Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA – Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced the appointments to the Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Research and Medical Treatment (the Cord Blood Commission) which was created by Executive Order on April 12, 2006.

Mary M. Boyert, 59, Duluth, GA – Boyert is the pro-life director for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. She worked with Georgia Right to Life for 25 years and taught elementary school for eight years. She received a bachelor’s degree from St. John College. Boyert and her husband, Tom, have one grown child, survive one child, and have two grandchildren.

Kuang-Yueh “KY” Chiang, M.D., Ph.D., 48, Atlanta, GA – Chiang is a clinical associate professor and director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He is the president-elect of the Chinese Medical Association of Georgia and is a member of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Chiang received a medical degree from Kaohsiung Medical College and a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota. Chiang and his wife, Wanlin Hsieh, have two children.

Sharon Cooper, 63, Marietta, GA – Cooper is the State Representative for the 41st District of Georgia and chairs the Health & Human Services Committee. She is a registered nurse and a medical administrator. Cooper received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a master’s degree from the University of South Florida and a nursing degree from the Medical College of Georgia. She is married to Tom Cooper.

Henry “Hank” T. Edmondson III, Ph.D., 50, Augusta, GA – Edmondson is a professor of political science and public administration at Georgia College and State University. He is also the director of the European Government Study Abroad program for the University System of Georgia. Edmondson served as the administrative supervisor for the emergency room and regional trauma center at Talmadge Hospital at the Medical College of Georgia. He received a bachelor’s degree from Augusta College, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia. Edmondson and his wife, Dotty, have four children.

Alan Einstein, D.O., 41, Alpharetta, GA – Einstein is the founder, chief executive officer and president of Cord Blood Solutions, LLC, and practices internal medicine at the Alpharetta Medical Associates, P.C. Einstein is the medical director of Embracing Hospice and the hypertension training director for First Horizon Pharmaceuticals. He is a member of the American and Georgia Osteopathic Associations. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and a doctorate in osteopathic medicine from Des Moines University. Einstein and his wife, Shari, have two children.

David Charles Hess, M.D., 49, Martinez, GA – Hess is the chairman of the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Georgia, clinical co-director of the Institute of Neuroscience and chief of neurology service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta. He serves on the board of directors for the Augusta Biomedical Research Corporation and the Richmond-Columbia County division of the America Heart Association. He received a bachelor’s degree from John Hopkins University and a medical degree from the University of Maryland. Hess and his wife, Diane, have four children.

James “Jim” P. Kelly, III, 50, Alpharetta, GA – Kelly is the director of international affairs for the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy. He is a member of the United States delegation to the drafting of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights and serves as chairman of the Social and Human Sciences Committee of the U.S. National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Kelly received a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Georgia. He also received a master of taxation degree from Georgia State University and a master of nonprofit management from Regis University. He and his wife, Lisa, have two children.

Edward W. “Kip” Klein, III, 56, Marietta, GA – Klein is an active member of the Cobb Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia. He has been practicing law in Atlanta and Marietta for thirty years and served in the Georgia House of Representatives for six years. Klein is actively involved with the Parkinson’s Action Network. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Sharon, have three children.

Thomas J. Lawley, M.D., 59, Atlanta, GA – Lawley is the dean of the Emory University School of Medicine. He is the president of the Emory Medical Care Foundation and Emory Children’s Center and the chair-elect for the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges. He received a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and a medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He and his wife, Christine, have three grown children and one grandchild.

Robert T. McNally, Ph.D., 58, Marietta, GA – McNally is co-founder and CEO of Cell Dynamics LLC, co-founder and CEO of Cell Design and a partner of NuTek BioMedical, LLC. He is a member of the advisory board of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a member of the American Israel and Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He is the recipient of the 2004 Biomedical Industry Growth Award for the state of Georgia. McNally received a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a doctoral degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Mary, have three grown children and one grandchild.

Timothy M. Neja, 40, Marietta, GA – Neja is senior director of laboratory operations at CryoLife Inc. He is a member of the Autism Society of America-Greater Georgia Chapter and the American Association of Tissue Banks. He received a bachelor’s degree from Knox College, a master’s of science degree from Governors State University, and a master’s of business administration from the University of Chicago. He and his wife, Jody, have six children.

Steven L. Stice, M.S., Ph.D., 45, Athens, GA – Stice is the director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia. He is the chief scientific officer at Aruna Biomedical, Inc. and a former vice-president of Stem Cell Research for BresaGen, Inc. Stice serves on the editorial board of Stem Cells and is a member of the Neuroscience Society. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree from Iowa State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts. He and his wife, Tracey, have three children.

David J. Shafer, 41, Duluth, GA – Shafer represents portions of Fulton and Gwinnett counties in the Georgia State Senate. He is chairman of the Senate Regulated Industries and Public Utilities Committee. He formerly served as chairman of the Senate Science and Technology Committee and as an administration floor leader for Governor Perdue. Shafer sponsored Senate Bill 596 that would have created the Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Initiative. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Lee, have two children.

Gerardo “Gerry” L. Sotomayor, M.D., 51, Atlanta, GA – Sotomayor is president of Northlake OB/GYN, P.C., and is on staff at Northside Hospital. He is founder of Babies for Life and co-founder of the Latin American Medical Association. He is a member of the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society and a medical consultant for Cytokine Pharmasciences. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico, a medical degree from University Central del Caribe and is pursuing a master’s degree from Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He and his wife, Vivian, have three children.

Robert K. Yu, Med.Sc.D., Ph.D., 68, Augusta, GA – Yu is the director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and the Institute of Neuroscience at the Medical College of Georgia. He is president-elect of the Society of Chinese Biologists in America. He received a bachelor’s degree from Tunghai University, a doctoral degree from the University of Illinois and a medical science degree from the University of Tokyo. He and his wife, Helen, have two grown children.

# # #