ACH Committees
 
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultation Committee

Committee Members:
A. Renee Bergstrom, EdD, Retired from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Antoinette Schoenthaler, NYU School of Medicine
Aisha O'Mally, University at Buffalo
Marla Rowe Gorosh, MD FACH, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit MI
Yuriko de la Cruz, National Association of Community Health Centers

About the committee:

The ACH Board of Directors has committed to applying an equity and anti-oppression lens to all committee work, instead of having a separate and siloed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee.

The charge to the DEICC is to provide expert coaching and mentoring with a DEI lens to the other ACH Committee Chairs and members on best practices for equity and inclusion including but not limited to racial/ethnic equity, gender and sexual orientation equity, and equity across ability differences.

Members of the DEICC possess a high degree of skill and experience in working to address, promote and remediate for interpersonal equity with individuals and groups, and experience in successfully advocating for equity and inclusion in organizations.

DEICC members are assigned to an ACH Committee (Education Committee, Winter Course Planning Committee, ENRICH planning Committee, Research Forum/ICCH Planning Committee, Leadership Development Committee and Research Committee) and will attend those meetings regularly. Additionally, DEICC members will meet quarterly as a committee (and additionally as needed) for peer consultation and support. Recommendations and evaluation of DEI interventions will be presented regularly to the Board.

Education Committee

Committee Chairs
Laura Kirk MSPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, UT Southwestern Medical Center 
Lynn O’Neill, MD, Emory University; Atlanta VA Medical Center 

Committee Members
Julie Crosson, MD, Boston Medical Center/Dorchester House
Sally Fortner, MD, University of New Mexico
Tim Gilligan, MD, FACH, Cleveland Clinic
Marla Rowe Gorosh, MD, FACH, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Annie Harvey, RN, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Ellen Pearlman, MD, FACH, Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine
Denise Mohess, MD, Inova Fairfax Hospital
Raj Nagaraj, MPH, Wake Forest Baptist Health
Aisha O'Mally, PhD, University at Buffalo
Bronwyn Wilson, MD, University of New Mexico School of Medicine 

About the Committee:
The goal of the Education Committee is to ensure that the ACH is delivering the highest quality, most timely and relevant healthcare communication education both internally to our members and externally to our clients.
 
The committee meets the 4th Wednesday bimonthly, and is comprised of ACH Faculty representatives from all ACH educational programs
(i.e. VP, Internal Education, VP, External Education, FIT co-directors, RCF co-directors, two current ACH FITs, ENRICH Course Director, and Winter Course Director).
2021 ENRICH Planning Committee
Co-Directors:
Denise Mohess, MD, Inova Fairfax Hospital
Raj Nagaraj, MPH, Wake Forest Baptist Health

Committee Members:
Denise Davis, MD, FACH, San Francisco VA Medical Center
Sally Fortner, MD, University of New Mexico (FIT Rep)
Tim Gilligan, MD, FACH, Cleveland Clinic (FIT Rep)
Lynn O'Neill, MD, Emory University (Ex-Officio)
Calvin Chou, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Gita Mehta, MD, University of California, San Diego
Krista Hirschmann, PhD, FACH, Flinders University
Ellen Pearlman, MD, FACH, Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine
Laura Kirk, PA-C, University of California, San Francisco
Kirsten Isgro, PhD, State University of New York
Martha Howell, Baylor Scott & White

 

About the committee:
The purpose of the ENRICH Planning Committee is to ensure that all educational components of the course align with and meet the stated objectives.  This is done through course theme selection, keynote speaker selection, workshop track selection and development, and learning group development.  The committee meets monthly and member recruitment is done via an open call to current FITs and Faculty.

