Claudia A. Merandi
DPF Board Member, Executive Director, President
Claudia A. Merandi, a former court reporter/owner of Merandi Court Reporting, is the founder of The Doctor Patient Forum and Don’t Punish Pain Rally Organization. She’s a resident of East Providence, Rhode Island.
She has lived with a severe form of Crohn’s Disease since she was a child, spending hundreds of days in the hospital.
Her advocacy began in 2017 when she volunteered to organize nationwide rallies to bring awareness to the untreated pain crisis. She is the author of “Crohn’s Disease; the other C Word” and “Dotty on the Potty” named after her mom, Dotty.
https://www.amazon.com/Crohns-Disease-Reporting-Custody-Battles/dp/1979960941
https://www.amazon.com/Dotty-Potty-Claudia-Merandi/dp/1733526471
She competes in fitness competition using her stage time raising awareness to those who have taken their lives due to untreated pain. She’s the mother of two daughters, Francesca-Grace and Ava-Marie.
Beverly C. Schechtman
DPF Board Member, Director, Vice President
Bev Schechtman is a dedicated chronic pain patient advocate and educator who has navigated life with Crohn’s Disease and Psoriatic Arthritis for over two decades. Raised in northern New Jersey, she has called the Raleigh, North Carolina area home since 2009. Bev is married to Randy and is the proud mother of two daughters, Emma and Livvy.
Her advocacy journey began in 2017 when, during a hospitalization for kidney stones, she was denied opioid medication—a decision influenced by her history as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. This experience prompted her to connect with Claudia Merandi. Together they started Don’t Punish Pain Rally, marking the start of her lifelong commitment to supporting individuals with chronic pain and illness, as well as survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
Bev’s work to empower patients and reduce mistreatment has garnered attention from prominent media outlets including The Guardian, Wired, National Public Radio, and Truthout, and she has been featured on influential podcasts and blogs such as Pallimed, a leading forum on hospice and palliative care. In addition, her insights have been published in a respected medical journal, underscoring her expertise and commitment to advancing patient advocacy.
In her free time, Bev enjoys reading, watching soccer, and spending time with her Aussiedoodle, Griffin.
Elizabeth G. Dost, RN
DPF Board Member, Treasurer, Secretary
Elizabeth G. Dost, is a senior health care executive with more than 25 years-experience in the Boston market. She currently serves as a Senior Executive Healthcare Consultant to those who suffer, their caregivers, doctors, policy makers, and was the first nurse in Massachusetts to publicly advocate for the Humanitarian Use of Medical Marijuana.
Ms. Dost is a past Nominating Committee member of the American Cannabis Nurse Association. She currently serves on the Board of the Boston based ACS, Association of Cannabinoid Specialists and the Advisory Panel to Women in Leadership, Grossman School of Business, UVM.
She has donated lecture time to the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts, having presented in 2017 and 2018 on “Cannabis and Hospice”. Ms. Dost has participated on panels at NECANN in Boston two years, lectured for Patients Out of Time on HIPAA and Cannabis; and at Dartmouth Hitchcock Parkinson’s Conference on Cannabis and Parkinson’s Disease. She presented on Cannabis Therapeutics in 2019 to all regions in Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Additionally, Beth appears in the seven-episode docuseries, “The Sacred Plant” and is a featured expert in the Master Class “Making Your Medicine Work for You” with Dr. Janice Knox. In September 2022, Beth was interviewed in Mexico City for the University of Amsterdam. She is a sought-after guest and frequently speaks on cannabis therapeutics and suffering.
Beth served as Clinical Director for the Massachusetts Patient’s Advocacy Alliance (MPAA) from 2014 until 2021. Ms. Dost has also advocated for chronic pain patients who are experiencing withdrawal/changes to their medical management of pain without their consent. Beth’s advocacy also includes participation in public policy creation and testimony on cannabis before many towns and cities, the State of Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health, the Cannabis Control Committee, and on human suffering, before both the RI and MA Senate and House of Representatives.
Elizabeth G. Dost RN, was awarded Ernst and Young, Entrepreneur of the Year in Healthcare, New England Region and is a member of their elite Alumni group.
CaSonya Richardson-Slone
DPF Board Member, Patient Support Specialist
CaSonya Richardson-Slone is a licensed health and life insurance broker and a financial advisor. She specializes in assisting clients with Medicare and under 65 individual and family healthcare plans. She has also worked directly with patients as a patient support specialist in infectious disease with the Department of Health. Early on CaSonya’s career she knew she had a heart for helping others, especially those that needed it the most. She feels strongly that as a humanitarian it’s imperative that she use her voice to fight for others and it’s important that she offer her support with her knowledge, compassion, and expertise.
CaSonya also personally knows what it’s like to care for a disabled loved one that suffers with daily chronic pain and the challenges with making sure they receive adequate quality healthcare. In the fall of 2017, she tragically lost her husband due to a lack of compassionate quality care and a medical mistake. She sued the pain management practice and got justice for her family’s tragic loss. Her firsthand personal and professional experience assists in her advocacy work. She finds it rewarding to use her voice to offer support and guidance for those whose voices have yet to be heard.
Betty Lou Godfrey
DPF Board Member, Director of Elder Care – Representative
Betty Lou Godfrey is 81 years young. She is a proud stroke survivor and has volunteered her time helping the older patient population. She served her local county nursing home board for 12 years working under the state ombudsman.
She continues to advocate for nursing home residents. She currently lives with and helps care for her 92-year-old brother. Betty Lou is passionate about making sure the older population is treated with compassion and dignity. Betty Lou is paying it forward!
Brandy Novicka
Admin. Assistant/Social Media Marketer
Brandy is a resilient spinal advocate living with multiple conditions, including spina bifida occulta, scoliosis, rotoscoliosis, kyphosis, rotated rib cage, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, pars defect, drop foot, SI joint dysfunction, DDD, nerve damage, and more. Despite undergoing extensive spinal fusions and coping with chronic pain, Brandy has defied the odds by pursuing her passion for fitness and athletics. A former college basketball player, high school basketball coach, and aspiring gym teacher, Brandy has transformed her experiences into a powerful advocacy platform.
Through her journey, Brandy has developed a profound understanding of pain management and adaptive movement. Embracing the reality that her body can’t be “fixed,” she has learned to adapt and adjust, inspiring others to do the same. Brandy’s unwavering determination and positivity have made her a beacon of hope for those navigating similar challenges. She continues to advocate for spinal health awareness and support, empowering others to embrace their unique strengths and find resilience in the face of adversity.
Jim Elliot
Jim Elliott is of counsel with the Macon office of Butler Snow LLP where he serves as legal counsel to various local governmental entities. He retired in 2019 after 34 years of service as the Warner Robins city attorney.
Throughout his career in the public sector, he has been active with the Georgia Municipal Association and was inducted into the Municipal Government Hall of Fame in 2017. Elliott chaired the Local Government Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia in 1992. He served as the southeast regional vice-president of the International Municipal Lawyers’ Association for many years and conducts training for the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Elliott holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech and a law degree from Mercer University Law School where he is an adjunct professor teaching local government law.
Jim is married to Michelle, director of the University of Georgia Archway Partnership. His brother, Danny, died by suicide in 2022 after his doctor’s prescribing license was suspended by the DEA.