Equity in GI 2023
All Speakers

Dr. Baidoo, is a Fellow of both the American College of Gastroenterologists (ACG) and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and has been accepted to the AGA Academy of Educators. He was the ACG Governor for Western Pennsylvania for a few years, and also served on the training and education committee. In the AGA, he serves nationally as Councilor on the Immunology/Microbiology and IBD Section. He is also a member of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America and has been Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the CCFA Chapter in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Dr Baidoo has received numerous teaching awards voted for by gastroenterology fellows and his peers and also received the Black Bag award for mentoring black medical students.

He serves on the editorial advisory board for the journal-Gastroenterology and Hepatology and serves as reviewer for journals like the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Therapeutic advances in Gastroenterology.

Dr. Baidoo’s current research and clinical interest include novel biological modifiers and innovative strategies in the treatment of IBD and the evaluation of different aspects of the disease and IBD in the minority population. He is also interested in the mechanisms of creating centers of excellence for Inflammatory bowel disease management.

Sophie M. Balzora MD, FACG is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She is Founding President of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH), Chair of ACG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and co-founder of ACG’s #DiversityinGI Social Media Campaign. She serves on ACG Institute’s Leadership, Ethics and Equity Center Advisory Board, COCCI’s Medical Advisory Board, Fight CRC’s Health Equity Committee, and on the Board of the Association of Black Princeton Alumni (ABPA).

She has been recognized nationally for her contributions to the field as it relates to DEI, health equity, and her health equity advocacy has brought her to Capitol Hill and The White House.

All Sessions

• From IBD to CRC, Why Me? Understanding the Pathway
• Medicine & Me – Navigating as a Resident for a Career in GI

Session:

• Friday Mainstage Welcome

Darrell M. Gray, II, MD, MPH, FACG is the President of Wellpoint Maryland, an Elevance Health brand Medicaid plan. Prior to his recent appointment as President, Dr. Gray was the inaugural chief health equity officer for Elevance Health, leading the execution of comprehensive strategy to advance health equity through a whole-health approach (addressing physical, behavioral, social, and pharmacy needs) among Elevance Health’s tens of millions of members and their respective communities.

Prior to joining Elevance Health, Gray was an associate professor of medicine at The Ohio State University, where he served as a practicing gastroenterologist and medical director of healthy communities for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center as well as deputy director of the Center for Cancer Health Equity at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Notably, he co-led Ohio State’s health equity response to COVID-19 and co-designed the health enterprise’s antiracism action plan.

Gray is a co-founder of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and the immediate past chair of the American College of Gastroenterology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Gray has published widely, including high-impact peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Reviews, Lancet, and Cancer. Additionally, he has received numerous awards including the National Minority Quality Forum 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health Award, and the 2020 Healio Disruptive Innovators Health Equity Award. He nonetheless cites his roles as husband to Brittney and father to Harper, Ella, Noah, and Zoë as his crowning achievements.

Dr. Liu completed her internal medicine training at Mayo Clinic Rochester and gastroenterology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She then completed a research fellowship at the Harvard Center of Minimally Invasive and stayed on faculty for four years to investigate the mechanism of endoscopic anti-reflux procedures. She moved to University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada to establish a robust research program in endoscopy. Her research focused on the use of confocal endomicroscopy to quantify leaky gut in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome. She then relocated to University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to translate her research findings into patient care. She was recruited to Morehouse School of Medicine to continue her personalized IBD treatment approaches to help address the disparities in digestive care of Black patients through research and education.

All Sessions:

• The Block is Hot: The Issue with Access

Willetha King Barnette spent 20+ years in a life changing role — primary family caregiver for her mother while raising a daughter, managing the challenges of Crohn’s disease, and working full-time.

For the past five years, she has been a guest speaker for 1^st year medical students during their GI rotation. Speaking and answering questions about her lived experience since 1980, she emphasizes her interactions with medical providers.

