Tom Ruth Speaker Series 

Dr. Thomas McCarter serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Versalus Health. Prior to joining Versalus, Dr. McCarter was Chief Medical Officer at TEAM of Care Solutions, a web-based healthcare technology solution (SaaS) that enables physicians, hospitals, and post-acute providers to succeed in the new model of healthcare delivery and reimbursement. Before TEAM of Care, Dr. McCarter was Chief Clinical Officer of Executive Health Resources (EHR) where he was responsible for clinical research, physician education, regulatory policy and the rules used to adjudicate over 10 million medical necessity reviews for more than 2,000 hospitals across the United States to achieve Medicare regulatory compliance and clinical appropriateness.

Dr. McCarter has served as Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Main Line Health System in Philadelphia, and as Vice President of Medical Affairs for Tenet Health System’s Pennsylvania Region. He served faculty positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Hahnemann University, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Geisinger Medical Center, and Drexel University School of Medicine. Dr. McCarter has extensive experience defending hospitals and health systems when under scrutiny by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Department of Justice (DOJ).

Dr. McCarter received his bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his medical degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine.

Through his work at his own hospitals and through his business relationships with client hospitals, Dr. McCarter has had the experience of leading/supporting health systems and other organizations through numerous scenarios over the last two decades from 9/11, the 2009 Pandemic, and today.

Dr. Kathryn C. Worrilow, founder and CEO of LifeAire Systems, received her doctorate in Anatomy and Cell Physiology from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Physiology and Infertility at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. Worrilow served as the Scientific Director of In Vitro Fertilization Programs for over 20 years and has performed extensive work specific to molecular signaling between the sperm and oocyte, the contribution of the paternal genome to the embryo, and the impact of ambient air on successful human embryogenesis and preimplantation toxicology. Her work, with that of her colleagues, led to the development and design of the LifeAire Systems patented air purification technology and System, Aire~IVF®. The Aire~IVF® System delivers the most pristine air quality available for IVF environments through an in-duct system by inactivating biologicals and eliminating embryotoxic volatile organic compounds using revolutionary and proprietary air purification technologies. One of the most unique features of the LifeAire System is the extensive data supporting the design, the specificity of its design towards the human embryo and the results from over four years of clinical implementation.

Dr. Worrilow has been invited to present and publish her research both nationally and internationally, and enjoys sharing the data with her colleagues.

Before joining The Times in 2018, Pearlstine served as Chief Content Officer and then Vice Chairman of Time Inc.  Prior to that, he was Chief Content Officer at Bloomberg L.P.

For nearly five decades, Pearlstine has worked as a reporter and editor.  He was editor-in-chief of Time Inc. from 1995 to 2005 before becoming a senior advisor to Time Warner.  At Time Inc. Pearlstine oversaw the editorial content of Time Inc.’s 154 magazines. Previously, Pearlstine worked for the Wall Street Journal, Forbes magazine, the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Wall Street Journal/Europe.  He also launched Smart Money magazine for Dow Jones & Co. and Hearst Corp.  

Pearlstine serves on the boards of the Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP).  He is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Pearlstine is the author of Off the Record: The Press, the Government, and the War over Anonymous Sources, published in 2007.  Pearlstine is the recipient of numerous honors, including the American Society of Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame, the Gerald Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Business & Financial Journalism, and the National Press Foundation’s Editor of the Year Award.

Pearlstine received his B.A. from Haverford College, his L.L.B. from the University of Pennsylvania, and he did postgraduate work at the law school of Southern Methodist University.

Major General Douglas O’Dell, USMC (Ret) was appointed Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding by President George W. Bush on April 18th, 2008. In this role, he also served as a member of the Homeland Security Council. O’Dell retired from the Marine Corps in May 2008 after more than 40 years of total service. He currently consults on matters related to business development in the United States and the Middle East.

He has commanded Marines at every level in the infantry from platoon to Division. While in command of 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) he oversaw operations to relieve the anthrax threat on Capitol Hill in 2001, and the reestablishment of the US Embassy in Kabul Afghanistan. In 2005, he was Commander, US Marine Forces, JTF Katrina/Rita during Gulf Coast relief operations while he was Commanding General, 4th Marine Division.

He is a graduate of the Hill School, Rutgers University, and the Senior Executive Program at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard.

Ashley Shillingsburg Alderfer is a public policy professional, specializing in technology policy.  She currently manages federal government relations for eBay, Inc.

Prior to joining eBay, Ashley spent nearly 10 years serving in senior positions in Congress. As Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Ashley drove the congressman’s legislative agenda and managed his work on the influential Energy and Commerce Committee. Additionally, Ashley served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Bob Brady (D-PA), overseeing his national security work as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. Prior to working in Congress, Ashley spent two years consulting for several telecommunications companies and trade associations.

Ashley is a Hill alumna of the Class of 2002 and was one of the 88 girls to enroll at Hill in its first year of coeducation in 1998. She has a B.A. from Georgetown University, and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and two daughters.

Stephen is an Executive Vice President with AECOM (NYSE:ACM), the world’s premier infrastructure firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from planning, design and engineering to consulting and construction management. As AECOM’s Global Director of Cities, Stephen specializes in urban design, city planning, economic development and resilience strategies, advising many of the world’s largest cities and institutions on their infrastructure strategies and real estate portfolios. The urban services market segment accounts for nearly a third of AECOM’s annual $20B revenue globally and engages thousands of professionals worldwide.

Stephen’s global experience allows him to work fluidly across boundaries and cultures and elicit the best from all around him. He calls upon his vast network daily to navigate his global responsibilities on behalf of AECOM and the several boards on which he sits.

