Featured Speakers
FACULTY / SPEAKERS
Molly Gee, MEd, RD
Molly Gee, MEd, RD, LD
Managing Director
Behavioral Medicine Research Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Presentation: The Skinny Behind Popular Diets and Other Approaches
View Presentation Video
59:00 Minutes
Molly holds a MEd in Allied Health Education from Baylor College of Medicine/University of Houston. She completed her dietetic internship at Oklahoma State University and received a BS in dietetics from the University of Houston.
Molly is a Registered Dietitian and communications consultant with more than 25 years’ experience in health/nutrition communications and the clinical management of obesity. She has been widely quoted in the media, including USA Today, the New York Times, Readers Digest, Los Angeles Times, Self, Real Simple, Weight Watchers and Allure to name a few. She has served as a media spokesperson and/or consultant to industry, trade associations, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies.
From 1992 to 2001, Molly reported on nutrition and health on KTRK-TV, the ABC network affiliate in Houston. Prior to health reporting, she was the nutrition expert on “Good Morning Houston.” Currently, Molly is the Program Coordinator for “Look AHEAD”, a NIH multi-center clinical trial examining the cardiovascular benefits of sustained weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes. She serves on the National Retention Committee for the study.
In recognition of her dedication and contributions to dietetics, Molly received the American Dietetic Association’s (ADA) Medallion award in 2004. In addition to being on the ADA board of directors from 1995 to 2001, she was its treasurer in 2000-2001. She is the co-founder and past chair of the ADA’s Weight Management Dietetics Practice Group (DPG) and is Chair of the Diabetes Care and Education DPG. In 2009, Molly received the Excellence in Weight Management Outcomes Research Award from the Weight Management DPG.
She is a member of the expert work group for adult weight management and nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners for ADA’s Evidence Analysis Library. She serves as Chair of Commission on Dietetic Registration’s (CDR) Weight Management Certificate Committee and as faculty for the Weight Management Certificate Workshop. Molly has been a member of many other professional associations and served on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association in Houston. Molly co-authored the 2009 Honest to Goodness Diet with Olympic Gold Medalist, Mary Lou Retton.
Missing Taz Greiner Toolkit
Daisy M. Jenkins, Esq.
Executive Vice President
Chief Administrative & Human Resources Officer
Carondelet Health Network
Health & Wellness Ministry - Rising Star Baptist Church
View Presentation Video
15:00 Minutes
Moderator: Morning Panel Discussion
View Presentation Video
40:00 Minutes
Moderator: Afternoon Panel Discussion
View Presentation Video
29:00 Minutes
Daisy Jenkins is responsible for developing and executing HR strategies and initiatives that are aligned with the mission and values of the Health Ministry and contribute to achieving Network goals. She also oversees Government Advocacy and Community Relations.
Jenkins previously held positions of vice president of Human Resources at Raytheon Missile System in Tucson, Arizona, Raytheon Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, and Raytheon Commercial Electronics, with businesses in the U.S., Europe and Canada. She was Raytheon Company’s first director of Global Diversity at Global Headquarters in Massachusetts.
Jenkins served in numerous human resources leadership positions within Hughes Aircraft Company for more than 16 years before joining Raytheon Company. She has significant experience in developing and leading high performing, multifunctional human resources organizations, with broad organization development expertise.
Jenkins was honored in 2009 with the Women Who Lead award by the University of Arizona Women’s Studies Department. She was honored in 2008 with the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Excellence in Diversity and Human Resources; the Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award from the University of Arizona Black Alumni Association; and the NAACP Community Service Award. She was named Tucson Woman of the Year in 2007 for "living in a manner which inspires affection, respect and admiration." She was recognized in 2004 as one of the Women Who Mean Business in Wichita, Kansas. In 2002, she received the Eagle Award from the National Eagle Leadership Institute (NELI) for her consistent commitment to corporate diversity and citizenship. Jenkins was awarded the University of Arizona College of Law, Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2001.
She currently serves on the board of directors for Tucson Regional Economics Opportunity, Inc. (TREO), the Tucson Airport Authority, Board of Visitors, University of Arizona College of Law, and Chairs the University of Arizona President’s African American Advisory Council. She is a member of the University of Arizona African American Athletics Advisory Council and Women at the Top.
Jenkins holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communications from the University of Hawaii and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Arizona.
She is a member of Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church.
