David Adkisson, President and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, returned to Kentucky in February of 2005 after spending six years as president of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, Alabama. A graduate of Georgetown College, Mr. Adkisson earned a masters degree in ethics from Harvard University in 1975. He began his career with the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky, first as project manager and then as the executive vice president. At age 34, Mr. Adkisson was elected mayor of Owensboro and re-elected four years later. During his administration, he led the effort to revitalize Owensboro’s downtown, created a performing arts complex, developed the MidAmerica Industrial Airpark, recruited several new industries and expanded the city’s parks and bikeways and developed a new bridge linking Kentucky and Indiana across the Ohio River. During his 20 years of service in Kentucky, Mr. Adkisson held several statewide leadership posts including chairman of the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education, president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) and chairman of the Kentucky Center for Public Issues. In 1999, Mr. Adkisson was named president of the Birmingham Chamber, where he worked with business and political leaders in the 7-county metropolitan area to develop consensus around an agenda for the region’s growth. He greatly strengthened the chamber’s public policy division and its lobbying presence in both Washington, D.C., and the state’s capital, Montgomery. As a strong proponent of economic development, Mr. Adkisson spends much of his time meeting with business and government leaders across the commonwealth, working to create a better economic environment in Kentucky. Mr. Adkisson’s wife Bonnie is a former teacher and school principal. They have a daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter in Lexington, Kentucky, and a son in Washington, D.C. Mr. Adkisson resides in Lexington, Kentucky.

Matt Bassett serves as Chief of Staff in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and as an advisor to Governor Ernie Fletcher. Prior to joining the Cabinet, he was the deputy chief of staff for Governor Fletcher’s congressional office in Washington. He played an integral role in helping then-Congressman Fletcher write and pass Association Health Plans legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. In this role he was responsible for work related to the House Policy Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and the House Energy and Commerce Committee and served as a liaison to Congressional leadership and the White House. Mr. Bassett previously served as a senior legislative assistant to Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and was responsible for issues ranging from healthcare to telecommunications. He also worked as a hospital and health facility development consultant for the Texas Department of Health. Mr. Bassett graduated from Baylor University in 1995 and has a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Trinity University. He is a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Julia Field Costich is chair of the Dept. of Health Services Management in the University of Kentucky College of Public Health and director of the Kentucky Injury Prevention & Research Center. She holds both a JD and Ph.D. Before joining the UK public health faculty in 1998, she administered academic medical programs for twelve years and practiced health care law in the public and private sectors. Her teaching areas include public health law, public health ethics, and health systems. Her research interests include legal and policy issues in injury, health care funding and access for vulnerable populations, and comparative health systems. Dr. Costich participated in the last health care initiative of the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center and was co-author of the Center’s 1999 report, What Next for Kentucky Health Care? 

Shawn M. Crouch was appointed in 2005 to the Executive Director role of the newly created Office of Health Policy. Charged with policy development, health agency oversight, and state employee health insurance policy, the Office of Health Policy is positioned to integrate and coordinate between Medicaid, Mental Health & Mental Retardation, Certificate of Need, Public Health, and Health Insurance. Prior to his current role, Mr. Crouch served as the Executive Officer to the Undersecretary for Health. His responsibilities included the monitoring and management of programs and policy for the Departments of Medicaid, Public Health, Certificate of Need, and Mental Health/Mental Retardation. During this period, Mr. Crouch was instrumental in the development of the Medicaid Modernization platform and the redesign of the state employee health insurance program. Mr. Crouch also served as the Director of Government Relations for a regional health insurer based in Lexington and has experience working in hospitals and physician practices. Mr. Crouch is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BS in Health Administration. He will complete a Masters of Public Health degree in Spring of 2007. A Kentucky native, Mr. Crouch currently resides in Lexington.

Bill Goodman began hosting Kentucky Tonight on the Kentucky Education Network (KET) in September of 1996. Prior to joining KET, Mr. Goodman ran a business in Glasgow, Kentucky. Before that he was news director at KPRC-TV in Houston and worked in various capacities at WTVF-TV in Nashville. Mr. Goodman is a graduate of Western Kentucky University.

Michael Hales is Assistant Director of the Utah Division of Healthcare Financing. The Division administers Utah’s Medicaid, SCHIP, Primary Care Network (PCN) and Covered at Work programs. Mr. Hales oversees policy, budget and reimbursement for all of the agency’s programs and is the former director of Utah’s SCHIP program. Prior to his work in the Division of Healthcare Financing, Mr. Hales performed consulting work for healthcare and financial service companies in the New York City metropolitan area. Mr. Hales holds a Master in Public Administration degree, with a focus in health care policy, from Harvard University. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University. He is married and is the father of five children.