Willetha has 40+ years of experience in mostly educational institutions, an advocate for cancer patients, a trained hospice volunteer, guardian ad litem, and Certified Dementia Practitioner. Willetha has taught family caregiver support and education classes at a local community college.

Willetha lives and works in Durham, NC where she has long been a proponent for improving health care delivery and outcomes.

Dr. Fredrick L. Echols, is an agile leader and accomplished physician and public health expert who has over 15 years of experience helping organizations in the public and private sectors address the root causes of complex health issues using evidence-informed approaches, and helping communities and governments leverage existing health and social service infrastructure.  Dr. Echols’ is also a graduate of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Population Health Training in Place program, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and Morehouse School of Medicine Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program. His former roles include serving as a consultant and subject matter expert for national and international public health organizations, Chief Executive Officer for Cure Violence Global, the Director of Health and Health Commissioner for the City of St. Louis.

In the latter roles, Dr. Echols oversaw all public health regulations and departmental operations and led the City of St. Louis’ COVID-19 pandemic response. Dr. Echols has also served as director of Communicable Disease, Emergency Preparedness, Vector and Veterinary Programs for the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, where he was responsible for overseeing daily operations, staff development and training, establishment of public-private partnerships, strategic planning, fiscal management of a multi-million-dollar budget and program development and implementation.

Prior to starting his position with St. Louis County, Dr. Echols served as Chief of Communicable Diseases for the Illinois Department of Public Health and as a physician in the U.S. Navy, where he managed a staff of medical and ancillary personnel. Furthermore, Dr. Echols has served as the principal investigator for local and federally funded public health research initiatives and continues to provide guidance to national and international health organizations.

After many years of misdiagnosis, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease on August 13, 2016. I felt turned away and misunderstood for years, after countless ER visits with bloody stools, pain, swelling, severe vomiting, severe fatigue, loss of appetite, skin changes, weight loss, food intolerances, constipation, and diarrhea. It wasn’t until 2016 that I fully understood what was happening with my body. I suffered for many years before an official diagnosis. I am a single mother of four, and not only has Crohn’s affected me mentally and physically, but it has also affected my children. My mission is to speak out on living a life with Crohn’s. I share my Crohn’s journey to share the truths about living with IBD, so those struggling don’t feel alone and can feel heard.

All Sessions:

• Young, Black & CRC

Kimberly Hooks resides in Atlanta, GA, and is a Host Ambassador with COCCI. In September 2011, Kimberly was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. In May 2020, during the brink of the pandemic, Kimberly had to undergo a proctocolectomy. After 11 years of navigating through her diagnosis, Kimberly noticed the disparities within the minority community related to IBD; this is when she realized her purpose in life was to share her testimony in hopes of helping others living with IBD.

Brandon Jones is an engineering consultant in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC (PwC) Operations Transformation practice focused on Energy, Utilities, and Resources. Brandon serves as a volunteer and advocate for early screening for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. He is married to Jennine A. Jones, and they are the proud parents of one child – Grayson Arthur Chandler Jones.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Affairs and Planning from Virginia Tech.

The Dogon people of Mali believed that a child had no relevance until the father spoke its name. Nia has always taken her name very seriously and felt the weight of it as a calling on her life. With a lifelong dedication to people, Nia is a licensed mental health professional and the CEO of On Purpose with Nia – a consulting organization dedicated to connecting humans to resources intentionally and strategically.

Nia is also the President of Uncommonly Good, Inc, a non-profit established to continue the legacy of her mother- Linda M. Green who passed in January 2022 and her husband- Bryce A. Jones who passed in December 2022. Uncommonly Good is committed to providing mental health resources to the Black community, Scholarship funding for students in High School as well as college, and support to individuals impacted by homelessness.

Nia is a native Baltimorean, and received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Social Work degrees from Morgan State University. In 2011, Nia married the love of her life Bryce Jones and in 2013 gave birth to her one and only son Jackson. She currently resides in Pikesville, MD.

