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Russell E. Phillips Jr., CPA, CVA, MAFF

Treasurer

Russ Phillips is the Managing Partner of The Phillips Organization, a certified public accounting and consulting firm based in Canton, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Walsh University and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant by the Accountancy Board of Ohio. Russ also holds the Certified Valuation Analyst and Master Analyst in Financial Forensics credentials, with specialized expertise in bankruptcy, insolvency, and business reorganization through the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts.

Russ brings a practical financial lens to the board of directors, paired with his personal experience navigating disability, insurance complexity, and long-term care planning firsthand.

In addition to the financial expertise Russ brings to the board of directors, his commitment to patient advocacy is deeply personal. When his son was diagnosed with dystonia at age 11, Russ and his family became active advocates for their child, the Dystonia Foundation, and others living with rare and costly chronic conditions. That experience shaped his understanding of how insurance structures, out-of-pocket costs, and financial penalties often fail families who need care the most. He believes that while insurance is meant to spread risk, patients with frequent or expensive care often carry a disproportionate burden.

As Treasurer of Accessia Health, Russ brings a practical financial and tax perspective grounded in decades of business leadership. He understands that strong financial stewardship directly affects patients’ access to assistance, sustainability of programs, and the organization’s ability to respond as healthcare costs continue to rise. He is particularly interested in helping Accessia Health explore new models that strengthen revenue, expand patient education, and increase the organization’s ability to serve more patients over time.

Beyond his board service, Russ remains active in professional organizations and his local YMCA. He values family, friendships, community, and maintaining a well-balanced life. He and his wife Tammy have been married since 1982 and are the parents of two adult children.

Mitch Mula

Board Chair

Mitch earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health with a concentration in Physical Therapy from the Louisiana State University School of Allied Health. He began his career as a staff physical therapist at Baton Rouge Medical Center, working closely with individuals managing long-term, complex conditions. He later launched and oversaw private outpatient clinics and a rehabilitation company providing therapy services in long-term care facilities.

Over the years, Mitch expanded into the insurance and financial services industries, leading multiple agencies focused on helping individuals and families protect their health, financial security, and long-term stability. His combined experience in clinical care, business ownership, and financial protection gives him a unique, holistic perspective on the barriers patients face navigating medical, economic, and systemic challenges.

As Board Chair of Accessia Health, Mitch brings a mission-driven commitment to ensuring patients with chronic and rare conditions receive the support, access, and dignity they deserve. His clinical experience informs his understanding of the real-world financial, logistical, and emotional barriers patients encounter, while his business expertise strengthens the organization’s operational and strategic decision-making. He champions patient assistance programs that bridge gaps providers cannot fill—delivering financial support, education, and navigation services that make treatment accessible, sustainable, and less overwhelming.

Mitch is particularly excited about innovations that enhance patient support, including digital access tools, coordinated care platforms, and new therapies for rare conditions. Since joining the board, he has focused on expanding programs, improving accessibility, and ensuring patients experience meaningful impact and dignity throughout their care journey.

Outside of his board involvement and work, Mitch enjoys spending time with family, travel and community involvement, and continues to advocate for patients through both his professional work and board service. He holds his physical therapy licensure along with multiple insurance and financial services licenses. He is married and has a son and a daughter.

Mike Holdren

Board Member

Mike Holdren serves on the Accessia Health Board and brings extensive experience across healthcare technology, nonprofit organizations, and large payer and private equity-backed healthcare systems. After retiring from full time executive leadership in 2025, he transitioned into a board role, bringing deep operational experience and a clear governance perspective to the organization.

Mike’s connection to Accessia Health is both professional and personal. After consulting with the organization, he joined in a full-time capacity in January 2022 following a close friend’s diagnosis with a rare blood cancer and a projected $17,000 copay that put access to life saving treatment at risk. That experience reinforced the importance of patient financial assistance in a healthcare system where costs routinely outpace what many individuals and families can afford.

Throughout his career, he has seen how people with chronic and rare conditions most often fall through the cracks, particularly with delayed diagnoses, fragmented referrals, and limited coordination across multiple specialists. From his experience, siloed systems and reimbursement structures often leave patients and families responsible for managing complex care on their own.

As a board member, Mike focuses on the organization’s long-term strategy, measurable outcomes, and accountability. He brings a leadership approach shaped by years of working inside complex healthcare systems and translating that complexity into clarity.

Mike is particularly interested in how technology can strengthen patient assistance programs, making them more accessible, more efficient, and more patient‑centered than ever before. Responsible technology innovation would improve diagnostic accuracy, flag early warning signs, reduce unnecessary testing, and assist clinicians in recognizing patterns they might otherwise miss. He supports the use of data sharing, interoperability, and leveraging AI and other digital tools to create smarter technology and enable stronger collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.

Outside of board service, Mike enjoys spending time with family; especially his grandchildren, two of whom were recently diagnosed with a rare pediatric condition that will require lifelong care. He hopes to leverage his time and technology understanding to assist his daughter and son-in-law with research and treatment options. He is also involved with the American Cancer Society and supports several local animal welfare organizations, including SPCAs in Richmond, VA and Newport New as well as Angels of Assisi.

