Speaker Bios

Adams, Patrick
Manager - Community Programs
Office of Elder Services

Patrick Adams Manager – Community Programs Office of Elder Services, Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services As the Manager of Community Programs, Patrick is responsible for providing oversight and guidance to the state SHIP, the elder nutrition programs, and a variety of other collaborative relationships and programs across the State of Maine. To better address training and communication challenges across a very rural state, he is working to expand the utilization of technology. He is also developing an integration strategy to better recruit, train, recognize, and retain volunteers throughout Maine’s Elder Network. Patrick has a long history of working in social services. He was active in Early Childhood Education and Advocacy for over 15 years and has worked with the American Red Cross for over 23 years - most recently as an Interim Executive Director and as a Regional Manager. Patrick currently lives in central Maine with his wife and 10 year old son where he is active in his community and continues to volunteer. In his spare time, he likes to read, hike, and educate others on a variety of topics. Patrick specializes in disaster management, volunteer support and administration, training and integration strategies, program management and supervision as well as strategic planning and problem solving.

Adelberg, Michael
Director, Medicare Advantage Operations
CMS

Mike Adelberg is the Director of Medicare Advantage Operations in CMS’s Center for Drug and Health Plan Choice. He is responsible for the Medicare Advantage application/contracting process and Medicare Advantage contractor oversight. Earlier in his CMS career, Mike served as the Associate Regional Administrator for Medicare Operations in CMS’s Chicago Regional Office and the Director of HCFA division charged with beneficiary outreach and the SHIP program. Mike has also worked in the private sector – including as a Vice President for Product Development at a Medicare Advantage plan and as a consultant to health plans in the Medicare market. Mike holds Master degrees in Public Policy and History. Outside the office, he particularly enjoys coaching his sons’ hockey teams and cooking all manner of international cuisine with his wife.

Altman, Joan
Office of Policy
CMS

Joan Altman is an analyst in the Office Policy, within the Office of the Administrator in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Research areas include: the Medicare Part C and Part D programs, pay-for-performance initiatives, and value-based purchasing initiatives in the Fee-For-Service (FFS) program. Formerly, Ms. Altman was an advisor to the Director of the CMS Office of External Affairs where she provided analytic, statistical, and messaging support to senior leadership during the implementation of the Medicare Modernization Act Education and during subsequent Part D/LIS outreach campaigns. Prior to joining CMS, Ms. Altman worked as a Program Director at a non-profit in Connecticut, coordinating specialty care services for uninsured, low-income residents. Ms. Altman earned her Master of Public Health degree from Yale University, and received two Bachelor of Arts degrees at Wesleyan University. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Arndt, Heidi
Director, Division of Special Programs
CMS

In her seven years at CMS, Heidi has worked in various positions across the three centers and the regional office with responsibilities that have included Medicare fee schedule development, oversight of long term care enforcement and State relations in Medicaid, and oversight of Medicare Advantage deeming and targeted appeals monitoring. She joined the Medicare Drug & Health Plan Administration Group as Director of the Division of Special Programs in February 2009. Prior to coming to CMS, Heidi worked for Ernst and Young as a health care consultant, the Governor of Pennsylvania as a Bureau Director of Quality - a part of State Medicaid reform efforts, and for two private insurance plans overseeing the operations of Medicare and Medicaid products. Heidi has a Masters in Health Administration and Policy from George Washington University School of Medicine.

Baker, Tracey
Health Insurance Specialist
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Tracey Baker has over fifteen years of experience in health care administration and policy. She has worked for a number of managed care plans in the Northeast as well as in the CMS Philadelphia Regional Office. In March 2008, she relocated to Maryland and currently works in the Division of Medicare Enrollment and Coordination. She is the subject matter expert for several operational areas related to the Low Income Subsidy for Part D. First, Tracey is responsible for LIS data to plans. She provides guidance to plans regarding the LIS eligibility data that is sent to sponsors in various files and reports. Secondly, she is responsible for the operational implementation of the Best Available Evidence (BAE) policy. Finally, Tracey oversees the annual redetermination process for the Low Income Subsidy. This process is better known as redeeming. Tracey holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Policy and Administration from Penn State University. She also holds an MBA with a Health Care Administration concentration from the City University of New York and an MS in Information Systems from Drexel University.

Benz, Donna
Training Coordinator
Florida SHINE (SHIP)

Donna Benz is the Training Coordinator for the Florida SHIP, called SHINE Program (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) at the Department of Elder Affairs. Prior to relocating to Florida and coming to Elder Affairs, Donna began her career as a nurse in upstate New York, and upon the birth of her daughter, opted to devote her full time to her family. The later adoption of her two Korean-born sons, one of whom is blind and autistic, completed her family and increased her responsibilities. Donna became an advocate for her son, joined various parent and professional groups, and attended many classes and seminars on disabilities and advocacy. Donna graduated with an honors degree in education and received a Masters in Education while teaching elementary school. She began her career with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs as the coordinator of the Sunshine for Seniors Program and Long Term Care Specialist.

Berke, Dayle
Health Insurance Specialist
CMS

DAYLE BERKE-- BIO Ms. Berke is a Health Insurance Specialist in the Customer Relations Branch of the Division of Medicare Health Plan Operations for the New York Regional Office of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She also serves as SHIP Liaison. Ms. Berke is an attorney with over 20 years of health policy experience. She served as the Director of Government Affairs for the National Association for Home Care in Washington, DC for 17 years. Prior to that she was Special Counsel to the House Select Committee on Aging and worked for the Federal Trade Commission, where she was Special Counsel for Federal-State and Consumer Relations and served as Project Manager for the Prescription Drug Program. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

Blum, Jonathan
Director CMM & Acting Director CPC
DHS/CMS/OA

In the dual role of Director of the Center for Medicare Management (CMM), and Acting Director, Center for Drug and Health Plan Choice (CPC), Jonathan Blum oversees two centers for Medicare services, each with budgets in the hundreds of billions of dollars. CMM and CPC are responsible for regulation and payment of Medicare fee-for service providers, privately-administered Medicare health plans, and the Medicare prescription drug program. The benefits these divisions make possible pay for health care for approximately 45 million elderly and disabled Americans.

Over the course of his career, Jonathan has become expert in the gamut of CMS programs. He served as an advisor to Senate Finance Committee members and its current chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, where he worked on prescription drug and Medicare Advantage policies during the development of the Medicare Modernization Act. He focused on Medicare as a program analyst at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Prior to joining CMS, Jonathan was a Vice President at Avalere Health, overseeing its Medicaid and Long-Term Care Practice.

