Obesity Action Coalition 2006-2008 National Board of Directors

Jim Fivecoat, OAC Chairman
Mr. Fivecoat, a manager for retirement plans, is a bariatric surgery patient. In 2003, Jim Fivecoat underwent weight-loss surgery. Currently, he remains incredibly successful with his weight-loss. Mr. Fivecoat brings knowledge of how the benefit process works with major employers and an immense passion to help others affected by obesity to the OAC Board of Directors.

Robin Blackstone, MD
Dr. Blackstone is a practicing bariatric surgeon from Scottsdale, Arizona. She first became interested in gastric bypass surgery for the morbidly obese after a close family member had the procedure in 1999. Dr. Blackstone established the Scottsdale Bariatric Center and throughout the last four years, the center has emerged as one of the best examples of excellence field of bariatrics in the United States. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Surgical Review Corporation, Center Review Committee. This committee is responsible for certifying Centers of Excellence in Bariatric Surgical Care in the U.S.

Pam Davis, RN, CBN, CCM
Pam is a registered nurse and certified case manager; a member of the ASBS, CMSA and NABN. Pam is currently employed as the Bariatric Program Director for Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity in Nashville, TN. In 2001, Pam had laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and has since developed a passion for working with the morbidly obese. Serving to educate not only the patients, but also the hospital staff, referring physicians and the community regarding the disease of morbid obesity and the related consequences, Pam has been able to combine her love of research and education with her passion for working with the morbidly obese population. Pam has authored articles for WLS Lifestyles, co-authored a Resource Path on Morbid Obesity for CMSA and tells her personal story of her struggle with obesity in a chapter in the book Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for You?

Jacqueline Jacques, ND
Dr. Jacqueline Jacques is a Naturopathic Doctor with more than a decade of expertise in medical nutrition. Dr. Jacques has spent much of her career in the dietary supplement industry as a formulator, speaker, writer and educator. She is the Chief Science Officer for Catalina Lifesciences LLC, a company dedicated to providing the best of nutritional care to weight-loss surgery patients. Additionally acknowledged for her general expertise in natural medicine, Dr. Jacques appears as a guest on radio and television, and regularly writes articles for trade publications. Her greatest love is empowering patients to better their own health. She has just completed writing a clinical guidebook called Micronutrition for the Weight Loss Surgery Patient. In addition to working with the OAC, she also serves on the board of the Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine.

Julie M. Hill-Janeway, BBA, MSA, JD, ABD/PhD
Ms. Hill-Janeway is the author of "The Real Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery: An Indispensable Guide to What You Can REALLY Expect!", and co-owns Little Victories Support Specialists. She is also the co-owner of Little Victories Press and serves as its Executive Editor and Chief Legal Counsel. In October 2003, she underwent weight-loss surgery and to date has lost more than 180 pounds. Ms. Hill-Janeway is also a professor at Central Michigan University. She has taught for the past 12 years specializing in law, political science, social science, and public policy.

Georgeann Mallory, RD
Ms. Mallory began her career in bariatrics as a registered dietitian (RD) for an eminent bariatric surgeon in Florida. Ms. Mallory became a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) in 1987. Subsequently, she became chair of the ASBS Allied Health Section and in 1996 was appointed Executive Director of the Society. The ASBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public alike about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of morbid obesity.

Christopher Still, DO, FACN, FACP
Dr. Still has been studying developments in nutrition support and obesity for nearly a decade. He serves as principal investigator on a rural elderly nutrition and aging study of some 22,000 individuals. Dr. Still's interest in weight-loss comes from his personal experiences with obesity. Dr. Still once weighed 365 pounds, and losing the weight was a life and career changing experience. Dr. Still is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Nutrition, and the American College of Nutrition, among others.

Barbara Thompson, MLS
Ms. Thompson is an accomplished national speaker on the subjects of obesity sensitivity, weight-loss surgery, and successful weight-loss maintenance. In 2001, she wrote the first patient guidebook, Weight Loss Surgery; Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You, now in its 3rd edition. In 2005 she co-authored Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. Ms. Thompson had weight-loss surgery in 2000 and has lost 125 pounds. She is an authority on the emotional and social issues of weight-loss and the moderator of Weight Loss Surgery Blog.

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