News Release
June 11, 2020
CHICAGO—The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) announced its 2020-2021 Board of Governors and 15 New Fellows during its virtual 2020 Annual Meeting held on June 4, 2020. The 105-year-old organization with a long history of promoting health care and wellbeing equity presented ‘Three for Three: How Can We Transform, Drive and Impact the Health Care System Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis.’
The seriousness of the global COVID-19 pandemic hit our local communities. Cook County has over 81, 250 cases and 3,880 deaths, and Chicago has over 47, 500 cases and 2,200 deaths (Cook County Public Health). The State of Illinois has about 126,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and over 6,000 deaths. Regrettably, the confirmed cases and deaths change each day. Progress is slow; however, is improving due to many efforts. IOMC has made a difference in the past with the 1918 influenza pandemic and is addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The outstanding caliber of our directors and our fellows contribute to the needs of our community and focus on the building a strong intersection of public health, health care, and wellbeing. IOMC is working to eliminate the gaps of care and services in Chicagoland, and will continue to focus on the pressing issues of COVID-19, racism, and the socio-economic needs of the metropolitan Chicago community,” stated IOMC President Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker, MD, MPH.
Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Board of Governors
President Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker, MD, MPH, NextLevel Health
Dr. Rucker-Whitaker is Founding Chairman and CEO of NextLevel Health; a Medicaid health insurance company dedicated to helping underserved populations access and manages Medicaid services.
Vice President Raul Garza, MS, MBA, Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness
Garza is the President and CEO of Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, leading a $75 million system of integrated health care, community wellness, and child welfare services with more than 35 locations, including 23 community health centers across nine counties.
Treasurer Richard Ferraro, MBA, CPA, Ferraro Healthcare Advisory Group
Ferraro is a trusted advisor to health system decision-makers and related investors, and as a project leader in a variety of engagement capacities on a national level for over 30 years.
Secretary Lorenzo Pence, DO, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
Dr. Pence oversees the staff that supports the new Osteopathic Principles Committee and the Review Committee for Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. Before ACGME, he was with West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, and served in other senior leadership roles.
2020-2021 Directors
· Courtney Avery, MPH, Health Facilities & Services Review Board*
· Caswell Evans, DDS, MPH, University of Illinois at Chicago
· Claudia Fegan, MD, Cook County Health*
· Jason Kane, MD, MS, University of Chicago
· Cheryl Larson, Midwest Business Group on Health
· Pat Merryweather-Argues, MA, Project Patient Care*
· Howard Nochumson, MA, Washington Square Health Foundation
· Janice Odiaga, DNP, Rush University*
· Les Sandlow, MD, University of Illinois at Chicago
· Mark Shields, MD, Guidehouse
· Clark Stanford, DDS, PhD, MHA, University of Illinois Chicago, College of Dentistry*
· Anita Stewart, MD, Blue Cross and Blue Shield
· Neli Vazquez Rowland, A Safe Haven Foundation*
*New directors
Congratulations to the 2020 New Fellows!
· Kathleen Bobay, PhD, RN
· Lauren M. Byrne, MPH
· Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD
· Eileen Collins, PhD, RN
· Catherine Creticos, MD
· William Ebomoyi, PhD
· Earl Fredrick, MD, MBA
· Jay Gandhi, DrPharm
· Maryann Gierloff, RN, PhD
· Catherine Kapella, MPH
· Gayle Shier Kricke, MSW, PhD
· Sandra Larson, PhD
· Vemuri S. Murthy, MD, MS
· Lee Schmidt, PhD, RN
· Donna Thompson, RN
We would like to thank our sponsors, Northwestern Medicine® and University of Illinois, for their support making the annual meeting a success this year.
The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) is an independent organization of distinguished leaders in the health field who collaborate to improve the health of the public. Drawing upon the expertise of a diverse membership and other regional leaders, the IOMC addresses critical health issues through a range of interdisciplinary approaches including education, research, communication of trusted information, and community engagement. With the health of the public at its core, IOMC is building new programs and services to better meet the needs of its members and the Chicagoland community. Visit www.iomc.org.
For more information contact:
Cheryl Irmiter, Executive Director
Institute of Medicine of Chicago
312.709.2685
infostaff@iomc.org
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