Your browser appears to be out of date. For the best experience, please consider upgrading to Firefox.
MEI Team Members
-
Dori Schatell, MS
Executive Director -
Kristi Klicko
Director of Operations -
Renata Sledge, MSW, LCSW
Director of Research and Development -
Carol Pruess
Business Manager -
Sharon Sahr
Office Manager -
Rob Poehnelt
Marketing Communications Manager -
Peter Klicko
Web Developer -
Talal Agha
Web Developer -
Karen Honer
Program Support -
Meg Wise, PhD
Research Consultant -
Beth Witten, MSW, ACSW, LSCSW
Resource & Policy Associate
...plus additional associates in medical writing, research, design, production, IT systems, and communications.
Dori Schatell, MS
Executive Director
Dori brings a life-long interest in chronic disease, a passionate commitment to patient self-management, and
32
years in the renal industry to her role. An experienced medical writer/editor with more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, booklets and books, fact sheets, and other pieces to her credit, she is also a national speaker and a policy advocate. She directs the Life Options program, Kidney School, and Home Dialysis Central; staffed the first DOQI Anemia Guideline; produced six editions of the
Core Curriculum for the Dialysis Technician;
She has a BA in Psychology and History of Medicine and an MS in Child & Family Studies, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Kristi Klicko
Director of Operations
Kristi has more than
23
years of MEI experience managing all facets of research, from IRB submissions to subject recruitment, data collection, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
She has a BS in Community Health Education from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Renata Sledge, MSW, LCSW
Director of Research and Development
Renata’s research and clinical interest focus on collaboration with people and families impacted by chronic illness to improve quality of life, promote positive family adjustment, and support shared decision-making. Renata has published and presented on a variety of topics, including music therapy in cancer care, depression and distress management with end stage renal disease and cancer, ethics, and technology in social work practice. Renata graduated from Indiana University with her Master of Social Work degree and from St. Mary of the Woods College with her BS in Music Therapy. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Medical Family Therapy Program, in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, focusing on family decision-making.
Carol Pruess
Business Manager
Carol joined MEI in 2006 as the Business Manager. She has more than
35
years of varied accounting management and financial systems experience.
Carol has a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Rob Poehnelt
Marketing Communications Manager
Rob Poehnelt joined the MEI team in 2014. He has more than ten years of non-profit management and communications experience. His professional interests include community outreach, social media, graphic design, and meeting planning. In his free time, Rob enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family.
Rob has a BA in Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Peter Klicko
Web Developer
Peter is a web developer from Verona, WI. He enjoys spending time with his family and cathing up on the latest web trends.
Talal Agha
Web Developer
Talal lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. He completed his studies from Wichita State University. He has three adorable daughters Asbah, Enaaya and Hania, who keep him and his wife Sana busy. In his spare time, he plays tennis and badminton competitively.
Karen Honer
Program Support
Karen joined the MEI team in 1994, took time off to raise children, and returned part-time in 2008. She supports the KDQOL Complete, Home Dialysis Central, and MEI.
Karen has BS degrees in Psychology and History from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Meg Wise, PhD
Research Consultant
Meg is an Associate Scientist at the Sonderegger Research Center and the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on how patients and families learn to cope with the medical, practical, and psychosocial challenges of chronic and life-threatening illness. Meg has worked with MEI on assessing Internet use among renal patients, disease self-management behaviors among people with CKD, the effects of providing patients with education materials, and on exploring how home dialysis affects patient and caregiver quality of life.
She holds a BA in Anthropology, an MLS in Library and Information Studies, and PhD in Adult Education & Lifespan Development, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Beth Witten, MSW, ACSW, LSCSW
Resource & Policy Associate
Beth has been a renal social worker since 1978. She has worked with the MEI team since 1993 as a contributing writer, researcher, technical consultant, and community outreach expert. She served on the workgroup that developed the NKF KDOQI™ Clinical Practice Guidelines for chronic kidney disease and on a Rehabilitation Services Administration workgroup that developed a national training manual for vocational rehabilitation counselors. In 2010, Beth received the CNSW Lifetime Achievement Award. Beth writes and presents on rehabilitation, health-related quality of life, and employment and kidney disease.
Beth Witten received her MSW from the University of Kansas.