PICK has been fortunate in the individuals who volunteer their time to accomplish our goals. Our executive and advisory board members have a great diversity of talent and professional and personal experience that has been invaluable to our progress.

PICK EXECUTIVE BOARD

Karen E. Dixon, PhD, Co-founder, President
Mother of Jess
Birmingham, AL

Karen has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB). Currently she is the consumer coordinator for the Civitan International Research Center and Sparks Clinic at UAB and a clinical researcher. Karen and her son Jess have been lecturing to first year medical students on neonatal jaundice and Kernicterus for seven years. Karen has also done research on clinical signs of neurological impairment in newborns with a history of severe jaundice, and presented this research at the Society of Pediatric Research Annual Meeting in Baltimore (2001). She is a co-founder and current president of PICK. Her husband, Thomas, is a contractor who owns his own business.

Jess is an only child and is the oldest of the PICK kids. Jess is in high school, and is generally an A or B student. He enjoys video games, NASCAR racing adaptive water-skiing and wheelchair basketball. Although Jess has cerebral palsy, he is able to walk independently. He has difficulty with fine motor skills such as writing, feeding himself and tying his shoes. He often accompanies his mother to her lectures before medical students and nurses. His humor and spirit continually surprise his parents.

Susan Sheridan, MIM, MBA, Co-founder, Past-President
Mother of Cal
Boise, ID

Susan Sheridan is a consumer with a strong interest in partnering with other consumers and the healthcare system to improve care and avoid preventable patient injuries. Her special interest is kernicterus, a preventable newborn brain injury caused by elevated jaundice.

She is the founder of Jumpstart, a comprehensive educational/therapeutic immersion school for children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities located in Boise, Idaho, and a co-founder of PICK, Parents of Infants and Children with Kernicterus. She also is an Advisor to the Partnership for Patient Safety, a patient-centered initiative to advance the reliability of healthcare systems world-wide. She is also a founder and board member of Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS). Recently Susan was asked to head the consumer piece of the patient safety initiative for the World Health Organization.

Susan is an active organizer and spokesperson on consumer health issues. She was invited to testify on the medical failures that affected her son at the first National Summit on Medical Errors and Patient Safety sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in September of 2000. Her testimony called for universal bilirubin testing of newborns and revised treatment guidelines, policies and procedures governing jaundice management. She also advocated a collaborative approach between consumers and professional groups, accreditation organizations and regulatory agencies involved in establishing standards of care for the detection and the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia. More generally, Susan's testimony called for institutional "safety nets" to help prevent avoidable patient injury, including a clear process for consumers to report medical errors they observe or experience. She stated that consumers need to be more active and more informed if they are to be successful partners in reducing the occurrence of medical errors.

Following her testimony, the Sheridan family was featured in USA Today on October 11, 2000. Entitled, "Lethal medical errors often can be cured," the article generated an overwhelming response from readers that helped several families of children with kernicterus unite, resulting in the creation of PICK. Susan also offered a keynote presentation "Partnering with the Healthcare System: Moving from Rhetoric to Action" at The Partnership symposium, 2001:Patient Safety Stories of Success.

Susan has dual Masters degrees in International Management and Business Management from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) in Phoenix, AZ. Prior to 1992, Sue was Manager and Vice President of the International Trade Finance Department at First City Texas in Dallas. She and her husband served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Ecuador from 1987-1988. In addition to Cal, Pat and Sue have a younger child, Mackenzie, who escaped her brother's injury due to the early detection of her neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Stacy Lucas, BA, Co-founder, Family Support Coordinator
Mother of Krista
Lexington, MA

Stacy is a stay-at-home mom. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Relations & Psychology from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. Her husband, Devin, is a computer support professional. Krista has a brother, Jared, who is a year and a half older than Krista.

