Call-on Congress 2014 Speak Bios
Dr. Alan Balch – CEO, Patient Advocate Foundation
Dr. Balch is the Chief Executive Officer of Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate
Foundation. Dr. Balch has a decade of executive leadership in the non-profit sector with an emphasis
on consensus-building and collaboration. From 2006 - 2013, he served as the Vice President of the
Preventive Health Partnership – a national health promotion collaboration between the American
Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and American Heart Association. Prior to his work
with the Preventive Health Partnership, Dr. Balch was the Executive Director of Friends of Cancer
Research. He has led numerous federal advocacy efforts on a range of issues both at the legislative
and regulatory level over the years. For example, he helped to organize and lead a coalition that
successfully fought for improvements in the regulatory process for the review of cancer drugs at the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He also contributed to the development of key federal policies
related to the Affordable Care Act. Dr. Balch is Vice Chair of Fight Colorectal Cancer, and serves on the
Executive Board of the Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation. Dr.
Balch is a member of the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Wellness and Health Promotion
Advisory Committee and serves on the Advisory Board for both the Patient Resource Cancer Guides
and the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. He earned his PhD in environmental studies in 2003
from the University of California, Santa Cruz; his master’s degree in environmental sciences in 1997
from the University of Texas in San Antonio; his bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in biology in 1994
from Trinity University in San Antonio. Alan became involved with public health advocacy after
losing his grandmother to colorectal cancer in 2003.
Dr. John Marshall – Georgetown University Medical Center
John Marshall, MD, is a global leader in the research and development of drugs for colon cancer and
other GI cancers. He is the principal investigator of over 150 clinical trials, at the local as well as
national levels. Dr. Marshall is the clinical director of oncology for Georgetown University Hospital,
associate director for clinical care of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and chief of the
Division of Hematology-Oncology. He is widely published in the field of clinical oncology, reviews
manuscripts for eight journals, and holds peer-reviewed grants from the National Institutes of
Health. In 2009, Dr. Marshall became the founding director of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure
of Gastrointestinal Cancer. Combining expertise in molecular medicine, translational research, and a
patient-centered philosophy, the Ruesch Center is dedicated to realizing the dream of individualized
curative therapies through research, care and advocacy. Dr. Marshall's own research focuses on the
development of a novel vaccine for the treatment of advanced colon cancer. For over a decade, he has
directed Lombardi's Developmental Therapeutics Program while also maintaining his regular clinical
practice. Seeing about 60 patients each week, Dr. Marshall specializes in cancers of the GI tract at all
stages of the disease.
Heather Hampel, MS, CGC – Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ms. Hampel has been a cancer genetic counselor since 1995 and is a faculty member in the Division of
Human Genetics. Her clinical duties include providing comprehensive cancer genetic consultations to
individuals and families with a history of cancer. Cancer Genetic consultation requires tremendous
documentation of cancers in the family, risk assessment, screening recommendations, and
incorporation of genetic testing as necessary. Over 400 individuals/families are seen each year in the
Clinical Cancer Genetics clinic. Ms. Hampel's research interests include screening all colorectal and
endometrial cancer patients for Lynch syndrome, the American Founder Mutation (exon 1-6 deletion
in MSH2) as a cause of Lynch syndrome, and the etiology of MSI-negative familial colorectal cancers.
Ms. Hampel is currently serving a 5 year term on the American Board of Genetic Counselors (ABGC)
and has been elected to serve as the President of ABGC for 2009.
Camille Bonta – Policy Expert, Fight Colorectal Cancer
Camille S. Bonta, MHS is Principal of Summit Health Care Consulting. For nearly 19 years, Camille has
held communications and policy positions in the field of health care. During her career, she has
forged strong working relationships in Congress and throughout the “House of Medicine” and within
the public health community. She has led large physician- and patient-based coalitions and
understands how to navigate the political dynamics of organized medicine. Camille’s understanding
of associations and their role in Washington policy making stems from 11 years as the chief federal
lobbyist and policy analyst for the American College of Cardiology. As principal of Summit Health
Care Consulting, Camille has guided lobbying and advocacy efforts of several national health care
organizations, including The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Society for Gastrointestinal
Endoscopy, the American Academy of Dermatology, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and the North American
Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Camille is experienced at coalition
building and management. From 1999-2001, she co-chaired the Patient Access Coalition, a 70member national organization comprised of patient advocacy and physician organizations dedicated
to the enactment of federal laws to protect patients in managed care plans. Camille also helped
launch a multi-specialty coalition effort to protect Medicare reimbursement for medical imaging. Her
work culminated with passage in 2008 of legislation implementing a demonstration project to assess
the appropriate use of imaging services. Camille began her work in health care policy during her
tenure in the office of U.S. Senator John Glenn, which coincided with the release of the Clinton
Administration’s “Health Security Act” and the subsequent debate over comprehensive health system
reform. Camille also has experience in the field of media relations as it relates to health care. From
1994-1996, she worked for the American Hospital Association in its department of media relations.
