“People of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Meet the Council's Advisory Board
Mike Silvers, DO, MPH(Chief Medical Officer)
An expert in international health and travel medicine with distinctions such as a member of President Clinton's emergency medical team, former chief medical adviser to the Peace Corp and a member of the Center for Disease Control's international health program office. Dr. Silvers is a board certified family-practice physician with worldwide health development experience.
Lisa Beichl, BA, MBA. Ms Beichl is an International Health Specialist for Milliman Care Guidelines and an extensive experience in international health insurance strategic and operational decisions (public and private) and related medical delivery issues. Experience in Latin America, North America, the Middle East, West- Central- and Eastern Europe, southeast Asia, and Africa.
Ms Beichl is an external consultant in the strategy development for US medical guideline introduction in international markets. She has responsibility for the methodology design including country-specific health economics, health policy development, and intellectual property rights, blending of public and private sector care delivery, and guideline acceptance in non-US countries.
Neelesh Bhandari MD MBBS, PGP
Dr. Neelesh is the founding member and chief mentor of the Registered Society for Knowledge and Health Activitites (RAKSHA) in India, and a business Consultant with EDdRC Educational Technologies, in Hyderabad, India. Educated in Dubai, and Poona, he is a graduate of the Armed Forces Medical College in Poona and completed a post-graduate program in Human Rights from the Indian Institute of Human Rights, in New Delhi, India.
As the Medical Officer in Rajasthan Publis Service commision, his responsibilities included implementation of all National Health Programmes and collection of Health Statistics, provision of medical care and managing health requirements of a population of approximately 28,000 lives. While at that post, he organized many medical and drug distribution camps for indigent patients. His medical sepcialisations includes: diagnostic pathology, immunohematology, laboratory medicine and transfusiton medicine. He has published several papers and posters and presented many case studies at national and state medical conferences in India. Dr. Neelesh is fluent in English and Hindi and conversant in Marathi and Gujarati.
Claudia Birkenshaw Garabelli, MSA
Ms Birkenshaw Garabelli has over eighteen years of managerial hospital revenue cycle experience and has worked over twenty-five years in healthcare finance. She is the author of two books: The UB-92 Handbook for Hospital Billing, and The UB-04 Handbook for Hospital Billing, both published by the American Hospital Association. She holds a Master's of Science of Administration degree from Central Michigan State University.
On an international scale, Ms Birkenshaw Garabelli teaches hospitals to conform to billing and US regulatory and compliance standards that are necessary for foreign hospitals to correctly bill for services to US regulated health plans and insurance companies. Simply generating an invoice for payment to a US health plan or self-insured employer is no guarantee of compensation. Together with a properly negotiated reimbursement agreement, precise conformity with coding and health plan claim formatting standards is necessary to receive accurate and prompt reimbursement. Ms Birkenshaw Garabelli is uniquely qualified to guide foreign providers through these many challenges.
Michael Boeckle
A successful serial entrepreneur from Germany, Mr. Boeckle resided in Florida for 19 years before moving to Brazil in 2003. Michael Boeckle is the CEO of Business Solution International, Ltda., and the owner of CosmeticVacations, LLC. His firms have been featured in many national and international medias including such as Bloomberg, NBC News, E!Entertainment, Condé Nast Traveler, ZDF and many others. The company CosmeticVacations is a Florida LLC but with the main office based in Rio de Janeiro in order to remain proximate to the medical tourists and the providers - a strategy that he feels strongly contributes his best efforts to ensure a safe and relaxed environment for the patients both on arrival and during their recuperation in Rio.
Sarah G Canez, BA RHU
Ms Canez is a Registered Health Underwriter, a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award with the San Antonio Association of Health Underwriters. She is well versed in the variety of costs, benefits, limitations and differences of available helath plans and carrier reimbursement modes in US healthcare. Ms Canez is of Canadian-American heritage and has close family ties to Mexico, Argentina and South Korea. She has lived and worked for extended perios in France, Ecuador and Canada and is well versed in those health delivery and reimbursement systems. Prior to her work in the health insurance industry, Ms Canez taught French and Spanish at the high shool and middle school level, and also taught English for Speakers of Other Languages. She served in the Peace Corps in Ecuador in the 1970s.
