Board Members and Officers

Board of Directors

Steven Harmon

Mr. Harmon was elected to the board of directors in 2006.

Paul Petrucci

Mr. Petrucci is an information technologist, author, and owner of BookConnector.com. He has twenty years of experience in program management and computer design. With his wife and daughter, he is a current patient of the IBS Treatment Center and has recommended many people to care there. He joined the board of directors in 2006.

Cornelius Rosse

A native of Hungary, Cornelius received his medical degree (M.B., Ch.B. ­ equivalent of the American M.D.) from the University of Bristol, England, and later two additional doctoral degrees in biomedical science in recognition for his research on blood cell formation and the body's anticancer mechanisms. In 1967 he moved to the United States and joined the faculty of the School of Medicine, University of Washington. He served as Chair of the Department of Biological Structure and during his tenure he was instrumental in establishing the department's Cancer Research Center, Biomolecular Structure Center and Structural Informatics Group. He has written three textbooks on various aspects of anatomy and numerous scientific papers in the areas of hematopoietic cell differentiation, medical education and computer-based anatomical knowledge representation. Dr. Rosse joined the board of directors in 2008.

Tara Shadduck

Tara comes to Innate Health Foundation with a background in fine arts and non-profit management. Ms. Shadduck hopes to bring experience in fundraising, board development, and planning to IHF. Currently Tara works at Kirkland Arts Center as an administrator, and in addition to IHF, also serves on the Board of Seattle Print Arts. Though not a sufferer of IBS or food allergies herself, Tara has personal experience living with these issues on a daily basis as the primary shopper and cook for her family.

Other Officers

Thomas Mercer

Mr. Mercer is President and Treasurer of the Innate Health Foundation. He co-founded the Foundation in 2005 with Dr. Wangen and served as a board member in 2005-2006. Mr. Mercer has food allergies and at one time met the diagnostic criteria for IBS. He supports the Innate Health Foundation both financially and through dedicated effort. He is in excellent health and enjoys mountaineering, whitewater rafting, flying, scuba diving, and travel.

Dr. Stephen Wangen

Dr. Stephen Wangen serves as the Research Director of the Innate Health Foundation. He is a board certified physician and Chief Medical Officer for both the IBS Treatment Center and the Center for Food Allergies in Seattle, Washington. He received his doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University. He co-founded the Foundation in 2005 with Thomas Mercer. Dr. Wangen was diagnosed with IBS in 1994 and researched his condition while in medical school. He was able to determine that he was gluten intolerant and had other food allergies and today is in excellent health. This formed the foundation for his passion in helping others discover their path to better health. He continues to see patients in Seattle and is the author of the recent book “The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution.” He also speaks locally and nationally on the topics of IBS and food allergies. Dr. Wangen also serves on the board of trustees of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.