Krista has severe hearing loss, severe cerebral palsy, dental dysplasia and other kernicterus-associated disabilities. She is an alert and intelligent girl, locked in body that challenges her ability to interact with the world. Krista hears with the help of a hearing aid, and understands and receives sign language. She imitates and associates, but her ability to communicate back is limited. For example, she expresses yes and no through two different vocalized tones. She gets her nutrition by mouth and through a gastronomy tube. Krista has a determined and extroverted personality, and is a real social butterfly. Her favorite activities include looking at books and swimming, and other things that girls her age like to do. She lovers her public high school that has a handicapped classroom.

Jodie L. Johns, Co-founder
Mother of Nathaniel
Eagan, MN

Jodie is a member of PICK's Executive board. Jodie's marketing background has lent itself well to advocating for change in the healthcare system for her two sons, Nathaniel who has Kernicterus and who underwent a kidney transplant in 2001 and Matthew, 4, who also has a non-Kernicterus related kidney disorder. In addition to being a co-founder of PICK she is involved with community, legislative, and federal outreach programs such as ARC of Minnesota; PACER; Parents as Teachers for the University of Minnesota's medical program where parents share their experience with residents; and Partners in Policymaking, a federally funded program designed to provide consumer advocacy and input for healthcare policy development. She has testified on health care issues before the United States Congress and the Washington State Legislature on behalf of the Center for Justice and Democracy and the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. Jodie and her mother have developed "Nathaniel's Cape," a winter coat designed to fit over a child in a wheelchair. The patent is "pending," so any child who wishes to receive a cape may have one for free! (A donation to PICK will be graciously received.) Jodie also is in the process of duplicating a gravity-centered seating system, which she created for her son, for other persons with severe seating challenges. Jodie is currently spearheading "Access Ministry, Minnesota," a Christian-based program that provides physical, cognitive and sensory access to any person with a disability who wishes to worship and understand biblical theory. Jodie's husband Doug is an attorney. Doug's Minneapolis-based law firm incorporated PICK and facilitated the trade-marking of "What's Your Baby's Bili?"

Nathaniel is cognitively age-appropriate and expresses his likes and dislikes through facial expressions, some sign language, and audio-commands. He is quadriplegic with spastic athetoid movement disorder. He eats orally but receives most of his nutrition through a gastrostomy tube. He does not walk or sit independently. He cannot be left alone and needs 24-hour supervision. Nathaniel loves baseball, horses, and car races and enjoys interacting with the other kids in his classroom. He works with a computer in school and is learning to operate a power wheel chair. He has an infectious laugh and a beautiful smile. Nathaniel underwent kidney transplant surgery in November 2001, receiving a healthy kidney from his father Doug. The procedure has been a resounding success. Despite his medical challenges, Nathaniel's indomitable spirit perseveres. He is a true joy and lights up any room he's in.

Melissa Li, BS, Co-founder, Treasurer
Mother of Brandyn
Wheeling, IL

Melissa works part-time as a nutrition consultant for SportFuel, a sports nutrition company that consults the Chicago Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks and Northwestern University Varsity Athletes. In addition to working with athletes, Melissa is a consulting dietitian for the Early Intervention Program in the State of Illinois. Melissa is a member of the PICK Executive Board and is involved in the development of the PICK web site, www.pickonline.org. Melissa developed and is the host of the email list, groups.yahoo.com/group/newbornjaundice, a support group which is dedicated to the issues faced by the families dealing with kernicterus. The membership currently includes doctors, audiologists, therapists, parents and grandparents of families with kernicterus and bilirubin related issues. The rest of time, Melissa stays at home with her son Brandyn and twin sons. Her husband, John, is an executive assistant for a computer consultant company.

Brandyn has motor delays, strabismus and is profoundly deaf. Brandyn received a cochlear implant at the age of 17 months and is now learning how to hear and speak with his implant. Brandyn attends an Early Childhood Special Education Preschool. The school has a very supportive staff and is helping Brandyn with his motor and communication delays. Brandyn loves airplanes, trains, building towns and loves the outdoors. Brandyn has a very contagious laugh and a great smile!