Matthew McCurdy (he/him) is passionate about tackling complex problems to improve health outcomes for marginalized communities. Matthew is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of BLKHLTH, a non-profit focused on mitigating the impact of racism on health in Black communities. Previously, he directed programming at Health DesignED, an innovation center at Emory University’s Department of Emergency Medicine. He also served as a Presidential Management Fellow and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Matthew is from Atlanta and holds degrees from Georgia State University and Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

Rwenshaun Miller is an accomplished author, motivational speaker, counselor, consultant and philanthropist who has dedicated his life and career to, not only reshaping the negative connotations often associated with mental health, but also directly impacting the lives of those living with mental health challenges.  Of all his accolades and roles, Mr. Miller proudly first serves as a Mental Health Change Agent. As a result, Mr. Miller has globally impacted the lives of many through his awareness efforts.

Mr. Miller’s relentless passion and commitment derived from his personal experience living with Bipolar Disorder.  Through his journey, Mr. Miller initially encountered similar challenges many face, including that of acceptance of a mental health diagnosis.  Eventually, Mr. Miller decided to not allow this diagnosis to define and debilitate him realizing that Bipolar Disorder is not what defines who he is.   Thus, he embarked on a path to help uplift, empower, encourage and teach others who live with mental health challenges how to “thrive” in life.

Through Mr. Miller’s founding nonprofit, Eustress, Inc., he built an awareness platform to educate others and break the stigma associated with mental illness.  Furthermore, Eustress assists youth in under-served communities with identifying and overcoming mental health challenges to achieve healthier, productive lifestyles.  Mr. Miller recognizes the gaps in both self and public awareness and has taken action to bridge those gaps throughout the world.  He further understands that representation matters, therefore he obtained his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to change and promote the availability of black male therapists.  Mr. Miller is a practicing Mental Health Counselor in Charlotte, NC at his founded, private practice, The Good Stress Company, and he is actively pursuing a Doctoral Degree in International Psychology.

Demonstrating continuity to seeing those with mental health challenges flourish, Mr. Miller created Be Who You Needed through which he provides consultancy services and training to other therapists and like-minded individuals to empower them to make the greatest impact in the mental health field.  Mr. Miller is truly invested in everyone’s success.

As Senior Vice President of Life and Executive Benefits Business Management, Stafford drives the continued expansion, diversification and enhancement of Lincoln’s industry-leading portfolio of Life Insurance products to meet the needs of new clients in Lincoln’s core and emerging markets. His key responsibilities include product development, pricing and management for Lincoln’s individual Life Insurance and Executive Benefit products, Life business development, and New Business and Inforce Operations for Executive Benefits.  Stafford also is responsible for the management of MoneyGuard on an interim basis.

Stafford is also a champion of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) for the life insurance industry. He was a founding member and former President of the International Association of Black Actuaries. Stafford is the Executive Sponsor for all of Lincoln’s Business Resource Groups, which are employee-led organizations focused on advancing Lincoln’s D&I commitment internally and externally. Stafford has also been recognized for his accomplishments in business and D&I, including receiving Lincoln’s first-ever Isaiah Tidwell Leadership Award and being named one of the most influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine.

Stafford holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics with a concentration in actuarial science from Florida A&M University. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He is a Registered Representative of Lincoln Financial Distributors. Stafford is also a Board member for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Jacquelyn Turner is a Professor of Surgery and current Vice Chair of Surgical Education at Tulane University School of Medicine. A Houston, Texas native, Dr. Turner completed her undergraduate degree at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans and her medical doctorate degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She completed her general surgery residency at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and her colorectal fellowship at the Grant Medical Center/The Ohio State University program in Columbus, Ohio. She practices out of Tulane Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana with a focus of improving quality of healthcare and medical education.

