Meet the Speakers for 2023 Annual Advocacy Conference
Leighton Ku, PhD, MPH, is a professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University (GW), with an appointment in public policy and management as well. He is a nationally known health policy and health services scholar with more than 25 years of experience. He has examined topics such as national and state health reforms, access to care for low-income populations, Medicaid, preventive services, the health care safety net, cost and benefits of health services, and immigrant health. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and 200 policy briefs and other translational reports. He directs the Center for Health Policy Research, a multidisciplinary research center, which includes physicians, attorneys, economists, health management and policy experts and others, with more than 20 faculty and dozens of staff; it has a research portfolio in excess of $25 million. He has been principal investigator for many studies with support from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Commonwealth Fund and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and other sources. In the course of his career at GW, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Urban Institute, he has worked with federal and state executive and legislative agencies, health care organizations, advocates and others in research, technical assistance, strategic advice and advocacy. As a faculty, he has taught research methods, econometrics, and policy analysis at the graduate level for more than 25 years and guided dozens of students through dissertations and other research. As a member of his community, he helped establish and guide the District of Columbia’s Health Benefits Exchange Authority as a founding member of its Executive Board. 
Susan Turner, MA. LBSW, is currently the PACES program coordinator for Appalachian Promise Alliance, formerly Bristol’s Promise. She manages the PACES initiative in collaboration with community partners, to provide evidence-based information and training to build resilience in our region. Ms. Turner provides parenting and community education to facilitate child and family well-being. She has held positions as Department of Children’s services Supervising Team Leader/Certified KEEP trainer with the Tennessee Department of Children Services, and Care Coordinator, Therapeutic Foster Care Supervisor with Highlands Community Services. She has also appeared as an expert witness in the field of social work for Washington County and Johnson City Tennessee Juvenile Courts. 
Tracey Stansberry, DNP, RN, is currently a lecturer in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Nursing. She has been an Advanced Practice Nurse for Tennessee Plateau Oncology ~ Dirk Davidson, MD., and cared for patients as an APRN and chemotherapy infusion nurse. Courtesy privileges held at Cumberland Medical Center and Big South Fork Medical Center.
She performed the duties of a registered nurse in the provision of care for cancer and hematology patients, including the administration of chemotherapy at the Knoxville Cancer Center. She then transitioned to the role of Advanced Practice Nurse/Clinical Nurse Specialist for Knoxville Cancer Center during which she established a satellite clinic in Scott County, Tennessee, and provided care for patients in that clinic. She has also practiced as a clinical preceptor for Master of Nursing students for several Colleges of Nursing. 
Andrea is a native of Tennessee as well as a mother of five and Nana to 7 beautiful grandchildren. She currently works as a Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS) and with YODA (Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse) at the Oasis Youth Opportunity Center through STARS Nashville. Andrea also facilitates psycho-educational groups for Epic Girl Inc., Thistle Farms and Healing Housing. Previously, she worked as the Residential Manager for Thistle Farms-Magdalene Program and as a Peer Counselor for the SISTERS program. She is an ordained Elder at Priest Lake Community Baptist Church, where she serves on the Prison Ministry and as director of their Healing, Empowerment and Restoration (H.E.R) Christian Growth Ministry. Where they provide faith based, long-term supportive housing for women experiencing crisis situations. 
Lesly-Marie Buer, PhD, MPH, is currently Technical Assistance Provider, National Harm Reduction Technical Assistance, Center, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington Medicine. She has been a director of research, and has held faculty positions in Sociology and Anthropology, Social Sciences, cultural diversity in health and illness, language and culture, and Appalachian Studies. She has authored many books, book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, reviews, poster and podium presentations related to mental health treatment and substance misuse in rural and Appalachian areas. She has also been a reviewer for conferences and journals related to this topic. 
Joseph Zickafoose, MD, MS, is currently Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, with an appointment at Monroe Carell, Jr Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. He has held several pediatric academic and clinical appointments. He has researched, published, and presented extensively on the relationship of access to healthcare and the health of children and families. His research has lead to many reports used in crafting healthcare policy for the United States. 
Silvia Calzadilla, is Director of Enrollment Services for Tennessee Health Care Campaign. She meets with clients in person or by phone to assist them with health coverage options including, TennCare, CoverKids, and the Marketplace and provide resources for those who do not qualify for health insurance. She also trains and monitors staff and volunteers, and assist the Executive Director with outreach and program grant applications. She builds alliances and referral networks with community organizations and health care service providers. She meets with TennCare to resolve client problems, and serves as the principal agent representing the agency with Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and Insurance Carriers. She has been a bilingual navigator/bilingual healthcare access specialist for Family and Children’s Services in Nashville, Tennessee. She has also served as a Bilingual HR Specialist/Interviewer for EmployBridge Workforce Specialists in Knoxville, Tennessee. She also holds a license for Health and Life Insurance.
