Louise Akin, RN, BSN

A clinical content coordinator, writer, and editor, Ms. Akin has more than 13 years of nursing experience, primarily in cardiovascular surgical step-down unit and intensive care unit (ICU) in a major academic hospital setting. She served as a member of the Residency Preceptor Program, mentoring new nurses in the cardiovascular ICU. She has worked as a telephone triage nurse in the cardiovascular area, providing patient education and management of pro-times. Ms. Akin has directed staff orientation and development of the Right Heart Cath program and services at a major medical institution. Ms. Akin is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Andrew Bailey, RN, BSN, MEd

A clinical content writer and editor, Mr. Bailey has more than 12 years of nursing experience within a variety of clinical areas. He served as an infectious disease clinical nurse specialist at a major teaching hospital clinic, and as a senior clinic nurse in the digestive diseases division. He worked as a staff nurse on the solid organ transplant unit at a major teaching hospital and on the neurosciences unit of an area hospital. He was the senior nurse in a private practice internal medicine clinic, and, prior to nursing school, Mr. Bailey earned a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in community counseling.

Sherry Baker

A freelance writer and editor, Ms. Baker is a highly experienced and widely published science, health, and medical writer based in Atlanta, Ga. She has written for academic audiences, scientists, nurses, physicians, and health care consumers. Ms. Baker's experience includes feature articles, hard news columns, monographs, case studies ("ghosting" for doctors), newsletters (both for physicians and for lay people), press releases, video scripts, public service announcements, and more. Ms. Baker has more than 3,000 feature stories, interviews, columns, and investigative reports published in a wide variety of local, national, and international magazines, newspapers, and newsletters, including Newsweek, Discover, Health, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Yoga Journal, Optometry, Atlanta, Arthritis Today, Reader's Digest, and Natural Healing Newsletter. She has also written dozens of articles for UCLA's Healthy Years newsletter, Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Focus on Healthy Aging newsletter, and the Cleveland Clinic's Men's Health Advisor newsletter.

Nancy A. Bowers, RN, BSN, MPH

Ms. Bowers is a freelance editor and writer with more than 30 years of nursing experience in labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care, newborn nursery, health care consulting, in vitro fertilization, childbirth, diabetes, and prenatal education. Ms. Bowers is a published author of several textbooks, pamphlets, and journal articles. She has presented on a national and local level to professional organizations. Ms. Bowers is the president of Marvelous Multiples, Inc.

Carolyn S. Brown, RN, MN, CCRN, CNS

Ms. Brown is a freelance editor who has more than 30 years of nursing experience in oncology, critical care, cardiopulmonary, and cardiology in two academic medical center settings. Ms. Brown received a certification as a critical care nurse in 1986 and became a certified clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in 1990. Ms. Brown is a clinical coordinator of cardiology for a major academic medical center in metro Atlanta.

Sylvia Byrd, RN, BSN, MBA

Ms. Byrd has several years of clinical experience in medical, cardiac, and critical care nursing. Ms. Byrd has worked as a case manager of complex medical cases and disease management. Her experiences also include medical consulting and training with several large health care payor organizations. Ms. Byrd is a certified legal nurse consultant and has assisted in several medico-legal litigation cases.

Lisa Day

With more than 12 years of experience editing health content, Ms. Day manages About Your Health, a syndicated product produced by SCC. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism and advertising from Southern Illinois University.

Carrie DeVries

Ms. DeVries has been a health editor since 2004. She manages SCC's podcasts and online newsletters as well as Regarding Health Outbound, SCC's monthly e-mail newsletter product. Ms. DeVries has a bachelor's degree in English from Hope College.

Christine Dominick

Ms. Dominick has 11 years of experience editing health content. She manages About Your Health, a syndicated product produced by SCC. Ms. Dominick has a Bachelor of Science degree in English from Ball State University. She is currently working on her MBA at Colorado State University.

Stephanie English

Ms. English is a health and wellness editor and writer with experience writing for Medicaid and general consumer audiences. She has extensive experience writing and editing women's health, parenting, and low-literacy articles. Before joining SCC in 1993, she was a newspaper reporter.

Joy Fincannon, RN, MS

Ms. Fincannon is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist and an oncology-certified nurse. She has worked in a variety of clinical practice settings for 30 years. Ms. Fincannon has worked as a medical editor, developing, editing, and managing Internet health content for national organizations and companies for the last eight years. She has clinical experience in medical/surgical intensive care, oncology care, diabetes research, hospice and palliative care, psychiatric, and psychiatric liaison nursing. Additionally, Ms. Fincannon has been published in numerous professional oncology journals. She has coauthored two books, Couples Confronting Cancer: Keeping Your Relationship Strong and Cancer in the Family: Helping Children Cope With a Parent's Illness. Ms. Fincannon has also maintained a private practice in mental health counseling for a diverse consumer population for many years.

Cara Finnegan

A writer and editor since 2005 specializing in health care, business, parenting, and consumer issues. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ithaca College and a graduate certificate in publishing from Emerson College.

Laura B. Fiveash, DrPH, MPH, RD

A freelance editor, Ms. Fiveash has held several positions in the field of clinical nutrition for major health care centers. She is a teaching assistant in the Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health at a major teaching medical institution in Birmingham, Ala.

Barbara Floria

Ms. Floria is the senior writer for Vitality magazine; she served as Vitality's editor from its founding in 1987 until 2009. She produces much of the content for Vitality and six quarterly special supplements covering self care and prevention, substance abuse, back care and ergonomics, chronic conditions, healthy weight maintenance, and senior health issues. She has also written 25 single-topic wellness brochures. Prior to coming to SCC, Ms. Floria held editorial positions at MD Magazine and Cosmopolitan. She has been a professional journalist for more than 30 years.

