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ICA Welcomes New Board Members

The Interstitial Cystitis Association is pleased to announce four new additions to its Board of Directors who will lead, advise, and support the activities of ICA for a three-year term:

Gina M. Barbarotto, MS, MBA, is an Associate Director in Patient & Professional Relations at Purdue Pharma L.P. She actively collaborates with numerous patient advocacy and healthcare professional groups around patient access and public policy issues and is a passionate advocate for people suffering with chronic illness. Gina uses her clinical background in medical technology and molecular genetics and experiences in marketing and pharmaceuticals to develop patient-centric resources and materials to improve patient-provider communications. She is inspired by her grandmother who suffered unnecessarily with painful comorbid conditions and did not have adequate resources to self-advocate and obtain quality care.

Jane Elsten, MD, is an anesthesiologist who developed symptoms of IC after many years of clinical practice and was misdiagnosed for many years. After finally receiving appropriate treatment, though she had to cut short her rewarding career in medicine due to IC, Jane is now dedicated to networking within the medical community to increase awareness of and support for ICA. Her medical training and compassionate nature are assets to the ICA. Jane has two grown daughters and currently lives in McLean, VA.

Barbara Hershberg, is an entrepreneur who started her own travel insurance company after being a substitute teacher, a public relations writer, and a sales representative, and after working with various charities. She received her diagnosis of IC after a year of intense pain and seven different doctors. Barbara’s experience with IC has calcified her dedication to aiding others with IC to get help, and to educating healthcare practitioners and the public about IC. She and her husband live in Vancouver, BC, and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.

Dan Vickery, MBA, PhD, has focused on urology and bladder pain for most of his career. He possesses extensive experience in pharmaceutical development and regulatory affairs, and was previously the head of worldwide commercial development for the therapeutic urology department of a major pharmaceutical company. Dan is currently the Chairman of a small biotechnology company seeking FDA approval for a new IC instillation therapy. Throughout his career, Dan has had the opportunity to meet many IC patients and their caregivers, and understands how devastating and debilitating the condition can be. Dan’s credentials and passion for overcoming IC make him an invaluable addition to the ICA Board of Directors.

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