Speakers
Jason Altmire
Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Community Engagement - Florida Blue and Former Member of Congress
Jason Altmire is Florida Blue’s senior vice president, Public Policy and Community Engagement. He is responsible for leading and managing Florida Blue’s Government and Community Affairs organization, which also includes oversight of the Florida Blue Foundation and the Florida Blue Center for Health Policy. Altmire is a key spokesperson for the company’s health care policy efforts and corporate social responsibility programs.
Prior to joining Florida Blue in 2013, Altmire served three terms as a United States Congressman in Washington, D.C. During his time in Congress, Altmire was a bipartisan centrist known for working with both sides of the aisle, which led to an extraordinary record of legislative success. He spoke on the House floor more than 200 times, went five and a half years without missing a single vote, had 29 of his legislative initiatives signed into law, and introduced a bill that gained the support of more co-sponsors than any congressional bill in American history. He also made international news by leading a civilian rescue mission to Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake. A nationally recognized leader on health care policy, he has been profiled by National Public Radio and in the pages of Time Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. In addition, he has been a frequent guest on a wide range of national television news programs.
Mark Brewer
President and Chief Executive Officer
Central Florida Foundation
Central Florida Foundation is the place for people who want to invest in their community. The Foundation serves as the region’s community foundation and is home to more than 400 charitable funds. The Foundation manages and invests funds, offers personalized service and expert giving advice, connects caring people, businesses, governments and organizations to local initiatives that build and inspire community, and empowers them to make informed decisions that make a difference now and in the future. The Central Florida Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, professional advisors and nonprofits. Brewer joined the Foundation board of directors as President and CEO in 2001.
Mary Lou Brunell, MSN, RN
Executive Director, Florida Center for Nursing
Principal Investigator, Florida Healthcare Workforce Initiative
Mary Lou Brunell was appointed to the position of Executive Director for the Florida Center for Nursing November 2002. In this role she administers the Center’s goals as set forth in Florida Statute to address issues of nursing manpower in the state. In partnership with the Florida Blue Foundation, Brunell co-leads the Florida Action Coalition in their effort to assure that all Floridians have access to high quality, patient-centered care. Brunell completed her graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked as a critical care nurse, administrator, and educator prior to her current commitment to nurse workforce and health policy issues.
Rena Coughlin
CEO and President of the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida
The Nonprofit Center connects, strengthens, and advocates for the nonprofit community in northeast Florida. Since taking the helm as Chief Executive Officer in 2005, Rena has made significant progress as the leading nonprofit sector advocate helping governments, philanthropic organizations, and citizens understand the importance and positive impact of local nonprofits -- both in quality of life and financially within the region. Prior to joining the Nonprofit Center in 2005, she served as the CEO of Girls Inc. of Jacksonville, the state-wide alumni and special projects director for Leadership Florida in Tallahassee, and as a legislative aide to Senator Bob Graham in Washington, D.C.
Rena is a Founding Board member of the Florida Nonprofit Alliance, a statewide advocacy organization, a Board member of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and the LeRoy Collins Institute. She was appointee to both the City of Jacksonville’s Task Force on Consolidated Government (2014) and the Storm Water Advisory Committee (2007). Rena is a former Peace Corps Volunteer and a graduate of the University of Florida. She lives in Atlantic Beach with her husband and two children.
Daniel E. Dawes
Health Care Strategist, Attorney, Lecturer
Daniel E. Dawes, Esq., is a healthcare attorney and the executive director of government affairs and health policy at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. A nationally recognized leader in healthcare law and policy, Dawes has led numerous efforts to address health issues impacting vulnerable, underserved and marginalized populations. Among his many achievements, he was an instrumental figure in shaping the Mental Health Parity Act, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act, and the Affordable Care Act and founded and chaired the largest advocacy group focused on developing comprehensive legislation to reform the health care system and address the disparities in health care and health status among vulnerable groups in the United States. This advocacy group of more than 300 national organizations and coalitions, the National Working Group on Health Disparities and Health Reform, worked to ensure passage of the landmark health reform law and include provisions to improve access, healthcare quality and health equity.
