2003 Speakers' Biographies
Mary Ann Bergeron, Executive
Director, Virginia Association of Community Services Boards
Mary Ann Bergeron currently serves in the position as CEO of the Virginia
Association of Community Service Boards a statewide Association of local
mental health, mental retardation, and substance abuse services authorities.
She directs a small, full-time staff and contract consultants in the
implementation of all Association activities. Mary Ann graduated from
Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey and completed graduate
studies in Mental Hygiene and Organizational Development at East Carolina
University. Some of her major accomplishments include her ability to
forge external relationships with related organizations. She also sits
on two national Public Policy Committees, the National Council for Community
Behavioral Healthcare and the National Association of County Behavioral
Health Directors.
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Karen L Cameron, Executive Director/
CEO, Central Virginia Health Planning Agency, Inc.
Karen L. Cameron is the Executive Director and CEO of the Central Virginia
Health Planning Agency, Inc. She is principally involved in advocacy
for and in support of regional planning initiatives aimed at meeting
community health needs including Certificate of Public Need (COPN) review,
assembly and analysis and community health development. Karen graduated
from the Medical College of Virginia with a Masters in Health Administration
and is currently completing a Nonprofit Management Certificate Program.
During the course of her career, Karen has conducted a financial feasibility
study for the largest regional rural hospital in the US, which resulted
in the construction of a freestanding behavioral health care facility.
She also wrote the first CON application approved for an acute care
hospital-based skilled nursing unit in Florida.
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Mark R. Cruise, CAE Executive Director,
Virginia Association of Free Clinics, Richmond, VA
Mark R. Cruise is currently working as the Executive Director for the
Virginia Association of Free Clinics where some of his responsibilities
include state level administration, advocacy and governmental relations.
His experience and expertise cover an enormous number of areas including
his role in co-founding Virginians for Improving Access to Dental Care
which was selected as one of eight state groups to participate in the
2000 Oral Health Policy Academy. He graduated from Boston University
School of Theology with a Master of Divinity in 1985. In his current
position, Mark provided leadership and support to a network of over
48 private nonprofit, community-based Free Clinics that delivered over
$40.5 million dollars of health care to nearly 45,000 low-income, uninsured
and underinsured Virginians in 2001.
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Karen Camden Day, Director, Division of Dental
Health, Virginia Department of Health
Karen Camden Day has been the Director for the Division of Dental Health
for the Virginia Department of Health since 1997. She has experience
in a wide variety of areas in the field of healthcare. Some of her previous
positions include Block Grant Coordinator for Preventive Health and
Health Services for the Division of Dental Health for the Virginia Department
of Health. Aside from her current position, also has numerous years
of teaching experience and two publications to her credit. Karen graduated
from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Doctor of Dental Surgery
in 1981 and a Master in Public Health in 1992. Karen is a member of
numerous professional organizations including the American Dental Association,
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors and the Virginia
Dental Association.
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Frank H. Farrington, Professor, Department
of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University,
Medical College of Virginia.
Frank H. Farrington is currently a Professor in the Department of Pediatric
Dentistry at the School of Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University,
Medical College of Virginia. Frank has worked for the University in
various positions since 1991. In 2002 he received the Community Service
Award from the Virginia Dental Association. Frank participates in numerous
professional and community organizations. He is currently the Executive
Director for the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry and is
involved in P.A.N.D.A. Child Abuse Prevention Coalition through the
Virginia Dental Association and Delta Dental Corp. Frank earned his
MS in Anatomy and his DDS in Dentistry from Marquette University in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to his professional activities Frank
has also published numerous articles pertinent to the field of healthcare.