Most recently, Jonathan served as a health policy advisor to the Obama-Biden Transition Team. He holds a Master's degree from the Kennedy School of Government and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bova, Josiah
Field Operations Manager
NC SHIIP

Josiah Bova is North Carolina’s SHIIP’s Field Operations and Western Regional Manager. Josiah’s professional career began as an educator. Later he joined the staff of the American Association of Retired Persons in Washington, D.C. where is served as Marketing Coordinator for the AARP Group Health Insurance Program. Josiah joined North Carolina state government in the Department of Health and Human Services. In 1999, he accepted a position with the NC SHIIP program. Today he manages the Field Staff, serves as Project Director for NCSMP, and supports SHIIP volunteers in the Western Territorial Region.

Brantley, Kelly
Senior Program Manager
Health Assistance Partnership

Kelly Brantley is the Senior Program Manager of Health Assistance Partnership's (HAP) core services. Her responsibilities include creating and delivering HAP’s monthly conference calls, responding to requests for technical assistance, and developing and disseminating user-friendly informational, counseling, and assistance tools and resources. She also is HAP’s lead for the Montana Collaborative State Project. Kelly received an M.P.H. in health promotion and a Graduate Certificate in health policy from The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

Buenning, Denise
Senior Advisor
Office of E-Health Standards and Services, CM

Biography Denise M. Buenning Denise Buenning is a Senior Advisor to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) for ICD-10 and e-prescribing. She has authored numerous regulations and reports to Congress on e-prescribing standards adoption, is the agency’s lead for ICD-10 industry outreach and education, and is lead staff to the Standards Subcommittee of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS). She previously was an Advisor to CMS’ Division of Community-Based Education and Assistance, and was national co-lead for CMS’ Long-Term Care Prescription Drug education campaign. She joined the agency’s Kansas City Regional Office in 1998, and has been at the forefront of developing regional and national partnerships with non-traditional and corporate partners, and in implementing innovative outreach and education initiatives aimed at hard-to-reach beneficiary and provider populations. A former Kansas City Times business health columnist, she has held management positions at Sprint Corporation, Menorah Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Hospital, all in Kansas City; and was Director of Public Relations and Consumer Affairs for a Washington, DC-based agricultural trade association. She earned her undergraduate degree in communications/broadcast journalism from the American University, Washington, D.C., and a Master's degree in management from Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas. She has been honored by CMS’ Federal Women's Program as one of the Agency’s 16 Most Significant Women, and is a seven-time recipient of CMS’ Administrator's Achievement Award, and two HHS Secretary medallions.

Dalin, Hilary
Associate Director My Medicare Matters
National Council on Aging

Hilary Dalin is Associate Director, My Medicare Matters at the National Council on Aging. My Medicare Matters is a community-based education and outreach initiative. Its goal is to help people with Medicare and their families better understand and make optimal use of Medicare and related resources and programs. Ms. Dalin moderates the online community for professionals and volunteers who work with Medicare beneficiaries, www.MyMedicareCommunity.org. She provides education, training and technical assistance to benefits counselors, writes weekly educational updates that are sent to the My Medicare Matters community, and works on policy issues related to low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Previously she worked with State Health Assistance and Assistance Programs (SHIPS) both nationally and in the State of Connecticut. She has managed legal services for elders programs in New York and Connecticut, has taught at several law schools and is a former Chair of the Connecticut Bar Association Elder Law Section. Ms. Dalin has written and lectured extensively on topics related to Medicare, Medicaid for elders and people with disabilities, home care as an alternative to institutional placement and nursing home residents’ rights. Her recent publications include “The Secret of Their Success: Getting the 2008 Economic Stimulus Payments to Low-Income Social Security Beneficiaries and Veterans with Disabilities”, “Staying at Home with Medicare,” “Advocacy in a Post-HIPAA Age”. She received her law degree from the Boston University School of Law and began her career advocating for elders as a VISTA volunteer with a legal services program that initiated one of the first pilot legal services for the elderly projects to respond to the implementation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program.

De Lew, Nancy
Senior Advisor
CMS

Nancy De Lew is a senior advisor to the Director of the Office of Research, Development and Information in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She assists the Director of the Office of Research, Development and Information in carrying out special projects. She is currently assisting with implementation activities surrounding the new Medicare Part D drug benefit including Medicare beneficiary drug coverage estimates, use of Part D claims data for research and other purposes, and related issues. Formerly, she was the Deputy Director of the CMS Office of Legislation where she worked with the Congress to develop the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Prior to this position, Ms. De Lew held several other positions in the Department of Health and Human Services including in the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. She joined the Department of Health and Human Services in 1985 as a Presidential Management Intern after receiving a Master’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana.

Evermann, Kimme
State SHIP Director
Montana Office on Aging

Kimme was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota with an Associates Degree in Practical Nursing. After moving to Montana in 1995, Kimme graduated from Carroll College in Helena, MT with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. With the exception of a short stint in the corporate world as an asset manager, Kimme has worked in social/human services, providing assistance, referral and advocacy for almost (30) years. Along the way she worked in several LTC nursing facilities, in long term therapeutic care for at-risk adolescents, and as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for adults with disabilities. Kimme joined the Montana Office on Aging in 1997 and for the first (3) years, designed, developed and maintained the Montana Senior & Long Term Care Divisions’ first organizational website. In 2000, she was offered the opportunity to explore the world of Medicare advocacy and became the State SHIP Director; for the past 9 years, she has been responsible for the management, administration & growth of the Montana SHIP . Kimme is married to a Vietnam veteran and supports many veteran-specific causes and events. She and her husband enjoy camping, hunting, and most of all, the breathtaking scenery, the warm, friendly people, and the relaxed, uncomplicated lifestyle Montana offers its citizens. Kimme is also the proud mommy of a glowing (2) year old Golden Retriever who loves her unconditionally, and who never complains about the coverage gap in her Part D plan.

