11th Annual ADAO International Asbestos Awareness Conference
“Where Knowledge and Action Unite”
April 17 – 19, 2015
Washington, D.C.
2015 Conference Info | 2005 – 2014 Conferences Infographic | Registration | Events | Agenda | Awards Dinner | Honorees | Speakers | Speaker Information | Family Tour | Sponsors | Brunch |Media | Tributes
Posted on March 30, 2015
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is proud to present a new weekly series” Meet the Speakers, Honorees, and Leadership,” highlighting one or several attendees at our highly-anticipated 11th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference! The ADAO Conference, which will take place on April 17-19, 2015 in Washington, DC, combines over 30 expert opinions, victims’ stories, and new technological advancements from more than 10 countries into one united voice raised for asbestos awareness. ADAO is the only U.S. nonprofit that organizes annual conferences dedicated solely to preventing exposure and eliminating asbestos-caused diseases. Register today! This week, we are featuring our Sunday Unity and Remembrance Brunch speakers: Meet the Speakers: Sunday Unity and Remembrance Brunch: Dr. Richard Lemen, Susan Vento, Lou Williams, Jill Cagle, Troi Atkinson, and Ellen Tunkelrott.
Troi Atkinson, Mesothelioma Patient and 2015 Honoree, is a talented musician who started off his root seeking life in the Deep South. The influence of the hills of Arkansas carved out the melodies which form a downright old school homegrown style rock and roll. Atkinson’s life story and travels as a solider and sailor across the globe round off the edges of the unique rhythm’s. Troi also struggled with mesothelioma and has been an avid supporter of ADAO.
Jill Cagle, is the surviving spouse of Meso Warrior Robbie Cagle, who lost his 6 year battle with Peritoneal Mesothelioma on 9-11-11 at the age of 46. She is a mother and now grandmother of 3. She is a Christian and her faith in God truly sustains her. She is the lead singer in the Band Backstreet and plays the Fiddle. She makes primitive crafts and candles and she loves to ride her Harley and feel the wind in her hair. She has been associated with ADAO since 2007 and has now started an annual Motorcycle Ride, “Ridin the Wind With Rob” which includes a 110 mile ride, dinner, silent auction, raffles and t-shirt sales to raise funds for awareness and ultimately a CURE of Mesothelioma. Jill and Rob marched on Capitol Hill in 2010 to help get Illinois to sign the National Asbestos Awareness Day Bill and also met with the DOD. She is committed to doing whatever it takes to get this killer 100 % banned. She is truly honored and proud to be a part of this organization.
Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH, is a former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States and also served as the Acting Director and the Deputy Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health before his retirement. He has been a practicing epidemiologist for more than forty years, and has taught graduate level courses on environmental and occupational health issues, including asbestos, at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He has also testified on behalf of asbestos victims; Dr. Lemen is a world-renowned author, speaker, and lecturer on this topic.
Ellen Tunkelrott, Member of the ADAO Board of Directors, is a Senior Contracts Administrator, MBA, CFCM for a small aerospace and defense company in Los Angeles. She resides in Redondo Beach, California. She became friends with Linda and Alan Reinstein through local community volunteer activity. Linda and Ellen collaboratively brainstormed the virtual non-profit site www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org, and Ellen developed the original site based on the concepts and direction from those sessions. She has a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach, and an MBA from Loyola Marymount University. She is a Certified Paralegal and is licensed by the County of Los Angeles as a Legal Document Assistant. Ellen is also a commissioned Notary Public for the State of California. She is self-taught in web design and development. In her spare time, Ellen is an avid photographer, gardener and is a magician member of the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts, located in the world-renowned Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.
Susan Vento is a tireless anti-asbestos legislation advocate and widow to Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District representative, Bruce F. Vento. Formerly a school teacher, she also served for 27 years as a staff member for the Minnesota Education and Education Minnesota, representing teachers and educational support professionals. Since her husband’s death, for the past 13 years, Susan has lobbied on asbestos and mesothelioma issues at both state and federal levels. She has also co-authored the book “100 Questions and Answers About Mesothelioma” for new patients and served on the board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Susan is the Director of Outreach for the Church of the Assumption in downtown St. Paul.
Lou Williams, is a mother, grandmother, and wife living with mesothelioma. Lou lost her father aged 54, in 1985 to pleural mesothelioma. Ever since she has been a passionate and dedicated asbestos awareness advocate, working to raise support in her home country of Australia as well as around the globe. In 2001 she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma and bravely fought that with extensive surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately in 2009 she was then diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which required major extensive treatment yet again. Although her battle has been never ending, and quite often unforgiving, Lou has remained positive. Her strengths shine through with her giving of hope, love and support to victims and their care givers. On April 5th 2014 Lou will be awarded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s (ADAO), 2014 Alan Reinstein Award. This award recognizes Lou’s commitment to education, advocacy and support to countless patients and families around the world. Lou has served on boards of anti-asbestos support organizations since 2003, and is the Australian Director of the Global Ban Asbestos Network (GBAN), Social Media Awareness Officer of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA), and a volunteer for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO).
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Check back next week for the next “Meet the Speakers, Honorees, and ADAO Leadership” blog featuring to our 2015 Asbestos Awareness Week Resolution Champion: Senator Barbara Boxer
In Unity,
Linda
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, does not make legal referrals.