Category: Past Speakers

 

Dr. Stephen Loyd is an Internal Medicine/Addiction Medicine physician who graduated medical school and residency from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Loyd was the Assistant Commissioner (Opioid Czar) for Substance Abuse Services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. He has served as an expert witness in more than twenty federal and state cases against physicians who were improperly prescribing controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was named an Advocate for Action by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), an office of the President of the United States. He has delivered over five hundred educational lectures on addiction and treatment of opioid use disorder and proper prescribing of controlled substances.

 

Dr. Loyd was an original member (still active) of the Treatment of Chronic Pain Guidelines Committee which defined pain treatment for providers in the state of Tennessee. He has worked as an Addiction Medicine Physician in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the treatment of opioid dependent pregnant women. Dr. Loyd has served on multiple drug courts in Tennessee and remains an active participant in drug court in the 4th Judicial District under Judge Duane Slone. He has worked with multiple community level anti-drug coalitions from Johnson County to Shelby County and has worked with all levels of state law enforcement, mainly the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Cedar Recovery in Tennessee and is the current Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council appointed by current Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

 

Dr. Loyd has been in recovery from opioid and benzodiazepine addiction since July 8, 2004.

Arturo Castro-Guerra, a native of Lima – Peru, is a Piano Concertist, dedicated in his professional life to mastering different skills, such as playing various instruments and musical genres, and carrying out various tasks linked to art: teaching, promoter artistic, and talent development.

PIANO CONCERTS and MUSICAL AMBASSADOR

Arturo serves as the official Musical Ambassador of Peru. His service has given him the satisfaction of contributing to the promotion of the Peruvian musical and traditional repertoire in organized concert tours to Canada, the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Central America, the European Community , Switzerland, the United Kingdom and South East Asia, sponsored by the Embassies and Diplomatic and Consular Representations of Peru and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Arturo Castro-Guerra, also recognized for his humanistic character and his unfailing capacity for contribution, has led him to offer numerous charity concerts in various settings. Among those that stand out is the Concert at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, to benefit those affected by Hurricane Mitch in Central America; the Gala organized in the city of North Miami Beach at the Julius Littman Performing Arts Theater, to benefit those affected by the earthquake that devastated southern Peru; as well as the Concert organized by the Embassy of Peru in Washington DC at the Shriners Temple, to benefit burned children; and likewise the Concert offered at the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru, to benefit those affected by the coastal Niño phenomenon.

ARTURO CASTRO-GUERRA FOUNDATION

A concrete projection of the support that pianist Arturo Castro-Guerra is committed to is carrying out activities to promote the talent of young talents, through the Foundation that bears his name. With the same vitality since its creation, it has developed presentations with international artists, such as the Polish pianist Katarzyna Borek, the Dutch Peruvian soprano Margarita Catalina Holguín, the national folklorist César Villalobos, the impulse of the young French accordionist Eva Martineau, the virtuoso soprano by coloratura Hatun Killa, the Choral and Instrumental Ensemble of the José de Oregon y Aparicio Peruvian School, and the revelation of the young Peruvian American singer Nicole Uceda.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

Arturo Castro-Guerra, is a Paul Harris Fellow. He served as President of the District 4455 Rotary Pro-Peace Scholarship Committee and President of the Rotary Friendship Exchange Committee, in the period 2021–2022. He promoted and concluded the Twinning Agreements with the Jackson Heights Rotary Club of New York – District 7255, the Rotary Club Asunción Palma de Paraguay – District 4845, the Rotary Club of Fairhope – District 6880, the Rotary Club of Mobile – District 6880, the Rotary Club of Rio Branco New Generations of Brazil – District 4270, all of them with the Rotary Club of San Isidro. He is Advisor to the Rotary Youth Exchange Program in Peru.

Arturo Castro-Guerra, President of the Rotary Club of San Isidro-District 4455, for the period 2022-2023, qualified with the Excellence level by the District, and continues his presidency in the current period 2023-2024. Arturo declares: “I feel very honored to receive this important responsibility, which inspires us to cultivate the solid principles of friendship, to develop and achieve the noble tasks in our mission of service.”

