Brevard Healthcare Forum Announces 2010 Executive Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Brevard Healthcare Forum announced its incoming Executive Committee members at the organization’s April meeting. Shawna Serig Kelsch and Chris McAlpine will serve as the Forum’s Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, beginning May 1, 2010.

The Brevard Healthcare Forum serves as the health planning body for Brevard County and seeks to foster collaborative relationships that facilitate the sharing of data and expertise to address the county’s most pressing healthcare issues.

Ms. Kelsch, who most recently served as the organization’s Vice Chair, has been an active member of the Forum since 2004, and has served on various committees since joining. Ms. Kelsch is currently employed as the Marketing Director for One Senior Place in Viera and is actively involved in a number of community and charitable organizations.

Mr. McAlpine is Senior Vice President of Professional Services/Administration for Parrish Medical Center in Titusville. He serves as co-coordinator for American Cancer Society’s North Brevard Relay for Life, and is a board member of the Central Florida Health Forum, Hospice of St. Francis, the Brevard Symphony and the advisory panel of the American Heart Association.

Keith Lundquist, outgoing Chair, is the Vice President of Planning and Marketing for Health First. Since 2006, Mr. Lundquist has led the board in a number of successful initiatives to help improve the health of the community. Among them are ongoing programs designed to improve Access to Care, combat Childhood Obesity and address Chronic Drinking – priority issues identified by findings from a recent Brevard County community health survey.

A Patient Safety Task Force under the guidance of Mr. Lundquist also has been successful in implementing hospital safety initiatives including coordination of a tobacco-free environment on all Brevard hospital campuses in 2009.

Recently retired Brevard County Health Department Health Director, Heidar Heshmati, M.D., M.P.M, Ph.D., also served as Vice Chair of the committee from 2007-2010.

About the Brevard Healthcare Forum:

Since 1996, the Brevard Healthcare Forum has been sponsored by Florida Institute of Technology and served as a county-wide coalition of healthcare providers and other organizations. Our current membership includes representatives from the following:
• Brevard Community College
• Brevard County Government
• Brevard County Health Department
• Brevard Health Alliance
• Brevard Public Schools
• Circles of Care
• Devereux Florida
• Florida Institute of Technology
• Health Council of East Central Florida
• Health First
• Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard
• Parrish Medical Center
• Wuesthoff Health System

VISION: To make health care better, safer, more accessible and more affordable in Brevard County.

MISSION: The mission of the Brevard Healthcare Forum is to:
1) Identify and build consensus on healthcare priorities and directions,
2) Facilitate dialogue and joint healthcare initiatives among community stakeholders, and
3) Provide and support community-wide healthcare education in Brevard County.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dr. Kristi Van Sickle, Executive Director
kvansickle@fit.edu
321-674-7148