Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s reputation as a resolute defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful legal actions. Mr. Kennedy was named one of Time magazine's “Heroes for the Planet” for his success helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group's achievement helped spawn over 190 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.

Mr. Kennedy serves as Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and President of Waterkeeper Alliance. He is also a Clinical Professor and Supervising Attorney at Pace University School of Law’s Environmental Litigation Clinic and is co-host of Ring of Fire on Air America Radio. Earlier in his career he served as Assistant District Attorney in New York City.

He has worked on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands. He is credited with leading the fight to protect New York City's water supply. The New York City watershed agreement, which he negotiated on behalf of environmentalists and New York City watershed consumers, is regarded as an international model in stakeholder consensus negotiations and sustainable development.

Among Mr. Kennedy's published books are the New York Times’ bestseller Crimes Against Nature (2004), The Riverkeepers (1997), and Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr: A Biography (1977) and two children’s books St Francis of Assisi (2005), American Heroes: Joshua Chamberlain and the American Civil War and Robert Smalls: The Boat Thief (2008). His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Nation, Outside Magazine, The Village Voice, and many other publications. His award winning articles have been included in anthologies of America’s Best Crime Writing, Best Political Writing and Best Science Writing.

Mr. Kennedy is a graduate of Harvard University. He studied at the London School of Economics and received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Following graduation he attended Pace University School of Law, where he was awarded a Masters Degree in Environmental Law.

He is a licensed master falconer, and as often as possible he pursues a life-long enthusiasm for white-water paddling. He has organized and led several expeditions in Canada and Latin America, including first descents on three little known rivers in Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Andrew M. Kramer, MD is Head of the Division of Health Care Policy and Research and the Peter W. Shaughnessy Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado.  Dr. Kramer has 28 years of experience in health policy research serving as Principal Investigator for over 50 grants and contracts funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), NIH, foundations, and state govern­ment. Dr. Kramer's research focuses particularly on quality, outcomes, and costs of care for chronically ill older persons in multiple settings.  In the nursing home field, he has extensively studied the nursing home survey and enforcement process, quality of care and quality of life measurement, and the use of health information technology.  He led the development of the Quality Indicator Survey (QIS), was Principal Investigator for the QIS demonstration, and is currently Principal Investigator in support of CMS to refine the QIS process and to conduct the training of State Survey Agencies in the national roll out of QIS. He is President and CEO of Nursing Home Quality, LLC, a company that provides automated quality assurance systems and training for Nursing Home Providers.

Dr. Kramer has also conducted national research studies on rehabilitation following stroke and hip fracture across care settings.  He also serves as the Co-director for Community Research in the NIH-funded Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. He has served on Institute of Medicine committees, testified before Congress, provided testimony to MedPAC, and frequently advises CMS staff on findings of his research. Currently he is appointed to the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education.  Dr. Kramer attended Harvard Medical School and he remains actively involved in training research faculty in the School of Medicine. 

Ms. Ousley is the President of Ousley & Associates, which assists health care providers in strategic planning, management problem solving, regulatory and compliance issues, operational analysis and implementation of quality management programs.

Prior to forming Ousley & Associates in 2006, Ms. Ousley was the Executive Vice President of SunBridge Healthcare Corporation. SunBridge operates more than 105 skilled nursing, long-term care facilities and assisted living residences throughout the United States. Ms. Ousley is a Past Chair of the American Health Care Association, the largest trade organization representing long-term care.

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Neil L. Pruitt, Jr. is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UHS-Pruitt Corporation where he is responsible for establishing the direction of the company and creating an environment which encourages the development and delivery of quality health care.

Mr. Pruitt is a recognized leader in health care at the national, state and community levels. Currently, he is a member of the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, Board member of the American Health Care Association, the Past Chairman of the Georgia Health Care Association, a Board Member of the Georgia Pharmacy Foundation and a Board Member of the United Hospice Foundation.

Since his appointment as C.E.O. in 2001, the company has expanded and diversified while strengthening its financial structure and significantly improving the service delivery capabilities.

