Board of Directors
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CHAIRPERSON
Ellen Mason, MD
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County
Ellen Mason is an internal medicine physician who has worked in the field of maternal fetal medicine and women’s health for twenty five years. She is an attending physician at the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, which is the only public hospital serving Cook County and the surrounding collar counties. She is an assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research interests and projects have focused on issues of chronic disease in women across the lifespan, chemical dependency in women, and breastfeeding in women with chronic disease, HIV/AIDS. and the study of racial and ethnic disparities health, particularly in women of childbearing age. She is active in federal, state and local advocacy efforts, primarily in the areas of access to care and in maternal child health.
VICE-CHAIRPERSON
George R. Smith, Jr.
University of Chicago, Center of Community Health and Vitality
George R. Smith, Jr. is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Currently, Currently, George serves as Community Relations Director for the Center for Community Health and Vitality, and the South Side Health and Vitality Studies of the University of Chicago. George’s major affiliations include: Iota Phi Theta® Fraternity, Inc., Black Caucus of Health Workers of the American Public Health Association, Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, American Public Health Association, and numerous other civic, religious and philanthropic associations and societies.
SECRETARY
Yesenia Sotelo
SmartCause Digital
Yesenia Sotelo has worked in nonprofit communications, fundraising and advocacy since 2001. She currently serves as director of new media for Jasculca Terman, a public affairs firm, where she manages a team of web professionals responsible for building websites and running online campaigns. Previously, Yesenia served as manager of interactive and new media for Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights and as director of technology and membership for the ACLU of Illinois. Yesenia earned a B.A. in political science from Northwestern University. She also serves as a national board member for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network.
TREASURER
William Blum
Retired, Formerly Senior Vice-President and CFO Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare
William worked in the healthcare industry for over twenty years and had responsibility for overall corporate financial operations, which included cash management and treasury, debt financing, internal and external audit, insurance and risk management, corporate compliance, strategic financial planning and capital allocation. Prior to joining Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, William was a partner with Laventhol and Horwath, Certified Public Accountants in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of Bradley University and CPA, William is a member of various organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Illinois CPA Society and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He currently serves on the Board of Directors (Executive Committee and Treasurer) of People's Resource Center, Wheaton, Illinois and co-chair for the Upendo Village, Kenya, Africa, capital campaign.
PAST CHAIRPERSONLoretta Lattyak
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Loretta Lattyak is the Nurse Coordinator the developmental and behavioral clinic at Children’s Memorial Hospital. Her professional career reflects her long-standing commitment to improving the health of women, children and families. Within this broad framework, Ms. Lattyak’ specific interests are the exploration of factors that increase the risk for developmental delays and learning issues in young children, examination of the ways in which the healthcare delivery system and early intervention services can ameliorate these risks.
Rashmi Chugh, MD
DuPage County Health Department
Dr.Rashmi Chugh. M.D., M.P.H. has served as medical officer at the DuPage County Health Department since 2003, and is serving her 2010-2011 term as DuPage County Medical Society president. She also serves as Public Health Committee chair for the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, represents IAFP on the state Immunization Advisory Committee, and is a Chicago Area Immunization Campaign steering committee member. She graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed her residency at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. She is board certified in family medicine and earned her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Drawing from her background in family medicine, public health, and organized medicine, Dr. Chugh has a growing interest in vaccine-preventable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, obesity prevention, patient safety initiatives, and medical liability reform.
Elyse Forkosh Cutler
Advocate Health Care
Elyse Forkosh Cutler is Advocate Health Care’s Vice President of Strategic Planning and Network Development. In this capacity, she directs the evaluation of new business opportunities. She also assists Advocate’s hospitals and medical group in developing strategies for growing the number of patients served. From 2002 to 2006, Ms. Forkosh served as Advocate's Director of Government Relations. In this role, she directed Advocate's legislative strategy at both the state and federal levels. She served as the primary interface between Advocate Health Care and government leaders in Illinois. Prior to joining Advocate, Ms. Forkosh Cutler was a Principal at Tucker Alan Inc. At Tucker Alan, she managed consulting engagements with state Medicaid agencies across the country in the areas of Medicaid managed care and pharmacy cost management. Her clients included the States of Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas. Tucker Alan became part of Navigant Consulting in 2004. Ms. Forkosh Cutler holds two graduate degrees from the University of Chicago, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Public Policy. She also holds a certificate from the University’s Graduate Program in Health Administration and Policy. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Kenyon College. Ms. Forkosh Cutler is married to David Cutler, a General Manager with Slalom Consulting in Chicago. They live in Oak Park, Illinois with their two children.
