ITP Conference 2007

Speakers

Julie A. Birkofer
Julie Birkofer has been with the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) since 2001 and assumed the leadership role as head of the North American division in October 2004. She works with a team of professionals on mission critical industry objectives focusing on assuring access, choice and innovation. The North American division is responsible for federal and state affairs as well as communications. Prior to joining PPTA as their Executive Director, North America, she served in the office of former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge as the Associate Director of Domestic and Health Policy. During her tenure in the Governor’s office, Ms. Birkofer worked closely with the PA Departments of Aging, Insurance and Health to ensure that the Commonwealth’s agenda was advanced on Capitol Hill.

Patricia M. Brady, EdD
Dr. Patricia Brady received her doctorate in psychology from Rutgers-The State University in 1972. Her early career included teaching at the elementary, college undergraduate and graduate levels and the provision of psychological services to the handicapped. For the past twenty-two years she has had a private practice of psychology and family mediation in Kendall Park, NJ. Dr. Brady’s clinical practice is with children, families and adults with therapeutic specializations in divorce, chronic illness and bereavement. In addition to her independent practice she often lectures as part of continuing education programs for health care professionals. She is a clinical supervisor for the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and a former member of the NJ State Board of Psychological Examiners.

James Bussel, MD
Dr. James Bussel is Professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. His training was initiated at Yale, continued at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, then Pediatric Residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and Fellowship at Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the combined Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering program. The great majority of his publications are centered around diagnosis and especially management of patients with ITP including children with ITP, adults with ITP, pregnant women with ITP, HIV infected patients with thrombocytopenia, and fetuses affected by auto and allo immune thrombocytopenia.

David Dayya, DO, MPH
Dr. David Dayya received his undergraduate degree in Chemistryfrom Rutgers University, N.J., his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of N.J and completed his post-graduate residency training in New York City. He is certified in both Family Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. His present research interests include Environmental Toxins and their possible associations with chronic diseases, conducted jointly with Fordham University. Dr. Dayya holds an advanced degree in Public Health with a concentration in Biostatistics and Epidemiology through the University of Connecticut. He is a research skills instructor and research consultant at St. Barnabas Hospital.  He practices in New York City at Saint Barnabas Hospital-Affiliate of the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System and holds faculty appointments with Weill Cornell Medical College, University of Medicine and Dentistry of N.J., Kansas City University of Medicineand Biosciences, and the New York Institute of Technology. Dr. Dayya is active in academic medicine and has been awardedfor his achievements.He has been honored with a national award for teaching from The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He has also been awarded and recognized for "Clinical Excellence" in patient care.

Joel Fuhrman, MD
Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician, author, and one of the country’s leading experts on nutritional medicine. He addresses other physicians at hospital grand rounds and has lectured at benefits for the American Heart Association and the U.S. Olympic Team. Dr. Fuhrman has appeared in magazines, on the radio, and on television including: Good Morning America (ABC), The Today Show (NBC), Good Day New York (FOX),The Food Network, CNN, UPN, and the Discovery Channel. His books include:  Cholesterol Protection for Life, Disease Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right, Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Plan for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, and Fasting and Eating for Health: A Medical Doctor’s Program for Conquering Disease.

Terry Gernsheimer, MD
Dr. Gernsheimer is Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Medical Director of the Platelet Antibody Laboratory at the Puget Sound Blood Center, and Director of Transfusion Services at the University of Washington Medical Center and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Dr. Gernsheimer’s major research interests include the diagnosis, treatment and pathophysiology of autoimmune platelet disorders as well as several aspects of transfusion medicine and medical education.

Paul Kempisty
Paul Kempisty is a New York State licensed Acupuncturist, a Board certified Herbalist and a NationalCertification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine diplomat. He trained in the United States and the People's Republic of China, with advanced studies in integrative oncology and gynecology.  Paul studied all levels of Reiki, and trained extensively in Zen Shiatsu and Chinese medical massage (Tui-Na). He currently has a private practice in New York City where he treats patients for common ailments, as well as complimentary care for cancer, with particular interest in investigating the manipulation of hemodynamics and immune function with Chinese herbal medicine. Paul focuses on determiningindividual needs and goals and constructs a comprehensive treatment/education plan, guiding patients to achieve what the ancient Chinese described as `Radiant Health'.