Today Arturo is a candidate for District Governor for the period 2026-2027.

PASSION FOR CLASSIC CARS

Within his hobbies, Arturo Castro-Guerra has a great passion for collecting beautiful classic American automobiles, and maintains a private collection of extraordinary models of the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme brand.

 

 

Deborah Browning
Deborah Browning joined USA Health as chief nursing officer for Children’s & Women’s Hospital in March 2021.
In June 2022, she added interim administrator responsibilities and focused her leadership on evaluating and
driving quality health outcomes. In October 2023, Browning was appointed CEO of USA Health Children’s &
Women’s Hospital. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety and accountability, employee engagement,
and developing and maintaining effective partnerships with members of USA Health’s interprofessional teams to
achieve excellent patient and family experiences. Browning is an energetic and patient-centered
transformational leader with extensive experience in pediatrics and women’s health having served in leadership
roles at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical
Center, and MUSC Children’s Hospital of South Carolina, to name a few. Her innovative and collaborative
leadership style facilitates teamwork and fosters relationship-building to achieve mutual goals. Under her
leadership at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, South will soon be opening a new state-of-the-art
Pediatric Emergency Center, our region’s only emergency room centered around the specific needs of pediatric
patients

Ellie Watson grew up on a row-crop farm in Colbert County where her love for agriculture began. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in agricultural communications. When Sweet Grown Alabama began in 2019, Ellie was hired as the first director of the program. She currently lives in Autauga County with her husband Dalton and daughter Charlotte

Mary H. Van Brunt, PhD
Mary H. Van Brunt, PhD, began her service as the 39th president of Spring Hill College on January 1,
2023, making history as the first female to serve in the top leadership role.
Dr. Van Brunt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., a
Master of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa., and a
PhD in Economics from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
Van Brunt brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in Catholic higher education. She has
served as Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and founding Academic Dean. She also spent
twelve years in the banking, securities, and pharmaceutical industries.
As an award-winning economics professor, she received the NCES/AEFA New Scholar Dissertation
Award, Warren York Fellowship, and the Charles R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for
Excellence in teaching. She is a published author, consultant, certified global business professional, and
prior certified management accountant

Jimmy H. Baker
Bio
Mr. Jimmy H. Baker is a native of Coffee County Alabama. He attended high school in New Brockton, and
later earned a BS degree in Business Administration from Troy University. He earned a graduate degree in
Economics and Education Administration and an Education Specialist degree from Auburn University, where
he was also certified in school administration. He served for six years in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Professionally, he has taught history and social studies at the high school level; coached football and basketball
at Daleville High School; served as Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent of Education for the
Daleville Board of Education; and Superintendent of the Coffee County Board of Education. In 1979, he was
appointed to serve as the State of Alabama’s Assistant State Superintendent of Education of Finance and served
in that role for four years.
After serving as president of an investment banking firm, Mr. Baker managed the gubernatorial campaign for
Governor Fob James. He was appointed as State Finance Director from 1994-95, where he developed and
assisted in the passage of the funding formula known as the Foundation Program. Later, he was appointed as
Deputy State Superintendent of Education to implement the new funding program. He returned to the
Finance Department as Director during Gov. James’ administration, after successful implementation of the
program.
Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in the development of partnerships with businesses including
medical evacuation, real estate development and governmental affairs. As an educator, he has chaired and
served on numerous committees including the Alabama Textbook Committee, the State Tenure Commission,
and the Alabama Association of School Administrators
After joining the Alabama Community College System, first serving as governmental affairs consultant, he
was appointed Chief of Staff in January 2016. Mr. Baker was appointed as acting chancellor of the Alabama
Community College System in August of 2016. On March 15, 2017 he was named Chancellor of the Alabama
Community College System.
Chancellor Baker was selected “Alumnus of the Year” on November 3, 2018 by Troy University’s Alumni
Association; received the Doctor of Law Degree on July 26, 2019, during Troy University’s Summer
Commencement Program and named a Distinguished Community College State Director by Phi Theta
Kappa’s Honor Society February 2021.
He is married to Joy, a retired teacher, and they are the parents of two daughters and proud grandparents to
four grandchildren

Bio – Mayor Robert Craft

Robert Craft has devoted the last 20 years to serving the City of Gulf Shores. Mayor Craft was elected to serve as the ninth mayor of Gulf Shores in August 2008, and prior to that, he served on the Gulf Shores City Council from 2004 to 2008.

