
Meet Our Board
At Bridge of Hearts, we are a passionate team of individuals dedicated to brightening the lives of children on their birthdays. Our team includes experienced board of directors that includes event planners, creative designers, educational experts and enthusiastic volunteers who work tirelessly to create unforgettable birthday experiences. We believe in the power of birthdays to create lasting memories and bring joy to children in need.

Fran Nichols
Fran Nichols has always been passionate about children and volunteering. She is a graduate of St John’s University in New York with a degree in Elementary Education. She retired from teaching in 2012 after working in both Florida and North Carolina.
After retiring, Fran became involved with the North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club and served in a leadership role on their board. There she learned about the many charities in the area and volunteered at several such as Hope House, Bags of Hope and Caterpillar Ministries.
Now she volunteers with Angels and Sparrows Community Table in a Leadership role as well as serving on the Steering Committee of what was previously Bright Blessings LKN.
Fran has been married to her husband Gary since 1974 and has been blessed with three adult children, their spouses and seven grandchildren.
Between family and traveling around this country and across the globe, Fran has filled her life with her love of adventure.

Jeffrey Hartman
Jeff is a 40-year veteran in the financial services industry. His career covered Corporate Banking for the first 10 years and Wealth Management for the remaining years.
A graduate of Virginia Tech, Jeff has held executive positions with First Union, Wachovia and finally Wells Fargo covering geographic areas from Florida to Massachusetts.
During his career he was responsible for all services available for Wealth Clients - Investments (Brokerage and Trust), Banking, Financial Planning, Corporate Banking activities and Fiduciary. Clients included Entrepreneurs , Corporate Executives (public and private companies), Private Foundations, Family Foundations and Sports Athletes.
His volunteer work includes executive board positions with Virginia Tech Pamplin Business School and the Board of Trustees with the Virginia Tech Foundation.
Additional service has been with the American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation, ChildHelp USA, Wolf Trap Foundation, St. Marks Episcopal School and Deacon of Providence Baptist Church.
Jeff retired in June 2020 and lives in Cornelius, NC with his wife of 41 years, Susan Hartman.
They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren with 3 more on the way!!

Lula Pralong
Lula Pralong grew up and studied in Switzerland. After graduating from Zurich University of Applied Sciences, she moved to Sydney, Australia, where she completed her graduate degree in International Relations and Politics at the University of Sydney.
She worked at the Consulate General of Switzerland and the Institute of Public Administration Australia. From Sydney she moved to Auckland, New Zealand, and worked as a Project Manager in the External Relations Advancement Office of the University of Auckland.
She was a supporter and volunteer of Foster Hope, a charity that supports foster parents and kids.
She was also a parent representative of the Board of King’s School Foundation in Auckland. In 2021, after 18 years in Australia and New Zealand, Lula and her family moved to Cornelius, North Carolina.
Her husband David works in professional services. They live on Lake Norman with their three children, aged between 8 and 13.
She enjoys travelling, spending time at the beach, international politics and visiting family and friends in Switzerland. Lula heard about Bright Blessings at a collection drive at her children’s school, and soon became one of Linda’s volunteers.

Daniel Richart
Daniel graduated from Appalachian State University and worked for over 25 years in the financial services industry as a Data and Reporting Analyst.
Daniel worked with a variety of products including student loans, mortgages, auto loans, commercial loans and deposits portfolios providing data analysis, investor reporting and government reporting for First Union, Wachovia and Wells Fargo.
He currently works for Guidehouse, Inc., a global consulting firm with Defense & Security, Financial Services, Health Services and Energy Sustainability & Infrastructure.
Daniel has served on the board of Felicity Manor and is a past Co- chair of the American Cancer Society Mooresville Relay for Life.
He has chaired and served on many different committees with his church, Williamson's Chapel United Methodist Church in Mooresville, NC.
Daniel is married to Stephanie Richart, a realtor with Allen Tate. They have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Angela Swett
Angela is an experienced Marketing, Public Relations and Event Specialist with a successful history of impacting corporate and organizational growth in a variety of industries.
She has a strong background in Strategy Building, Branding, Budgeting, Advertising, Sales, Event Marketing & Coordination and Entrepreneurship.
Prior to working exclusively for The McIntosh Law Firm, Angela owned her own Marketing & Public Relations firm. Her clients included NASCAR professionals, healthcare facilities, national and international corporations, town governments, and political candidates in all levels of government.

