Staff Bios

Wendy Everett, ScD

Dr. Wendy Everett plays a leading role in creating NEHI’s lasting partnerships with other successful national health policy organizations. As President, she works with the board to create NEHI’s vision and strategy, and to communicate it to the outside world. She also provides direction and oversight for NEHI’s many reports and initiatives.

Dr. Everett was appointed as the first President of the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) in July 2002. With over thirty years of experience in the health care field, Dr. Everett brings a unique perspective to NEHI. She has held executive positions at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF) and at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In the 1980s, she directed a national demonstration program for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and subsequently was the Program Director for the national program in health promotion and disease prevention for the Kaiser Family Foundation.

She has served as a consultant to many state and national philanthropic foundations. In the mid 1990’s, she became a Director of the Institute for the Future, leading the Health and Health Care research team for six years and overseeing the creation of ten-year, national forecasts in health/health care. She is a Trustee of many health care and philanthropic boards.

Dr. Everett holds two bachelor of science degrees and master's and doctoral degrees in health policy and management from Harvard University.

Valerie Fleishman

Valerie Fleishman provides the strategic and operational direction for NEHI. Under her thoughtful guidance, NEHI's programs seek to improve chronic illness care, speed the adoption valuable innovations and promote disease prevention and wellness. She has authored numerous articles and reports on a wide range of health policy issues.

Ms. Fleishman has fifteen years experience in health care. Through her background in strategy and management consulting, she brings deep experience in health care research and analysis. Prior to joining NEHI, Ms. Fleishman was a Director in the Health and Wellness practice at Scient Corporation. At Scient, she led engagements with major biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical clients to analyze and execute strategic opportunities in areas such as remote patient monitoring, disease management, online physician platforms, clinical trials and sales and marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining Scient, Ms. Fleishman was a manager in Arthur D. Little's Global Strategy Practice. She has also worked in brand marketing and product management at Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Products.

Ms. Fleishman received her BA, cum laude, from Harvard University and her MBA from the Harvard Business School.

David Fleming

Dave Fleming is Group Senior Vice President and Corporate Officer of Genzyme, which he joined in 1984, following 11 years with Baxter Travenol (now Baxter International). He is responsible for Genzyme’s Diagnostic Products businesses worldwide, as well as special corporate initiatives involving E-Business Strategy and Health Care Policy. Over the past six years, Mr. Fleming has helped to co-found four key New England-based institutions: The Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC), New England Baptist Bone and Joint Institute (NEBJI), HealthPoint (a CareGroup Fitness and Wellness Center), and the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI). In June, 1998, the Mass High Tech Journal recognized Mr. Fleming as a 1998 Mass High Tech All-Star. Mr. Fleming serves on the boards and executive committees of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed, Washington, D.C.), New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH), and MassMEDIC. Mr. Fleming holds a BS degree from the College of Wooster and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Nick King

Nick King works to bring NEHI’s vision to the professional world and the public. He focuses on promoting, publicizing, and getting media coverage for NEHI’s reports and initiatives, and on making sure that NEHI connects with our broad membership base. He also works to make sure that NEHI’s reports reach the health care policy makers.

Nick King brings extensive experience in journalism and communications - including writing, editing and strategic planning - to his role at NEHI, where he is the organization’s first director of communications. He comes to NEHI from the Boston Globe, where he held a series of increasingly high-level positions over 30 years. Most recently he was editor of the newspaper’s opinion page, where he solicited articles from outside experts ranging from Nobel Prize winners to community activists. Prior to that, Mr. King was the editor of the Globe’s special sections, overseeing the conception, production and marketing of ”The New Boston,’’ a special issue published during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Mr. King was also editor of the Boston Globe Magazine and served on a strategic planning committee charged with redesigning and relaunching the weekly publication. In addition, he was editor of the Globe’s feature section and editor of its Sunday 'think’ section. As editor of the paper’s State House and City Hall bureaus, Mr. King organized and directed coverage of the 1984 John Kerry-Ray Shamie US Senate campaign. Prior to these editing positions, he was a reporter whose beats included covering Govs. Michael S. Dukakis and Edward J. King, state and national legal affairs, and metropolitan news. Before joining the Globe, he was a reporter at the Berkshire Eagle in Western Massachusetts.

During the course of his journalism career, Mr. King has won numerous awards for excellence, including from the Sunday Magazine Editors Association, the Society for News design, and the Art Directors Club. In 1975, he was a member of the Globe team covering the school busing crisis in Boston, for which the paper received the Pulitzer Prize for public service, considered journalism’s most prestigious award.

Mr. King is a graduate of Harvard University with a BA in English.

Judy Ozbun

Judy Ozbun focuses on member and resource development to support NEHI’s mission. As the primary liaison to members, she works to identify the value NEHI provides to our membership and partners, while incorporating members’ needs into our strategic programming. She identifies ways to engage members, partners and prospects.

