American Health Assistance Foundation
Board of Directors

Honorary Member
Stanley B. Prusiner, M.D.

In 2007, Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner accepted AHAF’s offer to become an honorary member of our Board of Directors. Dr. Prusiner won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prions, infectious proteins in the brain that cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow” disease) and in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. AHAF is extremely proud that Dr. Prusiner, a world-renowned researcher, has committed his time and efforts to our mission.

Read more about Dr. Prusiner and his work.

President
Brian K. Regan, Ph.D.

Since 2003, Dr. Regan has been the Director of Administration at New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System where he leads system development and management. From 1991-2003, he was the Vice President of Professional Services at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, where he was responsible for 14 departments, including risk management and quality improvement. From 1983-1991, Dr. Regan was engaged in risk management at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York, eventually becoming an Associate Vice President and Director of Risk Management. He began his career at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, New York, and then worked for several years as a researcher, consultant and program evaluation specialist. Dr. Regan holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Hofstra University.

Vice President
Jonathan Rice, Esq.

Mr. Rice is the proprietor of the Law Offices of Jonathan Rice, a trial law practice in New York City. He is general counsel to a range of small and medium-sized businesses and works extensively in tort and commercial law. Prior to this, from 1984-1987, he was an attorney at two other law firms. He is admitted to practice in New York and Florida and is a member in good standing of various legal professional associations. Mr. Rice received a B.A. from Emory University and a J.D. from American University.

Treasurer
Ernest R. Kuykendall, CLU

Mr. Kuykendall has been the president of an independent insurance agency in Gaithersburg, Maryland since 1983. Prior to this, from 1973-1982, he was in sales management at The Prudential Insurance Company of America. In 1981, Mr. Kuykendall was awarded a Chartered Life Underwriter degree by the American College. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Secretary
Nicholas W. Raymond

Mr. Raymond is a retail banker with experience in lending, investments and insurance. Since 1987, he has been a corporate officer at M & T Bank in Silver Spring, Maryland. From 1980-1987, Mr. Raymond was a branch banker with First and Merchants Bank. He is a U.S. Army combat veteran of five wars and currently serves with the Maryland Army National Guard. Mr. Raymond received a B.A. from the Virginia Military Institute and an M.B.A. from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Michael H. Barnett, Esq.

Mr. Barnett is the president and managing partner of Barnett, Edelstein, Gross, Kass and Lieber, P.C., a firm specializing in healthcare law. He serves on the Board of Directors of several not-for-profit organizations including the Fiver Children’s Foundation and the Concerned Lawyers Coalition, Inc. of which he is a co-founder and chairman. Mr. Barnett is a New York State gubernatorial appointee to the New York State Hospital Review and Planning Council, serving on the Council’s Executive Committee and as chairman of the Project Review Committee. He has received numerous awards including two for alumni of Columbia University. Mr. Barnett holds a B.A. from Colgate University, and an M.S. in Hospital Administration and a J.D. from Columbia University.

The Honorable Gordon M. Strauss

Since 2003, Mr. Strauss has been a Magistrate in the Hamilton county probate court in Cincinnati, Ohio. As Magistrate, he is the appointed surrogate of the judge, hearing applications in all aspects of the court’s jurisdiction. From 1994-2003, Mr. Strauss was an assistant prosecuting attorney for Hamilton county. Prior to this, he was a partner at two law firms, specializing in the law of political processes. From 1985-1988, Mr. Strauss had a solo law practice. From 1983-1985, he held a political appointment at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Before this appointment, Mr. Strauss worked for seven years in two different law firms. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and received a meritorious Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam. He participates in a variety of professional and civic activities. Mr. Strauss received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati.

Henry J. Pownall, Ph.D.

Dr. Pownall is the Josephine S. Abercrombie Professor of Medicine and former Chief of Atherosclerosis and Lipoprotein Research at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is a member of several editorial boards, scientific review panels, and professional societies, and has published 200 peer-reviewed research papers. Dr. Pownall has served on the boards of several national public service organizations and was President of the Houston Homeowners Association (1991-92). He has received several service and scientific awards and was named Person of the Year by the Southwest Chamber of Commerce in 2003. Dr. Pownall holds a B.S. from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, an M.S. from Wilkes College, and a Ph.D. from Northeastern University in Boston.

Diane I. Marcello

Since 1999, Ms. Marcello has been the administrator at Sunnyside Nursing Home and Assisted Living in Sarasota, Florida. Prior to this, she was the Director of Rehabilitation Services at Sunnyside Village Retirement Community. She is currently the Nursing Home Public Policy Chairperson for the Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. As a speech language pathologist, Ms. Marcello has worked in rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies, long-term care facilities and schools. Since 1992, she has been a speaker, sharing her experiences and expertise in professional and community education on topics ranging from dementia and Parkinson's disease to leadership and best practices. Ms. Marcello has been involved in education since 1972 and has taught at the elementary, middle school and university levels. She holds a B.A., an M.S. and an M.Ed. from the University of South Florida.

Eltjo (Ed) R. Schoonveld

Mr. Schoonveld is the Vice President of Global Pricing and Reimbursement at Bristol-Meyers Squibb in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He is responsible for pricing, market access and value proposition strategies for drug discovery and development. Prior to this, from 2001-2005 he was a consultant with several firms, including his own, focused on pricing, reimbursement and market access for pharmaceuticals. He was the Director of Global Economic Affairs for Eli Lilly from 1998-2000. From 1994-1998, Mr. Schoonveld worked for American Home Products. He held several positions from 1989-1994 at Cyanamid, a pharmaceutical company, in the U.S. and in The Netherlands. Mr. Schoonveld began his career at Fokker Aircraft Industries in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He holds an M.S. from the Delft University of Technology and an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Grace Frisone

Ms. Frisone is a financial services executive with 30 years of experience in business development, strategy and e-commerce. From 2002-2006, she was the Director of Trust and Asset Management at Capital One bank, where she was responsible for $4 billion in personal and institutional assets. Prior to this, Ms. Frisone worked in business development and strategy at several investment firms. From 1977-1996, she was employed by JP Morgan, Albertini Stockbrokers and Chase Bank in New York city and Milan, Italy. Ms. Frisone holds a B.A. from Long Island University, and an M.I.A and M.B.A. from Columbia University.