Get to know the national advisory committee
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National Advisory Committee Pat Merryweather (Chicago), Nichelle Mitchem (Atlanta), Bernard Loeffke (Ft. Lauderdale), Marc Loeffke (Ft. Lauderdale), and Doreen Lecheler (Harrisburg)
Patricia Merryweather is Senior Vice President with the Illinois Hospital Association and is the healthcare information and health care quality and policy liaison with local, state, and national public and private organizations. Pat also has responsibility for COMPdata (on-line comparative information system with primary data collection) and performance measurement development and services in Illinois and five other states. Other principal responsibilities include development and staffing leadership on organizational initiatives, including quality improvement, HIPAA, community health, accountability, peer review, business coalitions, as well as providing health policy analysis, frequent presenter and speaker at hospital, health care system, association, and business coalition seminars and meetings, and key liaison with various state agencies, business coalitions, and membership groups.
Pat holds various professional positions and is an active participant in many state and national organizations:
- Consumer Advisory Council Member of Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Illinois
- Illinois Hospital Report Card Act Advisory Group
- Illinois Department of Public Health Cancer Steering Committee and Stroke Registry Committee
- HIPAA Illinois - Steering Committee, Chair of Transaction and Code Set Work Group
- Medicare National Work Group on Performance Measurement Tool
- National Quality Forum - Member and Participant on Provider and Health Plan Council
- National Uniform Billing Committee - Executive Committee Member
- National Association of Health Data Organizations - Board member
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - Expert Panel Member on QI and Patient Safety Measurements
- Illinois Public Health Futures Institute - Executive, Steering, Bio-Terrorism Advisory Group, Prevention Targets, and Partnership Development
Prior to coming to the IHA, Pat's professional experience included:
- Research and planning with the American Hospital Association;
- Collaboration on the development of the Chicago Fire Department fire house and apparatus relocation project and emergency medical response system for City of Chicago;
- Preparation of the housing and community development block grants for the City of Chicago while working for the Chicago Departments of Housing and Community Development
- Instructor of Sociology at Cardinal Stritch University and computer applications and programming instruction for Texas InstrumentsPat is pursuing post-graduate studies in public health and Sociology and has a Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in Community Development from Marquette University and a Bachelor Degree with Economics and Sociology majors from Loras College.
Pat is an active volunteer with youth related groups; a hospital bed-side volunteer for over 25 years with teens with life-threatening conditions; American Red Cross Volunteer; and actively involved in Rotary International relief, women enterprise development, and solar energy efforts in third world countries.
Currently, Nichelle Mitchem holds the position of Director of Operations at the National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren sponsored by Georgia State University (GSU). Ms. Mitchem was recruited by university administration to implement this new national initiative related to intergenerational kinship care families. In this capacity, she is responsible for the management of all-internal programs, external operations, and of the Center's human and financial resources. Prior to coming to Georgia State University in the fall of 2002, Nichelle held the position of executive director at Women Against Abuse, Inc., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was recruited by the Board of Directors to provide leadership, renewed vision and strategic direction at a crucial stage in this twenty-five (25) year old agency's organizational development. Women Against Abuse, Inc. (WAA) is a large multi-service private nonprofit organization, which provides a broad range of programs and services including but not limited to: emergency shelter, transitional housing, and legal representation to approximately 8,500 battered women and their children annually.
As executive director of WAA, Ms. Mitchem's key contributions to this organization were as follows: (1) conceptualized, planned and executed strategic reorganization plan to maximize the organization's resources; (2) developed and oversaw comprehensive resource development campaign, resulting in a more diversified funding base and an increase in new and continuing grants and contracts; (3) in conjunction with increased resource development initiatives instituted best practices in financial management resulting in increased revenue; (4) oversaw the development, implementation and administration of multiple innovative new programs including but not limited to a medical advocacy project, domestic violence research team, victim services project, disability law project, and after-school as well as summer enrichment programs; (5) refocused the agency's outreach and education efforts which served to heighten its visibility and presence at the local, regional, and national levels; and (6) initiated and executed agency-wide capacity building measures with the multiple goals of insuring long-term financial viability, increasing productivity and enhancing service delivery, including but not limited to an information technology project.
For the past seven (7) years, Nichelle, as executive director of several large private nonprofit organizations located in Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey, has led agency-wide capacity building initiatives which have served to enhance both the short as well long-term financial health and viability of these entities.
