Governance
Board of Health Members
Duane C. McBride, PhD 
Dr. McBride is Chair of the Berrien County Board of Health. He has been a member since 1994 and Chair for the past 8 years. Dr. McBride is Professor and Chair of the Behavior Sciences Department at Andrews University, Chair of the Research Center of the Institute of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency at Andrews, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine and Chair of the NIDA/NIH Drug Abuse/AIDS Research Review Committee. In 2002 he was a presenter at the International AIDS Conference in Zurich, Switzerland. He earned his M.A. in sociology at the University of Maryland and his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Kentucky. In recent years he has been actively involved in a variety of substance abuse and drugs/crime research projects funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the U.S. Department of Justice, and has published 60 articles, chapters, monographs, and books in the areas of substance abuse, criminology, criminal justice, and AIDS. Dr. McBride is a resident of Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Donald Gast
 Mr. Gast is Vice-Chair of the Board of Health. He has been a member of the Board since 1998 and Vice-Chair for the past 5 years. Mr. Gast served on the Berrien County Board of Commissioners from 2002-8. He served on the Baroda Township Board for 29 years, including 28 years as treasurer and 2 years as supervisor. Mr. Gast was the Administrator for the Southwestern Medical Clinic for four decades and is currently the Senior Vice-President. He serves on the boards of the Area Agency on Aging, Southwestern Michigan Commission and Hospice at Home. Mr. Gast is a resident of Baroda, Michigan.
John Carter, M.D.
Dr. Carter has been a member of the Board of Health since 2005. He is a retired physician who practiced as a Board Certified Internist for 35 years, from 1963-1998. Dr. Carter has served on the Lakeland Hospital Board for the past 36 years. Dr. Carter also serves on the Healthy Berrien Consortium, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Heritage Museum and Cultural Cneter and Cedarwood Medical Center. In addition, he worked on the united Way Campaign and served on the United Way Board of Directors in the 1960s and 70s. He is a resident of St. Joseph, MI.
Grace G. Gordon, R.N., B.S.N., C.C.R.N.
 Ms. Gordon has been a member of the Board of Health since 1998. She is a critical care nurse working in the intensive care units of Lakeland Regional Health System both at the Niles and St. Joseph locations. Ms. Gordon has had 12 years of administrative/managerial experience as Director of an Open Heart Recovery Unit and Assistant Clinical Manager for ICU. She brings her unique perspective as a health care practitioner to the Board. She is a resident of Buchanan, Michigan.
John K. McCord
 Mr. McCord has been a member of the Board of Health since 2001. He is a retired owner and CEO of a mainframe software consulting company in Chicago, which he directed for 25 years. Mr. McCord has served on bank boards of directors and has a varied background in finance. He holds two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in accounting and one in economics. His administrative and financial experience is a key addition to the Board. Mr. McCord is a resident of New Buffalo, Michigan.
Lottie Pugh, R.N., B.S.N
 Ms. Pugh has been a member of the Board of Health since 1994. She is the retired Coordinator of Health Services for the Benton Harbor Area Schools where she worked for over 25 years. Currently Ms. Pugh is a nurse with her daughter’s family medicine practice in Benton Harbor. She brings her rich health care experiences, particularly with the adolescent population, to the Board. Ms. Pugh is a resident of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Margaret (Peg) Kohring
Ms. Kohring joined the Board of Health in 2009. Ms. Kohring is the Midwest Regional Director of The Conservation Fund, a national land conservation organization that focuses on protection of America’s land legacy. For the last 30 years she has worked both in the Midwest and Central America for land trust. Ms. Kohring serves on the Weesaw Township Sewer and Water Action Group and has previously served as Chair for the Berrien County Planning Commission. She brings an expertise in environmental health, an interest in healthy lifestyles, and education. Ms. Kohring is a resident of Sawyer, Michigan.
William Emery, M.D.; Board of Health Emeritus
Dr. Emery has been a member of the Board of Health since 1991 and retired from  the Board in 2005 when he was honored with Emeritus status. He is a retired family physician and served as Medical Director for the Whirlpool Corporation for 35 years. Dr. Emery has served as an adjunct instructor at Western Michigan University, concentrating his teaching in the areas of health systems and policy. A third-generation physician, Dr. Emery also has been active in philanthropic work, including serving as trustee on the Whirlpool foundation. He is a past president of Sarett Nature Center, and has served on its Board of Directors since 1971. He has provided an invaluable link between the public health and private health care systems as a member of the Board of Health. Dr. Emery is a resident of St. Joseph, Michigan. |
