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Lost Boys of Sudan Lost Boys of Sudan is a feature-length documentary that follows two Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America. Orphaned as young boys in one of Africa's cruelest civil wars, Peter Dut and Santino Chuor survived lion attacks and militia gunfire to reach a refugee camp in Kenya along with thousands of other children. From there, remarkably, they were chosen to come to America. Safe at last from physical danger and hunger, a world away from home, they find themselves confronted with the abundance and alienation of contemporary American suburbia. Lost Boys of Sudan won an Independent Spirit Award and screened theatrically in 70 cities across the U.S. to strong audience and critical praise. The film was broadcast nationally on the PBS series POV in the fall of 2004 and earned two Emmy nominations. The story of the Lost Boys of Sudan has touched people from all walks of life. From movie stars and politicians to the average housewife, people from around the world have fallen in love with these courageous young men. Joan Hecht was no exception. When hearing of their story for the first time, Joan Hecht’s eyes filled with tears and she felt a deep stirring in her soul. She knew that helping them was not an option. It was a call to her heart from God and Joan Hecht responded. She hoped to be instrumental in making their new lives in America better than the ones they had left behind. Like many others, Joan Hecht felt compelled to be a mother to these young men who couldn't even remember the faces of their own mothers. “Mama Joan” hoped only to help change their lives, never realizing how knowing each of them would so drastically change her own.
The Three Doctors During a time where few heroes materialize, The Three Doctors served as an extraordinary model of leadership for anyone who has been through any kind of hardship whether it's coping with the struggles of the street or internal challenges of dealing with self, finding our place in the world and determining our own unique destinies. A decade and a half ago, three teenage boys from the streets of Newark, New Jersey made a pact: They would stick together, go to college, and become doctors. Now, over 13 years later, these three men have overcome obstacles and proudly bear the subtitle of doctors. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt deliver a well needed and urgent message of hope and inspiration everywhere they go. Their key messages-Never underestimate the power of self-reliance and inner strength-attach a timeline and devise a strategy for achieving your goals-and finally-Surround yourself with like-minded people who are in line with your aspirations. Growing up in the streets of Newark, they know first hand the pressures and struggles of life in the inner city. Determined not to become victims of their environment, the trio stood firm in their mission and together became one of the most remarkable success stories of inspiration, dedication and determination. The Three Doctors are frequently asked about their formula for becoming prominent men and doctors. While their list is long, they are certain that success comes in many different forms, as does talent. Dr. Rameck Hunt is a Board Certified Internist at University Medical Center at Princeton and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. George Jenkins serves as Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry at Columbia University. Dr. Sampson Davis is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician at St. Michaels Medical Center and Raritan Bay Medical Center. Davis is also consultant for the Violence Prevention Institute focusing on gang awareness and preventative medicine in Essex County. The doctors have additionally authored two inspiring books about their lives: The Pact, for adults, and We Beat the Streets, for children. A third book The Bond, highlighting fatherhood relationships will be released in 2007. The Three Doctors received the prestigious Essence Award for their accomplishments and leadership. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts one can give is the gift of self and these men do it often wholeheartedly. Their effect on their communities has indeed been tremendous. These young men continue to speak out on life's challenges and together symbolize a new walk, talk, and attitude about facing the world. Children can identify with them, as well as at-risk teens and adults. Perhaps it's because of the impact of their message, perhaps the essence of their story. The reason is irrelevant, the results remarkable. The Three Doctors are young visionaries that bring forth new hope and have become some of the most sought after public speakers.
Dr. Keith Ablow Keith Ablow is a psychiatrist, writer and television personality who treats men and women across the country, in Europe and in Asia who come from every corner of society—college students, married couples, Fortune 500 executives, the homeless, mental health professionals and high-ranking government officials. In addition to Dr. Ablow’s ongoing work with patients, he has testified as an expert witness on forensic psychiatry in some of America’s most highly-publicized trials. The root of Ablow’s unique ability to "reach" patients and the foundation of his writing is that all of us suffer, that none of us is born evil, and that we must be helped to confront the truth about our lives. Ablow graduated Brown University and the Johns Hopkins Medical School. While a medical student, he worked as a reporter for Newsweek magazine and a freelancer for the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun, as well as a medical editor and producer for Lifetime Medical Television in New York and Los Angeles. He also wrote his first book, a guide to gaining admission to medical school and preserving one’s humanity during the four grueling years that follow. Following his studies, Ablow entered a psychiatry residency at Tufts/New England Medical Center hospitals (where he is now an assistant professor). He continued to write about psychiatry and social issues for publications such as U.S. News and World Report and USA Today. He also wrote three more books: How to Cope with Depression, To Wrestle with Demons, and Anatomy of a Psychiatric Illness. In 1990, Dr. Ablow’s close friend and fellow psychiatry resident was murdered. This tragedy prompted him to write Without Mercy, a true crime book examining the killer’s life and the use of the insanity defense at his trial. After residency, Ablow served as medical director of the Tri-City Mental Health Centers, one of the country’s oldest networks of community psychiatry clinics. He also was medical director of Heritage Health Systems, a state-wide spectrum of medical, psychiatric and addiction facilities. Today, Ablow is busier than ever. His USA Today bestselling psychiatric thrillers featuring Dr. Frank Clevenger include Denial, Projection, Compulsion, Psychopath, Murder Suicide and The Architect. His true crime book, Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson, hit the New York Times Bestseller list this year. He is a contributing editor to Good Housekeeping magazine, and his columns have appeared there, as well as in The New York Times and Cosmopolitan. He is also a frequent guest on programs including Oprah, Tyra, Good Morning America, Good Day NY, Catherine Crier Live and many others. Dr. Ablow is now at work on a self-help book (Little, Brown, April, 2007) that will make his healing philosophy and techniques available to readers everywhere. His syndicated talk show, Dr. Keith Ablow, produced by Telepictures and LMNO TV, will begin airing across the nation in September.
Jay Adlersberg Health and science correspondent for ABC News.
Steve Allen Jr. Dr. Steve Allen, Jr. combines his expertise as a Board Certified family physician with his family's gift of humor. The son of famous TV comedian Steve Allen, he delights audiences with his unique approach to managing stress. He teaches everyone in the audience to juggle brightly colored scarves as the lesson through which they learn to play and laugh their way to success and a more stress-free life.The son of TV comedy superstar Steve Allen, stress expert Dr. Steve Allen, Jr. has the secret to peak performance and it is all about how to laugh, be silly and play your way to the top!Stress has been cited as the number one stumbling block to individual and corporate success. Blending his expertise as a board certified family physician with his natural heritage of humor and wit, Dr. Allen presents a practical approach to dealing with the many stresses that impede top performance.Believing that knowing is doing, Dr. Allen gets everyone up on their feet and teaches them his guaranteed, fool-proof method of juggling- his metaphor for juggling the pressures of life and a hilarious demonstration of how to laugh and play your way to success. "Teaching people to juggle is my way of getting everyone to be silly again, just like they did when they were children. Laughter and play is the best stress release we have," he says.Medical studies have shown that when people laugh, their heart rates accelerate, muscles relax and stress is relieved for hours afterwards. "The problem is that as we get older, we succumb to the cultural pressures that say laughter, playfulness and downright silliness is not 'adult'," Dr. Allen says.He has presented for thousands of salespeople, healthcare professionals and business executives in conferences and workshops all over the country. He has also appeared on local and national television programs, including ABC Evening News, and has been profiled by such national publications as The New York Times, Newsweek and American Medical News.His unique approach to stress management has its roots in his family's gift of humor. His grandmother Belle Montrose was in the circus before her career in vaudeville with his grandfather, Billy Allen. The echo of his comedian father's laugh can be recognized as Dr. Allen teaches everyone in the audience to amuse themselves and laugh their way to a more stress free life.
Kirstie Alley Kirstie Alley's career has encompassed success in top-grossing films and highly acclaimed television, garnering multiple awards. Most recently, she made her return to network television by producing and starring in the hit show, "Veronica's Closet." In the show's first season, Kirstie won a People's Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series as well as nominations for the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Emmy Awards. Kirstie first gained notoriety for her portrayal of bar-owner Rebecca Howe on the long-running television comedy, "Cheers." During her six years on the show, she won the Emmy, Golden Globe and People's Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. She has an overall deal with Warner Bros. that encompasses features and television series. Her screen career includes recent performances in Woody Allen's acclaimed "Deconstructing Harry" and with Tim Allen in the romantic comedy, "For Richer or Poorer." She also stars in "The Mao Game," based on the New York Times bestseller, and reteamed with John Travolta with whom she starred in the "Look Who's Talking" series in the drama, "Common Ground."
