Dr. Sarah Parker Ward wants to help you think more affectionately about death so you can experience a healthier, more fulfilling life. Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Emerging Media Studies from Boston University where her research explored death cognition and related policy implications. She continues this thanatological work today both in practice and study as the co-founder of We Are Clio, a digital platform launching in 2024 to empower individuals on their deathcare journey through personalized education and community-building with non-clinical care providers such as death doulas, green burial crafters, and legacy artisans. In addition to death doula training, Sarah has also undergone instruction in mindfulness and psychedelic peer support. You can find this mom of three on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @skparkerward.

Neilanjan Nandi, MD, FACP is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Nandi's practice focuses on the management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD, eg, Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis) and recurrent Clostridium difficile infection via Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT). Dr. Nandi serves on the executive council of the Philadelphia Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (CCF), the medical advisory board of the United Ostomy Associates of America (UOAA), coordinates outreach on the American College of Gastroenterology Patient Care Committee and is a founding board member of the South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA). He also regularly peer reviews research publications and serves on the social media editorial board for the premier journals 'Inflammatory Bowel Diseases' and 'Crohn's & Colitis 360.'

His research has focused on studying conditions co-morbid to IBD quality of care such as characterizing the management and consequences of iron deficiency anemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in IBD patients. He has a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of refractory Clostridioides difficile infection and the application of fecal microbiota transplantation in C difficile. Dr. Nandi has helped conduct a number of clinical trials of stool derived microbiome therapies. He has also authored numerous book chapters on the diagnosis and management of various viral, parasitic, mycobacterial and bacterial infections of the GI tract.

Dr. Nandi’s fervor for clinical education has been recognized with multiple teaching awards including the 2023 Sidney Cohen Faculty Teacher of the Year for the Gastroenterology & Hepatology division of the University of Pennsylvania. He was honored as the 2019 Physician Hero by the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Crohn's and Colitis Foundation at their annual Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis event and wields digital & social media platforms to amplify education, outreach & advocacy in IBD to clinicians and patients. He was also awarded the Philadelphia CCF’s Chairman’s Citation in 2022. He is the regular host of an academic podcast : ‘GI Insights: IBD Crosstalk’ which features high yield, evidence based medicine discussions with guests from different interdisciplinary fields critical to providing comprehensive IBD care. Dr. Nandi’s passions include fitness, cooking, virtual reality gaming, reading and dancing. Follow him on social @fitwitmd.

Erin Moore is a visionary leader and innovator focused on transforming healthcare and building a more equitable economy for health and care. As the founder of Meanwhile Health, Erin leverages her strengths in systems thinking, strategic management, and leadership to drive meaningful change. Erin is an exceptionally skilled communicator, serving as an advisor to executives and delivering compelling talks on innovation and healthcare reform. She is also a gifted writer, using her platform to raise awareness of critical issues and share a bold vision for a better future of healthcare. Her unique blend of leadership, strategic insight, and communication expertise allows her to motivate teams, advance complex initiatives, and achieve transformational results.

Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson, affectionately known as Dr. Toya on social media, is a multi- faceted individual—a wife, mother, board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, entrepreneur, speaker, and best-selling author. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, she journeyed to the United States where she earned both her Bachelors and Medical Degrees from Howard University in an accelerated 6-year BS/MD program. Her medical training was further honed at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

Her medical prowess is only one side of the coin. Dr. Toya is a thriving entrepreneur, being the brainchild behind "Buy Default," a curated directory aimed at promoting Black businesses and professionals. She's also the founder and CEO of Amina OBGYN Consultants, an independent contracting company providing hospital-based OBGYN services. Dr. Toya has broadened her medical practice by embracing telehealth, now offering her expertise to the women of California and Texas.

Entrepreneurship became Dr. Toya’s beacon out of professional burnout, igniting a passion for patient education. She leverages her social media platforms to embolden women, providing invaluable insights to help them take charge of their reproductive health and advocate for themselves. Her endeavors echo a central message of empowerment and education, making a meaningful impact on her followers and patients alike.