Faculty-in-Training Committee
Committee Chairs:
Ellen Pearlman, MD, FACH, Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine
Sally Fortner, MD, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Tim Gilligan, MD, FACH, Cleveland Clinic
 
Guide Director:
Julie Crosson, MD, Boston Medical Center/Dorchester House
 
Committee Members:
Brenda Lovegrove Lepisto, PsyD, Hurley Medical Center
Kamini Muzumdar, MD, Texas Children's Hospital
Bert Stewart, MD, Baylor Scotte and White
Laurie Devin, MSN, MBA, RN, CNML, RN-BC, Yale New Haven Hospital
Gita Mehta, MD, UCSD Health Care IMG
Lynn O'Neill, MD, Emory University (Ex-Officio)
 
About the Committee:
The purpose of the FIT committee is to improve, grow, and support the ACH's FIT program and its participants.  This includes reviewing and approving applications, advancements, and graduations; providing Guide selection assistance and resources to FITs; and ensuring the highest quality, timely, and relevant training to produce eventual ACH Faculty.  The committee meets monthly and is comprised of only FITs and Faculty.  New members are recruited via an open call to FITs and Faculty.
Finance/Audit/Investment Committee

Raymond Curry, MD, FACP, FACH, University of Illinois College of Medicine
Krista Hirschmann, PhD, FACH, ENHANCE, LLC
Carli Zegers, PhD, FNP-BC, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Nursing and Health Sciences

The Finance Committee is appointed by the President and includes the Board Treasurer, one additional Board member and a third member who may or may not be a member of the Board. The Finance Committee is responsible for providing oversight to the financial obligations of ACH including the annual audit process and the Putnam Fund Endowment investments.

2021 ICCH Planning Committee

Committee Chair:
Kathleen Kieran, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital

Scientific Co-Chairs:
Kasey Boehmer, PhD, MPH, Health Services Research in the Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit at Mayo Clinic
Shak Rehman, MD, CSH, FACP, FACH, UA College of Medicine – Phoenix; Phoenix VA Healthcare Systems

Committee Members:
Nicole Defenbaugh, PhD, St. Luke's University Health Network
Ankit Mehta, MD, FHM, FACP, HealthPartners; University of Minnesota
Yuriko de la Cruz, MPH, National Association of Community Health Centers
Marguerite Tracy, MBBS, BSc(Med), FRACGP, DCH, MPH, The University of Sydney School of Public Health
Carli Zegers, PhD, FNP-BC, University of Missouri Kansas City
Lauren Hamel PhD, Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute
Kirsten Isgro, PhD, State University of New York
Chris Koenig, PhD, FACH, San Francisco State University
Kara Myers, CNM, MS, FACH, University of California San Francisco; Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Sara Rubinelli, PhD, University of Luzern (CH); Swiss Paraplegic Research (CH)
Tetine Sentell, PhD, University of Hawaii Office of Public Health Studies
Aubree Shay, PhD, MSSW, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio
Elizabeth Unni, PhD, MBA, Touro College of Pharmacy
Shonna Yin, MD, MSc, NYU School of Medicine; Bellevue Hospital Center

Leadership Development Committee

Committee Chair
Kara Myers, CNM, MS, FACH, University of California San Francisco; Zuckerberg San Francisco

Committee Members
Yuriko de la Cruz, MPH, National Association of Community Health Centers
Noelle Elizabeth Spencer, MS, Magee-Womens Research Institute
Calvin Chou, MD, PhD, FACH, University of California, San Francisco
Craig Roth, MD, University of Minnesota
Sumita Kalra, DO, San Mateo Medical Center
Aisha O'Mally, PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo

About the Committee:
The purpose of the LDC is to facilitate the annual ACH Board nominations and election process. In addition, the LDC provides oversight to the ACH Fellowship process. The LDC is chaired by the Immediate Past President (in odd numbered years) or President-Elect (in even numbered years). The LDC is appointed by the Past President/President-Elect as applicable and approved by the current Board. The LDC consists of three sitting Board members (including the Past-President/President-elect and the VP for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion or their designee), two past Board members, and two ACH members who are neither a current nor previous member of the Board.

