-BC
Vice Chair
Term: 2026 – 2029
Dr. Maria Milagros Kneusel Rivera (she/her/hers) is a Registered Nurse and holds a master’s in nursing education, a master’s in health care ethics, and a doctorate in nursing practice with an emphasis in quality improvement. Her professional interests focus on the dignified care of underserved populations, and the use of Promotoras (Spanish-speaking community health workers) to improve healthcare access for Latino communities. Her doctoral work involved training Promotoras to help monolingual Latinos with heart failure manage their illness more effectively.
Maria is a System Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at CommonSpirit Health, the founder of Health Equity Nurses, PLC, and an affiliate professor at Regis University. She has been a health equity champion for over 15 years.
Maria chairs the Impact Advisory Council (formerly JEDI) for the Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence (completed June 2026), and chairs the Colorado Action Coalition Committee on Advancing Health Equity by operationalizing the Future of Nursing Report Recommendations. She is also a board member for the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, and sits on the board of Vuela for Health.
Maria is past president of the Denver chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. She received the National Hispanic Nurse of the Year award in 2021 for her efforts to vaccinate and educate the Latino community during the Covid pandemic. In 2022 Maria received the prestigious Nightingale Luminary Award for her efforts to advance equity for Latino populations during the Covid pandemic, as well as the Sigma Theta Tau (Alpha Kappa at-Large Chapter) Excellence in Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Award.
Michael Savelli, MBA
Treasurer
Term: 2025-2028
With over fifteen years of executive-level experience in financial and operational leadership at nonprofit organizations as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, including the American Payroll Institute, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Michael brings a proven record of fiscal stewardship, strategic planning, and board engagement. During his time at nonprofits, he has managed complex budgets, overseen audit and organizational compliance efforts, and developed and presented financial reports directly to the board.
In addition to his financial expertise, Michael has led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and designed member strategies that grew participation and strengthened engagement for APA and AAAS. he has a deep respect for the NAEHD’s mission to eliminate health disparities in all communities and is excited to contribute his time and effort to the organization. Having grown up in rural western Pennsylvania, he experienced firsthand the impact of limited access to care and remains committed to improving policies and strategies that lead toward better health outcomes for rural communities.
Donna Harvin-Graham, MBA, PMP
Strategic Director, Patient Services & Rare Disease Equity
Term: N/A
“Systems should never forget the people they serve.”
Donna Harvin Graham is a strategic leader, patient advocate, and systems thinker whose work centers on advancing health equity through patient‑centered systems design. She brings both professional expertise and insight gained from navigating the medical care environment, which informs her understanding of how systems succeed and where they break down.
Her advocacy includes published work in the Richmond Times‑Dispatch, KevinMD, and the Project Management Institute (PMI). She writes about the realities patients encounter in fragmented systems, tracing how delays and access barriers create additional strain and offering practical direction for restoring reliability and dignity in care.
At NAEHD, she leads equity‑focused initiatives, including the development of The Invisible Patient: A Strategic Gap Analysis of Rural Health Equity. This work identifies structural barriers such as the Digital Wall and Transit Trap and introduces the Rural Access Check, a practical tool for leaders working to close rural access gaps.
She also contributes to national rare disease innovation as a co‑author on an upcoming collaborative manuscript with 4YouandMe and partner institutions supported through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s “Rare as One” program. The study focuses on open‑source digital health tools designed to strengthen care and data access for rare disease communities.
Her academic background includes a Master of Business Administration from the College of William & Mary and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from Emory University, and multiple agile certifications.
Her advocacy extends across several patient‑centered roles, including service on the Patient Advisory Board for the Johns Hopkins Sarcoidosis Center, the Ambulatory Patient and Family Advisory Council at INOVA, and as a patient navigator with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. She works to ensure that patient experience and emotional reality meaningfully shape policy and practice, and that lived expertise informs the way systems are designed.
Her work at NAEHD reflects a core belief that systems must be accountable to the people they serve, and she is committed to helping organizations move from intention to meaningful impact.
Adrian Springfield, PhD, MSW, LISW-S
Director, Research & Equity Infrastructure
Term: 2025-2028
Dr. Adrian Springfield is a seasoned behavioral health executive and social work leader with over 16 years of experience in clinical operations, strategic planning, and organizational development. She has dedicated her career to advancing high-quality, evidence-based behavioral health services and promoting health equity, with a focus on reducing disparities in underserved communities.
Dr. Springfield has held executive leadership roles overseeing multi-site operations, guiding program development, and leading cross-functional teams in residential, outpatient, and community-based behavioral health settings. Her expertise spans strategic growth, clinical innovation, operational efficiency, and quality improvement, consistently delivering measurable outcomes for the organizations she serves.
A recognized thought leader in behavioral health, Dr. Springfield has spearheaded initiatives that strengthen organizational capacity, enhance clinical outcomes, and foster sustainable growth. She is known for cultivating collaborative partnerships with healthcare providers, community organizations, and policymakers to design programs that are both impactful and scalable.
Dr. Springfield holds a PhD in Social Work from Walden University and possesses advanced expertise in clinical leadership and healthcare management. Her educational foundation, combined with extensive executive experience, equips her to navigate complex organizational challenges and advance innovative solutions in behavioral health.
As a board member of the National Alliance on Ending Health Disparities (NAEHD), Dr. Springfield is committed to supporting the organization’s mission to empower individuals, healthcare professionals, and decision makers through research, education, and advocacy initiatives that eliminate health disparities in all communities. She is passionate about promoting health equity, advancing workforce development, and championing evidence-informed practices that improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities nationwide.
Bryant Harvin
Chief Executive Officer
(Executive Board Director)
Term: N/A
Bryant is an executive, mission‑driven leader with over a decade of experience serving the non‑profit sector across Communication Sciences and Disorders, Pharmacy, Counseling and Behavioral Health, and Early Childhood Education. His career reflects a deep commitment to advancing professional practice and driving meaningful, measurable change in the communities he serves.
With expertise in accreditation, adult education, and program and project management, Bryant has led national and state‑level initiatives that have elevated professional standards, strengthened learning outcomes, and supported innovation across multiple disciplines. His leadership and impact were nationally recognized when he was named a finalist for RISE Health’s 2026 Trailblazer Award.
NAEHD was founded through the lived experiences of Bryant and his family. Those experiences shaped the organization’s mission and its inclusive approach to uniting diverse stakeholders committed to ending health disparities.
Outside of his work, Bryant enjoys cooking, traveling, spending time with family, and embracing life as a proud dog dad to Nayla, his energetic Bichon‑Poo, and dog uncle to Teddi, the cutest Yorkie‑Bichon you’ll ever meet.