During his time as Mayor of Gulf Shores, Mayor Craft has focused on enhancing the quality of life for every Gulf Shores resident. Under his leadership, Gulf Shores has seen remarkable progress, with more than $272 million invested in capital improvements and $76 million secured in grant funding. His tenure has witnessed transformative initiatives, such as establishing Gulf Shores City Schools, a state-of-the-art freestanding emergency room, revitalizing Gulf State Park Restoration and Lodge, the addition of the Auburn University Education Complex and various critical infrastructure enhancements.

In addition to his daily mayoral duties, Mayor Craft serves as one of 10 Alabama leaders to sit on the RESTORE council, which is responsible for allocating the $750 million in funding earmarked for Mobile and Baldwin counties from the Deepwater Horizon spill. He is a board member of the Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Gulf Shores Utilities, Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism, and an active Gulf United Metro Business Organization (GUMBO) member.

Before assuming office, Mayor Craft had a successful entrepreneurial career in agribusiness and real estate development. In 1986, he developed Craft Farms Residential Planned Community and Golf Courses comprised of nine residential villages, two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses, a Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, and Cypress Point Condominiums. He is also the founder of Craft Turf Farms, a 1,200-acre turf farm that has provided quality turf grass to builders and landscapers since 1974.

Mayor Craft is a graduate of Foley High School and Auburn University, where he received a degree in Agricultural Science. He is married to his beautiful wife Trudy, a Mobile native, and he has two children and seven grandchildren.

Cam Marston is an author, advisor, radio talk show host, and top-rated keynote speaker on the trends shaping the workplace and marketplace. His presentations are informative, engaging, humorous, and full of concrete research that is tailored to his audience. Cam enlivens the data with anecdotes, tales from the real business world, attention-grabbing visuals, and quips that make the messages and actionable strategies memorable.

His original focus was on generational differences and their impact on the workplace and marketplace. Cam and his firm, Generational Insights, have provided research and consultation to hundreds of organizations, ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, as well as to major professional associations. Cam’s four books and countless articles describe and analyze the major generations of our time, explaining how generational workplace and marketplace preferences affect every aspect of business, including recruiting and retention, management and motivation, and sales and marketing.

In 2018 Cam began a podcast called What’s Working with Cam Marston that was soon picked up by an FM radio station in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama. Cam interviews guests to understand the trends influencing their workplace, workforce and marketplace to help listeners adjust their own organizations to face similar changes. Today, with well over 225 shows behind him, the show is now broadcast in Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery, as well as Mobile. In the spring of 2022 he released a book called What Works: The Ten Best Ideas from the First 200 Episodes.

Cam also records commentaries for Alabama Public Radio called Keepin’ It Real. They’re his humorous and inspirational observations of the world around him and have won both statewide and national awards. You can find both his radio show and his commentaries on your favorite podcast app. The commentaries have recently been converted into short, subscription-based videos to be used as inspirational and motivational weekly training content for the workplace.

Cam’s expertise and acumen are the products of over 20 years of research and consultation across a wide range of industries. He has provided insight and advice to leadership at the some of the world’s most prominent corporations, including Kaiser Permanente, Charles Schwab, BASF, Nestle, Schlumberger, Fidelity, Warner Brothers, ESPN, Qualcomm, RE/MAX and Eli Lilly. He has also offered presentations and consultations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Internal Revenue Service, NASA and the U.S. Army, as well as for major professional associations such as the American Bankers Association, the Health Care Compliance Association, FMI/The Food Industry Association, the Financial Services Roundtable, and the Million Dollar Round Table.