Distinguished professionals representing a broad range of disciplines provide oversight of Healthy NewsWorks’ programs, policies, financials, and operations.
Amy is a senior partner Troutman Pepper and president and CEO of its Pepper Center for Public Service. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. She is past president of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation and a current member of its executive committee. She earned her law degree at the University of Virginia. Amy joined the Healthy NewsWorks board in 2016.
Jim is a former City of Philadelphia health commissioner and is a teaching professor of health management and policy at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. He previously was an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he worked in epidemiology, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS prevention. Jim is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine. He joined the board in 2016.
Amy is a senior partner Troutman Pepper and president and CEO of its Pepper Center for Public Service. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. She is past president of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation and a current member of its executive committee. She earned her law degree at the University of Virginia. Amy joined the Healthy NewsWorks board in 2016.
Laurie is a professor emeritus at Temple University, where she chaired the physical therapy department. She was a board member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and was honored with APTA’s two highest honors—as Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA and with the Mary McMillan lectureship. She earned doctoral degrees from the MGH Institute of Health Professions and the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.B.A. from Penn’s Wharton School. She joined the board in 2014.
George is president and a founding partner of Lewis, Shoffner & Co., an accounting firm specializing in tax planning and preparation for individuals and small businesses. He is active in several community organizations and is a co-author of The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Finance for Non-Financial Managers. He earned a B.S. in business and finance from Lehigh University and is a certified public accountant. He joined the board in 2013.
Kristen is executive director of global medical affairs for pneumococcal vaccines at Merck Research Laboratories and an adjunct associate professor of pediatrics (infectious diseases) at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was previously a full-time academic physician at CHOP and Penn, then served as medical director of the Acute Communicable Diseases and Immunization Programs at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health until June 2020, when she joined Merck & Co., Inc., in Global Medical and Scientific Affairs. She joined the board in 2025.
Moriah is the Evaluation Director at Family Village, an initiative of The Foundation for Delaware County, where she oversees program evaluation, data strategy, and outcomes measurement. She is a public health professional with expertise in strategic planning, organizational development, and program evaluation. She previously held academic leadership and teaching roles at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. Moriah earned her MPH from Temple University. She joined the Healthy NewsWorks board in 2011.
Ross is an award-winning educator who has taught in New York City and Philadelphia schools, worked at the state level on education policy, and now serves as a school administrator at Upper Merion High School in Montgomery County, PA. He formerly served as the Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Upper Merion Area School District and has also been a Teach Plus Pennsylvania Senior Policy Fellow and a Teach Plus National Advisory Board Member, where he significantly contributed to state policy development. Before his roles in educational administration, he received honors for his classroom roles as a social studies teacher, curriculum designer, and restorative justice class facilitator. He joined the board in 2025.
Katherine retired in 2022 after 17 years as general counsel of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the country’s largest private foundation focused on improving health and health equity. Prior to that, she served for 12 years as general counsel of Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc., publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and philly.com. She earned her law degree at Case Western Reserve University and a master of studies in law degree at Yale Law School. Katherine joined the Healthy NewsWorks board in 2023.
Omar is the Lead Strategist at the O.S. Randolph Group, where he helps 6-, 7-, and 8-figure eCommerce brands scale revenue, strengthen their identity, and reach new audiences. His expertise spans brand management, social media marketing, and viral content strategy. With over 45 million views on YouTube and more than a million monthly views on Instagram, Omar combines data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to drive measurable results.
Before leading strategy at O.S. Randolph Group, Omar held marketing and communications roles at Facebook (Meta), MetLife, Quest Diagnostics, and Tyco International, and gained agency experience with JK Design, where he partnered with major global brands to develop creative campaigns and digital strategies. He also operates a successful six-figure eCommerce business. Omar joined the board in 2020.
Leah is a partner at PwC and specializes in pharmaceuticals, life sciences, healthcare providers, and higher education institutions. She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Rhode Island and is a certified public accountant. She joined the board in 2025.
Marty began her career as a corporate lawyer who did mergers and acquisitions and securities work at several firms and then moved to philanthropy. She most recently served as the executive director of The Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation, Inc., which funds research, continuing medical education, and community health projects focused on cardiovascular disease and underserved populations. She also serves on the Grants Committee for the Philadelphia Bar Foundation and on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She was previously on the Boards of Living beyond Breast Cancer, Community Volunteers in Medicine, the Agnes Irwin School, and the Breakthrough Collaborative. Marty joined the Healthy NewsWorks Board in 2025.
Liz is a retired pediatric endocrinologist. Most recently she was as an associate professor from Thomas Jefferson University, where she researched childhood obesity and oversaw an educational program designed to engage underrepresented minority students in biomedical research. She has worked in basic and clinical research, public health, pharmaceutical development, and medical education. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Harvard Medical School. She joined the board in 2016.
Deborah is a long-time educator and leader who designs school programs, writes curriculum, and coaches educators for R4 Education Services, an independent educational consultancy. Deborah specializes in supporting teachers and academic programs to strengthen literacy and engagement for students. She has a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, a master’s in teaching from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Pennsylvania. Deborah joined the board in 2019.
Felicia is an Assistant City Solicitor in the Civil Rights Unit in the City of Philadelphia’s Law Department. Felicia is passionate about making a difference in her community and is excited to work on more youth development projects. She hopes to gain a deeper understanding of Healthy NewsWorks’ mission and also provide support to its Board. When she’s not working, you can find her reading, watching the Phillies, or hunting for the best ice cream in the City. Felicia comes to Healthy NewsWorks through the Board Observer Program, a partnership between the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, the Delivery of Legal Services Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Community leaders help the Healthy NewsWorks board and leadership team to provide additional expertise and ensure a close connection between our program and the community
Strategic Operations Manager, Comcast Corporation
Retired Executive Director of Health, Safety, & Physical Education, School District of Philadelphia
Assistant Clinical Professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
Author, Public Speaker, Editorial Consultant
Principal, Langan
Retired manager, Einstein Healthcare Network
Government Relations & Public Affairs, Constituency Relations
Co-Founder & CEO, KickUp
Executive Director, Main Line Reform Temple
Editor in Chief, Impacto Media
Production Manager, IBIS Consulting Group
Retired Program Director, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Director of Supplier Diversity, Radian Group Inc.
President, IBX Foundation
Executive Director Kingsessing Heals Community Resilience Center
Leadership roles in the non-profit, philanthropic, and public sectors
Assistant Dean, School of Media and Communication, Temple University at Temple University
CIO, Self Care Decisions
Co-Founder, Murphy Cares
Medical Operations, Quality and Regulatory, Quest Diagnostics
Private Investor and Advisor
Director of Communications and Community Relations, NBC Universal Media
Public Health & Health Policy Consultant
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
President, ICW Consulting Group
