OUR WORK
The City of Medicine Volunteer Medical Corps (VMC) is made up of parents and community members, some with medical backgrounds and others without, who are able to devote a little bit of time a few days a year.
We began in July 2020, founded by a group of DPS moms who had a vision for how to help schools during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing volunteers to take temperatures and assist with arrival screening protocols at area schools.
Our work now is focused on being a bridge to make preventive health care services accessible to Durham youth.
OUR BOARD
Margie Catherine Sander- Medical Director with Premise Health, Executive Director
Jane Hedeen- State Chapter Lead for Moms Demand Action, Treasurer
Christina Rentz- Label manager at Merge Records, Member at Large
Tabitha Storm- Senior Project manager at Rho, Member at Large
Cathi Sander, MD- Founder & Medical Director
Cathi is a family physician and small-town Ohio native who received her medical training at Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. She moved to Durham in 2006 to complete residency at UNC Chapel Hill; she has proudly called Durham home ever since. In that time, Dr Sander has practiced family medicine, worked as an urgent care physician for Duke, and helped manage worksite-based health clinics. Cathi founded the City of Medicine Volunteer Medical Corps during COVID-19 as a direct act of thanks and love for the amazing DPS teachers, counselors and support staff who have supported her two children. She and her family enjoy spending time together traveling, swimming, and watching Marvel movies.
Kate Mitchell, MD - Director of Wellness and Community Partnerships
Kate has lived in North Carolina for over 40 years and has called Durham home since 2000. She received her medical degree from UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship in Internal Medicine/ Rheumatology at Duke University. She has worked in both academic medicine and private practice in Durham for over 15 years. One of Kate’s greatest joys in medicine has been developing relationships with and serving our diverse Durham community. Kate joined the City of Medicine Volunteer Medical Corps’ staff in 2022. She is excited to serve Durham in a new way by teaching wellness to children, youth and their families. Kate is the proud mother of two children in the Durham Public Schools. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, and community dinners.
Larissa Rimkevicius Shore - Volunteer Coordinator
Larissa is a DPS mom and graduate as well as a graduate of UNC-Greensboro. Heavily involved at the DPS schools of her two children, Larissa joined Cathi’s COVID-19 aid efforts from the beginning. As the scope of the group has expanded, Larissa applies her creative problem solving and eye for detail to helping the City of Medicine Volunteer Medical Corps stay organized behind the scenes.
She is fully committed to the vision and mission of the City of Medicine Volunteer Medical Corps and is honored to be part of the team. Larissa was, and still is, heavily involved with her kids’ schools. While her kids stayed virtual, Larissa helped with morning screenings at Pearsontown three times a week and made sure things ran smoothly behind the scenes. As the VMC grew beyond COVID, Larissa became our Volunteer Coordinator, expanding her behind the scenes work to make sure volunteers have all the credentials and training needed, community partners have the information they need, and details for each event are handled along with follow up. She and her family love spending time together, the beach, and trying new dessert places.