About Future Choices' Guests

(alphabetical order)

Mariana Boneo, Executive Director of the Hispanic Resource Center of Larchmont and Mamaroneck, joined Future Choices in January 2007 to share her insights on major challenges facing Latinas and their families in Westchester County.

Born in Argentina, Mariana was originally trained as a music therapist. -> Read further.


Mariana Boneo
Executive Director,
Hispanic Resource Center of Larchmont and Mamaroneck

Sharon L. Camp is President and CEO of The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the leading policy research organization in the field of sexual and reproductive health. Read more...

Sharon joined Future Choices for a discussion of the Bush administration's so-called 'anti-prostitution campaign.' Read More...

 

Sharon L Camp
Sharon L. Camp,
President & CEO,
Alan Guttmacher Institute

Mary Alice Carr is Vice President of Communications for NARAL Pro-Choice New York overseeing all media, messaging and materials. More

She elucidates NARAL's agenda in her Future Choices presentation, "This Year Should America Vote Pro-Choice?” which airs in Westchester March 2008. See further

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Mary Alice Carr
V.P. for Communications
NARAL Pro-Choice New York

Reverend Tom Davis is chaplain emeritus at Skidmore College, where he taught religion for 30 years...Read More...

In "Abortion -- Is it Necessary?" Reverend Tom Davis, minister in the United Church of Christ, posits that the “sacred work of justice,” which is the moral obligation of every American, necessitates safeguarding abortion rights, an integral element of providing adequate reproductive health care to all women.
Reverend Davis’s thoughtful discussion of the need for safe and legal abortion affords careful attention.


Reverend Tom Davis
United Church of Christ

As EngenderHealth’s Program Manager in Guinea, Moustapha Diallo provides leadership, management, and technical support to EngenderHealth’s reproductive health initiatives in the country. He and his medical colleagues at EngenderHealth/Guinea... Read further

In "EngenderHealth -- Growing Choice in Guinea and Beyond" Moustapha Diallo takes Future Choices to Guinea to learn how EngenderHealth's holistic approach to resolution of health, economic and social issues is enabling his country to make significant progress. Mr. Diallo recounts that EngenderHealth is also helping medical personnel learn to deal effectively with a tragic side effect of the civil wars in neighboring countries: the surge of traumatic fistula among young victims of rape in border communities.


Moustapha Diallo,
Program Manager,
EngenderHealth-Guinea

Members of the nursing team of the Cancer Support Team joined Executive Director Judith Dobrof on "Cancer Support Team: First To Care When the Need Is There" to offer cogent information for women newly diagnosed with cancer, in treatment and/or in terminal phase of illness and for their families. See Judith Dobrof's professional bio.  

In "Janet DiFiore: Protecting Reproductive Rights in Westchester County" District Attorney Janet DiFiore details the role of her office to ensure that County residents are free to exercise their rights.

She "has dedicated her career to public service as both a former Judge and prosecutor in Westchester County..." ->-> Read further.


Janet DiFiore,
Westchester County District Attorney

In “Opening Doors to Women’s Health,” Lindsay Farrell, CEO & President of Open Door Family Medical Centers in Westchester County,  makes it very clear that by providing dignified, quality health care to the poorest of  Westchester County’s women and their families, we ensure better health and well-being for all families in our community.

Lindsay Farrell was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Open Door Family Medical Clinics by the Board of Directors in October 1998.
Having served as Open Door’s Director of Operations and Director of Development, Ms. Farrell has worked on behalf of both the internal and external constituents of the health center...->-> Read further.

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Lindsay Farrell,
CEO & President
Open Door Family Medical Centers

Celia Felsher served as Mamaroneck Board President 2004-2006...-->>Read further.

Mamaroneck High School's sexuality education module was highlighted in "Sex Ed to Keep Our Children Safe" featuring School Board President Celia Felsher and health educator Vincent Minotti.


