Mark B. Berger, M.D.

Mark Berger, M.D. was born in Houston and attended the University of Texas where he graduated with highest honors. He then studied medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, graduating with honors and as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He has been a licensed physician in Texas since 1981 and is Board Certified in Sleep Medicine, as well as Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine. In the late 1980s while serving as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Berger was a member of one of the first lung transplant teams in the United States. He was one of the first individuals in the United States to implant metallic bronchial stents into the airways of lung transplant recipients suffering from post-transplant bronchial narrowing. In the 1990s, Dr. Berger entered private practice at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, where he cared for thousands of pulmonary and critically ill individuals. He served briefly as Assistant Director of Hyperbaric Medicine at Methodist Hospital and for seven years he was Chief of Staff at Select Specialty Hospital in Houston. In the early 2000s, Dr. Berger became one of only 450 physicians in the country holding a B-Reader certification for specialized interpretation of chest x-rays in asbestos-and silica-exposed individuals. He was widely sought out as an expert medical witness in hundreds of occupational inhalation exposure cases. Additionally, Dr. Berger's interest and expertise in sleep medicine developed during this time. He was the Medical Director for a Houston SleepMed® testing center where he treated over 1,000 patients for sleep apnea.

In 2003, Dr. Berger created PPD and began working as a consultant to Schneider National. In that capacity he worked closely in developing their sleep apnea program for drivers. This program includes the first-ever fleet-wide screening of drivers for sleep apnea. His experience with Schneider National has been reported as one of four "outstanding papers" chosen at the 2005 International Truck and Bus Safety and Security Symposium, sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Trucking Association. Schneider National was awarded the National Sleep Foundation's 2007 Healthy Sleep Community Award in recognition of the PPD-developed program implemented there. Dr. Berger's research interests currently include on going collaborative work with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the University of Minnesota, and Harvard University. Dr. Berger is President and Chief Medical Officer for PPD and has overseen the screening of nearly 38,000 commercial drivers and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea in nearly 4,500 CDL holders. He holds a U.S. Patents for his unique sleep apnea disease management program for commercial drivers and the SomniSageŽ sleep apnea screening questionnaire as well as several other patents pending. PPD currently provides a comprehensive sleep apnea program for Schneider National, Swift Transportation, and H.O. Wolding Transportation. Several other large carriers are planning projects with PPD for 2012. PPD's program is the only sleep apnea program that has generated proven generous returns on investment for its clients. Dr. Berger's approach to remedying the problems associated with sleep apnea in commercial drivers combines solid evidence-based medical research with a unique sensitivity to the specific demands and requirements of the trucking industry.

Katia LaManna, LCSW

Katia LaManna, LCSW, is Vice President of Operations for Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics. She joined PPD in 2006 as part of a new and exciting company and assisted Dr. Berger in the operational development program targeting truck drivers. Katia has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a minor in Sociology, and a Masters in Social Work. Prior to joining PPD in 2006, she was a Clinical Social Worker for a large university affiliated hospital in Houston, Texas, where she provided care in a team environment to patients. This service included individual and group counseling.

At PPD, Katia offers her skills to commercial drivers - particularly focusing on anxiety and adjustment-related issues experienced with sleep apnea and CPAP treatment.

All too often, drivers are diagnosed with sleep apnea and sent on their way with too little information, education, and CPAP support. Ultimately what makes PPD's program a success and sets it apart from other programs is the ongoing support it provides drivers who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Katia leads a team concerned not only with successful CPAP treatment, but with the drivers' successful adjustment, understanding, and acceptance of this condition. PPD's long-term CPAP adherence rate of over 90% is largely achieved through Katia's holistic approach with our CPAP-managed drivers.

Katia is currently developing and implementing new and exciting support programs for our clients' driver populations. Because support is key to CPAP treatment, the more programs and avenues for assistance we can provide to our drivers, the better the outcomes.

Wendy Sullivan, RN

Wendy Sullivan, RN, is Vice President of Project Implementation and Health and Safety Consultative Services for PPD. She joined PPD in October 2007 to fulfill her passion in improving commercial drivers' well-being, particularly through implementing integrated and comprehensive sleep apnea programs within the transportation industry. In her occupational medicine leadership role at Schneider National, Wendy was impressed with the high prevalence of sleep apnea within the fleet and its effects on a driver's health and safety. Between 2004 and 2007, she worked closely with Dr. Berger in developing the award-winning Schneider National Sleep Apnea Program. In 2007, this program was awarded the National Sleep Foundation Healthy Sleep Community Award and the first-ever American Sleep Apnea Association Corporate Recognition Award. Additionally, Wendy and the occupational medicine team she led at Schneider National were awarded the Safety Presidential Award and the General Presidential Award in 2006.

Prior to her seven-year tenure at Schneider National, she was employed for 10 years by a large national health insurance company where she gained additional experience in human resources, disability, and other health issues. Her expertise is recognized within the commercial trucking industry where she has been a speaker at various conventions including the American Trucking Association, several state trucking associations, and the Society of Human Resource Management. She has had several published articles and interviews in Transport Topics, the Associated Press, XM Radio, and various local and state newspapers.

Wendy has been a Registered Nurse for 32 years. As a nurse, she quickly realized that commercial drivers have unique needs and challenges and her passion for sleep apnea developed when she saw how many drivers were affected by, or at risk from, this life-threatening condition. Wendy says: "My goal is to have drivers improve their health and safety and get them back home to their families. Many drivers do not realize they have signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. The symptoms are often masked by excessive caffeine use, cigarette smoking, 'stackers', and other efforts on their part to stay awake. I continue to hear from many grateful drivers who cannot believe how much better they feel and thanking me for encouraging them to participate in the sleep apnea program."

Judy Panian

Judy Panian is the Director of Sleep Services for Precision Pulmonary Diagnostics. She joined PPD in 2008 to assist Dr. Berger and the PPD staff with the set up and management of the sleep labs within the PPD lab network. Judy has an extensive management background, including sleep lab management, and an understanding of the trucking industry.

Part of Judy's responsibilities with PPD is finding sleep labs that have the ability to test the commercial drivers. She researches locations that are highest in demand for carriers and reviews the sleep facilities within that area. Once a lab is chosen, Judy performs a site visit to be sure that the lab is in fact up to PPD standards. She also has to be certain that the lab will have adequate parking for a tractor and trailer. Judy understands the importance of the drivers getting into a lab, tested, and back on the road to prevent any unnecessary downtime.

Judy is pleased to offer her knowledge of sleep testing and sleep therapy to commercial drivers, as well as her management experience with the network labs. She is currently developing new relationships with sleep labs that are interested in becoming part of the PPD sleep lab network, as well as maintaining current relationships with sleep facilities and carriers. Because support is an important key component for the compliance of the commercial drivers, Judy is available to the commercial drivers and the sleep labs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.