Who We Are

As President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation, Ms. Briggs is responsible for guiding the overall organizational vision, strategic direction, operating and fiscal policies to ensure successful fulfillment of foundation’s mission with governance from the Board, and input from the staff.  She is committed to  strengthening the Brandywine Health Foundation’s well established reputation through increased visibility and by further building, maintaining and nurturing our network of donors, grantees, and community partners so critical to the mission of the foundation and our work in the greater Coatesville area.

Vanessa Briggs is an experienced leader in the field of public health with roots in the Philadelphia area.  She has devoted her entire career to advancing health equity and empowering vulnerable families and youth to live healthier lives. Ms. Briggs is highly skilled in working with communities to solve complex problems through multi-sectoral strategic partnerships, community engagement, health promotion and education, and disease management interventions.  She comes to the foundation with significant expertise in building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and in building multi-sector partnerships between health providers, policymakers and community members.

Prior to joining Brandywine Health Foundation, Vanessa served as Vice President, Community Health, at Holy Cross Health in Silver Springs, Maryland.  Before joining Holy Cross Health, Vanessa held the position of Executive Director for the Health Promotion Council, an affiliate of Public Health Management Corporation.  In her fifteen years at the Health Promotion Council, she grew the organization’s budget three-fold during her tenure while developing and leading several large-scale regional and national childhood obesity, nutrition and health equity initiatives. Vanessa began her career in senior dining and clinical nutrition services to improve the quality of life for older adults for Marriott Sodexho Health.

Ms. Briggs is a Registered Dietitian and holds a Master’s in Business Administration, with a concentration in Health Administration, from Eastern University in Saint Davids, Pennsylvania. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dietetics from Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey.

Dana M. Heiman is the Interim CEO at the Brandywine Health Foundation, responsible for special program and grantmaking projects as well as all communications. She has been with the foundation since 2003, beginning as the Vice President for Development & Communications. Prior to joining the staff at the foundation, Dana served as the Director of Development at Planned Parenthood of Chester County for more than eight years. Under her direction there, the fundraising program increased significantly, doubling the number of donors and dollars raised. In addition to providing leadership for the agency’s $3.15 million capital and endowment drive, she implemented the organization’s gift-planning program in 2001.

A graduate of Villanova University, with a B.A. in English and Communications, Dana achieved professional certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive in 2003 and has been recertified four times. In addition, she has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) for over twenty-three years. She served on the board of directors of the AFP for six years and the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, and currently serves on the United Way of Chester County’s Investment Council and the Downingtown Area School District STEM Academy’s Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) at Bryn Mawr College and a Fellow of the Grantmakers in Health Terrance Keenan Institute.  She has lived in Chester County for over twenty five years, and currently resides in Downingtown with her husband, two sons, and dogs Cooper and Dakota.

Connect with Dana on LinkedIn.

Jill Whitcomb is the Vice President for Development and Communication at the Brandywine Health Foundation. Jill began working with the foundation in 2006 as a consultant to organize the Strawberry Festival, the foundation’s largest fundraising event. In 2010 she joined the staff full-time, took on more fundraising responsibilities, and was eventually promoted into her current role.

Prior to her work at the foundation, Jill worked with the March of Dimes for 10 years, both as a consultant and full time development staff.  She got her start in fundraising and special event planning working for Dutko & Associates, a government affairs firm on Capitol Hill, before turning to the field of non-profits and philanthropy.

Jill currently serves on the boards of directors of the Coatesville Youth Initiative and the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce.

Jill received her B.A. in Political Science at American University.  She returned to Chester County from Washington, DC in 1989 and raised three wonderful children in Tredyffrin Township where she still resides with her husband.

Stephanie Vargas is the Associate Director of Development and Communication at the Brandywine Health Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation, Stephanie was living in South Korea where she taught English as a Foreign Language to students of all ages and levels. During her three years abroad she was able to travel to many Asian countries exploring the beauty and wonder of these exciting cultures. Before her time in Korea, Stephanie served as the Special Events & Communications Coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Chester County. In this role, she was able to help raise more than $150,000 for the agency through various fundraising events.

Stephanie received her B.A. in English from the University of Delaware and her Associates in Advertising & Public Relations from Johnson & Wales University. She is also certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language in the U.S. and abroad. She currently lives in West Chester with her husband and two young sons.

Peggy is the Administrative Assistant at the Brandywine Health Foundation. Prior to joining the Brandywine Health Foundation, she provided support for two Chester County non-profit organizations, Canine Partners for Life and The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc.

Peggy has been a member of the Kennett Square Lions Club since 1996 and has served as Treasurer and Secretary. Peggy has twice received the Lion of the Year award presented by the sitting President and has served as co-chair of White Cane Day in addition to having served on the board of Kennett Run Charities. Peggy continues to volunteer for Canine Partners for Life in addition to her service as a Lion. In addition to receiving the Exceptional Parent Award from the Chester County Disabilities Services, Peggy and her husband received the Jack Graham, Jr. Courage Award from the Kelly Ann Dolan Memorial Fund.

Peggy received her B.A. in Religion from Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA. She is a native of Chester County and lives in Kennett Square with her husband, their daughter, and visiting service dogs in training.

Nancy Oliver is the manager of the Brandywine Consignment Shop. The consignment shop has supported the Brandywine Health Foundation since 2002. In 2003, Nancy was hired as director of over 50 volunteers at the consignment shop.

Prior to joining the consignment shop she volunteered in her community with several organizations. Nancy moved to Radnor Township with her husband and son from South Florida in 1993. While in Florida, Nancy was involved with several family businesses, including restaurants and construction, and had her own design firm in the late 80’s. Nancy currently resides in Wayne with her husband.

Alyson has joined the BHF team as the Coatesville Area Youth Philanthropy Program Manager (part-time consultant). Aly is currently the Director of Grantmaking at the Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation, in Philadelphia. Aly has been working at the Scattergood Foundation for four years, where she wears many hats including as staff to the Philadelphia Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) Taskforce, in advisory roles to several organizations implementing Mental Health First Aid initiatives, and providing technical assistance to the Foundation’s many partners.

Prior to working at the Scattergood Foundation she worked for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Policy and Control Program and the Delaware Department of Health and Human Services as a Public Health Specialist focusing on healthy eating and active living. Aly also has clinical research experience and worked for three years at the University of Delaware’s Infant Motor Behavior Lab on numerous research studies.

Aly is a graduate of the Drexel University with a Master’s in Public Health with a Health Management and Policy Concentration. She obtained her Bachelors in Health Behavior Sciences and a Biological Sciences minor from the University of Delaware.