Dr. Boen Nutting
As the Assistant Superintendent for the Iredell-Statesville Schools, Dr. Nutting
facilitates the planning and implementation of a five-year Strategic Plan for 38 campuses,
21,000 students and over 2,300 employees.
She drives the mission and vision of the district
through the continuous evaluation of three overarching focus areas.
The areas include
eliminating opportunity gaps, improving overall school district performance, and increasing educator preparedness to meet the needs of every student. Dr. Nutting oversees the Student
Services Department, which includes over 130 school nurses, counselors, Student Support Personnel, and social workers. Dr. Nutting currently also oversees the Iredell-Statesville School
Communications Department as well as the Testing and Accountability Department.
Dr. Nutting is proud to have served in four public school districts in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina, including Cabarrus County Schools, Lincoln County Schools, the Mooresville Graded School District, and Iredell Statesville Schools.
Having lived in Mooresville for over 25 years, Dr. Nutting is extremely passionate about serving
the community through various boards and organizations.
She recently served president of Top
of the Lake Rotary Club-Mooresville, serves on the Board at Iredell Health Systems, and the
Boys and Girls Club of the Piedmont.
Over the years she has been active in many organizations,
including the Lowe’s YMCA, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, United Way, and Daughters of the American Revolution.
Dr. Nutting lives in Mooresville with her husband Mike, who has worked in the sports marketing and racing industry for over 30 years.
She is the proud mother of two young men, Michael and Sam.

Linda Morris
Linda Morris has always had a heart for children! Following graduation from High Point University, she spent over 40 years working in education first as a classroom teacher, then principal and district administrator and university professor.
Upon retirement as an Assistant Superintendent from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, she began her “next act” as a volunteer both at Williamson’s Chapel UMC where she now serves as Lay Leader and in the community at large. In 2019 she helped launch Bright Blessings LKN and in 2023 helped create the new organization Bridge of Hearts Celebrating and Caring for Children.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, having lunch and seeing plays with her friends, participating in book club, and the companionship of Larry, her brother’s recently re-homed cat.

Pamela Schneider
Pam Schneider, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a BA in International Relations , chose to retire early in 2015 after a 33-year retirement services corporate career primarily with TIAA and earned a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from UNCC in 2017.
After retirement, her goal was to serve charitable nonprofits. After working for two nonprofits in fundraising roles, Pam decided that volunteering for charities was more enjoyable and allowed more flexibility.
Since 2017, she has served on the North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club board in various leadership roles and enjoys the friendships and activities found there.
A mutual friend encouraged Pam to meet Linda Morris and help as a grant writing resource and she’s thoroughly enjoyed the partnership.
Pam also volunteers at East Lincoln Christian Ministries and teaches faith formation at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Denver.
Pam has been married to her husband Jack for 33 years and keeps busy with her family including their three adult children, exceptional daughter-in-law and precious granddaughter.
Besides her charity work and family, Pam loves to travel, read, play cards and mah jongg, garden and entertain her cock-a-poo Bentley.

Robert G. McIntosh
Bob McIntosh is a native of the Mecklenburg-South Iredell area. His family’s heritage here dates back to the mid-1770’s.
Bob's practice centers around medical and commercial collections, business matters, trust and estate management, and civil litigation. He also helps on real estate transactions and contracts and supports the other attorneys in their practices as a resource and sounding board.
He also provides a point of contact for other services provided by The McIntosh Law Firm and spends much of his day on Firm management.
Bob is committed to working to improve his community by maintaining The McIntosh Law Firm as the best provider of legal services in the region and by remaining personally and professionally active in the local charitable organizations.
He believes the Firm helps distinguish the Lake Norman area as a compassionate place that provides a good quality of life for all who choose to live here.
Bob attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, obtaining a B.S. in 1984 and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1987.
He graduated from South Mecklenburg High School in 1980. As such, Bob places a high value on public education and our educational institutions.
He is fortunate to lead The McIntosh Law Firm in Davidson and its talented group of dedicated professionals who are known for their commitment to their clients as well as their community.
Bob is married, with two grown children and one handsome and precocious grandson. No bio is complete without the expression of gratitude to the Great Creator who has blessed us all more than we deserve, and
Bob acknowledges with humility and thanks the role God has played in his life.

Wesley Smith
Rev. Wes Smith is the co-Senior Pastor of Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church, along with his wife Rev. Toni Ruth Smith.
He is a proud graduate of South Rowan Senior High School, Appalachian State University with a BA in Psychology, the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a Masters of Divinity degree, and Duke University with a Masters of Theology degree, with a focus in New Testament studies (though he remains a die-hard Tar Heel fan).
He has served in some form of ministry since 1999, serving as a youth minister at FUMC Tucker in Tucker, GA and FUMC High Point, as well as the pastor of Johnsontown UMC in Thomasville and co-pastor of Harrisburg UMC before being appointed with Toni Ruth to be co-pastors at Williamson’s Chapel in July of 2022.
Wes’ passions are teaching/preaching, helping people grow as disciples by living out their faith in the world, and playing guitar.
Wes is also the proud father of two outstanding kids – Mary Ana (17) and Daniel (soon to be 15) and considers being a faithful husband and dad to be the most important calling in his life.