Jorge G. Ruiz, MD, Chair
Dr. Ruiz is the Medical Director, Geriatric Medicine and core faculty of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood, Florida. He is also a Clinical Affiliate Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida. Dr Ruiz is a fellowship-trained geriatrician, board certified in internal medicine, and geriatric medicine. He is the Chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine specialty board. He specializes in the care of older adults. Dr. Ruiz provides routine medical care and assistance with aging frailty; falls and mobility problems; polypharmacy; mild cognitive impairment and dementia. His research interests include the use of stem cell therapies for aging frailty and Alzheimer’s disease, the study of risk factors for frailty among older adults, dementia prevention and the development and implementation of care models that aim to reduce the burden of frailty and dementia in older adults. Dr. Ruiz has authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in the fields of aging, longevity and geriatric medicine.
As of July 2023, Dr. Ruiz reported no ongoing external relationships.
Carol Cronin, MSG, MSW
Ms. Cronin is the Executive Director of the Informed Patient Institute, an organization she founded in 2007. She also Chairs the Medical Board Roundtable – a committee of the Patient Safety Action Network working to increase public awareness of state medical boards; advocating to improve board responsiveness to patients/their families and the public, and to improve physician oversight, accountability and performance.
She previously worked as a consultant and advisor to non-profit organizations, foundations and government agencies including the California Endowment, AARP, and Atlantic Philanthropies.
Ms. Cronin was Director of the Center for Beneficiary Services at the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA – now CMS) where she was responsible for the launch of www.medicare.gov among other consumer oriented activities. Prior to CMS, she was Senior Vice President for Health Pages, a New York City–based consumer health information website and worked in leadership positions at the Washington (now National) Business Group on Health.
She is on the Johns Hopkins Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council and the hospital's Patient Safety Committee. She has served on numerous other state and national advisory committees and boards including the National Quality Forum, National Committee for Quality Assurance, the American Board of Medical Specialties, Association of American Colleges, the Joint Commission and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission. She is also a member of the Board of a family foundation that focuses on organizations serving single
mothers, people coming out of prison and climate change. Carol holds an undergraduate degree from Smith College and two master's degrees in social work and gerontology from the University of Southern California.
As of September 2023, Ms. Cronin reported the following ongoing external relationships:
Ms. Cronin serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The Informed Patient Institute, board member and executive director, without compensation
- Citizen Advocacy Center, board member, without compensation
- Johns Hopkins University, Diagnosis Advisory Committee, member; Patient Safety Committee, member; Patient and Family Advisory Committee, member, receiving honoraria
- Patient Safety Action Network, member, without compensation
Jessica L. Kalender-Rich, MD
Dr. Kalender-Rich is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kansas. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She also serves as the Thread Content Leader for the Geriatrics Curriculum for the medical school and on the Clinical Competency Committees for training programs in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Dr. Kalender-Rich also sits on the Exam Item Review Committee with reviews biometrics and edits all exam items for the medical school. Her clinical practice is primarily in skilled nursing facilities with a focus on transitions of care and systems-based care of frail and high-risk patients. She also serves as the Post-Acute Medical Director for Transitions of Care for The University of Kansas Health System, which partners with community organizations from all levels of post-acute care to maximize quality care for all patients as they move through the healthcare system.
As of May 2024, Dr. Kalender-Rich reported the following external relationships:
Dr. Kalender-Rich reported that she is the Medical Director of Post-Acute Care for the University of Kansas Health System. She also services as a thread content monitor for geriatric education for the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
Sunny Linnebur, PharmD
Dr. Linnebur is a Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Since 2001, Dr. Linnebur has provided clinical pharmacy services in geriatrics at the University of Colorado Hospital Seniors Clinic, where she also precepts pharmacy students and residents. Her research and clinical areas of interest include transitions of care, cardiovascular disease, health promotion, osteoporosis, vitamin D, dementia, and urologic disorders. She is an active member of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) where she serves on the Expert Panel for the AGS Updated Beers Criteria® and is the current Board Chair and past President. Dr. Linnebur is also a member of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties Geriatric Specialty Council.
Dr. Linnebur graduated with her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Kansas in 1999 with highest distinction. She then completed a PGY1 residency at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado and a PGY2 primary care residency at the University of Colorado.
As of May 2024, Dr. Linnebur reported the following external relationships:
Work as an author or editor for the following companies, with compensation as listed:
- The Merck Manuals, receiving compensation for updating a book chapter
- Springer, receiving compensation as an editor for Geriatric Medicine, A Person-Centered Evidence Based Approach
Dr. Linnebur serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Geriatrics Society (AGS), board member; AGS Beers Criteria Panel, member, receiving reimbursement for travel expenses and honoraria
- Colorado Access, receiving honoraria
Grant funding for salary support, paid to the University of Colorado, from the following nonprofit health care-related organizations:
- The National Institutes of Health
Dr. Linnebur also receiving consulting fees from CVS Caremark and provided continuing education for Pharmacy Times, Premier EC and the Colorado Pharmacists Society.