Research Committee

Committee Members
Saleh Aldasouqi, MD, FACE, ECNU, Michigan State University
Delesha Carpenter, PhD, MSPH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Judy Chang, MD, MPH, OBGYN, University of Pittsburgh
Glyn Elwyn, BA, MD, MSc, FRCGP, PhD, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
Gemmae Fix, PhD, Bedford VA and Boston University School of Medicine
Kathleen Kieran, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital
Chris Koenig, PhD, FACH, San Francisco State University
Maija Reblin, PhD, The University of Vermont
Russell Rothman, MD, MPP, Vanderbilt University
Antoinette Schoenthaler, EdD, FACH, NYU School of Medicine

About the Committee:
The purpose of the Research Committee is to ensure that the research activities of the ACH are timely and relevant to our members.  This includes management of the Putnam Scholars Program, management of the Engel and Payer Awards, planning activities for the ACH ICCH and Forum conferences, and general oversight related to ACH research goals.   The committee meets monthly and recruits members via an open call.

Patient Engagement Committee

Co-Chairs:
Nan Cochran, MD, FACH, Geisel School of Medicine, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
Martha Hayward, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Committee Members:
Jessica Caron, MEd, Elliot Hospital
Rose Carrion, BSH, Nemours Children’s Health System
Devika Nair, MD MSCI, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Kara Myers, CNM, MS, FACH, University of California San Francisco; Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Krista Hirschmann, PhD, FACH, Flinders University
Kristen Pecanac, PhD, RN, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Aisha O'Mally, PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo
Kirsten Isgro, PhD, State University of New York

About the Committee:
The purpose of the Patient Engagement Committee is to oversee the integration of patients into the work and activities of the ACH. This includes Identifying strengths, resources and needs of patients, their family members and healthcare professionals, both as unique individuals and in relationship to one another. 
Relationship-centered Communication Facilitators (RCF) Committee

Co-Directors
Ryan Laponis, MD, FACH, University of California, San Francisco
Bronwyn Wilson, MD, University of New Mexico School of Medicine 

Committee Members
Marilyn Augustine
Sally Fortner, MD, University of New Mexico
Tina Foster, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Peter Lichstien, MD, FACH, Wake Forest Baptist Health
Mimi Mateo, CNM, North County Health Services
Matt Russell, MD, VA Boston Healthcare
Darryl Woods, MD, Stroger Hospital of Cook County

About the Committee:
The purpose of the RCF committee is to improve, grow, and support the ACH's RCF program and its participants.  This includes reviewing and approving applications and certifications; providing RCFs with resources and support; and ensuring the highest quality, timely, and relevant training to produce certified "ACH facilitators." The committee meets monthly and is comprised of only FITs, Faculty, and RCFs.  New members are recruited via an open call to FITs and Faculty.

2021 Winter Course Planning Committee

Co-Directors
Brenda Lovegrove Lepisto, PsyD, McLaren Greater Lansing Health Hospital
Kathleen McGrail, MD, FACH, Rochester Regional Health System 

Committee Members
A. Renee Bergstrom, EdD, Retired from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Gregorie Constant-Peter, MD, Orlando VA Medical Center
Sally Fortner, MD, University of New Mexico
Tina Foster, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Tim Gilligan, MD, FACH, Cleveland Clinic
Maysel Kemp-White, PhD, MFT, FACH, Healthcare Quality and Communication Improvement, LLC
Ryan Laponis, MD, FACH, University of California, San Francisco 
Lisa Miller, EdD, RN, CPHQ, Independent Consultant
Michael Nathan, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital-Revere Healthcare
Lynn O’Neill, , MD, Emory University
Ellen Pearlman, MD, FACH, Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine
Jayne Penne, MSPAS, PA-C, Eastern Virginia Medical School 
Jeff Stein, MD, University of Missouri
Melissa Times, MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS, MetroHealth Medical Center
Bronwyn Wilson, MD, University of New Mexico School of Medicine 
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