Mary Driscoll
Illinois Department of Public HealthMary Driscoll is currently the Division Chief, Division of Patient Safety and Quality at the Illinois Department of Public Health. Driscoll is responsible for advising the Department on all issues of Patient Safety and Quality Health Care, as well as for the implementation of mandated patient safety and quality initiatives, like the consumer guide to Health Care, the Hospital Report Card, and Adverse Event Reporting. Formerly Driscoll served as the Chief Nursing Officer and the Director of Patient Care Services for the Cook County Bureau of Health Services, Ambulatory Network. She has worked in community health for over 30 years particularly around issues of service delivery, quality and patient safety, access and safety net health care.
Renee M. Friedman
Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP
Renée M. Friedman is a Partner in the law firm of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and serves on its Board of Directors. Ms. Friedman graduated from Northwestern University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1980. She was Editor-in-Chief of the Urban Law Review from 1979 to 1980. Ms. Friedman has devoted her professional career of over 30 years to the area of public finance. She has worked primarily on financings for hospitals, healthcare systems, utilities and educational facilities, involving both tax-exempt and taxable issues. Ms. Friedman regularly participates as a panelist at various seminars on public finance topics. In addition, she is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, has served as a Board member of Women in Public Finance and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Law & Policy. She is currently a Trustee of the Illinois State Employees’ Retirement System. Formerly she served as counsel to the Gilead Referral and Outreach Center for the Medically Uninsured (dissolved in 2010 due to lack of funding). Through her synagogue, she works with United Power for Action and Justice, an organization created to bring grass roots groups together around issues of social justice to effect reforms.
Robin Hannon
St. Clair County Health Department
Shannon Jencks
cPaperless, LLC
Annie Lionberger
Chicago Public Schools
Annie Lionberger is the Manager of Health and Wellness Promotion at the Chicago Public Schools. In this capacity, Annie provides leadership and administration in developing advocacy, policy approaches and guidance to advance Chicago Public Schools commitment to student health and wellness. Annie has worked in several local and international organizations to address socioeconomic and health disparities, including the Greater Chicago Food Depository where she served as the Director of Programs from 2009-2011. She obtained her B.A. from Middlebury College in Vermont and her Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.
Mary Beth Long
The H Group
Mary Beth Long has joyfully dedicated more than half of her nursing career to working with and for children and their parents. As an Early Head Start (EHS) nurse for The H Group in Marion, IL, she provides health and nutrition training to EHS staff and families; monitors EPSDT for 85 EHS kids; facilitates the local EHS Health Services Advisory Committee; coordinates and monitors health and nutrition services; provides linkage with community resources; makes home visits, providing educational, guidance, and referral services; and conducts educational parent workshops. Mary Beth has created fruitful collaborative community relationships, including healthcare and mentoring programs with Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois’ Extension Center. Prior to her current position, she served as a WIC/case management nurse for Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health Department. In addition to proudly serving on IMCHC’s Board of Directors, Mary Beth is a member of Southern Illinois Healthy Kids Task Force and served on its planning committee for its 2011 “Let’s Move” Conference; the Franklin-Williamson Healthy Communities Coalition; the National Children’s Study Advisory Board; and has participated on Illinois Children’s Mental Healthy Partnership Children’s Mental Health Consultation Project. After studying at Barnes Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis, MO, Mary Beth received an Associate Degree in Nursing from Southeastern Illinois College. She and husband Dennis have two children, Caitlin and Alex, both students at DePaul University.