Dr. Alexa Altman Dr. Alexa Altman is a clinical psychologist who received her doctoral training in health psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles and completed additional post doctoral training in mind body medicine. Dr. Altman established a weight management program entitled, The Psychology of Weight Loss and she facilitates weight loss therapy groups and travels around the country lecturing on the subject. Dr. Altman also has clinical training in biofeedback, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and Somatic Experiencing SE. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, (EMDR), is a powerful new psychotherapy technique which has been very successful in helping people who suffer from trauma, anxiety, panic, disturbing memories, post traumatic stress, addictions and many other emotional problems. EMDR is considered a breakthrough therapy because of its simplicity and the fact that it can bring quick and lasting relief for most types of emotional distress. Dr Altman also has training in Somatic Experiencing (SE). This is a short-term naturalistic approach to the resolution and healing of trauma developed by Dr. Peter Levine. SE employs the awareness of body sensation to help people ''renegotiate'' and heal their traumas rather than relive them. Dr. Alexa Altman was a consulting psychologist to NBC's The Biggest Loser, where her role was to assist contestants in learning how to overcome emotional eating, improve coping skills, increase self-esteem and learn how to manage negative thinking and behaviors. She is currently in full-time private practice and specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, PTSD, addictive disorders, personality disorders, relationship issues, and mood/anxiety disorders.
Byllye Avery A dreamer, visionary, and grassroots realist, Ms. Avery combines activism and social responsibility by developing a national forum for the exploration of health issues of African-American women. By gathering and documenting African-American women's health experiences she is providing a supportive atmosphere for African-American women. Prior to her entry into the health care arena, Ms. Avery taught special education to emotionally disturbed students and consulted on learning disabilities in public schools and universities throughout the southeastern United States.
Robert Bazell NBC News' Chief Health & Science Correspondent. His reports appear on "NBC Nightly News", "Today" and "Dateline NBC." Dr. Bazell is the author of the controversial book, HER-2: The Making of Herceptin, a Revolutionary Treatment for Breast Cancer.
Berry Brazelton, MD World renowned pediatrician, parenting expert and author.
Christie Brinkley Well know model, actress and health/fitness expert.After nearly three decades as one of the world's most celebrated beauties, Christie Brinkley is still the quintessential California Golden Girl. She is an American supermodel whose 20-year contract with Cover Girl (1976–96) was the longest-running contract in the modeling industry. Her image has graced the covers of dozens of magazines, including three Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. Her nine-year marriage (1985–94) to pop singer Billy Joel was highly publicized. She has two children. In 1996, she married husband number four, architect Peter Cook.
Jane Brody For a recent birthday, Jane Brody received a T-shirt that proclaimed "Still Perfect ---After All These Years." Once she stopped laughing, she began to think that it really should have said "Still Trying --- After All These Years" -- still trying to be good to her body, to fuel it right and move it regularly so that it will continue to be good to her. But while her regular menu focuses on vegetables, fruits, grains, potatoes, beans and peas "fleshed" out with circumspect amounts of low-fat dairy products, lean meats and poultry and all manner of fish and shellfish, she is no fanatic. Moderation and variety, but not deprivation and denial, are her watchwords. To keep her body from "rusting out," she insists on daily physical activity, alternating between walking, cycling, swimming, ice skating, playing tennis, hiking, gardening and cross-country skiing. The result is a woman who is more robust, energetic, youthful and trim at 55 than she was at 15. Jane Brody received her B.S. degree in biochemistry from the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in 1962 and a masters degree in science writing from the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism the following year. After two years as a general assignment reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune, in 1965 she joined The New York Times as a full-time specialist in medicine and biology. In 1976 she was appointed The Times' Personal Health columnist, and her widely read and quoted column continues to appear every Wednesday in The Times and in more than 100 other newspapers around the country. In addition, her articles on other aspects of science and medicine appear frequently in The Times' “Wednesday Health Page" and “Tuesday's Science Times." Ms. Brody has also written scores of magazine articles and lectures frequently on health and nutrition to audiences both lay and professional. She has appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows throughout the country and received numerous prestigious awards for journalistic excellence. In 1987, she received an honorary doctorate from Princeton University, and in 1993 she received an honorary doctorate from Hamline University in St. Paul. Ms. Brody has written eight books: Secrets of Good Health; You Can Fight Cancer and Win; Jane Brody's Nutrition Book; Jane Brody's The New York Times Guide to Personal Health; Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet and Jane Brody's Good Food Book. Her newest cookbook, Jane Brody's Good Seafood Book, was published in October 1994 and, Jane Brody's Cold and Flu Fighter, was released in October 1995. Her ninth book, Jane Brody's Allergy Fighter, was published in April 1997. Ms. Brody was born on May 19, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York. She presently resides in New York with her husband Richard Engguist, a lyricist, and their energetic spaniel Max. Their twin sons, Erik and Lorin, now both married, share her enthusiasm for wholesome food and fitness.
Lawton R. Bums Lawton R. Bums, Ph.D., MBA, is the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor, and Professor of Health Care Systems in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also Director of Research at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and Visiting Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. Dr. Burns teaches courses on healthcare strategy, organization and management, managed care, and integrated delivery systems. He received his doctorate in Sociology and his MBA in Health Administration from the University of Chicago. Dr. Burns taught previously in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago and the College of Business Administration at the University of Arizona.Dr. Burns has conducted research on physician-organization arrangements over the past fourteen years. He has conducted numerous surveys of physicians at the hospital system, county, state, and national levels, and analyzed the trajectory of physician-hospital relationships over time. In recognition of this research, Dr. Burns was named the Edwin L. Crosby Memorial Fellow by the Hospital Research and Educational Trust in 1992. During the past few years he has helped design national surveys of hospital-physician integration activity for the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission, the American Hospital Association, and the Center for Health Management Research; a national survey of hospital restructuring and reengineering for the Hospital Research & Educational Trust; and a national survey of payer-provider capiated contracting for InterStudy.Dr. Bums has received grants from the Agency for Health Care Policy & Research (AHCPR) to examine the market forces that favor the development of integrated delivery systems and the internal mechanisms used by such systems to promote physician alignment. He has also received grants to study emerging topics in integration including efforts by health systems to develop group practices, methods to right-size physician panels, incentivize physicians under capitation, and develop physician leadership. Dr. Burns recently completed case studies of six integrated delivery systems in Illinois for the Illinois Hospital and HealthSystems Association to identify corniiion problems and problem-solving approaches in the integration process. Dr. Bums is also conducting research on medical groups and networks. He has published several papers on the structure and performance of the physician practice management industry, the market forces that shape the growth of group practices and investor-owned networks, and the organizational options for physicians in a consolidating industry. Most recently, he has received a grant to study supply chain management in the healthcare industry.
Joseph Califano Health care expert, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare and author of America’s Health Care Revolution and Radical Surgery.
Daniel Callahan The nation's leading medical ethicist, Daniel Callahan is founder of the Hastings Center which studies ethical issues in such fields as medicine and life sciences. An expert on how our society deals with life and death, he speaks on ethical problems in medicine and biology; medical goals in an aging society; the radical philosophical changes necessary to improve U.S. health care; and the economics and future of medicine from a moral point of view.
Alex Canady One of America's leading neurosurgeons, Dr. Alexa Canady had to overcome the challenges of being a woman and an African American to graduate cum laude from the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Canady is now a professor of medicine and the Chief of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital. She is featured in the book and exhibit, I Dream A World, Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America.