Latonia Ward is from Southern Mississippi. Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 17, she has been an IBD patient for 30 years. She is an ostomate with a K-Pouch. Over the last twenty-five years, she has worked in different fields to include State government and non-profit organizations. She also has a background in education and social services. Latonia states that some of her many greatest accomplishments have come while helping individuals become self-sufficient in their lives. She holds a Master’s degree in Ministry, is an Ordained Minister and a licensed Realtor. Currently, Latonia is the Director of Community and Culture for Color of Crohn’s and Chronic Illness (COCCI).

All Sessions

• Before “Equity in IBD”: A Lonely Journey
• This isn’t just IBD. What else could it be?

Tomiyo Williams is a health advocate and care partner for her daughter, Skye. Skye was diagnosed eight years ago (2015) initially with Ulcerative Colitis and then later diagnosed with Indeterminate Colitis (with Crohn’s presentation).

As a care partner, Tomiyo has spread messages of hope and support to families about how to support a child and teenager who is battling the challenges of IBD. In addition, she offers guidance to parents as their child transitions from pediatric to adult care.

She prides herself on being able to offer support to parents as they navigate the ins and outs of digestive diseases.

Sophie M. Balzora MD, FACG is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She is Founding President of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH), Chair of ACG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and co-founder of ACG’s #DiversityinGI Social Media Campaign. She serves on ACG Institute’s Leadership, Ethics and Equity Center Advisory Board, COCCI’s Medical Advisory Board, Fight CRC’s Health Equity Committee, and on the Board of the Association of Black Princeton Alumni (ABPA).

She has been recognized nationally for her contributions to the field as it relates to DEI, health equity, and her health equity advocacy has brought her to Capitol Hill and The White House.

All Sessions

• From IBD to CRC, Why Me? Understanding the Pathway
• Medicine & Me – Navigating as a Resident for a Career in GI

Juanita Belton, PA-C, MPH is a Physician Assistant in Gastroenterology specializing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Boston Medical Center Crohn’s and Colitis Research Center (BMC). She is Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology. She received her Masters of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health at Boston University School of Public Health and a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston, Massachusetts. At BMC, she is the lead Physician Assistant IBD team. She enjoys spending time with her patients, teaching them about their disease, providing support, education, and management. She is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and Racial Champion for the Department of Gastroenterology. In these roles she works to further diversity in her department through education. To further her growth and development in IBD, she has completed programs with the Cleveland Clinic and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation including recently assisting in creating modules for educating advanced practitioners on IBD therapy.

She recently joined The Color of Crohn’s and Chronic Illness as the Director of Patient Empowerment. In this role she continues her love of working with patients and their caretakers to provide education, resources, and programming in Gastrointestinal Illnesses.

All Sessions

• This isn’t just IBD. What else could it be?
• C-Diff is Difficult: The Connection to IBS and the Complications for Patients with IBD

Ayman Elawad, a passionate PGY-3 internal medicine resident at Howard University Hospital, serves as the CIR delegate and contributes to the DIAR task force. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio then attended the University of Cincinnati and UMST Medical School in Sudan. He is committed to using his global perspective to reduce the stigma of colon cancer screening while addressing incidence and outcomes. Ayman enjoys playing tennis and fervidly supports the Lakers.

Session

• More Than A Stomach Ache: Assessing GI needs in Peds

Mrs. Ayana Graves, a Jamaican-American, is a second-generation immigrant raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Although diagnosed with hydrocephalus at 12, she obtained her Bachelors of Science degree at Xavier University of Louisiana, and her Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree at Morehouse School of Medicine. She moved to Ohio in 2014 to attend medical school, but she was unable to complete her degree in 2021 due to open heart surgery to remove a golf-ball sized clot in 2018 with multiple complications, including a motility disorder called colonic inertia and her permanent ileostomy. Nevertheless now, she utilizes her medical knowledge and personal experiences to promote patient advocacy and ostomy awareness while pursuing a career as a nurse-midwife.

