wring operations, Shwedel served
as product development manager
for Express Inc. She joined Banana
Republic at the start of 2005; early
this year, she was promoted to her
current position. There she works,
among other duties, on the strategy
of which mills and manufacturers
will be used to develop products
and also partners with designers on
the qualities selected (from drape to
weave) and developing them into
silhouettes.
"I like the opportunity to be part
of a creative enterprise and have the
ability to show products that I helped
make," says Shwedel, whose personal
style tends toward simplicity with an
individual flair with lots of jewelry,

including a favorite watch, an heir-
loom from her grandfather. At the
office, Shwedel and her colleagues
tend to take their cue from Banana's
style: "We have a very casual work
environment. Most of the people I
know are relaxed in their approach to
clothes," she says. "Dressing is really
about how things are put together to
make a look seem right.
"Now," she adds, "I'm exposed to
a wider array of stores and clothing,
and that has influenced what I wear.
Being able to shop in places such as
Paris and Hong Kong has afforded
me the opportunity to buy things I
wouldn't have had access to before.
Ultimately, I think my style is my
own; and I stay true to that." ❑

Neuroscience experts
collaborate to best
eet patients' needs

Meet one of the faces of success

Stanton Elias, M.D., chair of
neurology at Henry Ford Hospital
in Detroit, is board certified in
neurology and a member of the
Henry Ford Medical Group. He
talks about his work and
collaboration with colleagues.

Issues concerning the brain have
always fascinated me. They
involve solving a mystery, and
picking up on clues that don't seem
to fit.

When I came to Henry Ford in
1982, the Department of Neurology
was newly formed, having previ-
ously been a division of several
departments. The hospital made a
commitment to neurology and later
to neuroscience in general, and
we've seen significant growth in
these areas. Our department is
nationally recognized.

It has been my approach, and the
department's, to focus on the mul-
tiple needs of individuals who are
chronically ill. Thus, we've formed
a number of sub-specialty clinics,
concentrating on specific diseases.
This enables us to provide a wide
range of services and leading-edge
treatments for these individuals.

The Henry Ford culture is one of
collaboration. Our group practice
enables us to work with colleagues
who have great expertise. We freely
refer patients with a specific diag-
nosis to the doctors in our group
who are specialists in those areas.

In recent years, we have formed a
collaborative group under the
Henry Ford Neuroscience Institute,
which includes neurologists, neuro-
surgeons, and physicians from six
other related specialties, working
together for better patient care. We
not only collaborate within the same
specialty, but between specialties.
In some cases, a review board
determines the best approach to a
case. This is quite unique. Our
incentive is to move the patient to
the doctor with the most experience,
because our goal is to do what is in
the patient's best interest.

include
immunological
abnormalities,
such as multiple
sclerosis and
myasthenia
gravis. Initially,
I became inter-
ested in these
areas due to the
intellectual chal-
lenges associat-
ed with each
one, as we attempt to understand
them better. It's very clear these
chronic disorders impact individu-
als and families — not just in
episodes, but over a lifetime.

MS is a real challenge, since we
don't understand the cause, and
there is no cure. However, treat-
ment can be helpful. I've been
working in the lab with Dr. Michael
Chopp on a method to stimulate
the central nervous system to
regenerate cells. It shows promise,
but there's still a tremendous need
for more research.

It's an exciting time, planning our
new hospital in West Bloomfield.
Henry Ford is looking at ways to
deliver care that crosses disciplines
more easily. We have the opportu-
nity to design a health care experi-
ence "from the ground up," with
leading-edge treatments in a
setting that maximizes patient
comfort and attention to their
families' needs.

My wife, Donna Shewach, and I
live in Ann Arbor, where we are
affiliated with the Beth Israel
Congregation. We've both been
members of its board of directors,
and I've been on the board of the
Jewish Federation of Washtenaw
County. Donna is a Professor of
Pharmacology at the University of
Michigan Medical School and
concentrates in cancer research.

My practice primarily involves dis-
orders of the nervous system that

For more information or to snake an
appointment call 1-800-HENRYFORD or
visit our Web site www.henryford.com

JNPLATINUM • SEPTEMBER 2006 •

23