Laurie Fronek

A freelance writer and editor since 1995, Ms. Fronek specializes in health and medical topics. Ms. Fronek's work includes numerous articles on subjects such as exercise, stress reduction, disease prevention, disease detection, and disease management. She also served as an editor and content producer for the website OnHealth.com.

Sara Foster, RN, MPH

The director of clinical content, editor, and writer for SCC, Ms. Foster has spent many years in critical care nursing, primarily in the specialty of cardiovascular surgical ICU in academic medical center settings. She was certified in critical care nursing by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for 21 years until leaving active clinical practice. Ms. Foster held a management position at a heart center located in metro Atlanta, where she developed patient and staff educational materials. She coauthored a self-paced learning program for heart failure patients that was used in a joint-venture educational program with UnitedHealthcare. Ms. Foster holds a master's degree in public health, in the area of health policy and management.

Kelly Gaskin, RN, MSN, CPNP

Ms. Gaskin is a freelance editor for SCC who works as a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) at one of the major teaching hospitals in the metro Atlanta area.

Sarah E. Goodwin, BS, BA

For the past 25 years, Ms. Goodwin has been involved in health care and higher education communications, as well as directing media relations for several major academic institutions, organizations, and health care facilities. Ms. Goodwin currently serves as an assistant vice president and director of media relations at a major academic institution in the metro Atlanta area.

Lee Jenkins

A freelance editor for SCC

Jennifer Kanipe, RN, BSN,

A freelance reviewer and editor for SCC since 2008, Ms. Kanipe has been a nurse for 10 years. Ms. Kanipe has nursing experience in pediatric critical care, surgery, internal medicine, and nursing informatics.

Teresa A. Lyle, RN, MSN, CPNP

Ms. Lyle is a freelance editor for SCC. She has 30 years of pediatric nursing experience in critical care, neurology, neonatology, and cardiology. Ms. Lyle received her certification as an advanced practice nurse in 1994, and has been a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) in the Department of Neonatology and Neurology for several major academic institutions. She is a published author of teaching guides, textbook chapters, and journal articles. Ms. Lyle is currently working as an advanced practice nurse in an adult congenital program at a major teaching hospital in the metro Atlanta area.

Greg McConnell

Mr. McConnell has four years of experience editing health content, and, before joining the SCC team, he worked for the American Academy of Pediatrics. He manages SCC's podcasts and online newsletters. Mr. McConnell has a computer science degree from the University of Illinois.

J. Stephen McIver

Mr. McIver is the executive editor for print content. He edits the wellness magazine Health and You, the parenting newsletter Starting Out Healthy, and other publications. Since he joined SCC in 1997, its publications and websites have won more than 600 awards in industry contests. Mr. McIver previously spent two decades reporting and editing award-winning stories on health and other topics for newspapers in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware.

Roberta Mitchell, RN, MSN, CPNP

Ms. Mitchell is a freelance editor for SCC who works as a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) at one of the major teaching hospitals in the metro Atlanta area.

Jill Moore

Ms. Moore has been editing health content for SCC since 2008. She manages SCC's podcasts and online newsletters on women's health, breast health, and kids' health. Ms. Moore holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional writing with a concentration in editing and publishing from Michigan State University.

Tom Nugent

As a health writer and editor, Mr. Nugent has reported for publications including the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Mother Jones Magazine, The Nation, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) News, and People Magazine. Mr. Nugent is the author of five books, including an investigative volume on health and safety problems in the Appalachian coalfields (Death At Buffalo Creek, W.W. Norton). He also wrote Breakthroughs in American Medicine (2005), published by the Detroit Medical Center Press.

Jennifer M. Pasley, RN, MSN, CPNP

Ms. Pasley has more than 12 years of pediatric nursing experience in critical care. She received her certification as an advanced practice nurse in 2001, and was a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) in the Department of Neurology for a major academic institution in metro Atlanta for four years. Ms. Pasley is currently a PNP in emergency medicine for a major pediatric health care facility.

Colleen W. Peach, RN, MSN, CS, FNP

Ms. Peach is a freelance editor with 22 years of nursing experience in neurology. She received her certification as an advanced practice nurse in 1999 and is a family nurse practitioner (FNP) in the Department of Neurology for a major academic institution in metro Atlanta.

Mary L. Peppers

Ms. Peppers' expertise includes medical issues involving women's and children's health, preventive medicine, pharmaceuticals, and behavioral change. Prior to freelancing, she was the marketing communications manager for Foundation Health in Sacramento, editor of California Pharmacist magazine, and a newspaper and radio news reporter.

Daphne Pierce-Smith, RN, MSN, FNP, CCRC

Daphne is a coordinator of clinical content, editor, and health content writer for StayWell Customs Communication (SCC).  She also serves as the chairperson for SCC Quality Oversight Committee. During her 22 years in the nursing profession, she has held several leadership positions – charge nurse, nurse manager, research manager, lead research coordinator, change agent, educator - for school of medicines, teaching hospitals, universities, and health care institutions. Ms. Pierce-Smith has been a pediatric nursing instructor at a major university, and adjunct faculty in the Clinical Research Professionals program at a college in the metro Atlanta area. Daphne also functioned as a guest researcher for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) while working at Emory University School of Medicine for almost eight years. Ms. Pierce-Smith has sat on several regulatory, academic, state, and national boards, as well as a local institutional review board (research).  For several years, she sat on the Commission for Nursing Practice for Georgia Nursing Association and wrote articles for their official publication, Georgia Nursing.  Daphne also sat on the executive board of the Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Nurses (APGNN), and served as the chairperson of their research committee for four years. She has been a member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) for ten years, and served as a Georgia ambassador for six years. Ms. Pierce-Smith is a published author; has written chapters in two gastroenterology (GI) textbooks and one clinical GI handbook; and has co-authored numerous abstracts, manuscripts, and medical and nursing articles.  Daphne holds a master's of science degree in nursing in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track. She is a certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC), and has recently completed a two-year certification program in healthcare management.

