Meet Our Staff
Myrl Weinberg
Chief Executive Officer
Read Bio / mweinberg at nhcouncil.org
Marc M. Boutin
Staff
Kelly Garrity
Nancy Hughes
Susan Lau
Donna K. O'Leary
Vice President, Organizational Affairs and Meetings
Read Bio / oleary at nhcouncil.org
Jillian Roberts
Manager, Communications and New Media
Read Bio/ jroberts at nhcouncil.org
Carol Sadoff
Caroline Shewmaker
Myrl Weinberg, FASAE, CAE, is Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Council (NHC), and her extensive career has focused on health care delivery, medical research, long-term care, and related issues that affect people with chronic conditions. She has testified repeatedly before Congress and federal regulatory bodies and is a frequent speaker on the patient perspective in health policy. Before joining the NHC, she held numerous senior managerial positions at the American Diabetes Association, including Vice President for Corporate Relations and Public Affairs.
Ms. Weinberg has a long history of board and committee service. She is currently a member of the Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) Review Board; Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Executive Board; Institute of Medicine (IOM) Value Incentives Learning Collaborative, an activity of the Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care; Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) Board of Advisors; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality Program National Advisory Committee; Brookings Active Surveillance Implementation Council; Roche International Science and Ethics Advisory Group and Clinical Research Ethics Advisory Group; and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Board of Directors.
Ms. Weinberg also serves on the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Board of Directors as Vice Chair, its Panel on Charity Effectiveness, and its Communications and Marketing Committee.
Ms. Weinberg is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and an ASAE Fellow. She currently serves on the ASAE’s Key Philanthropic Organizations Committee. Previously, Ms. Weinberg served on ASAE’s Board of Directors, ASAE Joint Finance Committee, ASAE Ethics Task Force, and ASAE Fellows Nominating Committee.
Ms Weinberg is a founding member of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). She was also instrumental in the creation and operations of the International Alliance of Patients’ Organization (IAPO), where she served as Chair of the Governing Board.
Ms. Weinberg pursued advanced graduate study at Purdue University. She holds an MA in Special Education from George Peabody College and a BA in Psychology from the University of Arkansas.
Marc M. Boutin, JD, is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the National Health Council, an organization that brings together all segments of the health care community to provide a united voice for the more than 133 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers.
In addition to overseeing financial management and operations at the National Health Council (NHC), Boutin builds consensus among member patient advocacy organizations enabling them to speak with one voice on systemic health research and health care policy initiatives. This united effort results in legislation and regulations that address the collective needs of patients and their family caregivers. In addition, he provides guidance to patient organizations on various association issues, including corporate structure, government relations, fundraising, and outreach. Boutin is a regular spokesperson before the media, Congress, and policy makers on major issues of interest to the patient community.
Boutin has been actively involved in health advocacy, policy, and both federal and state legislation throughout his career. He is a member the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations Governing Board, Community Health Charities Board of Directors, PCORI Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement and the North America Advisory Board to the Drug Information Association. He has also served on Institute of Medicine committees, National Institute of Health panels, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s stakeholder group.
Staff
Kelly Garrity is the Executive Associate Director. She previously worked with human resources at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and Brandon Technology Consulting. She received her BA in International Business from Strayer University in 2005 and completed her MS in Administration from Central Michigan University in 2011.
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Eric Gascho was promoted to Director of Government Affairs in December 2011. He has been with the NHC since August 2009. For the two years prior to joining the NHC, he worked in the government relations department of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Eric earned his BA degrees in Political Science and Business Management from the University of Redlands in California in May 2006.
Nancy Hughes, APR, is the Vice President of Communications and Marketing. Prior to joining the National Health Council in October 2008, she was the Vice President of Communications and Information Services at the American Academy of Physician Assistants for 15 years. Hughes began her career as a radio and television reporter in Colorado covering politics and local government. She transitioned to the other side of the microphone to work as the deputy press secretary for Colorado Governor Dick Lamm. Nancy has also served as press secretary for Colorado Congressman David Skaggs, Vice President of Communications for the Denver Chamber of Commerce, and Public Affairs Manager for MCI-West Division.
Susan Lau has worked with the National Health Council since 2003 and currently holds the title of Vice President, Member Services. In that capacity, she oversees the Standards of Excellence Certification Program®, provides technical assistance to member patient advocacy organizations on management and governance issues, and develops member recruitment and retention strategy. Susan had a consulting practice for a number of years, providing a range of management and publishing services to clients including the American Diabetes Association, COPD Foundation, Spina Bifida Association, and United Telecom Council. Earlier in her career, she held the position of National Vice President of Publications and Publisher at the American Diabetes Association with full P&L responsibility for a $25 million publishing program including, periodicals, scientific journals, and books.
Donna K. O'Leary is Vice President of Organizational Affairs and Meetings. Prior to joining the NHC in April 1995, she was the computer system manager/executive assistant for one of Washington's top 10 lobbying law firms. Donna's background consists of more than 25 years in administration, data processing, meeting planning, and computer management. Donna has received her business of meetings certification.
Jillian Roberts is the Manager of Communications and New Media. Prior to joining the National Health Council in April 2013, she was the Social Media Specialist for The Campus Kitchens Project. Jill earned a BA in American Studies from Dickinson College in 2008 and a MA in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University in 2010.
Carol Sadoff, CPA, is Chief Financial Officer. She has worked for NHC since March 2004. Carol’s nonprofit health care work experience includes Director of Finance for the Stanley Medical Research Institute and the American Kidney Fund. Earlier in her career, Carol worked as an audit manager with a national public accounting firm and as controller for profit motivated businesses. Carol earned a BA degree from Dickinson College and an MBA from Rutgers University Graduate School of Business.
Caroline Shewmaker is Associate Director of Organizational Affairs and Research. Currently, she is enrolled in the Sociology Graduate Program at George Mason University and is expected to receive her MA in spring 2012. She received her BA in both English and Psychology from Clemson University in South Carolina, where she worked as a NCAA Student-Athlete tutor throughout her undergraduate career.