Fierberg, Michael
SHIP Liaison/Public Affairs
CMS

Michael Fierberg currently serves as Public Affairs Specialist for the CMS Denver Regional Office, a position he has held since 2004. As of January 1, 2009, he has added the title of SHIP Liaison for the Denver Region. Mike's previous Federal service was as a Public Affairs Officer for the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, during its standup period. Prior to that, he spent 27 years as a television reporter and anchor, primarily in Denver. His specialty was business and financial reporting. Mike also did fill-in work as a radio talk show host. Mike is married to Elyse Gellerman, a health care consultant to hospital systems nationwide. Their son is a student at the University of Colorado, in preparation for a career as an Oscar-winning filmmaker. Mike and Elyse also have two basset hounds, who permit them to share the house.

Fiore, Michael
Director, Division of Medicare Enrollment Coo
CMS

Mike Fiore is the Director of the Division of Medicare Enrollment and Coordination in CMS’ Medicare Enrollment and Appeals Group. He is responsible for coordinating the operations and policy related to eligibility and enrollment for Parts A, B, C, and D of the Medicare Program. In particular, the Division directs the enrollment of the low-income subsidy population into Medicare Part D plans. Previously, Mike was the Director of the Division responsible for Medicaid managed care policies and health care reform demonstrations. He has also worked in other parts of CMS including its policy staff, regulations office, and the research component. He has been a civil servant since 1975 and Federal manager for over 20 years. Mike has a B.S. in Behavioral Health and Social Work, and an M.B.A.

Frieman, Richard
New Media Specialist
CMS

The presenter, a CMS New Media Specialist, has over ten years of experience in the fields of graphic arts, communications, marketing, interactive web technology and will provide valuable information dealing with the basic “ins and outs” of Social Media. This session will be done by PowerPoint presentation, interspersed with interactive examples, real life scenarios and open dialogue.

Frizzera, Charlene
Acting Administrator
CMS

Charlene Frizzera was appointed Acting Administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in January 2009. She has served in a variety of leadership posts at this $700 billion health care agency, which covers health care for approximately 100 million Americans, with 10 regional offices and more than 4,000 employees nationwide.

Her experience includes serving as CMS’s Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing not only the gamut of CMS’s day-to-day operations, but also implementation of new programs. During her tenure as COO, she guided the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D).

Previously, Charlene served as Deputy Director of CMS’s Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO), the CMS liaison to state and local governments. At CMSO she managed federal policy and regulation for Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act, Survey and Certification, and the insurance reform provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Prior to moving to CMS Headquarters, Charlene was CMS’s Regional Administrator in Region III, encompassing Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Charlene has received numerous awards for her leadership, including the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award and the HCFA Leadership Award. She is a two-time recipient of the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executives, awarded to only 50 Senior Executive Service managers in the U.S. Federal government.

Funderburk, Frank
Director
Divison of Research, SRCMG/OEA/CMS

Frank Funderburk joined the Division of Research in August 2007. He is currently responsible for the strategic planning, implementation and analysis of a variety of health care research efforts that support and enhance Medicare communications activities. He is especially interested in developing data-driven communication strategies that can overcome persistent informational, attitudinal, and motivational barriers to better health care. His research has included evaluation of the effectiveness of a variety of outreach and education campaigns as well as a recent experimental study of direct marketing strategies for improving outreach to vulnerable beneficiaries eligible for but not enrolled in the Low Income Subsidy. He has investigated ways in which healthcare decision making style can influence beneficiary perception of Medicare programs as well as receptivity to specific outreach and communication activities. His work has helped to inform recent initiatives encouraging adoption of Electronic Health Records and quality initiatives such as the HCAHPS public reporting of consumer’s hospital experiences. Frank has over 20 years of healthcare and health policy research experience ranging from basic scientific studies of brain-behavior relationships to large multi-center clinical trials of new pharmaceutical products and national surveys of consumer behavior. He has contributed over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles to the literature and has made numerous professional presentations to both national and international audiences.

Gongloff, Patricia
Project Officer, SHIP NPR
CMS

Pat is an experienced health care administrator with over 20 years experience working with community based organizations and with large health systems delivering health care and outreach/education/assistance to under-served populations. Currently Pat is Project Officer for the SHIP National Performance Reporting System, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Greiner, Kelli Jo
SHIP Lead and Team Lead
MN Board on Aging

Kelli Jo Greiner is a Social Worker and Paralegal who has worked for 22 years within the state and federal aging policy, advocacy and legislative arena. Kelli Jo has extensive knowledge of Medicare and in 2005 was chosen by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to lead the efforts to implement Medicare Part D statewide. Kelli Jo Greiner currently holds the position of Team Lead of the Consumer Choices Team of the Minnesota Board on Aging. She provides leadership for the Team that is responsible for the Aging and Disability Resource Center, Senior Medicare Patrol Project, OAA Title III Information and Assistance, State long-term care information access systems including www.minnesotahelp.info, and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Kelli Jo is also the SHIP Director for Minnesota. She can be reached by contacting her at 651-431-2581 or by email at kellijo.greiner@state.mn.us.

Hammarlund, John
Regional Administrator
CMS Chicago & Seattle

John Hammarlund is the Regional Administrator for the Seattle and Chicago offices of CMS. His primary focus is outreach and education about CMS programs to all Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries and stakeholders in ten states of the Pacific Northwest and Midwest. He’s the national lead on SHIP matters and serves as a CMS advisor to the SHIP Steering Committee and the SHIP Performance Assessment Workgroup. He also focuses on rural health issues and serves as the Co-Chair of the CMS Rural Health Council.

John has been with CMS since 1993 and his background includes work in both the public and private sectors. He’s worked on Medicare reform initiatives at CMS’s legislative affairs office in Washington DC, and for the American Association of Health Plans, now AHIP. He started his health care career in Seattle, where he served as the Director of Finance for nursing services at Providence Medical Center. He’s also held internship positions at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound and with the Washington State Hospital Association.

A Seattle native, John holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, a master’s in health administration from the University of Washington, and a law degree from Cornell Law School.

Harris, Bob

Cornell University

Bob Harris is the Program Director for Cornell University Resource Education for Medicare Part D (CURxED), a joint venture of the Department of Policy Analysis and Management within the College of Human Ecology and the Cornell Cooperative Extension. CURxED was initiated as a pilot project in 2006 to help seniors better understand Medicare’s new drug coverage and lower the cost of their prescription medications. Utilizing University developed research methods to investigate the generosity of prescription drug plans, CURxED provides unbiased outreach educational materials and programs about Medicare Part D. A Registered Pharmacist with a Board Certification in Psychiatric Pharmacy, Bob worked in the hospital setting for over 20 years prior to starting CURxED. Many years of advanced-level, practical, clinical experience have provided for first hand appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of the drug information needs of consumers. His clinical experience, knowledge of the healthcare industry, and Pharmacy practice experience bring an insight and perspective that is not otherwise available to the healthcare insurance counseling network.

