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University of Alabama at Birmingham
Distinguished Professor
Quetelet Endowed Professor of Public Health
Associate Dean for Science
Director, Nutrition Obesity Research Center
Director, Office of Energetics
Dr. David B. Allison received his Ph.D. in 1990 followed by post-doctoral fellowships at Johns Hopkins University and at the NIH-funded New York Obesity Research Center. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he is currently Distinguished Professor, Quetelet Endowed Professor, Associate Dean for Science, and Director of the NIH-funded Nutrition Obesity Research Center. He has authored over 450 scientific publications and received many awards, including the 2002 Lilly Scientific Achievement Award from The Obesity Society, the 2002 Andre Mayer Award from the International Association for the Study of Obesity, the 2009 Centrum Award from the American Society of Nutrition, the 2009 TOPS research award from the Obesity Society, and the 2006 National Science Foundation Administered Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. He has been elected a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and other societies. His research interests include obesity, quantitative genetics, clinical trials, and statistical and research methodology.
The New York Academy of Sciences
Founding Director, The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science
Dr. Arabi holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Cornell University and an M.D. from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. She has worked as nutrition adviser with the Ministry of Health and the World Bank in Iran, and has served as an infant and young child nutrition adviser with UNICEF Headquarters in New York for more than four years. She is an expert in international nutrition and has facilitated nutrition programming in more than fifteen countries with a high burden of malnutrition. Dr. Arabi’s research has addressed infant and child nutrition, within the context of globalization and broader social and economic factors affecting nutrition. She is currently the Founding Director of The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences. In this role, Dr. Arabi is leading a global initiative to develop and implement a prioritized agenda for nutrition science research and build partnerships to activate and implement the research agenda.
Mark Bowers is an Associate Capital Program Analyst, with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Mark is also the Regional Pedestrian/ Bicycle Coordinator for NYSDOT Region #9. Mark has worked in the Regional Planning and Program Management Office for 25 years. In his role as Regional Bicycle / Pedestrian Coordinator, Marks heads a cross-functional team of transportation professional who review, and advocate for the inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations on all Capital construction projects undertaken by the New York State Department of Transportation. Mark is also working actively with municipalities, and agencies to complete the implementation, and construction of the Greater Binghamton Greenway. Mark represents NYSDOT on the Livable Communities Alliance, a newly organized ad-hoc group of stakeholders from various disciplines (i.e. Transportation, Health Care, Food, Aging) seeking to create a Regional Planning presence to promote Livability, and Smart Growth principles. Mark has a background in Civil Engineering, and has received both regional (NYSDOT Award of Excellence) and national awards (AASHTO Trailblazer Award) for process improvements, and public involvement. Mark also received the 2009 "Restoring the Pride Award" for Individual Leadership from the City of Binghamton , and in 2010 received the Parks & Trails New York "Healthy Trails, Healthy People Award" for work on the implementation of the Greater Binghamton Greenway. Mark is a native of Binghamton, New York.
Nancy Coddington, WSKG Community Outreach Coordinator, attended SUNY Cortland for Elementary Education, and holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science & Biology from Empire State College. Ms. Coddington has over twelve years of teaching experience in a variety of settings including education consulting, museum education, public schools, and leading professional development workshops for Early Childhood caregivers and K-12 teachers. During her time at WSKG, Ms. Coddington has led and managed the Working on Wellness initiative, expanding and strengthening community awareness and partnerships focusing on childhood obesity and health. Through our wellness work, WSKG has provided our region with health education programming via outreach and TV and radio platforms, including producing an award winning children's show Move It! She is a board member of the Southern Chapter of the Science Teachers Association of New York State and serves on the Stay Healthy Kids Coalition, Strategic Alliance for Health Coalition, and the Corning MST Connect Coalition.
Dr. Diane H. Craft is on the faculty of the Physical Education Department at the State University of New York at Cortland. In addition to teaching courses in adapted physical education, she works to improve the physical activity opportunities for preschool children with and without disabilities. Dr. Craft has co-authored three books on integrating physical activity into the environments of young children. She has made many presentations, workshops and keynotes on preschool physical activities to audiences across the state and nation. In 2005, Dr. Craft was recognized as the National Professional of the Year in Adapted Physical Education.
Ray Denniston, Special Project Coordinator, BT BOCES. Ray is a retired Foodservice Director with 25 years of experience. Ray serves as Co-Chair of the New York State Farm to School Committee and also serves on the NYS Governors Food Policy Council. Ray is a noted speaker and trainer in the areas of Child Nutrition and Child Hunger for school and community groups.
