DRAFT 2015 ADAO AAC Bios Master

2015 ADAO Conference Biographies: Honorees, Speakers and ADAO Leadership

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

"United for Asbes tos Disease Awareness , Educat ion , Advocacy , and Community Suppor t" 1525 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 318 · Redondo Beach · California · 90278 · 310.251.7477

www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org

Arturo Juárez Aguilar, Filmmaker, is highly regarded in the Latin American cinema and TV industry. He is part of several working productions in countries such as México, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil and Uruguay. Producer and co-founder of the movie production company Aberracion Optica, based in Mexico City, Arturo strives to uphold profound quality in all aspects of his film making and searches to co-produce with artists from other cultures, using ethnic differences and similarities to tell stories that various communities can identify with. His recent documentary

work “The Path of Stone Soup” was awarded best documentary in the Huatulco Food and Film Festival, and selected to screen at other festivals in countries such as India, Portugal, South Africa, USA, Dominican Republic and Canada. Currently Arturo is working on his latest documentary called “Zero Asbestos” a personal and environmental movie about the harm that asbestos industries inflict on Mexican society and individual families.

Syed Mezab Ahmed Syed Mezab Ahmed is a 25 year old Pakistani who has been involved with ADAO and the global fight to ban asbestos in various capacities since the asbestos exposure related death of his uncle in 2007. He has filed a petition in the Honorable Environmental Tribunal to ban and hold Dadex Eternit Ltd. responsible for exposing millions of Pakistani workers and residents to asbestos. Their case is now pending in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In February, the Ahmed family will host the first Conference Ban Asbestos Pakistan to raise greater support and awareness in the fight against

asbestos. Marilyn Amento has been involved with ADAO in various capacities since before the first Asbestos Awareness Conference in Washington, DC in 2005. Marilyn is the widow of Joe Amento, Jr. who died of mesothelioma at the age of 53, only 6 months after his first symptom. Joe was exposed to asbestos approximately 40 years prior while visiting his father at one of the several asbestos plants, and playing on asbestos scrap piles in the small borough of Ambler, a Philadelphia suburb. Marilyn has a Master’s Degree in Human Services Management from The Heller School of Brandeis University, and is the

proud Mom of two college students, Joe and Julie. She channels her grief and anger with the asbestos industry by working with ADAO and educating the public about asbestos through her strong Facebook presence.

Troi Atkinson, Mesothelioma Patient and 2015 Honoree, is a talented musician who started off his root seeking life in the Deep South. The influence of the hills of Arkansas carved out the melodies which form a downright old school homegrown style rock and roll. Atkinson’s life story and travels as a solider and sailor across the globe round off the edges of the unique rhythm’s. Troi also struggled with mesothelioma and has been an avid supporter of ADAO.





Emily Bankhead, Mesothelioma Widow and 2014 Honoree

Brad Black, PhD has been the Medical Director and CEO for the Center for Asbestos and Related Disease in Libby, Montana since 2000. He has been a physician in the Libby medical community since 1977 and became the Lincoln County Health Officer in 1984. Beginning in 1999, he worked closely with Dr. Alan Whitehouse, a Spokane, WA pulmonologist, for 9 years. Since 2000, Dr. Black has had the opportunity to care for thousands of patients and this longitudinal observation of progressive pleural fibrosis has led to a clear characterization of Libby amphibole asbestos disease. CARD continues to

provide asbestos health screening and care to a population with significant Libby Amphibole exposure and related diseases. In 2008 he presented at the National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute about the progressive pleural fibrosis and mesothelioma identified in those exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos. He was instrumental in initiating research on Libby amphibole asbestos health effects. His work has expanded into research leading to an association with pulmonologists and occupational medicine specialists from multiple academic centers around the U.S. In 2010, Dr. Black became an adjunct professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He has collaborated on a number of professional journal publications, and most recently he participated in a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences working group that developed a publication on the non- neoplastic, pleural endpoints. Today, Dr. Black continues his dedicated efforts to providing excellent healthcare, outreach, and research for asbestos related diseases. Brazil’s State Attorney is, according to the Brazilian Federal Constitution, an institution essential to Justice. It is not subject to any of the three branches of public government and has functional, administrative and financial autonomy. It is the legal guardian of the juridical order, of the democratic system and of social and individual inalienable interests and has the duty to monitor the compliance to Brazilian Law. The Labour Prosecutor’s Office (LPO) is the branch of the State Attorney (USA) that has the task to supervise the compliance with labour when there is public interest, seeking to regulate and mediate relations between employees and employers. It is up to LPO promote civil action under Justice Labour to defend collective interests when occurs violations of social rights constitutionally guaranteed to workers.

