Accordia International Council
Promoting Wider Recognition of Accordia’s Work
The Accordia International Council was established in late 2008 to generate greater appreciation of Accordia—and the important work we are doing in sub-Saharan Africa—among the world’s civic, cultural, and business leaders.
- Gary Bridge
- Stuart Burden
- Aimee Falchuk
-
Nicholas Hellmann
- Sheila C. Johnson
- Karen Katen
- Kay Mitzel
- Robert Norton
- Steven Phillips
- Eric Sande
- Scott Spector
- John Wienold
- Claudia Bonnist Winchell
- Terry Winchell
Gary Bridge is retired as managing director of Horsley Bridge Partners (HBP), a private equity investment manager headquartered in San Francisco. Before joining HBP in 1985, Mr. Bridge was a partner at Cowen & Company in Boston, where he was a nationally-recognized security analyst for more than ten years. Prior to Cowen, he was a vice president with G. S. Grumman & Associates, an investment research firm that was acquired by Cowen and became its institutional research department. Mr. Bridge started his investment career with John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, where he held various positions including responsibility for investments made in the computer and aerospace industries. Mr. Bridge serves on numerous private equity firm advisory boards around the world.
Stuart C. Burden is a consultant for Monitor Institute, the social action division of the Monitor Group. His passion for justice, equality, and human rights fuels his pursuit of lasting solutions to complex social problems.
Prior to joining Monitor, Stuart spent many years in private and corporate philanthropy. He developed and implemented funding strategies for Levi Strauss & Co., the Levi Strauss Foundation (where he created the Syringe Access Fund), and the MacArthur Foundation. In addition, he has managed both policy- and community-level initiatives at the Ford Foundation and the New York Foundation.
From April 2000 to January 2003, Stuart Burden was invited to serve on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, crossing both the Clinton and Bush administrations. Presently, he serves on the boards of the International Women's Health Coalition and the Stanford Alumni Association.
Stuart travels between San Francisco's independent coffee houses and enjoys yoga, practicing Portuguese, and taking long bike rides. He earned his bachelor's degree from Stanford University and his master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Aimee Falchuk is a global policy advisor at Genzyme, the world’s third largest biotechnology company. In this role, she provides public policy, public affairs, and advocacy counsel to global business units and serves as liaison between global business units and global policy networks. Previously, Aimee worked at Pfizer Inc, serving in several capacities.
Aimee received her bachelor’s from Barnard College and a MPH from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Dr. Nicholas Hellmann serves as executive vice president of medical and scientific affairs at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. In this position, he provides strategic direction for programs and research initiatives, ensuring that children are at the forefront of medical and scientific breakthroughs. Prior to assuming his current position, Hellmann was the program leader of the HIV/AIDS program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was responsible for strategy, research, program, and policies related to HIV/AIDS for the Foundation. He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, having worked with industry leaders like Roche Molecular Systems, ViroLogic, Gilead Sciences, Genentech, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr. Hellmann received his MD degree from the University of Kentucky in 1982, and completed his internal medicine residency and infectious diseases fellowship training at University of California San Francisco (USFC), where he later became an assistant professor in the internal medicine/infectious diseases division. While on staff at UCSF, Hellmann conducted research in Uganda to identify HIV risk factors and develop effective intervention strategies to reduce heterosexual HIV transmission.
Sheila C. Johnson is a successful entrepreneur and impassioned philanthropist. As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals, currently serving as President and Managing Partner of the Mystics. As CEO of Salamander Hotels, a company she founded in 2005, Ms. Johnson oversees a growing portfolio of luxury properties. She as also long been a powerful influence in the entertainment industry as a founding partner of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and most recently as a film producer.
Kay Mitzel, former director of medical relations at Pfizer, was an early champion for the Accordia concept and helped facilitate Dr. Merle Sande's initial efforts to launch the program. Inspired by his passion for golf, she converted the annual Bagger Vance (now Sande Bagger Vance) golf tournament into a fundraiser for Accordia. Kay is experienced in managing advisory boards, society meetings, and fellowships. After 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry and known worldwide as a liaison to the infectious diseases community and a passionate advocate for quality healthcare, she will continue to work on health issues.
Robert Norton retired as senior vice president for corporate human resources for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Group in 2004, after having been appointed to that position in 2001. He joined Pfizer in 1969, working in the corporate personnel division. He held a number of international and domestic positions in human resources and from 1985 to 1997, served as Pfizer’s senior international human resources executive. Currently, Mr. Norton serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for Fisk University and has demonstrated significant leadership in helping to raise funds for this historically black liberal arts college, which was struggling for survival. He is the former chairman of the Department of State Overseas Schools Advisory Council.
