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Compassion & Choices Board and Staff
Debbi Gibbs, Chair
Debbi Gibbs has been actively involved with Compassion & Choices since 2000. Her grandmother spent the last few months of her life distributing copies of Elisabeth Kubler Ross’ book On Death and Dying and preparing for a good death from the effects of cancer. Her mother was active in reproductive rights. Debbi Gibbs is the Director of Just Managing, a music agency, and has worked as an executive director in the broadcasting and entertainment industry for many years. She holds an Architecture degree and lives in New York with her son.
Sylvia A. Law, J.D.,Vice-Chair
Sylvia is the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law, Medicine andPsychiatry at the New York University School of Law. She is alsoco-director of the Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program.Sylvia’s publications include books and articles on patient rights andreproductive law. She has written numerous briefs for and beeninstrumental in many of the landmark Supreme Court cases of our time.
Peter D. Ehrenhaft, MIA, LLB, Treasurer
Peter D. Ehrenhaft is Senior Counsel at the Washington office of HarkinsCunningham. He specializes in technology transfers, joint ventures andimport and export matters. Ehrenhaft has represented foreigngovernments to negotiate trade agreements, and has served as the DeputyAssistant Secretary and Special Counsel (Tariff Affairs) of the U.S.Department of the Treasury. Fluent in German, Ehrenhaft received hisLL.B. and M.I.A. from Columbia University Schools of Law andInternational Affairs in 1957, and his A.B. from Columbia University in1954, all with honors.
Matthew Nelson, Secretary
Matthew has supported end-of-life Choice and our organization for manyyears. His passion comes from being close to many people whoexperienced painful deaths and wanting a “more graceful transition outof this world” for his mother, his loved ones and himself. Mr. Nelsonis an ordained United Church of Christ minister and the communityrelations manager for Ameriprise Financial in Minneapolis, Minn. As aboard member, he lends his many years of fund-raising experience tobuild a solid long-term financial base.
E. Phillip Cannon
Philip manages a small investment firm in Houston Texas. After a career in business, he was headmaster of St. John’s School and later President and CEO of the Houston Zoo. He served as Chairman of the Board of Omega House, a hospice for terminal AIDS patients, and served on the board of trustees of several schools and Princeton University. He earned his M. B. A. at the University of Texas.
David Muller, M.D.
Dr. Muller is the Associate Professor and Chair of Medical Education and an Associate Professor of Medicine/General Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is also Attending Physician at the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute. Dr. Muller is a graduate of New York University School of Medicine. He arrived at Mount Sinai as a resident in Internal Medicine and served as Chief Resident. He is now on the full-time faculty in the Division of General Medicine, and the majority of his clinical teaching responsibilities involve home visits with the Visiting Doctors Program.
Cheryl D. Perrin
Cheryl, a public policy consultant and retired executive officer of Fred Meyer Inc., joined the board in October 2008. She is actively involved in her community as well as the University of Oregon Foundation. Ms. Perrin has chaired the National Food Marketing Institute and served as director of both the Energy Trust of Oregon and the Urban League of Portland. She has won numerous community service honors, including Oregon Woman of the Year and the Oregon Basic Rights Award. She has four daughters and lives in Portland, Oregon.
Sue Dessayer Porter
Sue Porter has been a client case manager for Compassion & Choices of Oregon since 2001. Sue helps steward terminally ill patients through the process outlined under Oregon's unique Death With Dignity Act. She has a business background including an MBA from St. Mary’s College. She has focused professionally on corporate software sales and market research. Sue lives in Portland, Oregon and is pursuing her Master of Science in Bioethics.
Karen Pye, M.P.H
Karen is a public health consultant with over 20 years experience providing program planning, management, and evaluation in community-based health care and health education settings. Ms. Pye is active in her community, providing pro bono evaluation mentoring to a homeless shelter and serving on the board of a residential crisis center for women and their children that provides empowerment training and resources. She also served on the board of Compassion in Dying from 2000 to 2004, when CID transitioned to Compassion & Choices. Ms. Pye and her family have long been active supporters of C&C. She holds a Masters in Public Health and lives in Georgia with her husband.
Paul R. Q. Wolfson, J.D.
Paul is partner in the international law firm of Wilmer Hale. His practice focuses on Supreme Court and appellate litigation, and advising clients on federal law, especially constitutional law. Before joining Wilmer Hale he worked in the US Solicitor General’s Office for eight years. He also served as one of the leading lawyers involved in public international law and immigration law issues. Paul participated in the preparation of the United States’ case in the International Court of Justice in The Hague involving the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (Germany v. United States).
Van Zandt Williams, Jr.
VanZandt Williams, Jr. is Vice President for Development Emeritus fromPrinceton University. Williams retired from this position after 22years of leading the University’s fund raising operations. He and hiswife Myra divide their time between Princeton, New Jersey and Naples,Florida. He serves on the Boards of the McCarter Theatre of Princeton, Compassion & Choices, the National Advisory Council for DeVry University and is a former Board member of the Princeton Area Community Foundation.
Irene Wurtzel
Irene Wurtzel is a playwright, filmaker and community activist. Her award winning plays have appeared on and off-Broadway. Ms.Wurtzel chaired the Board of Directors of Enterprise Works/Vita(newly merged in Relief International) for six years until 2008. She is currently Board chair for Theater J and sits on the executive committee of the Board of Trustees of Shenandoah University. Other boards include the Phoenix Project, a non-profit dedicated to the training of college students for the not -for -profit world, and the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund. She was appointed by President Clinton to the Commission on the role of Women in American History.
