Robin Sessions Cooley is currently the Deputy Attorney General, Human Services Division, Wyoming Attorney General’s office.  Ms. Cooley graduated from the University of Wyoming - College of Law, with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1992.  She started her legal career in private practice in the law firm of Burke, Woodard and Bishop, P.C. from 1992 until 1996.  In 1996, Ms. Cooley went into a partnership with Mark Bishop in the firm of Bishop & Cooley, LLC.  Ms. Cooley began in the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office in 1997, where she wrote criminal appeal briefs and practiced in the post-conviction litigation section.  In 2001, Ms. Cooley was promoted to a supervisor position in the Civil Division of the Office, and was then later promoted to Deputy Attorney General in 2003.

Floyd A. Esquibel
Wyoming Representative for House District 44
Laramie County

Susan Feinman is currently an attorney in the law offices of Thomas N. Long in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she practices elderlaw, family law, estate planning and estate administration. From 1985 to 1994, she was the state Legal Services Developer for the Older Americans Advocacy Program, a senior law program for the State of Wyoming.  Ms. Feinman is a member of the National Academy of Elderlaw  Attorneys, American Bar Association, Wyoming State Bar, Laramie County Bar Association and the Southeast Wyoming Estate Planning Council.   Ms. Feinman received her Juris Doctor degree in 1984 from the University of Wyoming College of Law. She received a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Wyoming in 1979, and a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York in 1969. She has served on numerous state bar committees, and has taught law-related courses at the Laramie County Community College. Currently, Ms. Feinman serves on the Guardian Ad Litem Sub-Committee of the Joint Judiciary Committee of the Wyoming State Legislature.

Charlene Finney is a Health Insurance Specialist with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Denver. The Center is an umbrella agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, which provides services to Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare providers. Her responsibilities include educational outreach efforts to both the providers and physicians. She has been with CMS for 3 years. Her previous Medicare contractor experience of 34 years includes claims processing, customer service, and systems implementations. She is a member of the CMS-Denver HIPAA Steering Committee along with the Provider Outreach Team. Presentation

Dr. Deborah Fleming is currently the Director of the Wyoming Department of Health, Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Prior to accepting the position of Director in March 2003, she was the Chief Operating Officer for the Community Health Center of Central Wyoming in Casper, Wyoming.  Previous experience with the Wyoming Department of Health includes two years (1995-97) as Administrator of the Aging Division.  She has served as AARP s state director for South Dakota, a regional consultant trainer for the University of Washington Northwest Geriatric Education Center, and project coordinator for the University of Wyoming Family Practice Residency Program in Casper.  Dr. Fleming was also a clinical instructor of gerontology with that residency program, as well as a gerontologist at Park Place, an assisted living facility in Casper.

Dr. Fleming represented House District 36 in the Wyoming Legislature from 1999 to 2001.

Dr. Fleming received a bachelor's degree in anthropology/sociology in 1973 from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Mich. In 1978, she received a master=s degree in educational gerontology from the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  In 2000, she received a Ph.D. in adult learning and technology from the University of Wyoming.

Pamela P. Hanes, Ph.D., is the first President and CEO of the Colorado Health Institute, a nonprofit corporation serving as a center for health data resources and policy analysis in Colorado.  Prior to assuming her current post in July 2003, Dr. Hanes was an associate professor of public health and preventive medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University, and director of the Center for Health and Disability Policy of the Oregon Health Policy Institute.  From 1998 to 2002, she was the director of research for CareOregon, a Medicaid-only managed care organization serving Oregon Health Plan enrollees.  From 1989-94, Hanes was an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work.  She earned her doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989, a Master of Social Work from California State University at Sacramento in 1978, and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology of the Family from West Virginia University in 1972. 

Pablo Hernandez, M.D., has been the Hospital Administrator at the Wyoming State Hospital since 1995.  Dr. Hernandez received his medical degree from the Salamanca Medical School in Salamanca, Spain.  His clinical career began in 1968 in the State of Virginia, where he was Director of Gerontological Services.  He moved on to the State of Mississippi, where he spent the next 14 years establishing community based service programs as well as active psychiatric treatment modalities and substance abuse services.  He also served as the Director of the East Mississippi State Hospital.  Dr. Hernandez moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico to be the Director of the Las Vegas Medical Center prior to his selection as Administrator of the Wyoming State Hospital.  He is an active member and advocate for the National Alliance of the Mentally Ill.  Dr. Hernandez is a member of the National Latino Behavioral Group and the Hispanic Psychiatric Society.  Dr. Hernandez also serves as the co-chair of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

Robert Otis Kelley, Ph.D.  is currently Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professor of Medical Education and Public Health at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming. Prior to assuming his current position in 1999, Dean Kelley was Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Executive Associate Dean of the Graduate College, University of Illinois at Chicago. From 1981 to 1997 he was the Chairman, Department of Anatomy, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and prior to that he was on the faculty in the same department at New Mexico Dr. Kelley earned his Ph.D.  from the University of California, Berkeley, California in 1969, his M.A. from the same institution in 1966, and his B.S. from Abilene Christian College, Abilene, Texas in 1966. He has had international academic appointments in Japan and the Netherlands. He is the author of many books, book chapters, and articles in the area of biomedical research.   Presentation

Trudy Lieberman is the Director of the Center for Consumer Health Choices at Consumers Union (CU).  Ms. Lieberman is one of the leading investigative journalists writing on health care issues in America today.  Ms. Lieberman has won two National Magazine Awards, and ten National Press Club Awards for her stories on health and life insurance, medicare and nursing homes, among other health-related topics.  Among her honors is an honorary doctorate—a doctor of humane letters from the University of Nebraska. 

Ms. Lieberman is the co-author of How to Plan for a Secure Retirement (1992 - and Revised Edition, 1998), author of Family Finance Workbook (1989) and Life Insurance: How to Buy the Right Policy from the Right Company at the Right Price (1988).  She is the author of Slanting the Story: The Forces That Shape The News (2000) published by The New Press, and The Consumer Reports Complete Guide to Health Services for Seniors (2000) published by Three Rivers Press. 

 She is a contributing editor for Columbia Journalism Review, and she also contributes to The Nation.  Ms. Lieberman has taught health policy as an adjunct professor in journalism at The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and press ethics as an adjunct professor at New York University. 

Ms. Lieberman holds a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the University of Nebraska and a Certificate in Economics and Business Journalism from The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Angie Paccione represents Colorado's 53rd House District which includes Colorado State University where she is employed as a research associate in the school of education. Representative Paccione spent 5 years as an Assistant Professor at CSU before running for elected office in 2002. Her areas of expertise include teacher education, multicultural education and diversity training, and adolescent development. As a legislator her focus has been on issues impacting the most vulnerable members of our community. Health care is one of those issues.

Rick Schum currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, overseeing all sales and marketing activities throughout the state.  Rick also has direct responsibility for the Wyoming Health Insurance Pool, the Caring Foundation of Wyoming and all statewide government relations activities.  Rick has worked for Blue Cross for over 22 years, during which time he has held numerous positions in both the internal operations and marketing areas. 

Rick is a native of Cheyenne, graduating from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management.  He has a Certified Health Consultant designation from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a member of the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.  Rick is a past director of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, served on the State Employee’s and Officials Group Insurance Board, has served on the Standard and Basic Benefits Committee and the Health Benefit Plan Committee. 

Rick is married with two children.

Mike Vercauteren is the program manager for Albany County Tobacco Use Prevention. His work encompasses a wide range of activities, which include reducing tobacco use initiation, encouraging cessation of tobacco use and reducing exposure to second-hand smoke in Albany County. Primary to the success of his campaign is developing a healthy grass roots initiative and promoting community advocacy.  Mike earned his Masters of Social Work and Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Wyoming. He is the former owner of an import store and has a long advocated for fair-trade. He is married with two young children, enjoys playing in the mountains surrounding Laramie, woodworking and coaching his son’s soccer team. 

Jane Warren
Wyoming State Legislator