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2009 Speakers Lee Ann Alexander, Assistant Vice President & Legislative Counsel Steven Bent, CAE, CWCP, Executive Director and Director of Government Affairs Chris P. Blade, Investigator, SIU Southwest Region J'Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN, Occupational Health Manager Brian J. Caveney, MD, JD, MPH Stuart D. Colburn, Esq., Shareholder Pat Crawford, Return to Work Education Coordinator Dennis Downing, President Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS, Health Services Manager Thad Harkins, Esq., Partner Marilyn E. Hoffmeister, Large Loss Consultant James E. Huckaby, ARM-P, Director of Risk Management Patricia Kagerer, CSP, ARM, CRIS, Vice President, Risk Management J. Alfred Southerland, Esq., Shareholder Melissa D. Tonn, MD, MBA, MPH, FAADEP, FACOEM, President and Chief Medical Officer Jay M. Wallace, Esq., Partner Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS Lee Ann Alexander Lee Ann received her undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Oklahoma and her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She was a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Dave McCurdy of Oklahoma and the campaign scheduler and opposition researcher for his 1994 U.S. Senate campaign. She was also a Cabinet scheduler in the 1996 Clinton/Gore Presidential campaign. She practiced international trade law with Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy in Washington, D.C.; was a management consultant with McKinsey and Company in Atlanta, Georgia; and practiced insurance regulatory law with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Austin. Lee Ann joined Liberty Mutual Group in 2001 and currently serves as Senior Legislative Counsel and regional Public Affairs manager, covering Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico. She currently sits on the boards of the Texas Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, the Oklahoma Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, and Southwest Insurance Information Services. Steven Bent, CAE, CWCP As the Executive Director, for TXANS, Steve Bent leads the organization in carrying out its mission. Since its inception nearly two decades ago, the mission of TXANS has been to promote the use of sound and ethical practices relating to injury prevention and the provision of quality workplace injury benefits to employees. The organization works specifically with employers who elect to operate as nonsubscribers to the Texas workers’ compensation system. Under Steve’s leadership, TXANS produces needed publications, develops educational programs, works with elected officials and policy makers, and provides member support. Steve is a frequent speaker on the topics of nonsubscription, innovative workplace injury programs, and legislative issues. Dozens of major organizations related to benefits, law, management, and economics have invited him to conduct presentations. Working with leading universities and research institutes nationwide, Steve also assists in the development of many critical reports and publications related to occupational injuries. These have included Toward a Safer Workplace, published by the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research and Workers’ Compensation as an Alternative to the Tort System: Are Injured Workers Better Off?, a report by the Department of Economics at Princeton University. He has also authored numerous articles and reports on the topic of responsible nonsubscription and served as a contributing editor for an international insurance magazine. During his tenure with TXANS, Steve has served as a member of the Economic Development Task Force for the American Legislative Exchange Council and an advisor to a small business initiative at the Texas Department of Economic Development. Currently, Steve serves as a member of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)–National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA); the organization seeks to identify the most significant problems relating to workplace safety in the U.S. retail and wholesale trade sectors and to develop a national strategy to address them. Steve is also an authorized instructor for OSHA’s 10- and 30-hour General Industry Outreach Programs. Steve is a certified association executive (CAE) and a certified workers’ compensation professional (CWCP). Professional affiliations include the American Society of Association Executives, the Risk and Insurance Management Society, the Society for Human Resource Professionals, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Texas. J'Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN J’Don Bollom, BSN, RN, is an occupational health manager for Global Hyatt Corporation, North American Division based in Houston, Texas. She received her BS from the University of Texas and has 15 years in occupational health experience. In 2001 she introduced the pilot program for Occupational Health Manager for Hyatt Corporation and the program has expanded to five occupational health mangers working for Global Hyatt throughout North America. In 2004 she received the Hyatt Corporation Human Resource Outstanding Achievement Award. During the 2005 Texas legislative session Ms. Bollom testified to various committees on benefits of health networks in the area of workers’ compensation. Brian J. Caveney, MD, JD, MPH Brian J. Caveney, MD, JD, MPH, serves on the faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. He provides clinical medical services both at Duke and at several onsite industrial settings, and provides workers’ compensation and disability case management and consulting for several private companies in the Research Triangle Park area. He is the Corporate Medical Director of Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. and is the Onsite Occupational Physician for AW North Carolina. Dr. Caveney holds a North Carolina Medical License and is Board Certified in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, as well as being a Certified Medical Review Officer. Dr. Caveney also holds his Law License, and is a member of the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. Stuart D. Colburn, Esq. Mr. Colburn is a shareholder who opened the Austin office of Downs Stanford, P.C. He manages the Board Representative Services. He attends Division and Legislative hearings and is a registered lobbyist. Mr. Colburn has extensive experience in all phases of dispute resolution before the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation and in district courts across the state. He is board certified in workers’ compensation by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He routinely handles workers’ compensation, non-subscriber, subrogation, and bad faith litigation. Mr. Colburn is the current Course Director of the State Bar of Texas Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar and the Texas Workers’ Compensation Forum. He is the only Texas attorney serving on the LexisNexis Advisory Board and blogs weekly on workers’ compensation issues. He founded and serves as the Chair of the State Bar of Texas Workers’ Compensation Section. He is extremely active in the education of both adjusters and employers and is certified by the Texas Department of Insurance as a continuing education provider. A sought-after speaker, Mr. Colburn has delivered more than five hundred speeches regarding workers’ compensation around the country. Bar Admissions and Professional Affiliations