April Messer, Co-founder
Angier, NC

Kris Schulze, BS, Co-founder and former board member
Mother of Justin
St. Paul, MN

Kris has a background in organizational development and is now caring for her family full time. She and her husband have two sons, Justin, born in 1998, and Nathan, born in 2001. She is one of the co-founders of PICK and served until May 2004 on the Executive Board as Board Secretary.

Justin has kernicterus resulting in athetoid cerebral palsy, hearing loss, dental dysplasia, far-sightedness and strabismus. He is mobile with the help of his gait trainer and power wheelchair. Justin uses an augmentative communication device to communicate. He loves school, playing at the playground, reading stories and playing games with friends.

Kathleen E. Haus, R.N., PICK member
Mother of David

Chrissy Thau, Family Support Coodinator
Mother of Nicholas
Phoenix, Arizona

Chrissy is a stay at home mom, retiring after 21 years at the Hilton Resorts in Phoenix where she was the Human Resources Manager. Chrissy has 4 kids, Alexander, age 19 who is in college, Amanda, age 16, a high school student, Christopher age 7 who is in second grade and of course Nicholas (a.k.a. Nicky-Bear) age 4, who is a pre-schooler at the Arizona Foundation for Blind Children. Chrissy's husband Karl is a Facilities Manager at the Hilton Resort and a great dad!

Nicholas is a bright, energetic, happy 4 year old who enjoys just about everything especially swimming. He has spastic and athetoid CP, Cortical Visual Impairment, dental dysplasia and is deaf, although in March of 2003 he was the proud recipient of the Cochlear Implant which is working amazingly. Because of the success with Nick's implant, the Cochlear Implant team here in Arizona is now implanting special needs children, like Nick with great success. Nicholas just received a Mercury Aug-Com device that he is slowly getting used to. This will enable him to communicate with us easily.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Mitchell L. Dvorak, MS, CAE, Executive Director
Chicago, IL

Mitchell L. Dvorak, MS, CAE, Executive Director, Parents of Infants and Children with Kernicterus, has extensive experience working with non-profit organizations in the healthcare and patient safety fields, including Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS), Partnership for Patient Safety (p4ps), the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), American Medical Association and the North Dakota Medical Association. His core competencies include professional association and non-profit management and program development.

Mr. Dvorak was active in establishing Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS), a consumer-led non-profit organization that envisions a healthcare system that is safe, compassionate and just. The mission of CAPS includes being a collective voice for individuals, families and healers who wish to prevent harm in healthcare encounters through partnership and collaboration. As founding Executive Director, Mr. Dvorak worked with the CAPS board to successfully secure initial funding, build the mission and agenda for the organization through consumer outreach, and manage all aspects of the organization's launch in 2003.

As Associate Director of p4ps, Mr. Dvorak continues to be responsible for all aspects of the organization's management, including patient safety product development, strategic planning, project management and grant-writing and development initiatives.

While at the National Patient Safety Foundation, Mr. Dvorak coordinated and managed the NPSF's first-ever patient safety awards program through a nationwide call for abstracts documenting successful practices that reduce healthcare errors or promote patient safety.

Mr. Dvorak studied Political Science/Public Administration as an undergraduate at the University of North Dakota and holds a graduate degree in Public Service Management from DePaul University. In 2005 he was awarded the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential by the American Society of Association Executives, the highest professional credential in the association industry.

ADVISORY BOARD

Martin J. Hatlie, JD
President
Partnership for Patient Safety (p4ps)
Chicago, IL

Micahel J. Friedlander, PhD
Director, Civitan International Research Center
Chairman and Professor, Department of Neurobiology
Director, UAB Mental Retardation Research Center
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL

FOUNDING ADVISORS

Martin J. Hatlie, JD
President, Partnership for Patient Safety (p4ps)
Chicago, IL

David K. Stevenson, MD
Service Chief, Neonatology
Harold K. Faber Professor of Pediatrics
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Stanford, University
Stanford, CA