Camille holds a bachelor of science from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University,
Athens, Ohio, and masters in health science from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of
Public Health.
Christopher Kush, MPP – CEO, Soapbox Consulting
Christopher Kush, MPP is the CEO of Soapbox Consulting in Washington, DC. Christopher Kush has
trained thousands of federal, state, and local advocates to effectively advocate for their issues. Mr.
Kush is the author of three books on grassroots organizing including Grassroots Games (ASAE, 2002)
and, most recently, The One-Hour Activist: The 15 Most Powerful Actions You Can Take To Fight for
the Issues and Candidates You Care About (Wiley, 2004). He has been on National Public Radio, in
U.S. News and World Report, in the Los Angeles Times, and on the Sirius Satellite Radio Network.
Dr. Dan Dixon – University of Kansas Medical Center
Dan A. Dixon completed his Ph.D. at Northwestern University Medical Center and postdoctoral
studies from the University of Utah and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is an Associate
Professor of Biological Sciences and Associate Director of the Colon Cancer Research at the
University of South Carolina. He has published more than 50 manuscripts in reputed journals and
serving as an editorial board member of repute. His laboratory now currently resides in the
Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Kansas Cancer Center where he is an Associate
Professor.
Mike Mizelle – Associate Director for Policy, CDC
TBD
David Wright – Owner, Wright Directions, LLC
David Wright, 58, is the owner of Wright Directions, LLC, a strategic consulting and communications
business. From March 3, 2004 until he retired from state government on June 1, 2013, David served
as the legislatively elected Commissioner from South Carolina’s Second Congressional District. In July
2012, he was sworn in as Chairman of the S.C. Public Service Commission. In November 2011, in St.
Louis, David was elected by his peers around the country to serve as President of the National
Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) for 2011-2012, where he served as a
member of NARUC’s Executive Committee and NARUC’s Board of Directors. David is also a former
President of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (SEARUC). During his
service as a commissioner, David Wright was a member of NARUC’s Electricity Committee, the
Washington Action Committee and was a member and past Chairman of NARUC's Subcommittee on
Nuclear Issues and Waste Disposal. Since December 2006, David has served as National Chairman of
the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition (NWSC) until he left the SC Commission, and he continues to
serve on the organization’s Executive Committee as an ex officio member. Wright also served as a
NARUC representative on the Advisory Board of the Board of Directors of the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) and as a NARUC representative on the Keystone Energy Board. A colon
cancer survivor, David is active as an advocate for cancer awareness and education and is frequently
asked to share his message with groups around the country. David is also a member of the
Leadership Council for the Cancer Centers at the University of South Carolina (CCUSC). David served
as both councilman and Mayor of the Town of Irmo, South Carolina. He also served as a member of
the South Carolina House of Representatives for eight years. In 1996, David received South
Carolina’s highest citizen honor, “The Order of the Palmetto”. In 1992, he received the U.S. Jaycees
“Outstanding Young American Award” in the field of Community Service for the State of South
Carolina. David is an active Rotarian, having served as a club president and as an Assistant District
Governor. In his spare time for the last 41 years, David works regularly as an umpire for Dixie Youth
and USSSA baseball and as a basketball referee. A 1977 graduate of Clemson University, with a
degree in political science, David was also a three-year letterman on the Clemson Tiger CrossCountry Team. He and his family reside in Columbia, South Carolina. He has four children and two
grandchildren. Prior to his election to the S.C. PSC, David was self-employed for more than 25 years,
having owned and/or operated several retail, commercial and professional services businesses. He
has an extensive background in retail, commercial and political advertising, as well as public
relations, and has worked as a strategic consultant in all areas. Adding to his broad and varied
background, David also has his real estate license and is a licensed auctioneer in South Carolina.
Martha Raymond – Chair Person, Colon Cancer Alliance New York Chapter
TBD
Caitlin Leach – Manager of Policy and Advocacy, Research!America
Caitlin serves as Manager of Policy and Advocacy for Research!America. Some of her duties include
implementing the organization’s policy strategy; acting as a Research!America representative with
coalitions and federal agencies; and managing the organization’s grassroots advocacy network.
Before joining Research!America, she was a senior legislative assistant to Representative Rush Holt
(NJ-12), having previously held other legislative, operational and campaign positions within Rep.
Holt’s Washington and New Jersey offices. Her legislative portfolio included science and R&D; the
economy (taxes, small business, financial services, smart growth); and appropriations among others.
She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Anthropology and a Master’s Degree in
Government with a concentration in science policy, both from the Johns Hopkins University.