 Caroline Alexander is dedicated to sharing the very best of her knowledge and experience as a colon hydrotherapist in her own health practice with new Angel of Water owners seeking to establish and run a stand alone colon hydrotherapy practice or add colon hydrotherapy to a menu of services already being offered. Ms. Alexander promotes colon hydrotherapy within the current scope of practice for professional, International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy (I-ACT) www.i-act.org certified colon hydrotherapists and works toward integrating the science of healing with the art of healing to include the mind, body and spirit in a whole body approach. Ms. Alexander actively participates with medical professionals and has lectured as an invited guest speaker to students at both the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and the George Washington University School of Public Health regarding the health benefits of colonic hygiene using FDA registered medical devices and nutritional cleansing.
Ms. Alexander is an I-ACT Instructor for Colon Hydrotherapy with National Board Certification and has served as an elected board member on the National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy (NBCHT) for a term of four years. As an I-ACT Ambassador and former NBCHT board member she participates with a dedicated team of individuals to continue to raise the standards for the profession of colon hydrotherapy. Ms. Alexander is also a Certified Body Ecology Coach and promotes the benefits of a probiotic diet to both her clients and her students through the teachings of Donna Gates.
Sharon E. Barrett, MS has over thirty years of leadership in public, nonprofit and private sectors in the areas of administration, program development and public health practice for eliminating health disparities. Ms. Barrett retired from the Federal Public Health Service in 2003. In her last position, she was the Director of Minority and Women’s Health in the Bureau of Primary Health Care in the Health Resources and Services Administration. She currently consults on issues concerning minority and women’s health and health disparities, primary care, health literacy, language access and cultural competency. She is a consultant to the Association of Clinicians to the Underserved (ACU) providing consultation and expertise to improve the skills of primary care clinicians working with underserved populations, especially as it relates to health literacy, cultural competency and language access. She has served as the Principal Investigator on two qualitative studies for ACU: one examining health literacy practices of safety net providers funded by the Commonwealth Fund and Kaiser Permanente; and the other examining language access issues in primary care settings funded by the National Health Law Program through the California Endowment. She is currently serving as the content expert for ACU’s Learning Collaborative on Health Literacy, Cultural Competency and Language Access. Ms Barrett is an active member of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Roundtable on Health Literacy and is a member of the DHHS Minority Women’s Health Panel of Experts. She received her Masters of Science at Columbia University’s School of Social Work in New York and is currently completing her Doctorate of Public Health at Morgan State University’s public health program.
 Ray Michael Bridgewater is the President, Founder and CEO of the Assembly of Petworth, a non-profit, culturally diverse and multi-ethnic community empowerment organization serving the metropolitan Washington area and focusing on issues concerning health disparities, technology, workforce and community development. The Assembly of Petworth was funded by a grant from the Kellog Foundation. Mr. Bridgewater has guided and directed over a dozen major community development projects whose work is concentrated in business development, institutional capacity building and public policy intervention strategies. He is involved in diverse programs, with the common theme of providing health, education and social services for underserved, at-risk populations. Mr. Bridgewater plays a significant role in overseeing operations of and bringing community resources to projects including the March of Dimes Mama and Baby Bus – a pre-natal mobile unit and NICU project at the Children National Medical Center; Howard University Hospital Prostate Cancer and Diabetes Telehealth Medical Mobile Unit; WUSA TV-9 Grassroots and Media Campaign around Men’s Health Initiative, a local and national Health Communication Media Campaign in partnership with WUSA TV9 [Gannett Inc.], Telemundo, RadioOne and many more. Domestically and internationally, Mr. Bridgewater has designed, developed and coordinated the Telehealth/Telemedecine Medical Unit Model to achieve improved health delivery and outcomes. He is currently providing full project management services enhanced by his expertise in community development, micro-enterprise and public/private partnerships. With the telehealth mobile unit, using a public/private partnership model, he has built successful working relationships with hospitals, clinics, universities, healthcare providers, health departments, ministries domestically and internationally.
 Esther Burgess, Serving as SVP, Deputy COO at Vistronix, Ms. Burgess is responsible for strategic and GWAC programs designed to fuel growth of the company. Her knowledge and background in Federal Acquisition, Program Management Office Operation, Process Management, Business Operations, as well as Sales and Business Development in large (ITT and CSC), mid-size (SI International), small (STG, Inc.) and 8(a) (Synernet Corp.) companies give her a strong understanding of the shared and unique needs from companies in their various stages of development.
