Meet your MC Leadership & Advisory Board
MC LEADERSHIP BOARD
Shannon Cutts - Founder/Executive Director
Email: mc@mentorconnect-ed.org
Shannon Cutts is a survivor of a fifteen-year battle with anorexia, bulimia, depression and anxiety. Following her own recovery, Shannon founded MentorCONNECT to offer others the gift of hope she received from her own mentors. Shannon is the author of Beating Ana: How to Outsmart Your Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back. She is also the CD producer of You Are Not Alone, Vol. 2: The Book of Companionship for Women With Eating Disorders. Shannon is a popular college circuit speaker and frequent writer, speaker and blogger on the subject of mentoring and eating disorders recovery for Bulimia.com, PsychCentral.com, the Huffington Post, and others. Her work has most recently been featured in Glamour and Woman's Day magazines. www.key-to-life.com
Lynn Gerhard - Board Vice President / Interim Treasurer
Lynn Gerhard is a professional technical writer and editor whose background includes many years of business development, marketing, and senior management experience with several multi-million-dollar corporations. She is passionate about service, primarily because she is convinced that service is a privilege, a way to repay the gracious gift of recovery. Lynn has nearly 13 years of continuous sobriety after a decades-long battle with alcoholism and more than 20 years in recovery from codependency, binge eating, and borderline personality disorder issues. She has been continuously active in service to individuals and in regional leadership positions for more than a decade. As she says, “The maintenance and growth of my own life of recovery lends urgency to the need to share my experience, strength, and hope with others.”
Andrea Roe - Board Secretary
Andrea Roe is a native Austrian and lives together with her husband, Brandon, in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. She struggled with depression and body image issues for ten years, and with eating disorders, both anorexia and bulimia, for six years. Now that she is recovered, it is her passion to share her story and help and support others in their recovery. Andrea is the author of You Are Not Alone – The Book of Companionship for Women Struggling with Eating Disorders and publishes a monthly recovery email newsletter called the You Are Not Alone Support Letter. For more information about Andrea, her work and to sign up for the Support Letter, please visit www.youarenotalonebook.com.
Jeanette Henriques
Jeanette Henriques is living life without an eating disorder after over 15 years of struggling. Throughout the course of her journey she struggled with anorexia, bulimia, depression and post traumatic stress disorder. However, today she travels around talking to children, adolescents and adults sharing her experience. Not only does she let people know that it is possible to move beyond disordered eating but that it is possible to move beyond your past. Jeanette counsels and mentors those with eating disorders as well as victims of abuse. Her message to all those that struggle is one of hope and acceptance and encourages people to work towards their dreams because anything is possible.
Cheryl Kerrigan
Cheryl Kerrigan i s the author of Telling Ed No! and Other Practical Tools to Conquer Your Eating Disorder and Find Freedom (Gürze Books), an eating disorder survivor and activist. She is a Consultant with Walden Behavioral Care and works with Thom Rutledge at his “Beyond Eating Disorders” recovery retreats. She is a contributing author to multiple eating disorder recovery books and the author of getridofed.blogspot.com, a recovery blog. Cheryl “brings recovery to life” by speaking at treatment centers and schools around the country. To learn more about Cheryl, visit www.tellingedno.com.
Janee Harrell
Janee Harrell's background in radio/tv/film inspired in her a passion to found mHe3 Productions, a media and entertainment company with a mission to produce authentic positive programming designed to inspire and education viewers. In addition to her tireless efforts to make the media world a better place, Janee is active as a speaker, performer, and advocate for inspiring others to believe in themselves and make a difference. www.hopehelpheal.com
Lisa Kantor
Lisa Kantor is a principal with the law firm of Kantor & Kantor LLP in Los Angeles, CA. She is a tireless advocate on behalf of eating disorder sufferers who have been unfairly denied insurance coverage and reimbursement for necessary expenses related to medical care for recovery from an eating disorder. Lisa received her Juris Doctor from University of Virginia School of Law and was awarded a Dillard Fellow. In her own words, this busy and prolific professional says, "I always have time for eating disorder matters." www.kantorlaw.net
Keith Head
Keith Head currently serves Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Harvest Natural Resources. He received both a Juris Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas in 1983. Keith is passionate about the arts and helping the next generation. He is a board member and past president of Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts and a past board member of the Alley Theater. He became interested in MentorCONNECT after learning about the organization and its influential and inspirational work. www.harvestnr.com
MC ADVISORY BOARD
Walter H. Kaye, M.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and Director of the Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Program. Before joining UCSD, Dr. Kaye spent 7 years as a Fellow at the National Institute of Health and 20 years at the University of Pittsburgh. His current research is focused on exploring the relationship between brain and behavior using brain imaging and investigating new treatments in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. He is also the principal investigator for an international, multi-site collaboration on the genetics of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Dr. Kaye has an international reputation in the field of eating disorders and is the author of more than 300 articles and publications. To learn more about Dr. Kaye and his research, visit him at: http://eatingdisorders.ucsd.edu/faculty/psych_faculty.shtml
Thom Rutledge is a psychotherapist, speaker and trainer who specializes in treating eating disorders, addictions, and debilitating perfectionism. He is the author of Embracing Fear: How to Turn What Scares Us into Our Greatest Gift, and is best know in eating disorder recovery circles for his innovative application of his INTRApersonal TherapyTM model to eating disorders, as described in Jenni Schaefer’s best selling book, Life Without Ed. www.nutshellwisdom.com
Marisa Ogles is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Chattanooga Zoo. In recovery from an eating disorder for over ten years, Marisa brings with her an in-depth knowledge of the issues and circumstances creating disordered eating behaviors. Marisa was previously the Executive Director for EDIN and used this life knowledge to make EDIN successful and help the community. Prior to EDIN, Ms. Ogles served MedShare International as the Annual Fund Manager and Campaign Manager at the fundraising consultant firm, O’Neill & Associates. In her spare time, Marisa enjoys running, yoga, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Marisol Perez, Ph.D.
