Medical Advisory Board

Dr. Bair is a core investigator for the VA Health Services Research and Development Center for Health Information and Communication, an attending physician in the Inpatient Medicine Service at Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, and Associate Professor of Medicine in the Indiana University School of Medicine. His specific program of research is focused on affective disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety) and chronic pain and developing strategies to improve pain management in the primary care setting. Dr. Bair has a strong background in conducting clinical trials; developing and testing interventions that combine pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments in VA primary care settings.

Dr. Bair completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, his fellowship training in health services research at the Regenstrief Institute, and a VA fellowship in Medical Informatics at the Roudebush VA Medical Center.

Linda Bernstein received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and two years of residency training from the School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and is a Clinical Professor, on their volunteer faculty.

She was co-recipient of the ASHP Research Award and the C. Everett Koop Award for Best Professional Video from the International Health and Medical Film Festival. Linda has been honored for her consumer and children’s educational programs and campaigns, including “In The Medicine Cabinet” and “Your Consumer Pharmacist”. She has authored articles for several companies including Walgreens, Safeway, Krogers and Thrifty pharmacies, Newsweek, Woman’s Day, Parenting, Hippocrates, Biospace.com, WebMD/Medscape and has appeared as a pharmacist expert on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and The Home Show, and many others. In addition, she was media spokesperson for Safeway Pharmacy, FamilyWize.org and National Council on Patient Information and Education. Linda was Director of the Pharmacy Council on Cholesterol. Her professional media programs aired nationally on Lifetime Medical TV, ReachMD, Global Newsline and Pharmacy Practice News.

Dr. Bernstein’s has held positions for UCSF, Safeway Pharmacy Corporate, SF Department of Public Health, Knowledge Point 360, UCSF Inpatient, Jewish Home, Sentrx and Telerx.

Kathy Brandt, MS, Principal of the kb group, has nearly thirty years working in hospice, palliative care, aging, and caregiving at the national, state, and local level.

Kathy helps organizations identify and maximize their capacity through business development, project management, marketing, strategic planning, leadership development, and systems design. Clients rely on Kathy’s palliative care expertise, and her ability to identify and synthesize community needs, develop actionable strategic priorities, and assist in the development of sustainable community-based palliative care programs.

In 2017 Kathy was selected as the Writer/Editor of the National Consensus Project (NCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition (October 2018). In that capacity, Kathy works with the national Steering Committee, Writing Workgroup, and staff to ensure that the revised Guidelines reflect the evolution of palliative care. The new Guidelines will focus on the delivery of optimal serious illness care to patients and families of all ages and in all care settings.

For more than 16 years Kathy helped lead the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, working her way up through the organization to become the Senior Vice President, Office of Innovation and the Executive Director of NHPCO’s Mary J Labyak Institute for Innovation.  For seven years Kathy worked at Suncoast Hospice where she created a community engagement model, Project DECIDE, which led to Suncoast being named as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded Rallying Points Regional Resource Center.  Kathy has served on the Board of Directors of the American Society on Aging and the Florida Council on Aging and currently chairs the ASA membership committee. In 2018, Kathy was appointed to serve on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Palliative Care Council.

Dr. Breslin is the Dean of the School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, President, American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). She received her Bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University. She obtained her Master’s degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and her PhD from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

Dr. Breslin is a Distinguished Practitioner in Nursing in the National Academies of Practice and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She was appointed by DHHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to serve on the National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice. She served on the Boards of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives.

Dr. Connolly is a Board-Certified Pediatrician in Palm Beach County, Florida. She completed her residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital at the University of Miami, where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Connolly divides her time between private practice and working with incarcerated girls in Florida. In addition, Dr. Connolly is a Bundoo Pediatrician; she edits, writes, answers questions and participates in group and forum discussions.

Dr. Dowd is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She is also Vice Chair of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety and depression, with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for these disorders. For over thirty years, Dr. Dowd has been involved in clinical research exploring novel interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. She and her colleagues’ research led to the FDA approval of transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of depression. Dr. Dowd also teaches and supervises the therapy training for psychiatric residents at Rush University Medical Center. She received her PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed her internship at the University of Chicago.

Jennifer Hakkarainen is a board-certified Physician Assistant in Cardiology, award winning author of A HEART BOOK and a TED MED scholarship recipient. Jennifer is excited to write, after spending nearly 3 decades working in both the medical and surgical fields. She believes it helps her to stop and think, writing to contribute something meaningful to the science community.

Dr. Hakkarainen holds a BA in Psychology, a BS in Medical Science, PA, and a post-graduate surgical residency from the Yale University Norwalk Hospital PA Surgical Residency Program. She resides in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

Dr. Hall is a Neonatologist, St John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard, CA. She earned undergraduate majors in both Psychology and Human Biology at Stanford University, an MSW from Boston University, and an MD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She completed all of her pediatric training at The Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. Starting her career as a neonatologist in Los Angeles, Dr. Hall ultimately rose to become an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. After spending many years as a Medical Director of a large regional NICU in Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Hall is now back practicing neonatology in Southern California.

