Governors

Neil Smith

Neil Smith is the former President and General Manager of the New York Rangers Hockey Club and the architect of the 1993-1994 Stanley Cup Champion Team. His 11 years running the club is one of the most successful and memorable periods in team history. He was named General Manager in 1989 and in 1992, was promoted to President and General Manager.

Andy Pucher

Andy Pucher is Vice President of Global Operations Management for Disney CORE Services, a division of The Walt Disney Company.  In this role, Andy oversees the management of Disney’s global Corporate properties in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Andy worked for ABC, Inc. from 1984 until 2001 when he moved to Disney, the parent company of ABC.  His last position with ABC was Vice President of East Coast Administration.

Lisa M. Najavits, PhD

Lisa M. Najavits, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine; Lecturer, Harvard Medical School; clinical psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; and psychologist at McLean Hospital. She is author of the books Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse (2002) and A Woman’s Addiction Workbook (New Haringer Press; 2002), as well as over 125 professional publications.

Polly McCall, M.A., LCSW

Polly McCall graduated from New York University with a degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and from Columbia University School of Social Work.  Ms. McCall served in the Employee Assistance Program for District 97, the New York City workers union, as a counselor and also developed programs and interventions; this was during the crack epidemic of the late Eighties. Ms. McCall then became Clinical Director of Freedom Institute, an aftercare agency in New York City, treating substance abusers and their families.

David C. Lewis, M.D.,

David Lewis, M.D. is a Professor Emeritus of Community Health and Medicine and the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University. In 1982, he founded, and for eighteen years directed, the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Dr. Lewis is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Medical School. Trained in Internal Medicine, he is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Doug Johnson

Doug Johnson was one of the mainstays of television news in NYC. Beginning in 1969, Johnson worked for WABC TV. He served as anchor, reporter, talk show host, and producer for several decades and was the winner of six Emmys. Johnson covered everything from the death of John Lennon to the nuclear crisis at Three Mile Island, and for much of his career specialized in politics and covering the financial world. In his first book, former New York Mayor Ed Koch said “Doug Johnson is one of the most informed and balanced television reporters in this city.”

Kenneth D. Candido, MD.,

Dr. Kenneth D. Candido is Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago and Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Dr. Candido is a highly visible presence regionally and nationally in the pain management community. Since becoming Chair in 2008, Dr. Candido has spearheaded a pain management program which has realized double-digit expansion in each of his three years there.

Dan Cronin

Dan Cronin began his career in the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health field over nineteen years ago working with high profile clients in the entertainment industry.  He facilitated the start up of the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program for the NHL/NHLPA which provides comprehensive services for active and retired players and their dependents.  Based on the success of the NHL program, Dan and his team developed a similar program for Major League Soccer providing services to the players and their families as well as training and supervision to program counselors