Ms. Burgess holds a Masters Degree in Systems Management for R&D Programs from the University of Southern California. She possesses over 25 years of experience in Federal Information Technology environment, and is a co-author of the Earned Value Management book titled “EVM Demystified”, published in 2007. Serving as the Chair for IAC Acquisition Management (AM) SIG, Esther continues to actively participate in professional organizations including ACT/IAC, ITAA, and GEIA, and is a member of the IAC Past Partners Program. Her previous IAC and SIG experience included Chair of the NIH Industry Advisory Council; Chair for the Collaboration SIG Excellence.gov event, IAC Acquisition Management (AM) SIG Communication Chair, Vice Chair for the AM SIG.
Leslie Calman is an experienced administrator, educator and advocate whose career has centered on building better lives for women and families in the U.S. and in the developing world. Prior to joining Mautner Project in January 2008, Dr. Calman served for two years as Vice President of External Relations for the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), overseeing the communications, advocacy and development teams for this $12 million organization, and taking a leadership role in advocacy promoting U.S. policies to end child marriage in the developing world.
Dr. Calman has also served as Senior Vice President and as Executive Vice President of Legal Momentum, the national women's rights organization formerly called NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund; and at Barnard College as a professor of political science and women's studies, and Director of the Barnard College Center for Research on Women. She has published two books. She has been quoted in, among other media, Time, Newsweek, Forbes, The New York Times, The Nation, People, the Washington Times, the Washington Post, the Washington Blade, and Washington Metro Weekly, and been interviewed on CNN and WNYC. Dr. Calman's Ph.D. in political science is from Columbia University; her B.A., magna cum laude, is from Barnard College.
Dr. Calman is a member of the Board of Directors of the National LGBT Health Coalition, the Lesbian Advisory Board of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; the GLBT Advisory Board of Aetna; the National Advisory Council for the Healthcare Equality Index sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Health Association; the National LGBT Policy Roundtable; the American Cancer Society's National Capital LGBT Council; the DC GLBT Center, and the GLBT Advisory Committee of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. She is affiliated with the Center for Population Research in LGBT Health of the Fenway Institute as a participating scientist. She serves as a Commissioner on the District of Columbia's Commission on Persons with Disabilities.
Virginia Chiantella obtained her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University, and received her MD degree from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She completed her surgery specialty training at the Wake Forest University Medical Center, where she was the first female to complete the Surgery training program. She spent a year at the University Medical Center as the Bradshaw Surgery Research Fellow, participating in award-winning cardiac surgery research, and was Chief Resident in Surgery there in 1989.
Dr. Chiantella has been in private surgery practice in Northern Virginia since that time, and her practice is now limited exclusively to the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the breast. She has been Chief of Surgery at Inova Loudoun Hospital on two occasions, and she is the volunteer Medical Director of the only regional free clinic for breast disease evaluation. She is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and her practice is a member of the National Consortium of Breast Centers. Although she practices out of facilities in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties in Northern Virginia, her practice, The Breast Center of Loudoun, has a large draw regionally, with loyal patients returning to be seen from as far away as Florida and London. Dr. Chiantella has been called one of "America's Top Surgeons".
 Reverend Renee’ Cole is a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and more than a conqueror. She and her husband, Bishop Henry Rex Cole are the co-founders of Breath of Life Ministries, Inc. and Breath of Life Ministries Christian Fellowship Church based on Genesis 2:7 ”…And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” After two bouts with cancer, she feels blessed to be given the gift of life and has purposed to share her life with others.