Max Cleland Former U.S. Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) is a member of the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). President George Bush nominated Cleland on Nov. 21, 2003. He was subsequently confirmed by the Senate and sworn in on Dec. 15, 2003 for a term expiring January 20, 2007. Cleland has a long and distinguished career in public service at the state and national levels in both the executive and legislative branches of government. In 2002, Cleland was appointed to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States to report findings and recommendations to prevent future terrorist attacks. More recently he has served as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor to American Universitys (AU) Washington Semester Program, and as a Fellow in AU’s Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies. Cleland successfully ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Sam Nunn in 1995. He served on four Senate Committees: Armed Services; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Governmental Affairs; and Small Business. Previously, Cleland had the distinction of serving as the youngest Secretary of State in Georgia’s history, and the youngest member of the Georgia State Senate. Under President Jimmy Carter, Cleland became the youngest head of the U.S. Veterans Administration. In that capacity, he instituted the revolutionary Vets Center program that, for the first time, offered psychological counseling to combat veterans to heal the emotional wounds of war. Cleland volunteered for duty in Vietnam and was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1968. He was seriously wounded in a grenade explosion that year, costing him both legs and his right arm. He was awarded the Bronze Star and a Silver Star for gallantry in action. Cleland holds a master’s degree in American History from Emory University. He majored in history at Stetson University. Both institutions subsequently awarded him honorary doctorate degrees. Cleland grew up in Lithonia, GA.
Kenneth Cooper, MD One of the country’s foremost authorities on health and fitness and author of The Aerobics Program for the Total Well-Being: Exercise, Diet and Emotional Balance.
Dr. Grace Cornish Well known relationship expert, image consultant, family therapist, Gracie Cornish delivers a positive message of self-reliance directed to women from all walks of life. She is the author of three books of empowerment for women: The Fortune of Being Yourself; Think and Grow Beautiful; and Radiant Women of Color and Womens Rights Womens Power, a book which has won critical acclaim as a total self-empowerment guide for Black women. A much sought after guest on the TV talk show circuit, she has appeared on "The Montel Williams Show," "Ricki Lake," "Rolanda" and NBC's "Positively Black."
Dr. Michael Dansinger Michael Dansinger, MD, is an internationally recognized authority on dietary and lifestyle counseling for weight loss and prevention of obesity-related medical problems. He is the weight loss and nutrition advisor for NBC's hit prime time series "The Biggest Loser", and a contributor to the best selling book series based on the show. He has been interviewed about his weight loss experience on the Today show, CNN, National Public Radio, CBS Radio, BBC Radio, Italian Public Television, Oprah magazine, Time magazine, Consumer Reports, USA Today, NY Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and appears in Who's Who in Medicine and Science. Dr. Dansinger holds multiple academic positions. He is the Clinical Nutrition and Obesity Editor for WebMD's academic journal (MedGenMed), is an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, is a scientist with the USDA Nutrition Research Center, and is a member of the Division of Endocrinology at Tufts-New England Medical Center. His research on dietary counseling in well known. He published the highly publicized research study "Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Cardiac Risk Reduction" in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2005, which was one of the most highly read and quoted scientific articles of the year. His published meta-analysis "The Effect of Dietary Counseling for Weight Loss" (July, 2007) also received media attention and scientific praise as the first study to clarify the amount and duration of weight loss resulting from diet-based lifestyle programs. He is currently conducting a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of the USDA food pyramid and a low-starch version of the food pyramid, for weight loss and heart disease reduction. Sought after as a highly desirable keynote speaker, his humor, discussion of the Biggest Loser show, insights on the national obesity crisis, and prescription for accelerated weight loss, have earned high praise from audiences of over 1000. Dr. Dansinger directs a lifestyle coaching practice for weight loss and diabetes reversal and prevention, limited to a select group of 40 adults in Boston. He is available for public speaking opportunities or for his one-on-one telephone coaching program.
Dave Dravecky Former major league pitcher, cancer survivor and motivational speaker.
Dr. Christine Dumas Dr. Christine Dumas is a medical reporter. Since 1996, her stories have appeared on NBC News Today and NBC News Weekend Edition Today. She is a regular guest on Weekend Live with Tony Snow, as well as being a featured weekly guest on Tony Snow’s nationally syndicated radio program, where she comments on topical issues across medicine and the currency of conversation.Dr. Christine Dumas began her career as a health correspondent for ABC’s Home Show and then moved to ABC’s Good Morning America. When off camera, she has co-authored a new health care guide, Special Treatment: How to Get the Same High-Quality Health Care Your Doctor Gets (Penguin Putnam, 2003). Her book is a must have reference guide for households across America and reaches diverse audiences seeking unparalleled advice in medical care.Dr. Christine Dumas has served as a keynote speaker for the Speaking of Women’s Health National Tour, where she covered the latest trends in health, wellness and fitness delivering that message to over 30,000 women across the United States. She served as a national spokesperson and strategic planning consultant for the American Medical Association’s Women’s Health Campaign, and also on the National Tobacco-Free Steering Committee for the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. She serves on the board of the National Association of Medical Communicators. She was awarded two Presidential Citations from the American Dental Association for her contributions to the health of the nation.Dr. Christine Dumas has spent over a decade reporting on trends in health and wellness giving her a leading-edge perspective that is sought-after by top medical organizations, Fortune 500 corporations and other group forums. Dr. Dumas regularly lectures to healthcare organizations such as the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health and the American Dental Association as well as to corporate audiences such as Estee Lauder, Procter and Gamble and United Airlines. Many Fortune 500 companies recruit Dr. Dumas for keynote speeches and to offer her infectious enthusiasm about best practices for maintaining wellness
Dave Eggers Eggers 1999 memoir “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” recounted the story of the deaths from cancer of both his parents within a five-week period and his own subsequent role as caretaker, at 21, of his 8-year-old brother. The work quickly became a bestseller and Eggers became a celebrity of sorts, getting such an abundance of media coverage that the media soon began covering the massive coverage. Eggers began his literary career as co-founder of a satirical publication called Might Magazine. He is the founder of McSweeney’s, a literary journal and Web site that features work by established and up-and-coming writers. He also founded and works as a teacher at 826 Valencia, a San Francisco writing laboratory for city youth. His most recent book is the self-published “You Shall Know Our Velocity.”
Joycelyn Elders When she was sworn in as Surgeon General, Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders became the first African American and the second woman to hold that post. As Surgeon General, Dr. Elders initiated programs to combat youth smoking and teen pregnancy and to increase childhood immunizations. As a private citizen, she continues to lobby tirelessly for the health needs of the young, the poor and the powerless. A pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Elders has a deep concern for the welfare of children. She believes that violence, sexually transmitted diseases, poverty and substance abuse are the biggest threats to the health and wellness of our children. Dr. Elders has always spoken from her heart on health care issues. She advocates public health over profits in health care reform, openness over censorship in sex education, and rehabilitation over incarceration in the war against drugs. Her presentations on sexual health and education are both frank and informative. In her lectures and in her book, Joycelyn Elders M.D.: From Sharecropper’s Daughter to Surgeon General of the United States, she addresses the importance of good prenatal care, the future of healthcare reform, women’s health concerns, current treatments for HIV/AIDS, and meeting the needs of older Americans.
Mary Fisher Leader in the effort to bring awareness, compassion and healing to the cause of HIV/AIDS.
Jane Fonda Award-winning actress, feminist and political activist.