Celia Felsher,
President, Mamaroneck School Board

Lawrence B. Finer, Ph. D., Director of Domestic Research, of The Guttmacher Institute, is widely heralded for careful research in reproductive health and his sharp analysis of the relevant data. He is widely published, and references to his work emerge frequently in professional and popular media. See further.

In "Abortion Gains...or Losses?" [shown in Westchester County February 2007] Dr. Finer's astute observations on the meaning, significance and implications of abortion trends bring home to us the message of what can be done to ensure that abortion remains safe, legal and rare.

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Lawrence B. Finer, Ph. D.,
Director of Domestic Research,
The Guttmacher Institute
In September 2008 the most most vicious assault ever launched against women's health care rights is chronicled on Future Choices by Mary Jane Gallagher, President & CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. She concludes that non-wealthy American women will face insurmountable barriers when they seek basic health care if the Bush administration succeeds in imposing new regulations on federally funded health facilities.
In “Fighting the War on Contraception in America,” Ms. Gallagher reveals the dimensions of this unconscionable attack on American family planning and contraception.
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The global community has failed in meet the commitment to women’s health and human rights made as an essential part of the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in 2000. This assertion is the central theme presented by Adrienne Germain, President of the International Women’s Health Coalition, on Future Choices: “Women’s Health and Rights at a Crossroads – The Agenda for Our Next President - Part 1.” and “ Part 2 ”.

Adrienne Germain has worked for almost 40 years to promote women's opportunities, health, and rights in developing countries. She is a visionary who helped revolutionize the way the world views population policy by making the health and rights of women central. |MORE

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Adrienne Germain
President of the International Women's Health Coalition

Judy Loeb Goldfein represents EMILY’s List in the April 2008 episode of Future Choices, “Choosing with EMILY in ’08.”

She has served as a Director of EMILY’S List for the past 15 years. Motivated by the Thomas/Hill hearings, she joined the EMILY’s List staff in 1992 and currently serves as their Northeast Director. |MORE


Judy Loeb Goldfein
Director
EMILY’s List

In "Sexuality Education for Our Children from Diapers to Dating" The Reverend Debra W. Haffner, the director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing and and former executive director of SIECUS, shares some excellent insights on providing children with age-appropriate sexuality education promoting good parent-child communication and healthy approach to adult life.

Reverend Haffner is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. Her lively and often witty books on sexuality education include...-->>Read further.


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The Reverend Debra W. Haffner

Dr. Ana Langer, the President and CEO of EngenderHealth, is a physician with board certification in pediatrics and neonatology, as well as a reproductive health specialist and public health researcher. For the past 20 years... Read a brief bio.

In "EngenderHealth -- Growing Choice in Guinea and Beyond" Ana Langer describes EngenderHealth's multi-pronged approach in the other countries where they work to not only obstetric fistula but also to involvement of men in the promotion of safe motherhood and concern for the health of their children. Through its Men as Partners program EngenderHealth is able to help develop tools to combat HIV/AIDS.


Ana Langer, M.D.
President & CEO,
EngenderHealth

As Country Director, EngenderHealth-Ethiopia, Gelila Kidane Goba, M.D., provides leadership and management of programs including the expansion of long-acting family planning methods, quality improvement, HIV-prevention in pregnant and postpartum mothers, and post-abortion care across sixty hospitals and health centers in three regions of Ethiopia. | MORE

In the Future Choices episode "Mothering the Earth – Case Studies from Ethiopia" Dr. Kidane joins forces with an American environmentalist (from National Audubon Society) make a convincing argument for the extraordinary synergy between reproductive rights advocates and environmentalists.

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Gelila Kidane Goba, MD Country Director, EngenderHealth-Ethiopia

The May 2008 episode of Future Choices features Rachael Pine and Lisa Landau who introduce us to New York City's Nurse-Family Partnership Program. This undertaking pairs first-time mothers from low-income families with skilled and caring nurses who serve as mentors to the young women from mid-pregnancy through the child’s second birthday. | MORE about the program

Lisa came to NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene from the New York Attorney General's office where she was Director of the Reproductive Rights Unit. | More about Lisa.

