Advisory Committee

Past CSMS President Jeffrey Gordon, MD is an actively-practicing hematologist-oncologist at the New London Cancer Center. Dr. Gordon earned his BA from Brandeis University and his MD from the University of Massachusetts Medical School; he completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Gordon is dual board-certified in adult Hematology and Medical Oncology. Focused on patient care, he is a medical leader who has been involved in medical staff affairs, peer review, and patient care quality and safety concerns.

Long active in organized medicine, Dr. Gordon has served in a number of CSMS leadership roles at the Connecticut State Medical Society and he is a Past President of the Windham County Medical Association. He is a member of the American Medical Association, and was a Student Medical Section Representative to the AMA Council on Legislation and the AMA States Leadership Steering Committee. Dr. Gordon is also a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

Dr. Gordon has held academic appointments at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Robert Aseltine, PhD is Professor and Chair in the Division of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health at UConn Health.

Dr. Aseltine is a medical sociologist with diverse research interests that include health disparities, suicide prevention, and the development of innovative medical and public health information systems. Over the past 25 years he has led several major studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Department of Defense. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Connecticut All-Payer Claims Database and the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC). Dr. Aseltine received his BA from Wesleyan University and his PhD from the University of Michigan.

Claudia Gruss, MD, is an actively-practicing gastroenterologist with Western Connecticut Health Network. Dr. Gruss is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. Her interests are in colorectal cancer screening, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and nutrition. She received her undergraduate degree from Brown University, and graduated from the Brown University School of Medicine. Dr. Gruss did her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in gastroenterology at Rhode Island Hospital.

Dr. Gruss is a member of the Section of Gastroenterology at Norwalk Hospital and is a clinical educator with the Yale-affiliated gastroenterology fellowship program. Dr. Gruss holds academic appointments at Yale University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Medicine and the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She is Chair of the Connecticut State Medical Society Quality of Care Committee and a member of the New England regional Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council. She is a Past President of the Fairfield County Medical Association and past Vice President of the Connecticut State Medical Society. She has served previously on the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Measures Committee and the Clinical Practice and Quality Management Committee.

Matthew Katz has served as executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut State Medical Society, the state’s largest physician organization, since 2006. A former director of Private Payer Advocacy and director of the Practice Management Center at the American Medical Association, Mr. Katz also worked in the AMA’s Private Sector Advocacy unit and health policy development.

Mr. Katz holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and earned his Master of Science in Health Services Research and Policy from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Mr. Katz sits on the board of the Physician Advocacy Institute, a national non-profit that works to advance fair and transparent payment policies and contractual practices by payers and others in order to sustain the profession of medicine for the benefit of patients. In Connecticut, he helped establish HealthyCT, a COOP, and also one of the largest national ACOs. Additionally, Mr. Katz is a member of the Connecticut All-Payer Claims Database Committee and the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Medical Board.

Michael McNamee, MD has an active practice in pulmonology and critical care medicine at Hartford Health Care. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. McNamee holds several faculty appointments, including clinical professorships at Yale University School of Nursing, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and School of Nursing.

Dr. McNamee is active in organized medicine, and currently serves as the treasurer of the Connecticut State Medical Society. He is a board member of the Hartford County Medical Association. At the national level, he is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. McNamee received his medical degree from Columbia University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Pittsburgh, and returned to Columbia for his fellowship.

Steven Thornquist, MD is a board certified ophthalmologist practicing pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus (eye turns). He received his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, where he was elected to the medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed an internal medicine residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and an ophthalmology residency at the Scheie Eye Institute of the University of Pennsylvania. His pediatric fellowship training was completed at Temple University/St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

Dr. Thornquist is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). He is Associate Secretary for State Governmental Affairs at the AAO as well as a past president, and is current Legislative Co-Chair of the Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians. Dr. Thornquist is President-elect of the Connecticut State Medical Society.