George A Barreto, CPA, received his Bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 1997. He has 19 years of accounting and business consulting experience. George joined KC CARE in September 2016 as the Vice President of Finance. He comes to KC CARE with experience as a Controller of a Medical Center and a Federally Qualified Health Center.

Kristine Cody, DDS, is the Chief Clinical Officer at KC CARE Health Center, where she provides executive leadership across the organization’s integrated service lines, including primary care, oral health, behavioral health, HIV services, and population health. A clinical executive and dentist with nearly two decades of experience in community health settings, Dr. Cody oversees the multidisciplinary teams delivering whole-person care to KC CARE’s patients and helps guide the health center’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program services, HRSA compliance, and clinical quality efforts. She has championed a status-neutral model of care across every service line, expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment for the patients KC CARE serves.

Dr. Cody graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor of Science in anthropology from the University of South Dakota and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. She has served patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center along the South Texas border, as a Chief Dental Officer at a corrections facility, and as Assistant Professor and Director of External Student Rotations at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Dentistry. Improving public health by expanding access to person-centered care is central to KC CARE’s mission and to Dr. Cody’s own, and she is honored to serve the Kansas City community.

Doug is a seasoned marketing and nonprofit leader with a career rooted in growth, service, and mission-driven impact. He earned a degree in Public Relations from William Jewell College and began his professional journey at MMG Worldwide (now MMGY Global), the world’s largest integrated marketing firm focused on hospitality and travel. Over 16 years, Doug rose to Vice President of Field Marketing, where he drove revenue growth and strengthened client partnerships through direct sales, product marketing, major account acquisition, and innovative digital solutions.

Doug later spent eight years as Executive Pastor of a local congregation, where he led a renewed focus on community engagement, personal development, and brand strategy. He built and guided volunteer teams committed to positive neighborhood change, helping expand support for community gardens, urban childcare programs, and local education centers.

A passionate advocate for nonprofit leadership, Doug serves as a senior fellow with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. He previously served on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Greater Kansas City as Marketing Co-Chair and currently leads as President of the William Jewell College Alumni Board of Governors.

Doug’s blend of growth-oriented marketing expertise, nonprofit leadership, and deep commitment to mission-based work naturally led him to KC CARE Health Center, where he advances marketing, development, community engagement, and advocacy initiatives.

Dr. Craig Dietz , DO, MPH, FACOI, AAHIVS, has been with KC CARE since 2004, beginning as a volunteer in 2003. Dr. Dietz is board-certified in both internal medicine and HIV medicine. At the health center, he oversees clinical outcomes of programs. Dr. Dietz provides direct patient care with an emphasis in Primary Care, HIV Medicine, LGBT Health Care, Hepatitis C and HIV Prevention (PrEP). He serves as a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine for the KU Internal Medicine Residency program, KCUMB and UMKC School of Pharmacy. Dr. Dietz has been active in the area of research and has several published papers and is the principal investigator for all of the Clinical Trials conducted at KC CARE.

Dr. Dietz is from Pratt, Kansas and received a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Kansas State University. He received his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Dietz developed an interest in HIV and Public Health during his residency training at one of the Michigan State University hospitals in inner city Detroit and he received a Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis on community health, underserved populations, and healthcare safety net and administration from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Dr. Dietz is an active member of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA).

Wil Franklin serves as the Chief Executive Officer of KC CARE Health Center, where he has led the organization’s strategy, growth, and operations since 2019. Under his leadership, KC CARE has significantly expanded its reach and impact, growing from 17,000 to more than 22,000 patients served annually while doubling its operating budget from $20 million to over $40 million.

Wil successfully guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic while strengthening clinical performance across key measures, including earning national recognition for healthcare quality every year since 2020. During his tenure, KC CARE has expanded access to care through the launch of mobile medical and dental services and the introduction of walk-in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to address rising substance use challenges.

He also led a $10 million capital campaign and facility transformation that increased clinical capacity by 30% and expanded on-site services to include pharmacy, dental, radiology, mammography, and dedicated clinical research space. At the same time, Wil has prioritized organizational culture and workforce stability, earning national “Great Place to Work” certification two consecutive years and achieving a 97% voluntary retention rate.

Trained in clinical psychology, Wil began his career as a direct service provider within the safety net healthcare system. This frontline experience continues to shape his leadership approach, grounding his work in the realities faced by patients and care teams while informing strategies that improve access, outcomes, and long-term stability.

Wil is widely recognized for advancing innovative, population health-focused strategies that improve outcomes and strengthen access to care for underserved communities. His work emphasizes building sustainable models of care that address the broader factors impacting health, including stability, access, and economic mobility.

Prior to KC CARE, Wil served as Chief Operating Officer of People’s Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center in St. Louis, MO serving more than 45,000 patients annually, where he led system-wide operational improvements across multiple sites. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles with the St. Louis Integrated Health Network and Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and served as adjunct faculty at Saint Louis University. He has also advised healthcare and philanthropic organizations on strategy, operations, and population health.

A respected voice in community health, Wil frequently speaks on healthcare access, structural challenges in payment systems, and the critical role of safety net providers.

Wil received his Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Louisiana Christian University by double majoring in Psychology and Philosophy/Religion. His Master’s of Science in Clinical Psychology was earned at Northwestern State University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate from the Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executive Program from the UCLA Anderson School of Business.

Dr. Leslie Hardin joined KC CARE Health Center on September 1, 2022, as Chief Human Resources Officer and transitioned to the role of Chief Operating Officer in May 2025. As COO, she oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, driving strategic initiatives that enhance patient access, operational excellence, and organizational performance in support of KC CARE’s mission.

Prior to joining KC CARE, Dr. Hardin spent more than 20 years in human resources leadership, including 15 years in public higher education. She joined KC CARE from Johnson County Community College, where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer and Vice President for Human Resources, leading transformational initiatives in organizational strategy, talent management, and employee engagement.

Dr. Hardin earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and her graduate degrees from Walden University.

Outside of work, Dr. Hardin and her wife are passionate animal advocates. Together they operate Tennessee Dachshund Rescue, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dachshunds across multiple states. They also enjoy spending time with their family of dogs and goats.

Thomas Heard, MBA, MS, joined KC CARE as Vice President of Talent and Culture in November 2022 and transitioned to Vice President of Human Resources in 2025. In this role, Thomas provides strategic and operational leadership for human resources, including day-to-day HR operations, talent management, employee development, and training.

Before joining KC CARE, Thomas spent more than nine years in higher education, serving in progressive leadership roles including Assistant Director of Human Resources, Director of HR Services, Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development, and Director of Recruitment, Retention, and Advisement Services. Prior to his career in higher education, Thomas spent more than a decade working in social services and case management.

Thomas holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Master of Business Administration in Leadership, and a Master of Applied Science in Gerontology. He also holds a graduate certificate in Public Health Workforce Preparedness, as well as certifications in Mediation and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Darcy provides strategic leadership for quality improvement, care coordination, clinical operations, value-based care, and population health initiatives. With nearly 20 years of experience in healthcare quality, analytics, evaluation, and performance improvement, she has dedicated her career to advancing health outcomes and improving access to high-quality care for underserved communities.

Darcy believes meaningful improvement happens when data, innovation, and collaboration come together. She is committed to building high-performing teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and advancing health equity through innovative approaches that address both clinical outcomes and the broader factors that influence community health and well-being.