CareSouth Carolina Celebrates CEO Ann Lewis for 45 Years of Service and Leadership

CareSouth Carolina is celebrating a historic milestone as Chief Executive Officer Ann Lewis marks 45 years with the organization—a tenure defined by growth, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the communities she has served.

Lewis joined what was then a small clinic in the early 1980s and helped guide its transformation into CareSouth Carolina, now a nationally recognized community health organization serving thousands of patients across the Pee Dee region. Throughout her career, Lewis has led through expansion, financial uncertainty, natural disasters, and a global pandemic—never losing sight of the organization’s mission to “enhance the health and well-being of everyone.” 

During a special recognition, colleagues, board members, and longtime partners shared reflections on Lewis’s leadership and impact.

Joy Gandy, Chief of Project Development at CareSouth Carolina, shared that she had interviewed with Lewis back in 1981 for a position, and recalled the intention Lewis brought to leadership from the very beginning.

“That interview was personal and intentional. Ann didn’t just want someone who could do the job—she wanted someone who would treat every patient like a human being, not a number. And that expectation has never changed,” Gandy said.

Gandy reflected on the organization’s early days, when resources were limited and staff wore many hats, noting that Lewis was never content to stop at what already existed.

“Even back then, what we had wasn’t enough for her,” she said. “She always saw what CareSouth Carolina could be. She led through budget cuts, hurricanes, snowstorms, personal hardship, and even a global pandemic—and nothing ever stopped her from leading.”

She added: 

“I truly believe CareSouth Carolina would not be what it is today without her vision and perseverance. If leadership were an Olympic sport, she would have won gold several times by now.”

Lathran J. Woodard, former CEO of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association,  spoke about her deep personal and professional bond with Lewis, describing her as a leader rooted in integrity and service.

“Ann always stood her ground and stood in her truth. She understood that real leadership is servitude. She knows people by name. She checks on people. She cares.”

Woodard emphasized Lewis’s approach to conflict and decision-making.

“If someone came to her and said, ‘So-and-so said this,’ Ann’s response was always, ‘I’m going to that person and ask them.’ She never moved on hearsay. That taught me so much about leadership.”

She continued,

“When I was going through hard times, she didn’t come to me as a CEO or a board chair—she came to me as a woman. She protected me. She supported me. And that meant everything. She has been passionate about this for many years and that’s because you are doing God’s work.”

Dr. Vicki M. Young, who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), highlighted Lewis’s role as a mentor and champion to emerging leaders.

“She was always the cheerleader—the one saying, ‘We’re going to do this.’ Not because it benefited her, but because of her why. Her why has always been the patients and the community.”

Young credited Lewis’s longevity to a combination of compassion and curiosity.

“She is always learning. Just last week she told me, ‘Put it in ChatGPT.’ And I thought—here’s someone 45 years in, still evolving, still growing.”

She added: 

“That genuine heart is what keeps her going, and what keeps this movement growing—not just here, but across the state and the nation.”

Dr. Flossie Bartell-Jackson, Treasurer and longtime CareSouth Carolina board member, shared how Lewis reshaped her understanding of community health.

“When Ann brings something to the board, we know she has already put in the thought and the research. We trust her.”

She praised Lewis’s clarity and transparency.

“This is the only board I’ve served on where most of the time, you don’t even need to ask questions. And if you do, she takes the time to explain—no matter how long it takes.”

Dr. Bartell-Jackson concluded,

“I am honored to serve on this board with her, and I have no intentions of stepping away.”

Board Chair Jay Hodge reflected on Lewis’s ability to lead through challenge and purpose.

“In our darkest moments, Ann has always helped us see the light. What we have here isn’t just an organization—it’s a cause.”

He added,

“She still has fight in her. And as long as she does, this cause will keep moving forward.”

As CareSouth Carolina honors Ann Lewis’s 45 years of service, the voices of those who know her best tell a clear story: of a leader who never lost sight of why the work mattered, and whose legacy is woven into every patient served, every staff member supported, and every community strengthened.

Even after 45 years, Ann Lewis is still leading the charge of the community health center movement. She continues to be a pioneer in her field and a light in the community. 

“It is an honor and a privilege that God has given me every single day,” Lewis concluded. “I love  CareSouth Carolina, and I love our communities. Let’s keep doing it.”