Education
Board Certifications
Pat Crawford Pat Crawford provides education and information about early return to work and early return to work programs for the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation. Prior to joining the TDWC, she was a Workers’ Compensation Specialist for Levi Strauss & Co. She was responsible for claims management, as well as for regulatory and legislative matters related to workers’ compensation in thirteen states. She has served on numerous workers’ compensation and labor relations committees and task forces. For nine years she was a member of the Board of Directors for the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund, now known as Texas Mutual Insurance. She has a background in Human Resources and business and has extensive experience in developing and implementing effective return to work programs. Dennis Downing Dennis Downing is CEO and Founder of Future Industrial Technologies (F.I.T.), an international organization with the goal of reducing workers’ compensation costs through effective injury prevention protocols. For over 11 years he has worked with companies large and small across America. Through the practical applications of BACKSAFE® and SITTINGSAFE® employees around the world have benefited from reduced injuries and improved quality of life, while companies have enjoyed lower work comp costs and increased employee morale. Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS Wanda Estrada is the Health Services Manager for Miller Brewing Company in Fort Worth. Prior to her employment with Miller Brewing Company, Ms. Estrada was the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator for Lear Corporation where she provided recommendations and support to the workers’ compensation, return to work, short term disability and FMLA processes. Previously, Ms. Estrada was the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator at Vought Aircraft Industries. Her responsibilities included the program management and oversight of programs at all company sites in Washington, California, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. She also provided guidance on complex medical disability and work-related situations, including concurrent ADA and FMLA related issues. She works with physicians, environmental safety health and medical departments, third-party administrators, insurance brokers, supervisors, and collective bargaining unit representatives to provide effective company-wide workers' compensation programs. Ms Estrada is the current treasurer of the Disability Manager Employer Coalition (DMEC) for the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter, and she holds a position on the national DMEC Employer Advisory Council. In addition, Ms. Estrada has her CPDM (Certified Professional Disability Management), RWCS (The National Registry of Workers’ Compensation Specialist) and CWCP (Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional) certifications. Thad Harkins, Esq. Mr. Harkins practices primarily in the areas of civil litigation, employment and labor law (management and labor), with experience in personal injury, employee benefits and bankruptcy. He also serves as a mediator in civil litigation matters, primarily in employment and school law issues. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Labor and Employment Law. Mr. Harkins is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas, the United States District Courts, Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas and Northern District of Ohio, the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Harkins received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He subsequently attended the Master of Laws program of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, focusing his studies on federal civil litigation and employment law. Mr. Harkins is a frequent lecturer to attorneys, human resource managers and risk managers on issues of the FMLA, employment discrimination, litigation skills and procedure, work related injury claims and governmental liability for employment law claims. James E. Huckaby, ARM-P James E. Huckaby, ARM-P is the Director of Risk Management for the Mesquite Independent School District in Mesquite, Texas; a position he has held for 17 years. Mesquite ISD is the sixth largest school district in the Dallas area, with a student population of 37,148; 5,300 employees; and an annual operating budget of $386 million. He is credited for establishing Mesquite ISD’s Risk Management Department, which is recognized as one of the most innovative and effective among public school districts; as further evidenced by being cited as one of the “Top 10” Public Risk Managers in America published in the July 2000 edition of American City & County Magazine. His responsibilities include managing the property & casualty insurance program, loss control, workers’ compensation program administration, state and federal environmental compliance, and employee benefits. Significant accomplishments include a reduction of workers’ compensation and automobile liability claim costs by 60% and 45%, respectively. Under his management, Mesquite ISD’s workers’ compensation self-insured program has produced a documented savings in excess of $25.1 million. In 2006, his department received the Mesquite ISD Board of Trustees’ inaugural Peak Performance award for unprecedented service to the school district. In 2005, he was awarded the Outstanding Achievement and Service Award by the Texas Association of School Boards. In 1996, he was the recipient of the prestigious “Risk Manager of the Year” Award from the Texas PRIMA Chapter. Preceding that award he was recognized by the Texas Safety Association as “Safety Manager of the Year” in 1995. Huckaby is a past president of the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA), a national not-for-profit