Ed Rademaekers

Mr. Rademaekers served as the vice president of editorial for SCC Electronic Solutions Group. He developed the original versions of the site's medical encyclopedia and wellness library.

Kelly Reynolds, RD, LD

A freelance editor for SCC, Ms. Reynolds has held several positions in the field of clinical nutrition for major health care centers. Ms. Reynolds is a consulting dietitian for multiple long-term care and assisted living facilities in Birmingham, Ala.

Laura Semko

Ms. Semko has more than 10 years of writing and editing experience, with more than four years editing health content. She manages Regarding Women, a syndicated product produced by SCC. Ms. Semko has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University and a Master of Arts degree in writing from DePaul University.

Dianna Sinovic

A senior editor for SCC, Ms. Sinovic has been an editor and writer for more than 20 years, including nine years at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kimberly A. Stump-Sutliff, RN, MSN

A freelance editor for SCC since 2007, Ms. Stump-Sutliff has been a nurse for 17 years, and is certified as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in oncology. Ms. Stump-Sutliff is an associate medical editor for the American Cancer Society (ACS) Health Promotion Department in metro Atlanta. She also publishes booklets, pamphlets, and medical information for ACS.

Jane Sweetwood, RN, MN

A freelance editor for SCC, Ms. Sweetwood spent several years in critical care nursing before becoming a nursing instructor at a major academic institution located in metro Atlanta. Ms. Sweetwood has held various nursing and administrative positions in critical care, cardiovascular, and surgical departments at two major teaching hospitals. She has been a clinical educator for Hewlett-Packard's critical care division and Codman, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Ms. Sweetwood is currently the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) for PeriAnesthesia at a major teaching hospital in the metro Atlanta area.

Paul E. Terry, PhD

Mr. Terry is the president and chief operating officer of StayWell Health Management.

Kim Uhas, RN, MSN, CPNP

Ms. Uhas is a freelance editor for SCC who works as a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) at one of the major teaching hospital in the metro Atlanta area. She is certified in high-risk perinatal nursing by the American Nurses Association, and is also certified as a genetics counselor by the American Board of Medical Genetics.

Vicki White, RN, MSN

A freelance editor for SCC, Ms. White has more than 22 years of nursing and leadership experience in urology, neurology, orthopedics, cardiology, and post-anesthesia care in an academic medical center and major health care institutions. She is the director of three care units (post-anesthesia, transitional, and endoscopy) at a major teaching hospital in the metro Atlanta area. Ms. White is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nursing.

Pamela Wilcox, RDH

With nearly 20 years of experience as a dental hygienist, Ms. Wilcox reviews SCC's oral health content.

Tracey Wilds, RN, CNS

A freelance editor for SCC since 2008, Ms. Wilds works as a clinical nurse specialist in gastroenterology at a major academic medical center in metro Atlanta.

Louise Akin, RN, BSN

A clinical content coordinator, writer, and editor, Ms. Akin has more than 13 years of nursing experience, primarily in cardiovascular surgical ICU in a major academic hospital setting. She served as a member of the residency preceptor program, mentoring new nurses into the cardiovascular ICU. She has worked as a telephone triage nurse in the cardiovascular area providing patient education and management of pro-times. She has directed staff orientation and development of the Right Heart Cath program and services at a major medical institution. Ms. Akin is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Marianne Aleardi

After beginning her career in a hospital setting, Ms. Aleardi has spent more than 20 years as a health writer. She founded the newsletter publishing company DR. PUBLICATIONS and served as editor of Philadelphia's Hospital & Healthcare News. She also has been a contributing writer for Nursing Spectrum and editor of the lifestyles publication SJ Magazine.

Linda Wasmer Andrews

Ms. Andrews is freelance writer who has specialized in writing about health, medicine, and mental health since 1982. In addition to being a frequent SCC contributor, Ms. Andrews has written for magazines such as Consumers Digest, Heart Healthy Living, Parenting, Psychology Today, and Self. She also authored and/or coauthored 13 books, including six books about adolescent mental health for Oxford University Press. Ms. Andrews has a master's degree in psychology.

Andrew Bailey, RN, BSN, MEd

A clinical content writer and editor, Mr. Bailey has more than 12 years of nursing experience within a variety of clinical areas. He served as an infectious disease clinical nurse specialist at a major teaching hospital clinic, and as a senior clinic nurse in the digestive diseases division. He worked as a staff nurse on the solid organ transplant unit at a major teaching hospital and on the neurosciences unit of an area hospital. He was the senior nurse in a private practice internal medicine clinic, and, prior to nursing school, Mr. Bailey earned a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in community counseling.

Sherry Baker

A freelance writer and editor, Ms. Baker is a highly experienced and widely published science, health, and medical writer based in Atlanta. She has written for academic audiences, scientists, nurses, physicians, and health care consumers. Ms. Baker's experience includes feature articles, hard news columns, monographs, case studies ("ghosting" for doctors), newsletters (both for physicians and for lay people), press releases, video scripts, public service announcements, and more. Ms. Baker has more than 3,000 feature stories, interviews, columns, and investigative reports published in a wide variety of local, national, and international magazines, newspapers, and newsletters, including Newsweek, Discover, Health, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Yoga Journal, Optometry, Atlanta, Arthritis Today, Reader's Digest, and Natural Healing Newsletter. She has also written dozens of articles for UCLA's Healthy Years newsletter, Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Focus on Healthy Aging newsletter, and the Cleveland Clinic's Men's Health Advisor newsletter.

Joanne Barker

Ms. Barker is a freelance writer and producer who specializes in behavior change, fitness, mental health issues, and smoking cessation. She earned a Master of Science degree in health communication from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Bruce E. Beans

Mr. Beans is a freelance writer who specializes in health and the environment. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The London Times, Reader's Digest, Audubon, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia magazine, and magazines of the Pan American Health Organization and the American Psychological Association. He has been a writer for SCC since 1985.