Jill Cagle is the surviving spouse of Meso Warrior Robbie Cagle, who lost his 6 year battle with Peritoneal Mesothelioma on 9-11-11 at the age of 46. She is a mother and now grandmother of 3. She is a Christian and her faith in God truly sustains her. She is the lead singer in the Band Backstreet and plays the Fiddle. She makes primitive crafts and candles and she loves to ride her Harley and feel the wind in her hair. She has been associated with ADAO

since 2007 and has now started an annual Motorcycle Ride, "Ridin the Wind With Rob" which





includes a 110 mile ride, dinner, silent auction, raffles and t-shirt sales to raise funds for awareness and ultimately a CURE of Mesothelioma. Jill and Rob marched on Capitol Hill in 2010 to help get Illinois to sign the National Asbestos Awareness Day Bill and also met with the DOD. She is committed to doing whatever it takes to get this killer 100 % banned. She is truly honored and proud to be a part of this organization.

Dr. Robert B. Cameron is a board certified thoracic and general surgeon as well as a fully-trained surgical oncologist who serves as the Director of the UCLA and West LA VA Comprehensive Mesothelioma Programs as well as the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the West Los Angeles VA. Dr. Cameron trained at UCLA, The

National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health as well as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Cornell-New York Hospital in New York. He has over 30 years of experience as a surgeon and over 20 as a specialist in mesothelioma. He has championed “lung-sparing” surgical techniques which over the last 10 years has become the preferred standard surgical procedure for mesothelioma throughout the world. Dr. Cameron is also interested in treating mesothelioma as a chronic disease through the use of cyroablation, immunotherapy, as well as mesenchymal stem cell and gene therapies.

Barry Castleman, ScD is an Environmental Consultant trained in chemical and environmental engineering. He holds a Doctor of Science degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. He has been a consultant to numerous agencies of the US government and other governments, international bodies, and environmental groups dealing with a wide range of public health issues. He has testified as an expert in civil litigation in the US on the history of asbestos as a public health problem and the reasons for failure to properly control asbestos hazards. Dr. Castleman has spent the past 40 years working on asbestos as a public health problem.

Mark Catlin, Service Employees International Union, is the Occupational Health and Safety Director for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing two million healthcare, service and public workers in the United States and Canada. As an industrial hygienist and health and safety activist, beginning in 1981, he has been involved with asbestos issues over his entire career, from investigating asbestos problems at worksites, schools and homes; to conducting EPA and OSHA asbestos training for thousands of workers and managers; to assisting unions with bargaining for asbestos protections for their

members and working for strong public policies to eliminate asbestos use and exposure. From 1987-89, he served on the Alaska Department of Labor’s Asbestos Standard Advisory Committee tasked with drafting a worker asbestos standard for Alaska more protective than the then existing OSHA standard. In the early 1990s, he worked at the Harborview Occupational Medicine Clinic at the University of Washington and conducted many occupational histories for workers with asbestos-





related disease. In 2006, he created a YouTube Channel of Workplace and Environmental Health and Safety Film Clips as a resource for educators and trainers ( http://www.youtube.com/markdcatlin?feature=mhum ). This channel contains more than 1,000 films and films clips of primarily public domain material from 1912 to 2000, on a wide range of workplace and environmental health and safety topics, including more than 100 dealing with asbestos.

