Dr. Lowell Catlett at TEDxABQ
Len Nichols
Len Nichols became the Director of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics and a Professor of Health Policy at George Mason University in March of 2010. He plans to continue the work began he began at the New America Foundation, bridging the worlds of health economics and health services research for health system stakeholders and clinical leaders, elected and appointed policy officials and journalists. He founded and directed Health CEOs for Health Reform, a group that was pivotal in helping policy makers see that delivery system reform and health insurance reform are necessary and feasible complements.
Catlett: Outlook Hopeful, Still DauntingIn his keynote address to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Outlook Summit today, economist Lowell Catlett downplayed the severity of current recession and spoke optimistically about the future. Catlett, who is the dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Studies at New Mexico State University, said that he’s not making light of anyone’s struggles. But Catlett said some good economic news has been ignored in favor of the bad. He also said comparisons to the Great Depression go overboard, calling them “an insult to my father’s generation that went through” it. The national gross domestic product fell by half during the Great Depression, Catlett said. By comparison — and despite all the gloomy news — GDP increased 0.4 percent in 2008. Catlett predicted figures will show it rose again in 2009. Based on the length of prior recessions, Catlett predicted the current one will soon end. He also noted that 66 percent more people can afford a house today than in 1980. “What drove us in, is going to help pull us out,” Catlett said, referring to the housing market collapse that precipitated the recession. Lowell Catlett
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Robyn Benincasa
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Dr. Lowell Catlett is a Regent’s Professor/Dean and Chief Administrative Officer at New Mexico State University's 
Robyn Benincasa accepts full blame for inspiring people to do insane things like climb Mount Kilimanjaro, run their first triathlon, start their own adventure racing teams, or start their own businesses. Robyn Benincasa has made an art form of extreme performance by competing and winning at the highest levels of sport and business. Revered as one of "California's Fittest Women”, she spent her youth competing at the state and national level in gymnastics, diving, cross country, and judo in which she became a national champion. Soon after earning a Marketing degree from Arizona State University, Robyn started at the top Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company where she earned the prestigious “Rookie of the Year” award.