Kimbery Hagan, BA, JD, holds the Executive staff position managing TennCare division responsible for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility processes. She manages more than 700 state employees plus more than 400 contracted call center staff who process health care applications, annual renewals, case maintenance activities, and appeals for 400,000 applicants and 1.7 million members each year. Previously, she worked for the State of Tennessee, Division of TennCare in Nashville, as Director of Eligibility Services. She has also held a position in the Office of General Counsel, Assistant General Counsel for the State of Tennessee, Division of TennCare. She has been employed by DANLEY & ASSOCIATES, Douglasville, GA, as a General practice attorney with diverse experience, including criminal defense, estate planning, family law, juvenile law, and personal injury. She has conducted legal research and writing, and represented clients in Juvenile Court cases.
Tyler Bowman, Founder/CEO, Brooks Healing Center. His vision is to guide others to find their own recovery and to thrive in their own lives. Tyler was fortunate to have lived through his addiction and now finds fulfillment in serving others. He has worked in the substance abuse field since 2015 and felt convicted to build a place where individuals are loved until they can learn to love themselves. With the love and support of his family, he continues to provide care for those who have lost themselves along the way
Carole R. Myers, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a currently a research professor at The University of Tennessee’s College of Nursing in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has been on faculty since 2002. She has held positions as a registered nurse and clinical instructor in the emergency department, family nurse practitioner in several clinics, and as an independent health management consultant.
She has published extensively on a variety of health and health related topics, including limitations to full APRN practice, health policy, the Affordable Care Act, the voice of nursing and nurses, Medicaid expansion, the impact of electronic databases on health care, and telehealth. She has been involved in numerous nationally funded research grants related to health, healthcare, and access to health care. 
Katie Cahill, PhD, is currently Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Howard H. Baker Jr. School for Public Policy and Public Affairs, and Adjunct Assistant Professor Department of Political Science at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She has served as Associate Director for the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, and Director, Leadership & Governance Program for the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Previously at Perdue University, she served as Associate for the Purdue Institute for Civic Communication with C-SPAN (formerly Project IMPACT), Editorial Assistant Politics, Groups, and Identities, and Western Political Science Association Deputy Project IMPACT. She has conducted numerous nationally funded research studies, and published extensively on policies health, community health, policy leadership, and voting. 
Senator Richard Briggs, MD, is currently employed as a physician with Tennova Physicians Regional Medical Center, Knoxville Tennessee. He is also a member of the Tennessee State Senate, and sits on the following committees: State and Local Government, Health and General Welfare, Transportation, and Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee. He has practiced as a cardiothoracic surgeon in several states, has served as a Colonel in the United States Army Reserves in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has served on several Knox County committees and boards 
Amanda Letheren, DPh, MPH, is currently a Research Associate with Oak Ridge Associated Universities, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where she provides technical support and research for public health and healthcare projects, including the development of health communication products to increase visibility of the CDC’s Center for Preparedness and Response. She has held positions as an Applied Practice Experience Coordinator, Graduate Teaching Assistant, and Research Assistant with the University of Tennessee Department of Public Health. She has also served as Public Policy Intern with The Sycamore Institute, in Nashville, Tennessee. 
Derrick Hammond, M.Div., MBA, has served as pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church since 2014. As an elected member of the Oak Ridge City Council, Pastor Hammond is heavily involved in local and surrounding community affairs. He is a graduate of Leadership Oak Ridge and serves on the Advocacy Committee of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Board. He is also an active member of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation Board, Methodist Medical Center Advisory Board, United Way of Anderson County Board, Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club, East Tennessee Economic Council, Beeson Divinity School Alumni Advisory Board and the local chapter of the NAACP. Additionally, Pastor Hammond serves as Finance Commissioner for the Knoxville District Baptist Association and as an adjunct instructor for Tennessee Technical University and Pellissippi State Community College. In 2019, he served as a Scholar in Residence at the Kettering Foundation, where he examined the civic roles essential for fostering democratic life.
Michael J. Palenchar, Ph.D., currently Associate Professor, Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, College of Communication and Information, University of Tennessee. He has held other faculty positions in journalism and communications at the University of Tennessee, as well as the University of Florida in Gainesville, and University of Houston in Houston Texas. He has held positions as Public Relations Director, and has provided consultation services in Risk Communication and Issues Management. He has authored books and referred journal articles on risk management in communications.
E. Paige Hudson PhD, LPC-MHSP, is currently Director of Quality Services, The Transition House, Inc., Chattanooga, Tennessee. In her role as Director, she provides individual and family therapy for children and adults, supervises staff, and develops programming for offices in Chattanooga and Memphis. She also develops quality assurance measures and implements them company wide. She has served in previous roles as an Outpatient Clinician, with Omni Community Health, Cleveland, Tennessee, where she provided individual and family therapy for children and adults, and collaborated with treatment teams to develop plan of care for clients. She has also served as Comprehensive Child and Family Therapy Program Clinician with Omni Community Health, Dayton, Tennessee, where she provided intensive, in-home therapy for children at risk of disruption from their home. She has held Adjunct Faculty positions with Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga, Tennessee, teaching Counseling Systems and Interventions, and at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia, teaching Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories.