Martie Carnie

Martie Carnie is a 30 year, four-time survivor of breast and melanoma cancers, and a founding member and past co-chair of Dana-Farber’s Adult Patient and Family Advisory Council. Currently she is a Patient Advocate, Senior Patient Engagement Advisor and Co Chair of Brigham and Women's Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council Steering Committee. She is active on multiple councils, committees and projects, including patient safety, patient rounding, Joint Commission, Ambulatory Care, Care Improvement Teams, and coordinating activities at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. As a patient voice at the Brigham Research Institute, she serves as a Clinical Investigator and provides the patient experience perspective for Research. She is a PCORI Ambassador, an Institute for Healthcare Improvement Faculty member on Patient Engagement, and a frequent spokesperson at conferences and seminars about patient-centered care, the patient experience, patient safety and the Voice of the Patient in Design and Health Care within the United States, Canada, Japan, and Israel.

Rebecca Galloway

Rebecca Galloway, PT, PhD has 18 years of experience as a Physical Therapist.  She is a Geriatric Certified Specialist (GCS) through the American Board of Physical Therapist Specialties and Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA) through the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Geriatrics.  Rebecca is an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) with roles in teaching, clinical practice, and research.  She teaches clinical reasoning, management of medically complex patients, and psychosocial aspects of disability, which incorporate strategies for patient/client engagement such as motivational interviewing and prioritizing meaningful life participation. She continues to advance clinical skills through faculty practice in acute care/intensive care, fall prevention at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), and direction of physical therapy services at St. Vincent’s House pro bono clinic.  She values interdisciplinary collaboration centered on patient/family goals to optimize care for people experiencing geriatric syndromes such as falls, frailty, dementia and delirium.  Rebecca co-chaired the PCORI UTMB Local Patient Stakeholder Committee (LPSC) for the STRIDE (Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders) study and continues to serve local co-chair role for LPSC in the D-CARE (Dementia Care) study.

Catherine McNeal

Chair | Baylor Scott & White Health

Catherine McNeal received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Texas A&M University in 1980 and was a member of the Chemistry Department Faculty until 1992. Her research focused on biomedical applications in the field of bioanalytical chemistry. She subsequently returned to school, obtaining her M.D. in 1996 from Texas A&M followed by a residency in Internal Medicine-Pediatrics at Scott & White in Temple Texas. She joined the Division of Cardiology at Scott & White in 2000 where she continues to work seeing adults and children for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases with a special focus on complex lipid disorders. Her research focus includes approaches to improved cardiac rehabilitation in older adults with heart failure and population-based studies in children and young adults with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. She is a caregiver for her mother and husband who are in memory care facilities.

Rebecca Galloway, PT, PhD

Co-Chair | University of Texas Medical Branch

Rebecca Galloway, PT, PhD, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy (GCS) is an Associate Professor of Instruction at University of Texas Medical Branch.  Her roles include teaching, clinical practice, research, and co-chair for the UTMB Local Patient and Stakeholder council on STRIDE (Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders) study.

Alice Williams, MS, LBSW

Co-Chair | University of Texas Medical Branch

Alice Williams, MS, LBSW, is the Executive Director for Libbie’s Place Senior Day Program in Galveston, TX.  She leads a monthly caregiver support group, provides community education for seniors and family caregivers and is involved with many organizations serving older adults in Galveston County.

Alanna Rahm MS, PhD, LGC

Chair | Geisinger

Alanna Kulchak Rahm MS, PhD, LGC is a licensed genetic counselor and holds a doctorate in Health and Behavioral Science. She has over 20 years’ experience in cancer genetics and currently serves on the national Lynch Syndrome Screening Network (LSSN) Board of Directors. Her personal research focuses on the implementation of genomics to improve population health; including implementation of Universal Lynch syndrome screening, cascade genetic testing, patient and provider understanding of genomics, and patient engagement in research. She has conducted public health and health systems research for nearly two decades.

Deb Burcombe

Chair | Wake Forest Baptist Health

Deb Burcombe is the Program Director of Outreach for the Wake Forest Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention. Prior to moving to North Carolina with her husband four years ago, Deb ran a non-profit organization in Utah for 21 years that advocated for accessible health care for the state’s mentally and medically fragile older adults and people with intellectual disabilities. Deb was responsible for securing the funding for the “Music and Memory Program” and was able to successfully implement the program in all 110 long-term care facilities throughout the state. Her personal and professional passion is the advocacy for individuals who are not able to advocate for themselves.