“Meet the Speakers & Honorees” 7-Week Blog Series
Posted July 25, 2025
ADAO is proud to launch our 2025 “Meet the Speakers & Honorees” blog 7-week series, celebrating the 20th International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference—September 12–13, 2025, in New York City. Each week, we’ll spotlight the distinguished speakers, honorees, and ADAO leaders whose expertise, leadership, and dedication drive our mission forward and make this milestone event possible.
We are deeply grateful to these individuals and organizations for generously sharing their time, knowledge, and passion with our community. Their commitment to prevention and advocacy continues to inspire action and strengthen our shared fight to end asbestos-related disease.
Join us in New York City for this landmark event—register now to be part of the movement.
Speaker information for Session III: Prevention Is the Cure – Strategies for Exposure Reduction
Chris Carberg – Digital Tools & Strategies for Reducing Asbestos Exposure
Chris Carberg is a passionate digital health advocate and the founder of multiple digital health advocacy efforts. He used the heart-wrenching experience of caring for his father during a service-related cancer battle to fuel his mission: providing a beacon of hope for families fighting mesothelioma.
To create a supportive online space, Chris bridged talent and technology, developing essential resources that educate readers about their options, maximize the precious time families have left, and uplift those battling mesothelioma. His work using digital media to connect with various communities has led him down a path as a founder also of digital advocacy platforms, AddictionHelp.com, PostpartumDepression.org (co-founded with his wife, Jenna).
Through digital health advocacy, Chris has aimed to transform the journey for so many in the mesothelioma community, providing solace and a sense of belonging during their most challenging times. His deep-rooted dedication enables him to form personal connections with patients, amplifying their stories and preserving their legacies for years to come.
Chris lives in Orlando, FL, with his incredibly supportive wife, Jenna, and their two children, Elsie & Meyer.
Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc, FAAP – Eliminating Hazards Worldwide: The Collegium Ramazzini and Dr. Selikoff’s Enduring Mission
Philip Landrigan is a pediatrician, occupational physician and epidemiologist. He is a graduate of Boston Latin School, Boston College, and Harvard Medical School. He trained in Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, in Epidemiology at CDC, and in Occupational Medicine at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. From 1979-1985, he directed the Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies at NIOSH. From 1985-2018, he was a professor in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where he chaired the Department of Preventive Medicine and served as Dean for Global Health. Dr. Landrigan co-chaired the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, which found that pollution is responsible for over 9 million deaths per year. He currently leads the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health, which finds that plastics and petrochemicals are responsible for disease and death at every stage of their life cycle.
Barry Levy, MD, MPH – Mitigating Asbestos Exposure in Post-War Recovery and Reconstruction
Barry S. Levy is a physician and epidemiologist who has studied, for more than four decades, the health impacts of occupational and environmental hazards and the adverse consequences of armed conflict. He wrote the book From Horror to Hope: Recognizing and Preventing the Health Impacts of War and co-edited two editions of War and Public Health. He co-edited seven editions of the textbook Occupational and Environmental Health, two editions of Climate Change and Public Health, and ten other books on public health, social justice, and related issues. He has authored or co-authored more than 250 journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Levy formerly served as a medical epidemiologist with the CDC, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and a director of international programs and projects. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He has worked in public health in several other countries, including Kenya, Jamaica, China, Thailand, and Hungary. Dr. Levy is a Past President of the American Public Health Association and recipient of APHA’s Sedgwick Memorial Medal. He has served as an expert witness in civil action lawsuits.
Carmen Lima, Portugal – Eliminating the Past: EU Strategies for Legacy Asbestos Mitigation and Exposure Prevention
She holds a degree in Environmental Engineering, a Master’s in Sustainable Construction, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of Lisbon, with a research focus on asbestos. She also completed a Business Management Program at AESE Lisbon Business School.
With over 20 years of experience in sustainability, waste management, and asbestos, and a strong involvement in environmental movements, she has become an active public voice. She has hosted television programs on environmental awareness, is frequently invited to comment on environmental and asbestos-related issues in Portuguese media, and has participated as an organizer, speaker, and moderator at various national and international conferences.
She is the Founder and President of SOS AMIANTO – the Portuguese Association for Asbestos Protection – and serves as an Executive Council Member of the Portuguese Confederation of Environmental Associations. She has also served as a Counselor for the Economic and Social Council.
Paolo Monico – The Power of Movies in Activism
Born and raised in Italy, Paolo is a New York-based director/writer/producer, a member of the Directors Guild of America and a member of the Directors Unit at the Actors Studio. He is also an alumnus of the prestigious DGA Television Mentorship Program with veteran TV director Bethany Rooney as his mentor.
Through his NY-based production company, Paolo directs, writes and produces films that explore socially relevant themes. His shorts have been official selections at numerous film festivals and have been featured on HBO/MAX and SHOWTIME.
His commercial work includes more than 200 television commercial campaigns with a cumulative budget in excess of $50M; He directed 25 music videos, a TV movie starring Sarah Rafferty and Jennifer Esposito, a short film starring David Dastmalchian and THE MOTHER, a multi-award winning short film starring Boris McGiver and dedicated to the memory of his father Alessandro who passed away in 2002 from mesothelioma.
Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS, – Moderator
Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MSc is an adjunct professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto in Toronto, ON. She is a medical consultant to Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW).
Dr. Oliver has an occupational and environmental medicine consulting practice in Brookline, MA. She is retired from her positions as associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff member of the Department of Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Division) at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Dr. Oliver’s primary specialty is occupational and environmental medicine, with an emphasis on occupational lung disease. Dr. Oliver is a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini and has done research and published in the area of occupational lung disease, with a focus on asbestos-related disease.
She has lectured frequently on this topic, including, more recently, the determination of risk for asbestos-related lung cancer.
Dr. Oliver has testified before Congress and OSHA on asbestos and other workplace exposure issues. She has also testified as a medical expert on behalf and at the request of asbestos victims and their families.
David Prezant, MD – 9/11 Firefighter Exposure Reduction Strategies and Screening Insights
A close collaborator of Dr. Henschke, Dr. David Yankelevitz has carved a distinguished career as an expert in thoracic imaging. He is credited with key advances in the early identification and characterization of lung nodules, contributing decisively to the shift towards proactive lung cancer management in individuals exposed to asbestos and other carcinogens.
Yankelevitz’s research agenda focuses on the optimization of imaging protocols to minimize false positives, maximize early detection, and personalize patient care. His commitment to refining diagnostic processes has resulted in new clinical guidelines that are now standard practice in hospitals and screening centers worldwide.
Like Henschke, Yankelevitz balances scientific innovation with public education, helping policymakers and communities understand the importance and practicalities of low-dose CT screening. His collaborative work on large-scale screening initiatives—impacting countless at-risk individuals—has informed public health messaging and influenced insurance coverage decisions in the United States and abroad.
Yankelevitz is lauded for his efforts to bridge the gap between radiological science and patient needs, serving as a communicator, educator, and advocate whose influence shapes both the research agenda and lives of patients facing asbestos-induced disease.
Linda Reinstein, BCPA – Digital Tools & Strategies for Reducing Asbestos Exposure
Linda Reinstein is a leading public health advocate and serves as the President & CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). Her journey into advocacy began in 2003 when her husband, Alan, was diagnosed with mesothelioma — a cancer caused by asbestos exposure. In response, she co-founded ADAO in 2004, focusing the organization on increasing awareness about the hazards of asbestos, advocating for a global asbestos ban, and providing support to those affected by asbestos-related diseases.
ADAO has grown into the largest independent nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, eliminating asbestos-related diseases, and pushing for regulatory reform. Reinstein has been a vocal presence, frequently testifying before Congress and other governmental agencies, and influencing national and international policies related to asbestos.
Reinstein’s work has significantly contributed to asbestos awareness and the protection of public health around the world. She continues to be a key figure in advocating for a global asbestos ban and supporting individuals and families affected by asbestos-related diseases. Currently, she is involved in organizing the 18th Annual ADAO Awareness and Prevention Conference and advancing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN).
Tony Rich – Uncovering the Past to Protect the Future: Legacy Asbestos in Homes, Schools, Workplaces, and Disaster Zones
Industrial Hygienist, Photographic Historian and ADAO Prevention Advisory Board Member, has literally served “in the trenches” as an industrial hygienist and environmental technician in the consulting field for the past 31 years, specializing in asbestos-related work, including: inspection surveys, abatement monitoring, regulatory compliance, and worker training. He has also received microscopy training from McCrone Research Institute for identification of bulk asbestos via polarized-light microscopy (PLM). Through the course of his occupation and personal endeavor, Tony has developed an extensive and compelling collection of asbestos-related photographs, product materials, artifacts, historical publications, industry documents, film archives, and other related media which have been utilized in a multitude of applications for various organizations worldwide, including, but not limited to: product and material research, asbestos awareness education blogs and presentations, corporate and governmental training programs, regulatory guidance documents, science and trade publications, university textbooks, museum & conference exhibits, and even as legal evidence. Sharing his expertise on asbestos awareness he has presented at several national and international conferences and as a speaker at ADAO’s 6th Congressional Staff Briefing in Washington DC. In 2023 he received the European Asbestos Forum award for Global Leadership in Raising Asbestos Awareness.
Greg Russell – Lahaina and Los Angeles Fires: Unseen Threats and the Toxic Legacy of Wild and Urban Blazes
A fierce and dedicated advocate for firefighter and public safety, Greg Russell is a leading voice in the crucial fight to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act. For Greg, this legislative battle is a personal mission, born from witnessing the devastating toll of asbestos-related diseases on his colleagues.
Following a distinguished 33-year career where he rose to the rank of Fire Marshal, Greg embarked on a second career as a Government Affairs Representative for the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). There, he was instrumental in advancing critical legislation on carcinogen exposure, occupational illness benefits, and the overall health and safety of first responders and the public.
From the front lines of the fire service to the halls of government, Greg has leveraged his extensive, hands-on experience to champion the well-being of his fellow firefighters. His unwavering commitment continues to effect meaningful change, working to protect future generations of first responders from preventable harm.