Ms. Ozbun has extensive experience in corporate philanthropy and community investment programs, as well as non-profit board leadership. Prior to joining NEHI, Ms. Ozbun established the global community relations operations at the Genzyme Corporation. During her 11 years with the company, she negotiated and managed a $2 million partnership with the Boston Museum of Science to invest in biotechnology education programs; led senior executive committees in corporate responses to major disasters such as 9/11, the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina; and created the company’s employee-driven volunteer program, which is a model of giving for the life sciences industry.

Ms. Ozbun is chair of the board of directors for the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, providing direction and oversight for K-12 and workforce training programs in the life sciences. Previously, she served on the board of directors of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair (MSSEF), and continues to serve in an advisory capacity to MSSEF and other nonprofit organizations. She has also served as an inaugural member of the Community Investment Leadership Roundtable of the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College.

Ms. Ozbun makes presentations regularly at forums and conferences nationally, including the Harvard University Social Enterprise Conference, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Women in Development, and Center for Nonprofit Success.

Ms. Ozbun received her BA in English from the University of Wyoming and her MBA from Boston University.

Tom Hubbard

Tom Hubbard’s principal work at NEHI focuses on the role of healthcare in economic development in Massachusetts. Mr. Hubbard’s work in healthcare policy with NEHI helps to transform healthcare by highlighting the benefits of rewarding prevention and improving care of chronic conditions .

Mr. Hubbard came to NEHI after seven years at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), where he led industry-focused projects and supervised the annual publication of the MTC Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy. His work has included supervising the I-495 Technology Corridor Partnership, an industry-municipal collaboration on growth, and leading projects on broadband deployment, federal research funding advocacy, and nanotechnology.

Previously, Mr. Hubbard served as Executive Assistant for Economic Affairs to U.S. Senator John Kerry, as Deputy Director of Development for Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, and as Director of Community Development and Planning for the City of Gardner, Massachusetts.

He is a graduate of Harvard College and holds a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg, PhD

Elizabeth Teisberg is co-author of Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results. She is a tenured member of the faculty of the University of Virginia, in the Darden Graduate School of Business. Dr. Teisberg received the Wachovia award for outstanding research in 2006 and Frederick S Morton award for Leadership in 2004. Professors Porter and Teisberg received the American College of Healthcare Executive’s Book of the Year Award for 2007.

Dr. Teisberg speaks nationally and internationally on health care strategy and policy. She is a Senior Institute Associate at the Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness. She is a member of the Global Changing Diabetes Advisory Board, and co-chair of the Aspen Health Stewardship Advisory Board.

Dr. Teisberg’s ongoing research and teaching addresses health sector innovation, focusing on the implementation of Redefining Health Care. She and Prof. Porter have recently developed an entirely new course on Redefining Health Care Delivery. She also is the designer of Darden’s elective course on Innovation, and was previously the Course Head for the school’s required MBA courses on Strategy and on Operations Management. While on the faculty at Harvard, she taught the MBA required course in Strategy and the elective on Technology and Strategy. In addition to her health sector research, Dr. Teisberg’s publications have focused on strategy, real options, and environmentally sustainable innovation. She is also co-author of The Portable MBA, which has been published in five languages, as well as about 50 cases and articles.

Dr. Teisberg earned her Ph.D. in engineering-economic systems from Stanford University. She also holds a Master of Engineering from the University of Virginia in systems engineering and an A.B. degree, summa cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Pamela Milton

Pamela Milton is the administrative genius behind NEHI’s success. She works in a variety of areas and oversees recruiting, training and supervising administrative help, administration of benefits, vendor relations and space management. She also works with outside experts to arrange meetings and conferences.

Ms. Milton has extensive administrative, finance, technology, and office management experience in both non-profit and educational organizations. Prior to joining NEHI, she served as Senior Executive Assistant to the President of Citizens International, the non-profit energy services consulting firm headed by former U.S. Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II. Ms. Milton also served as the Senior Staff Accountant to the Chief Financial Officer at Citizens Energy Corporation. Her positions at Citizens required a great deal of contact in the U.S. and abroad with foundations, ambassadors, ministers and presidential offices.

Before joining Citizens, Ms. Milton served as the Senior Staff Accountant for Arichelle Technologies and the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. She is also a five-time United States Dance and Figure Skating Champion and Gold Medalist.

Cecelia Wu

Cecelia Wu focuses on NEHI’s Medical Innovation program, specifically the Fast Adoption of Significant Technologies (FAST) initiative where she works to identify underutilized medical technologies that have a high potential to improve health care quality and reduce costs. Under Ms. Wu’s management, the FAST initiative provides independent research and promotes wider adoption of significant technologies.

Ms. Wu has extensive knowledge and experience in health care reimbursement policy across all major health care services. She came to NEHI after six years at Partners HealthCare System where she led a team of analysts to provide financial impact analysis and expert guidance on Medicare, Medicaid and Massachusetts Health Care Reform policy.

Prior to Partners HealthCare, Ms. Wu worked for the Massachusetts Division of Healthcare Finance and Policy as a Rate Setting and Policy analyst. She also served on the board of Our Bodies Ourselves as the Treasurer.

Cecelia Wu has a B.A. in Biology/Chemistry from New College and a MPH from Boston University.

