Health Care Management

WALTER S. ELIAS, PhD Dr. Elias has over twenty years of experience in marketing and applied research in health care cost containment and corporate wellness programs. An anthropology Ph.D., he has combined his research background in health care cost containment with an anthropological perspective on organizational behavior. He finds a win/win in employee health by observing from both perspectives: responsibility as well as entitlement.

MOLLY METTLER, MSW Senior vice president of Healthwise, Inc., one of the nation’s leading developers of health promotion and health education programs and materials. Mettler is also past chair of the National Council on the Aging. She is known for her engaging presentation style and delightful ability to inject a dash of humor into the weighty circumstances surrounding health care in the 21st century. Her expertise: information therapy, vital aging, self-care, patient-centered care, consumer-directed plans, and wellness. Her positive spirit motivates not only seniors, but inspires all of us.

MICHAEL O'DONNELL, PhD Founder of the American Journal of Health Promotion and author of Health Promotion in the Workplace. Dr. O'Donnell has served on the faculty of five universities, worked in hospital management for seven years, and in management consulting for twenty years. His background in health promotion internationally informs his presentations on "Achieving Optimal Health" and "Health and Financial Impact of Health Promotion Programs."

KENNETH RENTMEESTER, MPH President of Rentmeester and Associates, an organization that provides program design, management, planning, and contract negotiation services to health care, managed care, and government agencies. Mr. Rentmeester is a nationally known speaker and consultant on HMOs, IPAs, and managed health care organizations. He has authored several articles on cost-effective health care and prevention in the workplace. He helped establish the Center for Health Policy and Program Evaluation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and continues to assist in the center’s development. Additionally, Mr. Rentmeester teaches managed care courses in the Administrative Medicine Program and Programs in Health Management, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. He has also served as the State Health Officer for Wisconsin.

MARTIN SHAIN, SJD Modify the organization of work to make it healthier and safer. Martin Shain is a long-standing partner with Health Canada in developing and refining the Workplace Health System and is a Senior Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He is the author of Healthier Workers: Health Promotion and Employee Assistance Programs.

DAVID S. SOBEL, MD, MPH David Sobel is Director of Patient Education and Health Promotion for Kaiser Permanente Northern California which serves over 3 million members, and editor of the Mind/Body Health Newsletter. He is author of Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, The Healing Brain, Healthy Pleasures, and the Mind & Body Health Handbook. An avid researcher and teacher in medical self-care, patient education, preventive medicine, behavioral medicine, and psychosocial factors in health, Dr. Sobel is also a highly skilled presenter, having made more than 200 television appearances and earning awards from the American Heart Association and the American Film Festival for his health education work in video. His instructive, engaging presentations to lay people and health professionals include "Healthy Pleasures" and "Partners in Health."

ADEWALE TROUTMAN, MD, MPH Dr. Adewale Troutman came to Atlanta in 1997 to head what became the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness through his proactive initiatives in disease prevention and health promotion. He has distinguished himself as a visionary leader in community empowerment and self-reliance. His Masters of Public Health in Policy and Management is from Columbia University, and he also holds a masters degree in Black Studies. Dr. Troutman's passion for health issues has taken him across the nation and abroad to make recommendations for improving the health status of minorities in general and African American men in particular. He is a highly energetic, engaging speaker.

WILLIAM E. WILKERSON Bill Wilkerson is a business executive and the former President and CEO of Liberty Health. He served as a crisis consultant to some of the largest corporations in North America. He is leading a nationwide effort to make mental health more intelligible as a business and economic issue.