association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia that provides public risk management education, information, and advocacy for nearly 2000 members who represent counties, cities, schools, states, and other government entities. Prior to the national presidency, he served on the Texas PRIMA Board of Directors for seven years, including the office of presidency in 1999. He also served a two year term on the Texas Safety Association Board of Directors. Huckaby currently serves as a public representative to the Texas Surplus Lines Stamping Office Board of Directors. His three year term runs through December 31, 2010. He is a long-standing member and past president of the Mesquite Rotary Club and is currently serving his second term as president of Mission East Dallas, a non-profit Dallas County faith-based organization that provides medical and dental services for low income individuals and families who are uninsured. He is past president of the Mesquite Social Services and American Heart Association-Mesquite Division Board of Directors. Huckaby holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree (both in Biology with Chemistry minors) from Texas A&M University at Commerce, TX. He holds the designations of Associate of Risk Management (ARM) and Associate in Risk Management – Public Entities (ARM-P). J. Alfred Southerland, Esq. J. Alfred Southerland's practice at Ogletree Deakins focuses on labor and employment-related litigation before state and federal courts and agencies, including claims involving equal employment opportunity laws, unfair labor practices, wage and hour issues, unemployment compensation, wrongful discharge, state law tort and contract claims, occupational safety and health matters, and immigration. He also counsels clients regarding developments in the areas of counseling and discharge issues, workers' compensation, family and medical leave, wrongful discharge, and restrictive employment covenants. Mr. Southerland's experience includes the design and development of personnel policies, and management counseling that is designed to help minimize exposure to costly litigation and disputes. Mr. Southerland frequently speaks at employment related seminars, is an associate editor of the Texas Employment Law Handbook, and has published several articles on labor and employment issues. Education
Admitted to Practice
Professional Activities
Melissa D. Tonn, MD, MBA, MPH, FAADEP, FACOEM Dr. Melissa Tonn is President and Chief Medical Officer of OccMD Group, P.A. She provides medical management services for a number of large employers including: Safeway, HealthSouth, Kroger, Dillard’s, Target, Pappas, Best Buy and Pilgrims Pride. She also services as Medical Consultant to TOTAL PetroChemicals and Arkema, Inc. Dr. Tonn is licensed to practice medicine in Texas and California and is board certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, Occupational Medicine. She is also certified by the American College of Physician Executives as a Certified Physician Executive and the American Academy of Pain Management in Pain Management. She holds a Masters of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and earned her MBA from Rice University. Jay M. Wallace, Esq. Jay M. Wallace is a partner in the firm’s labor and employment section. Mr. Wallace represents companies in all phases of employment law, both state and federal, including claims involving sexual harassment, discrimination based on race, sex, disability, age and national origin; claims involving the Family Medical Leave Act, ERISA, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act; and litigation involving non-compete agreements and the disclosure of trade secrets. Mr. Wallace also defends personal injury suits on behalf of employers who are nonsubscribers to the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act. Mr. Wallace began publishing firm’s The Employment Law Newsletter in 1995. This publication is distributed quarterly each year to update employers on recent developments in employment law. Mr. Wallace is also the co-editor of the Texas Employment Law Manual first published by Gibson, McClure, Wallace & Daniels in 1999. The Manual provides an overview and analysis of the principal state and federal laws that affect Texas employers. Mr. Wallace also gives presentations and training seminars to employers and human resource professionals on a wide variety of employment-related topics. Mr. Wallace was educated at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia (B.A., magna cum laude, 1985) and the University of Texas School of Law (J.D. 1988). Mr. Wallace was one of the original partners with the firm, which was formed in 1993. Mr. Wallace was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1988. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, and the Fifth Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Texas Bar Association, the Litigation Section of the Texas Bar, and the American Bar Association’s Employment Law and Arbitration Sections. Mr. Wallace's reported cases are: Rosas, et al v. Meadowbrook Bank and U.S. Small Business Administration, 964 F.2d 351 (5th Cir. 1992); Mirakhorli vs. DFW Management Company d/b/a The DFW Lakes Hilton, et al., 1999 WL 354226, (N.D. Tex. 1999); Wolfe v. C.S.P.H., Inc. d/b/a Domino’s Pizza, 24 S.W.3d 641 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2000); In Re David’s Supermarkets, Inc., 43 S.W.3d 94 (Tex. App.—Waco 2001, no writ). Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS is a certified disability management specialist and certified rehabilitation counselor who is approved by DWC for inclusion in the Division’s registry of private providers of vocational rehabilitation services. Ms. Zersen is the owner and Case Manager of ZD Consultants, LLC which is a private consulting firm utilized by TPAs, insurance companies, employers, attorneys and persons with disabilities to assist individuals with problems that may occur following accidents, injuries, or illnesses. Ms. Zersen has been providing medical case management, vocational case management and disability management services for workers’ compensation cases, STD and LTD cases for over 15 years. Ms. Zersen has been approved by the Texas Department of Insurance to provide training on numerous workers’ compensation issues. Ms. Zersen is currently the Past President of the Texas Rehabilitation Association and has served in the TRA positions of President-Elect and Board member. She is a board member of the Houston Area Rehabilitation Association. Ms. Zersen graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Masters of Science in behavioral studies/rehabilitation counseling.
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