William J DeMarco, MA CMC
Mr. Demarco is the former Chief Executive Officer of CLINICARE HEALTH PLAN, startup health plan sponsored by Rockford Clinic Ltd, in Northern Illinois. Prior to this he held executive positions with Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota and SHARE Health Plan. He is currently CEO of DeMarco and Associates, Board Chair of Gold Star Alliance for Health and a Director of Pendulum Health Care Development Corporation. He is a well-published author on more than 7 books on health management topics. Mr. DeMarco is a past faculty member in the Loyola Law School graduate program and DePaul University Entrepreneurial Business School. His professional insight and personal experience into how health plans and provider groups think and act is essentially unparalleled in the industry.
Ismail Demirdogen, MA
Mr. Demirdogen has taken active roles in different functions of assistance, air ambulance and cross border healthcare industry since 2001. Starting his career in dispatch center at MARM Assistance and RedStar Air Medical in Turkey, Ismail quickly moved into business development and international accounts management activities until 2008. He is currently assisting international organizations with his colleagues for development of new ventures on a contract/freelance basis.
Ismail has broad experience in medical cost containment, quality and process management, network management and contracting, project design and implementation and matrix management.
Ismail has a Master’s Degree in marketing with the major of healthcare marketing and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration with the major of marketing from Ege University in Izmir. He speaks Turkish and in English fluently as well as basic level of Russian. American Marketing Association, Association of Air Medical Services, Association of Healthcare Services Managers, and Turkish Education Foundation are some of his affiliations. He divides his residence between Turkey and Moldova.
Maria Dotuong, BA, JD
Ms Dutuong is an attorney with more than 15 years expertise in the field of International Law, Intellectual Property, Licensing, Patent, Trademark and Registration. Her undergraduate degree is in International Relations. She has special expertise in managing domestic and internationl litigation, SEC compliance, licensing and international contracting. She has negotiated contracts with the US government and UK Ministry.
She has a special interest in Stem Cell research and transplantation.
Donna Goestenkors, CPMSM
Ms Goestenkors is Medical Staff Leadership and Professional Services consultant with over 30 years of credentialing, privileging and accreditation experience working with hospitals, Medical Staff Offices (MSO), healthcare systems, Credentials Committees, health plans, medical groups, Bylaws Committees, and credentials verification organizations nationwide. Goestenkors is a past president of the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS).
Most recently, she was as a full time consultant with The Greeley Company in the Credentialing and Privileging Practice and has recently been appointed as co-chair of the Credentialing and Privileging Advisory Board for the Global Health Care Policy Council. In addition to her consultant client work, Goestenkors serves as a health care industry speaker and author.
Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein is a professional consultant with over 20 years' experience in senior administrative and clinical management for hospitals, ambulatory care centers and long term care facilities as well as extensive consulting experience in both the provider and payer segments of the industry with a focus on the 'medical management payer practice' He is recognized as a subject matter expert in medical management , optimizing the quality of healthcare, improving clinical efficiencies and integrating interdisciplinary evidence-based medicine programs into an organization.
Jackie Hodges, MBA, RHIA
More than 30 years in healthcare includes experience as a hospital Chief Operating Officer (COO) and an executive for a large revenue cycle consulting company. In the Medical Tourism business, diplomacy and documentation figure largely in measuring the quality of foreign hospitals for US patients and health plans. Ms. Hodges' experience with revenue cycle management, as well as Joint Commission and ISO 9000 accreditation is essential in helping international hospitals gain US market share. This experience includes billing, collections, denials management, remittance, fraud and abuse compliance, licensing, third party payer integration and reimbursement.
As Chief Operating Officer, she routinely prepared the governing board, the medical staff and the hospital departments for the Joint Commission accreditation survey. As a consultant, she guided the first American hospital through the internationally recognized ISO 9000 certification. Therefore, when a foreign ISO-accredited hospital requires the more US-recognized Joint Commission International accreditation, Ms. Hodges translates the similarities and differences better than anyone. Likewise, if a hospital lacks accreditation by either standard, she brings them up to speed with mock surveys, action-item lists, timelines, sample policy and prioritization.
