Michael Wong, Founder/Executive Director

Michael is a recognized healthcare and patient safety expert, founding PPAHS to further use his knowledge, passion and efforts to:

• Reduce medical errors

• Improve patient adherence (i.e. helping patients to take their medications as prescribed by their physicians)

• Enhance patient access to healthcare

Michael writes and speaks at conferences about health care and patient safety, so many – including some media and health care organizations – think he’s a doctor. Although a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, he’s an attorney who has worked for many years with pharmaceuticals and medical device companies (both Fortune 500 and start-ups).

Michael has been behind many healthcare initiatives, including encouraging people to quit smoking, get tested and treated for hepatitis, and take their medications as prescribed by their physicians.

He sits on many committees and wears other patient safety hats – such as, being on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed Journal of Patient Compliance and the only non-physician on the recently created board to certify and re-certify physicians in patient safety through the American Board of Physician Specialties, one of the United States’s main recognized physician multi-specialty certifying bodies.

For more on Michael, please click here.

Elise M.V. Wong, Director of Communications & Research

Elise is the Director of Communications & Research for the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety. She was the key researcher in PPAHS’s study with the American Hospital Association on nursing attitudes and beliefs to identify medical practices and technologies to reduce the occurrence of respiratory compromise and failure in patients receiving opioids. This research was presented by her at the International Conference on Opioids at Harvard University.

Elise has also conducted independent research on maternal and child health during the opioid epidemic, specifically on the care of opioid-using pregnant women and their newborns. During this time, she evaluated national and international clinical guidelines, examined those guidelines in practice through interviews with medical professionals and experts, and developed policy recommendations in managing the care of these patients.

Elise graduated from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with a certificate in Global Health & Health Policy. She has worked in Washington, D.C for both McAllister & Quinn, a government relations and business development firm, and Capitol Street, a consulting firm that provides U.S. health care policy research and analysis.  

Juan Zheng (Visual Designer)

Juan Zheng is an amazing visual designer whose first relationship with PPAHS was as an enthusiastic volunteer with a great passion for patient safety. A graduate of the Wuhan University of Technology, Juan received her MA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Juan has designed in diverse fields ranging from technology and environment to sports and health. She has been responsible for a variety of projects including print materials, digital materials, video editing, GIF animation, and mobile applications. A long-time US permanent resident, Juan embodies the US immigrant work ethic and believes in the old saying: “work hard in silence, let your success be your noise.” Her “noise” can be seen by clicking here for her portfolio.

Siva Sanchana (health IT intern)

Siva Sanchana is a stellar medical student who works as an intern. She is passionate about the healthcare system and helping people get the care they are entitled to. She diligently focuses on areas that could be improved in the medical field to increase the compliance of patients. She is innovative with new ideas for the betterment of society. She constantly empathizes with people, advocates for patients, and acts fiercely for what she believes. She aims to make the medical facilities accessible to everyone in need unbiased to their social status.

Kelechi Nwachukwu (Web Specialist) 

Kelechi is a goal oriented nationally known Web development expert, managing the organization’s web user interface and user experience as well as also optimizing website performance and implementing upgrades. His is excellent with communication skills and problem-solving skills which makes he also passionate about connecting people with information technology. He possess a wide range of skills including proficiency in programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JAVASCRIPT, REACT.JS and PHP, as well as expertise in using web development frameworks and content management systems like Wix , WordPress, and Shopify. Frequently praised as focused and ambitious by peers with a growth mindset that keeps him learning new skills to keep up with the technology trends.

Ethan Stewart (Graphic Design Intern)

Ethan Stewart is a bright high-school student currently working as an intern. He is a passionate designer who hopes to create a lasting impact in the world around him. Despite being so young, Ethan boasts an impressive portfolio of a wide array of creations. As a person who has been personally affected by issues in the healthcare system, Ethan is very passionate about the cause