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AHOSKIE – After serving eight months in an interim role, LaShun Huntley is now the full-time CEO of Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center (RCCHC).

The local health center’s Board of Directors recently removed the interim title.

Huntley brings more than 13 years of experience as CEO of a Federally Qualified Health Center in Winston-Salem. There, he successfully implemented strategic initiatives that increased patient encounters from 1,000 to more than 15,000 annually, expanded the operational budget from under $1 million to $4.2 million, and led a rebranding campaign that enhanced organizational visibility and patient satisfaction.

“I’ve spent my entire career working to strengthen access to quality, affordable healthcare,” Huntley said. “Here, since arriving in July of last year, I’ve been focused on assessing the organization’s financial sustainability, realigning leadership roles, and ensuring our mission-driven work continues to support patients and communities. My background includes deep experience in HRSA grant management, operational site visits, program development, and leading teams through growth and change.”

Before joining the health center in Winston-Salem in 2010, Huntley worked in family services as a supervisor within a domestic violence offender program. Prior to that he was employed at a public health department, working in environmental health and helping to lead an effort to lower the infant mortality rate.

“Being able to have those different avenues of work experience prepared me for the role of CEO. I also taught a teen father class, mentoring to young men about the importance of being involved with their child,” he stated.

Huntley noted that he was drawn to RCCHC because it aligned with his beliefs in meeting people where they are.

“That’s the commitment of RCCHC,” he stressed. “This is a place where community health is not just about the clinic walls but about being a constant and trusted partner in people’s lives. I saw tremendous potential here, not only to stabilize and strengthen the organization, but to support a long-term vision that’s deeply rooted in equity, access, and community impact. I believe in the power of health centers like RCCHC, and I felt a calling to be part of its next chapter.”

Huntley said the health center movement became his passion upon landing the job in Winston-Salem.

“At that time, my grandmother didn’t have health insurance and she died of medical complications that could have been managed had there been a qualified health center,” he recalled. “That’s what federally qualified health centers do, like the one here, they take care of everybody regardless of their ability to pay.”

Even though he came from a major metropolitan area of the state, Huntley didn’t suffer culture shock when he relocated to Hertford County.

“My grandmother lived on a farm near Monroe, down in the Charlotte area,” he shared. “While growing up we would go down to see her and hang out in the summer. I loved it there, the rural nature. It’s the same thing here, the quietness and a slower pace. It reminds me of my childhood.”

With his outgoing personality, Huntley likes to, in his words, “get out and meet people.”

“I likes to make connections and talk about how we can help, support, and encourage each other,” he said. “I live here and work here. I feel it’s important to be a part of the local community, particularly in healthcare as you want the community to know and build trust with their medical providers and administrators.”

It still amazes Huntley of how RCCHC expanded in a short period of time, beginning in Ahoskie and branching out to Murfreesboro, Colerain, Woodland, and Creswell.

“I respect the work that was already underway before I arrived, my goal is to carry that momentum forward thoughtfully,” he said. “That includes continuing to develop programs that expand access to care, supporting our school-based health centers, and exploring ways to deepen our community partnerships. My leadership style involves listening first — understanding the groundwork that’s already been laid — and then working collaboratively to execute and adapt those plans to ensure they align with our current challenges and opportunities.”

One of the newest opportunities is the dental clinic in Aulander. Construction is complete on the facility and Huntley said staff is currently being hired with plans to open in late July or August.

“My goals for RCCHC are centered around sustainability, access, and innovation,” Huntley stated. “First, I want to ensure that our financial foundation is solid so we can continue to serve our community for decades to come. Second, I want to strengthen our workforce, attracting and retaining passionate professionals who see their work here as more than a job. And third, I want RCCHC to be known not just as a safety net, but as a leader in rural healthcare innovation. That includes embracing technology, expanding behavioral health services, and being responsive to the evolving needs of the people we serve.”

He noted that Federally Qualified Health Centers are vital to the health and economic well-being of the communities they serve, especially in rural and underserved areas.

“Medically, they provide comprehensive, affordable care, often to patients who might otherwise go without,” Huntley said. “Economically, FQHCs are major employers in the regions they serve and generate ripple effects that support local economies. They also reduce the burden on emergency rooms and the healthcare system overall by providing preventive and primary care. In short, they keep people healthier and communities stronger.”

Huntley stressed that FQHCs do face a number of challenges, many of which are tied to uncertainty in federal funding and shifting healthcare policies.

“Long-term funding isn’t always guaranteed, and that can make it difficult to plan for the future,” Huntley remarked. “Additionally, we face workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas where it can be hard to recruit and retain providers. At the same time, we’re being asked to do more — addressing behavioral health, social determinants of health, and chronic disease management — often with limited resources. Despite these challenges, FQHCs continue to innovate and serve as models for community-based care, but sustained support at the federal and state levels is essential to our mission.”

Huntley said RCCHC is undertaking measures to address the workforce issues, to include apprenticeship programs and forging a partnership with Roanoke-Chowan Community College and their health science students.

He added that RCCHC continues to work with a program that assists its patients with dealing with the high costs of prescribed medication. He is also seeking ways for RCCHC to become more innovative with its telehealth program.

Huntley holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Walden University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Winston-Salem State University. He is a past Board Chair for the North Carolina Community Health Center Association (2019–2021).

“My deep commitment to equity, innovation, and collaboration drives my work to enhance healthcare delivery and improve the lives of those I serve,” Huntley closed.