World Congress on Midwifery and Women’s Health August 29-30, 2016
Hilton Atlanta Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Lau Ying holds Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees from University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. She had clinical experience over 15 years in different hospitals. She is an Assistant Professor in Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. She has worked as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for 10 years and has published over 80 international peer reviewed papers in journals, professional journals, books, and book chapters.

Breast Cancer, Women Healthcare, Healthcare

Mary Steen is a Professor of Midwifery at the University of South Australia and Visiting Professor at the Universities of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Sao Paulo, Brazil and Chester, UK. She is interested in a wide remit of midwifery and family health issues that has led her to undertake research studies in developed and developing countries. She has published her work widely and has written numerous articles, chapters and several books. She has received several awards for clinical innovation, original research and outstanding services to midwifery.

Midwifery, Women Health, Pregnancy, Healthcare

Sister Renée Mirkes, OSF, PhD is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, Manitowoc, WI. She serves as director of the Center for NaProEthics [the ethics division of the Pope Paul VI Institute, Omaha, NE] and was editor of its ethics publication, The NaProEthics Forum, from 1996 to 2002. Together with an undergraduate degree in music education and an undergraduate and master degree in vocal performance from Wisconsin Conservatory and University of Michigan School of Music, Sister Renee has a graduate degree in theology from the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX and a doctorate degree in theological ethics from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI (1995). In her current position, she deals with procreative and birth ethics through consultations, publications, and public speaking. To these commitments Sr. Renée brings experience in clinical ethics as well as broad experience in bioethics as a research fellow from 1987-1990 with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (formerly the Pope John Center: Houston, TX). She was appointed to the Nebraska Bioethics Advisory Commission by University of Nebraska President L. Dennis Smith in 2000. She is a founding member and serves on the board of Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research. Sister Renee is currently serving on the national Rights of Conscience (ROC) Working Committee and its subcommittee on state ROC legislation. She has also been appointed chair of the Legislative Committee of the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals and spearheads its website focus on protecting healthcare rights of conscience in reproductive medicine. Sister Renee serves on the board of directors for the Twin Cities FertilityCare Center. Recently, the Center for NaProEthics has been approved as a host organization for the Blackstone Legal Fellowship Program and Sister Renee as on-site director of the Phase II practicum. Sister Renee has published articles in The Journal of Philosophy and Medicine; Ethics & Medics; New Blackfriars; The Thomist; Linacre Quarterly; The American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly; Catholic Answer; Our Sunday Visitor; The NaProEthics Forum; National Catholic Bioethics Center Quarterly; Ethics and Medicine, and The Catholic Response.

Bioethics, Women Health, Healthcare, midwifery

Sister Renée Mirkes, OSF, PhD is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, Manitowoc, WI. She serves as director of the Center for NaProEthics [the ethics division of the Pope Paul VI Institute, Omaha, NE] and was editor of its ethics publication, The NaProEthics Forum, from 1996 to 2002. Together with an undergraduate degree in music education and an undergraduate and master degree in vocal performance from Wisconsin Conservatory and University of Michigan School of Music, Sister Renee has a graduate degree in theology from the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX and a doctorate degree in theological ethics from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI (1995). In her current position, she deals with procreative and birth ethics through consultations, publications, and public speaking. To these commitments Sr. Renée brings experience in clinical ethics as well as broad experience in bioethics as a research fellow from 1987-1990 with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (formerly the Pope John Center: Houston, TX). She was appointed to the Nebraska Bioethics Advisory Commission by University of Nebraska President L. Dennis Smith in 2000. She is a founding member and serves on the board of Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research. Sister Renee is currently serving on the national Rights of Conscience (ROC) Working Committee and its subcommittee on state ROC legislation. She has also been appointed chair of the Legislative Committee of the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals and spearheads its website focus on protecting healthcare rights of conscience in reproductive medicine. Sister Renee serves on the board of directors for the Twin Cities FertilityCare Center. Recently, the Center for NaProEthics has been approved as a host organization for the Blackstone Legal Fellowship Program and Sister Renee as on-site director of the Phase II practicum. Sister Renee has published articles in The Journal of Philosophy and Medicine; Ethics & Medics; New Blackfriars; The Thomist; Linacre Quarterly; The American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly; Catholic Answer; Our Sunday Visitor; The NaProEthics Forum; National Catholic Bioethics Center Quarterly; Ethics and Medicine, and The Catholic Response.

Midwifery, Women Healthcare, Gynecology

Thomas Adamski is the director of psychiatric programs for Jewish Home Lifecare, Community Services. He completed his Doctorate in Psychiatric Nursing at Teacher’s College Columbia University. He is nationally and internationally recognized in the areas of mental health, HIV, addiction and bereavement. He is a practicing psychotherapist in New York City and lectures extensively. He is a past Professor of Psychiatric Nursing at New York University and currently a preceptor of graduate nursing students at Hunter College of the City of New York.

Healthcare

Amy Weaver received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Liberty State College. She graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing – Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist, with a concentration in chronic illness, from Youngstown State University and received a PhD in Nursing from Villanova University. Her dissertation examined the effect of a model demonstration during debriefing on students’ clinical judgment, self-confidence, and satisfaction during a simulated learning experience. She is a full time faculty member and coordinator of the Nursing Home Administration Program at Youngstown State University. Dr. Weaver will continue her research to contribute to best practices in simulation and debriefing. She plans to develop simulated teaching-learning strategies that will enable students to provide quality care to older adults.

Adult Nursing

Mouhanad Hammami, M.D. a graduate of Aleppo University, Syria, Dr. Hammami completed his postdoctoral research in Pediatrics at the Newborn Center of the University of Tennessee in Memphis, and then accepted a faculty appointment at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan and a research position at the Detroit Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics. In 2006 he was granted the American Medical Association (AMA) foundation for Excellence in Medicine and Leadership award for his public health advocacy and community work. He is listed in the Marquis 2006-2007 Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Strathmore’s 2006-2007 Who’s Who in Healthcare and Madison’s Who’s Who in the World 2008 - 2009. He was awarded the “Health Policy Champion Award” by the Michigan Department of Community Health in 2011.Dr. Hammami served as Executive Director of the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA) from 2006 to 2009 and then elected as national president for 2011. He currently serves as the Chief of Health Operations of Wayne County Department of Health and Human Services and County Health Officer for Wayne County where he oversees all health related operations for the 13th largest County in the Nation.

James C. Pace, PhD, MDiv, ANP, BC, FAANP, FAAN is the Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Program at New York University College of Nursing and Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing. Dr. Pace holds a BA in philosophy from The University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee; a BSN from Florida State University; MSN and MDiv degrees from Vanderbilt University; and a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Pace is a Fellow in both the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nursing. As a board certified adult nurse practitioner, he works part time at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Clinic in New York City. Dr. Pace's research and scholarly pursuits are in the areas of palliative/end-of-life care and spirituality/religion and health. Dr. Pace is also an Episcopal priest and assists at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Times Square.

Nursing

Uday G.Bodhankar has completed his M.D Pediatric at the age of 28 years from RST Nagpur University & had International Neonatology Training from University of Illinois Chicago, USA. He is the recipient of WHO fellowship in Maternal & Child Health at Singapore. He is the Director of Children Hospital rendering high quality newborn & childcare. He is at present International President of Commonwealth Association for Health & Disability, UK. He has been Advisor to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare & Management Council Member of State Health University. He has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals and has been as an editorial board member of reputed National & International Journals.

Edwin Ralph is a professor and internship facilitator with the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. His research and teaching interests have focused on the areas of effective teaching, learning, and mentoring at all levels and in all disciplines.

Teaching