While in Kansas, Dr. Hall served as the inaugural Chairperson of the Kansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative and was also active as a member row of the Board of Directors of the Kansas March of Dimes. She is on the Board of Directors of the National Perinatal Association, where she is Co-Chairperson of a national project to develop and publish “Multidisciplinary Program Standards for Psychosocial Support of Parents of Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units.” She has co-authored numerous scientific articles, served as a reviewer for several journals, and lectured extensively on topics in newborn medicine, patient safety, and emotional support of NICU parents. Dr. Hall is also the author of “For the Love of Babies,” a book of stories about the NICU journeys of sixteen babies and their families, published in 2011.

Dr. Hari, is the Armand J. Quick/William F. Stapp Professor of Hematology at Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Hari serves as Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. After medical school in India, he completed training in Internal Medicine and Hematology at premier institutions in United Kingdom and then in Medical Oncology and Transplantation at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

His primary clinical interests are in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cell therapies, plasma cell disorders and other blood cancers. Dr. Hari is also Scientific Director of the plasma cell disorders working committee of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR).

Dr. Kaplan is the Director of Lung Health Education at the American Lung Association National Office in Washington, DC. She is a co-author on a peer-reviewed article “National standards for asthma self-management education” in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Dr. Kaplan oversees several federal and non-federal grants aimed at improving asthma management among adults and children and improving the quality of life for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She collaborates with local Lung Association staff across the country, to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families. Dr. Kaplan has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of North Texas, and a Master of Public Health degree from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

Anne Leonard MPH, RN, has worked with Stroke Science since 1987, when she worked for the Department of Neurology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, on the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation Study (SPAF). During her 20-year tenure with this Department, she also coordinated other stroke studies in Acute Treatment, and Primary and Secondary Prevention. She worked the last 5 years of her career with the Department of Neurosurgery, conducting and coordinating clinical research trials in ICH, both surgical intervention and epidemiology. Anne served as the Interim Stroke Coordinator in the 5-hospital system for one year and consulted with this system thereafter. Before leaving the University, she consulted with the AHA ASA for the stroke portfolio. She recently rejoined the AHA/ASA in February 2013 as a full-time Science and Medicine Advisor. Anne is the Science and Medicine Advisor for Stroke and Clinical Cardiology.

Dr. Lincoln is a board-certified generalist OB/GYN and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in Portland, Oregon. She primarily works on labor and delivery at one of the busiest obstetrics units in the state. Dr. Lincoln received her undergraduate degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She received her medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the nation’s honor medical society. She completed her residency at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Lincoln is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is also a member of The Society of OB-GYN Hospitalists as well as the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

Dr. Maursetter is the Faculty, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She serves as the Program Director for the University of Wisconsin Nephrology Fellowship and has an interest in medical education innovations. Dr. Maursetter is working on a wide range of projects that span from evaluation development, curriculum design and quality improvement.

Her clinical responsibilities include a full range of inpatient services and outpatient nephrology care at the William S. Middleton Veterans Memorial Hospital and for correctional inmates via telemedicine. She sees hemodialysis patients both in the Madison area and in Portage at Divine Savior Hospital. Dr. Maursetter is actively involved with the National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin and American Society of Nephrology.

Cynthia L. Moore is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes educator, integrative health coach and yoga therapist. She serves as an RD, CDE clinician and in leadership roles at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She’s contributed to professional organizations by writing/editing practice group publications such as On the Cutting Edge, Diabetes Spectrum and Diabetes Self-Management as well as having served on the publications committee, American Diabetes Association and advanced practice credential development advisory group, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and received the 2014 poster award for innovation in dietetics.

Cynthia graduated from San Diego State University (BA) and Univ. of California at Davis, (MS) nutrition science; she completed dietetic internship at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Her training in the mind-body skills of self-regulation is on-going and began with an early introduction to yoga and meditation, training with Jim Gordon, MD (Center for Mind-Body Medicine), as an Integral Yoga and Cardiac Yoga teacher, experiential study with Dr. Herbert Benson’s group at Harvard and in mindfulness medication with Jon Kabat-Zinn. Cynthia became a Solution Method/EBT-Emotional Brain Training provider-trainer in 2003-2008. She certified at Duke University as an integrative health coach in 2012.

Dr. Pamela J. McCabe is a nurse scientist and certified adult health clinical nurse specialist. She received her PhD in nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Prior to her appointment as a nurse scientist, Dr. McCabe practiced for 18 years as a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist.

Dr. McCabe’s research interests focus on improving psychoeducational care for patients who live with atrial fibrillation and improving early detection of atrial fibrillation by developing interventions to improve atrial fibrillation awareness. She serves as member of the clinical panel for the American Heart Association Get with the Guidelines-AF initiative and scientific consultant for the American Heart Association atrial fibrillation patient education and AFib Awareness campaign.

