Board of Directors
Ben Brooks – Board Chairman
Native of Toledo, Ohio, Ben Brooks is now retired from his position as Director of Sales for the Chemicals Division of the Dow Chemical Company. He joined Dow Chemical in 1970 as a sales trainee and has spent the last 30 years in various sales, marketing, finance and business management positions, living in St. Louis, Missouri, and Midland, Michigan.
Ben was a foster child at age 13 in Columbus during four months when his mother, a single parent, suffered serious health problems. Ben is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor degree in marketing and economics. He resides in Roswell, Georgia, with his wife, Audrey, and three children.
Dan Pappas - Vice Chairman
Dan Pappas of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is an attorney. Dan is currently serving as the board’s vice chairman. Dan became involved with SAFY in 1992 when he joined the Indiana State Advisory Board. He served as the Indiana Advisory Board President, prior to being selected as a member of the SAFY National Advisory Board.
Dan has a long history of public service. He was a public defender and prosecuting attorney. Dan has served on the Indiana Chapter Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and as a Board Member of the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate Association).
Quan Cory - Secretary/Treasurer
As a SAFY foster parent for the past eight years, Quan represents the needs and concerns of foster parents. Her youngest full-time foster child now attends college.
She is very active in her church and volunteers her time within the community. She is also involved in the SAFY Respite Program and conducts foster parent orientation classes during training of new foster parents. Quan and her husband have two children and live in Cridersville, Ohio.
Dinah Anderson
Dinah Anderson of Yellow Springs, Ohio, is now retired from a long career as an educator and researcher. She was a professor at the Universities of Kentucky and South Carolina. Dinah has conducted research projects for the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs and supervised the research of Maternal and Child Health Projects.
She holds a Ph. D. from the University of South Carolina in Social Work. She has published numerous scholarly articles, given a plethora of professional presentations, and has been published in several different books. Dinah has been a SAFY board member since 2004.
Cody Bateman
Cody Bateman of Coppell, Texas, has worked as an executive consultant for over 20 years. His client experience spans many industries including financial services, technology, business services, telecommunications, retail, and federal government. He has advised numerous Fortune 50 executive teams in the areas of Innovation, Business Strategy, and Operations Improvement (BPR).
Cody completed his Global Executive MBA at Duke University, and holds a BS in Computer Science from Texas A&M University. Cody and his wife recently adopted two children from Russia. Cody has been a SAFY board member since 2004.
Sandra Chester
Sandra Chester is the newest member of the national board. Sandra has a wealth of experience in hospital management. She served as Chief Executive Officer for both the Greater El Monte Community Hospital and the Whittier Hospital Medical Center in California. In 1995, she was selected as the CEO of the Year by OrNda HealthCorp.
Sandra holds a Master of Science degree in Health Care Management from California State University. She also has a BA and an AA with a RN Certification.
Carter Papke
Prior to joining the National Advisory Board, Carter Papke served as a member of the SAFY Alabama Board for many years.
Carter currently is the Director of the Pre-Trial Diversion Program with the District Attorney’s Office of Montgomery, Alabama. Every day he works with non-violent offenders, many of whom had troubled childhoods.
Carter has a unique understanding of the challenges that face foster children. Being raised in a single-parent home, he often relied on the kindness of others and appreciates the opportunity to return the favor.
