The Association of Medical Facility Professionals (AMFP) has formed a chapter in Charlotte, North Carolina, its ninth in the U.S., and Jennifer O’Donnell, Director of Business Development for FreemanWhite, a Haskell Company, has been named its first president.
O’Donnell was a driving force behind the new chapter. She moved from the New York City area to Charlotte not long before the COVID-19 lockdown. Staying in touch with her NYC contacts, she saw that the AMFP chapter there was creating myriad virtual events to keep members connected.
She found that those sorts of opportunities weren’t available in North Carolina’s largest city. While the North Carolina Health Engineers Association is large and vibrant organization, it only meets twice a year, and there was no other healthcare networking organization to fill the void in between.
“The Charlotte market has become a critical destination for AEC firms to plant a flag,” O’Donnell said. “I’d seen how successful the AMFP has been in other markets, and I felt like Charlotte needed a way for all of us to be a community and help each other and talk about trends and challenges.”
O’Donnell is joined on the AMFP Charlotte Board of Directors by Vice Presidents Matt Stiene, Novant Health; Bennett Thompson, Atrium Health; and C. Thorn Baccich, Jr., Flagship Healthcare Properties; Treasurer Davis H. Liles, AIA, BR+A; and Secretary Chuck Cardwell, Walter P. Moore. Launched in January 2022, the group has almost 50 members. Sixty-five registered for the chapter’s recent kickoff social, and all but five attended.
The not-for-profit organization is open to hospital administrators, facility managers, real estate directors, medical property owners, planners, designers, contractors, consultants, vendors and academics who specialize in various healthcare environments. Its mission is to enhance the knowledge and professional development of its members.
O’Donnell joined Haskell in March 2021 and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Having begun her business career in the automotive industry, she has spent the past 15 years servicing design and facilities clients.