Bev Bennett

A freelance writer who specializes in nutrition, Ms. Bennett is a former food editor of the Chicago Sun-Times. She writes an online health and nutrition column distributed to newspapers' websites through the Content That Works Syndicate and develops recipes for www.weightwatchers.com. Her healthy recipes are featured weekly and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. Ms. Bennett is also coauthor of the Dictionary of Healthful Food Terms (Barron's, 1997).

Molly Brennan

Ms. Brennan has written health and fitness articles, business and career articles, profiles, and Web content for a variety of clients, including Gymamerica.com, a health and fitness website; The Practical Guide to Practically Everything, an annual Random House publication with a national circulation of more than 300,000; and the University of Chicago. Ms. Brennan worked as executive editor for a national custom health care publisher, where she edited custom newsletters and magazines for hospitals and health systems. She worked with hospitals' marketing and public relations teams to develop communications goals. Ms. Brennan wrote health news and features, covering the latest developments in women's health, heart care, cancer care, and disease management. She also created custom Web content. Ms. Brennan worked as a senior writer for Crain's Modern Physician, covering technology, finance, public policy, and legal news for a monthly magazine read by health care executives. She worked as associate editor of the New Physician, covering medical news, public policy, and social and ethical issues for the award-winning monthly magazine read by 28,000 medical students, residents, and educators. Ms. Brennan also worked as a senior Web editor for Arthur Anderson and editor of DIVIDENDS, a custom, bimonthly publication for 300,000 small business owners.

Diane Bones

Ms. Bones is a freelance writer who has been specializing in health issues for 20 years. Since 1990, she has contributed to numerous SCC publications. She also teaches a writing humor course at Temple University's main campus in Philadelphia, a position she has held since 1983.

Nancy A. Bowers, RN, BSN, MPH

Ms. Bowers is a freelance editor and writer with more than 30 years of nursing experience in labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care, newborn nursery, health care consulting, in vitro fertilization, childbirth, diabetes, and prenatal education. Ms. Bowers is a published author of several textbooks, pamphlets, and journal articles. She has presented on a national and local level to professional organizations. Ms. Bowers is the president of Marvelous Multiples, Inc.

Bruce Boyle

Mr. Boyle is a former reporter, writer, and columnist for The Philadelphia Bulletin, San Diego Union, and Philadelphia Daily News. He has worked as a freelance writer for various local and national publications; as an investor relations writer for numerous public companies; and as a communications consultant and crisis media manager for some of the country's largest corporations.

Jeffrey Bramnick

Mr. Bramnick is an award-winning freelance writer who has specialized in health and science since 1989. He was a newspaper reporter and editor for 14 years, specializing in health and science the last several years. He is a former executive editor for SCC and he has written for Health and You and other SCC publications since 1992. Mr. Bramnick was a writing consultant on a book authored by two medical school deans, and has written for numerous consumer and trade magazines, newsletters, universities, health organizations, and online outlets. He received his Master of Arts in writing from Rowan University in Spring 2008.

Alia Bucciarelli

Ms. Bucciarelli is a freelance health writer who specializes in identifying, interpreting, and summarizing clinical studies for both lay audiences and clinicians. Drawing on a successful career in health care consulting, Ms. Bucciarelli transforms complex technical information into clear, action-oriented articles, brochures, and training materials. Her areas of interest include women's health, pediatric medicine, and nutrition. Prior to becoming a health writer, she was a principal at Covance Health Economics and Outcomes Services, where she provided strategic direction and quality control for a program that helped patients gain access to a pharmaceutical product. She holds a Master of Science degree in health communication from Tufts University School of Medicine and is a member of the American Medical Writers Association, New England Science Writers, and the National Association of Science Writers.

Sylvia Byrd, RN, BSN, MBA

Ms. Byrd has several years of clinical experience in medical, cardiac, and critical care nursing. Ms. Byrd has worked as a case manager of complex medical cases and disease management. Her experiences also include medical consulting and training with several large health care payor organizations. Ms. Byrd is a certified legal nurse consultant and has assisted in several medico-legal litigation cases.

Christina Catron

Ms. Catron is a freelance writer who has worked as a public information officer for the American Medical Association and as a health editor for Britannica.com. Ms. Catron has written for the Boston Scientific Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) Product Performance Report and the Boston Scientific CRM Product Update and Closer Look. She has contributed to the American Medical Association's Roadmaps for Clinical Practice. Ms. Catron holds a Bachelor of Arts in biology from St. Olaf College and has completed graduate coursework at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, where she underwent a Biomedical Specialization quarter. She also completed Pharmaceutical Writing coursework at the University of Chicago.

Steven Cline

A former staff member of the Chicago Sun-Times, Mr. Cline has reported on health, fitness, and sports topics for numerous other magazines and newspapers, including Today's Health, Chicago Baseball, Gametime, The Charlotte Observer, the Newark Star-Ledger, and the New York Daily News.

Barbara Williams Cosentino, RN, LCSW

A registered nurse, clinical social worker, and freelance writer, Ms. Cosentino's articles have appeared in print and online publications since 1972, including The New York Times, Seventeen, Bride's, Medscape, Modern Bride, the Sun Sentinel, BabyCenter.com, BabyZone.com, and others. For five years, she was a contributing writer to Nursing Spectrum, a news magazine for registered nurses. Ms. Cosentino has been writing for SCC since 2005.

Jack Cox

An award-winning former reporter and editor for The Denver Post, Mr. Cox is a freelance writer specializing in health, fitness, and outdoor recreation. He has contributed to SCC publications for more than 10 years, and his work also has appeared in magazines ranging from Paddler to Popular Mechanics. Before embarking on his newspaper career in the early 1970s, he taught journalism for three years at Purdue University. He has a Master of Science degree from the Journalism School at Columbia University.