Dr. John Holahan is Director of the Health Policy Research Center at The Urban Institute. He has managed numerous health research projects in the last 25 years and authored many books and papers on health policy. His recent work has focused on the Medicaid program, as well as state health policy more broadly, and issues of federalism and health. These include analyses of the recent growth in Medicaid expenditures, variations across states in Medicaid expenditures, and the implications of block grants, and expenditure caps and changes in matching formulas on states. He has also published research on the reasons for the growth in the uninsured over the past decade and on the effects of proposals to expand health insurance coverage on the number of uninsured and the cost to federal and state governments. He has recently completed work on the costs of the uninsured and on differences in the costs of health coverage between Medicaid and private insurance. Other research interests include health system reform, managed care, physician payment, and hospital cost containment. Dr. Holahan earned his A.B. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame and his Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University. Prior to his work with the Urban Institute, Dr. Holahan had been a lecturer at Trinity College and a research analyst with the Ford Foundation Drug Project in Washington, D.C.

Senator Dan Kelly has represented the 14th Senate District (Marion, Mercer, Nelson, Taylor, and Washington Counties) since 1991 and has served as the Senate Majority Floor Leader since 2000. He served as the Senate Republican Floor Leader from 1994 to 1999. He is an attorney in private practice. Senator Kelly's education includes the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He received his J.D. (Cum Laude) from the University of Louisville Law School and his BS Degree in Zoology from Texas A & M University. Senator Kelly served as an Armor Officer with the U.S. Army on Active Duty 1973-1978 and with the U.S. Army Reserve, 1978-1996. His present rank is Lt. Colonel. Senator Kelly served on the Washington County Library Board 1989-1990. He received the Boy Scouts of America President's Award and served as a Scout Master 1988-1992. He is a recipient of the U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Teacher Leader Award for Reading Recovery Program 2002. Senator Kelly was listed on Kentucky Forward's "Guts List" in 1994, 1996, and 1998. He won the Taxpayers Friend Award from the Kentucky Taxpayers United, the 1995 American Legion Legislative Award, and the 1998 Veterans of Foreign Wars Legislative Award.

Senator Alice Forgy Kerr has represented the 12th Senate District (Fayette) since 1999. She is a member of P.E.O. Educational Sorority and the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children. Senator Kerr has a B.S. in Elementary Education and Music and an MA in Higher Education from Western Kentucky University. She is a Sunday School teacher and a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington.

Michal Smith Mello has served as Senior Policy Analyst for the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center for nearly 12 years. Ms. Mello has authored and edited numerous reports on subjects as varied as entrepreneurship, rural development, workforce development, and health and health care. Ms. Mello presently serves as Project Director for a federal State Planning Grant under contract with the University of Kentucky’s Center for Excellence in Rural Health. The research team is studying Kentucky’s uninsured population and identifying strategies to help increase the number of insured Kentuckians. Prior to joining the Center, Ms. Mello held numerous writing and editorial posts and conducted and managed research projects on topics such as workplace safety and health, organizational change in the workplace, economic development, and the impact of tourism on women in rural economies. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned a BA and an MA, Michal is married to Scott Mello, a Frankfort attorney, and the proud stepmother of two lovely young adults, John and Sarah.

Larry Palmer is the Endowed Chair in Urban Health Policy at the University of Louisville. He is also a professor at the Institute of Bioethics, Health Policy, and Law; and Family and Geriatric Medicine. He received his BA from Harvard University and LLB from Yale Law School. Prior to joining the University of Louisville, he was a professor of law at Cornell University Law School in Ithaca, New York. Mr. Palmer is the author of Law, Medicine, and Social Justice (1989), Endings and Beginnings: Law, Medicine and Society in Assisted Life and Death (2000), and numerous articles dealing with law, medicine, and health policy. He is also the executive producer and author of the study guide of the prize-winning educational video Susceptible to Kindness: Miss Evers’ Boys and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Mr. Palmer is a director of the Hastings Center in Garrison, New York, and a member of the American Bar Association’s Bioethics and the Law Coordinating Committee. Previously, he served as a director of the National Patient Safety Foundation (1997-2002) and a trustee of the Phillips Exeter Academy (1990-2000). He was a vice provost at Cornell from 1979-1984 and a vice president from 1987-1994. In addition to his positions at Cornell and the University of Louisville, Mr. Palmer has held appointments at the University of Texas School of Law at Austin, the University of Virginia School of Law, Rutgers University Law School-Camden, Villanova School of Law, Emory Law School, The Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, and Clare Hall, Cambridge University.

