Founders

Darin & Erica Gilbert

Erica Gilbert co-founded Samaritans Offering Support in 2007 with her husband, Darin L. Gilbert. She currently serves as its President on a full-time, volunteer basis and he serves as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. The Gilbert’s are also lifetime members of the Board of Directors. Prior to founding SOS, they had personally experienced the effects of catastrophic medical expenses.  Darin had received a kidney transplant and Erica survived cancer.

Darin has Alports syndrome, a genetic disorder which is characterized by end-stage kidney disease and hearing loss. After a brief time on kidney dialysis, Darin received a kidney transplant in October of 1995 with this father, Edward Gilbert, as the donor. After a seemingly normal recovery, he had a severe reaction to one of the anti-rejection medications – this resulted in Darin lying in a coma for 12 days and his family being told to prepare for the worst. Attached to life support and after being resuscitated, Darin pulled through and regained consciousness to spend the next month in the hospital and months thereafter in physical therapy.

Erica spent most of her early years in and out of doctors’ offices and countless days at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis, TN. She battled chronic sinus infections, asthma, cancer and was later diagnosed with a slight immune (IG-A) deficiency.

These experiences, Darin’s 6 immediate family members’ kidney transplants and their countless other family members’ heart and cancer battles compelled them to seek help for not only their family, but for others. Both have been subsequently plagued with excess medical expenses.  They view the creation and ongoing work of SOS as a way to serve others.

Kenneth Billings, MPH

 Kenneth Billings, originally from Brentwood, TN, received his B.A. in Organismal and Systems Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1992.  He returned to UT and earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) in 1998.  Mr. Billings has worked in the private sector specializing in Healthcare Information Technology as well as directly caring for patients at Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Facility.  In 2003, he started Billings Consulting, Inc., an independent IT consulting practice located in Knoxville, TN.  

 Having been personally affected by a devastating illness and the distressing financial burden that can follow, Mr. Billings was delighted to co-found Samaritans Offering Support (SOS) in 2007.  His experience as a small business owner struggling with the rising costs of healthcare provides insight into the financial and regulatory challenges facing small, independent business owners.

 As Chief Operations Officer for SOS, Mr. Billings, who now lives in New York City, also coordinates the outreach efforts of SOS in the Northeastern United States.