Donna Debs

Ms. Debs is a freelance writer with more than 30 years of professional experience, including 10 years as a writer, reporter, and editor for KYW News radio in Philadelphia. She has been the recipient of several journalistic awards, and now focuses her writing and personal attention on health and wellness. Ms. Debs is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher with a busy yoga studio. Additionally, she is a "slice-of life" columnist for the Daily Local News in Chester County, Pa. Ms. Debs has been writing for SCC since 1992.

Stephanie English

Ms. English is a health and wellness editor and writer with experience writing for Medicaid and general consumer audiences. She has extensive experience writing and editing women's health, parenting, and low-literacy articles. Before joining SCC in 1993, she was a newspaper reporter.

JoAnn Eudes, RN, MS

Ms. Eudes has more than 35 years of nursing experience. She started her nursing career as a Lieutenant in the Navy Nurse Corps and subsequently has held various leadership and clinical roles in many health care organizations. In addition, Ms. Eudes has served as an assistant professor at a major university, where she received the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year award. Throughout her nursing career, Ms. Eudes has always had a passion for patient and consumer health education. She has many years of experience in medical, surgical, and critical care settings.

Pamela Ferdinand

Ms. Ferdinand is a freelance writer specializing in science and health. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, National Geographic News, and The Miami Herald, among others.

Joy Fincannon, RN, MS

Ms. Fincannon is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist and an oncology-certified nurse. She has worked in a variety of clinical practice settings for 30 years. Ms. Fincannon has worked as a medical editor, developing, editing, and managing Internet health content for national organizations and companies for the last eight years. She has clinical experience in medical surgical intensive care, oncology care, diabetes research, hospice and palliative care, psychiatric, and psychiatric liaison nursing. Additionally, Ms. Fincannon has been published in numerous professional oncology journals. She has coauthored two books, Couples Confronting Cancer: Keeping Your Relationship Strong and Cancer in the Family: Helping Children Cope With a Parent's Illness. Ms. Fincannon has also maintained a private practice in mental health counseling for a diverse consumer population for many years.

Cara Finnegan

A writer and editor since 2005, Ms. Finnegan specializes in health care, business, parenting, and consumer issues. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ithaca College and a graduate certificate in publishing from Emerson College.

Sara Foster, RN, MPH

The director of clinical content, editor, and writer for SCC, Ms. Foster has spent many years in critical care nursing, primarily in the specialty of cardiovascular surgical ICU in academic medical center settings. She was certified in critical care nursing by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for 21 years until leaving active clinical practice. Ms. Foster held a management position at a heart center located in metro Atlanta, where she developed patient and staff educational materials. She coauthored a self-paced learning program for heart failure patients that was used in a joint-venture educational program with UnitedHealthcare. Ms. Foster holds a master's degree in public health, in the area of health policy and management.

Maura Fredey

Ms. Fredey is a freelance writer with eight years of experience writing and editing for health care consumers. Ms. Fredey previously served as a senior editor for several publications for SCC, where she specialized in the Medicaid audience, editing and writing for targeted reading levels. Ms. Fredey writes regularly for The New England Eye Institute and for On Call, a Boston Globe specialty magazine for health care professionals. She is the marketing and public relations manager for a Boston-area community hospital.

Laurie Fronek

A freelance writer and editor since 1995, Ms. Fronek specializes in health and medical topics. Ms. Fronek's work includes numerous articles on subjects such as exercise, stress reduction, disease prevention, disease detection, and disease management. She also served as an editor and content producer for the website OnHealth.com.

Gina Garippo

Ms. Garippo worked as communications manager for SSM Rehab in St. Louis's largest rehabilitation hospital. She managed the public relations and employee communications functions and served as key communications writer. Ms. Garippo worked as a public relations executive at a St. Louis firm, planning, developing, and implementing communications campaigns and writing projects. Health care clients included Express Scripts, Pharmacia, St. Luke's Hospital, and RehabCare Group.

Julie Garner

After receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism and another in English, Ms. Garner served as the features editor of a small daily newspaper in central Washington. From there she went on to write about clinical advances in medicine and research at the University of Washington Health Sciences Center as a staff writer. Ms. Garner writes frequently for print and the Web about medical topics. She has written for magazines in the Pacific Northwest as well as for corporate clients.

Sarah E. Goodwin, BS, BA

For the past 25 years, Ms. Goodwin has been involved in health care and higher education communications, as well as directing media relations for several major academic institutions, organizations, and health care facilities. Ms. Goodwin currently serves as an assistant vice president and director of media relations at a major academic institution in the metro Atlanta area.

Sandra Gordon

Ms. Gordon's health and diet stories have appeared in numerous consumer magazines, including Fitness, Parents, Child, Redbook, and Self. She coauthored The Aging Eye (Simon & Schuster, 2001) and The 30 Secrets of the World's Healthiest Cuisines (John Wiley, 2000). Previously, Ms. Gordon wrote about health and health care issues for HIP Health Plan of New York, a managed care organization.

Susan Greatorex

Ms. Greatorex has been a freelance food and wellness writer for Health and You and other SCC publications since 1993. She is an accomplished cook and seasoned journalist who regularly consults dietitians and physicians in the process of developing recipes that are nutritionally sound, easy to prepare, and appealing. She wrote her first cooking column in 1970 for the Manchester, N.H., Union Leader; reviewed restaurants for the Philadelphia Bulletin; and produced health segments for a regional cable news service.

Linda Greene

Ms. Greene has written for Vitality since 1989. In addition to feature writing, she does grant writing and newsletter design and production in the nonprofit sector. She has a MBA in marketing from Southern Methodist University and has been a professional writer since 1975.