He has worked closely with the HASOGI (Hill Alliance for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) to advance Hill’s reputation as an inclusive and welcoming environment. Last spring, Stephen helped to sponsor a joint program between HASOGI and Hill athletics advocating Hill sports as an inclusive and welcoming environment. Stephen was born and raised in Pottstown, is an avid cyclist, and now lives in San Francisco with his partner, Mr. Lance Relicke.

His recent essay on why cities matter more than ever as we battle Coronavirus is the focus of his discussion.

Krista Tietjen '08 is a public relations and brand marketing strategist with experience across the music, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment industries.

She began her career in NYC on the agency side, working with major consumer brands like Hennessy, Foot Locker, and Panasonic, as well as entertainment clients including Naomi Campbell and The ESPY Awards. She also spent time at entertainment company and record label Roc Nation, managing PR strategy and media relations for their vast roster of artists and personalities.

Three years ago, Krista joined Reebok's Global PR team, leading strategy and communications for the brand's fashion product and streetwear collaborations. At the start of this year, she took on a new role with the brand, and now serves as Senior Manager for Reebok’s first ever Global Creative Communications and Disruptive Marketing team, The Engine. In this role she helps lead the ideation and execution of creative ideas that make people think, talk about and feel something for Reebok.

During her time at The Hill, Krista sang with the Hilltrebles, served as a prefect in Dell Village and was co-president of the Dream Team (Student Activities). Krista is a 2008 graduate of The Hill and a 2012 graduate of Boston College. She currently resides in Boston, but is originally from Pottstown, Pa. In her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her French bulldog, Baloo.

Justin Newton, Hill School class of 1991, is the CEO and co-founder of Netki, whose digital ID validation solutions, currently are being turned to the fight against COVID-19. Netki’s solutions help wallet providers, exchanges, banks, fintech, governments and any company using blockchain technology comply with recent FATF, FINMA and FinCen guidance, while maintaining the principles of privacy and autonomy on which blockchain and cryptocurrency are founded.  Justin co-authored the BIP-75 standard for Travel Rule in 2016, and implemented Netki’s TransactID solution for the first time in 2016. Netki is currently a strategic supplier and partner to PrivateMedCreds a platform designed to help governments and companies safely open up in the era of COVID-19 using testing and certification.  

Justin has strategically positioned Netki to lead the charge in setting standards and policy for enterprise, digital identification, and digital currency ecosystems.  Justin currently serves on the Industry/Law Enforcement Portal Working Group of the Blockchain Alliance and the State Legislative Working Group of the Chamber of Digital Commerce.  Netki is a highly sought after participant to government-led initiatives on Digital Identity by U.S. Treasury, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Central Bank of Aruba, and other global agencies.  

Justin is a pioneer in the development of Internet and blockchain technology.  Justin previously served on the Advisory Council for ARIN, the multinational registry for IP addresses and founded ISPC, the first trade association for Internet providers. He played a key role in ensuring the Internet Tax Freedom, the Communications Decency, the Digital Copyright, and the CAN-SPAM Acts aided the Internet industry’s growth while ensuring security and privacy for its users. He is the only person that has  contributed to authoring Internet standards (RFCs) and Bitcoin standards (BIPs).

Peter Schaffer President, CEO and General Counsel Authentic Athletix, LLC.

Peter Schaffer ’80, President, CEO and General Counsel of Authentic Athletix, LLC, has been a certified NFL agent for 25 years. He has negotiated over one billion dollars in contracts and has had the honor of representing such Hall of Fame greats as Barry Sanders, Jerome Bettis, and William Roaf. In addition to players, Schaffer counts numerous NFL coaches and general managers, and national sports media as his clients. He has been named “Top 5 Agents in the NFL” by Street and Smith’s Business Journal.

In addition to being an agent, Schaffer is highly regarded as an expert on the business of sports, appearing on ABC Nightly News, Fox Sports, the Dan Patrick Show, HBO Real Sports, and 60 Minutes. He has also cohosted shows on KFFN (Denver) and Altitude Sports Network. His thoughts on the NFL can be read regularly in his national column for the Washington Post’s “Inside the League.” He has served as a Professor of Sports Law at the University of Denver, and has lectured at Tulane University Law School, University of Colorado Business School, Johnson and Wales University, University of Colorado Law School, and the University of New York-Cortland among other

Kevin R. Steele is the District Attorney of Montgomery County. Throughout his career, Kevin has been committed to seeking justice—for victims, for defendants and for the community.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities as District Attorney, Kevin continues to try cases in court, including several recent high-profile cases: Commonwealth v. William H. Cosby Jr. and Commonwealth v. Kathleen Kane. At the time of the Kane prosecution, she was the elected Attorney General of Pennsylvania. These high-profile cases are just two of thousands that Steele has handled in his years as a prosecutor. His prosecutions have involved all types of charges: homicide, drug trafficking, robberies, firearms offenses, sexual assaults, and many others.

Beyond the courtroom, Kevin is also committed to community organizations. Kevin is the Vice President of the board of Penn Wynne-Overbrook Hills Fire Company as well as a board member of the Baldwin School, Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center, and the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project.  He served on the Penn State Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2019, as President of the Penn State Alumni Association from 2015 to 2017, and as a member of the Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Council from 2005 to 2019.

Kevin is a longtime adjunct faculty member at Cabrini University and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute, and he has received faculty excellence awards from each. Kevin currently serves on the Executive Board of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association and is the Legislative Chair. Kevin is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Attorneys.

Kevin received a Master of Laws Degree in Trial Advocacy from Temple University, a law degree from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law and an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from The George Washington University.