Kim Cecchini has been a volunteer with ADAO since its inception in 2004, having lost her beloved stepfather, William Shields, to mesothelioma. As a passionate communications professional, she lends her expertise to help ADAO in its efforts to publicize important information about asbestos disease prevention and ban advocacy efforts. She currently serves as Visionary Integration Professionals' (VIP’s) Vice President of Marketing. Prior to that, she spent more than two decades providing strategic communications to high-growth companies, and has helped to generate five successful acquisitions by Fortune 500 companies. Her vast industry experience encompasses federal contracting, emerging technology, healthcare, policy communications, and a variety of commercial and trade association verticals. Kim is a recognized industry writer, speaker, and

thoughtful leader.

Ellen Costa has been a volunteer with ADAO since 2012 and is honored to be of service to this very special organization; its mission, founders and supporters. Professionally, she has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years and has served firms in marketing, communications, product management and strategic planning. Her current position at Wells Fargo Home Lending is as a strategy consultant in the financial reform regulatory environment. Inspired by Linda Reinstein’s commitment and passion in making change, influencing political policy and advocating for practical issues on a global level, lead her to involvement with the organization. The

awareness, family support and leadership ADAO provides in creating the change needed in this world is truly powerful. Most importantly, she believes in Linda Reinstein and is truly privileged to serve the mission of ADAO.

Earl Dotter, In 1968 Earl Dotter photographed coal miners, then the most dangerous job in America. After which, he focused on other hazardous jobs in the USA. After 30 years of documentation he created the exhibit and book, THE QUIET SICKNESS: A Photographic Chronicle of Hazardous Work in America. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard School of Public Health since his appointment in 1999. In the year 2000, Dotter received an Alicia Patterson Foundation Fellowship to document commercial fishing. It had become our nation’s most dangerous trade. After 9/11, he photographed the rescue recovery

effort at Ground Zero. For that exhibit work he received the APHA’s, Alice Hamilton Award. More recently Dotter has followed the hazardous jobs new immigrants are performing in the USA.





Geoff Fary has an unusual combination of background and experiences. From 2010 to 2012, he was the independent Chairman of the Australian Asbestos Management Review. Elected Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Assistant Secretary in 2007, and re-elected in 2009, he previously had responsibility for the national peak council’s policy on OH&S – including asbestos. He had earlier worked as a farm labourer, sheep shearer, administrator, Victorian Director of the Australian Trade Union Training Agency (TUTA), Chief of Staff to a Federal Cabinet Minister, Human Resources Director and company director with George Weston Foods Limited, CEO of Industrial Relations Victoria, Employee

Relations Manager at Nestle Australia and Executive Director of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA). Geoff is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and serves on the Board of the Australian Institute of Management.

Prof. Dean Fennell, PhD, FRCP, originally trained in Pharmacology and Medicine at University College London. He undertook a PhD as an MRC clinical research fellow at UCL followed by completion of training in medical oncology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. He then undertook a Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist fellowship, which was renewed, at the CRUK Centre Belfast before joining the University of Leicester. A leading UK researcher in thoracic cancers, Prof Fennell heads a

translational research laboratory in the University of Leicester, exploring mechanisms of drug resistance as a basis for personalizing therapy using agents under clinical investigation. Prof Fennell is board member of the EORTC, current chair of the NCRI mesothelioma subgroup, and sits on the NCRI lung cancer and biomarker/imaging clinical studies group. He is Leicester CRUK Centre Lead in the TRACERx consortium. He is currently chief investigator, leading the CRUK PIN, VIM, and MESO2 clinical trials and for two global randomized trials, COMMAND and GALAXY. He has published several peer reviewed in journals such as PNAS, Nature Communications, JNCI, Lancet, and Lancet Oncology. Prof Fennell was elected president of the International Mesothelioma Interest group in 2012 commencing 2014.

Raja Flores, MD, is the Chairman of Thoracic Surgery, Ames Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Flores helped pioneer the use of intraoperative chemotherapy for mesothelioma. He led a multi-center trial designed to improve patient outcomes. In addition, he changed the surgical management of pleural mesothelioma cancer with a landmark study comparing extrapleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication. With over 100 related

publications to date, his energies and commitment to the plight of mesothelioma patients remains paramount.





