Sarah Burbach, Sally Buffington, and Cindy Tingle Accept Three-Year Term to Assist Morgan Medical Center
Morgan Medical Center is announcing the reappointment of three members to the Morgan County GA Hospital Authority. Sarah Burbach, Sally Buffington, and Cindy Tingle have accepted three-year terms, exemplifying their dedication to Morgan Medical Center and the community it serves.
Each of these volunteer reappointees will serve through June 30, 2028. The Morgan County Hospital Authority is the governing body of Morgan Medical Center. It operates under the direction of its nine Board members, who are each appointed by the Morgan County Board of Commissioners.
“Morgan Medical Center heavily relies on the thoughtful guidance of the Morgan County Hospital Authority,” says Ralph A. Castillo, CPA, CEO of Morgan Medical Center. “It’s collective perspective, featuring professionals with various backgrounds and expertise, allows the hospital to grow and thrive in ways beyond expectation. Our three latest reappointees are wonderful examples of the type of esteemed members we have on the Board, whose tireless dedication results in helping create a patient focused center of excellence.”
Sarah Burbach
With a total of 26 years of service on the Morgan County Hospital Authority, Burbach remains the longest-running member of the Board. This included serving as vice chair, chair of the Long-range Planning Committee, and heading the Search Committee, which helped acquire Castillo as CEO. A retired assistant superintendent of Morgan County Schools and former speech-language pathologist, Burbach has held a variety of leadership positions. She currently serves as the director of the Georgia Council of Administrators of Special Education. Former positions include serving as president of the Morgan Medical Foundation; president of the Morgan Medical Auxiliary; president of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center; Sunday School teacher, intercessory prayer co-chair, and chair of United Methodist Women at Madison First United Methodist Church; and board Member for the Morgan County Foundation for Excellence in Public Education. An array of recognitions includes receiving the Lillie Moncus Outstanding Special Education Administrator: Georgia Award and the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Jim Puckett Award for Outstanding Leadership.
Sally Phillips Buffington
A master level portrait artist, Buffington’s keen eye and artistic attention to detail help make her an essential member of the Morgan County Hospital Authority. Her original works of art and limited-edition lithographs – known for their high-level realism, use of color, and mastery of anatomy – reside in private and public collections across the country and throughout the world. Her private commissions include those for General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the Kronkosky Foundation, and several former mayors of San Antonio, Texas, among hundreds of others. Additionally, Buffington is a featured public speaker and a rider and certified instructor in the equestrian Olympic sport of three-day eventing.
Cindy Tingle
After a long and award-winning nursing career, Tingle retired in 2016 as Director of Public Reporting at the system level for WellStar Health System. Additionally, Tingle had long-standing membership with professional organizations, including the Georgia Hospital Association, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Georgia Medical Care Foundation, and others. After retiring, she and her husband moved to Madison, where she instantly became active in the community. Her current community involvement includes serving on the Morgan Medical Auxiliary, where she acted as president in 2023 and 2024, and the Morgan Medical Foundation. Additionally, she’s a member of Madison First United Methodist Church and volunteers with Joseph’s Coat and Morgan Cares.
“Each of these reappointees brings such valuable and unique experience and continues to offer such selfless service to the organization,” Castillo says. “In particular, Sarah Burbach’s 26 years of participation have been truly instrumental to the growth and evolution of Morgan Medical Center. Our gratitude can’t be overstated.”