Karl Leistikow, BS, MBA, MPH Mr. Leistikow joined Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) HCAPS (Physician Services) division in January 2008 focusing on operations. His previous experience includes the pharmaceutical/biotech/medical device industries, nonprofit organizations, and Government Affairs. He received a Bachelors of Science in Biology, an MPH with emphasis in Healthcare Organization and Policy, an MBA, and is a certified Six Sigma Greenbelt. While pursuing his MBA he completed certification of the Initiative for Live Science Entrepreneurship Program and was a recipient of the Kauffman Entrepreneurship Award.
As an analyst in health policy, he brings a special understanding and sensitivity to the group that addresses the international healthcare issues pertinent to health facilities, and the varying forms of government support used to propagate the use and maintain the quality of care given to populations that have trouble with access to care. As medical travel programs proliferate, the ministries of each country's public health departments have increasing concern over the potential negative impacts on how the growth and profitability of medical tourism and globally integrated programs has on the access to care by indigenous peoples, the increased scarcity of physicians in the public sector and the concern over "brain drain". The Council will look to its membership to establish responsible policy that considers these impacts and seeks to achieve appropriate balance so that medical tourism programs do not create or contribute additional problems at a local level.
June Lu, MS
Ms Lu brings a multi-cultural background and business and technical working experience to bring values to GHCPC. As an experienced consultant and data analyst at Gold Health Strategies, her extensive knowledge in managed care, healthcare data management and statistical data analysis is used to work from massive data sets to supports colleagues and clients to make informed business decisions. She has a Master’s degree in computer science as well as base and advanced SAS programming certification, as well as a BBA from Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, where she carried a dual major in International Trade and Japanese.
Prior to relocation in New York in 1996, she was an entreprenaur in international trade in China generating annual revenue above $2 million. Ms Lu is bilingual in Mandarin and English and proficient in Japanese.
Manish Mahnot, MBA
Consultant, speaker and founding partner of Health Care Payments, Inc, an international healthcare payments consultancy and facilitator, Mr. Mahnot bring the CGIH a focused expertise in the diverse area of consumer finance and credit. Mr. Mahnot’s 14 years experience and proven success as an entrepreneur and long-standing executive with the international banking conglomerate of J.P. Morgan Chase Company establishes Mr. Mahnot’s role as a valued advisor in the areas of payment systems, consumer and B2B marketing, and entrepreneurship in a global market. Mr. Mahnot’s international business acumen and experiences as a international entrepreneur also add another layer of value to the CGIH ’s mission and the development and implementation of the organization’s standards.
Luis C. Gutierrez, BS
With over18 years of extensive experience in travel management and meeting planning, Mr. Guitierrez is the former Meeting Manager for the American Academy of Family Practice. In 1997, he successfully built and managed Travel Solutions, a meeting planning and travel agency located in Overland Park, KS. There, he secured and managed numerous high-profile corporate travel accounts, and directed meetings for top-level clients, earning the respect of key business leaders. He is comfortable in the presence of CEOs and business leaders from all industries.
Mr. Gutierrez has been involved with the Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for several years and understands the key cultural and communication differences that define the many Hispanic sub-cultures. Luis was born in Mexico City, Mexico, moved from there as a young child to Portugal, and spent his childhood and teenage years in El Paso, TX. He received his BS degree in Business and Transportation Logistics Management in 1992. Mr. Gutierrez is fluent in Spanish and is a frequent traveler to Mexico and Latin America.
Kathy Matzka, CPMSM, CPCS
Ms. Matzka is a speaker, consultant, and writer with over 20 years of experience in credentialing, privileging, and medical staff services. She holds certification by the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) in both Medical Staff Management and Provider Credentialing. Ms. Matzka worked for 13 years as a hospital medical staff coordinator before venturing out on her own as a consultant, writer, and speaker.
Ms. Matzka has authored a number of books related to medical staff services including both the fifth and sixth editions of the Compliance Guide to Joint Commission Medical Staff Standards, and The Medical Staff Meeting Companion Tools and Techniques for Effective Presentations. For the past eight years, she has been the contributing editor for the credentialing industry’s premier credentialing publication, The Credentials Verification Desk Reference and, recently, its companion website The Credentialing and Privileging Desktop Reference.
