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Ginger Birnbaum // Cystic Fibrosis Foundation    

Ginger Birnbaum, mother of a child living with CF, is the President of the local Board of Directors for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. An active volunteer in the community, it was only natural that she begin working with the Foundation when her child was diagnosed with the disease. She is an advocate, a fundraiser, and an event planner.

Kathleen Puri // Fitsi Health    

Kathleen began nursing more than 30 years ago in critical care, working as a staff nurse and charge nurse. After earning her masters degree in nursing management from the University of Connecticut and relocating to Tennessee she began teaching Fundamentals and Medical Surgical nursing at Chattanooga State Community College. She has always been bothered by the fact that patients have a difficult time independently performing hand hygiene and basically do not perform this most basic health promotion activity while hospitalized. With the help of her daughter and a medical designer she developed a patented bedside solution so patients can easily access hand sanitizer and have a place to store personal items such as glasses and cell phone. This innovation, called Fitsi, recently won second prize at the Patient Safety Movement Foundation conference where more than 60 international entries competed for the awards.