Scott Fried Scott Fried is a national public speaker, health educator and author. He has devoted the past sixteen years of his life lecturing in nearly every state in this country, as well as Israel, England, Canada, Holland and Honduras, reaching more than a million people. He has spoken at over 500 institutions, including colleges and universities, high schools and middle schools, summer camps, synagogues and churches. In addition, he has lectured widely at youth retreats, juvenile detention centers and prisons, alternative schools, learning disabled populations, gay/straight alliances, PTO meetings and teacher training workshops. Topics include sexual responsibility, abstinence, dating, transmission of HIV, homosexuality, eating disorders, body image, self-mutilation, suicide, alcohol and drug misuse, dealing with divorce and broken-heartedness, among others. Scott uses himself as Exhibit A. He begins each lecture with his story of how he got infected with HIV in 1987 at the age of 24, during his first and only unsafe sexual encounter. His unstoppable approach to educating others can be encapsulated into one thought: one must understand the value of one's own life, and hold it sacred, in order to refrain from dangerous behaviors that could lead to HIV infection and other crises. He is the author of two books. If I Grow Up: Talking with Teens about AIDS, Love and Staying Alive is a moving chronicle of his experiences and lectures. The book is part journal, part guide and part love-letter, researched and compiled from hundreds of lectures to 1000s of students across the country. My Invisible Kingdom: Letters From the Secret Lives of Teens, presents a cross-section of the thousands of letters from students who have written to Scott in an attempt to share their pain and doubt on such diverse topics as rape, eating disorders, suicide, self-mutilation, coming out, addiction and broken hearts. The book is also intended for parents and other adults who are concerned about the physical and psychological well-being of today's youth. In addition to his lectures, Scott has conducted peer HIV-education programs for the tri-state area, encouraging teenagers to teach their own peer group and co-founded an HIV-positive speakers' bureau, through a nonprofit AIDS service organization and in connection with the NYC Board of Education, providing free HIV prevention workshops to students in the five boroughs. He was seen on the television daytime drama Guiding Light portraying Bart, a young man living with AIDS. Scott has been published in numerous periodicals and newspapers and is featured in the books The Five Gifts of Illness: A Reconsideration, Living Proof: Courage in the Face of AIDS, The Faces of AIDS: Lives at the Epicenter and The World is a Narrow Bridge: Stories that Celebrate Hope and Healing. He has been interviewed on ABC Eyewitness News and The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, received the Honorary Star of the Rainbow Award for his work with teens and is a biannual guest speaker at the Office of President Clinton in New York City.
Emily Friedman Ms. Friedman has written more than 700 articles and editorials in the past 28 years. She is the editor of the books Making Choices: Ethics Issues for Health Care Professionals (American Hospital Publishing, 1986), Choices and Conflict: Explorations in Health Care Ethics (American Hospital Publishing, 1992), and An Unfinished Revolution: Women and Health Care in America (United Hospital Fund of New York, 1994). She authored The Aloha Way: Health Care Structure and Finance in Hawaii (Hawaii Medical Service Association, 1993) and The Right Thing: Ten Years of Ethics Columns from the Healthcare Forum Journal (Jossey-Bass, 1996). She also writes on health care for the World Book Encyclopedia Yearbook and the Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ms Friedman is currently writing a history of health care in the state of Minnesota. A prolific public speaker, she addresses audiences ranging from state legislatures to pharmaceutical professionals to community groups to hospital and health system leaders and health care associations. She has also lectured at many universities, including Harvard, Princeton, the University of California - Berkeley, the University of California - San Diego, Ohio State, Yale, and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. In 1987-88 she was Rockefeller Fellow in Ethics at Dartmouth College.She also serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Bioethics, Department of Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights at the Boston University School of Public Health, which has repeatedly named her one of its highest-rated teachers. In addition, she is a consultant on information dissemination to the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She has made many radio and television appearances, including on "ABC News Nightline." She has won many awards and honors, including being named an Honorary Life Member of the American Hospital Association, a Fellow of Academy Health (formerly the Association for Health Services Research), and an Honorary Lifetime Fellow of the American Academy of Medical Administrators. She has also received the Corning Award of the Society for Health Care Planning and Marketing. The annual Emily Friedman Award is given for improvements in community health by Community Health Partners, Charleston, South Carolina. In addition, she has won many writing awards. In 2003, her column, "Making Choices," in Health Forum Journal, won a National Award of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (the largest competition in U.S. business publishing) and the Gold Award from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors (the highest award that the Association grants). In August 2002 and again in August 2004, the readers of Modern Healthcare named her as one of the 100 most powerful people in the health care field. In April 2005, the editors of Modern Healthcare named her one of the "Top 25 Women in Healthcare."
Laurie Garrett Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author will speak on The Collapse of Global Public Health. In March 2004, Laurie took the position of Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations. She is an expert on global health with a particular focus on newly emerging and re-emerging diseases; public health and their effects on foreign policy and national security.
Kristine Gebbie National AIDS policy officer in the first Clinton Administration.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a practicing neurosurgeon and the senior medical correspondent for health and medicine at CNN, where he plays an integral role in helping millions of viewers understand the newest advances in medical science and personal health. Gupta has been on assignment for some of the biggest breaking news stories of the decade: he covered the 9/11 attacks and the anthrax scare, reported live from the 2004 tsunami, contributed to CNN's Peabody Award-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina, and, during the war in Iraq, reported as an embedded correspondent with the U.S. Navy's medical unit. (He provided live coverage of the first operation performed during the war --and even performed brain surgery five times while there.) At CNN, Gupta delivers segments, hosts House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, produces New You Resolution, a series of prime-time specials that challenges people to kick their unhealthy habits, and oversees Fit Nation, an ongoing, multi-platform, grass roots initiative against obesity. He also writes a column for TIME, and hosts a weekly podcast, "Paging Dr. Gupta." Gupta is a member of the staff and faculty at the department of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine. He also performs surgery weekly at Grady Memorial Hospital, where he serves as chief of neurosurgery. He is a member of both the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1997, Gupta was chosen as a White House Fellow, one of only 15 appointed, and served as special advisor to The First Lady. He has won the Humanitarian Award from the National Press Photographers Association and been named by People magazine as "One of The Sexiest Men Alive."
Hill Harper Despite his many accolades and awards, or maybe because of them, Hill Harper made a commitment to work in service of our youth. To pass along the lessons he learned and provide a foundation for young brothers and sisters to use as a launching pad to success. Hill knew early on that education is the key to unlock potential and open doors. He pursued his education with a passion and determination that resulted in him graduating Magna Cum Laude from Brown University. But not satisfied with that success, he went on to earn graduate degrees in Law and Public Administration from Harvard University.After achieving his goals in higher education, Hill began to pursue his career in acting with the same dedication and discipline he exhibited in the classroom. His hard work paid off as he is now seen in the hit CBS drama, CSI:NY. His appearance on the show has earned him two NAACP Image Awards. Prior to his current series Hill appeared in the CBS series' City of Angels and The Handler and he made numerous guest starring appearances in top shows such as Soul Food, The Sopranos, ER, NYPD Blue, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Of course, Hill is also an accomplished and acclaimed film actor he recently starred in the HBO movie, Lackawanna Blues and received critical acclaim for his performance in the independent film, The Visit. Again, Hill's film credits are numerous and include appearances in In Too Deep, Beloved, He Got Game, Get On The Bus, Zooman, and One Red Rose [which he co-wrote for Showtime.]He has been awarded an additional three NAACP Image awards for his literary accomplishments Outstanding Literary Work: Youth/Teens (2007, 2008) and Outstanding Literary Work: Debut Author (2007). Hill has authored his first book for adults: The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships; it has also been recognized as a New York Times Bestseller. Also Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny, published in 2008 and "The Conversation", published in 2009.
Bernadine Healy, Physician, medical school dean and former Director of the National Institute of Health.
Henry J. Heimlich, MD Famous medical researcher, surgeon and developer of the “Heimlich Maneuver.”
John Hockenberry Three-time Peabody Award winner, four-time Emmy award winner and Dateline NBC correspondent, John Hockenberry has broad experience as a journalist and commentator for more than two decades. He has reported from all over the world, in virtually every medium, having anchored programs for network, cable and radio. Hockenberry was responsible for two of the most innovative programs to air on MSNBC. The program “Hockenberry’ was a smart provocative news interview program which broadcast live from the war in Kosovo in 1999, while “Edgewise” was a unique blend of raw documentary filmaking and interviews with newsmakers passionate about politics and culture. Hockenberry joined NBC as a correspondent for Dateline NBC in January 1996 after a fifteen-year career in broadcast news at both National Public Radio and ABC News. Hockenberry's reporting for Dateline NBC earned him three Emmys, an Edward R Murrow award and a Casey Medal. His most prominent Dateline NBC reports include an hour-long documentary on the often-fatal tragedy of the medically uninsured, an emotionally gripping portrait of a young schizophrenic trying to live on his own, and extensive reporting in the aftermath of September 11th. His programs have illuminated issues and events from corporate downsizing and the new face of homelessness to the mysterious world of Saudi Arabia post 9/11. Hockenberry obtained the first television interview with a family member of two of the terrorist hijackers in Saudi Arabia. His investigative work has scrutinized pharmaceutical industry scandals and discrimination against people with disabilities in employment and housing.