Dawes is an elected fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and serves on several boards, commissions, and councils focused on improving health outcomes. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and psychology from Nova Southeastern University and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
He is the author of several publications on health reform and health equity; he now adds to his repertoire a groundbreaking book, 150 Years of Obamacare published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Thomas C. Feeney, III
President & Chief Executive Officer
Associated Industries of Florida
Former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
Former Member of Congress
Tom Feeney represented the 24th Congressional District of Florida, which covers portions of Brevard, Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties. Feeney, elected from 2002 to 2008, was previously Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and was Governor Jeb Bush's running mate in his first race for governor in 1994.
Representative Feeney graduated in 1980 from Penn State University with a B.A. in Political Science and obtained his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1983. Feeney made Central Florida home 23 years ago and was elected in 1990 to the Florida House of Representatives where he served two terms before being chosen as Governor Bush's running mate.
In 1994 he joined the Board of Directors of the James Madison Institute in Tallahassee, before returning to the State Legislature in 1995. In 2000 Feeney was elected Speaker of the Florida House, where he served until his election to Congress in 2002. Feeney’s service while on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee (2002-2008) included experience in banking, insurance, monetary and fiscal policy, corporate governance, and a wide variety of financial issues. Additionally, Feeney served on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, leading on Intellectual Property and Anti-Trust issues among others. Feeney served additionally on the U.S. House Science Committee for six years, including serving as ranking member of the Space Subcommittee.
In his first term in Congress, Feeney brought common sense principles from his service in Florida to the U.S. House of Representatives. His six principles: less government, lower taxes, personal responsibility, individual freedom, stronger families, and national defense gained popularity on Capitol Hill and became the guiding principles for the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest organization in the House of Representatives. Representative Feeney was consistently named a "Taxpayer Superhero" and "Taxpayers' Friend" by the Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Taxpayers Union, respectively.
Feeney currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, as well as the Space Foundation. He is a member of the Florida TaxWatch Board of Trustees, and is an Advisory Board Member on their TaxWatch Center for Government Efficiency.
Pat Geraghty
Chief Executive Officer of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation
Pat Geraghty is Chief Executive Officer of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation, a $13 billion, not-for- profit health solutions organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. GuideWell is the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming health care. It comprises Florida Blue, the leading health insurance company in Florida; GuideWell Connect, a consumer engagement and marketing firm; GuideWell Health, a health care delivery company; and GuideWell Source, a provider of administrative services to federal and state health care programs, including Medicare.
Geraghty was the architect of the strategic restructuring that created GuideWell from the foundation of a 70+ year old health insurance company, transforming it into a health solutions organization at the forefront of reimagining the future of health in America. The GuideWell restructuring is considered a model of strategic reinvention and is featured as a capstone business case in the curriculum of Harvard Business School.
Geraghty is active in leading professional and community organizations. He serves as the chair of the Florida Council of 100, a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization of Florida business leaders who advise the state’s governor on how to improve the economic growth of the state and the economic well-being of its residents. He also serves as a member of the board of the National Institute of Health Care Management (NIHCM), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of America’s health care system.
In 2016 he became a member of the Health Governors Community of the World Economic Forum, the international organization for public private cooperation, and a trustee for its Global Challenge Initiative on The Future of Health. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University and has completed executive education programs at Harvard University School of Public Health and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Nancy Gidusko
Director, Corporate Citizenship
Walt Disney World Resort
A seasoned Public Affairs professional, Gidusko leads the corporate citizenship efforts for the Walt Disney World Resort, which includes charitable and in-kind donations, community building, diverse stakeholder engagement, employee fundraising campaigns, volunteerism and the Walt Disney World Ambassador Program.