Blanca A. Lopez
Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task ForceBlanca Lopez is the Program Evaluator at the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. Prior to joining the Task Force, Blanca managed evaluations and coordinated the community medicine rotation at the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2007, she completed the first Hepatitis C testing data analysis for the Chicago Department of Public Health which generated demographic characteristics as well as testing and positivity rates. Blanca has held several research positions on respiratory health and worked for over six years at a nonprofit focused on building partnerships between institutions and the community around public health issues. She has taught science courses to high school students and is a certified American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Bilingual Health Educator .Blanca holds a B.S. in Biology and an M.P.H. in Maternal and Child Health-Epidemiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She currently serves on the board of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition.
Cynthia Mears, MD
Heartland International Health Center
Dr. Cynthia Mears is an Adolescent Medicine Specialist and is and attending physician at Children’s Memorial Hospital , and Northwestern Memorial Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Medical School. She completed her residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in adolescent medicine at the Medical Center of Delaware. Currently she is Associate Medical Director of Heartland International -Uplift School Health Center, which she founded with the community. She serves as the Chair of the Il Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics School Health Committee and is on the Steering committee of the Il School Health Coalition. She has also served on the Partner in Planning for Adolescent Health and the National AAP committee on school health. Dr. Mears has extensive experience in diagnosis and treatment of adolescents with chronic fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Dr. received her B.A in Biology at Smith College, Northampton, MA and received her Doctorate in Osteopathy at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic.
Tamela Milan
Access Community Health NetworkTamela Milan is the Maternal and Child Health Outreach Worker at Access Community Health Network. Ms. Milan started her career as a peer educator for the Closing the Gap on Infant Mortality project from 2004-2007. She was the Westside Healthy State Consortia Chair and was a former participant of that program. Ms. Milan was the first consumer to serve as a consumer representative on the National Healthy Start Association Board. Ms. Milan received her Associates Degree from Robert Morris College in 1999.
Karen A. Scott, MD
Mercy Family Health Center/ Young Women's Health Initiative
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Karen A. Scott, MD, FACOG, graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio with B.A. in Molecular Biology. She then obtained her medical degree with a concentration in Primary Care from Case Western Reserve University. She completed her residency training at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where she won the Berlex teaching award and was named Chief Resident. With 10 years of experience, Dr. Scott is a Board Certified Obstetrician Gynecologist, working in a hybrid practice at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center; a hospital – based, private practice focused on teens and young women under the age of 25 and a school - based practice at Wyndell Phillips Academy and Dunbar Vocational Academy High Schools, under the Mercy Health System.
Currently, she serves as the Founder and Medical Director of the Young Women’s Health Initiative (YWHI). Established in December 2009, YWHI is a Chicago-based umbrella organization, which governs multiple community-based programs with the goal of creating a paradigm shift in the behaviors and attitudes not only among young women, but also among health care providers and policy-makers. Specifically, YWHI combines evidence-based programs and collaborative partnerships to revolutionize the social, sexual, and reproductive health behavior and care for girls and young women on Chicago’s South side. She also serves the Program Administrator for Chicago’s first Nurse-Family Partnership, national, evidence-based community home NURSE visiting program that helps to reverse these disparities and transform the lives of first time low-income mothers and their child.
Dr. Scott’s professional activities include membership in the American College and Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology as a Fellow, National Medical Association, Healthy Teen Network, Board Member of the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, and member of the March of Dimes Illinois Chapter of Program Services Committee. Her other interests include health literacy, public health, patient education and advocacy, family and friends, shopping, reading, sci-fi and Indie films, mentoring, and community service. She is a newlywed, married to Darryl A. Parker, and attends New Life Covenant church.
Dana Traub
Heartland International Health Center
Dana Traub has overseen Heartland International Health Center's (HIHC) school health centers since 2008. Prior to that time, she provided crisis counseling and case management to youth and adolescents on Chicago's west side. She has served on the Steering Committee of the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers for four years, helping to advance school health centers statewide. She holds a Master's in Social Work from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan.
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