Dr. Moulton is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Following undergraduate education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he received his MD degree from the University of South Carolina and completed his Pediatric Residency from the Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, Columbia, SC. He went on to complete Pediatric Gastroenterology fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University. After completing his pediatric gastroenterology fellowship, Dr. Moulton joined the faculty of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (MCCHV).

While serving as a faculty member at MCCHV, Dr. Moulton established the pediatric inflammatory bowel disease clinic, the first multidisciplinary clinic in the pediatric gastroenterology division at MCCHV.  Dr. Moulton served as the Division Director of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Pediatrics at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC. In March 2023, he began his latest appointment as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health Science Center and Pediatrician-in-Chief at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Jillian D. Ross, MD, is a 2nd year Resident Physician in Internal Medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. After residency, she plans to pursue a fellowship in Gastroenterology with a focus on IBD, colon cancer, patient advocacy, and research. Dr. Ross was inspired to pursue Gastroenterology by her late brother who battled Crohn’s disease.

Dr. Ross graduated from Columbia University with a BS in Chemical Engineering and obtained her medical degree from the illustrious Howard University College of Medicine. Passionate about IBD and colon cancer disparities, Dr. Ross Co-Founded the Howard University College of Medicine (HUCM) GI Interest Group her first year of medical school and served as President. This organization worked in the local DC community to promote colon cancer screening awareness at free health clinics in marginalized areas. Through this work, Dr. Ross was awarded the Howard University GI Student of the Year Award and the GI Interest Group received the Organization of the Year Award. She is also a recipient of the University of Chicago Medical Center Peggy A. Montes Visiting Scholarship Award, awarded to medical students passionate about addressing health inequities and social determinants of health who do a rotating clerkship at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Ross has published original research in high-impact journals including American Journal of Gastroenterology and has presented at various international and national scientific conferences such as Digestive Disease Week (DDW), American College of Physicians (ACP), and the New England Science Symposium at Harvard Medical School.

Prior to medicine, Dr. Ross served as a health consultant for Pfizer, Inc, in the New York Headquarter Office, specializing in drug access business models for the Sub-Saharan region. Dr. Ross continues to do global health projects and has an upcoming GI global health initiative in Rwanda.

Dr. Ross has professional membership in the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), and American Medical Association (AMA). She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, playing her flute as a classically trained Flautist, and doing yoga.

Latonia Ward is from Southern Mississippi. Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 17, she has been an IBD patient for 30 years. She is an ostomate with a K-Pouch. Over the last twenty-five years, she has worked in different fields to include State government and non-profit organizations. She also has a background in education and social services. Latonia states that some of her many greatest accomplishments have come while helping individuals become self-sufficient in their lives. She holds a Master’s degree in Ministry, is an Ordained Minister and a licensed Realtor. Currently, Latonia is the Director of Community and Culture for Color of Crohn’s and Chronic Illness (COCCI).

All Sessions

• Before “Equity in IBD”: A Lonely Journey
• This isn’t just IBD. What else could it be?

Keyla has had IBD for 10 years which has left her with a permanent ileostomy bag. She is also a uterine cancer survivor and care partner to a 13-year-old with ulcerative colitis.

She is a host ambassador for COCCI and enjoys advocating and speaking with legislators regarding improving our healthcare for so many who are suffering from ailments. Remember, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

All Sessions

• This isn’t just IBD. What else could it be?
• C-Diff is Difficult: The Connection to IBS and the Complications for Patients with IBD

Session

• The Huddle: Men’s IBD/CRC Health

Session

• The Huddle: Men’s IBD/CRC Health

Dr. Janese Laster is quadruple board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine and a Nutrition Physician specialist.  She completed both residency and fellowship training at Georgetown University Hospital, then the Nestle clinical nutrition fellowship and an advanced bariatric endoscopy fellowship in Madrid, Spain. She then founded Gut Theory Total Digestive Care where she specializes in uncovering the root cause of excess weight, customized weight management through evidence-based nutrition, anti-obesity pharmacology, and innovative, non-invasive bariatric endoscopic weight loss procedures.