Marisol Perez is a clinical psychologist and researcher that specializes in eating disorders, obesity, and generalized eating problems. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on eating disorders, depression and anxiety. She has dedicated her career to the treatment, prevention, and support of individuals suffering from eating disorders and their families. She also regularly provides opportunities for those recovered from eating disorders to join her research team and guide future research. Marisol heads up MC's Scientific & Advisory Board.
Paul Quin (not pictured) Mr. Quin is President of P. J. Quin & Associates, a Minnesota-based consulting firm established in 1999 and specializing in Public Affairs, Fund Development, Strategic/Tactical Planning, Marketing, Marketing Communications, and Business Development. With over 27 years experience as a management consultant and nonprofit executive, Mr. Quin has directed multiple programs in association management, education, healthcare, university and association philanthropy and public affairs. He and his firm have been responsible for successfully implementing myriad fund development and public awareness campaigns and programs, as well to establish and expand several philanthropic initiatives on behalf of a wide network of nationally recognized professional associations, academic medical centers, community hospitals, schools, community organizations and faith-based organizations. The firm’s client roster includes some of the most recognized and respected medical organizations worldwide. Visit his company site at www.pjquin.com
Chevese Turner is the founder and CEO of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) and a recovering binge eater. She authors a blog called the BEDAdvocate and is a frequent voice on Capitol Hill on behalf of BED sufferers and their families. BEDA is the national multidisciplinary provider and patient organization focusing on the unmet need for preventing, diagnosing, and treating binge eating disorder. “By telling my story, I hope I can help those struggling with binge eating to recognize the disorder in themselves and seek help,” Chevese says. For more information visit www.bedaonline.com
Jennifer Hance Whitley is a finance professional and former executive director for the Youth Development Center, an after-school academic remediation program that addresses literacy development for inner city students in grades 3 - 8. She serves on the board of the business college at Pepperdine University and is actively involved in mentorship through IMPACT, an inner city faith-based organization that provides classes and guidance on recovery, spirituality, and life skills-building.
Jen Nardozzi, PsyD is a psychologist who specialized in treating women with eating disorders. She is the National Training Manager of the Renfrew Center. She has presented at numerous national conferences and internationally in both Russia and Uganda. She provides workshops and trainings on eating disorders and the mind-body-spirit connection in treatment and has been featured in such publications as Elle and In Touch magazines, the Palm Beach Post, and the Associated Press. She also has a private practice in Miami, Florida.
Alison Smela is a former Senior Vice President, Account Director for several worldwide advertising agencies. At 48, after recovering from a 30+ year battle with alcoholism and anorexia, Alison has now dedicated her life to being of service to others. Alison serves as a mentor for women around the country and speaks at treatment centers and support groups to advocate for the reality that recovery is possible at any age. She is currently working on a book project on this topic. Her prior recovery-related board experience includes serving on the board for her Twelve Step fellowship club. Her special focus to date on MentorCONNECT has been in providing guidance, direction, and encouragement for “seasoned” (age 40+) members. You can learn more about Alison at www.alisonsmela.com
Troy Roness is a male exercise/eating disorder survivor and the Inaugural United States Male Junior Board Representative for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Following his guest appearance on the 'Dr. Phil Show' in January 2009, Troy battled for two 81-day treatment regimens as a male with an eating disorder. His recovery has blessed him with opportunities to speak to thousands of people in North Dakota and reach millions of people across the United States and around the world. Reflecting on the pivotal moments of his recovery enables Troy to reach out in many ways, speaking on behalf of males and spreading the message that recovery is possible. His special focus on MentorCONNECT will be to provide leadership, guidance, support, and encouragement for male members. Read more about Troy's story here: http://yourjourneyback.webs.com