Holland, Elizabeth
Health Insurance Specialist
OESS

Elizabeth S. Holland, MPA Elizabeth is a senior health insurance specialist in the Office of E-Health Standards and Services at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) where her present focus is personal health records, and HIPAA compliance, and standards for electronic claims attachments. She has worked at CMS (formerly HCFA) for over seventeen years and has held positions in physician payment policy, Medicare contractor management, and HIPAA outreach. Elizabeth received her undergraduate education from Smith College and has a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. She joined the federal government as a Presidential Management intern in 1991

Holthoff, Pat
Volunteer Program Developer
Arkansas SHIIP

Pat Holthoff is the Volunteer Program Developer for the Arkansas SHIIP/DOI. Before joining SHIIP, Pat spent the previous eight-plus years working with Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries as the manager of a home health agency in Little Rock. She holds a BSE from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and has spent over fourteen years working with youth in various programs. Pat has just become a Certified Volunteer Manager through a program conducted by the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium. Pat is most proud of the "Student Volunteer Training Program" she developed and implemented in 2008 for the Arkansas SHIIP.

Holzer, Michelle
Director, SHIP
Maryland Department of Aging

Michelle P. Holzer has been the Program Director for the Maryland State Department of Aging's Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program since 1988. She is also the Program Manager for the Administration on Aging’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Project. She has a Masters of Health Services degree in Health Planning and Administration from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, and a Bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Cortland in Sociology and Geography. Ms. Holzer has testified to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aging on senior health insurance issues and counseling programs, and has lectured extensively in Maryland on health insurance issues affecting seniors. She is currently serving as a member of the SHIP Steering Committee. A former New Yorker, Michelle has lived in Maryland since 1976, and is empty nesting with her husband Dave, a child abuse attorney and three cats. Their children, Michael and Amy, are both graduates of the University of Maryland.

Hunter, Deborah
Health Insurance Specialist
CMS

Deborah Hunter is a Health Insurance Specialist for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Ms. Hunter began her health policy career at CMS in 2002, while earning her Master of Health Science (MHS) degree from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ms. Hunter has enjoyed seven rewarding years developing and implementing Medicare policies related to hospital outpatient and emergency services, compliance monitoring of Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Sponsors, and most recently, eligibility and enrollment of low income Medicare beneficiaries into Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. In addition, Ms. Hunter earned her Juris Doctor degree in 2001 from the University of Iowa College of Law, where she concentrated in health policy.

Jackson, Meeka
Health Communications Specialist

Meeka Jackson is a program specialist in the SHIP Resource Center. She provides program support to SHIPs in regions 3, 4 and 7. Meeka is an employee of the American Institutes for Research, where she’s been a health communications specialist for more than 4 years. She brings 11 years of professional experience in communication to manage and support a variety of public health projects and communication initiatives for various government clients, such as HHS, NIMH, SAMHSA, CDC, and NIH. Working with community-based organizations, she has assisted in providing science-based mental health education to special populations and counseled educators in media relations and coalition building. Among a variety of other tasks, Meeka has worked with subject matter experts to create print and electronic public education materials on emergency preparedness, diabetes prevention and control, tobacco cessation, and substance abuse prevention. For these materials, she developed outreach and promotion strategies, including tactics for message and product dissemination.

Johnson, Tobi
President
Tobi Johnson & Associates

In March, Tobi Johnson left her position as SHIP Director for Washington State's SHIBA HelpLine and relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee to join her fiance. After six years with SHIBA, she now runs her own training and consulting company formed to help non-profit and government organizations find strategic solutions to their most difficult challenges. Tobi is currently working with the Colorado SHIP to create tools and infrastructure to more effectively market their program to consumers, train competent volunteers, and support local affiliate partners. Tobi has a Masters Degree in Art History from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and over 25 years creating and managing programs in the arts, employment & training, social services, and community health education. Her unique blend of fine arts training and program management experience is used to convert vision into not only reality but results.

Johnson, Tobi
Owner
Tobi Johnson & Associates

See bio for Partnership Development workshop

Jones, Stephanie
EAST Faciliator
Horace Mann Middle Magnet School

Stephanie Jones (co-presenter) Stephanie Jones is an EAST Initiative Facilitator at Horace Mann Middle School in Little Rock, Arkansas. She has the ability to inspire, encourage, and support her students as they look for community service projects to work on throughout the year in her class. Stephanie is a talented and accomplished teacher with twelve years of experience in the public school setting. She is a member of AEA and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

Kaiser, Joel
Director, Division of DMEPOS Policy
CMS

Joel Kaiser is the Director of the Division of DMEPOS Policy in the Center for Medicare Management in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Mr. Kaiser's division develops and implements Medicare polices and rules related to payment for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) under Part B of the program. This division is responsible for implementing the national DMEPOS Competitive Bidding program mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 as well as the standard DMEPOS payment and benefit policy rules mandated by the statute. Mr. Kaiser joined CMS in 1988 after receiving his Master of Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University and has over 20 years of experience in the Medicare DMEPOS payment policy area.

King, Terris
Deputy Director
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Terris King currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, (OCSQ) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He is responsible for the development of national coverage policies and quality standards for Medicare and Medicaid providers; quality measurement and public reporting iniatives; and manages the Quality Improvement Organization and End Stage Renal Disease programs. He is the CMS executive lead for value based purchasing. This initiative includes designing and developing quality improvement activities for the Physician Office, Hospital, Home Health, Nursing Home and End Stage Renal Disease Arenas. He is also the lead executive responsible for reducing health disparities throughout the country among underserved populations.

Prior to assuming his OCSQ role, he served as the Deputy Associate Commissioner of the Office of Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment. He was responsible for assuring the integrity and quality of the administration of Social Security programs. This function included the definition, design, development, maintenance and evaluation of SSA policies, system abuse, elimination of waste and increased efficiencies. Through subordinate supervisors, he directed an organization of approximately 1,300 employees in several major components located at Headquarters and in Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment Field Offices.

Terris has worked in a series of progressively more responsible positions throughout his career. He was selected for the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program in 1998. During his SES development program, Terris served as the Acting Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention for the State of Maryland. He was appointed to the SES on January 30, 2000.