Barbara Coombs Lee, PA, FNP, JD, President, ex officio
Barbara practiced as a nurse and physician assistant for 25 years before beginning a career in law and health policy. Since then she has devoted her professional life to individual choice and empowerment in health care. Barbara’s professional experience includes work as a private attorney, counsel to the Oregon State Senate, a managed care executive, and President of Compassion In Dying from 1996-2004. Barbara was Chief Petitioner for the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. She is a champion for enabling individuals with the freedom to consider a complete range of choices and be full participants in their health care decisions. As President of Compassion and Choices, Barbara oversees advocacy, development, legislative and client support.
Marcia A. Campbell, CPA, CFO/COO, ex officio
Marcia A. Campbell, CPA, is chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Compassion & Choices. She has worked since 1978 as an accountant to a wide range of clients, ranging from manufacturers to mortgage brokers. She has earned a reputation as a successful CFO, controller, and human resources director for closely held private companies and nonprofit organizations. The Kansas City, Missouri, native is mother of two adult sons and enjoys painting when she puts down her calculator.
Compassion & Choices Staff
Executive
Barbara Coombs Lee, PA, FNP, JD, President, contact
Marcia Campbell, CPA, CFO/COO, contact
End-of-Life Consultation Program
Jena Johnson, Staff Counselor, contact
Mark Ferguson, Staff Counselor, contact
Development
Ken Williams, Development Director, contact
Jane Sanders, Director of Membership & Planned Giving, contact
D. Christian Abeyta, Membership Services Associate, contact
Georgia Morrison, Senior Member Services Representative, contact
Stephanie Sanders, Member Services Representative, contact
Meredith Frances, Member Services Representative, contact
Essence Brown, Data Entry, contact
Robynn James, Director of Major Gifts, contact
Meike Weyrauch, Circles Program Manager, contact
Mark Waters, Grants Manager, contact
Susan Prior, Development Coordinator, contact
Jason Renaud, Researcher, contact
Legal Advocacy
Kathryn Tucker, Director of Legal Affairs, contact
Community Advocacy
Annette Collins, National Field Director, contact
Roland Halpern, Director of Community Relations, contact
Jen McLellan, Volunteer Programs Manager, contact
Brandi Alexander, Advocacy Research Associate, contact
Jacque Powell, Community Relations Administrator, contact
Communications
Beven Byrnes, Director of Communications, contact
Carla Axtman, Online Community Builder, contact
Blaine Palmer, Communications Specialist, contact
Financial/Accounting
Joe Badalpour, Accounting, Payroll & Benefits Specialist, contact
Lauren Paul, Accounting Assistant, contact
Operations
Susie Klee, IT Systems Administrator, contact
Victoria Nolten, Executive Assistant, contact
Brittany Schetcher, Office Assistant, contact
Rachel Bell, Receptionist, contact
Jay Franklin, Data Entry/Web Support, contact
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ADVISORY BOARD
Marcia Angell, M.D.
Dr. Marcia Angell is senior lecturer in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. She is author of the book “Science on Trial: The Clash of Medical Evidence and the Law in the Breast Implant Case.”
Ram Dass
Dr. Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) is a '60s counter-culture icon, author and spiritual teacher. He has authored several books including “Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing and Dying.”
Nancy Neveloff Dubler, LL.B.
Nancy Neveloff Dubler, LL.B., is director of the Bioethics Division at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y. Her many published works include “Ethics on Call: Taking Charge of Life and Death Choices in Today's Health Care System.”
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis is an Academy Award-Winning actress and activist for issues including human rights, civil rights and the environment. Memorable roles include her Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winning performance in “Moonstruck” and her portrayal of a mother of an AIDS-afflicted man who seeks aid in dying in “The Event”
Bruce Fein
Bruce Fein is a constitutional and international lawyer and legal scholar. He was Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Reagan and served on the American Bar Association's Task Force on Presidential Signing Statements in 2006. He is a frequent expert guest for the BBC, CNN, MSNBC and NPR.
Judith Krantz
Judith Krantz has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her novels. Her first effort “Scruples” shot to number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Her most recent work is her memoir “Sex and Shopping: Confessions of a Nice Jewish Girl.”
Rev. Howard Moody
Rev. Howard Moody, a self-proclaimed “trustful agnostic” presided over the congregation of Judson Memorial Church in the West Village neighborhood of New York City for 35 years. Moody led a group of peaceful protestors in the March on Washington, helped open a clinic to provide safe, affordable abortions years before Roe v. Wade and created an AIDS task force at Judson.
 Rev. Dr. Paul Smith
Rev. Dr. Paul Smith is a pastor with the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. As Board Chairman of the Ethics Committee at Brooklyn’s Lon Island College Hospital, he worked with Doctors and Staff to inform and support regarding difficult patient care decisions. Facing Death, Dr. Smith’s recently published book, chronicles ministering intimately to the dying and their loved ones. Currently, Dr. Smith is Executive Director of Healthy Families Brooklyn, a foundation dedicated to the improvement of access to health care in under served communities.
The Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong
Rev. John Shelby Spong is the retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, N.J., and the leading liberal theologian of our time. He has authored several best-selling books challenging the Bible's teachings on homosexuality, the virgin birth and Christ's resurrection.
Marilyn Webb
Marilyn Webb is a distinguished professor and co-director of the Journalism Department at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. Her Pulitzer Prize-nominated book “The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life” chronicles the lives of 15 terminally ill patients and explores the social, legal and moral issues surrounding death in America. She is the former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today and a contributing writer and editor for New York Magazine among other publications.
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