Speakers

Janet is a nationally known and respected public health management and healthcare strategist.  I attach a biographical sketch.  She is:

 

·         A current Trustee of The Ohio State University

·         A current member of the OSU-Wexner Medical Center Board

·         A recent member of the AARP board, and its National Policy Council

·         A former Chief Operating Officer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

·         A former vice president and then COO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Columbus-based author, Shawnie Kelley is a travel and food writer who has published three books, including Discover Cape Cod, Insiders’ Guide to Columbus and It Happened on Cape Cod. She also is the Resident Chef, and oversees the culinary program for Sur La Table at Easton Town Center in Columbus. A passion for history, culture, and cuisine underlies all of her work. She is currently writing a femme-focused journey through France titled, The Woman’s Guide: France, due out in 2018. Shawnie is Owner and Travel Director of Wanderlust Tours, specializing in culinary and cultural travel. Her academic background is in Art History and while working for Historic Scotland and English Heritage, she developed an expertise in medieval architecture. Many articles about castles, cathedrals and sculpture have been published in English Heritage and Historic Scotland magazines and also in guidebooks sold at their historic sites.

As retiring Detroit Firefighter David Parnell famously said, “I wish my head could forget what my eyes have seen.”

After the tragic deaths of Westerville (OH) Police Officers Tony Morelli and Eric Joering, retired Westerville Police Officer Mike Pavolino and Retired Columbus Officer Mick Yinger realized that we do such a great job supporting the families and community when a First Responder dies in the line of duty, as we should and will continue to do. First Responders' Bridge identified a need to extend this support to the First Responder that experiences a single traumatic event or the one that has built up years of stress. As First Responders stress and traumatic events become a regular part of what we do, which leads to problems in our personal and our professional lives.

First Responders' Bridge, Corp. is a non-profit made up of First Responders who have experienced traumatic events first hand, clinicians who have counseled numerous First Responders and business and community leaders who have a heart for helping our First Responder heroes and their families.

Featured in January 2017’s Rotarian Magazine, New York Times best-selling author Andra Watkins chose a crazy way to launch her debut novel. She's one of the only living persons to walk the 444-mile Natchez Trace as the pioneers did, and she did it with an unconventional wing-man, her 80-year-old father. Her life-changing adventure inspired her New York Times best-selling memoir Not Without My Father, which chronicles their experience. Andra is also the author of four other successful books, and is an active and celebrated Rotarian, having served in a number of leadership positions at Eastern South Carolina area clubs.