Dr. Miller is a board-certified internist and practicing physician at Triune Integrative Medicine, a highly innovative integrative medicine clinic in Medford, Oregon. She has been on the faculty of both the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Oregon. Dr. Miller is a medical reporter for NBC affiliate KOBI-5 and author of several books, including “Kids Ask the Doctor,” “Confessions of the Soul Straight from the Heart,” and co-author of “The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond.”

Dr. Miller completed her undergraduate work at the University of Michigan and received her MD from the University of Illinois, she has a Master of Health Sciences from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Her postgraduate training includes an Internal Medicine fellowship at Johns Hopkins and an Integrative Medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona.

Ileana L. Piña, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Population Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Associate Chief for Academic Affairs at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. Dr. Piña also serves as advisor/consultant to the Food and Drug Administrations’ Center for Devices and Radiological Health and their section of Epidemiology.

Dr. Piña earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Miami in Florida. She completed her medical degree and cardiology fellowship at the University of Miami School of Medicine; an internal medicine residency at the University of South Florida Tampa, where she was Chief Resident; and fulfilled a surgery internship at the University of Miami Hospitals and Clinics. She earned a master’s degree in public health from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, while pursuing a VA Quality Fellowship. Dr. Piña’s research interests include transition of care in heart failure patients, and the role of natriuretic peptide–guided management for patients hospitalized for heart failure, biomarkers of myocardial stress and fibrosis in chronic heart failure, and heart failure differences by sex. She is the author/co-author of more than 100 publications.

Mr. Pines serves as President, Regulatory Services and Healthcare, APCO Worldwide. He was the Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs at the Food and Drug Administration and specializes as an international health care consultant on FDA regulatory, medical advertising and media issues. Mr. Pines is the President of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA and Chairman of the Board of the MedStar Research Institute, and he has authored or edited a dozen books about FDA and healthcare crisis management.

Dr. Schaffer is the Professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. His work has encompassed many aspects of infectious diseases including epidemiology, infection control and immunizations. Dr. Schaffner is a strong proponent of collaboration between academic medical centers and public health institutions.

Dr. Schaffner is a consultant in public health policy and communicable disease control for many nations and local institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Tennessee Department of Health, and the American College of Physicians. He is a Past-President of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and served as Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University for 31 years. Dr. Schaffner has authored or co-authored more than 400 published studies, reviews, and book chapters on infectious diseases. He serves on the editorial board of several scientific journals including The Journal of Infectious Diseases and Vaccine.

Dr. Schaffner received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York City. He was also a Fullbright Scholar (Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany) and received his undergraduate degree from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr. Spencer directs hospital nursing and related patient care activities for Women’s Services including obstetrical inpatient, gynecological, labor and delivery, post-partum and nursery. Dr. Spencer received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi and her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. She previously served as Perinatal Educator at Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics in Tyler, Texas.

Dr. Spencer currently serves on the Board of Directors of the North Mississippi Breastfeeding Coalition and is a member row of the Prairie Council for Mississippi Hospital Association and Mississippi Perinatal Consortium.

Paul St Laurent, DNP, APRN, is a doctorally prepared advanced practice nurse with more than 25 years of clinical experience in cardiovascular medicine. He worked as a critical care registered nurse and clinical nurse educator at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. After earning his degree as an advanced practice nurse, he worked as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at several hospitals in the Dallas area including Medical City, Texas Health Resources and the Baylor Healthcare System. Paul’s areas of expertise include general cardiology, heart failure, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and vascular medicine. He has also held teaching/academic positions at the University of Texas at Arlington and West Coast University. Paul received his Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Chatham University and his MSN, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner from the University of Southern Indiana. Paul has been with the AHA/ASA for 2 years, and has been a Science and Medicine Advisor since July 2017.

Dr. Tull is a licensed psychologist and professor at the University of Toledo. He specializes in cognitive-behavioral treatments of patients with anxiety disorders, with an expertise in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Dr. Tull has been the recipient of multiple grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, and he has over 150 peer-reviewed publications. He was the 2009 recipient of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Chaim and Bela Danieli Young Professional Award and the 2010 recipient of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies President’s New Researcher Award.

Dr. Tull has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He completed his internship at the Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology with rotations at the Outpatient Clinic, Substance Abuse Residential Treatment Program, and the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – Behavioral Sciences Division.

Jon Vredenburg, MBA, RD, CDE, CSSD,LD/N is a dietitian and diabetes educator with over 25 years of experience providing services to people from all walks of life. He received his BS in Clinical Dietetics from Syracuse University and later returned to school to earn an MBA at the University of North Florida. He currently works in the Employee Wellness program for University of Florida Health system in Jacksonville, Florida and manages the employee-centered diabetes programs. He is a contributing writer to many local and national publications, and has been featured on television and radio for helping people on their path towards improved health and performance. Jon has also served as a consultant dietitian for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. He previously served on the Florida Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and in his spare time is a stand-up comedian performing in clubs throughout the state of Florida.