Instructors

John J. Bernick is the medical director of Michigan Occupational Health Associates, a clinical occupational medicine practice, and an assistant professor at Wayne State University. He received his BS and MS in microbiology at Wayne State University. Prior to receiving his MD from Wayne State University, he attended the University of Michigan where he completed a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences.

Jeff Biddle is a faculty member in the Department of Economics of Michigan State University. A specialist in labor economics, he has for several years taught undergraduate courses on the economic aspects of government programs for workers, including workers' compensation. He has published extensively research in the area of workers' compensation.

John Burton is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers. He is the Editor of the Workers' Compensation Policy Review. He is a member of the Advisor Council on Workers' Compensation for the New Jersey Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, and was the Chairman of the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws. He received his LL.B. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Libby Child is currently consulting, writing and lecturing in the field of disability management and workers' compensation. Libby handled workers' compensation claims and managed integrated disability management for Steelcase Inc. for 25 years. Libby is also a member of a number of state boards and commissions related to workers' compensation.

Ann Clayton serves as a senior consultant to the Workers' Compensation Research Institute in addition to working with state workers' compensation agencies and employers to help them apply automated workers' compensation information. Before becoming a consultant, Ann worked as the deputy director of the WCRI, joining them in 1996 after serving as the director of Florida's workers' compensation system for five years.

Theodore (Terry) H. Curry is the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources at Michigan State University (MSU). He is the former director of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations at MSU. Prof. Curry has served as an instructor at other academic institutions and held line management and staff positions in the private sector. Prof. Curry leads seminars in many areas including leadership and motivation, team building, and affirmative action. He was also an original member of the Michigan Governor's Labor-Management Advisory Council.

Nancy J. Day has specialized in workers' compensation for over 30 years, beginning in the mid-1970s as a workers' compensation representative for Chrysler Corporation, and then as an attorney for Travelers Insurance Company. In 1979, she was appointed to the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board and, in 1987, to the newly-created Workers' Compensation Appellate Commission.  Beginning in 1993, and until January 2005, she sat as a member of the Michigan Workers' Compensation Board of Magistrates. Nancy has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Detroit College of Law.

Bruce W. Hayden has an extensive background in insurance including senior management roles in specialty WC companies. Currently, he is director of specialty markets at BerkleyNet Underwriters, LLC. Group.

Stacy Hickox is an Assistant Professor in the School of Labor and Industrial Relations at Michigan State University. As an attorney, she practiced in the areas of employment and labor law, including claims of discrimination, unemployment compensation, and wage and hour claims. Before joining MSU, she practiced in the area of disability law at Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service. Ms. Hickox also taught for several years at MSU's law school, including courses in employment law, disability law, and civil rights. She has written a book on the Americans with Disabilities Act and several law review articles on various employment law topics. Ms. Hickox attended the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bruce Lillie is an Attorney representing Management in the area of Labor Relations. His background contains over 32 years of experience from all perspectives, including 11 years as a Union Business Representative and 11 years as an Arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association labor panel. Bruce has extensive experience prior to and after becoming an Attorney as the chief spokesperson in negotiations for over 600 labor contracts employing traditional, collaborative and mutual gains methods of collective bargaining. Bruce has also been the primary spokesperson in hundreds of mediation sessions, National Labor Relations Board hearings and arbitration hearings.

Aneil Mishra is a Professor and Associate Director of the HR Executive Education Center in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Michigan State University (MSU). He holds a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Michigan. Dr. Mishra's teaching and research interests include the dynamics of trust within and across organizations, organizational culture, and organizational change leadership. He has consulted, conducted research, and coached executives on these issues with a number of global and domestic firms. In addition, he had directed, taught in, and provided executive coaching through a wide range of domestic and international executive education programs at the University of Michigan and Duke University. He has also provided custom executive education programs for a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations throughout the U.S., in Europe and in South America.

M. Melissa Moon graduated from Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1987 and from the University. of Michigan residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation(PM& R) in 1991. She is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Moon works near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in general adult rehabilitation, IMEs, and musculoskelatal medicine.

Steven J. Pollok is president and senior partner of Rapaport, Pollok, Farrell & Waldron, P.C. of Lansing, Michigan. He has specialized in practicing workers' compensation law for almost 30 years as a claimant's attorney. He has also taught workers' compensation law as an adjunct professor at Thomas Cooley Law School since 1992. Steve has lectured frequently on numerous topics involving workers' compensation issues to unions, management representatives, and attorneys. Steve has a bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University and also a master's degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University. He earned his J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1977.

Tina Riley is an Assistant Professor in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Michigan State University (MSU). She holds a Ph.D. in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education as well as a Master of Arts in Labor Relations and Human Resources from MSU. She has served as director of the School's Human Resources Education and Training Center and as Associate Director for Outreach. Dr. Riley has given presentations nationwide on the topics of strategic recruiting, training and development, supervisory skills, and employment law. She is also a CAPT-qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and has worked with many groups in developing value from differences within the workplace.

Danielle Susser is a practicing attorney with Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge and practices throughout southeast Michigan. Prior to joining Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge she was staff counsel for DTE Energy. Ms. Susser graduated from the University of Detroit, School of Law in 1977. She is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan and U.S. Supreme Court. She represents the interest of employers and is a frequent lecturer in the field of workers' compensation.

Mark J. Upfal is corporate medical director of the Detroit Medical Center Occupational Health Service and an associate professor at Wayne State University. After receiving his BS in Zoology and MPH in Environmental and Industrial Health from the University of Michigan, and prior to receiving his MD from the University. of Colorado, he was an industrial hygienist.

Kathryn VanDagens has practiced exclusively in labor and employment law for twenty years. She is listed on the American Arbitration Association's National Roster of Employment Neutrals and on the labor arbitrator panels for AAA and FMCS, among others, and serves on the council of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Michigan State Bar. Ms. VanDagens also taught courses in labor law and employment law at Michigan State University College of Law and in the Human Resources Development program at Oakland University. She graduated from Michigan State University's School of Journalism and the University of Michigan Law School.

Edward M. Welch is a Professor Emeritus of Labor and Industrial Relations at Michigan State University. He was a faculty member here from 1991 to 2008 and established the Workers' Compensation Center that specializes in the education of workers' compensation professionals. From 1985 to 1990 he was the Director of the Michigan workers' compensation agency. He practiced law from 1969 to 1985. He was a high school teacher before going to law school. He received a JD, MA and BA from the University of Michigan.