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Lisa Landau, J.D.
Director,
Nurse-Family Partnership Program
NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene

Ronnie Lovich is Director, HIV/AIDS, at Save the Children. She brings 20 years of experience in international and domestic public health programs and services. Read further

In "Saving Mothers -- Saving Children", she details the strategies used by Save the Children to both prevent HIV/AIDS through educational outreach to young people and to prevent Mother to Child transmission of the dread disease by working closely with vulnerable young mothers.

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Ronnie Lovich,
Director, HIV/AIDS,
Save the Children

In May and June of 2007 Dr. Joshua Lipsman, Commissioner of Health for Westchester County, and Judy Myers, County Legislator for the 7th District, joined Future Choices for a two-part series to reveal the essential services provided by the Westchester Health Department, and, especially, the Department’s initiatives designed to safeguard the reproductive health for every woman in the County: "Westchester County: Caring About Women."

Legislator Judy Myers has lived in the Town of Mamaroneck for 25 years. She was elected to her first term as the 7th District’s County Legislator in February 2005 to replace George Latimer and was re-elected in November 2005 to a full two-year term.
Myers’ extensive experience on the Mamaroneck Town Board... Read further.

Joshua Lipsman, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., was appointed by County Executive Andy Spano as Commissioner of Health for Westchester County in May 2000. Prior to that...

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County Legislator,
Judy Myers

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Joshua Lipsman, MD, JD, MPH
Commissioner of Health, Westchester County

Kathleen Mogelgaard is Assistant Director of Government Relations at the National Audubon Society in Washington, DC, where she focuses on US government policies related to international conservation and sustainable development. She also coordinates the organization’s Population and Habitat Program. | MORE

In the Future Choices episode "Mothering the Earth – Case Studies from Ethiopia" Ms. Mogelgaard avows that the Audubon Society has been very interested in the relationship of population and habitat for some 25 years, recognizing that population growth is one of the main drivers of habitat loss. Her role as coordinator of the organization’s Population and Habitat Program takes Audubon a significant step further: advocating for integration of population, health and environment programs throughout the world.

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Kathleen Mogelgaard Assistant Director, Government Relations National Audubon Society

Dr. Winifride Mwebesa, the Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor at Save the Children, based in Washington DC. In her current position...read further

In Saving Mothers -- Saving Children, she details the strategies used by Save the Children to safeguard the well-being of vulnerable children by attending to the reproductive health care of young women.

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Dr. Winifride Mwebesa,
Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor,
Save the Children

In "Un-Glamourous Lies About Women's Health," Glamour's Deputy Editor for Health, Wendy Naugle reviews that magazine's article which states: 'Political groups tell [lies about women health], the government buys them—and worst of all, your doctor may pass them on to you. Alarmed? You should be.'

As Deputy Editor, Health at GLAMOUR magazine, Ms. Naugle oversees all health and fitness coverage in the magazine. See further about her experience.


Wendy Naugle,
Deputy Editor, Health
at Glamour

The May 2008 episode of Future Choices features Rachael Pine and Lisa Landau who introduce us to New York City's Nurse-Family Partnership Program. This undertaking pairs first-time mothers from low-income families with skilled and caring nurses who serve as mentors to the young women from mid-pregnancy through the child’s second birthday. | MORE about the program

Rachael Pine, as director of the Fund for Public Health, is working with NYC's NFP to scale up to reach needy first-time moms throughout the city. | More about Rachael.

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Rachael N. Pine, J.D.
Executive Director
Fund for Public Health in New York

In “UNFPA: Promoting Health for Women Worldwide” Anika Rahman spells out the many ways in which UNFPA engenders health and dignity for women everywhere.

