2015 SpringFest Speaker Bios Innovations Created by: Baxter Sue Kovats-Bell, RN, BSN, Senior Clinical Specialist Sue Kovats-Bell, RN, BSN is a Senior Clinical Specialist for Baxter Healthcare assisting with educational programs and resources for the hemophilia community. She is a diploma graduate of the Bronson Methodist Hospital School of Nursing and received her Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from the University of Michigan. Sue worked with bleeding disorder patients and families for over 18 years as the Nurse Coordinator for both the Pediatric and Adult Hemophilia Clinics in Kalamazoo, MI. During this time, she enjoyed many years of working at Camp Bold Eagle as Infirmary Staff and also regularly attended and participated with HFM s annual SpringFest family educational weekend retreat. Unique Individuals- United Community Speaker: Mina D. Nguyen Psy.D., Hemophilia Treatment Center, Portland, Oregon Dr. Mina Nguyen is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the Hemophilia Treatment Center in Portland, Oregon. She is a licensed psychologist who has extensive experience helping people with bleeding disorders adjust to life's challenges including depression and anxiety. Dr. Nguyen has spoken to audiences all over the U.S., including many events sponsored by the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF). She brings her wit and passion for helping others to all the work she does in the bleeding disorder community. Living Well with Inhibitors Speaker: Mary Jane Missy Frey, RN, BSN, CPN CHTC, Hemostatis/Thrombosis Coordinator and Clinical Manager of Hemophilia Treatment Center, Children s Hospital of Michigan Missy Frey has been involved in the bleeding disorder community for many years. As the Nurse Coordinator at Children's Hospital of Michigan she has had the opportunity to provide education on various topics relating to bleeding disorders to patients, parents, schools and colleagues. 1 SpringFest Bios 2015
Road to Managing Your Healthcare Independently Speaker: Sue Kovats-Bell, RN, BSN, Senior Clinical Specialist Speaker: Jeeva Nadarajah Sue Kovats-Bell, RN, BSN is a Senior Clinical Specialist for Baxter Healthcare assisting with educational programs and resources for the hemophilia community. She is a diploma graduate of the Bronson Methodist Hospital School of Nu Lindrsing and received her Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from the University of Michigan. Sue worked with bleeding disorder patients and families for over 18 years as the Nurse Coordinator for both the Pediatric and Adult Hemophilia Clinics in Kalamazoo, MI. During this time, she enjoyed many years of working at Camp Bold Eagle as Infirmary Staff and also regularly attended and participated with HFM s annual SpringFest family educational weekend retreat. Jeeva Nadarajah was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and has an Undergrad Degree in Mathematics and a Masters degree in Information Systems. She has over 10 years experience in the field of software engineering and now works as a Software Craftsman for Pillar Technology. Jeeva is a mother of two boys, age 18 and 12. Her younger son has Hemophilia A which got her involved in the community and Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. She is currently working with the Hemophilia Association of Sri Lanka to improve healthcare for patients in Sri Lanka. You can follow her on Twitter(https://twitter.com/jeevsOnline) or LinkedIn (Jeeva Ganeshan Nadarajah) New to Bleeding Disorders? Let s Talk. Speaker: Sue Adkins, RN, BSN Sue Adkins, is a registered nurse. She received her BSN from Illinois Wesleyan University, located in Bloomington, IL. Sue has been working at Michigan State University with the Bleeding Disorders Community since, 1981. She has held various positions at MSU from first Nurse Coordinator at MSU, HIV Resource Nurse, Program Coordinator for statewide research study concerning ADHD in hemophilia, Study Coordinator for a CDC study about Women with Bleeding Disorders, Assistant Research Coordinator and presently the MSU CBCD Research Coordinator. During that time, Sue has participated in Camp Bold Eagle or Eagle Outpost every year except last year and held position of HFM s Camp Health Officer for 12 years. Have presented locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in the area of oncology, bleeding and clotting disorders. Have participated on local, regional and national committees. 2 SpringFest Bios 2015
Managing Chaos Presented & Created by Biogen Speaker: Ray White, B.S., AMA Enterprise Ray White has 15 years experience in educational consulting and corporate training which has taken him to more than 200 cities within the United States, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and throughout Canada. Mr. White s management expertise and natural ability to motivate and inspire his audience to peak performance has proven effective over the years, resulting in more than 26,000 satisfied customers, particularly in the ranks of first-line supervisors and new managers. Mr. White has conducted numerous seminars in the areas of conflict resolution, presentation skills, supervisory skills, management development, coaching and counseling for high performance, time management and juggling priorities, communication skill building, managing transitions in the workplace, and self-direct work team effectiveness Mr. White spent a number of years as an in-house corporate trainer delighting the employees of AT&T and Merrill Lynch. During his term at Merrill Lynch, he was instrumental in developing and implementing organizational process improvement measures, resulting in a 30% productivity increase in operations during a period of downsizing. Negotiating the Insurance Maze in Michigan Speaker: Katie Verb, Hemophilia Federation of America, Advocacy & Government Relations Manager