Phil Nudelman, MBA, PhD

Dr. Nudelman's diverse background spans commercial airline pilot and registered pharmacist to hospital administrator and zoo animal advocate. He holds a Doctorate in Health Systems Management and an MBA degree. Dr. Nudelman served on The White House Task Force on Healthcare Reform and was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the healthcare industry. He is a past chair of the American Association of Health Plans and served on the Pew Health Professions Commission, and is presently co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Professional and Organizational Ethics.

He has been very active in local, state and national communities having served on many boards and commissions, including the Woodland Park Zoo Board (Chairman), Pacific Science Center Board, United Way Board, Seattle-King County Drug Commission, Washington State Board of Pharmacy (Chairman), Seattle Zoo Commission I, Seattle Zoo Commission II (Chairman), Seattle Chamber of Commerce Board, Community Development Roundtable, Corporate Council for the Arts, Washington State AIDS Commission, and several others. He presently serves on the boards of Columbia University School of Nursing, Cell Therapeutics Inc, Personal Path Systems Inc, Optistor Inc., and Franklin Health Inc.

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William James Mayer, MD, MPH
Medical Editor

Dr. Mayer is Board Certified in Preventive Medicine. He has served as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute, and was a Co-Leader serving Fortune 100 clients in Health Care Consulting at Watson Wyatt Worldwide. During seven years with the Kellogg Company, he was Vice President Medical Affairs, Executive Vice President, New Business Development, and President Functional Foods. He also served as President and Director of QualityMetric during the launch of an online health assessment funded by GlaxoSmithKline.

Dr. Mayer has authored publications in the American Journal of Public Health , Seminars in Oncology, and contributed several book chapters. He has served as a reviewer for the New England Journal of Medicine. He is currently a Partner, Consulting Solutions with the L. Lee Stryker Center at Kalamazoo College . Dr. Mayer has served in a variety of Appointments in the health care community, and is the recipient of a number of Honors and Awards.

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Lester R. Sauvage, MD

Dr. Sauvage founded the Hope Heart Institute in 1959. He worked as a cardiovascular surgeon for over 30 years before retiring in 1991. Over the years, he has been credited with conducting and advancing groundbreaking cardiovascular research. Dr. Sauvage is dedicated to the prevention of cardiovascular disease through education. He has given numerous speeches, and is the author of three books.

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Victor Barry, DDS

Dr. Barry has been in private dental practice on First Hill in Seattle since 1977, and has served on the Medical Courtesy staff of Swedish Medical Center since the mid-80s. Volunteer work in his profession has included serving as president of the Seattle-King County Dental Society (SKCDS) and the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA). From 1994 to 1998, he represented the Pacific Northwest and Alaska on the American Dental Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Barry also served for 10 years as editor for SKCDS, and for six years in a similar role for WSDA. In 1993, he was awarded the American College of Dentists' Gies editorial award, the highest honor for dental editors. Dr. Barry has lectured nationally on the subject of porcelain onlays, and has taught professional ethics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry for the last 13 years.

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Renee Belfor, RD

For the past 14 years, Renee has worked as the Nutrition Manager and Dietitian on the cardiovascular units of Swedish Medical Center's Providence Campus. Among many other accomplishments, she performs nutritional assessments, develops care plans, and manages nutrition support in critical care. She has also provided team leadership on several projects, participates on multidisciplinary committees and supervises dietitian interns. Renee has taught cardiovascular patients and their families how to adopt heart-healthy eating habits in Providence's Outpatient Cardiac Fitness Program since 1987.

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Kenneth Holtyn, MS

Ken Holtyn has over 30 years of experience in preventive medicine and health promotion in business and industry. He also has several years of clinical experience in cardiac rehabilitation/risk reduction programs in private medical clinics and hospitals. Ken has a BS in Health and Physical Education and a Master's degree in exercise science from Wayne State University. He has served as vice president of the Health Promotion and Wellness Council of Michigan and as the American Heart Association chairman of Worksite Health Promotion for southwest Michigan. Ken is currently president of Holtyn & Associates, a worksite wellness program consulting company.

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Robert H. Knopp, MD

Dr. Knopp is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Northwest Lipid Research Clinic at the University of Washington. He is also Chief of the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition and attending physician at Harborview Medical Center. Dr. Knopp has published over 300 scientific articles and chapters and is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the Endocrine Society. In 1999, Dr. Knopp was elected president of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, a multidisciplinary society of MD and PhD investigators promoting scientific research and communication.

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Mr. Gary B. Kushner SPHR, CBP
President and CEO of Kushner & Company

Mr. Kushner is an internationally recognized expert and speaker on employee benefits with particular expertise for small business. He has advised three U.S. Presidents on health care and has testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House Small Business Committee on employee benefits issues.

Kushner & Company is an employee benefits consulting and administration firm with offices in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Mr. Kushner has been widely quoted in major national media and is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, AP, Knight-Ridder, the Kiplinger Washington Newsletter, CNN News, Fortune, MSNBC and Good Morning America, among others. He served on the Editorial Review Board of HR Management magazine.

Prior to establishing Kushner & Company in 1982, Mr. Kushner held human resource policy-making positions in both the private and public sectors including the compensation and benefits area.

He earned an MPA in Personnel from Western Michigan University and holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Certified Benefit Professional (CBP).

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Scott Paul Musial
Health Care and Pharmacy Management Consultant

Mr. Musial is Senior Partner and Chief Financial Officer for Pillbox Management Group, a pharmacy consultation company.

During his career in pharmacy management, he has provided Executive Leadership for a Michigan-based managed health care plan, was director of pharmacy benefit management for a large regional health plan, and directed outpatient operations at a university, among other pharmacy-related positions.

A licensed pharmacist, Mr. Musial received his M.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Vicki Rackner, MD

Dr. Rackner is a board-certified surgeon and clinical instructor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She left the OR to help employees become active participants in their healthcare, and make consistent choices that lead in the direction of health and wellness. She is the founder of Medical Bridges, a company that offers a bridge between the healthcare you want and the care you're getting. She conducts seminars, speaks, and writes. She is a member of the National Speakers Association.

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Wallace Wilkins, PhD

Wallace is both a licensed psychologist specializing in substance abuse counseling and an organizational consultant. He earned his doctoral degree at the University of Washington in 1970. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses, conducted research, and directed the development and accreditation of clinical psychology training programs. Dr. Wilkins is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is an active member of the Division on Addictions. He is a Platinum Registrant, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology and holds the Certificate of Proficiency in the Treatment of Alcohol and Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders from APA's College of Professional Psychology. Dr. Wilkins has over 45 publications in reference journals and has presented at more than 30 professional meetings. Topics focus on psychotherapeutic imagery, chemical dependency, and placebo factors in psychotherapy, medicine, and education. He brings healthcare to the workplace as Senior Consultant for the Mediation Training Institute (International). He also maintains an independent practice in Seattle's Pike Place Market.

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