Renee’ is a native Washingtonian who graduated cum laude from Howard University and worked at IBM for many years. Renee’ Cole is proud to be of African American and Native American descent. Renee’s life has been a journey of trials and triumphs. Renee’ was initially diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31 after a self breast exam. She vowed to fight for her life and felt in her heart that although she may have been diagnosed with cancer, cancer could not have her. To this end, she boldly tells her story and educates others. She seeks to empower cancer patients to strive to not only become survivors, but conquerors. Renee’ Cole is now a cancer activist and patient advocate. She takes very seriously and personally the fight against cancer, the importance of clinical trials, and the pursuit of a cure. Renee’ uniquely understands the impact of cancer on the lives of the patient, family, community, and the health care system. She has been a keynote, conference and plenary speaker, and is involved with a myriad of both national and international efforts. To this end, she is honored to be called upon by various organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, National Coalition Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), represented Howard University Cancer Center at the Mayo Cancer Clinic as a member of the Gender & Ethnic Committee, the Komen Foundation, the Witness in the Heartland Cancer Support and Advocacy Project, National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), NAACP, the LINKS and other organizations. Through the American Cancer Society, she has been involved in many efforts such as the “Relay for Life” , a speaker for the Capital Breast Care Center’s Annual Candlelight Vigil and Walk, and most recently featured in the ACC Documentary “More Than A Conqueror” – African American Stories of Hope & Healing, which is to be aired this fall. She openly speaks to youth on issues of wellness and early cancer detection at such programs as the “Check it Out Program” in the public school system. Most notably Renee’ was honored to share her message of hope as a spokesperson for the national MARCH on Cancer and Candlelight Vigil on the Mall and at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Rev. Renee’ Cole serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Howard University Hospital Cancer Center. She has been featured in Essence magazine and CURE magazine’s article on “Remarkable Survivorship” and on the TBN Network and many other national and local television, cable, and radio broadcasts. Rev. Renee’ Cole works tirelessly as a Resource Liaison and Patient Navigator to assist newly diagnosed patients and families facilitate necessary assistance. Renee’ has a passion and love for people. Rev. Renee’ Cole is the mother of four children, Russell, Brandon, Taylor Renee’ and Henry II (now deceased). Rev. Renee’ Cole believes, “If we learn, we can LIVE!”
 Lisa A. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., is a professor of medicine, epidemiology, and health policy and management at the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. She is a board-certified general internist, health services researcher, and medical educator. Dr. Cooper received her medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She was a Picker/Commonwealth Scholar in patient-centered care research (1995–1997). Her research program focuses on patient-centered strategies for improving outcomes and overcoming racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Lisa Cooper is a nationally and internationally recognized physician and public health researcher whose scholarship on clinical communication is improving medical outcomes for minorities in the United States. She also established a direct link between the propensity of physicians to involve patients in treatment decisions and the success of health care interventions. In response to these findings, Cooper has developed culturally tailored education programs. Preliminary results indicate that when patients and physicians are trained in patient-centered communication skills, patients are more likely to keep scheduled appointments, take medications as prescribed, and adhere to diet and exercise regimens. Given the growing population in the U.S. of ethnically diverse consumers, Cooper’s analytical and clinical skills are key to enhancing the quality and delivery of medical care.
Most notably, Dr. Cooper has been named a 2007 fellow by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The fellowship comes with a $500,000 “genius grant” that Cooper may use in any way she chooses. Cooper follows eight other Johns Hopkins faculty and alumni who also received MacArthur fellowships.
Dr. Emmett Dennis, Dean, University College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick. Dennis is also co-director of the B.A./M.D. program run jointly by Rutgers and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and director of the Diversity Advancement Program of the Graduate School-New Brunswick. He is chair of the Rutgers Steering Committee for Rutgers/University of Puerto Rico Collaborations and is a professor in the department of cell biology and neuroscience. Dennis joined Rutgers in 1969. From 1975 to 1981, he was an adjunct associate professor while serving as director of the Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research, which he founded. He became vice chair of the department of biological sciences in 1985. He served as acting director of the Office of Minority Undergraduate Science Programs from 1989 to 1990. In 1994, he was named associate provost for academic advancement. In the provost's office, he also oversaw the Educational Opportunity Fund, the Minority Faculty Advancement Program, the Center for Latino Arts and Culture, and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. In 1993, Dennis was recognized as a distinguished contributor to undergraduate education by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences-New Brunswick, and in 1997, he received the Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching. In December 2008, Dr. Dennis was appointed President of the University of Liberia.
Janice Ferebee MSW, native New Yorker, now living in Washington, D.C., is an author, consultant, speaker, trainer, youth advocate, Alpha Kappa Alpha woman, and founder and CEO of Ferebee Enterprises International, Inc. (FEI), a global female empowerment social enterprise empowering girls to improve their lives and the world, through books, technology and dance. She is also the Director of the Bethune Program Development Center, responsible for community-based and national programming for women and girls of African descent, at the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW), appointed by Dr. Dorothy I. Height, 97-year old civil rights icon. FEI specializes in adolescent female social and emotional development; consulting; publishing; and training of adult caregivers and service providers.
