Doug Blanke, JD

Doug is founder and director of the Public Health Law Center at the William Mitchell College of Law. He oversees all its programs, with a focus on encouraging healthier lives, including work to reduce the harm caused by tobacco use, prevent childhood obesity, support healthy eating and encourage physical activity. He is also executive director of the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, America’s legal network for effective tobacco control policies. Doug’s international work has included monitoring development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control for the American Lung Association and editing the World Health Organization’s handbook on tobacco control legislation. Previously, as an assistant attorney general of the State of Minnesota, he played a key role in the historic Minnesota litigation that resulted in the release of thirty-five million pages of secret tobacco industry documents. He was the 2004 recipient of the American Lung Association’s C. Everett Koop “Unsung Hero” Award for his contributions to tobacco control.

 

Cynthia Hallett, MPH

Cynthia is the Executive Director of the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) and the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation where she’s worked since 1997. Cynthia’s career in tobacco control began in 1989 and her background in tobacco policy advocacy is wide-ranging. She has spearheaded successful smokefree air campaigns as well as provided technical assistance and strategic guidance in support of smokefree air and public health policy efforts across the U.S. and internationally. Cynthia also has experience lobbying elected officials to promote tobacco use prevention and reduction policy goals, exposing and fighting against tobacco industry interference, and is often sought out by media to discuss smokefree issues. Before joining ANR/F, she was involved with California’s Tobacco Control Program since the inception of the statewide campaign when she served as the Associate Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Tobacco Control Program. Her early training was in cancer control and she has worked at the National Cancer Institute and the UCLA Comprehensive Cancer Center. Cynthia received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health degrees from University of California, Los Angeles in 1987 and 1990, respectively. She has served as a Governing Councilor, and is currently Chair-Elect, for the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA), is a member of the UCSF/Legacy Library Advisory Board, and has served on the Steering Committee for Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW).

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Cheryl Healton, PhD

Cheryl is the Dean of Global Public Health and Director of the Global Institute of Public Health at New York University. From 1999-2012 she was president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation, which was created through the Master Settlement Agreement with the tobacco industry. In her tenure at American Legacy she was a tireless advocate for reducing tobacco use globally, with a particular focus on reducing tobacco use among youth. Prior to her leadership role at American Legacy, Dr. Healton was the founder of the Center for Applied Public Health at Columbia University, where she worked to bridge the gap between tobacco/public health science and real world applications. Cheryl’s long and dynamic career in the field of public health has earned her national recognition and praise, and she serves on the boards of several organizations including the Betty Ford Institute and the Lung Cancer Alliance. Dr. Healton holds a doctorate from Columbia University’s School of Public Health (with distinction) and a master’s degree in Public Administration at New York University for Health Policy and Planning.

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Eben Shwartz

Eben is the Marine Debris Program Manager at the California Coastal Commission, which is an independent, quasi-judicial state agency charged with protecting, conserving, restoring and enhancing environmental and human-based resources of the California coast and ocean. As a staff member at the Commission since 2000, he runs Marine Debris and Public Outreach programs for the Public Education Program, including California Coastal Cleanup Day, California’s largest volunteer event. Eben also serves as the Chair of the California Ocean Protection Council’s Marine Debris Steering Committee, in which role he helped craft and pass the Council’s Resolution on Marine Debris and its corresponding Implementation Strategy. Eben also serves as the Chair of the Marine Debris Action Coordination Team for the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health, which is currently drafting an overall marine debris strategy to be used as guidance for comprehensive marine debris programs in Washington, Oregon and California. Prior to his work with the Coastal Commission, Eben worked in conservation programs at the Sierra Club, at both the local and national levels. Eben recently completed a two-year program as one of the inaugural members of the Catto Fellowship with the Aspen Institute, designed for emerging leaders in the environment and energy sector. He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University.

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Stefanie Sekic-Quinn

Stefanie is the California Policy Manager working for the Global Headquarters of the Surfrider Foundation. She has over 14 years of experience working for environmental and social service nonprofits. Stefanie has worked on several environmental issues including: forestry, public lands management, ocean conservation, clean water, establishing Marine Protected Areas, offshore oil drilling, and advocating for comprehensive environmental management to elected officials and resource agencies. During her time at the Surfrider Foundation, she has worked on several campaigns including the landmark “Save Trestles” campaign that successfully defeated a toll road from running through San Onofre State Beach and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful network of activists. Surfrider has over 80 Chapter and affiliates around the globe.