Anika Rahman, a well-known international women’s rights advocate , assumed the leadership of Americans for UNFPA in July 2004. For more than ten years, Ms. Rahman has monitored and analyzed United States and international population policies that affect the reproductive rights and health of women. As President of Americans for UNFPA, she oversees education, advocacy, and fundraising on behalf of the United Nations Population Fund. -->>Read further.

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Anika Rahman,
CEO, Americans for UNFPA

In "Columbia University - New Strategy to Fight AIDS in Africa" Dr. Allan Rosenfield, Dean of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, describes the "tsunami that is happening every day in Africa”: the AIDS epidemic, but offers hope that with the wise infusion of support from the U.S. and other European nations we can plausibly hope for victory over this disease within our lifetime.

Once he completed medical school and his residency program in obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Rosenfield proceeded directly to Nigeria and launched a distinguished career devoted to the improvement of women's health in the developing world. He is now one of the foremost leaders in reproductive health and widely acclaimed in the U.S. and internationally.
His achievements were chronicled in the Winter Issue of P&S. See: "Allan Rosenfield: Doctor to the World."
Read also an abbreviated CV... of his extraordinary contributions to reproductive health care throughout the world.


Allan Rosenfield, M.D.,
Dean, Mailman School of Public Health

Columbia University

 

Stem cell research offers tremendous prospects for very significant advancement to reduce suffering and to find cures for many of the most debilitating medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, serious burns, diabetes. In “Faith, Compassion, and Stem Cell Research” Rabbi Dennis Ross, Director of Concerned Clergy for Choice in Albany, clarifies what this important research is and isn’t, and underscores the compelling moral imperatives for pursuing this exciting scientific endeavor.

As director of Concerned Clergy for Choice for The Education Fund of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, Rabbi Ross coordinates an interfaith network of 1000 clergy in support of reproductive rights. He is also one of the rabbis of Temple Emanuel of Worcester, MA and has served synagogues in New York, Washington, DC, and Massachusetts. Read further.

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Rabbi Dennis S. Ross
Director
Concerned Clergy for Choice

Erika Sinclair was a Program Associate for the Maternity Care Program at EngenderHealth 2002-2006. Read More...

In "With Love, Labor, Loss, EngenderHealth Campaigns Against Fistula" Erika recounts her observations of the horrific impact of obstetric fistula on women in Niger (West Africa) and the program of action which EngenderHealth has undertaken to improve their prospects for productive lives.

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Erika Sinclair
EngenderHealth

Fran Snedeker's interest in reproductive rights was piqued by her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960's. Little did she know then that she was on her way to becoming Producer of "Future Choices." Read More...

Fran launched the LMC-TV educational series, "Future Choices," in the spring of 2004 to promote public awareness of and concern about pivotal reproductive health issues. Read More...


Fran Snedeker, Producer

Andrea Stewart-Cousins joined Future Choices in October 2006 to explain what she means when she asserts that "Albany is still broken."

At the time she appeared on Future Choices, Andrea Stewart-Cousins was a candidate for New York State Senate in the 35th District. Her updated biography subsequent to her election to that seat is found here.


Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Westchester County Legislator

Joan Trant, Deputy Executive Director of The Resource Foundation, first served on Foundation's Board for almost three years before joining staff in January 1998. She has 15 years' experience in international banking, including work in the Mexican and Argentine markets. Read More...

 


Joan Trant
The Resource Foundation

Lisa Winjum, JD, joined Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in March 2005 where she oversees government relations, advocacy, communications, and marketing activities.
Prior to joining the PPHP staff...Read More...

In “Reproductive Rights -- Crossroads in the Courts” Ms. Winjum, Director, Public Affairs and Communications at Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, asserts that the most pressing issues endangering our reproductive rights are the Ayotte v Planned Parenthood case currently pending before the Supreme Court, and the nomination of Samuel Alito. Read further.

 


Lisa Winjum, JD
Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic