Former President and CEO of St. Luke's Health Initiatives,
Roger Hughes, Ph.D., to be SCNM Winter Graduation Commencement Speaker

Tempe, Ariz. – The Commencement Speaker for the 29th Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) graduating class commencement, held on December 18, 2011, at the Chandler Center for the Arts, will be Roger A. Hughes, Ph.D. Dr. Hughes recently retired as the president and CEO of St. Luke's Health Initiatives (SLHI), a public foundation located in Phoenix, Ariz., with a focus on health policy, public education, and community development. Additionally, SCNM president and CEO, Paul Mittman, N.D., Ed.D., will present Dr. Hughes an honorary degree at the ceremony.

Dr. Hughes is the recipient of leadership awards from the Arizona Medical Association, the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, the ASU Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy, Children's Action Alliance, the Hon Kachina Council for volunteerism, and other organizations. He has authored more than 80 research and policy reports on various health system and community health issues, as well as numerous articles on futurism, the impact of technology on society, philanthropy, and the role of the nonprofit sector in society.

The Invocation Speaker for the commencement ceremony will be SCNM alumna Debi Smolinski, N.D., who received the SCNM Legacy Award for her outstanding contributions to SCNM over many years, specifically in the area of women's medicine. Currently, Dr. Smolinski is a member of the SCNM Board of Trustees and is actively creating new programs for Naturopathic Specialists, LLC. Dr. Smolinski is an active member of the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association and a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. More than 50 students will graduate in the winter 2011 commencement ceremony and earn doctor of naturopathic medicine degrees.

About Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
SCNM trains future physicians to focus on prevention, wellness and lifestyle changes, which addresses the root cause of the majority of the problems plaguing Americans. Located in Tempe, Ariz., and founded in 1993, SCNM is an accredited higher-learning institution offering a four-year medical program. Adjacent to the college, the Southwest College Naturopathic Medical Center is the largest naturopathic medical center in the Southwest and offers family and primary care using integrative modalities such as acupuncture, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, manipulation, and pharmacology.