Gidusko is a 40+-year Disney Cast Member and member of the Walt Disney World Public Affairs executive team, and has held leadership positions in both Operations and Human Resources over the course of her career. She is board chair of the National Entrepreneur Center in Orlando and serves on the boards of the Florida Philanthropic Network, the Historical Society of Central Florida and the Advisory Board for Central Florida Foundation’s Homeless Impact Fund. Her personal philanthropy is focused close to home where she is a founding member of the Women’s Giving Alliance, a program of the Community Foundation of South Lake. Nancy resides in Clermont, Florida.
Camille Harrison
Chief Customer Officer
Florida Blue
Camille Harrison is Florida Blue’s Chief Customer Officer. Harrison is responsible for leading a team of approximately 2,700 people who provide service to more than 3 million customers each year. She oversees the company’s enterprise optimization services, business process management strategy and deployment of Continuous Improvement and Six Sigma methodologies. Harrison is also responsible for facilitating delivery of an optimum customer experience. In her role as Chief Customer Officer, Harrison partners closely with Florida Blue’s executive team to drive a persistent focus on the most critical customer initiatives, investments and strategies. Prior to her most recent appointment, Harrison served as the Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO.
She has more than 21 years of health care industry experience with background in customer service, claims operations and general business operations, including government programs and client relations. She held a number of leadership positions at Horizon-Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
Kelly James
Director
Florida Blue Center for Health Policy
Kelly James is the Director for the Florida Blue Center for Health Policy. He leads a team in the review and analysis of health care topics and related regulations to identify policy and operational impacts. He participates in industry workgroups to provide input on the impacts of health care reform provisions to regulatory agencies. He represents Florida Blue through participation in external events to provide relevant information on health policy topics to various audiences.
James holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Florida. He is also certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Tony Jenkins
Market President - Central Florida
Tony Jenkins is the Market President for the Central Florida region. In his appointed role as Market President, Tony is instrumental in leading this region in developing a business plan to increase and retain membership, enhance brand visibility and coordinate employee engagement.
Prior to Florida Blue, Jenkins served as Director of Diversity for CSX Corporation, the largest rail network in the eastern United States. Before joining CSX, Jenkins spent 20 years with the Walt Disney World Company in various management roles. Tony is very active in the Orlando Community. He is the past Chair for both United Arts of Central Florida and Leadership Orlando Class 89. He also serves on the Boards of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, Central Florida Commission on Homelessness and he is a Board Trustee at Stetson University.
In January 2014, Tony was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR). The Commission possesses policy-making responsibilities to identify and eliminate unlawful discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations in the State.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA.
Alan Levine
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mountain States Health Alliance
Former, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
Alan Levine is the president and chief executive officer of Mountain States Health Alliance, a 13-hospital integrated healthcare system serving 29 counties in Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. With 20 years of hospital operations experience, Alan has served as chief executive officer of hospitals and health systems ranging from a small rural hospital to one of the largest public systems in America.
Alan served on Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's Cabinet as Secretary of Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals and as Governor Jindal's senior health policy advisor. He also served as deputy chief of staff and senior health policy advisor to Florida Governor Jeb Bush prior to his appointment by Governor Bush to serve as secretary of Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, an agency responsible for administering a $17 billion budget. In these roles, Alan oversaw the health care response to 10 major hurricanes making landfall in Florida and Louisiana, successfully advocated the passage of major and historic health care reforms in both states, and was recognized for his efforts in combating fraud and abuse in public health care programs.
Alan currently serves on the board of governors of the State University System of Florida, the governing body of Florida’s 12 state universities. He serves as chairman of audit and compliance and as a member of the finance and building committees. Prior to his service on the board of governors, Alan served on the board of trustees of the University of Florida, Florida’s flagship research university. He also served as member of the board of directors of the University of Florida Athletic Association, the body responsible for overseeing University of Florida’s athletic programs. Having served on the board of directors of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Alan is deeply committed to the issues of child literacy and mentorship.