Jennifer Handt

Jennifer Handt works to publicly promote NEHI’s research and initiatives, developing and disseminating critical messages regarding the organization’s efforts to key audiences including media, members and policy makers.

Prior to joining NEHI, Ms. Handt was senior manager for the Executive Communications team at Fidelity Investments, where she secured executive speaking engagements and produced communications materials to promote retirement savings. Previously, she was deputy director of communications for the Business Roundtable, a Washington, DC-based lobbying association of FORTUNE 200 CEOs, where she worked to enhance the Roundtable’s public profile and increase awareness of its issues among key audiences.

Ms. Handt has also held public relations roles with Boston-based firms Brodeur Worldwide and Solomon McCown & Company. She previously worked in the Cause Marketing/Development division of The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, supporting cause marketing program development and management for Dana-Farber’s fundraising arm, The Jimmy Fund.

Ms. Handt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in English and communications from Simmons College, where she received the Mariana Evans Creel Prize for Journalism.

Emily Rice

Emily Rice works on both the membership and the communications efforts at NEHI. She focuses on enhancing our contacts and networks.

Ms. Rice was a membership representative at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, where she was responsible for recruiting and retaining members.

She received her BA in Communication Studies from the University of Missouri and her MA in Organizational and Corporate Communications from Emerson College.

Brian Schuetz

Brian Schuetz’s work at NEHI is focused on the FAST initiative and the organization’s work examining the impact of comparative effectiveness research on innovation in the U.S. healthcare system.

Brian’s experience is focused in health policy research and development, specifically in the areas of health care reform, women’s health, elder health, and prescription drug issues. Prior to joining NEHI, he worked in the Public Sector Strategy and Operations Practice at Deloitte Consulting. Previously, he served as Acting and Assistant Director of the Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and as Research Fellow for the Heinz Family Philanthropies, a health and environmental policy organization in Washington, DC

Brian holds a bachelors degree in Political Science from Tufts University and received his Masters of Science in Public Policy from the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom.

Jesse McCormick

Jesse McCormick’s work at NEHI is focused on the FAST and the Healthy People Healthy Economy initiatives. He provides vital research on both projects and works with both the NEHI team and outside experts to put forth the best health policy recommendations. Jesse McCormick has experience in health research and advocacy. Previously, he worked at the Access Project, a community action organization that is a research affiliate of the Schneider Institute for Health Policy at Brandeis University, and at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, where he concentrated on research and policy. Mr. McCormick also has experience with state government from his duties as a legislative aide for State Representative Carl Sciortino Jr. (D-Somerville). Mr. McCormick graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University, where he received his B.A. as a Political Science and Community Health double major.

Sonia Furtado

Sonia Furtado provides key support to NEHI’s team leaders. She manages schedules and travel plans. In addition, Ms. Furtado provides vital support on event planning, and helps train and orient new personnel.

Prior to joining NEHI, Ms. Furtado was a sales supervisor at Charles David of California and a productivity consultant at Franklin Covey Co. While working in retail, Ms. Furtado learned what exceptional customer service meant, trained new employees on sales standards and educated them on product knowledge. Ms. Furtado was also a camp counselor for five consecutive summers at the Cambridge Youth Enrichment Program, a non-profit camp run by Phillips Brooks House Association that offers affordable camp for children in Cambridge.

She is currently finishing her Associate’s Degree in Business at Bunker Hill Community College.

Shanice Douglas

Shanice Douglas provides direct support to the Director of Operations, Program staff and Administrative team.

Prior to joining NEHI, Ms. Douglas was a receptionist at Cambridge Cares About AIDS, a non-profit organization based in Cambridge. While there, she handled a busy phone line, managed appointments within the office and also had the opportunity to train and support the administrative assistant. Ms. Douglas was also the assistant manager at Cleary Square Market, where she learned the importance of superb customer service.

Ms. Douglas attends Bunker Hill Community College to earn her Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Erin Mann

Erin Mann’s work at NEHI is focused on the FAST initiative; primarily Rapid Point of Care testing for HIV. She provides the background research vital to present and future NEHI projects and initiatives.

Previously she worked at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, a public policy research center at the University of Illinois, where she conducted research on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Ms. Mann also has experience in health advocacy as a volunteer hotline advocate at the Champaign County Health Care Consumers, an organization that works to promote healthcare access for all.

Ms. Mann graduated cum laude in 2007 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she received her B.A. in International Studies with a focus on French and International Health. As part of her undergraduate coursework, Ms. Mann also studied abroad in Senegal where she interned at a rural health clinic. She is currently pursuing a MPH with a concentration in International Health at Boston University.

Jason Potteiger

Jason Potteiger provides key support for NEHI’s Communications Team and works to improve the organization’s visibility on the regional and national level.

Prior to joining NEHI, Mr. Potteiger worked as a congressional political intern at The Bonner Group, a fundraising firm in Washington, D.C., where he gained experience in political communication and research. In D.C. he also studied campaign planning at The George Washington University’s Semester in Washington program. He is President of the Honors Council at Suffolk University and regularly competes on their speech and debate team.

He is currently working towards a B.S. in both Political Science and Advertising at Suffolk University, and expects to graduate in May 2009.