Penney Cowan In 1980 Penney Cowan founded and became CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). Ms. Cowan is a recognized speaker advocating a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management. She has been an outspoken advocate and consumer representative for pain issues, contributed to numerous books, videos and Websites, consulted on the development of several pain management programs, issues and received numerous awards from organizations, such as the Institute for Public Service, American Pain Society, and American Academy of Pain Medicine. She served as Consumer Representative for the FDA/CDER Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee (AADPAC); Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) of the National Institute of Health; and Co-chair of the National Pain Strategies Public Education and Communication Working Group, part of the IPRCC. Ms. Cowan is the author of Patient or Person, Living with Chronic Pain. She has also written all manuals and materials used by the American Chronic Pain Association. She successfully established September as Pain Awareness Month in 2001.

Howard Catton is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), appointed in February 2019. He is dedicated to ensuring ICN represents nursing globally, advances the profession, and advocates for nurses' well-being. A strong advocate for nurse leadership in health policy, Howard co-chaired the first-ever State of the World’s Nursing Report and has been instrumental in supporting nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing protection and investment in the profession. Joining ICN in 2016 as Director of Nursing, Policy, and Programmes, he worked closely with WHO, UN, and other global health organizations on nursing policies and leadership initiatives. Howard also managed ICN's leadership development programmes and coordinated scientific events, such as the ICN World Congress. Howard qualified as a nurse in 1988, with experience in England, the U.S., and New Zealand. He holds degrees in Social Policy (Cardiff University) and Industrial Relations (Warwick University) and has worked in various healthcare policy roles, including Head of Policy & International Affairs at the Royal College of Nursing. Howard has also served as a Local Government Councillor in England and was named in the Health Service Journal’s top 100 Clinical Leaders list in 2015.

Elizabeth Battaglino, R.N., brings a unique combination of sharp business expertise and, as a practicing registered nurse, medical knowledge to her role as CEO of HealthyWomen.org the not-for-profit national women's health resource center. Providing women with in-depth, objective, evidence-based information on a broad range of women's health and wellness issues. Her management and marketing expertise is particularly critical as HealthyWomen moves to expand its outreach to millions of women across the country through technology, wider program distribution and new public education and awareness efforts. Ms. Battaglino is responsible for setting the strategic direction and businesss development of HealthyWomen and building alliances with corporations, health care professionals and consumer groups. She also serves as the organization's chief spokesperson, regularly speaking at corporate, non-profit, community and media events. Ms. Battaglino is a practicing Registered Nurse in the field of Maternal & Fetal Medicine. She received her nursing degree from Marymount University in suburban Washington, DC as well holds degrees in Business, Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration.

Andrew Spiegel has nearly two decades of experience in the patient advocacy arena. Spiegel co-founded the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, now the leading US based national patient advocacy organization dedicated to colon cancer. Mr. Spiegel, an attorney, besides being a co-founder of the organization and longtime board member of the Alliance became CEO in January of 2008 and he ran the CCA for nearly 5 years, before undertaking his next venture, the Global Colon Cancer Association (GCCA). Currently, Spiegel is co-founder and executive director of the GCCA, an international patient advocacy organization. This organization is an international community of nearly 50 colon cancer patient advocacy organizations and stakeholders dedicated to end the worldwide suffering of the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths. In addition to his work in the colon cancer community, Spiegelis an active advocate for health care policies both in the US and now worldwide. He is a co-founder and currently serves on the steering committee of the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM). He is on the Board of Directors, and in December 2014 was elected to Chair, of the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC),a founding member of the Coalition to Increase Clinical Trial Participation and in May of 2016 he began a three year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) where he chaired the fundraising committee. Spiegel has won multiple awards for his work in patient advocacy. Spiegel is a 1986 graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in English and Philosophy. He is a 1989 graduate of the Widener University School of Law. After working for a Philadelphia litigation firm, Spiegel opened his own law firm in 1995.