Paige Greenfield

Ms. Greenfield is a freelance writer who has an extensive background writing general health and wellness content for national newsstand publications. She currently researches and writes three Reports sections (Weight Loss, Sex, and Nutrition) in Women's Health. Her byline also has appeared in many national consumer magazines including Runner's World, Prevention, SELF, YogaLife, iyogalife.com, Lifetime Television, Chicago Athlete, and others. She also has contributed to various custom publishing and book projects, including books about living with psoriasis, slow cooking, and yoga.

Ellen Greenlaw

Ms. Greenlaw is a freelance writer who has written health, nutrition, and fitness articles for SCC since 1994. Before becoming a freelance writer, she worked as an editor and writer for SCC for six years. Prior to working at SCC, she worked in the health care field as a health educator.

Jennifer Haupt

Ms. Haupt is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience writing health and human interest stories. Ms. Haupt has written for a variety of national magazines, including Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, More, Parenting, and AARP: The Magazine. She was a former publicist at Dell Publishing/Delacorte Press in New York and former publicity manager for Northwest Parent Publishing in Seattle. Ms. Haupt is coauthor of The Entrepreneur Small Business Legal Guide (John Wiley & Sons, 1996) and Pacific Rim (Wyndham Publications, 1994). She writes about parenting trends, health and well-being, travel, livable spaces, money matters, and personal dreams.

Judith Hurley, MS, RD

Ms. Hurley is a registered dietitian and freelance writer specializing in nutrition and preventive health topics. She has written for SCC, Health Media of America, dietary supplement manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies. She is the author of textbooks, consumer health books, medical journal articles, and courses for health professionals. She first contributed to SCC in 1999.

Yasmine Iqbal

Ms. Iqbal is a freelance writer specializing in health and medical issues. She cofounded Outpatient Surgery Magazine, a medical trade publication, and was a staff editor at Review of Ophthalmology Magazine. She has also contributed to Today's Hospitalist, the American College of Physicians' Observer Magazine, and Military Officer Magazine, and freelanced for the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Bonnie Jacob

Ms. Jacob's writings have appeared in Modern Maturity, The Washington Star, The Washington Post, and USA Today. She worked for five years in the public affairs office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Ms. Jacob has extensive experience in writing materials for managed health care plans and integrated health delivery systems. She has been a professional writer since 1979.

Jason Kohn

Mr. Kohn is a professional writer and editor, working extensively for health care, business, science, travel, and high-tech industry clients. His clients include City of Hope Cancer Center, WordCraft Technical Communications, and Walt Disney Television Animation. Mr. Kohn has covered a wide range of topics--from detailed discussions of emerging clinical protocols to informational pieces aimed at patients and medical staff to donor--targeted features about cancer survivors. His areas of health care expertise include clinical procedures, biomedical research, and business practices of health care organizations. Mr. Kohn has written for dozens of health care-related publications about hundreds of topics, targeting a wide range of audiences across the health care spectrum, including physicians, biomedical researchers, donors and fund-raisers, and patients of all ages and types.

Cindy D. Kuzma

Ms. Kuzma is a freelance writer and editor of newspapers, magazines, websites, and newsletters. Her clients include Experience Life magazine, Science and Spirit magazine, Britannica.com, BeTuitive e-mail marketing company, Planned Parenthood's choice! magazine, TeenWire.com, and the Daily Southtown. Ms. Kuzma worked as a public information officer for the American Medical Association in the Journal of the American Medical Association/Archives Media Relations department. She served as a public information officer for Science News at the American Medical Association. Ms. Kuzma worked as managing editor for Science and Spirit magazine. She wrote for and edited a national, bimonthly consumer magazine covering science, health, religion, and ethics.

Laura Lane

Ms. Lane is a prolific health writer whose work has appeared in numerous health and science publications. After receiving her Master of Science degree in biology from Stanford University in 1997, she began her journalism career at The Dallas Morning News. A few years later, she joined WebMD, where she edited and wrote stories for WebMD and CNN.com. Her freelance credits include publications in The Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, Shape, Healthy Living, Men's Journal, The Scientist, Diagnostic Imaging, and the International Medical News Group.

Wendy Lee

Ms. Lee is an experienced newspaper reporter who transferred those skills successfully to a career in hospital public relations. She served as a reporter and copy editor for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the Kansas City Times, the Belleville News-Democrat, and the Shore Line Times, Guilford, Conn. She also worked for the United Press International, Kansas City, Mo. Her public relations career had her fashioning external communications for Martin Luther Hospital in Anaheim, Calif., and La Palma Intercommunity Hospital in La Palma, Calif.

Susan Lennon

Ms. Lennon has written on health topics for Newsweek's My Turn, The Washington Post Styles section, and USA WEEKEND Magazine, where as one of only two freelance Health Brief writers, she is a frequent contributor. She has also written for Prevention, Health Magazine, Weekly Reader's Current Health-1, The Writer, and other publications. She also has extensive nonprofit and corporate writing experience, ranging from grants and white papers to marketing collateral and press releases. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Association of Healthcare Journalists, Ms. Lennon also has a second-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. She holds a bachelor's degree from Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., and a master's degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She is licensed in clinical practice by the State of Connecticut.

Adrienne Lieberman

Ms. Lieberman is a freelance writer who has authored and coauthored many pediatrics- and obstetrics-related books, including Nine Months and a Day: A Pregnancy, Labor, and Delivery Companion (Harvard Common Press, 2000); Helping Your Depressed Child (Prima, 1993); Easing Labor Pain (Harvard Common Press, 1992); Giving Birth (St. Martin's Press, 1987); and The Preemie Parents' Handbook (E.P. Dutton, 1984). Ms. Lieberman has extensive experience writing and editing high school and elementary school textbooks for McDougal Littell; Silver, Burdett and Ginn; and Houghton Mifflin, covering subjects such as American history, world history, mathematics, social studies, and literature. She has been a childbirth educator since 1976.