Jenny English RN, AE-C, has twelve years' experience in nursing as a Medical/Surgical, Critical Care, Physician's office, and Community Health with an additional certification as a Certified Asthma Educator. Jenny has experience working with the American Lung Association, and NY State on an asthma grant serving five counties. For the past two years has served as Stay Healthy Kids Club coordinator as well as interacting with parents, teaching, and assisting classes on nutrition and fitness.
Graduate of Wilson School of Nursing, BS from Binghamton University, MS from Syracuse University, Post Masters Certificate as an Adult Nurse Practitioner from Syracuse University and Post Masters Certificate in Public Administration from Marywood College. Patricia is Director, Community Health Services at UHS located at Stay Healthy in the Oakdale Mall.
David graduated from Binghamton High School in 1981. He attended Herkimer Community College and then transferred to the State University of New York at Cortland and received a Bachelor of Science in physical education. He student taught at East Syracuse Minoa in Syracuse and was hired after his student teaching position to teach adaptive physical education and high school physical education. After two years with the East Syracuse Minoa School District, he was hired to teach elementary physical education for the Candor School District where he also coached varsity football, modified basketball, modified wrestling and golf. In 1990, he was offered an elementary physical education teaching position for the Binghamton City School District and also coached football and lacrosse. He held those positions until 2002. He currently is the Director of Health, Physical Education, Athletics and Health Services for the Binghamton City School District. During his professional career he has been the Section IV representative for the Council of Administrators as well as past president. He currently is the vice president for the New York State Athletic Administrators Association as well as the Section IV football chairperson.
Dr. Lauren Hale teaches in the Graduate Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University. She completed her Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School and the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and then was a post-doctoral fellow in Population Studies in RAND's Labor and Population Program. Dr. Hale studies the social patterning of sleep. She hypothesizes that differences in sleep across the population are contributing to disparities in health (including obesity), educational attainment, and economic productivity. Dr. Hale has identified socioeconomic and educational gradients, in addition to gender and marital status differences, in sleep duration and sleep quality in pediatric and adult populations. Her long-term research goal is to identify the underlying causes of poor sleep, and to develop and evaluate policies and interventions that could ameliorate social disparities in health by improving the sleep of high-risk populations.
Dr. Hallinan has practiced Internal Medicine in Corning since completing her residency at SUNY Buffalo in 1999. She graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 1991 and taught Biology at Horseheads High School before going on to SUNY Upstate Medical School from 1992-1996. Dr. Hallinan is currently the Medical Director for Founders Pavilion Nursing Facility in Corning, and has been on the Medical Staff of Corning Hospital since 1999. She has volunteered with the Health Ministries in Corning since 2001, and does consulting for the Department of Health Office of Professional Medical Conduct. With several colleagues, Dr. Hallinan began the Corning Hospital Community Outreach Committee to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic in the greater Corning Area. This committee, now known as FAST (Fit And Strong Together) is comprised of representation from a wide array of volunteers and has excellent collaboration with the Corning Painted Post School District. They have secured grant funding to initiate the PE4life program and the Fun2BFit program within the school district.
Dr. John M. Jakicic is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Health and Physical Activity and the Director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Jakicic’s NIH-funded research has focused primarily on the role physical activity and energy expenditure on long-term body weight regulation. Specifically, his research has focused on the dose of physical activity that is associated with long-term weight loss and related chronic disease. He has also examined the role of physical activity on energy intake, and is currently examining the role of physical activity on brain structure and function. Dr. Jakicic has also served on national committees that have formulated clinical guidelines related to physical activity and body weight regulation, and is known for his research related to behavioral strategies to enhance the adoption and maintenance of physical activity.
Dr. Janine Jurkowski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior. She has twelve years of experience conducting community-based participatory research to understand and address social determinants among low-income and minority women. Her publications and grant funded research focus on social and cultural determinants of health care utilization and chronic disease prevention among Latina women and low income families with predominantly females as head of household. Professor Jurkowski employs both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. She currently is co-PI of an NIH R24 that uses a CBPR approach to empower Head Start parents/caregivers to prevent childhood obesity.
Dr. Henry Kahn is an epidemiologist in the Division of Diabetes Translation, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Atlanta. His research interests include low-cost assessments of adiposity and the prenatal circumstances associated with diabetes in later life. A native of Poughkeepsie, NY, he is a graduate of Harvard Medical School, board-certified in Internal Medicine, and spent a year as a pediatric resident in the Bronx. He is also Professor Emeritus of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University. High among his goals is enhanced preventive medicine both in primary-care practice and in the larger society.