Janice is the creator of the award winning Got It Goin' On® Empowerment Program for Girls (GIGO®), a gender specific, culturally appropriate curriculum that offers concrete tools for helping girls of African descent reach their full potential, and the mastermind behind the Got It Goin' OnŽ Girls: Hip Hop Fitness & Empowerment Team, a leadership performance team who promote healthy choices and lifestyles through public speaking and fitness performances. Ms. Ferebee is also the self-published author of the powerful self-esteem handbook series for girls that is the basis for GIGO®) -- Got It Goin' On I & II, the Got It Goin' On-II Facilitator's Guide, and the soon-to-be-released, Got It Goin' On-III: I AM ENOUGH! Empowerment Journal for Girls (co-authored with 12-year old niece). In addition, her life experiences and tireless work with adolescent females were recognized by ESSENCE and Oprah Winfrey, who acknowledged Got It Goin' On® as an effective empowerment solution for girls.
Ms. Ferebee has over thirty years of dedicated leadership and expertise advancing the self-empowerment and leadership of girls and young women. She speaks to audiences around the world and it=s been said that everyone who hears her leaves more uplifted than when they came. "She is indeed a breath of fresh air. She brilliantly mixes her street-knowledge with her wit to successfully empower, educate and inspire!" She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is dedicated to inspiring and empowering girls and young women around the world.
Kimberly Higginbotham is employed at Howard University Hospital as a Patient Navigation Coordinator. The navigation program has been very beneficial to many patients who come to Howard University Hospital for treatment.
She also coordinates “Project Early Awareness, A School Breast Health Education Program for High School Girls”. As Program Coordinator, she works with D.C. Schools to educate girls about breast health and breast cancer, the program also educates young boys about breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer and smoking cessation. The program has educated over 2,000 girls and over 1,000 boys.
Kimberly co-facilitates the S.E.E.D.S. Cancer Support Group at Howard University Cancer Center. S.E.E.D.S., the acronym for Support, Education, Encouragement and Determination to Succeed’s motto is, “Once these S.E.E.D.S. have been planted we hope that the member grows from their experience”.
Kimberly also facilitates the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good… Feel Better” Program. The “Look Good…Feel Better” program is a community-based, free, national service that teaches female cancer patients techniques to help restore their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Kimberly was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 23 and she is in 10th year of remission. She has been blessed with the opportunity to share her story via numerous media outlets. She has been featured in magazines such as: Marie Claire, Shape, People, Glamour and Black Enterprise. She has also participated in commercials for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an educational video for the American Cancer Society and has been featured on many local news and radio programs.
In 2006, Kimberly was selected to be a Legislative Ambassador for the American Cancer Society. This is a two-year volunteer position that consists of lobbying for the rights of cancer patients and survivors. The Ambassador’s major purpose is to try and increase the government’s understanding and commitment to fighting cancer.
Kimberly received her Bachelors Degree in Allied Health Sciences and Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Howard University. Kimberly, a native Washingtonian, lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Anthony and son Logan.
 Todd Mayman is Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Governance Officer at Gannett Co., Inc. Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 85 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns nearly 900 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Gannett also operates 23 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web. Mr. Mayman provides legal support to Gannett’s CEO and Board in connection with Board and corporate governance matters and is responsible for legal matters in the following areas: acquisitions, corporate and securities, finance, contracts, human resources, real estate and construction, environmental, tax, bankruptcy and related litigation. He also is Secretary of the Gannett Foundation, a corporate foundation sponsored by Gannett Co., Inc. He currently serves as a board member of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association and Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA.Prior to joining Gannett in 1993, Mr. Mayman was an associate at Arent Fox for five years and served as a clerk to Judge Judith W. Rogers at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He holds a B.A. with Honors from Swarthmore College and a J.D. magna cum laude from Boston University School of Law.
 Angela Peabody is the publisher and founder of Global Woman Magazine, a publication dedicated to capturing the essence of women who represent international culture and experiences and are sources of inspiration to the magazine’s readers. In her native country of Liberia, Angela worked as a television journalist and press secretary for the country’s minister of agriculture.
In the latter part of her career, Angela became a published author. Her writings include Exiled – Within the Heart of American Society, a tribute to the survival of the Liberian coup d’etat, Unconditional Love, a collection of poems, and is the author of the play, What Goes Around Comes Around. Angela is currently writing her second novel, When the Games Froze. Angela launched Global Woman in May 2006 with the motivation of creating a publication that crossed ethnic and generational lines, as well as demonstrated the influence of women on a diversity of scales and circumstances.