Harriet Meyerson

Ms. Meyerson writes on workplace productivity issues. She has also been a teacher, writer, and business owner. In 1991, she founded the Confidence Center in Dallas, where she helps businesses build employee confidence. She is the author of the manual Fire Up Your Staff on a Shoestring Budget and coauthor of the book The Leadership Path. She has been a professional writer for more than 20 years.

Stephanie Molnar

Principal of Molnar Communications in Austin, Texas, Ms. Molnar specializes in writing effective, interview-based newsletter copy for businesses and consumers in health care, sales consulting, manufacturing, financial services, and insurance. Previously, Ms. Molnar worked as a marketing communications consultant for CNA Insurance in Chicago. She created targeted collateral based on the needs of salespeople and product specialists. She also served as project manager for Deloitte & Touche LLP, Chicago.

Michael E. Newman

Mr. Newman is an award-winning science and medical communicator who has written for SCC since 1984. His work has been featured by the Houston Chronicle, National Public Radio, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the Encyclopedia Britannica Medical and Health Annual, and the external magazines of several health care institutions. Mr. Newman penned a weekly question-and-answer column for the Journal (now Examiner) newspapers in the greater Washington, D.C., area from 1990 to 2006.

Don Nichols

Mr. Nichols' work has appeared in Contemporary Long Term Care, Medical Meetings, Management Review, Texas Business, Houston Business Journal, and Chief Information Officer Journal. He has been a professional journalist for more than 25 years.

Tom Nugent

As a health writer and editor, Mr. Nugent has reported for publications including the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Mother Jones Magazine, The Nation, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) News, and People Magazine. Mr. Nugent is the author of five books, including an investigative volume on health and safety problems in the Appalachian coalfields, Death At Buffalo Creek (W.W. Norton). He also wrote Breakthroughs in American Medicine (Detroit Medical Center Press, 2005).

Mary L. Peppers

Ms. Peppers' expertise includes medical issues involving women's and children's health, preventive medicine, pharmaceuticals, and behavioral change. Prior to freelancing, she was the marketing communications manager for Foundation Health in Sacramento, editor of California Pharmacist magazine, and a newspaper and radio news reporter.

Daphne Pierce-Smith, RN, MSN, FNP, CCRC

A coordinator of clinical content, editor, and writer for SCC, Ms. Pierce-Smith has held clinical positions ranging from staff nurse to advanced nurse clinician during her 21 years in the nursing profession. Ms. Pierce-Smith has been a pediatric nursing instructor at a major university, and adjunct faculty in the clinical research professionals program at a technical college in the metro Atlanta area. Ms. Pierce-Smith has held several leadership positions--nurse manager, research manager, lead research coordinator, change agent, educator--for schools of medicine, major teaching hospitals, universities, and health care institutions. Ms. Pierce-Smith has sat on several regulatory, academic, state, and national boards. She is a member of the Georgia Nursing Association (GNA) and sat on the Commission for Nursing Practice for several years. Ms. Pierce-Smith wrote articles for Georgia Nursing, the official publication of GNA. Ms. Pierce-Smith is a published author; has been a contributor in three gastroenterology textbooks; and has coauthored numerous abstracts, manuscripts, and journal articles. Ms. Pierce-Smith holds a Master of Science degree in nursing in the family nurse practitioner (FNP) track. She is a certified clinical research coordinator (CCRC) and has recently completed a two-year certification program in health care management.

Gail Poulton

Ms. Poulton is a freelance writer who has written articles for a variety of publications, including Medical World News, Atlanta Parent, Atlanta Weekly, and Sports Trend. Ms. Poulton has conducted research for health education and social service agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Cancer Society. She has researched health articles for various consumer magazines, including Self, Redbook, Ladies' Home Journal, and McCall's Magazine. Ms. Poulton served as the editor of Employee Health and Fitness and Health and Well-Being, monthly newsletters aimed at corporate, hospital, and public-sector wellness program personnel. She was a medical reporter for the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Laura Ramos

Ms. Ramos is a freelance writer whose clients have included the American Dietetic Association, the College of American Pathologists, the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System, Medical Economics Publishing, and the Society of Pharmaceuticals and Biotech Trainers. She worked as an editor and writer for Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago. Ms. Ramos was managing editor for RushRecord, the institution's flagship semiannual magazine. She wrote and edited RushMD, the semiannual magazine for alumni of Rush Medical College. She also wrote, edited, and coordinated a variety of newsletters and brochures in the areas of community affairs, patient education, fundraising, and marketing. Ms. Ramos served as editor for Pharmaceutical Representative magazine, a monthly magazine with more than 35,000 readers and achieved the highest market share and circulation in the magazine's 27-year history. She was editorial director for Adams Business Media, Arlington Heights, Ill., and oversaw editorial functions for various trade magazines, including National Petroleum News, NPN International, Station & Store, Professional Candy Buyer, Specialty Coffee Retailer, and Fuel Oil News.

Lorena Rios

Ms. Rios is a freelance writer who has specialized in health and nutrition for 11 years. With an English degree from California State University-Fullerton, Ms. Rios has a wealth of PR, writing, and editing experience--both domestic and abroad.

Martha Robbins

A professional writer with more than 20 years of experience and 250 freelance assignments, Ms. Robbins has expertise in researching, reporting, writing, and editing for a variety of publications, with strong organizational and interviewing skills. Ms. Robbins was assistant director of development communications and director of public relations for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, one of the leading health care systems in the country. She managed marketing communications efforts, including newsletters. Ms. Robbins served as publications manager for brochures, press releases, marketing correspondence, and website content. Her freelance clients have included American Health Consultants, Dowden Health Media, Group Practice Journal, Mosby Consumer Health, Solucient, Chicago Tribune, Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Health Business, National Safety Council, Children's Memorial Hospital, General Learning Corporation, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the Washington Post.