Pastor Michael Knecht, MDiv
Michael Knecht, MDiv
Faith and Health Initiative
Center for Spiritual Life & Wholeness
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Presentation: Creating the Future of Health Care Through Connection and Community
View Presentation Video
39:22 Minutes
Michael Knecht is currently part of the leadership team at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Michael’s leadership role throughout the six hospital health system focuses on innovative approaches to advance health, healing, and wholeness. Michael has been instrumental in changing the organizational culture to prepare for the implementation of a new delivery model within the health system. Michael has facilitated convening’s at the White House on Improving Health Outcomes through Faith-Based and Community Partnerships.
Michael is an ordained minister and founder of Crosswalk Church in Redlands, CA. He received his Masters of Divinity at Andrews University School of Theology and studied architecture in his undergraduate work. Michael is a much sought after source by the International Faith and Health Community because of his extensive and productive history in engaging both the healthcare and faith-based communities.
Reverend Karen MacDonald
United Church of Christ (UCC)
Faith Community Engagement Manager
Interfaith Community Services
Presentation: Health Programs, Getting Started
View Presentation Video
35:00 Minutes
Karen was ordained as Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1987. She served 2 Presbyterian churches in Dayton, OH, where she lived for 18 years. She now is a minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination and has served on the pastoral staff of a UCC church in Tucson. As a pastor, she helped congregants to address their spiritual and emotional health and to be involved in the health of their community.
Since October 2006, Rev. MacDonald has been on the staff of Interfaith Community Services in Tucson, AZ. She serves as the Faith Community Engagement Manager, overseeing ICS’s engagement with various faith communities. Sixty-two congregations now partner with ICS in helping seniors, disabled individuals, and people in financial crisis achieve stable and independent lives. In addition, Karen and Maricela Reynaert, RN, extend ICS’s work to support congregations in building their own whole-person health programs.
Rev. MacDonald also currently serves on the board of Health Ministries Association, the national organization for those working for healthier communities in and through their congregations. In these professional capacities, the integration of faith and health has become a key focus of her work.
Father William "Bill" Remmel, SDS
Pastor
Most Holy Trinity Parish
Presentation: Joys and Challenges to Implementing a Health Ministry
View Presentation Video
22:00 Minutes
Maricela Reynaert, RN, FCN
Health Advocacy Specialist
Interfaith Community Services
Presentation: Health Programs, Getting Started
View Presentation Video
35:00 Minutes
Maricela Reynaert has over 25 years of experience in the field of nursing, starting as a certified nursing assistant progressing to a licensed practical nurse, and ten years as a home health registered nurse and hospital nurse. Maricela began serving as a trained Faith Community Nurse in 2005. She joined Interfaith Community Services (ICS) 8 years ago, and implemented the Health Advocacy grassroots program modeled after the Faith Community Nurse concept of holistic health (mind, body and spirit). She assisted in developing a comprehensive training program for individuals interested in implementing health programs within their congregation.
Through her work at ICS, Maricela provides support and networking for ministries and individuals wanting to implement or strengthen a health program in their congregation. Maricela is a member of the Health Ministries Association (HMA), and is part of the Faith Community Nurse National Team through HMA focused on strengthening the future of Faith Community Nursing. She is a trained Lay Ecclesial Minister for the Catholic Diocese of Tucson.
Dwight D. Withers
Pastor
Ebenezer "All Nations" A Seventh Day Adventist Fellowship
Presentation: How to Motivate Volunteers and Key Leaders
View Presentation Video
21:00 Minutes
Born in Madison, and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and served 5yrs in the U.S. Air Force. Employed with IBM as a Customer Engineer for 33yrs, and now retired. Pastoring in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for 14yrs.
Sander Zwart, MD, FACP, ECNU
Private Practice at Tucson Endocrine Associates
Tucson, Arizona
Presentation: Lifestyle Changes that Work in Chronic Disease Management
View Presentation Video
29:00 Minutes
Born Haarlem Netherlands and obtained his MD degree from the Free University of Amsterdam.
Specialty training in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology (6 year program) in Charlottesville VA.
Dr. Zwart is in private practice at Tucson Endocrine Associates since 1999, seeing diabetes and a wide variety of thyroid and hormonal disorders. He is a member leadership council American Diabetes Association, Southern AZ Chapter ; President 2009-2011 and serves on various committees in the hospitals in Tucson.
Dr. Zwart is married, with three children and moved to Tucson to be close to his in-laws. He enjoys tennis, hiking, and baking bread.
SUPPORT
Made possible by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pima County Health Department. The trademark EXERCISE IS MEDICINE is used by permission from the American College of Sports Medicine.
