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Management Team
Board of Directors:
Ann Marie Benzinger, abenzinger at alpha1advocacy.org, Ann Marie Benzinger lives in Wolftown, VA at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the mother of four adult children, grandmother to six, and mom to every stray cat in the area. Diagnosed in 1995 with Alpha-1, she became involved in the email lists searching for information. After finding a few other Alphas were out there, she began linking with them for support and information. After receiving a successful single lung transplant at the Medical College of Virginia on August 5, 1997, she decided to go to college so she could achieve her life dream to teach and educate. After graduating from the University of Virginia in December of 2003 with a BA in English and a Masters in Teaching, she faced an even larger challenge- exposure to children with lots and lots of germs. This led Ann Marie to immerse herself in the Alpha-1 community as she helped form what has become the Alpha-1 Advocacy Alliance.
Ann Marie serves the Alliance by attending, representing and reporting on the action of FDA Blood Product Advisory Committee and Blood Safety Advisory Committee meetings, conferences related to Alpha-1 (including Medicare, Genetic Alliance, Flu Pandemic Planning, national and regional Alpha-1), program development and administration of the mission of the Alliance.
G. Bryan Shelby, bshelby at alpha1advocacy.org, Bryan Shelby was diagnosed with Alpha-1 lung disease in July 2006. He had to retire from the restaurant business, which he had worked for 40 years, at that time. He is currently going through a Bi-lateral lung transplant evaluation at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor Michigan. He volunteered with the Alpha 1 community and eventually joined the Alpha 1 Advocacy Alliance Board of directors. Bryan is a Veteran of the Vietnam War serving in the United States Navy from 1968 until 1972. Bryan also is a volunteer for the American Lung Association of Michigan and a member Port Huron Civic Theatre Board of Directors, member of the Blue Water Arts Council, Community Theatre Association of Michigan, and the American Association of Community Theatre. Bryan resides in Port Huron, Michigan with his son, a student at Central Michigan University.
Alice Hockaday ahockaday at alpha1advocacy.org, Alice Hockaday is the youngest of nine children, an MZ with two siblings receiving treatment for Alpha-1 lung. The proud mother of two grown daughters, she lives in Hampton VA. Alice works as a certified oral surgery assistant and has a private practice offering complementary therapies; Healing Touch and RoHun. She also teaches Holistic Healing in Newport News VA, volunteers with the Healing Touch program, Healing Sanctuary and mentors Healing Touch students.
Robert (Bob) James, bjames at alpha1advocacy.org, Bob is a lung and liver effected individual who received a liver transplant. Bob is known within this community as a former A1A Peer Guide and former spokesman for the Alpha-1 Foundation Doctor Education Initiative. He currently reaches out and speaks on organ donation in Florida area high schools.
Debra Ehmen dehmen at alpha1advocacy.org, Debra Ehmen is the youngest of five children, Deb, lives in Melvin, Illinois, is married and has two teenage sons. Debra is an RN working in a local small hospital with the goal of completing her Masters Degree in Nursing Education. Deb is the ZZ lung effected sister of Bill Poplett.
Allen Russell arussell at alpha1advocacy.org, Allen Russell is a retired manager from AT&T after 25 years of service in Birmingham, Atlanta and Jacksonville. He was diagnosed with Alpha-1 liver disease in 1999, but was also lung-affected. Vanderbilt University in Nashville determined that only a liver transplant was necessary, which was performed in September, 2002. Allen's first 7 years since the transplant have been nearly flawless. For the past 6 years Allen has volunteered for LifeLink, supporting organ donation, the American Liver Foundation as a fund raiser, at the Piedmont Hospital Liver Transplant Unit, and the Alpha-1 Association, where he served in several leadership capacities. In 2006 Allen had his first book published, titled Heroes of My Transplant, which has been sold through Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and several other websites, and has also been sold through several book signings in five states.
Allen and his wife Lynn have two sons. Mark is in fighter jet (F-15E) training in Pensacola as a 2nd Lieutenant, and David is a college freshman exchange student from Florida State University in the Republic of Panama. As empty nesters, Lynn and Allen reside in Peachtree City, Georgia; a suburb of Atlanta.
Telephone: 540-948-6777 or 1-866-FOR-A1AA (1-866-367-2122) Fax # 540-948-6763
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