Nichelle holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from Marquette University (1985) and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School (1988). For the past fourteen (14) years, she has worked as a staff member as well as a member of the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations devoted to improving the quality of life for at-risk children, youth, and families via the provision of intervention, prevention, and educational programs and services.
Professional Associations
Kiwanis Club of Peachtree City, Atlanta, GA
2004-PresentPennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
Board of Directors
1999-2002Head Start Learning Tree:
Policy Council
2001-2002Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
Board of Directors
1998-1999Morris County Mental Health Association:
Board of Directors
1993-1996
Vice President
1995-1996Wisconsin Bar Association
1988-2003
Burn Loeffke is a West Point Graduate. He has a B.S. in Engineering, a M.A. in Russian, and a PhD in Political Science. He has taught Graduate School at Georgetown University.
He has commanded parachute units, Special Forces, and combat infantry units. He culminated his military career as the Commanding General of Army South. In his military service, he accumulated more than 250 parachute jumps - two in combat in Vietnam.
He has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds in combat, as well as several Valor Awards. A Ranger, pilot, he is the first foreigner to have jumped with Chinese Communist units - a distinction he earned when assigned as the Chief of Military Mission in Communist China. He was Army Attache in Moscow. He has served as a Staff Officer in the White House and was the Director of the Commission on White House Fellows.
An important ingredient in General Loeffke's life is physical fitness. He has been an advisor to the President's Council on Physical Fitness, and has won swimming championships in the Army. He also competed in a military decathlon in Russia and ran full-length marathons in Communist China.
General Loeffke retired from the Army in 1992 and immediately started his medical career. He finished his medical studies in 1997 and had his first taste of missionary medicine in a combat zone in Africa. He now participates in medical missions abroad.
Born on May 17, 1989 during a firefight in Panama, Marc started his life in a battle torn area. His father was Commanding General of Army South in Panama. his mother, a former Miss North Carolina, is now a psychologist and professor at Auburn University.
Marc was introduced to International Travel when he accompanied his parents at age 5 on a 500 kilometer 20 day foot race from Argentina across the Andes and down to Chile. Marc, now 16, has a black belt in karate, is a straight A student, and president of his class. He has a certificate on mediation as well as a medical certificate that allows him to do first aid techniques. He has accompanied his father as his medical assistant in Africa, Latin America, Russia, and the Marshall Islands. He also assisted his father in a hospital ship in the Caribbean area where he helped treat destitute Haitians.
He is a cofounder of HOT: Helping Others Today. This organization was created to recognize volunteers who are making a difference.He has been involved in reconciliation in Norther Ireland where he wass honored as a leader with a heart. He was also instrumental in raising funds to bring Catholic and Portestant Children together at a reconciliation Camp in Ireland. He recently completed a course at Duke University for High School Leaders.
Clients and colleagues alike describe Doreen as an Authentic and Inspirational Leader, an Engaging Presenter and an Insightful Problem-Solver. Doreen’s passion for unleashing the excellence in individuals, organizations and communities has earned her a “results-oriented” reputation. Whether it’s coaching executive leadership, moving an organization toward higher performance outcomes, or developing constructive cultures that support strategic vision, Doreen has the keen ability to assess desired outcomes, current obstacles and the processes necessary to direct performance toward organizational success. For more than 25 years, Doreen has employed her diverse cultural and organizational experience to help lead effective and self-motivating change in the areas of sales and marketing, manufacturing, government agencies, education, transportation, health care, communities, as well as international leadership. Doreen is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in Business, and a magna cum laude graduate in Counseling from Wesley Theological Seminary. Among her leadership roles in the community, Doreen is a 1997 graduate of Leadership Denver, serves on the National Advisory Committee for A Better Philadelphia, Inc., is a former Chair of the Leadership Denver Alumni Association, and former Board Member of the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation. An accomplished writer and editor, Doreen has merited two national awards and three local awards. Currently, Doreen resides in Harrisburg, PA with her husband Brent and her son Nicholas.
Contact Information
A Better Philadelphia, Inc.
PO Box 58132
Philadelphia, PA 19102T: 215.884.7238
F: 480.247.5277
A Better Philadelphia, Inc. is a non-profit organization serving the Delaware Valley to end youth violence.