Ellen Leitzer
Ellen Leitzer is a cofounder and codirector of the Senior Citizens' Law Office, Inc. (SCLO) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more than 20 years, the SCLO has provided free legal services to seniors, with a particular emphasis on Medicaid and Medicare issues. Ms. Leitzer is also a founding member and current vice president of Health Action New Mexico, which advocates for affordable, accessible health care for all New Mexicans. In addition, she has been a member of the University of New Mexico Hospital's Biomedical Ethics Committee since 1998.
Ms. Leitzer has participated in several state and local efforts to protect seniors. These include a Governor's Blue Ribbon task force that drafted guardianship and conservatorship laws; a legislative task force that drafted the state's Uniform Health Care Decisions Act; and an ad hoc committee that drafted the current regulations that protect long-term care residents from financial abuse by their caretakers.
Ms. Leitzer's work on behalf of New Mexico's seniors is widely recognized. In 1999, she received the New Mexico Conference on Aging's award for Outstanding Achievement or Contribution by a Professional or Staff Person. In 2001, the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association recognized the SCLO for "outstanding advocacy on behalf of the elderly."
Ms. Leitzer holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Columbia University and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
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Aranthan Steve Jones II
Aranthan Steve Jones II ("AJ") is the senior health policy advisor for the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. In this capacity, he directs the Caucus' policy positions on access to care and the elimination of health disparities. In addition, he serves as a lead health advisor to the Select Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee for Preparedness and Response.
Mr. Jones holds consultancy and advisory positions with a number of national and international health care policy and public health intuitions. He was recently appointed as a congressional ad hoc advisory member of the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health Secretariat. He was also appointed as a congressional advisory member of the United Nations' National Institute of Health Genetic Advisory Board. In addition, he serves as a member of the Roundtable on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care Treatment at Harvard University's The Civil Rights Project.
Prior to joining the congressional staff, Mr. Jones held a number of positions related to health care. He served as a college coordinator for the University of Illinois School of Public Health, as a consultant with the World Health Organization, as a clinical research associate at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and as a program specialist with Fogerty International Center at National Institutes of Health.
Mr. Jones received his B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Iowa State University and his M.P.H. in International Health Policy from George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services.
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Mary G. Troupe
Mary G. Troupe is executive director of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in Jackson, Mississippi. Her work at the coalition includes overseeing grants for Mississippi Healthy Futures and for Safe Kids. Healthy Futures works with adolescents with special health care needs and their families to prepare them for lives as successful adults. The Safe Kids campaign uses education and other injury prevention tools to reduce serious and debilitating accidental injuries in young people.
Prior to assuming the reigns at the CCD, Ms. Troupe served as a peer support/after care planner for the Mississippi Methodist Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Spinal Cord Unit. Before that, she was a teacher for 15 years, working with children from kindergarten through middle school.
Ms. Troupe's dedication to advocacy work has earned her a number of awards. Most recently, she received the Mississippi NAACP's Fannie Lou Hamer Award. In 1996, she was awarded the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities' Advocate of the Year Award, and in 1994, she received the President's Committee on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities' Advocacy Award.
Ms. Troupe holds a B.A. in Education and Music from the University of Mississippi.
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Previous Consumer Health Advocate Recipients
| 2004 | Bruce D. Lesley, Senior Health Policy Advisor to Senator Jeff Bingaman (D) NM
Ruth T. Perot, Co-founder and Executive Director of Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE)
Robert Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst and one of the founders of Health Care for All |
| 2003 | Joe Ditre, Executive Director of Consumers for Affordable Health Care (Illnois)
New York State Assemblymember, Richard N. Gottfried
Bart Diener & Ericka Smith, SEIU Local 660 (Los Angeles County, CA) |
| 2002 | Texas State Representative Elliott Naishtat
Jim Duffett, Executive Director of the Campaign for Better Health Care (Illinois)
Silvia Portillo, Tenants' and Workers' Support Committee (El Comite), Alexandria, Virginia |
2001
| Richard Kirsch, Citizen Action of New York
Chellie Pingree, Former Maine State Senator
Margarita Romo, Farmworkers Self-Help, Inc., Dade City, Florida 2001 - Families USA Lifetime Advocacy Award Recipient
Rep. Henry A. Waxman, U.S. House of Representatives |
| 2000 | Texas State Rep. Garnet F. Coleman
Justin Dart, Jr., renowned disability advocate
Many Pino, Health Action New Mexico |
| 1999 | Gordon Bonnyman, Executive Director of the Tennessee Justice Center
California State Assemblyman Martin Gallegos
The Parents of the UPO Head Start Medicaid Managed Care Monitoring Team of Washington, D.C. |
| 1998 | Oklahoma State Senator Angela Monson
Maryann O'Sullivan, founding director of Health Access (CA)
Bridgett Taylor, Minority Staff for the House Commerce Committee |
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