American Lung Association’s Rhode Island Leadership Board Welcomes Four New Members from Providence and Warwick
New members include a thoracic oncologist, wellness advocate, mortgage professional and a Brown University studentThe Lung Association’s Local Leadership Board of Directors in Rhode Island, which now has 12 members, helps the organization in its mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The purpose of the Board is to raise the Lung Association’s profile in the community, advocate for lung health, and increase resources to fund local projects and services. Board members work alongside the Lung Association’s Rhode Island team to foster diversity, equity and inclusion in our practices, programs, and processes, as well as help to guide the Association’s local initiatives and services, public policy, research, and revenue generation.
“These new board members will be incredible assets to our local work at the Lung Association. Their insight and experience are critical to our work in the community,” said Daniel Bowler, Executive Director of the American Lung Association in Rhode Island. “Together, our entire Leadership Board is working to help Rhode Island residents breathe a little easier.”
The newly elected Leadership Board members are:
Regina Bartlett, Research Administrator Ocean State Research Institute, Inc. – Regina is currently a research administrator for Ocean State Research Institute, Inc. as well as the founder of Navigating Weight Loss. She is also a speaker, blogger, marathoner, and author who regularly shares her inspiring story of breaking a 30-year battle with her weight and getting to the heart of who you are and eating well. Regina began working with the American Lung Association as a guest speaker at a local LUNG FORCE Expo and representing the organization at LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day to share her story of how lung disease has impacted her life. She resides along the Rhode Island coastline with husband Jeff, their combined family of six adult children and two Chihuahuas named Sid Vicious and Taxi Fitzgerald. After completing her New York City Marathon goal, she set her sights on another childhood dream: becoming a Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate. You can read more about her at ReginaBartlett.com.
Hina Khan, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine Brown University, Warren Alpert School of Medicine - Dr. Hina Khan is an a professor of medicine in the Hematology and Oncology Division. She is a thoracic oncologist at the Cancer Center at Brown University-Lifespan Cancer Institute in Providence, Rhode Island. With her clinical and translational expertise, Dr. Khan has led several university, pharmaceutical and NIH funded projects as a principal investigator. Her ongoing work focuses on metastatic lung cancer, the outcomes of COVID-19 in lung cancer patients and new ways to improve patient outcomes. Dr. Khan also has a truly informed commitment to increasing diversity in clinical trials and leads a comprehensive program to increase Lung Cancer Screening in the Underserved Populations of Rhode Island.
Matthew Riley, Mortgage Loan Originator, Executive Financial Group– Matt began volunteering for the American Lung Association in 2017, participating in the Fight For Air Climb in Providence and soon after joining the planning committee. Matt has helped to secure many sponsors through his strong community connections and passion for the Lung Association’s mission. Professionally, Reilly works as a mortgage loan originator with the Executive Financial Group, based in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. When Matt is not working and volunteering at the Lung Association, he enjoys skiing and hiking with his friends and family. He also enjoys volunteering for the RI APDA, and the local YMCA. Matthew currently resides in Warwick, RI.
Hamid Torabzadeh, Student Ambassador, Brown University – Hamid is an undergraduate student at Brown University in Providence, RI in in the Liberal Medical Education (PLME) program, where he is pursuing a public health concentration and plans to matriculate to the Warren Alpert Medical School in 2026. He is an advocate, researcher, and community leader in the clinical, public health, and healthcare fields. He has cross disciplinary experience working on clinical challenges at the University of California, Los Angeles and The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, and as a health policy consultant for the World Health Organization and a research assistant with Brown University’s School of Public Health. Hamid also currently serves the American Red Cross National Youth Council, the U.S. Youth Advisory Council for the UN Ocean Decade, and the Rhode Island Public Health Association, advising on various public and environmental health, humanitarian, and public policy topics. Hamid said, “I am inspired to work with the American Lung Association because of my upbringing in Long Beach, California, home to one of the largest ports in North America. Growing up in Long Beach, I was exposed to high asthma rates, air pollution, and other environmental effects prominent in a port city. Lung health is essential to overall health and with a changing climate, infectious diseases on the rise, and youth issues like e-cigarettes more prevalent than ever, I am committed to doing my part to contribute to a world free of lung disease.”
For more information, contact:
Jennifer Solomon
(516) 680-8927
[email protected]