Discover more about Dr. Toya’s mission and connect with her:

Dr. Toya’s Website

Telehealth Services: Amina OBGYN Consultants

Follow her on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Terri Coutee is the Founder and Director of DiepCFoundation. She started the nonprofit organization in 2016, two years after her own successful breast reconstruction, to provide support, education, and resources for those affected by breast cancer facing mastectomy. Terri hosts the DiepCJourney podcast and the DiepC Foundation educational channel where she interviews surgeons, patients, healthcare professionals, and individuals to provide resources and lived stories to listeners. She provides written content through her blog at DiepCJourney.com.

Terri is a Project LEAD graduate, an intensive six-day science course designed to train patient advocates from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. She is co-lead on the World Health Innovation Summit shared decision-making expert group. Terri is a consumer patient advocate serving on the DoD-CDMRP for the breast cancer vaccine under the leadership of the team at the Cleveland Clinic. She has co-authored published papers and assisted surgeons and researchers gathering data for on-going studies in breast cancer and breast reconstruction to improve patient experience and outcomes.

Terri believes education is the key component for patients being able to have a shared decision-making conversation with their health care team.

Here educational resources and social media contact information can be found here:

DiepCFoundation Educational Channel on YouTube

DiepCJourney Podcast We are on Spotify, Libsyn, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music

DiepCJourney.com Blog

Social Media Channels:

LinkedIn: Terri Coutee

Facebook: diepCfoundation.org

Instagram: diepcfoundation

Pinterest: tgcoutee (DiepCFoundation.org)

Twitter: @6state

Dr. Eugene Manley Jr is an inspirational speaker that often speaks about overcoming barriers, mentoring, and STEM and workforce diversity. He is a Mechanical Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, and Molecular and Cell Biologist with expertise in musculoskeletal biology, biomechanics, and cancer biology. He is adept at planning and executing complex systems biology problems, imaging, pathology, and combination drug therapies. Currently he is the Founder and CEO of the STEMM & Cancer Health Equity (SCHEQ) nonprofit foundation that seeks to increase STEMM workforce diversity and improve outcomes for underserved and marginalized populations across the cancer care continuum. He previously worked at LUNGevity where he oversaw STEMM outreach and engagement, launched a Minority Mentorship and Training Program, and ran 3 virtual health equity series. Prior to this, he has worked in fundraising and development, scientific grant administration, science writing/communication, and has been a curator of information. He serves on national and international boards regarding health equity, STEMM access and mentoring, and community engagement. His overarching philosophy is not what can he do for himself, but what can he do for those that do not have a voice.

Website: https://scheq.org

Linkedin: STEMM & Cancer Health Equity

Facebook.com/STEMMCHEQ

Instagram.com/STEMMCHEQ

Dr. Yun “Sherry” Wang is an Assistant Professor on the tenure track at Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP). Her academic journey is built upon a foundation in Geospatial Science from Washington University in St. Louis, an exploration of Data Science at Monash University, and comprehensive Ph.D. training in Clinical Pharmacy. Since she arrived at Chapman in May 2021, she has established and led the "Patient Safety Lab," a research initiative driven by her profound interests in health service research and pharmacoepidemiology, with a special focus on substance users and chronic disease patients. The "Patient Safety Lab" is a collaborative effort that utilizes diverse real-world datasets to explore various projects, including "Opioid Prescribing and Overdose Deaths Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in California," "Utilization of Buprenorphine Treatments in California: A Real-World Assessment of X Waiver Holders and Prescribers," "Spatiotemporal Disparity Mapping of Buprenorphine Treatment," and "Treatment Adherence Disparities among Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer." These multifaceted projects unite over ten dedicated faculty members and students, fostering collaboration beyond the boundaries of Chapman University.

Dr. Wang's professional background encompasses a spectrum of disciplines, including machine learning, epidemiology, clinical pharmacy, health economics, and health service research across Asia, Australia, and the United States. Her contributions are evident through peer-reviewed publications in esteemed journals such as JAMA, Lancet, Clinical Infectious Disease, International Journal of Cardiology, Pharmacogenomics Journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Pain Reports, and Neuroepidemiology. Her editorial role for the "Opioid Epidemic during the COVID-19 Pandemic" Special Issue of the journal Healthcare underscores her dedication to addressing the opioid crisis. Her research findings have garnered attention in ISPOR News Across Asia, Physician Weekly, and the COVID newsletter by the Washington State Department of Health. She received the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) New Investigator Award in 2022.

