Loretta Shelton has been named executive director of the newly launched Four Seasons Compassion for Life Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the philanthropic support of the Four Seasons Compassion for Life mission of “Co-Creating The Care Experience.”
Under Shelton’s leadership, the Foundation is charged with securing the future sustainability of quality, community-based care during serious illness through charitable giving of individuals, families and community partners. “I want to further the Four Seasons mission by ‘Co-Creating the Philanthropic Experience,’ within our community,” she says. “We will continue to build a conscious culture of neighbor helping neighbor, a value that Four Seasons has shared with our community for more than 35 years.”
Faced with a rapidly changing, unpredictable health care future, many western North Carolinians express the desire to retain independent health care choices in the face of chronic, serious or life-limiting illness, she says. “Through donor support, Four Seasons provides services to individuals and families who do not have a way of paying for care of their loved one,” she says. “In many cases, families find the cost of quality care exceeds reimbursement rates from insurers.”
Charitable gifts made to the Foundation provide the philanthropic support needed to ensure these high quality care options remain available to each patient and family regardless of their circumstances, she says. “My goal as executive director is to provide the long term fiscal stability needed to increase the permanency of Four Seasons’ services in order to offset the uncertainties of a rapidly changing health care arena.”
A former hospice volunteer, Shelton is a 20 year veteran of philanthropic non-profit management and leadership. Most recently, she served as regional executive director of philanthropy at North Carolina State University, serving 21 western counties, from 2013-15, and as executive director of conferences and events at Mars Hill College from 2002-13. She is an alumnus of Mars Hill College (BA) and Liberty University (MA), and holds certifications in project management from Western Carolina University and non-profit organizational management from Duke University. “Every single thing I’ve done in my life makes sense now that I’m here,” she says.
Chris Comeaux, CEO of Four Seasons Compassion for Life calls Shelton’s leadership “inspired.” “There’s no mistaking Loretta Shelton’s passion for undertaking this important work on behalf of the people of Henderson County and western North Carolina,” he says. “She motivates those around her to excellence and action, and holds a vision of Four Seasons’ future that includes quality care for those facing chronic illness for generations to come.”