Angela is a highly sought after public speaker on the issues of poverty, women empowerment, literacy and illiteracy, displacement, female genital mutilation, fistula, breast cancer, vegetarianism, survival, violence against women and The New Liberia. In 2006, she received an award in Print Journalism from the Victor E. Ward Educational Fund. She spoke at Harvard University, University of Pittsburgh, Catonsville Community College and The Making Poverty History Conference in London, where she shared the stage with two House of Parliament Members. Angela is the former Chair of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Writers Union.
 Amari Sokoya Pearson-Fields, MPH (Washington, DC) is the President/CEO of Sokoya Consulting Group, Inc, a firm specializing in wellness program development, social marketing, health beharioval research, and grant writing. Ms. Pearson-Fields has more than 20 years experience in women's health issues including cancer education and prevention, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, tobacco, and health care disparities for minority women. Ms. Pearson-Fields is currently the Director of Comphrenesive Cancer Control Programs for the District of Columbia Departmen tof Health. Prior to joining the Department of Health Ms. Pearson-Fields was the Executive Director for the Capital Breast Care Center in Washington DC. She has served as principle investigator on several national studies of health behaviors and access to health care services including a national study of African American lesbian health behavior and is currently co-investigator on studies of breast cancer survivorship and genetic testing among African American women. She is the creator of the Spirit Health Education (SHE) Circle Program, a national women’s wellness program providing health education and support for healthy living for African American lesbians and bisexual women. She has served on numerous national boards and advisory committees and is a nationally sought after speaker and advocate for the elimination of health disparities for minority and underserved women. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Public Health at Walden University.
 Suzanne Reuben is dedicated to reaching diverse audiences -- the public, patients, cancer survivors, health professionals, industry, and government decision makers -- with clear, accurate, and culturally sensitive information on health care issues and health-related research. In 1985, Ms. Reuben founded Progressive Health Systems and remains its President, directing and conducting health and science communications projects, including policy papers, video scripts, expert panel reports, print- and Internet-based educational content, and multimedia professional training materials.
Ms. Reuben is chief writer for the President’s Cancer Panel, an independent advisory group charged under the National Cancer Act to review ongoing and emerging issues in cancer care and research and to report findings directly to the President of the United States in an annual report. Since 1993, Ms. Reuben has authored these reports on behalf of the Panel. Two reports-- one addressing issues facing cancer survivors, the other on lifestyle factors in cancer -- received National Institutes of Health Plain Language Awards for excellence in health communications. Ms. Reuben also scripted and served as content expert on two videos accompanying Panel reports.
Since 1990, Ms. Reuben has been an advisor to and writer for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), developing or contributing to many of its most important communications, including the annual Bypass Budget narrative and several cancer-site focused Progress Review Groups (PRGs). The PRGs are expert groups charged with making recommendations for the national research agenda on specific cancer types. Ms. Reuben authored the reports of the breast, pancreatic, and adolescent/young adult cancer PRGs. She also has designed key meetings focused on cancer health disparities and the meaning and influences of race in science, and developed two training programs on cancer survivorship for health professionals.
Prior to founding Progressive Health Systems, Ms. Reuben was a Health Analyst at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing health education projects and working on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues. Ms. Reuben subsequently became a Principal at the health services consulting firm, Birch and Davis Associates, Inc., securing and conducting contracts emphasizing training, core competency analysis, organizational capacity building, and message development in fields as diverse as child injury control, addictions counseling, management skills assessment, and teen drunk driving programs.
Early in her career, Ms. Reuben directed the educational program of a residential facility for wards of the Maryland juvenile courts, and expanded and directed an addictions counselor training program in Washington, DC. Ms. Reuben holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Education/Biology from the University of Maryland at College Park. She currently serves on the Board of the Maryland Public Health Association.
Ms. Kathleen M.
Rogers, CTR
Quality Control and Program
Specialist
D.C. Cancer Registry
 Teri Schulman is a native Washingtonian. She attended the University of Maryland, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree, with a focus on Radio, Television and Film, and minor in journalism.
Her career work has been focused in the field of Marketing & Public Relations. She has worked for the past 14 years for the Washington Times and for the past 4 years, as the Creative Director for the Washington Times' luxury living lifestyle magazine Washingnton's Finest.
Teri has also successfully run her own company representing professional athletes, with most of her clients being Washington Redskins players. She is a published writer and also has experience working as a producer for a sports talk nationally syndicated radio show.