Dr. Steven Phillips is the medical director of global issues and projects for ExxonMobil, where his responsibilities include overseeing the Corporation's "outside-the-fenceline" community and public health programs throughout its global operations. In this capacity, he has worked closely with governments, NGO's, U.N. agencies, multilateral organizations, faith-based groups, community organizations, and the private sector in fostering public-private partnerships as a development platform to address urgent global health priorities. Prior to joining Exxon, Dr. Phillips served in the U.S. Public Health Service and was assigned to the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Dr. Phillips is a member of the American College of Physicians and a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology.
Eric Sande
Eric Sande is the president of Intertie Systems, a leading home automation company specializing in energy management. Eric resides in the Bay Area with his wife and two young sons. Eric is the son of Accordia co-founder Dr. Merle A. Sande. He and his wife were honored to be at the dedication of the Infectious Diseases Institute building in Kampala in 2004. As part of Accordia's International Council, Eric will focus his efforts on cultivating interest and support for the organization.
Scott Spector is a principal and co-founder of Kodiak Properties, L.L.C., a firm specializing in the acquisition of retail centers for investment. Formerly, he served as principal and co-founder of PrimeCore Realty Advisors, Inc.; principal of Triad Partners; vice president of leasing, development and acquisitions and vice president of acquisitions for Demar, Inc.; and senior leasing representative for the Smithy Braedon Company. Mr. Spector’s 30-year professional career has included nearly every aspect of the commercial real estate business from acquisition and development to leasing, management, and disposition. He has also been extensively involved in a broad range of income-producing properties, including office buildings, industrial and R&D projects, retail centers, and multi-family developments.
Mr. Spector’s professional involvements include memberships in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA). He was the co-chairman for the 2003 and 2004 International Council of Shopping Centers Mid-Atlantic Idea Exchange Program. He also was founder and past president of the Real Estate Breakfast Club. Additionally, Mr. Spector is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and is active in local charities such as Miriam’s Kitchen and the Sitar Center.
Mr. Spector is licensed as a real estate salesperson in the state of Maryland. He is a graduate of Cornell University and a masters candidate at the Johns Hopkins University.
John Wienold serves as council chair in Chicago. Mr. Wienold’s professional career spans over 30 years of law, and he has been active within the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization since 1990 as well as supporting other local charities. John’s professional career spans over 30 years of law within the Chicago area. He has a juris doctor degree from Southern Methodist University. His primary focus is on personal injury litigation. He has tried over 150 lawsuits to verdict and has had over 25 appellate decisions published. John has been active in truck safety and has represented numerous victims of heavy truck crashes throughout the country, which on many occasions have resulted in lasting positive change within the industry. He has been active with and supported grassroots safety organizations such as Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, Parents against Tired Truckers, and the Coalition for Highway Safety. He has spoken frequently on highway safety and has worked with major experts in the field, both in the United States and in Europe. John has also represented women and their families victimized by breast cancer against the insurance industry when lifesaving benefits were unjustly denied.
Claudia Bonnist Winchell, co-owner of Fighting Bear Antiques and broker and owner of Private Realty Group, LLC, came to Jackson, Wyoming in 2005. Claudia is currently on the Council for Teton Literacy Group, a non-profit language teaching organization and involved in Jackson Hole’s “Center for the Arts.” She was originally from Larchmont and Mamaroneck, New York, and raised her two, now grown, children, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Claudia then moved to Sanibel Island, Florida where she resided for 17 years and was a broker-associate with Priscilla Murphy Realty, later ResortQuest International. Earlier in her career, Claudia was the assistant to the president of Donald Art Company, a family owned fine art publishing company, and worked with an advertising company for many years prior to her move to Florida. Claudia graduated from George Washington University with a bachelors degree in fine art and a minor in both math and French.
Terry Winchell
Terry Winchell has lived in Jackson Hole for over thirty years. He owns and operates Fighting Bear Antiques, successfully growing the business from a small antiques store to a nationally-recognized gallery. He is an authority on rustic furniture and the author of Thomas Molesworth, “The Pioneer of Western Design.” He has lectured extensively on the subject of western design and was the architect of two Public Television programs: one for WGBH Boston and the other for Main Street Wyoming. Terry served on the Board of the Jackson Hole Historical Society and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Grand Teton Park Foundation. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Western Design Conference. Terry joined the Center for the Arts Board of Directors in September 2006 and has served on the building and grounds, programming and fundraising committees, and chairman of the finance committee. He was elected chairman of the Board in October of 2009. Terry received a degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska and attended the University of Colorado, Graduate Business School, in Boulder, Colorado.
Latest News
- Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report: WHO Finds Very High Levels Of Drug-Resistant TB In Russia, Moldova
- Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report: DRC Facing Decline In Donor Funding, HIV Treatment Shortage
- Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report: Officials Meet To Discuss L'Aquila Agreement On Global Food Security
- Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report: African Scientists' Search For Female-Controlled Microbicide Gel To Prevent HIV Continues
Donate Now
Your support will mean a healthier future for Africa. Our programs and services can only reach their full potential through the generous support of our partners and donors.
Sign up for our Newsletter
Join our email list to receive our newsletter and occasional updates from Accordia Global Health Foundation.
