Guidance
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Meet our Board of Directors

The Board of Directors for The Village at Orchard Ridge share a devotion to the ministry, guiding our growth to ensure that our community is a retirement destination for new generations. As NLCS President and CEO Cyndi Walters said, “The Board doesn’t just meet in a Board Room. They are out in the community, speaking with neighbors and seeing for themselves opportunities for improvement.” To learn about the Board of Trustees for our parent organization, National Lutheran Communities & Services (NLCS), click here.

Catherine R. Phillips

Chair
Catherine R. Philips (Cathy) is a Community and Civic Leader who currently serves as the Education Chair of the Winchester Medical Center Auxiliary Board while, at the same time, is a member of the Junior Century Club and the Little Garden Club of Winchester. Previously, Ms. Philips has held numerous officer, board and committee member positions with Quota International of Winchester, Chatmoss Country Club, Piedmont Arts, The Martinsville Garden Club, First United Church, the Macon (Ga.) Symphony Orchestra and the Oxford College of Emory University.

Ms. Philips received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Georgia in 1987 and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Emory University in 1985. Ms. Philips also earned an Associate of Arts degree from the Oxford College of Emory University in 1983.

Ms. Philips had significant prior professional experience as a Renal Social Worker and Clinical Social Worker at Riverside Health System and Riverside Rehabilitation Institute in Newport News, Va., respectively; as a Clinical Social Worker for the Inpatient Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program at the Hampton VA Medical Center; and as a Clinical Social Worker at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Joe Duda

Vice Chair
Joseph (Joe) Duda, RPh has over 25 years of diverse pharmaceutical experience, spanning hospital and retail pharmacy, formulation development, product manufacturing, and portfolio commercialization. He has held senior leadership positions in both generic prescription and consumer health business units, demonstrating expertise in P&L management, portfolio contracting, and product distribution across various sales channels.

Duda's career highlights include his tenure at Mylan Pharmaceuticals, where he began as a formulation chemist in 1996, developing a matrix-based generic formulation for a narrow therapeutic drug. His work led to two U.S. patents and the creation of a new branded product, Phenytek®, sold by Mylan's Bertek division. Later, Duda served as president of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, overseeing a division generating over $2 billion in annual revenue, and subsequently as president of Meda Consumer Healthcare, integrating it into Mylan's operations and expanding its product line.

Duda attributes much of his success to his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he honed his ability to identify deliverables, develop plans, and lead teams effectively. He holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and a MBA from West Virginia University and is a licensed pharmacist in West Virginia, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, he has been actively involved in various professional organizations, including serving on the board of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and advisory roles for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association.

Currently, Duda is the owner of a Virginia Junkluggers franchise and serves as the Executive in Residence at Intermed Labs, a medical device innovation lab and startup studio. He remains engaged in his community through memberships in the Marine Corps League, local business networking groups, and affiliations with professional associations.

Gail O. Mazzocco

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Gail O. Mazzocco, a resident at The Village at Orchard Ridge–A National Lutheran Community, joined the Board of Directors in 2019. Mrs. Mazzocco served as a consultant to the North Carolina Foundation for Nursing Excellence, where she developed a statewide plan for admission requirements to 12 University of North Carolina System R.N. to BSN Programs. Prior to this, Mrs. Mazzocco served in senior positions in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the School of Nursing at the University of Maryland.

Mrs. Mazzocco has been active in community and church life serving in various capacities. She served as president and vice-president of the congregational council at Christ Lutheran Church in Cumberland, Maryland, and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Campus Ministry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, respectively. She also served as chair of the health cabinet at Holy Trinity. She has served as vice president of the Maryland Nurses' Association, chair of the Allegany College of Maryland Foundation Board, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Memorial Hospital, Cumberland, Maryland, and chair of the Board of Directors, Fearrington Cares, Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Since moving to The Village at Orchard Ridge, Mrs. Mazzocco has been an active member of the Residents' Association, serving a two-year term as vice president, chair of the finance workgroup, and several support activities.

Mrs. Mazzocco received her EdD from the College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland: major in higher education administration; M.S. from the University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, major in medical-surgical nursing; B.S. in nursing, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland; diploma in nursing from Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing, Boston, Massachusetts.

Lisa A. Behr

Board Member
Ms. Lisa Behr serves as a board member for The Village at Orchard Ridge. Previously, Ms. Behr was chair of National Lutheran Communities & Services' (NLCS) Board of Trustees. Ms. Behr was owner/manager of both residential and commercial real estate with Greenfield & Behr Residential located in Winchester, Virginia from 2017-2022. In 2022 Greenfield & Behr merged with Coldwell Banker Premier, at which Ms. Behr now serves as a REALTOR and mentor. Ms. Behr has earned the BRAR President’s Award and ERA Leadership Team Award. In 2009, she was named First in Service by ERA Real Estate, earning the prestigious Jim Jackson Memorial Award. Her certifications include, Accredited Buyers Representative, Cartus/Affinity Certification and Senior Real Estate Specialist.

She is a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Women’s Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO), supporter of the Winchester Royals Baseball Team and the Blue Ridge Association of Realtors Educational Committee.

Ms. Behr received a B.A. in Administration Management from the University of Northern Iowa in 1980.

Cyndi Walters

President and CEO, National Lutheran Communities & Services
Cyndi Walters was named president and chief executive officer (CEO) of National Lutheran Communities and Services (NLCS) in May 2021, assuming the position full-time in August 2021. Prior to this role, she served as chief operating officer (COO) since 2016. Cyndi has served at NLCS in varying capacities for nine years; first as a consultant before joining as chief operating officer in 2016.

Cumulatively, Walters has over 30 years of experience in the senior living industry including a strong background in strategically growing and diversifying the organization and an enhanced focus on operating as a senior-living system and leveraging its benefits and efficiencies. Prior to joining NLCS, she provided project management and advisory services to senior living organizations through Walters Advisors, LLC. She has also served in a leadership role at Presbyterian Senior Living in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, and during her 19 years at KPMG (a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services), spent significant time as a partner and leader of their National Senior Living Advisory Practice.

As president and CEO, Cyndi’s focus is strategically growing and furthering NLCS’ mission to honor, inspire and support choice and opportunity in partnership with older adults. Cyndi is an advocate for “aging with choice,” which means supporting older adults in making their own choices in aging, whether it means moving to a senior living community or bringing in supportive services to their home. She is also an advocate for team members across the organization and leads a team dedicated to ensuring NLCS remains a Great Place to Work® and an employer of choice for those who have a heart to serve older adults.

Cyndi is a native of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from York College of Pennsylvania.