Katie Verb is the Associate Director of Advocacy & Government Relations at the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) where she helps drive the policy agenda, serves as a federal advocate, and assists states in advocating for those with bleeding disorders. With a family history of hemophilia, working on behalf of those with bleeding disorders has been especially rewarding for Katie. Prior to joining HFA, Katie was a member of the government affairs team at the Toy Industry Association working on regulatory issues involving consumer product safety and international trade. Before turning her interest to policy and advocacy work and moving to Washington, D.C., Katie worked in Chicago for a nonprofit that took a grassroots approach to educating and preparing women to run for office. She also helped found a nonprofit that provided educational and mentoring opportunities for women in the business world. Katie earned her law degree from Michigan State University in 2008, and has a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago. 3 SpringFest Bios 2015
Getting Unstuck: Overcoming Roadblocks to Intimacy and Relationships Presented & created by National Hemophilia Foundation Speaker: Dave Rushlow, LMSW, Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Michigan Karent Boyd, LMSW, Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan David Rushlow is a licensed clinical social worker and has been working in the bleeding disorder center at Munson Medical Center since 1993 with the last 13 as the program coordinator. He has over thirty years of experience in the hospital and has provided service to ICU, Emergency and Trauma, HIV /AIDS, Oncology and Diabetes. David currently serves as the Great Lakes Region social work representative, is a consultant for the NHF sponsored Comprehensive Care Sustainability Collaborative, and is the research coordinator for several studies in progress at his treatment center. David is a past recipient of the Professional of the Year awarded by the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. He has enjoyed a part time private counseling practice for over twenty years and specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and intimacy issues. Karen Boyd is a licensed clinical social worker and is privileged to work with the community of bleeding disorders for over 17 years. She was instrumental in creating retreats for men, women, couples, and families to learn more about their disorder. Karen has conducted research focusing on children with chronic illness and its impact on the family. She is currently involved in conducting research for the National Impact Quality of Life on Pain Study in conjunction with sponsoring treatment centers. As a therapist, she is privileged to work with families and adults who are impacted by a chronic health condition. Karen's priority in working with the bleeding disorder community has involved advocacy in facilitating collaboration between consumers and providers, enhancing intimate relationships, while always having fun. She was honored with the Social Worker of the Year Award by the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. When away from her busy professional life, Karen enjoys ballroom dancing, gardening, entertaining, and travel. Hepatitis C - Navigating New Treatments Speaker: Dilip Moonka, M.D., Medical Director, Henry Ford Liver Transplant Program Dilip Moonka, M.D., Medical Director of the Henry Ford Liver Transplant Program, is an expert in liver transplantation and hepatitis C. As previous director of Henry Ford s Viral Hepatitis Clinic, he developed unique and highly effective protocols for patients 4 SpringFest Bios 2015
suffering from hepatitis B who are in need of liver transplantation. In addition, as director of clinical research in that division, he published studies on more effective and safer immunosuppressions. Dr. Moonka also has extensive experience in clinical research on hepatitis C with both novel therapies and pegylated interferon. Dr. Moonka earned his medical degree from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California where he also completed a residency in internal medicine. He completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia with advanced training in liver disease. He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. Persistent Pain: Considerations for the Hemophilia Community Presented and created by Pfizer Speaker: Nayan Heath, BSN, RN, Pfizer Hemophilia Ms. Heath is a Nurse Educator Specialist with more than 20 years of nursing experience. Ms. Heath received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. For more than 12 years, she was the lead Nurse Educator in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan, where she cared for a large number of hematology and oncology patients, from newborns to young adults. From there, she became a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and completed large-scale project management and implementation projects, as well as process improvements at St. John Hospital and Medical Center. Ms. Heath was also the Clinical Nurse Manager in the hematology and oncology departments at St. John Hospital and Medical Center, where she supervised 75 staff members, including registered nurses, patient care technicians, and health unit coordinators. Ms. Heath has an extensive understanding of the developmental needs of children with hemophilia. She believes that education plays a vital role for patients of all ages and is committed to teaching this population. 5 SpringFest Bios 2015
