Board of Directors
Scott Suckow, Chairman of the Board
Scott Suckow is an affiliated partner with VPI Strategies, where he specializes in strategic alliances and alliance development, community building, government relations, association management, event development and execution, program design, strategic planning, non-profit mergers, executive coaching and fund development. Scott has raised over 35 million dollars to fund research, direct services, support educational programs and plan advocacy campaigns in his non-profit career. He has a long history of involvement in the non-profit and liver disease community, particularly around improving healthcare access and standards of care. He has held leadership positions throughout the country with some of the nation’s leading voluntary health organizations. Scott served as facilitator of San Diego County’s Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative’s planning process.
Carl Deddens, Secretary/Treasurer
Carl Deddens, Managing Partner, Maplewood Advisors. Management and financial consultants specializing in performance enhancement and growth strategies. From 2000-2006 Mr. Deddens served as president of the Board of the Greater New York Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating, advocating and promoting education, support and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of liver disease.
Medesa Garrett, Board Member
Medesa Garrett is a nurse and has worked in the field since 2016, serving to provide education and care to all clients, but especially those PWUD. She has several years of experience working in the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs, Crisis Centers, and Drug Treatment Programs in her tenure as a nurse. She prides herself on providing empathetic care to the underserved population and any client that comes across her path. Medesa currently works at Sun River Health as a Hepatitis C Program Coordinator. Having this position for 7 years, she
has great pride in her team’s accomplishments. They have been known to work with the most challenging clients and assist them in obtaining a sustained virologic response after Hepatitis C treatment. They have over 100 clients who have reached SVR, with the assistance of their support services.
Ronni Marks, Founder and Executive Director
Ronni was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1996. After a successful career in fashion design, she dedicated herself to ensuring that Hepatitis C patients have information and support not available to her at the time of her diagnosis. She was the organizer and facilitator of one of the longest-running Hepatitis C support groups at NYU Langone Health for eighteen years. In 2010 she founded the organization, The Hepatitis C Mentor and Support Group, (HCMSG) providing education and supportive services nationwide for anyone affected by Hepatitis C, and/or co infected with HIV. She serves on the NYS Hepatitis C Elimination Task Force, as well as several other advisory boards. After several unsuccessful attempts with other treatments, in 2014, after treating with the new DAA’s, she was told she was cured. This reinforced her mission to make sure everyone has the same opportunities.
Dr. Wendy Monkcom, (Emeritus Board Member)
Wendy was born and raised in England. She graduated medical school at the University of London and interned with Professor Sheila Sherlock, an international authority in the study of liver disease. Dr. Monkcom came to New York to study anesthesia at Columbia Presbyterian. After her residency and fellowship she was an attending at St. Vincent's Hospital and then at Doctor's Hospital that subsequently became Beth Israel Singer Division where she was Director of Anesthesia. She is still active in the practice of anesthesia. Dr. Monkcom is very happily married to Dr. Hillel Tobias who is a world renowned liver specialist and the Medical Director of the Transplant Service at New York University Medical Center.
Scott Suckow is an affiliated partner with VPI Strategies, where he specializes in strategic alliances and alliance development, community building, government relations, association management, event development and execution, program design, strategic planning, non-profit mergers, executive coaching and fund development. Scott has raised over 35 million dollars to fund research, direct services, support educational programs and plan advocacy campaigns in his non-profit career. He has a long history of involvement in the non-profit and liver disease community, particularly around improving healthcare access and standards of care. He has held leadership positions throughout the country with some of the nation’s leading voluntary health organizations. Scott served as facilitator of San Diego County’s Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative’s planning process.
Carl Deddens, Secretary/Treasurer
Carl Deddens, Managing Partner, Maplewood Advisors. Management and financial consultants specializing in performance enhancement and growth strategies. From 2000-2006 Mr. Deddens served as president of the Board of the Greater New York Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating, advocating and promoting education, support and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of liver disease.
Medesa Garrett, Board Member
Medesa Garrett is a nurse and has worked in the field since 2016, serving to provide education and care to all clients, but especially those PWUD. She has several years of experience working in the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs, Crisis Centers, and Drug Treatment Programs in her tenure as a nurse. She prides herself on providing empathetic care to the underserved population and any client that comes across her path. Medesa currently works at Sun River Health as a Hepatitis C Program Coordinator. Having this position for 7 years, she
has great pride in her team’s accomplishments. They have been known to work with the most challenging clients and assist them in obtaining a sustained virologic response after Hepatitis C treatment. They have over 100 clients who have reached SVR, with the assistance of their support services.
Ronni Marks, Founder and Executive Director
Ronni was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1996. After a successful career in fashion design, she dedicated herself to ensuring that Hepatitis C patients have information and support not available to her at the time of her diagnosis. She was the organizer and facilitator of one of the longest-running Hepatitis C support groups at NYU Langone Health for eighteen years. In 2010 she founded the organization, The Hepatitis C Mentor and Support Group, (HCMSG) providing education and supportive services nationwide for anyone affected by Hepatitis C, and/or co infected with HIV. She serves on the NYS Hepatitis C Elimination Task Force, as well as several other advisory boards. After several unsuccessful attempts with other treatments, in 2014, after treating with the new DAA’s, she was told she was cured. This reinforced her mission to make sure everyone has the same opportunities.
Dr. Wendy Monkcom, (Emeritus Board Member)
Wendy was born and raised in England. She graduated medical school at the University of London and interned with Professor Sheila Sherlock, an international authority in the study of liver disease. Dr. Monkcom came to New York to study anesthesia at Columbia Presbyterian. After her residency and fellowship she was an attending at St. Vincent's Hospital and then at Doctor's Hospital that subsequently became Beth Israel Singer Division where she was Director of Anesthesia. She is still active in the practice of anesthesia. Dr. Monkcom is very happily married to Dr. Hillel Tobias who is a world renowned liver specialist and the Medical Director of the Transplant Service at New York University Medical Center.