Katherine Johnson – Director of Communications. Katherine (Kat) Johnson graduated from Cornell University in 2007 with a B.A. in Africana Studies. She then embarked on an extensive tour of the United States. She began volunteering for Patient Privacy Rights in the fall of 2007. In January 2008, Ms. Johnson was hired in as PPR’s Programs & Outreach Coordinator. Ms. Johnson became Communications Director in 2010. Her focus is communications, office management, coordinating major projects with PPR’s founder, Dr. Deborah Peel, and outside partners, and working with the board of directors, staff and volunteers to expand PPR’s presence and outreach.

Atalie Nitibhon – Policy Director. Atalie Nitibhon received a B.S. in Human Biology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2005. After working at the American Cancer Society’s National Cancer Information Center, she returned to school to receive a Master of Arts in Human Services and Conflict Resolution from St. Edward’s University, then a Master of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. While obtaining her graduate degrees, she worked as an intern for TexHealth Coalition, where she supported the organization’s work with Executive and Legislative offices during the 2009 Texas Legislative Session. Ms. Nitibhon also worked as the Health Policy intern for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, where she began researching various aspects of Personalized Medicine and different Health Information Technology initiatives. Following graduation from the LBJ School in May of 2010, she worked as the Field Director for the 2010 Donna Howard Campaign.

Ms. Nitibhon began working with PPR through the LBJ School prior to the 2011 Health Privacy Summit. Her role has included researching and writing case studies on relevant patient privacy topics; assisting with post-Summit writing, survey, and Work Group projects; and serving as a “general support” member of the Health Privacy Summit Team.

Helen Sneed – Managing Director. Helen Sneed received a B.A. in Theatre at Tulane University, with additional coursework at Harvard University and the University of London. She worked extensively in presidential and statewide elections as a political strategist and speech writer for Democratic candidates. In 1988, Ms. Sneed founded Campaign For Oxford in North America, serving as Executive Director of the $400 million development campaign, the first in Oxford University’s 800-year history.

In 1990, Ms. Sneed began her career in theatre as Director of Professional Rights at Dramatists Play Service. Subsequently she served as Senior Vice President of Music Theatre International; Executive and Artistic Director of the National Alliance For Musical Theatre and producer of its annual international festival of new musicals; and Director, Special Projects, of Walt Disney Theatricals. Thereafter her company, Helen Sneed Creative, consulted with organizations about brand enhancement, fundraising and intellectual property exploitation. In 2011 she was appointed Managing Director of Patient Privacy Rights, the nation’s only advocacy group dedicated to the protection of Americans’ basic right to keep their health records private.

A passionate advocate for the rights of the mentally ill, Ms. Sneed has mentored women with severe psychiatric illness in their return to the workplace. She has addressed the National Institute of Mental Health, the New School, and the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder on the ethics and treatment of those who cannot speak for themselves.