Dr. Robert Huizenga Dr. Robert Huizenga is considered one of the leading weight-loss experts in the country today. As an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Huizenga has a busy medical practice that studies obesity related issues. Formerly, Dr. Huizenga was the Los Angeles Raiders doctor and NFL Physician Society President. Huizenga's experiences in football are chronicled in "You're OK, It's Just a Bruise - A Doctor's Sideline Secrets about Pro-Football's Most Outrageous Team." This controversial book became the basis for Oliver Stone's movie, "Any Given Sunday." Before college, Dr. Huizenga excelled at math and chemistry, being named Valedictorian at Penfield High in New York. At the University of Michigan, Huizenga became an NCAA All-American wrestler while graduating with honors in zoology. After his undergraduate work was complete, Huizenga went on to become an all-star rugger at Harvard Medical School and specialized in immunology. Soon after, Huizenga was chosen to become Chief Medical Resident at Cedars Sinai Medical Center while also serving as a national medical correspondent for FOX-TV. Dr. Huizenga has repeatedly been interviewed as a health expert on CBS, NBC, ABC, "Larry King Live," "Nightline" and many other news programs. He has also been called as a medical expert in multiple high profile legal cases, including the O.J. Simpson, anabolic steroid and Botox trials. He has had recurrent roles as writer, correspondent and advisor on numerous TV shows, including "LA Doctors," "Nurses," "Empty Nest" and, most recently, "The Biggest Loser."
"Bo" Jackson Bo Jackson was one of the most talented and versatile athletes this country has ever seen. An All-Star in baseball for the Kansas City Royals and an All-Pro in football for the Oakland Raiders, Jackson was one of a handful of athletes who ever successfully played both professional baseball and football in the same year. Tragically, Bo's career was cut short by injuries, but fans certainly will remember him for the time when he was in the spotlight. Off the field, Bo rose to greatness as well. In his book, Bo Knows Bo (a play on his habit of referring to himself in the third person), Jackson revealed problems that he had off the field, especially as a younger man, with anger and relationships (Jackson had a troubled childhood, growing up without a father). Today, even though his playing days are over, Jackson has gone on to great success, including a reputation as a terrific dad himself and one of the nicest guys in sports.
Adlersberg Jay Health and science correspondent for ABC News.
Ann Jillian Well known actress and entertainment and a crusader for the early detection of cancer.
Tommy John Baseball pitching great and inspirational speaker.
Magic Johnson Earvin Johnson, Jr. may best be known for his winning ways during his illustrious 13-year NBA career, but today the basketball legend directs his efforts toward his growing business and philanthropic empire, Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE). Unparalleled Athletic Success Earvin Magic Johnson is famous for his brilliant passing skills, all-around sublime talent, illuminating smile, and engaging personality. During his 12-year pro basketball career, Johnson led the LA Lakers to five NBA championships and nine appearances in the NBA Finals. After announcing that he was HIV-positive and retiring from basketball in 1991, he was voted as a starter in the 1992 All-Star Game, and later chosen as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team. We Are the Communities We Serve While Mr. Johnson may be best known for his prowess on the basketball court, he is also a successful businessman and committed philanthropist. The Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF) is a non-profit organization that provides support to community-based organizations that serve the health, educational and social needs of inner-city youth and organizations. In addition, the Foundation is committed to raising awareness about several health and social concerns that threaten under-served communities.
Dr. Timothy Johnson Dr. G. Timothy Johnson is one of the nation's leading medical communicators of health care information. As Medical Editor for ABC News, Johnson provides on-air medical analysis for "World News Tonight," "Nightline" and "20/20." He has provided commentary on medical problems and answers for viewers of ABC News' "Good Morning America" since the program's debut in 1975. Johnson's programs and feature reports have won several awards, including a National Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as two Emmy Awards from the Boston/New England Chapter of the same organization. He earned a Gabriel Award in 1999 in the best news story category for the two-part piece, "Alzheimer's: A Faded Memory." Johnson was selected as the recipient of the 1998 Bradford Washburn Award presented by the Museum of Science, Boston — an honor also bestowed upon Jacques Cousteau, Walter Cronkite, Dr. Jane Goodall and Alan Alda, among others. In 1988, he received the Lewis Thomas Award for Communications from the American College of Physicians, and in 1987 and 1989, he won the Howard W. Blakeslee Award given by the American Heart Association. Johnson is the founding editor of the Harvard Medical School Health Letter and co-editor of the "Harvard Medical School Health Letter Book." He is also co-editor of the book "Your Good Health," co-author of "Let's Talk," and author of "Dr. Timothy Johnson's OnCall Guide to Men's Heath" and "Finding God in the Questions: A Personal Journey."
Rosabeth Moss Kanter Internationally known business leader, best-selling author and advocate for business, government and health care reforms.
Dean Karnazes Dean Karnazes was proclaimed, "The fittest man in the world" by Men's Fitness magazine. An internationally recognized endurance athlete and bestselling author, Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. Among his many accomplishments, he has run 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights. He's run across Death Valley in 120 degree temperatures, and he's run a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees. On ten different occasions, he's run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of twelve. Dean Karnazes has swum across the San Francisco Bay, scaled Half Dome in Yosemite, mountain-biked for 24-hours straight, surfed the gigantic waves off the coast of Hawaii, and is an accomplished windsurfer. Dean Karnazes has won the Vermont Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run, holds eleven Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run Silver Buckle's, has raced and competed across the globe, and has won the world’s toughest footrace, the Badwater Ultramarathon, running 135 miles across Death Valley in the middle of summer. His most recent endeavor was running 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the NYC Marathon, which he ran in three hours flat. Dean Karnazes and his incredible adventures have been featured on 60 Minutes, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS News, CNN, ESPN, The Howard Stern Show, NPR's Morning Edition, the BBC, and many others. He has appeared on the cover of Runner's World and Outside, and been featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, Men's Journal, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and the London Telegraph, to mention a few. He is a monthly columnist for Men's Health, the largest Men's publication in the world. His first book, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, is a National Bestseller, and was the #7 bestselling sports book worldwide in 2005. Ultramarathon Man is currently in print in eleven languages and available in audio format. Always wanting to do more, to give more, to help others in need, Dean Karnazes has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity through his running and sports career. He has participated in the Leukemia Society of America's "Team-In-Training" and "Man of the Year" programs, has raised money for the Special Olympics, YouthAIDS and childhood organ donation programs, and has contributed his time and energy to numerous environmental organizations. Beyond being a celebrated endurance athlete, philanthropist, and bestselling author, Dean Karnazes is an accomplished businessman with a notable professional career working for several Fortune 500 companies and startups alike. He is uniquely able to demonstrate how the lessons learned from athletics can be applied to business, and he is able to convey with authenticity the many insights he has gleaned along the way as an athlete and business professional. Dean Karnazes is a sought after speaker who has captivated audiences across the country with his stories of persistence and perseverance. His dynamic, engaging and inspirational presentations focus on going beyond perceived limitations to be the best that you can be. He talks about unlocking an inner strength to achieve extraordinary results. His real-life examples explore the topics of: dealing with adversity, overcoming obstacles, setting and reaching lofty goals, the importance of teamwork, even in solo endeavors, and excelling in a competitive, and often confusing, world. In his presentations, he examines and discusses the essential ingredients necessary for high-achievement, and developing the ability to prevail against staggering odds. Dean Karnazes is believable, because his achievements and accomplishments are real, and he delivers his message with the insight and candor that only one who has lived through such experiences can. His tales of endurance and perseverance are often comical, sometimes tear-jerking, and always entertaining. His roster of clients include: Nike, Roche Pharmaceuticals, The Gap, Accenture, Genentech, The North Face, L'Oreal Cosmetics, Stanford University, CNET, JP Morgan Chase, and a host of others.
