Council of Advisors
Joan C. Benz, Ed D., PC.
Principal, Winston Churchill High School
Dr. Benz’s interest lies in the study of chronic illness and its impact on the educational progress of children and adolescents, as well as the special challenges family members face. She has held a variety of positions within interagency facilities serving special needs students. She is presently the principal of a large public school in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Jeanne Donalty
District Director, Office of Congressman Sherwood Boehlert
Ms. Donalty had a high achieving college son who died of Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Ms. Donalty was never told that SUDEP was a possible outcome. She has dedicated her life to spreading awareness for families and educating physicians about the importance of giving complete information to patients and their families.
Adam Gluck
Director, Federal Government Relations, Biogen Idec
Paul H. Lipkin, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of the Center for Development and Learning in the Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore
As the Director of the Center for Development and Learning, Dr. Lipkin oversees a large clinical outpatient program for the diagnosis and treatment of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. In addition to his clinical and administrative duties at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, he is an active member of the teaching faculty for medical students, residents, and other health care professionals at Johns Hopkins. He is board-certified in Pediatrics, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Dr. Lipkin has also been a leader in the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is Immediate Past Chairman of the Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD) and chaired the Policy Revision Committee for the 2006 AAP Policy Statement on Developmental Surveillance and Screening. He is also the Principal Investigator for the AAP Developmental Surveillance and Screening Policy Implementation Project (D-PIP), translating policy into practice for the early identification of children with developmental problems. He continues his leadership within the Academy, currently serving as a member of the Council Management Committee. Dr. Lipkin remains active in other local and national initiatives for developmental screening and the early identification of developmental disorders. He has provided recent testimony to the Social Security Administration and the Institute of Medicine on issues of disability in children.
Dr. Lipkin has also participated in research throughout his career. In addition to his recent study investigating the implementation of developmental screening, he has also published studies on the neurodevelopmental outcome of high-risk neonates, early language development, and the medical treatment of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Madeleine Will, MA
Director, National Policy Center of the National Down Syndrome Society
Madeleine Will has been an advocate for persons with disabilities for several decades. In her capacity as Assistant Secretary of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in the US Department of Education, she has led efforts to establish services nationally for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. In addition, she developed post-secondary education programs at colleges and universities, transition and supported employment programs and has promoted the concept of inclusive general education classrooms for students with disabilities.
Technology Counsel
Shaan Bhagat
Chief Technology Officer, PPC
Technological Director and Co-CEO, THNK Studios
Shaan Bhagat is currently the CTO of PPC and is in charge of all IT solutions and ventures. Shaan Co-Founded THNK Studios, an IT and Design consulting firm and is the founder and CEO of HealthNatters, a stealth Health 2.0 startup. Shaan is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems and Health Policy at The George Washington University.
Legal Counsel
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Marci Rose Levine, Esq.
Ms. Levine is a health care attorney at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP in Washington, D.C., and is committed to improving the quality of care furnished to children with special health care needs. She coordinates the legal services provided by Sonnenschein to PPC.
Zwillinger Genetski LLP
Lisa Branco, Esq.
Ms. Branco is an attorney at Zwillinger Genetski LLP with expertise in interrelated legal and technology issues, including data security and privacy, social networking and other Internet-based services, health care information technology, and technology transactions and licensing. Ms. Branco advises PPC on data security, privacy, and other technology-related issues.