Lud Kimbrough

Board Member

Lud brings more than 35 years of entrepreneurial, consulting, and executive leadership experience to the Accessia Health board. He has guided nonprofit, publicly held, private equity-backed, and startup organizations through periods of growth, transition, and turnaround, serving in roles including president, CEO, and managing director. His work spans diverse industries such as marketing, aerospace tooling, cryogenics equipment, outdoor advertising, and cable television.

Throughout his career, Lud has focused on balancing strategy, human capital, and financial performance, building strong teams, embracing new technologies, and understanding risk. He serves as chair of Accessia Health’s Audit Committee, where his finance and accounting expertise is central to the board’s oversight and strategic direction. His experience guiding organizations through change, adapting to evolving regulations, and diversifying services and revenue streams informs Accessia’s growth and sustainability efforts.

Lud was inspired to join Accessia Health by his commitment to giving back to the community and by personal connections to family members with chronic conditions. He sees patient assistance as essential in today’s healthcare system, bridging gaps created by insurance limitations and out-of-pocket costs that often exceed family resources. He is particularly encouraged by the shift at the federal level from treatment to prevention and believes Accessia Health can continue to innovate by monitoring emerging treatment protocols, pursuing targeted funding opportunities, and exploring new services that address health inequities and bridge healthcare gaps.

Serving on the Accessia Health board also allows Lud to see the tangible impact of patient assistance firsthand. He values hearing patient feedback, from testimonials to personal interactions during events like Hill Day, and finds the dedication and energy of Accessia Health team members especially rewarding. Outside of board service, Lud volunteers with the Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating nonprofit, teaching sailing to physically and developmentally challenged individuals.

Lee Smith

Board Member

Lee served as Chair of the Accessia Health Foundation Board in 2021 before joining the Accessia Health Board. He is the Head of Commercial with Element Science, Inc. with over 15 years of experience in effective medical-based sales management.

Lee is an entrepreneurial leader who develops high-performance sales teams and creates winning sales organizations with heightened senses of urgency and accountability. Prior to his time at Element Science, he was the Head of Sales for Philips BioTel Heart, National Sales Director for LipoScience, and Regional Sales Manager for Hologic, Inc.

Brian Landry

Vice Chair and Secretary

Brian’s extensive nonprofit healthcare experience directly informs his work on the Accessia Health board, where he provides guidance on programs that remove barriers to care and strengthen patient support. He earned a BS in Marketing from Louisiana State University and served over 31 years in nonprofit hospital executive leadership, most recently as Senior Vice President of Marketing, Public Affairs, and Development for LCMC Health, an eight-hospital nonprofit system in the New Orleans area. He played a key role in the creation and growth of LCMC Health, including the development and management of the $1.1 billion, 446-bed University Medical Center, which replaced Charity Hospital and University Hospital after Hurricane Katrina.

Prior to LCMC Health, Brian spent 28 years at New Orleans Children’s Hospital, leading marketing, public affairs, and development and serving as the hospital spokesperson. He regularly presented at board meetings, contributed to strategic planning, and helped expand patient-focused programs that addressed both medical and family needs.

Brian believes Accessia Health’s role is both practical and personal. Beyond tangible assistance like medical treatment, financial support, transportation, and housing, he sees the organization’s work providing patients and families with hope, comfort, and compassion. He is optimistic about innovations that can improve access and affordability in healthcare, while acknowledging that broad, systemic change will require coordinated action at the national level.

Outside of his board service, Brian is motivated by his family, faith, community, and music. He is closely connected to his married daughter, two married sons, and eight grandchildren. He contributes his strategic planning expertise to St. Joseph Benedictine Abbey & Seminary College, is an active member of the Metairie Rotary Club and American Legion Post 377 and continues to play trumpet with nonprofit and community bands, including the American Legion Post 377 band and the Deutsches Haus German band.

Brian L Fink, JD

Board Member

Brian L. Fink currently serves as President & CEO of an Ohio-based manufacturing company. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Juris Doctor from the University of Akron and is admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio. He brings more than 30 years of diverse experience spanning executive leadership, operational management, small business ownership, international business development, and service on profit and nonprofit boards.

Brian was inspired to join the Accessia Health board through his connection with board member Russ Phillips, Jr. and his family, whose son was diagnosed with a rare condition. Brian also saw firsthand the challenges faced by patients and families while supporting his father through chronic myeloid leukemia. These personal experiences, combined with his professional background, guide his commitment to ensuring patients have access to coordinated care, financial assistance, and supportive services.

With a blend of legal, executive, and international business experience, Brian contributes to Accessia Health by providing strategic oversight from the organizational level down to operational execution. He helps ensure the organization’s services meet patient needs within a complex healthcare and regulatory environment. His perspective as a CEO informs governance, risk management, and long-term strategy, while his legal training adds structure and clarity to navigating operational and compliance challenges.

Brian is particularly interested in leveraging technology to improve patient diagnoses, coordination of care, and distribution of benefits. He regularly advocates for patients and raises awareness about patient assistance programs within his community, sharing critical information with those facing rare or chronic conditions. Outside of his board service, Brian enjoys spending time with his family, managing his farm, traveling, and serving on the boards of two local companies, while remaining active in his local church.