Win/Win Conversations This session will take place during both afternoon breakout times. Presented and created by Biogen Speaker: Ray White, B.S., AMA Enterprise Ray White has 15 years experience in educational consulting and corporate training which has taken him to more than 200 cities within the United States, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and throughout Canada. Mr. White s management expertise and natural ability to motivate and inspire his audience to peak performance has proven effective over the years, resulting in more than 26,000 satisfied customers, particularly in the ranks of first-line supervisors and new managers. Mr. White has conducted numerous seminars in the areas of conflict resolution, presentation skills, supervisory skills, management development, coaching and counseling for high performance, time management and juggling priorities, communication skill building, managing transitions in the workplace, and self-direct work team effectiveness Mr. White spent a number of years as an in-house corporate trainer delighting the employees of AT&T and Merrill Lynch. During his term at Merrill Lynch, he was instrumental in developing and implementing organizational process improvement measures, resulting in a 30% productivity increase in operations during a period of downsizing. Reproductive Health and Cultural Influences Speaker: Linda Percy, RN, HTC, Detroit Children s Hospital Panelist: Ronia Cole Linda Percy, RN has worked at the Hemostasis/Thrombosis Center at Children's Hospital of Michigan since 1989 to present. During this time she cared for many adult patients that were seen in the 90's with Dr Lusher along with the pediatric patients. Linda has been a very active bleeding disorder nurse educating patients and parents about their bleeding disorder, treating patients in the clinic, going to hemophilia camp, monitoring and implementing research studies and providing school educational visits. 6 SpringFest Bios 2015
Living Fit- Tips for Healthy Living Presented & created by Bayer Speaker: Marc Gilgannon, PT, Lead Physical Therapist, University of Virgina Children s Hospital Lead Therapist, University of Virginia Children's Hospital A graduate of the NYU Physical Therapy program, Marc has been working in pediatrics as a PT clinician and researcher for over 20 years. He has been the primary Physical Therapist for the UVA Hemophilia Treatment Center, working with children and adults, for 10 years and was presented the NHF Award of Excellence in Physical Therapy in 2009. Marc's role at UVA also includes working with children and families in the Children's Hospital Fitness Clinic, developing exercise programs for children with special needs, and providing patient care across multiple settings in the Children's Hospital. H.I.R.E.D.- Helping You Get a Job Speaker: Nick Gamber, Community Outreach/Volunteer Services Manager, HFM Speaker: Bruce Allen, Vice President, Westat Nick Gamber is a former high school economics teacher who started the HIRED program early in 2015. Having grown up in the hemophilia community he identified the unique obstacles that were faced by people with bleeding disorders and has been working diligently to make employment a reality for the community at large. Working with Westat and Prime Research he has identified employment opportunities that are accessible to most everyone regardless of physical limitations. Bruce Allen is a Vice President at Westat Inc., an employee owned research corporation that specializes in statistical design and data collection. Bruce was born with hemophilia and recognizes the unique challenges that individuals with bleeding disorders face in the work place. He has a Bachelor s of Science in Public Administration and a Master s of Public Administration both from Indiana University. With 17 years at Westat Bruce is an incredible wealth of knowledge for policies and procedures for employment. Bruce has been instrumental in the development of HIRED and bringing unique employment opportunities to the bleeding disorder community. 7 SpringFest Bios 2015
How Not to Marry Your Mother Presented & created by: Emergent Speaker: Hope Woodcock-Ross, BSN Hope Woodcock-Ross has been in healthcare since she was 12 years old, when she volunteered as a candy striper. She has been in the nursing field since 1986 first getting her LPN, then her RN in 1988, and her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2009. She started in bleeding disorders in 2000 part-time, and in 2004 took the Blood Disorder Center Coordinator position at United Health Services Hospitals in Johnson City New York. Since 2011 she has worked for Bleeding Disorders Resource Network as an Area Clinical Director. In 2005, Hope and two other members of the bleeding disorder community co-founded Camp Little Oak, a non-profit camp for girls 7 to 17 with hemophilia, vonwillebrands, carriers and siblings. CLO will be celebrating their tenth year in 2015. ABOUT OUR MASSAGE THERAPISTS: Enid Carter is a massage therapist who performs bodywork modalities such as Relaxation Massage, Reflexology, Oncology Massage, CranioSacral Therapy and NeuroMuscular Training, just to name a few. She gained experience with pain management and scar/adhesion release techniques by working automobile injury, traumatic brain injury, fibromyalgia and post-surgical cases, since early in her career. She is the owner of Because Her Hands Care, a certified member of the Association of Bodyworkers and Massage Professionals (ABMP) and a member of the International Alliance of Healthcare Practitioners (IHAP). She is a Symptomatic Carrier and the mother of two sons, one whom is diagnosed with Severe Hemophilia A. She and her family are active volunteers for the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. She continues to apply her education and skills as community educator, massage therapist and storyteller to support the Bleeding Disorder Community. Roxana Davenport is a massage therapist at Massage Envy in Ann Arbor. She began volunteering her wonderful massage services at HFM events over six years ago. She has also volunteered for Camp Bold Eagle in the past 8 SpringFest Bios 2015