Lisa Jo Rudy

Ms. Rudy has been writing about science and health for adults, families, and children since 1987. Besides producing consumer articles, she has written for pharmaceutical trade magazines, government agencies, corporations, and websites. She also writes for museums and publishers. Ms. Rudy has developed educational materials on topics ranging from alcohol and tobacco abuse to the inner workings of the human brain.

Betty Russell

A freelance writer who specializes in health and medical issues, Ms. Russell has contributed to SCC publications since 1991. She has worked in broadcast media as a television news anchor, television talk show co-host, and radio news director. She was an award-winning director of media relations at Boston University Medical Center. Her work has appeared in The Boston Globe, The Florida Times-Union, and Advance magazine.

Katie Sharp

Ms. Sharp worked extensively with World Book Encyclopedia, Chicago. She wrote and revised copy for the World Book/Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center Medical Encyclopedia (World Book, 1998). Ms. Sharp also wrote and edited for the American Medical Association. She has written books on menopause, first aid, and family nutrition. She copy edited the American Medical Association Family Medical Guide (Random House, 1994) and the American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine (Random House, 1995). At Highland Park Hospital, Highland Park, Ill., Ms. Sharp wrote various public relations brochures, a corporate health newsletter, and Mature Health News, a consumer health newsletter for mature adults. Ms. Sharp served as associate managing editor of a variety of consumer health publications for hospitals and managed care organizations across the country.

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Dr. Shmerling is an associate physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. He has been a practicing rheumatologist for more than 20 years at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Shmerling is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program.

Dianna Sinovic

A senior editor for SCC, Ms. Sinovic has been an editor and writer for more than 20 years, including nine years at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Jane Soung

Ms. Soung is a writer with diverse experience working for print and online magazines, websites, catalogs, and newsletters, and developing corporate marketing material. Her clients include ATA, AMD, Ziff Davis Media, Rodale Custom Publications, Acordia, Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, Neesh by D.A.R., Riis Borg, Kennedy Consulting Group, and Le Dessert. Ms. Soung served as editor for Rand McNally. She researched, wrote, and edited content for website, marketing materials, catalogs, promotional campaigns, brochures, and displays. Ms. Soung worked as an editorial specialist for technology company CDW. She served as the editorial project manager for four monthly, internally produced magazines for commercial and government audiences. Ms. Soung worked closely with Ziff Davis Media to publish Ed Tech, a quarterly magazine targeted to K-12 technology educators and administrators. She also worked closely with Life Fitness Academy to write, edit, and manage content for the education arm of Life Fitness, the world's largest commercial fitness equipment provider. Ms. Soung speaks fluent Mandarin and Chinese, and some French.

Terri Stat

Ms. Stat is a seasoned professional writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience writing about health, wellness, and workplace/family issues. Her clients include the Chicago Tribune, Parenting magazine, North Shore magazine, American Dental Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, Association Forum of Chicagoland, College of American Pathologists, Rush North Shore Medical Center, Rotary International, Swedish Covenant Hospital, UIC Medicine magazine, UIC Healthviews magazine, and West Suburban Health Care. She worked as senior writer for the American Dental Association in the Department of Salable Materials. Ms. Stat served as features editor in laboratory medicine for the American Society for Clinical Pathology. She wrote and edited for a monthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal for laboratory professionals with a circulation of 180,000.

Claire Sykes

A freelance writer specializing in popular health care issues, Ms. Sykes has been writing for SCC publications since 1996, often on subjects pertaining to behavioral health, women, and children. Several national health magazines and major hospital publications have also carried her byline, which since 1990 has appeared in dozens of national and international magazines covering visual fine art and music, photography, graphic design, business, restaurants, travel, and general interest.

Stephanie Thurrott

Ms. Thurrott is a freelancer who has written and edited health care publications for more than 10 years. Her work appears in Taking Care, Health Journal, Vim & Vigor, Healthy Living, Baylor Health, eHealth, Health Matters, and other newsletters and magazines. Outside of the health care industry, she has covered high-end home and garden topics for Boston Home & Garden, creativity and parenting issues for Creative Living, and the technology and education arenas for i.t. link.

Polly Turner

A feature writer for Vitality since 1993 and StayWell for Life since 2006, Ms. Turner is the ghostwriter of three books on health promotion/health benefit design, and has written numerous articles for Health Promotion Practitioner, Medical Benefits, and On Managed Care newsletters, among others. She was the founding editor of Workplace Vitality newsletter, and has served as managing editor and staff writer for a variety of widely read consumer health promotion periodicals.

Maggie Van Dyke

Ms. Van Dyke managed newsletters published by Healthcare Financial Management Association. She worked as senior editor for Health Newsletters Direct, responsible for Health on Target, Regarding Women, and other health care newsletters. She served as senior writer for Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. Ms. Van Dyke wrote and edited for an array of audiences, from executive speeches to consumer magazines, and created award-winning collateral for Rush Children's Hospital. She worked as senior editor for University of Chicago Hospitals and Health Systems. Ms. Van Dyke wrote several books for The Joint Commission and contributed to The Joint Commission Journal. She was contributing editor of The Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders monthly newsletter.

Lori Widmer

Ms. Widmer is freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience writing on numerous topics, including the health sector. She has covered Medicare and senior topics for SCC. As an editor at a national trade publication specializing in insurance and risk-related issues, she has worked on subjects such as managed care, worker's compensation, and online benefits.

Bill Wine

A freelance writer for more than 30 years, Mr. Wine has written for SCC since 2003. He has served as a writer and/or editor for such publications as The Village Voice, Philadelphia Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, and RT Image. Mr. Wine and is a tenured professor in the Communication Department at La Salle University.