Yolanda Londoño
Vice President, Global Social Responsibility
Tupperware Brands Corporation
Yolanda Londoño is Vice President of Global Social Responsibility for Tupperware Brands Corporation. She directs and develops local and global philanthropic initiatives, cause-related marketing and global giving strategies with emphasis on programs that educate and empower women and girls. Tupperware Brands has a presence in more than 60 countries and over 2.9 million sales force members.
Londoño joined Tupperware Brands after six years with JPMorgan Chase Bank in Houston, Texas, where she was Vice President of Public Affairs. Before joining Chase Bank, she was Executive Director of Tourism for the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau and previously served as President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Prior work experience includes four years in Zimbabwe, Africa, where she worked with the U.S. Agency for International Development, and three years in London, England, with Logica Ltd., an international software-consulting firm.
Dr. Susan A. MacManus
Distinguished Professor
Government & International Affairs
University of South Florida
Dr. Susan A. MacManus is a Distinguished University Professor at USF in the Department of Government and International Affairs. She directs the annual USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey—the state’s most extensive annual public policy survey of adult Floridians (sunshinestatesurvey.org).
MacManus received her M.A. from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. from Florida State University. From 1998 to 2015, she served as political analyst for WFLA News Channel 8 (Tampa’s NBC affiliate). This year, she is the political analyst for ABC Action News (Tampa’s ABC affiliate.) Since 2008, she has been a featured columnist on sayfiereview.com—a widely read Florida-based political website. She has appeared on every major broadcast and cable television and radio network and been interviewed by major newspapers in Florida, the U.S., and abroad. She is Florida’s most-quoted political scientist. MacManus is not affiliated with any political party.
Kerri Masley
Director, Corporate Social Responsibility
Florida Blue
Kerri Masley is director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs and Evaluation for Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation. In this role, Masley is accountable for development, implementation, evaluation and reporting for all aspects of corporate social responsibility including employee engagement programs, community outreach and charitable giving in support of Florida Blue’s mission to help people and communities achieve better health.
Masley has more than 16 years of experience in the health care business. Prior to her current role, she held various consultative and management positions throughout Florida Blue, including business operations, delivery system and corporate affairs including corporate advocacy. Her innovative leadership style has earned her a solid reputation for successfully handling a broad array of leadership, management and strategic responsibilities.
Carol Naughton
President
Purpose Built Communities
Carol Naughton has been a leader in comprehensive community revitalization for more than 20 years and was a founding staff member of Purpose Built Communities. In her role as President, she is responsible for leading the consulting teams that support revitalizations in 12 cities, as well as the teams currently vetting opportunities in 35 additional cities, including several in metro Atlanta. She ensures that clients are focusing their time and resources on the highest impact activities in their respective neighborhoods and serves as the primary public spokesperson for Purpose Built Communities at conferences and events around the country. The work she has led has been recognized as uniquely successful by many, including Warren Buffett, Ben Bernanke, the White House Office of Neighborhood Revitalization, the Urban Land Institute, Mutual of America, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, the Education Trust, the Low Income Investment Fund, the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank and the Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Education.
Previously, Naughton served as the Executive Director of the East Lake Foundation, the community quarterback organization that developed and continues to implement the model of community revitalization that Purpose Built Communities is charged with replicating around the country. In this role she helped develop and nurture cross-sector relationships in wellness and education, including the first public charter school in Atlanta. Under her leadership, the East Lake Foundation was recognized by the Urban Land Institute as a Global Award of Excellence Winner in 2003.
Before joining AHA, Naughton was an attorney with Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan’s real estate group, where she primarily represented developers, lenders and asset managers. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), and the Board of Advisors of the Build Healthy Places Network, the national steering committee of LOCUS, and is an alumnus of the 2016 class of Leadership Atlanta. She is a graduate of the Emory University School of Law, was Executive Editor of the Emory Law Journal, and graduated cum lauda with an AB in Political Science from Colgate University.