Alan H. Lazarus, PhD
Alan H. Lazarus (PhD, McGill University, 1987) is a Scientist with The CanadianBlood Services and has an academic research laboratory at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Medicine as well as in the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology. He has many active research grants and has published over 50 original research papers in journals such as Nature Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Blood, and others. His main area of research has been on the mechanism of action of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the amelioration of the autoimmune disease idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). He is also actively engaged in the discovery of new therapeutic agents to treat ITP and other autoimmune diseases.

Howard Liebman, MD
Dr. Howard Liebman is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Southern California’s  Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. He serves as Medical Director of the Special Hemostasis Laboratory at USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and is interim chief of the section of hematology. Dr. Liebman received his medical degree fromUSC and did his residency and fellowships in medical oncology and haematology, at Los Angeles County - USC Medical Center. Dr. Liebman completed a research fellowship at Tufts University – New England Medical Center, Boston, MA and held faculty positions at Tufts University and Boston University, before returning to USC.  Dr. Liebman’s research interests include clinical management and characterization of haemostatic and thrombotic disorders, management of autoimmune blood disorders and clinical therapy of HIV and AIDS.

Loria Raiola-Trapp
Loria Raiola –Trapp M.Ed is a licensed mental health counselor and as well as a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor. Loria has been teaching yoga professionally since 1999. She has taught classes for the New York City Kripalu Yoga Center, Shakti Yoga, Relax on Cloud 9 and Costa Cruise Lines. In 2006 she was awarded a $1000 grant from Kripalu Center to offer free classes in her community for low income adults and children. Currently she employs yoga into her private mental health practice and public school guidance sessions. Kripalu Yoga puts a great deal of emphasis on the mechanics of yoga-proper breath and alignment as well as the inner spiritual dimension of yogic practice. Students are encouraged to honor “the wisdom of the body” and to work according to the limits of their individual flexibility and strength. For more information about her work you can email her at: omenergi@hotmail.com

Nancy Russell
Nancy Russell is an Integrative Energy Therapy practitioner and has been a speaker for over 10 years.  She is an IET® Master-Instructor Trainer and certified Usui Reiki Master in private practice, teaching energy therapies and other related classes in Yardley, Pennsylvania and around the country.Nancy has extensively studied and personally trained with many of the recognized leaders in the holistic health movement. They include Caroline Myss, Andrew Weil, M.D., Stevan Thayer, Brian Weiss, M.D. , Mona Lisa Schulz, M.D.Her new creation,called The AP Class, is a short course in practical spiritual perspective that supports the prime message of her work: understanding how your biography relates to and becomes your biology.

John Semple, PhD
John W. Semple received his PhD in Immunology from Queen’s University in 1986 and trained as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research of the C.H. Best Institute, University of Toronto from 1986-90. He is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pharmacology, Medicine and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto, and he is also an Adjunct Scientist with the Canadian Blood Services. His research activities include several areas of platelet immunology including: the anti-platelet T cell responses in children with acute and chronic ITP, the analysis of platelet- and GPIIbIIIa-reactive T helper cell lines and clones, the role of anti-inflammatory mediators in controlling humoral and cellular immune responses in recipients receiving platelet transfusions and the antigen processing and presentation pathways of platelet allo- and auto-antigens within macrophages.

Michael Tarantino, MD
Michael D. Tarantino, MD is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine-Peoria. He received a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Wisconsin School in 1987. He completed a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. Dr. Tarantino first became interested in ITP in during his residency in 1988. Since that time he has designed and/or participated in numerous clinical investigations related to ITP and other platelet disorders. Dr. Tarantino has authored numerous publications relevant to the diagnosis and management of ITP, especially as it occurs in children. Dr. Tarantino is also active in hemophilia and other bleeding disorders research. Currently he is the Medical Director of the Comprehensive Bleeding Disorders Center in Peoria, Illinois.

Joan Young
Joan Young is the founder and president of the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA). Prior to her involvement with PDSA she was an elementary school teacher, college instructor, and held various information technology positions for several large pharmaceutical companies. She was diagnosed with ITP in 1992 at the age of 46. After seven treatments failed to provide a sustained safe count, she turned to complementary medicine. Her platelets have been over 200,000 for 12 years. She attributes her good health to herbs, diet, energy treatments and many other small and large lifestyle changes.