Arthur L. Frank, PhD, MD is a physician board certified in both internal medicine and occupational medicine and currently serves as Professor of Public Health and Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia. He is also a Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary) at the Drexel College of Medicine. He also holds a position at Drexel as Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. A life-long academic, Dr. Frank has previously taught at Mount Sinai, the University of Kentucky and in the University of Texas System. He has served many governmental agencies in the US and has carried out research and has been a governmental advisor internationally. His

research interests have been in the areas of occupational cancers and occupational lung diseases, as well as agricultural safety and health. For thirty-seven years he held a commission in the U S Public Health Service (active and inactive) and served on active duty both at the NIH and at NIOSH.

Fernanda Giannasi, Fernanda Giannasi is a Civil and Safety Engineer and ex-Labor Inspector for the Ministry of Labor and Employment for 30 years, currently retired. She is coordinator of the Virtual Citizens Ban Asbestos Network for Latin America, founder of the Brazilian Association of People Exposed to Asbestos (ABREA) and Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini. She serves as an expert witness in judicial cases related to asbestos and other toxic chemicals. She also leaded thousands of workers who have filed lawsuits

against the asbestos industry. In charge of a Federal Labor Inspector, she staunchly defended the public interest on workers’ safety and health and was pressured by the asbestos lobby and endured all kind the, pressures, harassments including death threats, offensive campaigns and criminal charges by her detractors. Despite of these threatens, she has been awarded in Brazil and internationally in Canada (Ray Sentes Award), USA by the APHA-American Public Health Association and ISEE-International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Japan by the Tajiri Muneaki Memorial Fund. She is internationally well known and highly respected for her proficient and perseverant campaigning to save lives from asbestos. Fernanda Giannasi is the personification of the fight against asbestos in Brazil. Not for nothing is she called ‘The Brockovich of Brazil’. See e.g. http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/07/21/3418/brockovich-brazil

Freddi Segal-Gidan, PA, PhD is the director of the Rancho los Amigos/USC California Alzheimer’s Disease Center. She is a physician assistant with over three decades of extensive clinical experiences, most of which has been spent caring for older adults with chronic illnesses. She received her doctorate in gerontology as part of the first class of doctorate trained gerontologists in the country from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Dr. Segal-Gidan holds appointments as assistant clinical professor in the department of neurology at the USC Keck School of Medicine and at the USC School of Gerontology. She is actively engaged in clinical care, research and training of health professionals, and a strong advocate for geriatric training of all health

care providers.





Herman Hamilton is the Executive Assistant with ADAO. After becoming familiar with the medical and legal aspects of Asbestos through his neighbor and longtime friend of 30 years, Dr. Barry Castleman, Herman joined ADAO in January of 2005 as the Veterans Representative. Presently, Herman assists Linda in the day-to-day operations of ADAO and amongst his many duties, he has been a liaison for other like-minded asbestos groups. He also works with Congressional staffers to set up meetings regarding ongoing legislation. His proudest accomplishment has been his work to defeat the Asbestos Trust Fund. The goal he would like to achieve the most is the passage of legislation for a total ban of Asbestos. Outside of ADAO, Herman has served on the

Board of Directors of Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland for the past 13 years and counting. Marc Hindry is professor and researcher in mathematics at the University Diderot Paris 7. He became involved with asbestos because the University buildings where he worked were sprayed with asbestos and due to this exposure, several employees suffered from asbestos disease. He is among the founders of Andeva, the French National Association for the Defense of Asbestos Victims, and has since continuously advised the company. Today, he is also in charge of international matters for Andeva and was the

main organizer of the "International day for Asbestos Victims", held in Paris, October 2012 focusing all her hard work on the goal of reaching a global asbestos ban. Dr. Philippe Jardim