Terris graduated from Towson University and received his Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Science (1997) from Johns Hopkins University and completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program in (1999) from Harvard University and is now pursuing his PhD in Leadership and Organizational Development.

Terris received the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award in 2007 for sustained superior performance as a Senior Executive.

Terris is married to Catherine and has two children: Terris II and Miya.

Kleine, Kimberly
Acting Director
CMS

Kim Kleine is the Deputy Director of the Office of External Affairs. Kim possesses a wealth of federal government and, more importantly, Health and Human Services experience. During her former tenure at HHS, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. She also served as Deputy Director for Public Affairs at the Department of Education. In both capacities, she was responsible for planning and implementing public outreach campaigns, and providing strategic counsel to enhance public awareness for programs and policies administered by each agency.

Kim also has extensive experience in the private sector. As the Director for a Washington, D.C. Media Practice, she managed strategic communications and supervised publicity and media relations activities for several clients, including a large management and technology consulting organization, a leading pharmaceutical and health products company, as well as for a biopharmaceutical company developing immune system science.

In previous positions, Kim served as Vice President Account Supervisor, Public Affairs Practice for Ketchum; Producer, CNN Financial News, and Off-Air Correspondent for CNN Political Unit; and Production Assistant, Investigative Unit, Prime Time Live for ABC News.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University.

Klug, Michael
Senior Program Director, Training
Health Assistance Partnership

Mike Klug is the Senior Program Director for Training at the Health Assistance Partnership. His responsibilities include designing and delivering training programs and developing education, certification, and volunteer program development materials for SHIPs. Mike began his career in Medicare education and volunteer program development in 1984 as a trainer for AARP's Medicare-Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP). He received a J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison. He is a member of the Wisconsin Bar and its Elder Law section. He also serves as the public member on the Board of Certification for Emergency Nurses.

Laureno, Mary Agnes

Office of Beneficiary Information Services CMS

Mary Agnes Laureno is the Director of the Office of Beneficiary Information Services for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Office of Beneficiary Information Services is responsible for customer service for Medicare beneficiaries. Ms. Laureno is responsible for the design and operation of CMS websites, including the award-winning www.medicare.gov website, and the 1-800-MEDICARE call center. Ms. Laureno has over 30 years experience in CMS’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, at Central Office and Regional Office locations.

Lippert, Jessica
Regional Coordinator - APPRISE
APPRISE, PA SHIP

Jessica Lippert is the lead Regional Coordinator for the Pennsylvania SHIP Program, otherwise known as the APPRISE Program. Jessica has been a Regional Coordinator with APPRISE for five years. This is her second presention at the SHIP National Conference.

Livesay, Diane
Deputy Regional Administrator
CMS

Diane Livesay is the Deputy Regional Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Denver. In this capacity, she has responsibility for management and direction of internal operations within the Regional Office. Previously, Diane served as the Associate Regional Administrator for the Medicaid and Children’s Health Division for Region VIII where she had direct oversight responsibility for the administration of the Medicaid and Children’s Health programs covering a six-state jurisdiction – Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Prior to working in the Medicaid Division, Ms. Livesay served as the Manager for the Medicare Administration Branch and as the Manager for the Customer Relations Branch in the Division of Beneficiaries and Health Plans and Providers. This included having responsibility for Beneficiary and Provider education and outreach activities; policy and technical guidance, and contractor oversight for Region VIII.

Diane began her Federal career in 1998. For 11 years prior to coming to CMS, she was employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota where she served in numerous management positions within their government programs operations. Diane is passionate about the work performed at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and she is committed to ensuring that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries – both children and adults alike – have access and receive the services to which they are entitled.

Lopez, Gretchen
Ohio SHIP Director
Ohio Dept. of Insurance

Gretchen Lopez has been with the Ohio Department of Insurance for 19 years and the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) Director for the past 12 1/2 years. OSHIIP has a full time staff of 17, over 700 volunteers and 75 volunteer County Coordinators. Prior to her promotion as Ohio's SHIP Director, she supervised 8 complaint investigators in the Consumer Services Division who assisted consumers experiencing difficulties with insurance companies and/or agents. Additionally, Ms. Lopez accumulated 10 years of experience in the insurance indistry as a life and health agent and technical trainer. After earning her Bachelors Degree from Ithaca College, in New York and pursuing her Masters Degree at North Texas State University, she taught in the public school system for 6 years. Ms. Lopez has given presentations on OSHIIP's CREAM Team concept, the SHIP Mates hospital-based beneficiary outreach program and other successful initiatives at several national SHIP Directors Conferences, at the New SHIP Directors' training workshops and for the SHIP staff and volunteers in Florida, Kentucky and Washington. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the SHIP Steering Committee, is the Bi-Regional Representative for Regions 5 & 7, is Chair of the National Conference Planning Committee, is a member of the Governor's Senior Civic Engagement Council, the Advisory Board of the Greater Cleveland Aging and Disability Resource Center, and Ohio's Aging Eye Public and Private Parnership Committee. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Women and an international speaker on a varity of insurance topics.

Maloof, Carol
Acting Regional Administrator
CMS

Carol Maloof is the Acting Regional Administrator for the New York and Boston Regions. In this role she is responsible for CMS’ external affairs operations for the New England States, New York and New Jersey. In addition, Carol oversees the management of CMS’ Boston Regional office with over 120 staff.

Carol currently also serves as Deputy Regional Administrator, CMS Boston Regional Office. Prior to her DRA service Carol was Branch Chief in the Boston Division of Quality Improvement, Boston Regional Office where she oversaw 14 QIOs and 5 End-Stage Renal Disease Networks in 14 States, PR and the Virgin Islands. Carol also served as the New England Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) Education Campaign Manager during the Medicare Part D first enrollment period from 2005 until June, 2006.

Prior to her CMS career, Carol served in the Social Security Administration (SSA) as a District Manager in the Chelsea and Dorchester, Massachusetts District Offices, as a Social Insurance Program Specialist, and in various capacities in SSA’s Area Director Office and in the Office of the Regional Commissioner in Boston.

Ms Maloof holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Providence College and has done graduate work in Public Administration at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is a Senior Fellow with The Council for Excellence in Government.