Dr. Jennifer Kerns Dr. Jennifer Kerns is the newest member of The Biggest Losers medical team. She grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC before moving to Massachusetts for her undergraduate degree, where she graduated from Williams College cum laude, with Honors in Neuroscience in 1995. She returned to the Washington, DC area for medical school and residency, and was chosen to be Chief Medical Resident at the George Washington University Medical Center, where she was delighted to be elected to the auspicious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Dr. Kerns then moved to California in 2003 to join the medical faculty at the University of California, San Diego as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, where she focused on patient care, teaching medical students and residents, and authoring chapters in medical reference books. Dr. Kerns is not only an accomplished physician, but she also understands weight related issues better than anyone, having struggled with her own obesity since childhood. In 2006, Jen made the decision to transform her life and applied to be one of the 50 contestants on Season 3 of The Biggest Loser. She was chosen to represent the state of Virginia, and managed to lose an astounding 108 pounds in 8 months as an at-home contestant. Since the shows finale in December, Dr. Kerns has successfully maintained her weight loss (actually losing an additional 15 pounds!) and relocated to Los Angeles, where she joined the busy medical practice of Dr. Rob Huizenga in order to focus her career on the treatment of overweight and obesity. She feels that being able to share her own weight-loss experience with her patients and the current contestants on The Biggest Loser and support them through their own battle against obesity is the most amazing gift that she could have been given.
C. Everett Koop, A prominent physician and former Surgeon General of the United States.
Frank LaMere Gambling, freedom of religion, health care-these are some of the contemporary issues discussed on reservations throughout the United States. While these issues are debated on the Native American reservations, they are rarely discussed in the classroom. As part of our Transcending Prejudice series, the Athenaeum welcomes Frank LaMere to Claremont to speak on the many issues facing indigenous people in the modern world. Frank LaMere has long been one of the most politically active and recognizable figures on the national Indian scene. He is a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and has been the executive director of the Nebraska Indian Intertribal Development Corporation for the past 14 years. His organization provides logistic, financial, and strategic support for economic and social service initiatives for a variety of tribes in the Midwest. LaMere served as the head of the Native American delegation to the Democratic National Convention and served on the platform committee. LaMere also serves on the reorganization committee for the Federal Indian Health Service. He is a strong community leader as well as an important national figure for indigenous people throughout North America. LaMere's speech promises to open your eyes to the many issues facing Native Americans today.
Richard Lamm Health care authority and three-term Governor of Colorado.
Pat Lavin Certified clinical hypotherapist, Pat Lavin uses hypnosis to promote health and healing. A member of the national Guild of Hypnotists and the International Association of Counselors and Therapists, Ms. Lavin has been featured in New York Newsday, the New York Daily News, National Public Radio and has appeared on such shows as the "Maury Povich Show" and "Sonia Live" regarding societal and individual health issues. She is also available to present a self-hypnosis workshop.
Rae Lewis-Thornton Rae Lewis-Thornton was diagnosed HIV Positive in 1986 at the age of 23, and today has AIDS. She uses her life as an example that AIDS is a non-discriminatory disease, challenging the common myths and stereotypes surrounding who can become infected with the HIV virus, and how the virus is transmitted. Featured in Essence magazine as well as the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, the "Oprah Winfrey Show," "Nightline" and on several national television documentaries, Lewis-Thornton is a political science master's candidate and is currently enrolled in a master's in divinity program. She is on a crusade to educate and challenge young and old audiences to take care of their bodies, futures and health.
Michelle Lopez Now 36 years old, Michelle Lopez tested positive for HIV in 1991. A lesbian,immigrant, and mother of two, Michelle enrolled in a training program for women to do advocacy and treatment work in 1997. She currently works as a Treatment Educator and Client Advocate at the Community Healthcare Network in the Bronx and serves on the board of the National Association of People With AIDS. Her closest encounter with death came in 1994 when, suffering from pneumonia and a fever of 105 degrees, she credits the images of her children with restoring her strength. Raven, age 12, is also HIV-positive and has recently come to understand what she is living with, explains Michelle. Rondell is 16 and learning to grow up with an openly gay mother who speaks publicly about HIV and AIDS. But for Michelle, the last chapter is to become an American citizen and to vote. "Coming from Trinidad, voting is something deep in my heart that I want to have before I leave this earth," she says. Her current mission is to bring the voices of immigrant women impacted by HIV/AIDS to the forefront. "We make up a large portion of this pie," she explains, "and our issues must be addressed and heard to level the playing field."
Michelle Lopez Now 36 years old, Michelle Lopez tested positive for HIV in 1991. A lesbian,immigrant, and mother of two, Michelle enrolled in a training program for women to do advocacy and treatment work in 1997. She currently works as a Treatment Educator and Client Advocate at the Community Healthcare Network in the Bronx and serves on the board of the National Association of People With AIDS. Her closest encounter with death came in 1994 when, suffering from pneumonia and a fever of 105 degrees, she credits the images of her children with restoring her strength. Raven, age 12, is also HIV-positive and has recently come to understand what she is living with, explains Michelle. Rondell is 16 and learning to grow up with an openly gay mother who speaks publicly about HIV and AIDS. But for Michelle, the last chapter is to become an American citizen and to vote. "Coming from Trinidad, voting is something deep in my heart that I want to have before I leave this earth," she says. Her current mission is to bring the voices of immigrant women impacted by HIV/AIDS to the forefront. "We make up a large portion of this pie," she explains, "and our issues must be addressed and heard to level the playing field."
Greg Louganis Greg Louganis began competing in diving at age 10. By 16, he had won his first Olympic medal, a silver medal on the platform in 1976. At 24, he became the first man in 56 years to win two gold medals in diving by winning both the platform and springboard events. In 1988, competing against divers half his age, he became the first to win double gold medals for diving in two consecutive Olympics. Louganis diving accomplishments do not stop there. He is a six time World Champion and has held 47 National Championship titles. At the Pan Am Games he earned six gold medals and in 1985 he was awarded the Sullivan Award as the nations most outstanding amateur athlete. Louganis is clearly the worlds greatest diver and a fine athlete. At the 1988 Olympic Games he was awarded the Maxwell House/United States Olympic Committee Spirit Award as the Olympic athlete who had best exhibited the ideals of the Olympic spirit, demonstrated extraordinary courage and contributed significantly to the sport. Louganis is more than just a diver, he stands out as a human being as well. Although he is best known for his accomplishments as an Olympic Gold Medalist, Louganis has battled depression and persevered despite that and other challenges in his personal life. His best-selling autobiography, Breaking the Surface, is a revealing account of a man struggling with far more than simply striving to be a great athlete. For years, Louganis cheerful public persona never hinted at the personal troubles he had to surmount - his HIV diagnosis, coming out as a gay man, domestic violence, substance abuse, dyslexia and surrounding all of this, his depression. Today, Louganis speaks out for many organizations including youth clubs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation groups, and organizations for the dyslexic on obstacles he has overcome with a warmth and grace that embody the Olympic spirit. A popular speaker for universities, community associations, health care organizations and corporate groups, his honesty and message of tolerance and understanding have inspired millions around the world. Louganis autobiography, Breaking the Surface, spent five weeks at number one on The New York Times bestseller List. He then produced a video diary called "Looking to the Light," which picked up where Breaking the Surface left off. His second book, For the Life of Your Dog, has just been published.
Davis Mallory Davis Mallory of MTVs Real World Denver Davis Mallory, 23, was born on August 23rd 1983 in Marietta, Georgia where he still lives close to presently in nearby Atlanta, Georgia. On the Denver Real World he fits the typecast of the general one gay person role, but he is much more than that as being a devout Christian he has some internal conflicts he even now presently trying to figure out regarding his sexuality.Davis always surrounded himself with straight people as he only recently came out but still has interest in women. He first told his family he may be gay when in the 6th grade but now proclaims himself to be a very "straight acting" Southern Baptist gay guy. These were the characteristics he felt got him cast on the Real World when he first attended an open casting call in Tampa, Florida.Davis from the Real World Denver has his Business & Medicine degree from Stetson University in May 2006 as he originally wanted to be a plastic surgeon, but after his Real World experience he is contemplating being in the business side of the music and entertainment industry. Davis Mallory would be great for college speaking engagements regarding the coming out process, LGBT issues, persecution within the family, homophobia, alcohol abuse, and being Gay while also being a devout Christian
BODY IMAGES MTV's Amaya and Veronica Discuss Eating Disorders & Self-Esteem MTV's Real World: Hawaii and Road Rules: Semester at Sea cast members team up to offer a frank and open interactive program on eating disorders and self-esteem... It seems that every year an increased emphasis is placed on weight and looks. As a result, girls of all ages struggle to live up to unrealistic physical expectations. This has led to problems such as eating disorders, depression, and lack of confidence. During college, young women are dealing with a new set of pressures and, oftentimes, get lost along the way and become afraid to ask for help. After sharing personal stories of their own battles with anorexia and bulimia, Amaya and Veronica explore the types and roots of eating disorders through a multi-media presentation. They take a hard look at societal influences on body image as well as how the media tends to falsely represent the true body of a woman. The lecture closes with positive, esteem-building tips and a question and answer session.