Representative Jody Richards has represented Kentucky's House District 20 (Warren County) since 1976 and currently serves as the Speaker of the House. He is the owner of Superior Books. Speaker Richards received his AB from Kentucky Wesleyan College and his MA from the University of Missouri. He also attended Indiana University and served with the US Army Reserve. Speaker Richards is a member of the Bowling Green/Warren County Jaycees, and has been a past President. He is a past National Director of the Kentucky Jaycees and has served as State Secretary. He is a past President and Vice President of Kentucky Young Democrats and a past President of the Southern Kentucky Fair Board. Speaker Richards has been a Girls Club of Bowling Green Jaycees Representative and served on the United Way Board in 1983. He was named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America in 1972. He served in the JCI Senate and on the Steering Committee of the Governor’s Task Force on Education. He is the Chair-elect of the Southern Legislative Conference and has served on the Executive Committee of NCSL. He serves on the Southern Region Education Board and was the Democratic Caucus Chair 1987-1994.

Sally Richardson is the Executive Director for the Institute for Health Policy Research (West Virginia). She has been at the Institute since its inception in 1999 and was the driving force behind the creation of the Institute. In addition to this role, she is also an associate vice president for the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University. She is responsible for the management and direction of all aspects of the Institute's work. She oversees the completion of all project activities and serves as principal investigator of many projects. Prior to this endeavor, Ms. Richardson was with the federal Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) from 1993 -1999. She was director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, responsible for all Medicaid policy and operations, the Medicare Survey and Certification Program, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability operations, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Medigap policy, and HCFA's intergovernmental relations. In addition, she served for a year as HCFA's deputy administrator and for three years as the head of its Medicaid Bureau. During her tenure at HCFA, she represented the agency on a variety of departmental and White House working groups. In early 1993, on leave of absence from the state of West Virginia, she served as a member of the White House Task Force on Health Care Reform. Before her service with the federal government, Ms. Richardson held several positions in West Virginia's state government. These include director of Public Employees Insurance Agency (1989-1993), chair of the Health Care Cost Review Authority (1983-1985), deputy director of the Department of Health (1979-1983), and the assistant commissioner for the Department of Welfare (1978-1979). Ms. Richardson holds an A.B. degree from Vassar College and an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Charleston. She is also an adjunct faculty member in West Virginia University's School of Medicine.

Mary Frances Sabo joined the health bureau of New York State Insurance Department as a senior insurance policy examiner in 2000. Ms. Sabo began her career at the Insurance Department overseeing health maintenance organizations and nonprofit insurers. Ms. Sabo is currently responsible for administering the Healthy New York Program and developing related initiatives to assist the uninsured. Prior to joining the Insurance Department, Ms. Sabo worked for a private law firm representing health care providers and HMOs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, with a JD with honors from George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Michael E. Samuels is the Distinguished Scholar and Endowed Chair in Rural Health Policy and Professor of Family Practice and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Dr. Samuels has a long and distinguished health services research record of funded health services research grants and contracts and peer reviewed journal articles. He is one of the nation’s leading figures in rural health services research and services delivery. He was the Director of the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, one of eight national rural health research centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. His research and evaluation interests include rural primary care systems, HIV/AIDS service delivery, international health, recruitment, retention, and utilization of clinical practitioners in rural, outreach and health intervention for the poor and minorities and Community and Migrant Health Centers. His research accomplishments were recognized by the 2002 Distinguished Researcher Award of the National Rural Health Association and the 1997 Distinguished Researcher of the South Carolina Rural Health Association/South Carolina Blue Cross & Blue Shield. Prior to entering academic life he had a long career in the federal government. His government assignments included: Principal Assistant to the Surgeon General C. Everett Koop; Legislative Health Aide to Congressman Richard Gephardt; Fellow, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences; Deputy Director, National Health Service Corps; Director, Migrant Health Program, Acting Director and Deputy Director, Primary Health Care Programs (Community and Migrant Health Centers); and Associate Bureau Director for Rural Health. He has received every civilian award given by the U.S. Public Health Service as well as the Surgeon General's Medallion for Outstanding Achievement, and the Surgeon General's Medal of Appreciation.