Aja McCutchen is a partner at Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates. She has served on the physician executive committee, board of directors and is the current chair of Quality and Compliance. Nationally, Dr. McCutchen serves as the Chair for Diversity and Inclusion at DHPA, a lobbying and advocacy organization helping shape healthcare policy in independent GI. In this capacity, she has contributed to national infographics raising awareness of existing health disparities in GI with a call for action. She also serves as the Vice Chair for the American Gastroenterology Association Research Foundation and is a member of the AGA Ethics Committee. Notably, Dr. McCutchen in the first black woman to serve on the physician executive committee for Atlanta Gastro and the board of directors for United Digestive.

Dr. McCutchen also developed the Northeast Georgia Region for Atlanta Gastroenterology which now includes 3 offices and 1 ASC. She then co-founded the Northeast Georgia Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Support Group helping to connect patients with supporting ancillaries. She was honored as the Adult Premier GI Physician of the Year by the CCF 2022. She also served as regional co-director for the AGA Southeast Women in GI Conference in 2022 and invited co-faculty for the 2023 Scrubs and Heels Summit.

Dr. McCutchen is a mother, wife, and daughter that enjoys cultural exploration, audiobooks, and traveling.

Session:

• The Huddle Part 2: GI and Prostate Health

Crystal Umaru is a patient care partner to her daughter Mariama who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2021 at the age of 17.  Since her diagnosis, Crystal has worked diligently to educate herself on IBD in an effort to be more supportive of her daughter’s journey.  She is a COCCI Ambassador and active community member, helping to support other parents and patient care partners navigate the difficult and often unpredictable waters of IBD.

Sanni Umaru is a patient care partner to his daughter Mariama. Since her Crohn’s diagnosis in April 2021, he’s had to redefine his role as a father within the context of dealing with a chronically ill child.  He feels dads can easily fall into the shadows, but he is dedicated to sharing his experience as a black father, bringing light and attention to the emotional impact IBD can have on a parent.

Session:

• It Takes Guts To Speak Up: Advocating for Your Health

Jerald Cosey is a senior healthcare leader, patient advocate, consultant, and professional speaker.

He is operational leadership development director for American Senior Communities (ASC), the largest senior living and senior healthcare company in Indiana. In this role, he is dedicated to developing leaders for over 90 skilled nursing and assisted living communities in Indiana and Kentucky.

Jerald recently served as executive director of Greenwood Meadows, a skilled nursing facility operated by ASC. His facility earned the 2019 American Health Care Association’s Silver Quality Award.

Jerald graduated from Kentucky State University in 1990 with a BA in Business Administration.

Jerald began his pharmaceutical career in sales, joining Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in 1996.  He quickly advanced to the leadership role of district sales manager. During his 18-year pharma career, Jerald received several distinctions.  He was named District Sales Manager of the Year twice and a member of the Vice President’s Management Club four times.

He is founder of Graceful Moments, an outreach ministry focused on minimizing isolation within the senior living community.

Experiences he had during outreach stoked a desire in Jerald to serve others professionally, and in 2013, he resigned from his sales career to become an Administrator in Training, completing work for his Health Facility Administrator license and Nurse Aide certification.

Jerald is a member of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

Jerald considers himself a professional servant and is committed to advancing senior healthcare as a speaker, consultant, and patient advocate.

Molly Dunham-Friel, MPH, is an IBD & IBS patient turned Advocate, Advisor, Blogger, and Content Creator. Molly shares her experience living with ulcerative colitis, IBS, and anxiety to help other patients feel less alone. Molly founded Better Bellies by Molly, LLC, a platform dedicated to cultivating a community of IBD & IBS warriors while improving the quality of life of patients by advising companies creating products, services, or technology for IBD or IBS patients.

Molly supports, educates, and empowers patients via social media, and partners with patient-centered organizations to spread awareness for chronic GI conditions.