Teri supports various non-profits including the American Red Cross, Dress For Success,
Goodwill of Greater DC, Sports America and Critters For the Cure. As a passionate animal lover she also donates time to the rescue and foster home placement for dogs/cats. Teri is also a sports enthusiast.
Jay Silver is the Executive Director of the Intercultural Cancer Council (ICC), where he works to promote the organization's policies, programs, partnerships, and research to eliminate the unequal burden of cancer among racial and ethnic minorities and medically underserved populations in the United States and its associated territories. Mr. Silver is a dedicated advocate in the cancer community.
Britt Weinstock has worked in the field of minority health, health equity and health policy for roughly a decade and a half. Currently, Britt serves as the Director of Health Policy to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust in the Office of the Congresswoman Donna Christensen. Britt plays a pivotal role in developing the legislative priorities of the CBC Health Braintrust, advises the CBC on myriad legislative proposals that directly and indirectly affect health policy and minority health, as well as work to eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity, both on a domestic and global level. In addition to helping to conceptualize and plan the Spring and Fall Health Braintrusts, Britt also works closely with the Congressional TriCaucus offices to ensure consistency of political message and position on health legislation across the racial and ethnic minority congressional offices, as well as with the Congressional Global Health Caucus on international health policy.
Prior to commencing her tenure in the Office of Congresswoman Donna Christensen, Ms. Weinstock was the Director of Minority Health Initiatives at Families USA, where she served as an internal resource on minority health and health disparity elimination, oversaw a multicultural partnership of policy analysts and media that focused on minority health and assessed the minority health repercussions of numerous health policy proposals. Ms. Weinstock also has held professional positions at the National Business Group on Health, Bass and Howes, Inc., the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the American Association for World Health.
Ms. Weinstock, who was born in Germany and grew up in west and southern Africa, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University, a Master of Arts degree from Georgetown University and is pursuing her Doctorate in Sociology, with a co-specialization on medical sociology and social inequality, and a minor in bioethics. Her doctoral research - which focuses on the social determinants of health and minority health epidemiology - will culminate with her dissertation, which is entitled, A Part of the Solution or A Part of the Problem?: The African-American Health Provider's Role in the Cruel Irony of Breast Cancer in African-American Women.
Ms. Weinstock has authored and co-authored numerous articles and publications on public health, health policy and health equity issues, the latest of which was featured in the Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy. Britt has received several awards and honors, including a national award for her work analyzing the business case to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities from the National Minority Health Month Foundation, and the 2007 "Special Health Public Policy Award" from the National Black Nurses Association.
 Terrie Williams is President of the Terrie Williams Agency, a public relations and communications agency, which was launched in 1988. The company would become one of the country’s most successful public relations firms—handling through the years the biggest names in entertainment, sports, business, and politics. Clients included Miles Davis, Eddie Murphy, Johnnie L. Cochran, Essence Communications Partners, Time Warner, HBO and dozens of other notable personalities and corporations.
Terrie is a clinical social worker by training who became a successful public relations pro by her own design. Over the years she has also inscribed her prominence as an author of the successful business and inspirational story, and she has emerged as a passionate advocate for youth and those who battle depression. Her public relations achievements—and that of the Agency’s—have been featured as case studies in PR seminars, college texts, industry newsletters, and novels. Terrie’s triumphs have been chronicled in numerous publications such as Adweek, Jet Magazine, The Boston Globe, New York Daily News, Washington Post, Crain’s New York Business and People Magazine. She is a highly sought-after speaker and has shared her unique talent with many Fortune 500 companies and diverse organizations, from New York University to the National Hockey League.
She has also received countless honors and awards, including: The New York Women in Communications Matrix Award in Public Relations (she was the first woman of color to receive this award in its 70-year history); the PRSA New York Chapter’s Phillip Dorf Mentoring Award; and The Citizen’s Committee for New York Marietta Tree Award for Public Service. In 1996 she was the first person of color honored with the Vernon C. Schranz Distinguished Lectureship at Ball State University, and in 1998 she donated her papers to the Howard University Moorland-Springarn Research Center Archives.
Terrie is the author of three successful books: the business bestseller The Personal Touch: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today’s Fast-Paced Business World; the inspirational A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony through the Seven Living Virtues; and Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens, the basis for the 2001 launch of The Stay Strong Foundation, a national non-profit designed to educate and encourage American youth. Terrie’s current work, a book entitled Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, will be published by Scribner in January 2008.
Terrie has a B. A. (cum laude) in Psychology and Sociology from Brandeis University, and an M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University. |