Patricia Neighmond National Public Radio’s health policy correspondent.
Karl Nelson NFL star, football color commentator and survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease.
Dr. Christine Northrup One of the foremost authorities on women's health, obstetrician/gynecologist, Christiane Northrup is the best-selling author of "The Wisdom of Menopause; Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom." Her T.V. specials on PBS draw large audiences and she has appeared on Oprah several times.
Dr. Antonia Novello Antonia Coello Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., was nominated by Governor George Pataki and confirmed as the thirteenth Commissioner of Health for the State of New York on June 15, 1999. Dr. Novello was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and earned her B.S. and M.D. degrees at the University of Puerto Rico. Dr. Novello served a pediatric internship and residency at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and completed subspecialty training in pediatric nephrology at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University. She also earned Masters of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health degrees from Johns Hopkins University. She is a board-certified pediatrician. Dr. Novello has a long and illustrious career in public health. From 1979 to 1990, she worked for the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health, where she served in various capacities, rising to Deputy Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. In 1990, Dr. Novello was appointed by President George Bush as the U.S. Surgeon General, a position she held until 1993. From 1993 to 1996, Dr. Novello served as the Special Representative for Health and Nutrition with UNICEF. Immediately prior to joining the New York State Department of Health, she served as Visiting Professor and Special Director of Community Health Policies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Novello is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She is also Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the University of Michigan and Adjunct Professor of International Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Novello is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the American Society of Nephrology, the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, the American Pediatrics Society, and the Society for Pediatric Research. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medallion and Medal, Distinguished Service Medal of the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Medical Association's Nathan B. Davis Award, the National Women's Hall of Fame, the American Academy of Pediatrics Excellence in Public Service Award, the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars Award, the Elizabeth Blackwell Award, the Public Health Service Commissioned Officer's Association Health Leader of the Year Award, the Charles C. Shepard Science Award for Scientific Excellence, and the Ronald McDonald Children's Charities Award of Excellence. She holds over 45 honorary degrees.
Dr. Gary Null America's leading expert on alternative health and nutrition, Dr. Gary Null is the best-selling author of fifty books on health and nutrition issues and is the host of the longest-running nationally syndicated daily health radio program, "Natural Living with Gary Null". He also lectures throughout the country at colleges, universities and organizations dealing with health, nutrition and the environment. Recently he has broken fundraising records at numerous PBS television stations across the country with his lectures on his best-selling books, Get Healthy Now and For Women Only.
Stephanie Oliver Well known journalist and health expert, Stephanie Stokes Oliver is the author of Cornbread: 365 Secrets for a Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit. She shares personal tips on health, fitness and spirituality and tells the audience how to have optimum health and happiness in the new millenium. Stephanie Stokes Oliver was an editor at Essence magazine and founding editor-in-chief of Heart & Soul magazine.
Dr. Mehmet Oz Dr. Oz is vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. His research interests include heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, complementary medicine and healthcare policy. He has authored over 400 original publications, book chapters and medical books and has received several patents.
Dr. Drew Pinsky A trusted source of information and advice for millions of young adults, Dr. Drew Pinsky has been co-host on the nationally syndicated call-in radio show Loveline for 18 years. Loveline evolved when Dr. Drew, then a medical student, volunteered to answer a few questions on the radio. The show is now heard on more than 50 radio stations across the country. In 1996, he and his co-host Adam Carolla took their show to MTV, which had a successful five-year run. In 1998 Dr. Drew and Adam Corolla released a book from Dell Publishing entitled The Dr. Drew and Adam Book: A Survival Guide to Life and Love. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his M.D. from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, Dr. Drew continued at USC for his residency. He then became chief resident at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. He is a board-certified internist and a board-certified addictionologist. Dr. Drew is the Medical Director for the Department of Chemical Dependency Services and the Chief of Service in the Department of Medicine at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena. He continues to run a private clinical medicine practice and was recently named Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Los Angeles Children's Hospital. A regular on Politically Incorrect and The View, Dr. Drew has been a guest on numerous national television outlets, including Larry King Live. He is a regular contributor to USA Weekend, writing extensively on a variety of topics related to addiction, adolescent health, intimacy, and relationships. Dr. Drew has been profiled in Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and other national media. A popular guest at college campuses across the country, Dr. Drew speaks to sold-out crowds at over 30 colleges per year. Dedicated to helping young people, Drew has been a spokesperson for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and has participated in AIDS charity events such as Macy's Passport with Michael Jordan, and drDrew.com, a lifestyle online community for 14- to 24-year-olds was launched in 1999. The Internet is the logical medium for Dr. Drew to communicate with young adults. The site is rich with content, chat rooms, forums, exclusive celebrity interviews, home pages, user polls, and great information on relationships, sex, and health issues.
Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint is Director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry and Faculty Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Harvard Medical School. Born in East Harlem, he attended Columbia and received his M.D. from Cornell University in 1960. He completed his postgraduate training at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Neuropsychiatric Institute, where he served as Chief Resident in Psychiatry in 1964-65. From 1965 to 1967, he was Southern Field Director of the Medical Committee for Human Rights in Jackson, Mississippi, providing medical care to civil rights workers and aiding in the desegregation of health facilities throughout the South. Dr. Poussaint is an expert on race relations in America, the dynamics of prejudice, and issues of diversity as our society becomes increasingly multicultural. He believes that extreme (violent) racists suffer from a delusional mental illness. Dr. Poussaint lectures widely on college campuses and also serves as a consultant to government agencies and private corporations. He is co-author, with James P. Comer, M.D., of Raising Black Children, 1992; and co-author, with Amy Alexander, of Lay My Burden Down, 2000. He was a script consultant to NBC's The Cosby Show and continues to consult to the media as an advocate of more responsible programming.
Dr. Judith Reichman Author, lecturer and medical correspondent for NBC's Today show. Dr. Reichman is a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist who speaks and writes about women's health issues. She is the author of: I'm Too Young to Get Old; I'm Not In The Mood; Relax This Won't Hurt-Painless Answers to Women's Most Pressing Health Questions.
Uwe Reinhardt Respected economist and authority on health care reform.
Betty Rollin NBC News special correspondent and breast cancer survivor.
Bernie Siegel Renowned physician and author of the best-selling books, Love, Medicine and Miracles and Peace, Love and Healing.
Richard Simmons Exercise guru and television personality.
Dr. Ian Smith Dr. Ian Smith is currently the medical/diet expert on VH1s highly rated Celebrity Fit Club, host of Meet the Faith on BET, and the creator and founder of The 50 Million Pound Challenge. Dr. Smith is also the host of his own nationally syndicated radio show HealthWatch on American Urban Radio Networks. He is the former medical correspondent for NBC News network and for NewsChannel 4 where he filed reports for NBCs "Nightly News" and the "Today" show as well as WNBC's various news broadcasts. He has appeared extensively on various broadcasts including The View, The Tyra Banks Show, Larry King Live, and Anderson Cooper 3600. He has written for various publications including Time, Newsweek, Mens Health, and the New York Daily News, and has been featured in several other publications including, People, Essence, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, and University of Chicago Medicine on the Midway. Dr. Smith's work has been honored by several organizations, including the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his coverage on the momentous events beginning on Sept. 11, 2001. Dr. Smith is very active in charitable causes, serving on several boards including the New York City Mission Society, American Council on Exercise, and the New York Council for the Humanities. Dr. Smith graduated from Harvard College with an AB and received a masters in science education from Teachers College of Columbia University. He attended Dartmouth Medical School and completed the last two years of his medical education and graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Smith is also the author of five books, the #1 New York Times Bestseller Extreme Fat Smash Diet, the #1 New York Times Bestseller The Fat Smash Diet, the critically acclaimed The Blackbird Papers (2005 BCALA fiction Honor Book Award winner), Dr. Ian Smith's Guide to Medical Websites, and The Take-Control Diet. He is currently at work on his second novel
Nancy Snydermann, MD ABC medical correspondent for “Good Morning America.”
