Web's most comprehensive site on Research, Policy and Health issues in obesity.

Provide advice to Obesity PPM management team on obesity issues, problems and opportunities.

Alliance of business, labor, professional and scientific societies focused on finding effective strategies to deal with the obesity epidemic.

Consultant specializing in advocacy, obesity, health care, non-profit management

Reviewed applications from researchers for access to surgical database and general board activities.

Senior association executive, supervised staff and volunteers, conducted fundraising, annual meeting, peer review journal.

Created awareness of obesity as a public policy issue, conceptualized solutions and achieved positive US federal policy changes.

Morgan Downey has been actively involved in the obesity field for 16 years. From 1997 to 2006, Mr. Downey was the executive director of the American Obesity Association (AOA). AOA was an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting understanding of obesity and advocating public policies to combat the epidemic. During his tenure he organized the first conferences on obesity as a public policy issue, secured an Internal Revenue System Revenue Ruling that expenses for weight loss treatment were eligible for the medical deduction on individual taxes; convinced the Social Security Administration in 2000 to define obesity as a disease and continue it as a qualifying impairment for disability claims {see SSR 00-3p (Superseded)}, the IRS and Medicare (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) that obesity is a disease; pushed Surgeon General David Satcher to focus on obesity leading to his groundbreaking Surgeon General’s report; and helped to greatly expanded Medicare coverage of bariatric surgery. In 2003, he first proposed that calorie information be displayed on the front of packaged food, leading to efforts by the Institute of Medicine and the Food and Drug Administration to develop front of package (FOP) labels. In 1999, 2000 and 2001, Mr. Downey, at the American Obesity Association, conducted the first conferences on obesity as a public policy issue. In 2000, the AOA conference was the first in which representatives of the Presidential campaigns, Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore, addressed obesity and a survey AOA carried out on the attitudes of both parents to their children’s weight. American Obesity Association – News The first AOA conference in 1999 featured Surgeon General David Satcher, the first time a Surgeon General had directly addressed the obesity epidemic. See www.downeyobesityreport.com.

The National Foundation for Brain Research was formed to promote public appreciation for the advances in neuroscience research, as part of the Congressional Resolution declaring the 1990s "The Decade of the Brain." Activities included several conferences, a science museum exhibit, and a special supplement to the Washington Post.

Mr. Downey was director of governmental and legal affairs for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the professional society for speech-language pathologists and audiologists from 1977 to 1988. Supervising a staff of 8, he worked to expand rights of persons with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. He successfully led efforts to include speech language pathology in Medicare, Medicaid, other federal programs. He was active in several amendments to PL 94-142, the nation’s law for special education for children with speech, language and hearing difficulties. He led successful efforts for requiring judicial review of Medicare Part B benefits. He represented ASHA during rule-making by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on hearing aid sales, specifically requiring a 30-trial period for all hearing aid purchases. He led efforts in support of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation on hearing protection in the workplace, and for the enactment of the federal Noise Control Act.

Oversaw development of state legislation and lobbying by Common Cause chapters in NY, NJ, CT, Ohio, ILL, CA, and PA. Led organizational efforts to put open government initiative on MA ballot. Led grass roots efforts in support of national agenda on campaign finance reform.

Lobbyist for Ralph Nader on reform of the federal criminal code on white collar crime and on presidential campaign finance reform following the Watergate scandal.