Mr. Pruitt graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the South. He was awarded a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters of Health Administration from Georgia State University in 2000.

Elizabeth A. Ayello is president of Ayello, Harris and Associates. She is a faculty member at Excelsior College School of Nursing, Albany New York, Co-Director of the International Interprofessional Wound Care Course at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, and Senior Advisor, the John A Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York, New York. Dr. Ayello is the Executive Editor for the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (WCET) Journal and Clinical Associate Editor for the interdisciplinary journal, Advances in Skin and Wound Care. Dr. Ayello has served in many leadership positions in several wound care organizations including Board of Directors and 1999 President of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP). She was one of two nurses nationally who served on the CMS panel that revised the guidance for surveyors on F Tag 314 on pressure ulcers. She is the Chairperson for the New Jersey Hospital Association collaborative that decreased pressure ulcer incidence among its partners by 70% across care settings. Dr. Ayello is co-author/editor of the book "Wound Care Essentials: Practice Principles."

Kevin W. Yankowsky is a partner in the Health Law Litigation group of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.’s Houston office. A true trial lawyer, Kevin has served as lead counsel in over twenty jury trials and nine appeals, in both State and Federal Court. Kevin's trial practice encompasses virtually all types of civil litigation facing the health care industry. He serves as lead counsel in professional liability claims, complex commercial suits, class actions, products liability matters, ERISA actions, premises liability suits and Federal False Claims Act cases. In addition to his extensive courtroom experience, he advises on Joint Commission investigations, hospital committee and medical peer review matters.

Kevin also is a member of Fulbright's Electronic Discovery and Information Management group and routinely advises on a variety of electronic data and document retention issues. Combining his experience in both practice areas, he counsels health care providers on data and document challenges faced when attempting to minimize the dangers, uncertainties and expense of twenty-first century litigation.

Mark Parkinson became Kansas’ 45th Governor on April 28, 2009.

A successful businessman and former legislator, Governor Parkinson is a native Kansan with roots in Scott City, where the Parkinsons still own the family farm.

Born in Wichita, Governor Parkinson attended Wichita Public Schools and graduated from Wichita Heights High School before going on to graduate summa cum laude from Wichita State University in 1980. He graduated first in his class from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1984.

Governor Parkinson then entered private practice, forming his own law firm in 1986. He also served as president of the Johnson County Bar Foundation.

Governor Parkinson was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1990. Two years later, he was elected to the Kansas Senate. While in the Legislature, Governor Parkinson was known as someone who bridged party lines. He worked to strengthen Kansas schools and enhance local control.

Extended Bio

Barbara Baylis, a registered nurse, has served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Kindred Healthcare since December 2002. Her prior executive experience includes Mariner Post-Acute Network as Vice President of Clinical Services and Corporate Director of Nursing Services and Quality Programs of Living Centers of America. Barbara has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Molloy College in New York and a Master’s of Nursing Administration and Nursing Education from the University of Wyoming. Her areas of expertise include clinical practice, clinical and nursing administration policy and procedure, quality improvement and regulatory compliance.

Barbara has served on various committees and subcommittees, presented at many workshops and conventions. She is currently Chair of the AHCA Clinical Practice Committee and Past Co-Chair of the Nurse Executive Council. Barbara has been an AHCA Quality Award Examiner since 1996 and is a Master Examiner. She also serves on the AHCA Quality Award Program Board of Overseers, is a member of the Kentucky Center for Performance Excellence Operating Committee and a KYCPE award application examiner. She is co-author of Continuous Quality Improvement: Using the Regulatory Framework.

Barbara has a clear picture of what she thinks needs to happen to improve care. “I believe our business is very simple - we take care of people who cannot take care of themselves. Unfortunately, we have made our industry very complex; we need to go back to the basics. I believe that when we do the basics, and do them well, our staff competency improves resulting in improved patient care.”

James Foy is President & CEO of Riverside Health Care System, Inc.