McKay, Hunter
Social Science Analyst
UD Dept. HHS

Hunter McKay is a Social Science Analyst in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He is currently working on a number of issues related to long-term care financing including the “Own Your Future” long term care awareness campaign, implementation of the Partnership for Long Term Care, and development of a reverse mortgage program designed to finance long term care. Mr. McKay’s previous positions include Deputy Director for a number of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national programs including Partnership For Long-Term Care, Service Credit Banking, and, the Medicare/Medicaid Integration Program. Before working as Deputy Director, Mr. McKay worked in the Office of Health Policy, Massachusetts Executive Office of Human Services and in the Health Programs Development division of Massachusetts Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Mr. McKay holds a masters degree from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.

Morgan, Abigail
Associate Program Director in Medicare Education
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Abigail Morgan joined the staff in July 2007 as the Associate Program Director in Medicare Education. As part of the Aging Services Network Community Based Enrollment Campaign, Abigail provides technical assistance to campaign partners engaged in targeted outreach for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. She assists in the development and delivery of new outreach efforts related the Medicare Part D/Low-Income Subsidy and monitors and disseminates updates in the Medicare program to the Aging Network. Abigail brings her background in working on Medicare related issues from her time at ElderNet of Lower Merion where she assisted in the initial enrollment for Medicare Part D. She joins n4a from working in the Philadelphia area at the Center for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE) where she assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania Direct Care Worker Association. She holds a Masters in Social Service and a Masters in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College.

Murray D.M., Renard L.
Atlanta and Dallas Bi-Regional Administrator
CMS

Renard L. Murray is the Acting Regional Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Atlanta and Dallas Regions. He is responsible for External Affairs. Immediately preceding his appointment as the Acting Atlanta Regional Administrator, Dr. Murray served as Special Assistant to the Agency’s Chief Operating Officer in Baltimore, Maryland and as Acting Regional Administrator in the Boston Regional Office. He began his career with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in October 1999 as a Health Insurance Specialist. He served as the lead for the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) dual-eligible initiative, GPRA Childhood Immunization initiative, and co-lead for the Atlanta Region’s Medicaid eligibility team.

He was promoted to Branch Manager of the Medicaid-SCHIP Policy Branch in the Division of Medicaid & Children’s Health in the Atlanta Regional Office. In this capacity, he managed a variety of functions in the Medicaid Policy Area. Some which include Medicaid eligibility, Medicaid covered services, Home & Community Based Waivers, Medicaid Managed Care, and SCHIP. Additionally, he worked on several workgroups focused at improving the workforce within the Regional Office.

Dr. Murray was later promoted to Associate Regional Administrator with the Division of Medicaid & Children’s Health. As Associate Regional Administrator for the Division of Medicaid & Children’s Health, he was responsible for the Medicaid & SCHIP Policy Branch and Financial Management Operations and Programs Branch in the Atlanta Regional Office. His Division provided Federal oversight of the Medicaid and SCHIP Programs for eight states in the Southeast Region. Under his leadership, over $50 Billion dollars are spent to serve over 8 million Medicaid beneficiaries. Dr. Murray came to CMS from the Social Security Administration (SSA) where he served as Claims Representative, Operations Supervisor and District Manger.

Dr. Murray also works as an adjunct professor with the University of Phoenix Online Campus. He teaches bachelor and master level courses in the School of Health Science and Nursing. In this role, he has taught several students across the nation in the past four years.

Nalty, Dennis
Principal Research Scientist
American Institutes for Research

Dr. Nalty is the Principal Researcher for Performance Measurement and Performance Management in the Health Services Research Practice group of American Institutes for Research. In this capacity, he has provided research and analytic support and technical assistance to federal, state, and local substance abuse agencies, mental health service agencies, and Medicare service assistance agencies. Dr. Nalty currently serves as a key point of contact for states and agencies for data and reporting issues for the SHIP NPR. Dr. Nalty is a specialist in the management and analysis of health and consumer service research, including service effectiveness, service outcomes, and preferred practices in service delivery. Dr. Nalty has been actively involved in promoting the policy implications of behavioral health and Medicare research, including legislative and executive briefings, technical assistance, and participation and coordination of expert panels at the state and federal levels.

Newman, Charlotte
Director
National Medicare Training Program

Charlotte L. Newman/Bio As Director of the Division of Training, a division within the Office of External Affairs, I am responsible for leading the efforts of the National Medicare Training Program, the official source of Medicare training and information for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Prior to coming to CMS, I was the Director of Education for Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care, the Quality Improvement Organization for Maryland and the District of Columbia. Additionally, I have spent many years teaching software applications and Internet courses for several Maryland colleges and have authored numerous technical instructional guides. I live in Annapolis with my husband and the youngest of our seven children.

O'Connor, Nancy
Regional Administrator
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Nancy O’Connor is the Regional Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Philadelphia Office. In this position, Nancy oversees the external affairs operations of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs in the six-state region of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. As Regional Administrator, Nancy ensures that both Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries receive the information that they need to make the right decisions about their health care choices. Nancy also works closely developing grassroots community partnerships that do outreach on behalf of CMS programs at the local level.

In 2007, Nancy served as the Acting Director for the Office of External Affairs in Washington, DC. As Acting Director, Nancy was the primary Advisor for the Administrator and the agency on public affairs matters and was responsible for the operations and management of eight divisions including media affairs, publications, speechwriting, stakeholder relations, video and graphic arts, intergovernmental relations, research, training and publications.

In 2006, Nancy directed the implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, the single biggest expansion of the program since its inception. Over 90% of all people with Medicare enrolled in the Part D as a result of the outreach made by Region III and its grassroots partners.

Nancy has held various management positions including Deputy Regional Administrator. She joined the government as a Presidential Management Intern after working in health care administration at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Nancy received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Villanova University and a Master of Health Services Administration from the George Washington University.

Parlaman, Cheri
Associate Commissioner
Social Security Administration

During the course of her career at the Social Security Administration, Mrs. Parlaman has led several major initiatives. She was responsible for the various communications activities including drafting prior National Communications Plans, the Combined Federal Campaigns, raising over 2 million dollars for charity, and has overseen the Agency’s Marketing and External Affairs activities for four years. Prior to her work at the Social Security Administration, Mrs. Parlaman worked at the Department of Education where she worked with the Chief of Staff to begin the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. In addition to her work activities, Mrs. Parlaman is active in her local community and Church and was recently married. Mrs. Parlaman has a Master’s Degree in Public Service and Administration from the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M and a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Pearce, Jeannie
Director
NV State Health Insurance Assistance Program

Jeannie Pearce has been the Director of the Nevada State Health Insurance Assistance Program for three years. Jeannie has a Bachelors degree in Marketing/Merchandising from the University of Arizona. She has over 30 years experience in the social service sector and as a marketing executive with health insurance companies. Jeannie is a member of the SHIP Steering Committee (At Large), Nevada Chartered Value Exchange Steering Committee, and Nevada Seniors United.

Platte, Stacey
Senior Program Associate, Program Development
Health Assistance Partnership

Stacey Platte is a Senior Program Associate at the Health Assistance Partnership (HAP). She works closely with SHIPs through HAP's Collaborative State Projects, program development initiatives, and training services. Prior to joining HAP, Stacey was the Program Manager for the Michigan SHIP. Stacey received an M.S.W. in Social Policy and Aging from the University of Michigan.

Pokrzywa, Katherine
Health Insurance Specialist
CMS

Katherine Pokrzywa Kay Pokrzywa is a Health Insurnace Specialist in the Division of Medicare Enrollment Coordination, Medicare Enrollment and Appeals Group, Center for Drug and Health Plan Choice, in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She has the lead on policies and procedures for eligibility for the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy ("extra help"). Prior to joining CMS, she worked in Maryland's Medicaid program, in the Division of Eligibility Services, for more than 15 years. She is a graduate of Towson University.

Raley, Katharine
HICAP Program Manager
Co.of Ventura Area Agency on Aging

Katharine Raley currently is the HICAP Program Manager for the County of Ventura Area Agency on Aging, where she has served in that capacity since 1999. Under her leadership the program has grown from 7 volunteers to over 40, many of whom volunteer 50 or more hours a month. Previously, Ms. Raley has held positions with the County of Ventura Health Care Plan as a claims adjudicator, and in the Admitting and Emergency Departments of the Ventura County Medical Center. Prior to working for the county, past positions include medical office management and back office/front office medical assisting for family and specialty medical practices. Ms. Raley holds an Associate of Arts Degree with emphasis on healthcare and psychology. Katharine has over 40 years of working the healthcare/Medicare industry. In September 2006, Katharine was awarded the Social Security Administration Regional Commissioner’s Citation in recognition of her outstanding work in providing community education on Medicare Part D as well as the Low-Income Subsidy Program. During a ten month period, over 300 community education presentations were given by the HICAP program and Social Security, the highest in Region 9. Ms. Raley was honored to receive this award as it’s traditionally only given to Social Security Administration employees. Katharine has also been recognized by the Ventura County Mental Health Board and the Disability Ministries of Ventura County for her work with the mentally ill and disabled. In 2009, Katharine was selected to serve on a national advisory group that recommends and suggests changes to Medicare policies. Ms. Raley has also testified as a Medicare expert witness before the Ventura County Superior Court. Growing up on a rural California ranch instilled a strong work ethic and an appreciation of her elders. Katharine is a tireless and passionate advocate for the rights of the elderly, disabled, mentally ill and homeless, and is always looking for new and more effective ways to outreach to hard-to-reach populations and ensuring that all Medicare beneficiaries receive the benefits that they are eligible for. Katharine services as a board member for California Health Advocates and is also a member of Alturas International. In addition to her professional career, Katharine is a single grandmother raising three teen grandchildren.

Robertson, Kevin
Statewide Volunteer Manager
NCSHIIP

Kevin Robertson is the Statewide Volunteer Manager for the NC SHIIP. He has held this position for the last five years. Kevin has over 15 year of volunteer management experience. He is also a past President for the North Carolina Association of Volunteer Administrators and he currently serves on the board as the Recognition Chair. Before coming to NC SHIIP he worked with the Senior Corps programs through a local AAA in North Carolina. Kevin has been certified through NCAVA in Volunteer Management and he holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from High Point University.

Saavedra, Buffie
Community Advocacy Bureau Chief/NM SHIP DIRECTOR
NM Aging and Long Term Services Department

Buffie Ann Saavedra heads the Community Advocacy Bureau at the NM Aging & Long Term Services Department. She has been the NM SHIP Director for over 6 years and the SMP Director for 9 years. She has a Bachelors of Business Administration/Marketing from the University of New Mexico and a Masters Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Buffie is a member of the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, Chair of Remote Pharmacy Sub Committee, Chair of the Education Committee of the Prescription Improvement Coalition NM QIO, and SHIP Steering Committee Chair.

Sayen, David
Regional Administrator
CMS

David Saÿen is the Regional Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in San Francisco. CMS Region IX includes Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, California, and the Pacific Territories. David has more than 30 years of federal service. His accomplishments at HHS include work in financial management, health plan operations, information technology, and public affairs. He earned his MBA in Health Administration from Temple University in Philadelphia PA.

Scala-Foley, Marisa
Director
Nat Ctr for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment

Marisa Scala-Foley is the Director of the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment at the National Council on Aging. The National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (www.CenterforBenefits.org) helps organizations enroll seniors and younger adults with disabilities with limited means into the benefits programs for which they are eligible so that they can remain healthy and improve the quality of their lives. Previously at the National Council on Aging, Ms. Scala-Foley was Associate Director of the Access to Benefits Coalition, where she oversaw training, technical assistance, and research. Prior to her positions at the National Council on Aging, Ms. Scala-Foley served as Director of the Center for Medicare Education at the Institute for the Future of Aging Services in Washington, DC. She holds a Masters in Gerontological Studies from Miami University (Ohio), and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Gerontology from the College of the Holy Cross.

Scheckelhoff, Becky
Program Associate
Health Assistance Partnership

Becky Scheckelhoff is the Program Associate of Medicare at the Health Assistance Partnership. Her responsibilities include creating Medicare education tools and materials, support for technical assistance requests and HAP training, assistance with monthly conference calls, and production of the HAP eNewsletter. In addition to working with the Massachusetts SHIP as the training coordinator, she has four years of direct experience within the beneficiary community. Becky earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Schreiner, Daniel
Medicare Ombudsman
CMS