Dr. Sheila Schuster is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her graduate degrees in Psychology from Purdue University and the University of Louisville. For over twenty years, she was a child clinical psychologist in private practice in Louisville, providing psychological services and consultation to youth, families, schools, courts and community agencies. She has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Psychology and has presented numerous workshops and seminars. Dr. Schuster is no longer in clinical practice, devoting full-time work to advocacy on mental health and health care issues. Dr. Schuster is currently the Executive Director of the Kentucky Mental Health Coalition which was founded in 1982 and is comprised of nearly 70 mental health/substance abuse/human services organizations representing consumers, family members, advocates, service agencies and providers. She also serves as the Director of Professional Affairs and Legislative Liaison for the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA), following twelve years of service as the KPA Executive Director. In the legislative arena, Dr. Schuster also works on behalf of the KY Association of Regional MH/MR Boards, the KY Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, and other mental health and health care organizations. In the area of health care, Dr. Schuster is a founding member and Co-Chair of the Kentuckians for Health Care Reform, a grassroots coalition of over 200 organizations. She served as the first consumer representative on the Health Insurance Advisory Council at the KY Department of Insurance, having been appointed by Governor Patton to serve for two terms in this position. Currently, Dr. Schuster serves as the Chair of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Dr. Schuster is a convener of The United 874K Coalition and of the KY Medicaid Consortium, focusing on disabilities issues and strengthening the Medicaid program. Dr. Schuster serves on the Boards of Directors of Kentucky Youth Advocates, the Mental Health Association of Kentucky, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill – Louisville & Kentucky Chapters, and Partners for a Healthy Louisville. She has been honored by numerous national and state organizations for her advocacy efforts on behalf of children, citizens with disabilities, and those without access to health care.

Adam Thompson is the legislative and constituent liaison for the Governor’s Office of Health Policy and Finance (GOHPF) in Maine. He has been in the Governor’s Office since the inception of Dirigo Health and directs press, legislative, and constituent communications for the office. Mr. Thompson graduated with a B.A. from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, in 2000.

Jude Thompson is the President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kentucky and Individual Under 65 and Senior Vice President of WellPoint, Inc. He joined Anthem in 1989 as Director of Public Relations and Advertising. In 1994 Mr. Thompson was appointed President and CEO of Acordia Senior of the Southeast, Inc., a former Anthem subsidiary. He served as Vice President, Sales from 1998 to 1999. He was appointed Vice President and General Manager, Individual Business Unit in 1999, and in 2000 acquired oversight of the Kentucky Group Business Unit. He is responsible for all aspects of the Midwest region Individual Business Unit and the Kentucky Group Business Unit. Mr. Thompson was appointed President, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kentucky and Individual Under 65 and Senior Vice President, WellPoint, Inc. on January 1, 2005. Before joining the company, he was the owner/operator of two restaurants and a sales representative for Met Life. He is a member of the Young President’s Organization and past Board Member of Lindsey Wilson College. Currently Mr. Thompson is serving as Board Member of the following: Health Enterprise Network, Greater Louisville Inc., Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Louisville Community Initiative, Greater Louisville Sports Commission and The Community Foundation of Louisville. He holds an Associate of Arts degree from Lindsey Wilson College and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Thompson resides in Louisville with his wife and five children.

Dr. Amy L. Watts is a Policy Analyst with the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center. Since joining the Center in August of 1999 she has authored and co-authored several publications including the Center’s biennial trends report, covering a wide array of areas and topics including education, regional economic growth, the aging population, income and poverty, and many others. She currently serves as Secretary to the Board of the Kentucky Economics Association. Other professional activities include having taught economics at Eastern Kentucky University and Georgetown College and policy analysis in the Martin School of Public Policy at the University of Kentucky. In 2001, she received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of New Mexico (UNM), with fields of interest in econometrics and environmental and natural resource economics. She also received a M.A. from UNM and a B.A. from the University of Kentucky—both in economics.

Dr. Susan G. Zepeda is the Executive Director of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Before joining the Foundation, she was the founding CEO of The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County (1999-2005), and prior to that served as Director of the San Luis Obispo County (CA) Health Agency and CEO of that County’s General Hospital. Earlier in her career she was Executive Director of a consortium of nonprofit healthcare providers in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Zepeda is a member of the Board of Grantmakers in Health. She holds degrees from Brown University, University of Arizona and International College, and is a graduate of the CDC-sponsored Public Health Leadership Institute. She speaks frequently on topics related to health and nonprofit administration.