Dr. Omry Koren is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology at Cornell University with Dr. Ruth Ley. The team is investigating the relationships between the health state of the host and the human microbiome. Dr. Koren received his M.S. and Ph.D. from the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University, Israel, with Eugene Rosenberg. He has spent two years in the biotechnology industry in a company that focuses on antimicrobial coatings.
With an M.A. in Behavioral Neuroscience (Psychology), Dr. Kral attended medical school at the University of Göteborg, Sweden, where he completed residencies in Surgery and Medicine and Ph.D. studies on adipose tissue and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. He initiated the program for obesity surgery in Göteborg and, in 1981, the Division of Surgical Metabolism at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University, New York. Apart from studies of body composition, adipose tissue receptors and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism his career-long interests have included ingestive behavior and genetic and epigenetic determinants of the chronic inflammatory insulin resistant over-nutrition syndrome termed “obesity”. In 1983 he was a co-founder of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and co-organized the 1991 NIH Consensus Development Conference: Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity. Dr. Kral studied the effects of intestinal diversion on hyperinsulinemia, gastric emptying, intestinal adaptation, microflora and mucosal immunity and performed the first clinical studies of vagotomy for the treatment of obesity. His most recent publications describe early-life stress as a precursor of insulin resistance in monkeys and the importance of the intrauterine environment for the development of adolescent obesity and insulin resistance in humans.
Dr. David A Levitsky is a Professor of Nutrition and Psychology in the Division of Nutritional Sciences and the Department of Psychology, Cornell University. After receiving his Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 1968, he entered Cornell as a National Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellow. He was appointed Assistant Professor in 1970 and received a five-year New Leadership Award from the National Institute of Health. Professor Levitsky has published more than 150 scientific publications in the fields of Nutrition and Psychology, as well as written two books. His research is on the Control of Body Weight and Determinants of Food Intake in humans. Professor Levitsky has won many awards for his teaching, including the New York State Chancellors Award for Teaching, the Excellence in Nutrition Education Award by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and has been honored as a Stephen H Weiss Presidential Fellow, the highest teaching award bestowed by Cornell University.
Broome County Health Department
Supervising Public Health Educator
Mary received a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science from State University of New York at Cortland in 1988. She began her career in Public Health at the Broome County Health Department with the Women Infants and Children's (WIC) program as a Public Health Representative in 1991. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the development of the first WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling program in Broome County; was responsible for initiating the Southern Tier Breastfeeding Coalition and just recently assisted both the City of Binghamton and The Broome County Government with the implementation of employee breastfeeding policies. In 1996, she was promoted to a Public Health Educator for the Cancer Services program, and in 1998 promoted to Supervising Public Health Educator where her duties included managing several New York State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control chronic disease risk reduction programs, including the CDCs Steps to a Healthier NY Inititiative. Currently, Mary is coordinating the CDC's Strategic Alliance for Health program in Broome County along with the CDC's Sodium Reduction in Communities grant pilot project. In the Spring of 2011, Mary finished her Certificate in Public Health from the School of Public Health at the State University of New York at Albany. She is an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Tai Chi Instructor and Worksite Wellness Trainer. Along with serving on many local health alliances, she is a member of the NYS Obesity Advisory Group: Designing a Strong and Healthy New York (DASH-NY).
Robin Mosher, RN, BSN-BC has been a Nurse Manager for Lourdes Physician Network since 2004, with clinical oversight of several Lourdes Network practices including DePaul Pediatrics, Lourdes Center for Family Health, Demarrillac Maternity Clinic, Lourdes Pediatric Group, Lourdes Endocrinology, and Lourdes Family Practice in Whitney Point. Previous nursing experience includes cardiology, both inpatient and outpatient, and Home Health nursing. She is currently certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Ambulatory Care Nursing, and pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing Education.
Dr. Christine M. Olson is Professor of Community Nutrition in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University. Dr. Olson conducts research and extension-outreach programs focused on the nutritional concerns of women and children. Dr. Olson studies how weight gain during pregnancy and maternal health behaviors (eating, physical activity, and breastfeeding) influence the development of obesity in women and their children. A current project examines the efficacy of electronic communication interventions in promoting healthy body weights in childbearing women. Dr. Olson completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees in food science and nutritional sciences, respectively, from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She joined the faculty of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University as an Assistant Professor in 1975, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 1981 and Professor in 1991. From 1998 to 2003, she was the Hazel E. Reed Human Ecology Extension Professor of Family Policy.