D’andre Hardy was diagnosed with Crohn’s Colitis at 12 years old 23 years ago. As her disease progressed she developed another chronic illness called Hidradenitis Suppurativa. She spent over 2 decades battling her illnesses while navigating college as a first-generation college student and professional roles in the education and corporate sectors. The catalyst of The Seen Society occurred when she returned to work after an emergency ileostomy surgery 10 years ago and realized “traditional” career and leadership advice was not inclusive of the experiences of people with invisible illnesses. She spent the next 6 years building a strategy that centered proactive health management, personal and emotional wellness and work-life harmony. Since then, she has been in medical remission for the past 6 years.

D’andre created The Seen Society to amplify the experiences of women living with invisible illnesses to create capacity for authentic, inclusive leadership. As a speaker, D’andre shares her experiences navigating life, career, and leadership to examine the tangible and intangible costs of non-inclusive environments to motivate leaders to be inclusive and maximize results. As a coach, she specializes in guiding entry to mid-level career women with hidden illnesses to build a career trajectory strategy that maximizes the intersection of their needs and experiences from an asset-based lens to step into their full leadership potential. D’andre uses the tagline “Thrive Visibly” as a constant reminder for her audiences to embrace their physical and emotional boundaries and see themselves from an asset-based perspective. D’andre is a native of Killeen, TX. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Texas and a Master of Education in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She currently lives in Greensboro, NC with her family. In her spare time she loves all things Beyonce’, comics, and sci-fi/fantasy. You can learn more about The Seen Society at www.theseensociety.com or on IG, TikTok and Facebook @TheSeenSociety.

After being diagnosed with Severe Ulcerative Colitis at 20 years old, April has since developed her career as an Author, Speaker, VA Coach and IBD Patient Advocate and Thought Leader.

She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has woven all of her passions into one core mission: to empower those who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness to thrive in all aspects of their life.

Session:

• How Self-Advocacy Can Help Others Find Their Voice

Session:

• How Self-Advocacy Can Help Others Find Their Voice

Ladi Odunlami has been the Global Health Equity Senior Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) for over three years with responsibility of furthering efforts in Lower & Middle – Income Countries (LMICs) through healthcare capacity improvement, research footprint expansion, increasing drug access and providing educational resources. Prior to moving into this role, Ladi was a fellow on the Global Cancer Disparity & Health Outcomes Team and a clinical pharmacist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Additionally, Ladi leads one of BMS’s largest employee resource groups, a strategic partnership pillar which looks to partner with external stakeholders to ensure that adolescent and young adult (AYA) patient voices are being heard. Ladi continues his work in building meaningful partnerships to address health disparities not only in the United States but across the globe.

Richard M. Standifer is Director of Global Patient Advocacy at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) with responsibility for inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and multiple sclerosis.  With more than 20 years’ experience in the healthcare industry, Richard has held various roles of increasing responsibility in both for profit and nonprofit sectors.  Prior to going into the pharmaceutical industry, he managed marketing and public relations in both hospital and specialty pharmacy settings.  And at BMS Richard has gained extensive experience leading numerous functions, including sales, learning and development, and community affairs.  Most recently he was responsible for managing patient access in oncology, hematology, and rheumatology.  Building meaningful, mutual relationships with patient advocates is important to him. He is driven by a strong belief that all patients should have access to transformational medicines, regardless of where they live.

Laura Valencia Toro is a Scientist for QC Analytical at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) responsible for testing both molecular and flow assays on our final drug products to ensure the safety of our patients. Laura also leads the immunology patient support role within BMS’s resource group.  With over 10 years in healthcare, she is very passionate about giving back to the community and helping patients get the best care possible. Prior to going into the pharmaceutical industry, she established a pre-med conference at her alma mater, Rutgers University for students of color, volunteered at her local student led clinic and held roles as a patient care technician, medical assistant, and physical therapist aid.  Due to her experience in medicine she hopes to use the knowledge she gained to further advocate for patients.