Reliable, Evidence-Based Health Information

All Hope Health products are meticulously researched by experienced writers and editors to ensure your readers are receiving reliable, evidence-based health information to promote healthier lifestyle choices.

And then all products are reviewed by our prestigious and diversified Medical Advisory Board to guarantee medical accuracy, timeliness and suitability for a consumer audience.

Our Advisors adhere to strict Quality Review Procedures to ensure accuracy. Here are the members of our Medical Advisory Board:

Peggy Spencer, MD
Medical Editor, Plain Language

Dr. Spencer is a graduate of the University of California with a BA in Biology with Honors, and the University of Arizona College of Medicine with a MD. She is certified by the American Board of Family Practice. She serves as a staff physician at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Student Health and Counseling Center, and holds an adjunct faculty position at the UNM School of Medicine.

Dr. Spencer is the recipient of numerous professional honors and awards. She writes a column for the New Mexico Daily Lobo newspaper answering reader-submitted health questions, and contributes articles to the UNM Parent Matters and UNM Today. She is the co-author of 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s with Sheila Key, and blogs at www.pegspot.com. Dr. Spencer is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and SouthWest Writers.

Patricia C. Buchsel, RN, MSN, FAAN

Patricia has more than 35 years of clinical and research experience with a special emphasis in oncology. She currently serves as a clinical instructor at the Seattle University College of Nursing and is on the clinical faculty at the University of Washington, School of Nursing. She is also a member of the medical advisory board for Cancer Lifeline, the American Blood and Marrow Transportation Society, the American Nurses Association and the Oncology Nursing Society.

In addition to her clinical and research experience, Patricia has served as an editor for various health-related publications and seminars over the years. She has also written books and articles for journals and electronic media, including the Lance Armstrong Foundation LIVESTRONG Web site.

Mary P. Hollins, MS, JD, CSHM

Mary is the President of Hollins Risk Management Consulting, LLC. She has been helping public and private sector workplaces manage risk and minimize losses for 23+ years. She has developed education and training resources, published articles and made presentations on safety and risk management; specialties include high-risk settings that serve high-risk populations.

Kenneth Holtyn
Corporate Wellness Advisor

Ken Holtyn, President of Holtyn & Associates LLC, has provided wellness and health promotion services for over 25 years to more than 500 businesses.

Ken has served as member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Panel “Best Practice Benchmarking Project” for worksite health and productivity management.

He is also Chair of the Business Group for the State of Michigan, “Michigan Steps Up” campaign.

Recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of work place health and wellness promotion,  Ken testified in Washington D.C. before the U.S. Surgeon General and the Secretaries Council of Health and Human Services on the status of small business health promotion.

Holtyn & Associates LLC One to One At The Worksite™ wellness programs have received numerous awards from a wide variety of organizations, including several State of Michigan Governors Awards, the American Heart Association, C. Everett Koop National Health Award, Department of Health and Human Services “Innovation in Prevention Award” and featured on MSNBC live.

The Holtyn One to One program is listed in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Ken has served as Vice-President of the Health Promotion and Wellness Council of Michigan and as the American Heart Association Chairman of Worksite Health Promotion for Michigan. The Michigan House of Representatives also recognized him for his contributions to the health of the citizens of Michigan by a House Resolution.

In 2008 he was inducted into the National Wellness Institute’s Service and Leadership Circle recognizing him for his contributions in the health and wellness promotion field.

Reed Humphrey, PhD
Professor and Chairman, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Montana

Reed has more than 35 years of experience in exercise science. Currently, he serves as the chair of the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Montana. His research interests include exercise and chronic heart failure, exercise testing and oxygen kinetics, and community-based physical activity programs.

In addition to his classroom and research experience, Reed has been a frequent columnist with the ACSMHealth Fitness Journal and served as associate editor for that journal along with co-editing two ACSM texts on exercise testing and prescription.

Reed earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from the University of Pittsburgh, his masters degree from Wake Forest University, his masters degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, and his doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Gary B. Kushner SPHR, CBP
President and CEO of Kushner & Company

Mr. Kushner is an internationally recognized expert and speaker on employee benefits with particular expertise for small business. He has advised three U.S. Presidents on health care and has testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House Small Business Committee on employee benefits issues.

Kushner & Company is an employee benefits consulting and administration firm with offices in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Mr. Kushner has been widely quoted in major national media and is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, AP, Knight-Ridder, the Kiplinger Washington Newsletter, CNN News, Fortune, MSNBC and Good Morning America, among others. He served on the Editorial Review Board of HR Management magazine.

Prior to establishing Kushner & Company in 1982, Mr. Kushner held human resource policy-making positions in both the private and public sectors including the compensation and benefits area.

He earned an MPA in Personnel from Western Michigan University and holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Certified Benefit Professional (CBP).

Patrick J.M. Murphy, PhD
Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Seattle University

Patrick currently serves as an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at Seattle University. He was previously a scholar-in-residence with the Hope Heart Institute and a visiting scientist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Patrick focuses on teaching pharmacology to BSN and MSN nursing students and is also involved in basic and transitional biomedical research, trains student research assistants, and obtains extramural support.

Over the years, Patrick has written numerous journal articles and contributed to many book chapters and reviews. He’s also a frequent presenter at meetings and conferences around the country.

Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He received both his masters and doctorate degrees in pharmacology from the University of Michigan.

Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®, CRPC®, AFC, CHC, CFEd, CFCS

Barbara is a college professor and personal finance expert. She has written more than 1,500 consumer newspaper articles and more than 120 articles for academic journals, conference proceedings and other professional publications on personal finance matters.

She is the author of two trade books, Saving on a Shoestring and Investing on a Shoestring, and three financial case study books. She is co-author of Investing for Your Future, Money Talk: A Financial Guide for Women, and Small Steps to Health and Wealth.

Barbara has taught more than 1,100 classes to more than 24,000 adult learners seeking information on personal financial matters.  She provides financial education messages on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moneytalk1.

She also provides national leadership for the  Small Steps to Health and Wealth program, and directed the five-year MONEY 2000™ savings and debt-reduction campaign in the 1990s that resulted in more than $7 million of economic impact in New Jersey and almost $20 million nationwide.

Zorba Paster, MD

Zorba is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He has been practicing family medicine for 22+ years; has served as a clinical investigator; has been published extensively in professional journals; and has worked in radio and television, including NPR’s On Your Health, and the PBS special How To Live a Long, Sweet Life.

Elizabeth S. Smoots, MD, FAAFP

Elizabeth is a board-certified family physician who believes that health is more than treating disease. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She is also a newspaper columnist, lecturer and blogger.

Wallace Wilkins, PhD
Psychologist

Wallace Wilkins, Ph.D., serves as both a licensed psychologist and an organizational consultant. As a clinical psychologist, he helps people deal with unwanted moods (anger, anxiety, depression) and substance use (alcohol, nicotine, drugs, food). As a corporate consultant, he provides workshops and keynotes on stress prevention, conflict mediation and change management. He provides one-on-one coaching for angry executives to eliminate the costly consequences of hostile work environments. Dr. Wilkins is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is an active member of the Division on Addictions. He is certified in the Treatment of Alcohol and Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders from APA’s College of Professional Psychology. Dr. Wilkins has over 45 publications in refereed journals and over 30 presentations at professional meetings. He is Senior Consultant and Master Trainer for the Conflict Resolution Resource Center. He has trained professionals in Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, and Chile, in addition to the United States and Canada. You can visit his website at www.Take-Risks.com.