Program Staff

Bonnie L. Norton
Senior Research Assistant
Bonnie L. Norton is the senior research assistant for the Urgent Matters National Program Office. Before joining the program, she was a research associate for the health program at the American Institutes for Research. Ms. Norton has research experience in public reporting of healthcare quality data, substance abuse, emergency care, and health education. Ms. Norton earned her BA in Political Science and English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan and is currently a MPH candidate in Health Policy at The George Washington University.

Nicole N. Philbert
Executive Aide
Nicole N. Philbert is the Executive Aide for the Urgent Matters, Expecting Success: Excellence in Cardiac Care, and Speaking Together: National Language Services National Programs at The George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services. Before joining the program, she taught in the New York City Public School system and worked as customer service representative on the international team for a French based safety equipment company. Ms. Philbert has studied French and history at Michigan State University and earned her BA in History Education from Brooklyn College.

Donna Sickler, MPH
Senior Research Associate
Donna Sickler is the senior research associate for the Urgent Matters National Program Office. Before joining the program, Ms. Sickler was a research analyst for the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH) and the National Public Health and Hospital Institute (NPHHI). Ms. Sickler has research experience in health care disparities and cultural competence in serving vulnerable populations, barriers to prenatal care and information technology in hospitals and health systems. Ms. Sickler is a licensed paramedic and has clinical experience in cardiology. Ms. Sickler earned both her BS and MPH from The George Washington University.

Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH
Director
Dr. Bruce Siegel is a Research Professor in the Department of Health Policy at The George Washington University Medical Center, School of Public Health and Health Services, where he directs Urgent Matters, a National Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He has held the positions of New Jersey Commissioner of Health, President of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and President of Tampa General Healthcare. In addition, he served as a Director of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, as a Senior Fellow at New School University, and as an advisor to the World Bank, hospitals and several national philanthropies. Dr. Siegel received his AB degree from Princeton University, MD from Cornell University Medical College, and MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He is board certified in Preventive Medicine and has written and spoken extensively on health care administration, policy and public health issues.

Marcia J. Wilson, MBA
Deputy Director
Ms. Wilson has nearly 20 years of experience in the private sector of health care working primarily with medical groups and clinics. Her experience in the financing of health care services includes third-party reimbursement, budgets, and integrated networks and managed care. Ms. Wilson has research experience in quality improvement hospital collaboratives focusing on hospital wide emergency department crowding and reducing disparities in cardiac care, assessments of the health care safety net in select communities, and integration of HIV prevention services into the primary care setting. Ms. Wilson is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the School of Business at The George Washington University in the field of Health Services Administration. She also teaches health care finance as a Research Instructor in the department of Health Services Management and Leadership.