The Gwynedd Mercy University Board of Trustees has announced five new members — Dr. Jie Du, Melissa Fitzpatrick, Christopher Pacheco, Dennis Pfleiger Jr., and Sister Regina Ward — who began their initial three-year term on July 1.

“We are pleased to have this distinguished group of professionals join our board, each of whom brings a unique set of expertise that will enrich our board and help position the university for future growth,” said Charlotte McKines, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

The GMercyU Board of Trustees is responsible for serving the campus community, stewarding the Catholic and Mercy identity of the institution, and seeking opportunities to share GMercyU with the public. Trustees are also responsible for acting in the best interest of GMercyU and monitoring progress on goals, objectives, priorities, and student learning outcomes of the institution.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new trustees who are respected leaders in their fields,” said GMercyU President Deanne D’Emilio. “I know they will contribute significantly to serving the mission of the university to the benefit of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”

GMercyU continues to attract a diverse group of leaders to its board. In 2022, it had the third highest percentage of women amongst 29 Philadelphia-area universities and colleges and was the only institution with a woman of color as board chair.

Dr. Jie Du

Dr. Du is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and pharmaceutical executive. She is the co-founder of Frontage Laboratories and the founder of JDP Therapeutics, where she served as the CEO and President until its acquisition in 2019. The acquisition allowed Dr. Du to focus on her philanthropic efforts, specifically her donation to her alma mater, University of the Pacific, to create the Jie Du Center for Innovation and Excellence for Drug Development. Dr. Du also pledged $1 million to GMercyU to support the new Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Center, the future home of the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Dr. Du earned her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of the Pacific and has received awards such as the Greater Philadelphia Minority Business Leader Award and the Women of Distinction Award in 2019 and 2020. She currently serves on the Board of Regents at University of the Pacific and served on GMercyU’s President’s Council from 2015 to 2019. As part of GMercyU’s 75th Anniversary celebration, Dr. Du was a featured panelist at an event entitled “Women in Leadership: Meeting the Next Great Need Through Innovation and a Growth Mindset.”

Melissa Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick, a GMercyU alum, is President of Kirby Bates Associates, an executive search firm serving the healthcare industry. As a nurse executive and health system leader for almost 40 years, Fitzpatrick is nationally known for her work to improve caregiver safety and satisfaction and patient care delivery. Her mentoring work and consultations with healthcare leaders have fostered positive clinical and operational outcomes across the healthcare industry. Fitzpatrick became the first nurse executive to join the UNC REX Health System Board of Trustees in 2020.

Fitzpatrick earned 12 varsity letters as a student-athlete on GMercyU’s basketball, tennis, field hockey, and lacrosse teams and was an active member of the Student Government Association. She earned GMercyU’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017. Fitzpatrick earned her master’s degree in 1984 from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was recognized as a Distinguished Alumna in 2010.

Christopher Pacheco

Pacheco, the founder and CEO of Matura Salon and Spa Management, has more than 38 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He is also the founder of Ageless Beauty Foundation and previously owned and operated several ancillary healthcare service companies with a focus on physical rehabilitation and medical diagnostics specific to geriatric populations.

As a former board member on the St. Thomas Outreach Commission, Pacheco oversaw the planning and execution of budgets, fundraising efforts, and the identification of financial beneficiaries. He has traveled to San Pedro Sula, Honduras to work at Our Little Roses, a home for abandoned and abused girls, as part of St. Thomas’ Whitemarsh Church mission group. Most recently Pacheco traveled to Honduras as a member of St. Thomas’ water mission team to help build safe drinking water to remote villages.

Pacheco previously served as the Regional Athletic Director for the Catholic Youth Organization through his affiliation with St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and volunteered with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Athletic Administration on the implementation of policies focused on inclusiveness and participation. Pacheco also served as a Corporate Board Member of Simpson Senior Services, where he worked to acquire and develop senior living communities affording for all income levels.

Pacheco earned his bachelor’s degree in Speech from the University of Connecticut and his master’s degree in Communication Disorders from Penn State.

Dennis Pfleiger Jr.

Pfleiger, a GMercyU Respiratory Care alum, currently serves as President of St. Luke’s University Health Network for the Quakertown and Upper Bucks locations, where he began his journey as a respiratory therapist nearly 30 years ago.

Prior to his role as President of St. Luke’s, Pfleiger served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Quakertown location and the Vice President of Healthcare Services at Einstein Healthcare Network from 2012 to 2017. In his early career, Pfleiger worked at Sacred Heart Hospital as the Director of Respiratory Care and as the Vice President of Operations and Business Development, as well as the Director of Respiratory Care at Palmerton Hospital from 1997 to 2000.

Pfleiger oversaw the development and construction of the St. Luke’s Upper Bucks location, a 70-bed facility with a state-of-the-art emergency department. The project broke ground a second time in 2021 to double the hospital’s size with a three-story, 118,000-square-foot tower, designed to house cancer services and obstetric services.

Pfleiger played an integral role in creating the partnership between GMercyU and St. Luke’s, offering Respiratory Care students loan forgiveness if they make a two-year commitment to work at St. Luke’s after graduation.

Sister Regina Ward

Sister Regina, a GMercyU alum, is the Associate Director for Mission Integration at Mercy Education System of the Americas, supporting 54 Mercy schools in seven countries. Prior to this role, she served as Merion Mercy Academy’s Vice Principal, then Principal, working a total of 14 years at MMA. During her time, she oversaw an increase in enrollment from 277 to 480 students and ensured that certain education programs grew in conjunction with enrollment. Sister Regina guided MMA through the “Building on Mercy” Campaign, which greatly impacted every department and created space for the multimedia center, the Patricia Waldron fitness center, and the chapel.

Sister Regina has more than 40 years of Mercy education experience and has volunteered with the Sisters of Mercy to aid and support underserved populations, including an opportunity to volunteer in Jamaica. Most recently, she promoted mission-driven service, personal spirituality, and leadership development as a vocation minister.

From 2007 to 2013, Sister Regina served as a board member at Hope Partnership for Education, a Nativity Miguel model education center that educates and supports middle school students by providing high-quality, values-based education. She also served as a board member at Georgian Court University from 2011 to 2017.

Sister Regina graduated from GMercyU with a Mathematics degree in 1976 and later earned her master’s degree in Education from Arcadia University.

Learn more about how Gwynedd Mercy University prepares students to become top professionals in the fields of nursing and other health professions, education, business, and the arts and sciences.