J Michael McCoy, MD Dr. McCoy is a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute in Indinapolis, IN, where he is currently participting in the development of the National Healthcare Information Network (NHIN), part II: HIN interoperability demonstration, and implementation and evaluation of OpenMRS, an open source EMR.
He is the former CIO of Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, and a former Senior National Scientist at Rand Corporation. Prior to his work at RAND, Dr McCoy was the CIO for UCLA Healthcare in Los Angeles, CA. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is also a former USAF F-4 Fighter Pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Air-to-Air Combat over North Vietnam in 1972.
Melinda McDonald, MBA Melinda McDonald is the Vice President of Child Health Corporation of America (CHCA), a business cooperative of 44 children's hospitals throughout the US and Canada. She has been active in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years. Her vast experience includes responsibilities for communications, meeting planning, facilitation, and business development. Prior to her present position, she was employed with Saint Luke's Health System in Kansas City, where she was involved in marketing, advertising and strategic planning.
Michael Nowicki, MHA, EdD, FACHE, FHFMA
Prior to joining the faculty of UT San Marco in 1986, Dr. Nowicki was director of process management in the hospital division of Humana. Dr. Nowicki's teaching and research interests include management and financial management, which earned him the College of Health Professions Teaching Excellence Award in 1990, Teacher of the Year Award in 1991, the University's Teaching Excellence Award in 1991, the College Service Excellence Award in 2002, and College Research Excellence Award in 2003 and 2005. Dr. Nowicki is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, serving as president of the Central Texas Chapter in 1990 and is a fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, serving as president of the South Texas Chapter in 1992 and chapter liaison representative for the seven chapters in Region 9 in 1998. Dr. Nowicki served on the HFMA National Board of Examiners from 1997-2002, serving as chair in 2001-2002. Dr. Nowicki served on the HFMA National Board of Directors from 1999-2002, serving as chair of the Chapter Services Council in 2000 and as chair of the Forums Council in 2001.
Rochelle Pleskow, MS HSA
Ms Pleskow is a healthcare industry consultant with over 20 years experience. She is the former Director of Business Architecture at Blue Shield of California and Executive Director of Palm Medical Group IPA, an affiliate of Tenet Healthcare. She was also a Medical Delivery Consultant with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia.She is fully versed in all aspects of the managed care claims management cycle and integrated health delivery system operations. She serves the Council's Advisory Board as the Physician Specialty Liaison and supports the Committee Chairs of each specialty.
She brings vast professional experience with payer and provider negotiations and US revenue cycle management functions, health plan operations, and technology implementations in the acute, ambulatory and provider arenas.
Larry Preston, MBA, FHFMA
More than 30 years in healthcare management includes experience as the Controller of the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, the Regional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Ornda Healthcorp in San Diego, the CFO of Pinnacle Health Systems, the President of Pinnacle Medical Consultants and the current President of Professional Medical Consultant. Mr. Preston has also held numerous positions in the Healthcare Financial Medical Association (HFMA).
An avid traveler, Mr. Preston remained skeptical about Medical Tourism until the summer of 2006 when he visited several hospitals in Thailand. Thereafter, he joined Global Health Sources to aid international hospitals with refining operations in preparation for the imminent globalization of healthcare. With acquired experience in accounts payable, accounting, payroll, budget, reimbursement, human resources, information services, billing, collections, coding, hiring, training, contract negotiations, and office management, Mr. Preston understands the full spectrum of potential problems affecting hospital and provider networks both here and abroad.
David I Samuels, FHFMA, MPA (Certification Chair)
President and CEO of EthiCare, which provides regulators & managers “early warning system” tools using Lean & Six Sigma principles together with business process re-engineering at all levels to help hospitals, health plans, as well as healthcare vendors, provider, and other organizations to pinpoint / correct process and productivity errors, thereby self-managing adherence to their own external and internal benchmarks.
Mr. Samuels has practical experience through his service on the Board of Examiners of the HFMA with certification testing, psychometrics, validity testing, score setting, syllabus congruence to study materials, study guide writing, and examination test writing. During his BOE Appointment, he oversaw the setting of new cut-points and validity testing for the examination, and in promoting the examination to larger pools of candidates to ensure more consistent pass rates.
