Editorial Staff and Board of Health and Medical Advisers
The Publisher: Oakstone Publishing, LLC dba Personal Best
Personal Best is well known for its high-quality health management publications, which promote
wellness, safety, productivity, shiftwork and personal money management. Thousands of health promotion
programs trust Personal Best to deliver engaging and motivating wellness communication tools to recipients in the U.S. and Canada.
Executive Editor
Susan Cottman: Susan is the Executive Editor for Ebix, Inc.’s Personal Best publications.
Her specialties include Canadian products, custom calendars and low-literacy publications.
Susan previously was managing editor and designer of a medico-legal
newsletter reporting on disability and injury issues for insurance adjusters
for seven years for a Seattle-based provider of independent medical evaluations. She is also a judge for the National Health Information Awards.
U.S. Advisers
Patricia C. Buschel, RN, MSN, DNP, ONC, FAAN: Patricia , is a member of the Clinical Faculty of the University of Washington School of Nursing. Patricia has participated in decades of cancer research and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and monographs focusing on oncology.She has also been a medical writer of and consultant for patient educational tools, as well as a medical textbook editor and consultant.
Jamie Lynn Byram PhD, CFP, AFC, MBA : Jamie Lynn Byram, teaches financial planning and corporate finance at Virginia Tech. She has published in leading financial planning and consumer sciences journals and contributed to books and other professional publications. She worked for nine years in corporate finance for Compass Bank. She owns a financial counseling practice, Peace Within Financial Counseling.
Eric Endlich, PhD: Eric, is a clinical psychologist, national presenter and founder of Top College Consultants. Dr. Endlich co-wrote the book Older Autistic Adults and was named a Top Contributor by Exceptional Needs Today magazine for his article, “7 Things Students With Disabilities Should Do When Starting College.” He has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology courses at Boston College, Tufts University, Suffolk University and UMass/Boston.
Ken Holtyn: Ken Holtyn, is President of Holtyn & Associates LLC. He has provided wellness and health promotion services for more than 30 years to more than 600 businesses. He served as Vice-President of the Health Promotion and Wellness Council of Michigan and as the American Heart Association Chairman of Worksite Health Promotion for Michigan.
Gary B. Kushner, SPHR, CBP: Gary, is the President and CEO of Kushner & Company, an HR strategy and employee benefits consulting and administration firm. He has advised four U.S. Presidents on health care and has testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House Small Business Committee on employee benefit issues.
Charles Stuart Platkin, PhD, JD, MPH : Charles Stuart Platkin, is a leading nutrition and public health advocate. He is the Executive Director of the Center For Food As Medicine and a Distinguished Lecturer at the Hunter College School of Urban Public Health. Charles is also the founder of DietDetective.com, and the co-founder of MedicalBx, a micro-hospital company serving underserved countries.
Elizabeth S. Smoots, MD : Elizabeth S. Smoots, is a board-certified family physician and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She is also a Certified Health Coach. She authored the popular book Allergy Guide: Alternative & Conventional Solutions.
Peggy Spencer, MD : Peggy Spencer, is a Board-Certified family physician, primary care provider and certified mindfulness instructor at the New Mexico Veterans Health Administration. Dr. Spencer is a published author and former medical advice columnist, and she has a passion for making science and medicine accessible to the general public.
Canadian Advisers.
Canadian Advisers
Marica Borovich-Law, MSc (Kin) MBA: Marica Borovich-Law, is a seminar leader, trainer and consultant, specializing in organizational wellness and health promotion. She is the Games Manager, 2023 Alberta Summer Games — Okotoks & Black Diamond.
Chad Burke, BSc, CRSP: Chad Burke, is the Manager of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality at Ineos Styrolution. Chad has a BSc, an Environmental Technology Diploma, a Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP). He is passionate about leading a workplace with a culture of engaged employees to support their well-being.
Cara Rosenbloom, RD: Cara Rosenbloom, is a registered dietitian, journalist and recipe developer. She is the president and owner of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications firm, and she is a member of Dietitians of Canada and the College of Dietitians of Ontario. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, Allrecipes, Baby Center, Today’s Parent, and Verywell Fit, and she is the co-author of the books Nourish (Whitecap, 2016) and Food to Grow On (Random House, 2021).