by Shawn Nowlin
Friendship, a proud Southwest Virginia leader in rehabilitation services and senior living, recently appointed Dr. Nathaniel L. (NL) Bishop as vice chair of its board of directors.
In his official capacity, Bishop will join Dr. Lucian Grove in formal assessments of the Board of Directors’ operations and closely interact with Chief Executive Officer Joe Hoff in visioning innovations for providing friendly, safe and comfortable places for residents to live healthier, fuller lives.
Many Friendship staff, administrators and trustees have publicly and privately welcomed Bishop to his new role.
“We are excited to have Dr. NL Bishop in his new leadership role on our Board of Directors,” Hoff said. “Dr. Bishop’s visionary leadership and passion for equitable, person-centered care helps position us for an exciting future. His guidance will be instrumental as we continue to grow and innovate to meet the evolving needs of seniors in our region. I couldn’t be more confident in the path ahead with this exceptional leader at the helm.”
Not everyone has the mental makeup to effectively serve in a leadership role. What makes Bishop uniquely qualified for this position, in part, is his decades of relevant experience.
A Christiansburg native, Bishop became the town’s first Black police officer in 1975. “My time on the police force served as a pivotal point in my life, both personally and professionally. Navigating the challenges of being the first African American provided insightful learning that has served me well,” Bishop said.
He added, “My years there also provided a wonderful laboratory for honing and perfecting people skills. These and other experiences helped prepare me for the variety of roles that I would later assume.”
Bishop earned undergraduate degrees from New River Community College and Radford University, a M.S. Ed from Virginia Tech, and he went on to earn his doctorate from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.
In 1988, he transitioned into the healthcare field and became licensed to practice nursing home administration in Virginia. He served as an administrator in continuing care retirement communities before joining Carilion Clinic in 1997as executive director of Carilion Clinic’s Burrell Nursing Center, formerly Burrell Memorial Hospital. From there, he was promoted to vice president and expanded roles at Carilion Medical Center.
Last year, he retired as senior vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for Carilion Clinic. Today, he serves as Community Ambassador at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Bishop has a proven track record of advocating for patient and elder care initiatives.
Explaining how he is energized about this opportunity, Bishop said, “Since my childhood, I have always had an affinity for older people. I am excited about this new role in serving on the Friendship Board with very capable colleagues. Along with Mr. Hoff, his capable team and the dedicated and caring staff serving in each Friendship community, we will continue to reimagine how we deliver care, improve access and better serve the community through this next era of innovation and growth.”