Doug Larkin is the Co-Founder of Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) – which works to help raise awareness about asbestos related diseases, while serving as a global community for asbestos victims and their families. Doug holds a B.A. in political science from Muskingum University, New Concord, Ohio. Doug is the Director of Communications for the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a congressionally chartered veteran service organization committed to helping all veterans secure rehabilitation, benefits, accessibility and a career. Previously, Doug was the President & CEO of Larkin Communications, a strategic communications and public affairs firm based in Washington, DC. He has worked on numerous successful legislative campaigns on behalf of large technology

companies and national trade associations. In addition, he is considered an expert in corporate communications, brand identity, as well as message development and dissemination. Doug has also worked as the press secretary and the communication director for Congressman Kevin Brady (R-08-TX). Rep. Brady is the Republican Deputy Whip and a senior member of the House Ways & Means Committee. “Congress and the media respond to compelling stories. It’s through your stories and donations to ADAO, that enables us to advocate a strong message for present and future victims of asbestos related disease.” Doug has worked tirelessly behind the scenes garnering the attention of the media and advocating for the rights of asbestos victims and their families. Doug dedicates his





service to William D. Shields, a family member who was exposed to asbestos, and died from Mesothelioma.

Richard Lemen, PhD is a former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States and also served as the Acting Director and the Deputy Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health before his retirement. He has been a practicing epidemiologist for more than forty years, and has taught graduate level courses on environmental and occupational health issues, including asbestos, at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He has also testified on behalf of asbestos victims; Dr. Lemen is a world-renowned author, speaker, and lecturer on this topic.

Guadalupe Aguilar Madrid. MD.MSc. PhD. Specialist in Occupational Medicine, Master of Science in Occupational Health, and Doctor of Science in Epidemiology. She has been a Research Associate "C" on Health Research Unit at Work XXI Century National Medical Center, IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute), since 2004. Dr. Aguilar Madrid is a Member of the National System of Researchers, Researcher Level I. She has published in international journals and serves as external reviewer of the Salud Publica de Mexico since 1999. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Revista Medicina y Seguridad en el Trabajo. Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Madrid, Spain, since 2008.

Professor Faculty of Medicine.UNAM. Collaborate with CILAS (Centro de Investigación Laboral y Asesoría Sindical). Her research interests are: Occupational cancer (pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer). Assessment of exposure to lead, asbestos, noise and organic solvents. Seroprevalence of H1N1 influenza in healthcare workers. Burden of disease in workers. Medical care costs in insured by the IMSS. Occupational laws and regulations. In addition she trains health workers on health and safety. Dr. Luis Antonio Camargo De Melo Jessica Mattmuller, Mesothelioma Wife Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Conference Committee

Captain Aubrey K. Miller, M.D., M.P.H., currently Senior Medical Advisor, Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health.(NIH). He has responsibility for strategic planning and coordination of environmental health issues and activities among HHS and other federal agencies, as well as supervisory oversight of the NIEHS office in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Miller has longstanding experience, publications, speaking engagements, and contributions to a wide range of occupational and environmental health issues and policies. He has had extensive involvement in the Gulf Oil Spill response providing





testimonies before Congress on the health concerns of environmental exposures and coordinating a variety of ongoing NIEHS activities. His has worked on health issues for numerous disaster responses including Hurricane Sandy, H1N1 pandemic, anthrax attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and WTC response. Additionally, Dr. Miller has longstanding involvement with asbestos issues; helping to lead the federal response to the asbestos contamination in Libby, Montana; assessing health effects & exposures, developing public health alerts, and facilitating improved access to health care and needed research. He is also working on newly identified concerns related to hydraulic fracturing and erionite exposures in the U.S. He is board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Barbara Minty McQueen is the widow of American film star Steve McQueen, and is a former model and photographer. She is also the author of Steve McQueen: The Last Mile, which documents the three-and-a-half year relationship between the two and includes candid photographs from 1977 to 1980. McQueen has hosted several art exhibits of her work with shows in London, Tokyo, San Francisco, Nashville, Phoenix and Idaho, where she resides

Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH is a professorial lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Her research includes assessment of worker health and safety laws and policies, and their effectiveness in protecting workers from illnesses, disability and death. She has published articles on strategies used by economic interests, including the asbestos industry, to manipulate scientific evidence to create uncertainty about health risks in order to delay protective regulatory action and

compensation. Prior to her academic appointment, Dr. Monforton was a federal employee at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, 1991-1995) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA, 1996-2001). Dr. Monforton served on the special panels appointed by the West Virginia Governor to investigate the January 2006 Sago coal mine disaster that took the lives of 12 workers, and the April 2010 disaster at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29 workers. Dr. Monforton is an active member of the American Public Health Association, and serves in a leadership position with the organization’s Occupational Health and Safety Section. Patrick J. Morrison, Assistant to the General President for Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine

Sandra Neuenschwander of Ringgold, Georgia is the mother of 29-year-old Michael Bradley who lost his life to mesothelioma in April 2014. Although her grief is raw, Sandra will speak at the briefing in honor of her son, who, even when he could barely breathe, set his mind on spreading asbestos disease awareness and





supporting other victims. Sandra has vowed to continue her son’s fight for a cure and an asbestos ban.

Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS, FACPM is President of Occupational Health Initiatives, Inc. She is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Physician in the Department of Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit) at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Board certified in internal medicine and in preventive (occupational) medicine, Dr. Oliver’s primary specialty is Occupational and Environmental Medicine, with an emphasis on occupational lung disease. She is the Co-Director of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital. There she evaluates and cares for patients with a variety of occupational

and environmental diseases, including occupational asthma, interstitial lung disease associated with exposure to asbestos and beryllium, and building-associated illness. Dr. Oliver has done research and published in the area of occupational lung disease. An important focus of her research and clinical activities has been asbestos-related disease. She has lectured frequently on this topic. Dr. Oliver is responsible for medical surveillance of a group of public school custodians employed by the City of Boston and exposed to asbestos during the course of that work. She consults on medical-legal issues and provides expert witness testimony. Dr. Oliver has testified before Congress on issues related to workplace exposures and related disease. She was an active participant in the implementation of medical aspects of the 1991 Workers’ Compensation Reform Act signed into law in Massachusetts.

Ellen Volk Patton is a mesothelioma patient dedicated to raising asbestos awareness, advocacy and support. In 2001, at 41 years old, she was diagnosed with bilateral malignant pleural mesothelioma. She has bravely fought with an alternative treatment option, immune therapy. Ellen is a very positive person and her strengths shine through with her desire to share her story and educate others on asbestos exposure.

Dr. Jorma Rantanen, MD, PhD, Professor at International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) and 2015 Honoree, is a specialist in occupational health and served for 30 years as the Director General of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, FIOH. He has experience in practical occupational health services, and occupational medicine and in the development of regulations for OHS in Finland and internationally. He chaired the Finnish Government Committee on Asbestos and was in charge of the charge of the Finnish

National Asbestos Programme for total ban and elimination of asbestos. Internationally he has advised WHO, ILO and several Governments on elimination of asbestos-related diseases. Besides about 500 research and professional articles, he has authored books on occupational health





practices, cancer risk assessment, chemical and global risk assessment, prevention practices, including asbestos-related diseases, and work in the information society. Dr. Rantanen has served the Academy of Finland in research strategy planning. He has evaluated universities and research institutions in Finland and planned new governance model for Finnish University Reform, including the drafting of the new University law, which was passed by the Parliament in 2009 and implemented since 2010. He chaired University of Jyväskylä for years 2009-2013. He has evaluated Government research institutes and Government funded research programmes for Finland, Norway, UK, USA, Sweden and Switzerland. He has over 30 years' experience on programmes for occupational health in developing and transitory countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, China and Eastern Europe, including the Russian Federation, Baltic and Balkan areas. He has served as the Board member of ICOH and as President for the tenures 2003–2006 and 2006–2009, serving currently as a Board Member in the capacity of the past President.

Emily Reinstein is the daughter of ADAO Co-Founder, Linda Reinstein, and is currently a senior at the University of Southern California studying International Relations and minoring in Social Entrepreneurship. Since the age of ten, Emily has worked with her mother and other volunteers to expand ADAO. After helping to build ADAO’s social media network through Facebook and other platforms, as well as co-founding the Emerging Leaders Program, she has seen the importance of international cooperation and the involvement of the younger generation in future endeavors. She currently

serves as Director of Strategic Communications for ADAO and looks forward to continuously working with the leadership and volunteers to further ADAO’s mission.

