Our Board of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees

AMANDA-LEIGH PLAYER HALL
PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Amanda-Leigh has worked in the architecture field, and as a freelance artist, but her passion lies in helping others.

Amanda-Leigh Player Hall serves as President and Executive Director of the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation in the United States. As the daughter of Gary and Vivienne Player, she is honored to continue the legacy of love and service her parents began—helping vulnerable children access the education, healthcare, and support they need to thrive.
With a deep belief in the power of compassion and community, Amanda-Leigh is committed to building lasting partnerships that make a meaningful difference. She brings sincerity, faith, and a heartfelt sense of purpose to everything she does--always striving to honor her parents’ vision while growing the foundation’s mission in impactful ways.

MICHAEL R. WHETSTONE, M.D.

Dr. Whetstone graduated from medical school in 1983. In 1989, after many years training in reconstructive and plastic surgery, he opened his medical practice in the Las Colinas area of Dallas, Texas.

Following retirement in 2019, Dr. Whetstone resides in Irving, Texas with his wife, Teri.
Together they are the parents of three children and four grandchildren.r Foundation in the United States. As the daughter of Gary and Vivienne Player, she is honored to continue the legacy of love and service her parents began—helping vulnerable children access the education, healthcare, and support they need to thrive.
With a deep belief in the power of compassion and community, Amanda-Leigh is committed to building lasting partnerships that make a meaningful difference. She brings sincerity, faith, and a heartfelt sense of purpose to everything she does--always striving to honor her parents’ vision while growing the foundation’s mission in impactful ways.

PATRICIA D. KAUFMAN

Patricia D. Kaufman has dedicated her life to living out these words: “Of those to whom much has been given, much will be expected.”

Patricia began her career in retail management and went on to specialize in Interior Design. Her most cherished work is the interior of the Patricia D. and M. Scot Kaufman Cancer Center which she and her husband Scot founded in BelAir, Maryland in 2013.

Patricia currently sits on the foundation boards of two hospitals and is the vice-president of her family’s own charitable foundation. She is also the liaison for the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry on the Missions Committee of the church she attends. Serving those in need is her greatest passion. 

Patricia and Scot retired to Marco Island, Florida where they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They have two children and two grandsons of whom they are very proud.

HAMISH HUME

TOM THOMAN

Tom Thoman holds a master’s degree in Business Administration through the Executive MBA Program at The Katz Business School at the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

He has spent most of his career with Airgas, rising through the ranks as he turned around businesses through collaboration and building strategy. Tom enjoys free time with friends and family, making the most of the great outdoors by boating, hiking, fishing, exploring and golfing.

RICH TABARRINI

Rich has been working in Life Sciences his entire career, with 30+ years of experience in the industry.

After spending several years in Validation, Project Management, and Executive Leadership roles, Rich founded Covex LLC in 2001 and grew the company to become a leading provider of compliance services. Covex LLC was purchased in 2019 by Private Equity and merged with Clarke Solutions to become Verista. Rich was initially named Chief Sales Officer and then promoted to President.
After a short stint in retirement, Rich returned as President in August 2023. Rich is a Board of Trustee member for the Hill School, a private boarding school in Pottstown, PA.
Rich is a Pennsylvania native, and he and his wife Christina currently reside in Naples, Florida. They have four adult children and two dogs which keeps them quite busy. His personal interests include personal training, tennis, golf, and rooting for Penn State football. Rich is a graduate of LaSalle University in Philadelphia.

LUCY GRAY

Lucy is a UK-qualified lawyer from London who has over 15 years of experience both in private practice and in-house.

Lucy has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the US and has developed a wide network of clients, particularly in the Middle East, where she was based between Dubai and Riyadh.

Lucy is a partner at the law firm Winston & Strawn, and in her spare time, Lucy assists the Legal Studies Department at Elmira College, NY, as a Visiting Professor. She loves all sports, especially golf and tennis, learning languages, traveling, and exploring new cultures.

JORDAN PLAYER

Jordan’s day-to-day focus is strategic top line growth including leading national and multinational teams and client relationships. He has more than five years of non-profit experience and has supported the GVPF since inception.
Jordan will focus on key initiatives and partnerships through a diverse network with a goal for a sustainable life of the GVPF to supplement his grandparents’ legacies of changing lives for more than 70 years.‍Jordan enjoys golfing and fishing in his little free time.

MARK KELLY

Mark serves as senior vice president and a division manager for DSI operations in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Mark received his degree in Mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University. He has a wide range of experience in multiple markets ranging from high-rise office buildings to microelectronics clean rooms. His specific expertise includes construction, costing, value engineering, design and management.

Over the years, Mark has progressively assumed greater responsibility at DSI and held numerous positions on state and local contractor and labor organization boards.

MELANIE NIELSEN

Melanie brings more than 35 years of experience in healthcare administration, educational advocacy, and philanthropy.

Throughout her career, she has held key leadership roles, spearheading initiatives that improved patient outcomes and streamlined care delivery. Her dedication to education is reflected in her service on multiple health policy programs, where she mentors students pursuing careers in the medical field. Passionate about expanding access to education for children, Melanie remains deeply committed to helping young people reach their full potential.
Outside of her professional work, Melanie enjoys traveling with her husband and is the proud mother of four grown children and grandmother to three granddaughters. She also serves as an area communications director for her church.

JAY SEKULOW

Jay Sekulow is Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law & Justice with offices around the globe. His practice includes handling over 25 cases at the Supreme Court of the United States, multiple cases at the International Criminal Court at The Hague and the European Court of Human Rights. Sekulow has represented Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as ordinary citizens exercising their fundamental freedoms.

A graduate of Mercer University School of Law, Jay has post graduate certificates from Oxford University and Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Business. He is a golf enthusiast who has a graduate certificate from The Ohio State University in golf history. 

Ambassadors

JONATHAN BROWN "JB"

Jonathan Brown (“JB”) brings a wealth of experience in marketing, procurement, medical device ventures, and private equity partnerships, ultimately finding his professional passion in real estate. As the founder of a real estate development and strategy consulting company, JB combines broad business expertise with a deep commitment to making communities thrive.

From his early years, JB has embraced leadership and service, dedicated to helping others and building a better world. As a proud Ambassador of the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation, he looks forward to helping it exceed all its goals.

Jonathan lives in Florida, cherishing time with family and friends, staying active with sports and fitness, and living a faith-based life.

ERIC SHARPE

Eric Sharpe is a seasoned financial professional with 15 years of industry experience and Series 7, 63, and 65 registrations. A graduate of Penn State University with both a Bachelor of Science in Management and an MBA, he serves as a financial advisor and financial services representative with CREATIVE Financial Group. His earlier 12‑year tenure in the vaccine sales division at Merck & Co., Inc. strengthened his expertise in client engagement, communication, and strategic relationship building.

Alongside his professional career, Eric has dedicated more than 30 years to public service as a paramedic and firefighter, currently serving with the Berwyn Fire Company. He is an active member of The Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, supporting its mission of faith, community, and service, and also serves on the board of the Washington Memorial Heritage. Eric lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Julia, and together they enjoy golf and have completed over 30 half marathons. He considers it a privilege to support the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation and is committed to fostering a meaningful, long‑term relationship with its mission.