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R. Neal Graham, Executive Director, Virginia
Primary Care Association, Richmond, VA
R. Neal Graham is the Executive Director for the Virginia Primary Care
Association where he is responsible for the administration of a statewide
membership organization representing fifty-eight federally funded community
health centers. Some of his primary duties include agency management
and legislative advocacy. R. Neal Graham graduated from Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University with a Master of Science in Community
Health Administration in 1982. His positions prior to working for the
Virginia Primary Care Association include Executive Director of Special
Olympics International and Director of Tobacco Use Control Programs
for the Virginia Department of Health. R. Neal Graham is a member of
numerous professional organizations and has given presentations focusing
on health issues throughout the country.
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Jeffrey L. Lake, MS, Deputy State Health
Commissioner, Virginia Department of Health
Since 1996 Jeffrey L. Lake has been Deputy State Health Commissioner
for the Virginia Department of Health. He earned his Master of Science
Degree from North Carolina State University in 1978 where he graduated
magna cum laude. He currently manages a statewide system of local health
departments with 2,700 FTE's and an annual budget of $200 million. In
his first position at the Virginia Department of Health he served as
a regional epidemiologist during which time he designed, implemented
and evaluated a surveillance system for reportable diseases of public
health importance. His publications are numerous, with his most recent
focusing on the topic of "Virginia Center for Health Communities:
Alternative Structures for Improving the Public's Health." Jeffrey
currently represents the State Health Commissioner on various state
and national task forces and works with the Secretary and legislators
to craft amendments to improve pending legislation.
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Matthew J. Loscalzo, MSW, Associate
Dean, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Associate Professor of Internal
Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School and Coordinator Palliative
Care and Pain Management, Sentara Healthcare
Matthew J. Loscalzo currently is both the Associate Dean and an Associate
Professor of Internal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School and
the Coordinator for Palliative Care and Pain Management for Sentara
Healthcare. He graduated in 1981 with a Masters in Social Work from
New York University School of Social Work and worked as a faculty associate
for Johns Hopkins University prior to his current position. Some of
Matthew's most recent honors include the Distinguished Faculty Leadership
Award in 2002 from The Center for Cancer Pain Research at Johns Hopkins
University and The Trish Greene Quality of Life Award from the National
Office of the American Cancer Society in 2002. Matthew is a member of
numerous professional organizations, has over 40 publications to his
credit and has made a significant contribution to the field of healthcare
through his research, presentations and community education.
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Richard C. Pantaleo, Executive Director
for the Free Clinic of New River Valley & Program for Special Medical
Care, Christiansburg, VA
Richard C. Pantaleo is the Executive Director for the Free Clinic of
the New River Valley & Program for Special Medical Care in Christiansburg,
VA. His position allows him to undertake numerous administrative responsibilities
including program development and monitoring; staff supervision; budgeting;
fund raising; public relations; grant writing and evaluation; and overall
accountability for the agency. Richard graduated from Virginia Commonwealth
University with a Master of Education in Language Arts in June of 1979.
Prior to accepting his current position, Richard served as the coordinator,
for Community Support Services for Adult & Family Services Unit,
New River Valley Community Services in Blacksburg, VA and as the President
for the Association for Community Living in Greeley, Colorado. Richard
is affiliated with numerous organizations including the Association
of Fund Raising Professionals and the Virginia Rural Health Association.
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Margaret J. (Peggy) Whitehead, Program
Manager for the Nelson County Rural Health Outreach Program
Peggy Whitehead is currently Program Manager for the Nelson County Rural
Health Outreach Program. Her role in this position requires her to involve
herself in the areas of program development, implementation and management,
community organization, grant management, activities coordination and
promotion, budget management and monthly reports. She currently manages
a staff of 20 in three working programs including School Based Health
Care, Community-based health outreach and a three-county outreach and
promotion project. Peggy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
in 1972 from the College of William and Mary. She currently serves as
the Chair on the Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center Board of Directors.
Peggy draws much of her expertise from her various positions in Mental
Health. Her most recent honor was the Creating Healthier Communities
Fellowship from the Health Forum of the American Hospital Association
in 2002.
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Last Updated: August 25, 2004