Linda Reinstein is the President/CEO and Co-Founder of Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). Reinstein became an activist when her husband, Alan, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2003. She co-founded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization in 2004, and now serves as President and CEO. Reinstein has been a strong political voice for justice in every major asbestos-related issue. Reinstein, a highly sought-after international speaker, has frequently served as a Congressional witness and presented at the Department of Labor (OSHA), British House of Commons, United Nations Congress, American Public Health Association, and to other audiences around the world. Recognized as an expert with more than 35 years of nonprofit experience in building and sustaining grassroots organizations,

Reinstein specializes in developing, implementing, and leveraging integrated social media campaigns. Recently, Reinstein was asked to create social media educational materials and facilitate a workshop in Asia. Focused on national and international occupational and environmental disease prevention, Reinstein’s proficiency in the powerful advocacy space of online media has greatly increased the effectiveness of ADAO’s core mission of education, advocacy, and community support actions. She has won many prestigious awards including the Global Impact Award (2013), from the Independent Asbestos Training Providers; Bruce Vento Hope Builder Award (2011), from the Mesothelioma





Applied Research Foundation; the highest level of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her 4,000 hours of volunteerism during her lifetime (2010); and the Heart and Soul Award in from the Manhattan Beach Women in Business Association (2005).

Laurie Rice, was born and raised in Los Angeles where she received her B.A. in Art History from UCLA and a M.A. in special education from CSUN. She taught deaf and hard of hearing students for five years before attending Loyola Law School. A former Deputy District Attorney, Laurie has dedicated the last 22 years to various teaching positions, volunteering in the community and pro bono legal work.

Tony Rich has literally served “in the trenches” as an industrial hygienist and environmental technician in the consulting field for the past 20 years, specializing in asbestos-related work, including: inspection surveys, abatement monitoring/sample analyses, project management, regulatory compliance, and worker training. He has also received microscopy training from McCrone Research Institute for identification of bulk asbestos via polarized-light microscopy (PLM). Through the course of his occupation and personal endeavor, Tony has developed an extensive and compelling collection of asbestos-related photographs, product materials, artifacts,

historical books, industry documents, film archives, and other related media which have been utilized in a multitude of applications for various organizations worldwide, including, but not limited to: product and material research, asbestos awareness education blogs, informational presentations, corporate and governmental training programs, regulatory guidance documents, science and trade publications, university textbooks, museum exhibits, and even as legal evidence.

Barry Robson, the President of ADFA, became a Union delegate of the Waterside Workers Federation in 1970 and was elected as Senior Vice President of that Union in 1988. In 1995 he was elected Assistant Branch Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, a position he held until retirement from the workforce in 2003. From 1991 to 1995 he was a Councillor on Blacktown City Council. He became a delegate to ADFA in 1996 and was appointed President in 2002 and elected President in 2003, a position he holds today. He has been appointed to the following, Asbestos

Research Institute in 2004, Federal Government Asbestos in Telstra Infrastructure in 2013 and Federal Asbestos Safely and Eradication Agency (ASEA) in 2013. Barry has been awarded three Life Memberships, Maritime Union of Australia, St Marys Baseball Club and Blacktown Mt Druitt Cardiac Support Group.





Ann Samuelson is from Seaside, OR. Her father Stan Grimberg lost his battle with mesothelioma 32 years ago, ADAO has given Ann an opportunity to volunteer, work with others, and make a difference. She has served as a County Commissioner, is a Director on NW Regional Education Service District Board, and is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the state of Oregon. She holds steadfast in the hope that elected officials will listen and stop this man-made disaster. Ann advocates to ban asbestos in the USA and worldwide, compensation for victims, and is proud to be a part of the global growth ADAO has developed through social media, advocacy, and our

partners around the world. This is Ann's second year as a presenter at the ADAO conference.

Domani M. Tripam became involved with ADAO after her “SuperDad” was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011. She is passionate about educating others about their risks of asbestos exposure and ways to protect themselves and their families as well as supporting ADAO in their efforts to create change for all who have been affected by asbestos. Her family formed Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of asbestos and funds for mesothelioma research, of which she is a member of the Board of Directors as well as the Executive Director. Domani and her

family are currently planning their Second Annual I Know A Superhero Family Fun Festival in support of University of Chicago Medicine’s Mesothelioma Program and ADAO. Domani is an administrative and marketing services professional with over 25 years of senior level administrative experience in various industries including analytics, consulting, market research, event fundraising, legal, financial and professional services, executive recruiting, consumer products and corporate real estate.