June M. McKoy, MD, MPH, JD, MBA, LLM (Hons)
Dr. McKoy is a board certified geriatrician and Professor of Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Medical Education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. She holds a joint appointment in the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University where she serves as the Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her primary research foci relate to medical education (wellness and burnout among trainees) and cancer and aging, including cancer survivorship, cancer pharmacoeconomics, comparative effectiveness analyses, HIV and cancer, and adverse drug reactions in older individuals living with cancer. She is the author/co-author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters. Dr. McKoy has a strong interest in health policy, geriatric oncology, and legal issues impacting older adults and currently serves as a member of Older Adult Oncology Panel of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and is a member of the Illinois Department on Aging Older Adult Services Advisory Committee. She consults on older adults with various geriatric syndromes in the acute, ambulatory, and long-term care settings. Dr. McKoy is the Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and teaches on the Inpatient Medicine Teaching Service. Notably, she has received multiple awards for her teaching and mentorship.
Dr. McKoy received her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield and pursued post graduate training in general surgery and internal medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She completed her fellowship training in geriatrics at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.
As of July 2023, Dr. McKoy reported no ongoing external relationships.
Thomas Reske, MD, Ph.D
Dr. Reske is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hematology and Oncology. He currently serves in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans as Associate Professor and as Interim Section Chief and Fellowship Program Director of the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program. He practices as a staff physician in the Hematology and Oncology Section.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Physician, American Geriatrics Society and completed the Certified Medical Director Certification of The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA).
Dr. Reske completed his medical school in Germany, earning combined medical and doctoral degrees. He completed his internship and residency at State University of New York at Buffalo, New York. He then completed a four year combined geriatrics and hematology/oncology fellowship at Boston University Medical Center.
As of May 2024, Dr. Reske reported no ongoing external relationships.
Mandi M. Sehgal, MD
Dr. Sehgal is a nationally recognized geriatric medicine clinician-educator, developer of innovative educational programming, and leader of interprofessional teams. She currently serves as the Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Florida and is a Clinical Affiliate Professor at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Schmidt College of Medicine. She is board certified in both Family Medicine and Geriatric Medicine.
Dr. Sehgal is the Chair of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Teachers' Section and an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Education and Training Section, and the Teaching and Learning lead for Aquifer Geriatrics, the AGS National Online Curriculum a role in which she works to teach others how to enhance their curricula across the country. In 2020, she was awarded the AGS' Educator of the Year Award for her efforts to advance person-centered care and geriatrics education at both local and national levels.
Over the course of her career, Dr. Sehgal has been a principal and co-investigator on multiple grant funded projects totaling over five million dollars. In 2010, she was awarded a prestigious Geriatric Academic Career Award from the US Bureau of Health Professions. Dr. Sehgal is a champion of providing person centered care ensuring the best quality of life for her older adult patients while maintaining their safety and independence.
Dr. Sehgal attended college and medical school at the University of South Alabama. She completed her residency at Tallahassee Memorial's Family Medicine Residency Program, her geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, and faculty development fellowship at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
As of September 2023, Dr. Sehgal reported the following external relationships:
Work as an author or editor for the following companies, with compensation as listed:
- Aquifer Geriatrics, Editorial Board, member, receiving a stipend and reimbursement for travel expenses
- Wiley-Blackwell, receiving compensation as Associate Editor, Education and Training Section of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Dr. Sehgal serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Geriatrics Society, Teachers' Section Chair, without compensation
Funding from nonprofit health care-related organizations, paid to Aquifer Geriatrics, from the following organizations:
- The Arthur Vining David Foundation, receiving a grant to develop a palliative care course as a co-principal investigator for project expenses
Lisa Walke, MD
Dr. Walke is the Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine for the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Under her leadership, the division is developing clinical, research and educational programs that will foster Penn's development into an Age-Friendly Health System. Dr. Walke's scholarship focuses on improving health outcomes for older adults through the implementation and evaluation of innovative care delivery models. Previously, Dr. Walke was on faculty at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Walke is board certified in Geriatric Medicine.
In addition to her work locally, Dr. Walke is active in geriatrics on a national scale. She is a member of the American Geriatrics Society Clinical Practice and Models of Care Committee, and a board member of the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs.
She was named a fellow of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) in 2014 and received the AGS Outstanding Mid-Career Clinician Educator of the Year award in 2017.
Dr. Walke earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Harvard University, her medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and her master's degree in healthcare administration from the University of New Haven. She completed her internal medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center and a three-year fellowship in Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology at Yale University.
As of May 2024, Dr. Walke reported the following external relationships:
Service on a research-related expert panel or advisory board for the following companies, with honoraria:
- GE Medical, for a dementia with Lewy bodies advisory board
Dr. Walke serves in significant roles with the following organizations, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Geriatrics Society, Clinical Practice and Models of Care Committee, member; the Association of Geriatric Academic Programs, Board, ex-officio member, without compensation
- The National Committee for Quality Assurance, Pain Evidence Work Group, member, without compensation
Grant funding for salary support, paid to the University of Pennsylvania, by the following nonprofit health care-related organizations:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for an adult vaccination project
- The National Institutes of Health, receiving funding for P30 artificial intelligence technology