Antonia C. Novello, M.D., MpH, DrPh
14th Surgeon General of the United States
Dr. Antonia Coello Novello was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a B.S. degree in 1965 and an M.D. degree in 1970. She completed her subspecialty training in pediatric nephrology at University of Michigan and Georgetown University. Dr. Novello received a masters in Public Health from the John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1982 and a Doctor of Public Health in May 2000. She holds countless awards. including the Legion of Merit, The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal, and the National Governor's Association Distinguished Service to State Government Award, as well as a membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society and Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to name a few, and over 53 honoris causa. In 2011, Dr. Novello received the Don Quijote Lifetime Achievement Award.
On March 9, 1990, Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to serve as the 14th Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service. Her appointment marked two firsts: Dr. Novello became the first woman and the first Hispanic ever to hold this position. As Surgeon General, Dr. Novello advised the public on health matters such as smoking, AIDS, diet and nutrition, environmental health hazards and the importance of immunization and disease prevention.
On June 3, 1999, Governor George E. Pataki nominated Dr. Novello to be the 13th New York State Health Commissioner; one of the leading health agencies in the nation with a $49 Billion budget - one-third of the whole NY state budget. Most recently, Dr. Novello served as the Executive Director of Public Health Policy at Florida Hospital. She currently serves as a liaison between the government of Dominican Republic and its Attorney General on raising the awareness of domestic violence and spearheading efforts for national legislation.
Gregory Owens
Principal, NPEC3 Consultant & Coach
Gregory Owens is a certified career, leadership and executive coach and recently formed a new coaching practice in Jacksonville.
Owens is employed with JEA as a Customer Contact Center manager. JEA is a municipal utility in Jacksonville, Florida and one of the nation’s largest municipal utility systems providing electric, water and wastewater services to nearly one million customers in NE Florida. Owens joined JEA in 2003 following an 11-year career with the City of Jacksonville. Owens is also recognized as a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt by JEA. He has over 30 years of experience in government and the non-profit sector serving in various executive and management roles.
Sabeen Perwaiz
Executive Director
Florida Nonprofit Alliance
Sabeen Perwaiz is the Executive Director of Florida Nonprofit Alliance. The alliance advocates for the nonprofit sector in Tallahassee and DC while working to strengthen and promote the sector across the state.
Her career has centered on empowering individuals through education at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Vital Voices and Pace Center for Girls. In 2013, she moved to Cambodia to implement an Early Childhood Education program with Aide et Action and was instrumental in increasing the number of preschools in rural provinces. She is a member of the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2016 and was named a 2016 Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal.
Ann Reinert
VP, Global Philanthropy
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
As a member of JPMorgan Chase’s Corporate Responsibility department, Reinert partners with community stakeholders to develop programs that make Global Philanthropy’s economic opportunity agenda a reality. She is currently managing the grants portfolio for West Coast, Central and Northeast Florida as well as Georgia and the Carolinas. She works closely with community leaders, elected officials, and business leaders to identify best in class programs that support workforce readiness, affordable housing, small business development and financial capability strategies.
Ann has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Clemson University and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a specialization in nonprofit management from the College of Charleston.
Renée Buyck Romberger
VP of Community Health Policy and Strategy for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
Renée Romberger is VP of Community Health Policy and Strategy for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, in Spartanburg, SC. She has worked in the field of Hospital Administration for the past 30 years, and today her work is focused on working in partnership to improve the health of the community and reduce the costs of care.
Renée holds a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina, a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the College of Charleston and she is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Renée serves on numerous community, state, and national boards including the Alliance for a Healthier SC, Welvista, AccessHealth Spartanburg, and the AHA Association for Community Health Improvement. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the College of Charleston. She is the 2016 SC recipient of the American College of Healthcare Executive’s Regent Award for Outstanding Senior-Level Healthcare Executive and the 2015 recipient of the Girl Scouts Women of Distinction award.
Originally from St. Matthews, SC, Renée resides in Greenville with her husband Randy who is the administrator of Shriner’s Hospital for Children; and they have 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 2 rescue cats.
