BTH’s Advisory Board Members are comprised of trusted leaders in the industry known for being trailblazers in their profession and community. As advocates and ambassadors of BTH, the board supports the executive team through strategic direction and insight.
MD, Hospital For Special Surgery (HSS)
Dr. Han Jo Kim is a Scoliosis and Cervical Spine Specialist at the #1 Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery in the USA – the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. He is the Director of the Spine Fellowship and serves as an Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. He serves on the board for FOCOS (Foundation for Orthopaedics and Complex Spine) which is a Hospital in Ghana, West Africa, AO Spine Incubator Board and serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Solisti Ensemble. He is passionate about classical music and for the delivery of Spine Care to under-served communities. He has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications in addition to featured works in US News & World Report, New England Journal of Medicine and other reputable journals.
Vice President of Sales at Michael Kors
Mary Lisa grew up in Maryland where she completed her undergraduate degree at Towson University. Mary Lisa currently resides in NYC and is a Vice President at Michael Kors. In addition, Mary Lisa enjoys traveling and health and fitness. Mary Lisa was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 12 with a 42 degree curved, braced for a year, and surgery followed.
Director of the Harkness Dance Center at 92Y
Taryn Kaschock Russell was named the Director of the 92Y Harkness Dance Center in September of 2019. She provides overarching vision, partnership, and support for the School of Dance and the Dance Education Laboratory while also leading all curatorial performance opportunities, workshops, and artist residencies. Under her leadership, in the fall of 2021 the 92nd Street Y launched the Harkness Mainstage Series,
Prior to 2019, Kaschock Russell served on the Artistic leadership team of the Juilliard Dance Division for three years, and between 2013 and 2019, Kaschock Russell served both as faculty at the Juilliard School and as a lecturer at the Conservatory of Dance, SUNY Purchase. Over the past two decades, she has been a company guest instructor for Abraham in Motion, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico, Ballet BC, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, while also teaching frequently for both the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Gibney Company during their New York seasons. Before moving back to New York in 2013, Kaschock Russell served as rehearsal director for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for one season and as the director of Hubbard Street 2 for five. She also enjoyed a twelve-year performing career with both Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet, traveling extensively with both companies, performing works by George Balanchine, John Cranko, Agnes de Mille, Martha Graham, Lar Lubovitch, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, and William Forsythe.
Kaschock Russell currently serves as an Artistic Advisory Council of MOVE[NYC], an organization whose mission she passionately supports, and as a member of the Advisory Board for Back to Healing, which provides positive empowerment and community for individuals living with scoliosis.
Executive Director at GE Healthcare
Chad Jackson is a Executive Director at GE Healthcare, a global leader in healthcare technology. With 13 years in the health industry, 8 of those years in spine, he has led a successful career in consultancy and management. Chad has equally led a successful medical device sales career from being an apprentice sales representative to an award-winning sales expert, as well as ranking as the top sales agent at different companies. Chad has shown tremendous talent in strategic planning and project management, the ability to understand and simplify complex concepts quickly as well as being innovative with systems that promote productivity and customer satisfaction. A native of Indiana, Chad holds a BS in Behavioral Psychology from Indiana State University, where he graduated with honors. In the nonprofit arena, Chad contributes his time as a junior board member and volunteer for Foundation for Orthopedics and Complex Spine. Mr. Jackson currently resides with his fiance in New York.
Integrative Health Practitioner, MSc Physical Therapy, RYT-200, Yoga for Scoliosis Trainer, NASM-CPT & NASM-CES
Vivian is a certified Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP) with a background in physical therapy, yoga for scoliosis, corrective exercise, and functional and naturopathic medicine. Ever since she was diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), she’s been fascinated with the human body and the way it moves. She helps those with scoliosis regain strength and confidence by building body awareness through fitness, as well as nutrition and mindfulness practices. By creating SCOLIOFITNESS, a program that incorporates scoliosis specific exercises and everyday techniques, Vivian empowers #scoliosiswarriors to live a life out of possibility and not out of fear.
BTH Medical Assistant
Elana Maccou currently serves as a volunteer member of Back to Healing’s Advisory Board, assisting in the planning and execution of philanthropic mission trips to provide corrective surgeries to patients affected by scoliosis. Dr. Maccou attended the University at Albany where she achieved Bachelor of Human Biology and Master of Public Health degrees. She went on to attend medical school at Windsor University on the island of St. Kitts where she also completed a Master of Healthcare Administration through Walden University with a focus on Leadership Development. Dr. Maccou will be starting her General Surgery residency training at the University of Virginia in June 2022.
Professionally, Dr. Maccou’s interests include transplant surgery, physician leadership, community engagement and medical education, particularly amongst youth. Previously, she has held positions in research, health education, and business management.
Dr. Maccou grew up in Central New York, but more recently calls Myrtle Beach, SC home. She love spending her free time outdoors, running, hiking, brunching and welcoming new experiences with her very busy son Félipe.
BTH Digital Marketer
Tara Martinez has been in the digital marketing field for over ten years in Las Vegas. Her experience expanding internationally promoting travel and tourism. Tara is passionate about helping the Scoliosis community because both her and her daughter, Lia, face the same adversity. Her mentorship and compassion have made a mark on everyone who’s been around her, and her goal is to empower others to feel like they can live their fullest life regardless of limitations. In Tara’s spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Art Curator and Writer
Emireth Herrera Valdés (b. Saltillo, Mexico) is an independent curator and writer based in New
York City. Herrera has curated exhibitions such as S.T.E.P. at Queens Museum, Tongue Tide,
3459’ at Flux Factory in NYC, and Todos Bien at the Sinaloa Museum of Art in Mexico. She
co-curated the exhibition Grilo/Fernández-Muro at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU funded by the
Institute for Studies on Latin American Art. Merging her curatorial practice with education she
has organized numerous public programs between the MARCO Museum in Monterrey, Mexico,
the Autonomous University of Coahuila and the TATE Modern Gallery. Her project From the
Vulnerable Territory to the Utopia was presented at the AROS Museum in Aarhus, Denmark.
Her articles have been published by Arte Fuse, VISTAS by ISLAA, LAR-magazine in Latin
America, Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, and the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon.