Faculty profile: https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/sherry-yun-wang

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=-RicqRIAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr David Beaumont is a Consultant Occupational Physician, a doctor specialising in the health of workers. He is a Past President of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He provides consultancy services to some of New Zealand’s major employers and also the provision of health and wellbeing programmes through his company Positive Medicine Limited.

His book, Positive Medicine: Disrupting the Future of Medical Practice won the BMA (British Medical Association) Medical Book Award for Primary Care, 2022.

David is passionate about helping people realise that to truly experience positive health in their lives they first have to change their own understanding of health. To truly have health it must be viewed as a positive concept, with the realisation that it is integral to every area of our lives. To move beyond being experts in disease, doctors need to be able to treat the whole person and empower people to take control and responsibility for their own lives and health.

www.drdavidbeaumont.com

www.positivemedicine.com

Our guest on this episode of the HD podcast is Vanessa Joy Walker: Health Consumer Advocate, Survivorship Coach, and Founder of Living After Crisis Inc. Currently pursuing an MPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Vanessa collaborates with esteemed organizations such as HMP Global's Psych Congress and Caelum Diagnostic Solutions. Her powerful perspectives on perseverance, patient engagement, social equity, and joy have been featured in prominent outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The American Cancer Society, K-Love Radio, and Menopause Today.

Dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Vanessa partners with transformative educational firms like The 2043 Project and Point Made Learning, shaping her contributions through a compassionate lens.

With over 12 years of experience in healthcare, impact storytelling, advocacy, and operations, Vanessa is devoted to challenging the status quo. She serves as a trusted ally in guiding diverse organizations—whether in healthcare, life sciences, or any organization that prioritizes mental health and well-being.

As a published author, sought-after patient advisor, consultant, and coach, Vanessa infuses authenticity and captivating storytelling into every element of her work. From conference rooms to virtual platforms, she fosters empathetic connections through engaging presentations exploring communication's power to ignite change.

Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn @VanessaJoyWalker for invaluable insights and inspiration. For collaborations and inquiries, email [email protected], and join her in creating a world where health and well-being are human rights."

Nick Holekamp, MD, is the vice president and chief medical officer at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. He joined in 2000, and for nearly two decades, he’s helped more than 2,000 children and their families transition from a traditional hospital to home after chronic illness or injuries.

Under Dr. Holekamp’s leadership, Ranken Jordan transitioned from a 26-bed pediatric nursing home into a 60-bed, advanced pediatric specialty hospital that is regionally recognized as a center of excellence for the care of children with medical complexities. In 2018, he oversaw a $35-million expansion that nearly doubled the hospital’s capacity, and he continues to lead initiatives that ensure a collaborative, high-quality, patient-centered care environment.

He is the chief advocate for carrying out the vision of the hospital’s founder, Mary Ranken Jordan, which was to care for kids beyond the bedside. Dr. Holekamp gives kids their best chance for recovery through Care Beyond the Bedside, the hospital’s care philosophy that melds traditional health care with playful therapies that allows for routine child development, effective rehabilitation, and social re-integration so kids and their families can prepare for successful outcomes at home. His work has helped mold Ranken Jordan into a facility that parents describe as a “seamless, yet critical transition” for their child and that is held in high esteem by medical professionals across the healthcare continuum.

In 2017, Dr. Holekamp co-authored “The Effect of a Comprehensive Care Transition Model on Cost and Utilization for Medically Complex Children with Cerebral Palsy, a research paper published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care.

In October, 2018, Dr. Holekamp presented his findings at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Complex Care Association in a talk titled, “An Innovative Model of Transitional Care for Medically Complex Children.”

Dr. Holekamp earned a degree in biology from Dartmouth College before graduating from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1987. He completed his residency in pediatric and adolescent medicine at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Prior to joining Ranken Jordan, he was a pediatric hospitalist at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis.

Website: www.rankenjordan.org