Mark Shamley
President & CEO
Association of Corporation Contributions Professionals
Mark Shamley was named ACCP’s President & CEO in August 2007 and has more than 19 years’ experience in corporate and public affairs, corporate social responsibility, business development and marketing.
Shamley also served as director of global corporate citizenship at Tupperware Brands Corporation and vice president and executive director of the Tupperware Children’s Foundation. He holds an undergraduate degree in marketing from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and has an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College.
Iris Simmons
CEO and Lead Strategist
The Genési Group, Inc.
Genési is a strategic planning consulting agency specializing in Philanthropic and Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives/Campaigns, with a holistic focus on Brand Growth/Development, Experiential Marketing, Diversity and Inclusion and Community Collaborative Partnerships for various organizations in the private and public sectors.
Simmons has more than 12 years of experience as a business development leader and fundraising expert in both for-profit and the not-for-profit arenas. She has led the strategic design, development and delivery of multi-dimensional cross-functional solutions to both short-term and long-term projects, thereby, bringing visionary and innovative strategies with a proven track record of accomplishments in major signature events, diversity and inclusion initiatives, program designs, and institutional and community engagement relations.
Mark Thomas, M.Div., B.C.C.
Director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care
Providence Hood River Hospital, Columbia Gorge Service Area
Mark Thomas serves as Director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care for Providence Hood River Hospital and related ministries in the Columbia Gorge. Over the past 10 years in the Gorge, he’s become increasingly involved in advancing community health through collaboration, innovation and reform of payment, care delivery and partnerships, in a pursuit of Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of the “beloved community” in health care. In addition to operational responsibility for several departments, Thomas represents Providence on a number of community boards including social service agencies, ecumenical ministry associations, a Medicaid ACO, federally qualified clinics and migrant health centers.
Susan B. Towler, APR
Vice President of the Florida Blue Foundation
and Executive Director of Corporate Social Responsibility
Susan B. Towler, APR, is vice president of the Florida Blue Foundation, established in 2001 as the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue. She is also executive director of corporate social responsibility for Florida Blue and has responsibility for the company’s philanthropic strategy.
Towler is actively involved in the philanthropic and social responsibility sector. She led the Community Engagement Task Force for Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams’ Strategic Initiative. Towler serves on the board of directors for several nonprofits including the Florida Philanthropic Network as past-chair, the Florida Chamber Foundation and the Cummer Museum of Art Gardens. She is also a graduate of Leadership Florida and served as its 2012-13 chair.
Towler holds a Bachelor of Science in public relations from the University of Florida.
Julie Willems Van Dijk
Director
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps and the RWJF Culture of Health Prize
Willems Van Dijk is an Associate Scientist and Director of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Prior to joining the Institute in 2009, she worked in local public health for 21 years in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Julie holds a doctorate in nursing with an emphasis in public health leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is also a graduate of the RWJF Executive Nurse Fellows Program, the National Public Health Leadership Institute and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Ann-Karen Weller, RN, BSN, MBA-HSM
Director
Office of Community Health and Planning
Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County
Ann-Karen Weller is the Director of the Office of Community Health and Planning at the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County.
As Director, she is responsible for the oversight and supervision of the following programs: Chronic Disease Prevention, Community Health Planning, Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade, Healthy Start, Tobacco Prevention and Worksite Wellness. Weller is a Certified Worksite Wellness Specialist and Program Manager Case Management Specialist and Certified Childbirth Educator and has received a certificate from the School of Public Health Management Academy at the University of North Carolina. She serves as a member of the Consortium for A Healthier Miami-Dade, the Florida Nurses Association, Florida Association of Public Health Nursing, The Children’s Trust and Department of Health Community Assessment Technical Advisory Group. She also serves on the Health Council of South Florida’s Policy Planning & Advisory Committee and the National Association of County and City Health Officials Chronic Disease Collaborative.