Ellen Tunkelrott, Member of the ADAO Board of Directors, is a Senior Contracts Administrator, MBA, CFCM for a small aerospace and defense company in Los Angeles. She resides in Redondo Beach, California. She became friends with Linda and Alan Reinstein through local community volunteer activity. Linda and Ellen collaboratively brainstormed the virtual non-profit site www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org, and Ellen developed the original site based on the concepts and direction from those sessions. She has a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach, and an

MBA from Loyola Marymount University. She is a Certified Paralegal and is licensed by the County of Los Angeles as a Legal Document Assistant. Ellen is also a commissioned Notary Public for the State of California. She is self-taught in web design and development. In her spare time, Ellen is an avid photographer, gardener and is a magician member of the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts, located in the world-renowned Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.

Jasmine Uysal, University of Southern California, B.A. Health & Humanities: Global Health, is an ADAO Communications Coordinator Intern, working under President and CEO Linda Reinstein. During her undergraduate studies, Jasmine was involved in a number of health related





projects including interning at St. Francis Medical Center and USC Keck Research Lab working on cancer toxicity cell lines. In her free time she enjoys writing, reading, traveling, blogging and photography. Next year, Jasmine will be pursuing a M.P.H. degree in Community Health Sciences – Global Health at the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA), Fielding School of Public Health. In the future, she intends to focus on implementing sustainable grassroots public health systems in underdeveloped countries within rural communities.

Susan Vento is a tireless anti-asbestos legislation advocate and widow to Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District representative, Bruce F. Vento. Formerly a school teacher, she also served for 27 years as a staff member for the Minnesota Education and Education Minnesota, representing teachers and educational support professionals. Since her husband’s death, for the past 13 years, Susan has lobbied on asbestos and mesothelioma issues at both state and federal levels. She has also co-authored the book “100 Questions and Answers About Mesothelioma” for new patients and served on the board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Susan is the Director of Outreach for the Church of the Assumption in downtown St. Paul.

Cameron Von St James, Mesothelioma Husband

Yvonne Waterman Ph.D. LL.M., Dutch jurist, founder of Waterman Legal Consultancy, specializes in (comparative) employers’ liability for occupational diseases and asbestos liability. She is a frequent publicist, lecturer and speaker on asbestos liability matters worldwide and also GBAN Charter Member for the Netherlands.

Dr. John Wheeler, Associate Director for Science at CDC/ATSDR.

Lou (Louise) Williams is a mother, grandmother, and wife living with mesothelioma. Lou lost her father aged 54, in 1985 to pleural mesothelioma. Ever since she has been a passionate and dedicated asbestos awareness advocate, working to raise support in her home country of Australia as well as around the globe. In 2001 she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma and bravely fought that with extensive surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately in 2009 she was then diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which required major extensive treatment yet again. Although her battle has been never ending, and quite often unforgiving, Lou has remained positive.

Her strengths shine through with her giving of hope, love and support to victims and their care givers. On April 5th 2014 Lou will be awarded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s





(ADAO), 2014 Alan Reinstein Award. This award recognizes Lou’s commitment to education, advocacy and support to countless patients and families around the world. Lou has served on boards of anti-asbestos support organizations since 2003, and is a valued member of the Bernie Banton Foundation team, serving as the Asbestos Awareness, Information and Support Officer.

Jordan Zevon ADAO's tremendous National Spokesperson is a teacher, singer, and songwriter. Jordan was executive producer for his father, Warren Zevon's, final album The Wind. He also co-produced Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon, which features an all-star cast of singers and musicians. Jordan recently released his own EP entitled Jordan Zevon which is available from CDBaby.com. Jordan's immeasurable commitment to asbestos victims and concerned citizens has provided a united voice that will continue to help ensure that their rights are fairly represented and protected, while raising public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and often deadly asbestos

related diseases.

Date post:	19-Jul-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	linda-reinstein
View:	234 times
Download:	0 times

DRAFT 2015 ADAO AAC Bios Master

Documents