In 2007-2008, Mr. Samuels’ efforts to promote HFMA certification testing led to the development of the Association’s first computer-based practice test and online certification coaching. At its June 2008 Chapter Awards, Mr. Samuels’ Nevada Chapter received a Gold Award for Certification, with 4 of its members first attaining certification in part due to Mr. Samuels’ CBT design and online coaching approach.
Susanne Sapa, RN-BC, CCM
Ms Sapa is a nurse, certified case manager, entrepreneur and co-owner in a medical travel company, International Medical Coordinators of Stevensville, MD. Over the last 30 years she has worked in a supervisory/consultant capacity for companies such as VNA, Maryland Blue Cross/Blue Shield, MAMSI, and has gained extensive experience in case management, insurance process, auditing and the appeals process. Most recently Susanne has worked with the Maryland Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) Program providing independent and intensive case management services and other specialized care to children and adults with rare, expensive, and chronic medical conditions. Her most rewarding work has been as an independent contractor, coordinating, evaluating and transporting patients from overseas back to their resident country for medical treatment, which lead to her Altitude Physiology training. Susanne has been active in the industry, holding memberships in the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Maryland Nurses Association (MNA), and has served as co-chair on the MNA Legislative Committee.
Alan M Schecter, MBA
Consultant, speaker and current Director of Healthcare Informatics at the 500,000 member Southern California managed care organization, the Heritage Provider Network, Inc., Mr. Schechter brings the CGIH
a widely diverse background and proven experience as a senior healthcare executive to the CGIH
. Mr. Schechter’s 30 years of experience and proven success as a senior executive in launching various seed companies in the Life Sciences and Biotechnology sectors establishes Mr. Schechter’s role as a proven entrepreneurial spirit who knows what it takes to be successful in new ventures. Mr. Schechter’s leadership expertise in the surgical areas of ophthalmic, cardiovascular, neuro, spinal, orthopedic, as well as the key business segments of drug discovery, clinical laboratory, infectious disease, medical economics and healthcare informatics add a wide-range of technical know-how that synergizes CGIH
’s efforts to foster innovation and quality in the global medical travel industry.
John Punnoose, MBA M Phil
Consultant, speaker, and former CEO of Royale Hayat Hospital, Kuwait, and former CEO of the managed hospitals and consulting division of Apollo Hospitals Group; pioneered the Joint Commission International’s quality accreditation movement in India.
Troy D. Roth
A polished speaker, consultant, trainer and revenue cycle expert with more than 17 years of progressive revenue cycle, managed care and finance experience, with the majority spent on the provider and/or corporate levels. Mr Roth is currently the Senior Vice President, Revenue Management Strategy at Accuro, A MedAssets Company. Prior to his current position, Mr. Roth served in roles of VP, Implementations and Strategy.
Consultant, speaker, adjunct associate professor (UCLA) and health policy analyst; former vice president for strategic initiatives in the Health Solutions Division of WellPoint, Inc., and health legislation Director at the National Governors' Association in Washington, DC. Dr. Volpe is an adjunct associate professor at the UCLA School of Public Health. As the former vice president for strategic initiatives in the Health Solutions Division of WellPoint, Inc., he was responsible for identifying internal and external opportunities and partnering strategies with hospitals, physicians, foundations and academic institutions to improve services and the quality of care to WellPoint's members.
Mike Silvers, DO, MPH (Chief Medical Officer)
Lisa Beichl, BA, MBA. 
Claudia Birkenshaw Garabelli, MSA
Michael Boeckle
William J DeMarco, MA CMC
Ismail Demirdogen, MA
Maria Dotuong, BA, JD
Donna Goestenkors, CPMSM
Jeffrey Goldstein MD, MS, FACHE
Jackie Hodges, MBA, RHIA
June Lu, MS
Luis C. Gutierrez, BS
Kathy Matzka, CPMSM, CPCS
Melinda McDonald, MBA
Michael Nowicki, MHA, EdD, FACHE, FHFMA
Larry Preston, MBA, FHFMA
David I Samuels, FHFMA, MPA (Certification Chair)
Susanne Sapa, RN-BC, CCM
John Punnoose, MBA M Phil 
Troy D. Roth 
L Carl Volpe, PhD