Alexandria Bear, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Palliative Care Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). She completed her internal medicine residency and hospice and palliative care fellowship at MCW. She is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible for hospice and palliative medicine. Dr. Bear has special interests in bioethics, prognostication, and the development of communication workshops to teach end-of-life communication skills to trainees.

François Blumenfeld-Kouchner, MA, PhD, DO is a fellow in hospice and palliative medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed residency in internal medicine at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He is board certified in internal medicine. His interests include research methods and epistemology, prognostication, and palliative care in non-oncologic diseases.

Toby Campbell, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH). He is a thoracic medical oncologist, Chief of Palliative Care and the Ellen and Peter O. Johnson Chair in Palliative Care at the University of Wisconsin. He was the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program Director from 2010-2017. He completed a residency in internal medicine at UWSMPH and fellowship programs in medical oncology and hospice and palliative medicine at Northwestern University. His research interests are in communication education, empathy, high-risk shared decision-making, and models of care for palliative care implementation. Dr. Campbell’s work on communication crosses a variety of disciplines, and he has published in multiple major medical journals on that and other topics.

David Casarett, MD, MA is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University and the Chief of Palliative Care in Duke Health. He is a palliative care physician and health services researcher who focuses on improving systems of care for people with serious, life-threatening illnesses.  He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the US government to researchers in the early stages of their careers. Dr. Casarett is the author of more than 100 articles in major medical journals and several writings published in national magazines and online.  He authored Stoned: A Doctor’s Case for Medical Marijuana, published in 2015.  He has also recently published two books in a nonfiction series.

Lyn Ceronsky, DNP, GNP, CHPCA, FPCN is a nurse practitioner and the Director of the Palliative Care Program for the Fairview Health System.  Her experience includes palliative care, oncology and geriatrics in clinical, education and administrative roles.  Her special interest is in palliative care programs in small and rural communities.  She has led the Fairview Palliative Care Leadership Center, a program of the Center to Advance Palliative Care, for over fourteen years, and speaks nationally and regionally on palliative care topics. She is the site leader for the Cambia APRN Externship program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

Renee Foutz, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Palliative Care Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). She completed a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin after which she practiced full time emergency medicine for 12 years in a community hospital in Milwaukee. After completing her fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the MCW, she joined the faculty in the Palliative Care Program. Dr. Foutz is board certified in emergency medicine and hospice and palliative medicine. She continues to practice emergency medicine at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. She is a member of the Wisconsin POST Coalition. She has special interest in advance care planning and the integration of palliative care in the emergency department.

Thomas Heinrich, MD is a Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). He completed a combined residency in psychiatry and family medicine followed by a fellowship in consultation psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is board certified in family medicine and general adult psychiatry and holds subspecialty certification in consultation psychiatry/psychosomatic medicine and neuropsychiatry. Dr. Heinrich works on the psychiatric consultation service at Froedtert Hospital specializing in the assessment and treatment of the diverse and complex presentations of medical, surgical, and neuropsychiatric illnesses in patients admitted to general medical hospitals. He serves as the Director of the Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Vice Chair for Clinical Services within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at MCW. Dr. Heinrich is the Medical Director for Process Improvement for inpatient medical and surgical services at Froedtert Hospital.

Neil Ihde is a professional speaker, lecturer and consultant with over a decade of experience. He is the founder of Life IQ, LLC. He has worked with many multidisciplinary teams across various medical specialties to help them develop more cohesive, productive, satisfying, and successful practices.  His academic background includes a BA in psychology, a BA in sociology, and an MA in counseling.

Kenneth Presberg, MD is a Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  He has treated patients with pulmonary hypertension for over 25 years and is currently the director of the PHA Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin.  He also serves as the medical director for the lung transplant program and is intimately involved with training of fellows and residents in these areas of cardiopulmonary medicine.

Timothy E. Quill, MD is the Georgia and Thomas Gosnell Distinguished Professor in Palliative Care at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) where he is also Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, Medical Humanities and Nursing.  He was the Founding Director of the URMC Palliative Care Division and a Past President of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.  Dr. Quill completed residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in medicine/psychiatry liaison both at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Quill is a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and an ABMS certified palliative care consultant. Dr. Quill has published and lectured widely about various aspects of the doctor-patient relationship, with special focus on end-of-life decision-making, including delivering bad news, nonabandonment, discussing palliative care earlier, and exploring last-resort options.  He is the author of several books on end-of-life care and over 150 articles published in major medical journals.  Dr. Quill was the lead physician plaintiff in the New York State legal case challenging the law prohibiting physician-assisted death that was heard in 1997 by the U.S. Supreme Court (Quill vs Vacco).

Rebekah Schmidt, MA, BCC is a chaplain and the manager of Spiritual Services at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.  She previously worked as the palliative care chaplain at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee and has spent many years working in hospice and palliative care.  She has a special interest in physician communication related to religious beliefs and values especially at end of life.

Christian Sinclair, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Palliative Medicine at the University of Kansas Health System, focused on leading outpatient palliative care in the KU Cancer Center. He has clinical experience within all the different venues of hospice and palliative care through his past work with Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care and his past leadership roles as a fellowship director and National Hospice Medical Director with Gentiva. His early rise in the field of palliative medicine was in part due to his writing for the website Pallimed. He served six years on the board of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Heather Smith, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Lead Psychologist at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center.  She is board certified in clinical geropsychology. Dr. Smith provides psychological services to geriatric and palliative care patient populations in addition to engaging in teaching, clinical supervision, and research activities.

Paul Stellmacher, MD is an Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Palliative Care Program and Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Hospitalist Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center followed by a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at Stanford University. He is board certified in internal medicine and in hospice and palliative medicine. He is interested in end-of-life education for medical trainees and primary palliative care in the care of hospitalized adults.

Daniel Sturgill, MD completed residency in internal medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and is presently a fellow in nephrology.  He will be joining MCW faculty in the Department of Nephrology in 2018.  Dr. Sturgill's research interests include patient reported outcomes in chronic kidney disease, palliative nephrology and ethics in ICU nephrology.

Jo Weis, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Weis is the Director of Behavioral Medicine for the Palliative Care Program at Froedtert/Medical College of Wisconsin. She collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, nurses and a chaplain who administer to palliative care patients and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her research interests include treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and psychological issues at end of life. She is involved in the education and mentoring of medical students, residents and fellows rotating through palliative medicine. In addition, she mentors psychology doctoral students in their research efforts, clinical endeavors and ongoing professional development.

Krista Wiger, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin where she specializes in the area of inpatient solid oncology as a hospitalist. She completed a combined internal medicine/pediatrics residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She has clinical experience in the areas of inpatient medicine, urgent care and palliative care consult. She is board certified in internal medicine, pediatrics and hospice and palliative medicine.