By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(Journal Group Link International)

Bill Clinton’s White House Doctor to Speak in Chicago on Saturday at the 16^th Gintong Pamana Awards Night

C HICAGO (jGLi) – Dr. Concepcion Eleanor “Connie” Mariano, the White House doctor under the Clinton Administration, will be the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Gintong Pamana Awards Night, honoring outstanding Filipino Americans, on Saturday, July 31st, at the Ravinia Ballroom of the Westin Hotel Chicago Northshore at 601 North Milwaukee Avenue in suburban Wheeling, Illinois.

Also to be honored during the event are recipients of the Prism Award for Women of Style & Achievements.

According to Fil Am Weekly Megascene based in Chicago area, Dr. Mariano will also be awarded the “Kamanyang Award, Lifetime Achievement in Medicine” by the Gintong Pamana Awards Foundation, Inc. for becoming not only the first Filipino American to serve as a Navy rear admiral but also the first woman in American history to serve as the primary doctor to the White House Medical Unit.

Dr. Mariano’s stint at the White House began in 1992 when she accepted a two-year appointment as White House physician during the last days of the George Herbert Bush Administration.

Editor’s Note: Please see also a related article, Former White-House Doctor Connie Mariano Will Launch Her Book in New York on 22 June

Her appointment would later last for nine years, spanning three administrations, from first President Bush, all of Bill Clinton’s presidency, and ending in the beginning of the George W. Bush term.

After leaving the White House, Dr. Mariano became a consultant of the Executive Health Program at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona from July 2001 to Oct. 2005. In November 2005, Dr. Mariano founded the Center for Executive Medicine, a medical concierge practice, which provides presidential-quality medical care to CEOs and their families.

CONSULTANT OF MAYO CLINIC

A fter leaving the White House, Dr. Mariano became a consultant in the Executive Health Program at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, from July 2001 to October 2005. In November 2005, Dr. Mariano founded the Center for Executive Medicine, a medical concierge practice, which provides presidential quality medical care to CEOs and their families.

An expert in presidential health care including the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, Dr. Mariano is a frequent guest speaker on CNN and print media on the topics of care to VIPs, presidential disability, travel medicine, and optimizing quality of care.

 
Her memoir, The White House Doctor, was just released on June 22 by St. Martin’s Press. In her book, Dr. Mariano recounted how it was like to live in what she calls the “president’s kill zone,” even training with the Secret Service in case of attacks on the president’s life. “The White House Doctor” also touched briefly on the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton ‘scandal’.

A divorced mother of two, Dr. Mariano has just recently been married to John Weber, who will also join her at the July 31 Gintong Pamana event at Westin Hotel.

FAMILY BACKGROUND, CHILDHOOD, AND EDUCATION

Dr. Mariano was born in Sangley Point, Cavite, in the Philippines, the eldest daughter of a career Navy enlisted serviceman and his wife, a dentist. Her family moved to Hawaii when she was two-years old and typical for a military family, moved frequently during her father’s Navy career.

Dr. Mariano has lived in Hawaii, California, Taiwan and Washington, DC.

Dr. Mariano graduated as valedictorian from Mar Vista High School in Imperial Beach, California, in 1973. She received her Bachelor’s Degree with honors from Revelle College at the University of California at San Diego in 1977.

In 1981, Dr. Mariano received her Medical Degree from the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, the nation’s military medical school. She was commissioned as lieutenant in the United States Navy upon graduation. Dr. Mariano completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Naval Hospital in San Diego.

She served as General Medical Officer and Medical Department Division Head onboard the USS Prairie, a destroyer tender from 1982-1984. While onboard her ship, Dr. Mariano completed a Western Pacific deployment.

Upon receiving board-certification in Internal Medicine, Dr. Mariano was assigned to the Naval Medical Clinic in Port Hueneme, California, from 1986-1990 where she ran the Specialty Clinic and the clinic’s urgent care facility. In 1990, Dr. Mariano returned to the Naval Hospital in San Diego to become the Division Head of General Internal Medicine.

In June 1992, Dr. Mariano became the first military woman in American history to be appointed White House Physician. She was nominated by the Navy and selected by the White House for this honor. In 1994, Dr. Mariano was named Director of the White House Medical Unit and chosen by President William Clinton to serve as his personal physician.

Book Signing After the Event

C onnie Mariano will do a book signing the following the awarding ceremonies. For dinner reservation to the event, please call 847.915.2781 or log on to www.megascene.net.

Other outstanding 2010 Gintong Pamana Awardees are: Dr. & Mrs. Rodrigo Mata (WI) – Tahanan Award for Parenting; Willie Dechavez (MI) – Apolinario Mabini Award for Leadership; Ana Romina Guevarra (IL) – Tanglaw Award for Education; Gerry Mandangit (IL) – Pilak Award for Business Management; Carefirst Home Health Services, Inc. (IL)  – Pilak Award in Business; Norman & Marilyn Bangayan – Open Arms Home Health, Inc. (IL) –  Pilak Award in Business; Carmen Perez (MI) – Tandang Sora Award for Nursing; and Emilio del Rosario – Anahaw Award in Music.

The 2010 National Prism Award for Women of Style & Achievements are: Aida Trinidad (IL); Cecil Buenaflor (IL); Nelia Bernabe (IL): Brenda San Agustin (MI); Redd Knotts (IN); Letty Freihaut (IL) and Martha Cabarios (MI). # # #

E ditor’s Notes:

1.)   To contact the author, please e-mail him at:  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)

2.)     Please click also on the following hyperlinks for articles published in this website about Willie Dechavez, the 2010 Apolinario Mabini Award for Leadership winner:

Fil-Am Educator Elected to Behavioral Health Board of Trustees of Michigan’s Biggest Health System

Sorsogon and Sterling Heights (Michigan) Become Sister Cities

Willie Dechavez Wins the First-ever “BalikTeacher” Award

There Are Good People in the NaFFAA Who Can Put the House in Proper Order

NaFFAA Region 3 and NaFFAA Michigan Chapter Invite Critic (With Updates on Dayton Convention Agenda)