Insider NJ
PENNINGTON, NJ — November 30 — Leaders in medicine, government, and philanthropy have joined boards of the Cannabis Education and Research Institute (CERI) to add their voices to the organization’s mission to advance research and education of medicinal cannabis.
Two new board members will join CERI’s Board of Trustees, and a third will join CERI’s Advisory Board. CERI, a nonprofit organization, works to improve accessibility of medicinal cannabis and supports unbiased, evidence-based research for consumers, clinicians, payers, and policy makers.
The new trustees and advisory board member will join the distinguished boards of medical and policy experts directing CERI’s work. “I’m so pleased that these dedicated professionals — with their wide range of incredible expertise — have agreed to join our board and advisory board,” said David Knowlton, Chairman and CEO of CERI. “I know they will enable CERI to have even greater impact as we work to support patients who can benefit from medicinal cannabis.” The new members of the CERI Board of Trustees are:
Fikry W. Isaac, M.D., MPH, FACOEM
Dr. Isaac is a pioneer in the field of workplace health promotion and global health, and has introduced innovative approaches to improve the health and wellbeing of populations. He currently is Chief Executive Officer of WellWorld Consulting and is a former Vice President of Global Health Services for Johnson & Johnson, where he also served as the Chief Medical Officer for Johnson & Johnson’s Health and Wellness Solutions. Dr. Isaac is a published author in the field, and continues to research population health interventions, using rigorous scientific methods to ensure that these interventions deliver meaningful outcomes. Through his engagement with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Life Science Innovation Forum (LSIF), Dr. Isaac was instrumental in the development of an action plan addressing non-communicable disease for member countries as well as the establishment of a mental health wellbeing road map for the region. Dr. Isaac is a Fellow of American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Peter F. Cammarano
Cammarano has a record of public service to his home state of New Jersey, having served as Chief of Staff to two New Jersey Governors: Governor Phil Murphy and Governor Richard Codey. Cammarano also served as mayor of the Borough of Metuchen. Cammarano is an experienced executive, strategist, and communicator who has overseen the development of wide-ranging state policy and budget initiatives. He has experience managing day-to-day operations of state government. Cammarano’s leadership enabled him to navigate legislative, corporate and private sector issues in the health care, insurance, environmental and economic arenas. As a communication strategist, Cammarano has developed an interest in cannabis policy and co-founded and served as president of the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association.
Fikry W. Isaac, M.D., MPH, FACOEM
Peter F. Cammarano
Joining the CERI Advisory Board is:
Alan Klein, MBA
Klein is Chief Development Officer at HealthWell Foundation in Maryland, and he brings 28 years of experience in the nonprofit and pharmaceutical sectors to CERI’s Advisory Board. Ranked #33 on the 2019 Forbes List of Largest U.S. Charities, HealthWell Foundation is an independent nonprofit that offers co-payment and insurance premium assistance to inadequately insured Americans to allow them to afford their chronic/life altering medications. It has helped more than 500,000 Americans. Klein has significant experience with product and service portfolios, and overseeing corporate transactions, fundraising and revenue growth and development programs exceeding $3 billion in combined valuation. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for ETX Pharma, Inc., and as Executive Vice President for Corporate Development for Sequella, Inc. Klein’s experience includes creating and increasing enterprise value and mission-exceeding organizational abilities in the non-profit and pharmaceutical sectors.Alan Klein, MBA
ABOUT CERI
The Cannabis Education and Research Institute is a non-profit organization based in Pennington, New Jersey. CERI’s goal is to advance accessibility of medicinal cannabis through unbiased, evidenced-based research provided to consumers, clinicians, payers and policy makers so they can make informed decisions about cannabis. More information is available at CERIUSA.org.