USA Patient Network Board of Directors
(Chanhassen, MN)
Penelope is an administrator for the Essure Problems group and numerous subgroups of the Essure Problems group. She joined the group after experiencing severe side effects from the Essure medical device. One of the ways that she helps is by being extremely active with helping women to find the information they need in regard to the Essure device.
Amanda Dykeman
(Orion, IL)
Amanda had to undergo major surgery after complications related to the female sterilization device Essure. Her advocacy efforts contributed to the FDA calling a safety hearing which resulted in a Black Box Warning as well as additional clinical studies to gather more data about the health risks Essure may impose. She is vice-president of ASHES(Advocating Safety in Healthcare/E-Sisters) which focuses on improving our drug and device approval system as well as patient safety.
Jonathan Furman
(Richmond, VA)
Jonathan has 15+ years of experience living with the permanent side effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. It wasn’t until 2012 and the 5th administration of a fluoroquinolone that he began to suspect that the drugs were harming his health. He learned that physicians are often not aware of the risks associated with such popular drugs and are unable to diagnose and treat side effects appropriately. Since then he has been an advocate for the full disclosure of the risks of fluoroquinolones.
Marie Garlock
(Durham, NC)
Marie Garlock, PhD (UNC at Chapel Hill), is a communication specialist focused on health, civil rights, and community-led social change. As a patient advocate, Marie has partnered with people facing advanced cancers to develop research-based and story-driven testimony for the FDA, EPA, US Commission on Civil Rights, and for CME and professional development for 1,000s of clinicians. Marie is a Community Leader for Change with Breast Cancer Action, a national watchdog group with 60k members who pursue healthcare, environmental and policy justice. Marie came to USAPN after her mother Barbara had organ rupture from the drug Avastin, and died at 53 from liver failure due to an understudied, off-label use of chemotherapy also approved via surrogate endpoints.
Maureen Robbins, MBA
(Ashburn, VA)
Senior Client Director, Cotality
Maureen Robbins is a Senior Client Director at Cotality and a distinguished sales and marketing executive with over 35 years of leadership in the mortgage industry. An MBA graduate of Nova Southeastern University, Maureen is recognized for her strategic vision and her ability to drive complex, high-stakes initiatives to success.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Maureen has dedicated her life to patient and family advocacy a mission born from the tragic loss of her father due to medical negligence and the mismanagement of dementia care. Having witnessed the devastating gaps in the healthcare system, Maureen now works directly with families to bridge the knowledge gap, empowering them to become fierce, informed advocates for their loved ones in every medical setting.
She provides families with the strategic tools necessary to navigate the complexities of hospital environments, with a particular focus on the legalities of Power of Attorney and the critical safety risks associated with "Black Box" drugs. Maureen’s goal is to ensure that no family is left in the dark, especially when protecting those with altered or variant cognition who can no longer speak for themselves.
Maureen further extends this commitment to innovation as a Mentor and Judge for H2AI (Healthcare Hackathon with AI). In this role, she guides multidisciplinary teams in developing AI-powered solutions to clinical challenges, ensuring that the "patient’s voice" is built into the foundation of future healthcare technology. Whether in the corporate world or the clinical space, Maureen is a champion for transparency, safety, and the power of an informed advocate.
(Petaluma, CA)
Dru holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Francisco and has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California for 30 years. Dru is actively involved in advocating for women regarding the risks of hormonal birth control. Dru's daughter Julia died from pulmonary embolisms caused by using NuvaRing. Since her daughter’s death, Dru has become painfully aware of how all combination birth control increases the risk of life-threatening and life-altering damage to a woman’s body. Dru is an active member of a group focused on educating women about the real risks of hormonal birth control, and advocating for women’s right to know not only the effects of hormonal birth control but to learn the warning signs in order to get medical help. She was also involved with other parents in the development of the documentary The Business of Birth Control produced by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, 2021.
(Charleston, SC)
Maria holds a Master's Degree in Instructional/Educational Technology from the University of Central Florida and is the Director of Community Outreach & Patient Advocacy for TrackMy Solutions. Maria was harmed by breast implants and is President and co-founder of Breast Implant Safety Alliance (BISA Nonprofit). She collaborates with patients, healthcare professionals, professional societies and the FDA. She advocates for better informed consent and helps raise awareness for Breast Implant Illness and BIA-ALCL (a cancer of the immune system caused by breast implants).
(Minneapolis, MN)
Kim is a leading national drug safety advocate and speaker with over 25 years professional experience in advertising and marketing communications. She became involved in pharmaceutical drug safety issues after the death of her husband, Tim “Woody” Witczak in 2003 as a result of an undisclosed drug side effect. Since then she has launched a national public awareness campaign through www.woodymatters.com, an organization dedicated to making sure the patient perspective is represented.