A native of Toronto, Canada, Marci Reiss graduated with an honors Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, with a minor in Sociology and a second minor in Judaism at the University of Toronto. Marci graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Long Beach where she received her Masters Degree in Social Work. She completed her medical social work training with internships at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and Glendale Adventist Medical Center, both in Southern California. Ms. Reiss obtained her social work license from the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the State of California while on staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she created and developed a psychosocial program at its Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center from 2003 – 2006. In 2006, Ms. Reiss left Cedars-Sinai to focus her attention and efforts on providing comprehensive psychosocial care to pediatric and adult patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and their families regardless of where they received their medical care. That same year, Ms. Reiss established the IBD Support Foundation, a non-profit healthcare foundation whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with IBD and their families through psychosocial support, education and research.

Throughout her career, Ms. Reiss has passionately pursued efforts to reduce the negative psychological, emotional and social impact that IBD has on patients and their families. She accomplishes this through a number of innovative approaches including: early psychosocial intervention with IBD patients and their families, collaborative multidisciplinary care with medical teams, consulting with hospitals and health systems and assisting in the development of psychosocial programs and services, and taking leadership roles in patient advocacy and healthcare policy change.

Ms. Reiss was a pioneer in the development and promotion of psychosocial care for IBD patients and in educating medical professionals regarding this vital aspect of care. Her approach demonstrates the significance that psychosocial care has on patients' quality of life, treatment adherence and ultimately on disease outcomes.

Ms. Reiss lectures internationally to patients, medical professionals, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies about the impact of chronic disease on patients and their families and the importance of comprehensive care. She regularly consults with hospitals and health systems internationally to assist them in the creation, development and maintenance of comprehensive programs and centers of excellence for IBD patients and their families.

Adam Sadowsky is an entrepreneur with experience in a broad range of industry sectors. He has worked in a variety of fields including software development, product design, video games and genetics research. The common thread connecting all of these endeavors is that his role has always been helping talented and creative people achieve extraordinary results.

Currently, Adam is the Chief Executive Officer of Syyn Labs, a collection of immensely talented technology artists. All formerly trained in disciplines that range from robotics, physics, software engineering, design and others, this team is constantly seeking new and interesting ways to deliver creative and awe-inspiring installations and practical effects. Leading this team, Adam oversaw the creation of the massive Rube Goldberg machine for the OK GO music video "This Too Shall Pass," the elegant machine to promote Google's Online Science Fair initiative, and an "organ" built from 24 automobiles subsequently played by Gary Numan in a commercial for DieHard Battery. The team has completed special event-based projects for Nestle, Target, Microsoft, and a Chevy Sonic interactive commercial that was streamed live to the internet over the course of ten hours, the video of which ran during the 2012 Superbowl broadcast.

An in-demand speaker on topics ranging from creative collaboration, art & technology and interactive art, Adam has spoken at TEDxUSC (featured on TED.com), Web 2.0 Summit, MakerFaire, F5 Fest, CUSP, AdAge's CaT Conference, USC, and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Adam has been the Vice-President of the IBD Support Foundation since its inception in 2006. He is a mentor and has helped countless people, young and old, live productive, happy lives while coping with their disease.

Adam has been an Ulcerative Colitis patient since 1984, and has used his personal and professional experiences with IBD to guide, advise and support others with IBD in a most caring and humorous manner. His life and work are testament to the success that people can achieve while living with IBD.

Alison graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Affairs and Business. Upon graduating, Alison spent four years working with chronic and terminally ill children and families at Starlight Children’s Foundation. She focused on fundraising, program development and patient care. Alison continued her education at the University of Southern California where she obtained a Masters in Social Work and graduated on the Dean’s List and as a member of Phi Alpha Honors Society.

Alison’s clinical experience was gained at the Department of Mental Health (DMH) in Hollywood and Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders in Santa Monica. At DMH Alison worked with severe and persistent mental illness and fine-tuned her assessment, diagnostic and treatment planning skills. At Rosewood, Alison worked as a Primary Therapist providing individual, group, family and couples therapy. Alison is passionate about continuing her work with chronic illness at IBD Support Foundation as she has both family and friends that are affected by this disease.