Daniel J. Schreiner As the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman, Mr. Schreiner focuses on resolving systemic issues that impact people with Medicare. His focus is on assisting beneficiaries with inquiries, complaints, grievances and appeals as well as requests for assistance from beneficiaries about any aspect of the Medicare program. As the first Medicare Ombudsman, Mr. Schreiner assisted the Agency in identifying and addressing beneficiary issues during the implementation of the Prescription Drug Benefit which offered drug assistance to more than 24 million seniors. He has helped the Agency achieve more effective customer service to the more than 42 million Medicare beneficiaries by facilitating a weekly national caseworker calls with CMS staff, where systematic issues and methods for providing uniform assistance to beneficiaries on common problems are discussed. The Office of the Medicare Ombudsman has a staff of senior casework analysts who resolve problems for beneficiaries who need individualized assistance because of a critical health need or financial circumstance. In efforts to provide assistance to vulnerable populations of people with Medicare, Mr. Schreiner has led efforts within his Office to design and implement the SHIP Technical Assistance Program which provides a mechanism for direct service providers to learn more about assisting Medicare beneficiaries with a mental illness. Prior to joining CMS as the Medicare Ombudsman, Mr. Schreiner worked as an HIV/AIDS Healthcare and Financial Consultant, providing technical assistance to state and federal HIV/AIDS programs, assisting private industry in delivering HIV/AIDS drug treatments and services, and working with partners and community organizations to assure access to care and treatment for those living with HIV/AIDS. Mr. Schreiner has also worked with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program as an Expert Appointment. His projects include assisting states with forecasting future FY ADAP budgets and expenditures and evaluation of state insurance options for the purpose of purchasing health insurance for individuals with HIV/AIDS. In addition, Mr. Schreiner worked in conjunction with HRSA regional project officers to monitor and address state and regional ADAP issues. Mr. Schreiner received his Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio and his Masters in Health Science Degree in Health Policy and Management from The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.

Smith, Anne
Medicare Rights Advocate
Legal Services for the Elderly

Anne E. Smith serves as the Medicare Rights Advocate at Legal Services for the Elderly in Augusta, Maine. In her role as Medicare Rights Advocate, Anne assists Maine residents in understanding and accessing their Medicare benefits, rights and protections. She works closely with both the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Maine SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol Project) to provide training to volunteers, social service providers, physicians and pharmacists as well as counseling and outreach to Medicare beneficiaries, their families and their caregivers on health insurance and prescription drug issues.

Stone, Jean
Director, New York Field Office
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Jean Stone, Director, CMS' NY Field Office (FO) 212-616-2541 Jean.Stone@cms.hhs.gov •37 1/2 years federal experience at USDHHS (33 yrs @ Central/RegionalField Offices @ CMS & its predecessors. •Serves as Director, CMS/OFM/Office of Program Integrity’s NYFO 10/07-present) •Serves as CMS lead on Medicare DME Stop Gap Plan announced 10/6/08 in 7 states (CA, FL, NY, TX, IL, MI, NC) focused on high risk suppliers, ordering physicians, beneficiaries & equipment. •Serves as CMS lead on Identity Theft: participates in US AG's Subcommittee on ID Theft (DOJ, FTC, IRS, SSA, SEC, VA) (2006-present), US Govt Interagency Task Force on ID Theft (2005-2006), and member, DHHS’ E Health Exec. Steering Committee (2008) •Serves as CMS’ national lead on Medicare Infusion Fraud (2005 to present), participates in national Infusion task force with OIG/FBI (2007 to present), member NHCAA’s So FL Workgroup on infusion fraud (2008 to present), led CMS’ 2-Year So FL Infusion Fraud Demo (8/07-7/08). Participated in Gov.Bush’s Fed/State Inf. Fraud Task Force (2005-06), led fed/state/Medicare contractor Workgroup with Medicare savings > $2 B(2005-06) •Serves as member of CMS/OFM/PIG FASS team responsible for review and approval of initiation, extension and termination of Medicare payment suspensions •Directed CMS’ Miami Satellite Division (7-mo detail - 11/04-5/05); led CMS’ Miami Satellite Div’s So FL fraud projects on DME & Infusion, resulting in suspension of 487 DME suppliers; revocation of 493 Prosthetic/Orthotic suppliers’ Medicare #s, prepay denials of $17 M; identification of > $134 M in overpayments •Teach Medicare & Health Care Fraud courses as instructor @ Special Agent Basic Training for HHS/OIG (2006-09)@ Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), New Brunswick, GA. Taught same courses as instructor for new FBI agents @ the FBI Academy, Quantico, VA (2007 & 2008)

Thompson, Kris
Senior Health Advocate
Iowa SHIIP

Kris Thompson Senior Health Advocate SHIIP Iowa Insurance Division 330 Maple Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0065 Tel: 515-281-6455 Fax: 515-281-3059 Email kris.thompson@iid.iowa.gov Education/Professional: Certified Volunteer Program Director for the State of Iowa Des Moines Area Community College Iowa State University Experience: Two years Insurance Agent - Life/Health, General Community Coordinator - Project SAFE - Co-author of article for national substance abuse magazine Nine years Nursing Home Public Relations Director /Volunteer Program Director Seventeen years as Senior Health Advocate with Senior Health Insurance Information Program of the Iowa Insurance Division State-wide public speaking engagements, seminars, conferences; Counsel seniors on health insurance and related issues; Coordinate Volunteer Program events, recognition; Governor’s Volunteer Awards, State Volunteer Conference; Work with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; National Association of Insurance Commissioners and state and federal legislators on issues related to senior health insurance; Recruit, maintain and manage sponsors and volunteers for 99 counties; Define best practices, develop materials and promotion for diverse sponsor sites.

Toomey, Mimi

U.S. Administration on Aging

Mimi Toomey works in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Administration on Aging. She has over 25 years of multi-level experience within the Aging Network including running local community-based programs, area agency on aging programs, with an aging association at the national level, and now with AoA. In her current role, Mimi is responsible for the overall outreach operations, including partnership activities with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the Aging Network at AoA.

Velgouse, Linda
Center for Planning and Policy Development
US Administration on Aging

Linda Velgouse is an Aging Services Program Specialist in the Administration on Aging’s (AoA) Office for Planning and Policy Development. She has responsibility for issues related to community supports, consumer direction for elderly individuals, and for education about long-term care costs, planning, and financing. Ms. Velgouse joined AoA in November 2005. Prior to coming to AoA, Ms. Velgouse was the Director of Home and Community Based Services for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) with primary responsibility for policy development and support for home and community based services and providers. Other experiences include: at the National Council on Aging (NCOA), Deputy Director of a 13 site national Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded grant program to increase consumer direction in home and community based services; State Public Policy Director for the Maryland Chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association; and, State Health Planner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition, Ms. Velgouse has been an administrator of housing, home health and assisted living programs. She is a Registered Nurse and has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Boston University School of Medicine.

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