Dr. Kathleen M. Rasmussen is internationally known for her research on maternal and child nutrition. Her work has established that interventions to improve maternal nutritional status can increase the volume and improve the composition of human milk and, thereby, infant nutritional status. Her group has also shown that women who are overweight or obese at conception have problems establishing and maintaining breastfeeding and have babies who are heavier at one year of age than those of normal-weight women. She and her colleagues have described how maternal and child health outcomes trade-off with one another as weight gain during pregnancy increases. They have also clarified the important role of breastfeeding in mitigating postpartum weight retention. Professor Rasmussen chaired the expert committee at the Institute of Medicine/National Research Council that recently issued revised guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy.
Scott Reigle is a Senior Transportation Planner with the Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study (BMTS). Scott has worked for BMTS since 1995. He previously served for one year as an Assistant Planner in the Tioga County (NY) Department of Economic Development and Planning. Among his planning duties is to focus on improving pedestrian, bicycle, and public transportation in the BMTS region. He holds a BA (1992) & MA (1994) Degree in Geography with a Planning Emphasis from Binghamton University. During October 2004, the New York Upstate Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers awarded Scott the Young Transportation Professional of the Year Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Transportation Profession. Scott was also honored to be the co-recipient of the Healthy Trails, Healthy People Award from Parks & Trails New York during June 2010. He has also attained certification as a Professional Transportation Planner. Scott is a life-long Binghamton resident. He counts it a privilege to be able to have an occupation and position that affords him the opportunity to contribute to enhancing his hometown region's quality of life.
Dr. Jesse Roth is Professor of Medicine, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine with a research group at their Feinstein Institute that publishes regularly on obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. He also serves as professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Roth came of age scientifically during his 28 years at NIH where he was NIDDK’s Diabetes Branch Chief and then the institute’s Scientific Director. Roth and his colleagues are best known for bringing cell surface receptors from total obscurity in the 1960's to total equality now with the hormones (and other cell signaling ligands). His science has been recognized by multiple awards, including those for highest scientific achievement from both the Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association; honorary doctorates in the USA and Europe; election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Gairdner Foundation Award; and multiple awards for outstanding mentoring of young researchers.
Jackie Stapleton, WSKG Director of Education & Outreach, holds an MS in Educational Studies from the School of Education at Binghamton University and is a certified NYS teacher. Ms. Stapleton has over fifteen years of teaching experience in a variety of settings including both public and private schools, individual tutoring, museum education programs, and by leading professional development workshops for Early Childhood caregivers and K-12 teachers. Through her work at WSKG, she has helped develop new educational initiatives based on community need and has managed several large-scale education projects including Ready to Learn, a federally-funded literacy initiative geared toward PreK-2 grade. She has vast experience in curriculum mapping and connecting the content areas. She is a member of New York State Media Arts Teacher Association and the New York State Art Teacher Association.
Dr. Susan Terwilliger has been working with children and their families on the issue of healthy weight for over thirty years. She has seen the dramatic rise in childhood obesity rates in her practice over that time. Dr. Terwilliger’s focus is on understanding the issue from a broad perspective using the ecological systems model. She is a board certified pediatric practitioner from the University of Rochester. In addition, she completed the Doctorate of Education in Theory and Practice program at Binghamton University to learn more about the environments where children spend a large portion of their time during the day. It has been her dream to collaborate with colleagues to host this conference where researchers can share their expertise to improve the well-being of children in the community.
Julie M. Tucker, RD, CDN is a graduate of Cornell University and attended the Syracuse University Dietetic Internship Program. She works for Broome-Tioga BOCES as a dietitian for Rock on CaféTM, a school food service program in 15 school districts across Broome and Tioga Counties in the Southern Tier of New York. This past January, Julie received the "30 Under 30" award from Food Service Director Magazine as one out of thirty people under the age of thirty to make a significant impact in the food service industry. Recently, Julie was selected by the New York State Dietetic Association for the Recognized Young Dietitian of The Year Award.
Lisa A. Vroman, BSN, RNC-MNN has been the RN for DePaul Pediatrics since 2009. Prior to coming to DePaul, Lisa was employed by Lourdes Hospital Women's and Children's Services for over 19 years. She is currently certified by the National Certification Corporation in Maternal Newborn Nursing. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing Specializing in Nursing Education.