Johnnie Tuitel To many, Johnnie Tuitel's disability is a struggle. But to Johnnie, it's just the way things are. Much of his positive attitude can be attributed to his upbringing. In 1963, doctors told Johnnie's Dutch-immigrant parents that their son had cerebral palsy. "He'll be a burden," they said. "He won't be able to lead a normal life." Ignoring the doctors, the Tuitels took their baby home to love him and to raise him. They encouraged him to focus on his abilities and to try anything and everything. Yes, there were cuts and bruises along the way, but they just increased his determination and toughened his resolve. Each struggle was a stepping-stone to a higher, yet undefined goal. The goal became clearer in 1974 when Johnnie became the first student with a disability to be mainstreamed into the public school system. He not only completed public schooling, but went on to receive a bachelor's degree from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. And all this from a young man who wasn't supposed to be able to lead a "normal" life. Speaker, author, entrepreneur, visionary, family man and world-traveler, Johnnie Tuitel is a man who thinks outside the wheelchair. And he helps others to focus on life's potentials rather than its limitations.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer Dr. Ruth Westheimer is a psychosexual therapist who helped pioneer the field of media psychology with her radio program, "Sexually Speaking." Dr. Ruth has made wide use of the mass media to help spread what she has labeled "sexual literacy." In print, she circles the globe with her column, "Ask Dr. Ruth." She is the author of 15 books, the most recent being, Dr. Ruth Talks About Grandparents. Dr. Ruth Westheimer is a psychosexual therapist who helped pioneer the field of media psychology with her radio program, "Sexually Speaking." It began in September 1980 as a 15-minute, taped show that aired Sundays after midnight on WYNY-FM (NBC) in New York. One year later it became a live, one-hour show airing at 10 p.m. on which Dr. Ruth, as she became known, answered call-in questions from listeners. Soon it became part of a communications network to distribute her expertise, which includes television, books, newspapers, games, home videos, computer software and a web-site. Born in Germany in 1928, Dr. Ruth was sent at age ten to a school in Switzerland that became an orphanage for most of the German Jewish students sent there to escape the Holocaust. At 16, she went to Israel where she fought for the country's independence as a member of the Haganah, the Jewish freedom fighters. Dr. Ruth then moved to Paris where she studied psychology at the Sorbonne and taught kindergarten. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1956 where she obtained her master's degree in sociology from the graduate faculty of the New School of Social Research and a doctorate of education in the Interdisciplinary Study of the Family from Columbia University. She worked for Planned Parenthood for a time and that experience prompted her to further her education of human sexuality by studying under Dr. Helen Singer Kaplan at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center. She later participated in the program for five years as an adjunct associate professor. She has also taught at Lehman College, Brooklyn College, Adelphi University, Columbia University and West Point. Dr. Ruth is currently an adjunct associate professor at New York University. A fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, she has her own private practice and leads regular seminars for residents and interns in pediatrics on adolescent sexuality at Brookdale Hospital. She lectures frequently at universities across the country and has been twice named "College Lecturer of the Year." Dr. Ruth has made wide use of the mass media to help spread what she has labeled "sexual literacy." In addition to radio, her television career has spanned both broadcast and cable. In print, she circles the globe with her column, "Ask Dr. Ruth", syndicated by King Features. She is the author of fifteen books, the most recent of which, Dr. Ruth Talks About Grandparents: Advice for Kids On Making the Most of a Special Relationship (co-authored with Pierre Lehu) was published in 1997. Dr. Ruth is currently at work on several projects. She is producing two documentaries: the first, No Missing Link, is about how grandparents transmitted values, particularly religious values, during the 70 years of communism in Russia and the second is about her 1997 visit to the Trobriand Islands in Papua New Guinea. Her books also include: Dr. Ruth's Pregnancy Guide for Couples, published in 1998, a human sexuality textbook published by Williams and Wilkins and Grandparenthood. The National Mother's Day Committee has honored Dr. Ruth as "Mother of The Year" and she received a Liberty Medal from the City of New York. She has been nominated for an Ace Award by the cable industry on five occasions and her program, The "All-New Dr. Ruth Show," won an Ace Award in 1988 for excellence in cable television. What's Up, Dr. Ruth was awarded the Gold Medal from the International Film and TV Festival for excellence in educational television. People magazine included her in their list of the "Most Intriguing People of the Century."
Gail Wilensky GAIL WILENSKY is a Senior Fellow at Project HOPE, an international health education foundation, where she analyzes and develops policies relating to health care reform and to ongoing changes in the health care environment. From 1990 - 1992, she was Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, overseeing the Medicare and Medicaid programs. She also served as Deputy Assistant to president (GHW) Bush for Policy Development, advising him on health and welfare issues from 1992 to 1993.From 1997 to 2001, she chaired the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which advises Congress on payment and other issues relating to Medicare, and from 1995 to 1997, she chaired the Physician Payment Review Commission. From 2001 to 2003, she co-chaired the President's Task Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans, which covered health care for both veterans and military retirees.Dr. Wilensky is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies and its Governing Council; is Vice Chair of the Maryland Health Care Commission; and serves as a trustee of the Combined Benefits Fund of the United Mineworkers of America, the American Heart Association, and on the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Health Care Management. She is an advisor to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund, immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of Academy Health and is a director on several corporate boards. Dr. Wilensky received a bachelor's degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan. Dr. Wilensky testifies frequently before Congressional committees, acts as an advisor to members of Congress and other elected officials, and speaks nationally and internationally before professional, business and consumer groups.
Edward O. Wilson Edward O. Wilson, Pellegrino University Research Professor, Emeritus, at Harvard University, is one of the most highly respected scientists in the world today. Hailed as "the new Darwin" by Thomas Wolfe, and one of "America's 25 Most Influential People" by TIME Magazine, he has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for The Ants and On Human Nature. Wilson's book The Diversity of Life, which brought together knowledge of the magnitude of biodiversity and the threats to it, had a major public impact. Today he continues entomological and environmental research at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge draws together the sciences, humanities, and the arts into a broad study of human knowledge, and his The Future of Life offers a plan for saving Earth's biological heritage. In his new book, The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth, Wilson sounds the alarm that the earth is in danger and its destruction threatens us all—no matter what we believe about its origins. The fate of the planet rests in our hands, he writes, and the only way the earth can be saved is if science and religion join forces. Wilson has received 75 awards in international recognition for his contributions to science and humanity, including the U.S. National Medal of Science, Japan's International Prize for Biology, the Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Germany's Terrestrial Ecology Prize, and the Franklin Medal of the American Philosophical Society. For his conservation work he has received the Audubon Medal of the National Audubon Society and the Gold Medal of the World Wide Fund for Nature. He is also the recipient of 27 honorary doctoral degrees from North America and Europe.
William Winslade Medical ethicist, legal scholar and psychoanalyst and America's leading authority on human values, medical ethics and the right to die issue. Dr. Winslade is the author of Confronting Traumatic Brain Injury: Devastation, Hope, and Healing; Choosing Life or Death: A Guide to Patients, Families, and Professionals; and Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine
Steve Yurcik As a New York City Police Officer, Steve Yurcik faced many challenging situations. He never expected his most difficult confrontation would occur within his personal life. In 1990 Steve was diagnosed with HIV. Just two years later he lost his wife Linda to AIDS, and was left with the responsibility of raising his baby daughter Stephanie and stepdaughter Jaimie. He also had the task of dealing with the prejudices and misconceptions of his friends, and co-workers. Steve rose to the occasion, realizing that the only real way to fight AIDS was to educate others about the reality of the disease, and how it can touch any life, as it touched his. Steve has a special gift for speaking to young people. He believes that by raising their awareness of how the HIV virus is contracted, he can help stop the further spread of AIDS. He provides a basic explanation of the biological foundation of HIV and AIDS, and discusses the transmission, testing, medication, and perhaps most importantly, the experience of a patient living with the disease. His program achieves a delicate balance between medical accuracy and casual storytelling, which allows listeners to identify with him and relate to his experiences, while becoming informed about HIV and AIDS. Steve has a positive attitude and his enthusiasm for opening the minds of others is contagious. His lectures have received immeasurable praise and personal responses. Steve has been featured on local and national news shows including articles in the New York Times.