Paula Benson Selected as Future Director of Healthcare Foundation of Wilson

Following a national executive search, Healthcare Foundation of Wilson has selected Paula Benson as its future director. Benson, who has announced she is leaving her role as executive director of Wilson Forward, will begin her new position in January 2024 following the retirement of Healthcare Foundation of Wilson Executive Director Denise O’Hara, who has led the foundation since its inception in 2014.

Benson has served in numerous leadership roles for organizations in Wilson, including serving as a board member of Healthcare Foundation of Wilson, and she has worked with local, regional and statewide partners on issues and opportunities in education, workforce development, health and wellness.

Prior to her role at Wilson Forward, Benson worked at SAS Institute and Ernst & Young, where she began her career as a certified public accountant. Benson earned her bachelor’s degrees in business administration and economics at Meredith College.

Healthcare Foundation of Wilson has invested more than $57 million in the Wilson community with a steadfast focus on providing responsive and strategic funding for projects that meet current needs and provide promising, sustainable solutions to improve the health and well-being of Wilson County residents.

“Wilson is my home, and I am excited to be the next leader of an organization that has already made a tremendous impact and transformed our community’s response to some of the most significant opportunities and challenges,” said Paula Benson future director of Healthcare Foundation of Wilson. “It will be a privilege to serve an organization that is dedicated to making Wilson an even better place while honoring many generations of individuals dedicated to the well-being of our community.”