The Riverside Health Care System is a $140 million healthcare network comprising its flagship hospital, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry, the Cochran School of Nursing, a nursing home and several clinics. Mr. Foy joined St. John’s Riverside Hospital in 1993 as its President & CEO, and quickly expanded services, increased revenue and reduced costs. His strong commitment to preserving community-based health care is what drove the development of the Riverside Healthcare System and the Hospital’s partnerships with Yonkers General Hospital and the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry. Under one umbrella, these organizations have expanded their range of health care services and become modern facilities to better serve their communities.

Mr. Foy’s leadership has been instrumental in forging many important partnerships, including the Pinnacle Healthcare Network. Pinnacle is a five-hospital network he helped create to enhance the services provided to tens-of-thousands of patients annually, as well as improve the bargaining power of the member hospitals. Through Pinnacle, The Riverside Health Care System has worked closely with the Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley (VNA) — the Network’s preferred home care provider. Mr. Foy has been a staunch advocate for the VNA, at both the Riverside Health Care System and the Pinnacle Healthcare Network. As a result, the collaboration between our organizations has ensured the seamless continuity of care for countless patients.

Prior to joining St. John’s Riverside, Mr. Foy served in senior administrative positions at the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens, as well as at St. Mary’s Hospital of Brooklyn.

Mr. Foy has a Bachelors of Arts Degree with a double major in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston College, and Masters Degrees in Business Administration and Public Health from Columbia University.

Steve Biondi, R.N., N.H.A., is the Vice President – Corporate Quality Officer with Extendicare Health Services, Inc., which is based in Milwaukee, WI. Working closely with the President and Chief Executive Officer, his role is to strategically identify, plan, and implement the organization initiatives relate to quality improvement. Extendicare employs 34,000 people in North America and operates 220 long term care facilities with a capacity for over 26,000 residents.

Biondi began his career with Extendicare in 1987. He has served as Vice President of Clinical Services, Vice President of Operations, and in a variety of other roles in the health care business sector.

He has been certified as a surveyor by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a registered nurse and nursing home administrator. Mr. Biondi is an active member of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and currently chairs the Survey and Regulatory Committee. He has served in the past on the Facility Standards Committee and Quality Committee. He is also a Senior Quality Examiner for AHCA. Biondi has worked as a volunteer nursing home ombudsman in years past.

Biondi holds both a Masters in Management and Masters in Nursing degree.

J. Wayne Brannock, CPHQ, CPHRM has been with Lorien for nine years. He has been in long-term care for 19 years in various capacities, including assistant administrator, quality assurance and risk manager. Before that, he worked in the acute care field in several areas including director of respiratory therapy and in pulmonary diagnostics. He also taught respiratory therapy. He is a member of the board of the Maryland Society for Healthcare RiskManagers and is credentialed in Healthcare Quality and Healthcare RiskManagement

Anthony Rodgers has over 30 years of healthcare executive management experience in public hospital systems, health plans, and Medicaid Programs. In March 2010, he was appointed to the position of CMS Deputy Administrator for the Center for Strategic Planning. In this position he is responsible for enterprise wide strategic planning, Medicare and Medicaid research and demonstrations, policy research and development, and CMS enterprise decision support.

Previously Mr. Rodgers was a Principal with the national consulting firm Health Management Associates. Mr. Rodgers also held the position of Agency Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). In this role he was responsible for the Arizona Medicaid and Children Health Insurance Program.

As the Medicaid/CHIP agency director, Mr. Rodgers reported to the Governor and is responsible for health coverage for over 1.3 million Arizonans. The agency administered multiple sources of governmental and private funds and was responsible for oversight and compliance of Medicaid managed care health plans and health care providers to assure quality of care, fiscal accountability, and cost containment. Mr. Rodgers also Chair of the Multi-State Collaboration on Medicaid Health System Transformation and was a member of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics.

Mr. Rodgers has a Master of Science degree in public health and BA degree in Economics and Political Science from UCLA. He holds visiting professor appointments at Arizona State University, the W.P Carey School of Business and at UCLA School of Public Health.