FYI Listings: Ask the Expert

The following are individuals or organizations willing to provide free information to writers. While every attempt is made to ensure that FYI listings are purely informational and accurate, the WGAW does not endorse any of the following listings or the information they provide.

For more free resources, visit our column about technical advice, Technically Speaking.

Government Departments
Medical Authorities
Religious Information
Psychological References
Miscellaneous
WGA Departments
Points of Interest

Government Departments

Department Phone/Internet
Air Force 310/235-7511
Air Traffic 805/265-8206
natcazla@hidesert.com
Army 310/235-7621
keplerb@earthlink.net
Board of Education 562/922-6111
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives John Torres
818/265-2500
www.atf.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hollywood, Health & Society at the
USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center
800/283-0676
www.usc.edu/hhs
Coast Guard 310/235-7817
Drug Enforcement Admin. 213/894-3515
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Alonzo Hill
Office of Public Affairs (L.A. Field Office)
310-477-6565

Betsy Glick
Office of Public Affairs (DC Headquarters)
202-324-2326
public.affairs@ic.fbi.gov
Federal Emergency Mgmt. Agency 202/646-2996
holly.harrington@fema.gov
Fire Department 323/881-2411
www.lacofd.org
Human Relations 213/974-7611
Law Enforcement Online (LEO) James Sheehan
(FBI executive, retired)
Jsheeha3@leo.gov 
Marine Corps 310/235-7272 fax: 310/235-7274
mcmeence@hqmc.usmc.mil
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Kil-Jae Hong
Consumer Information
202/493-0524
kil-jae.hong@dot.gov
Navy 310/235-7481
directorbob@earthlink.net
Police Department 213/485-3586 fax: 213/847-1760
Sheriff's Department 323/526-5531
Veterans Admin. Media Office 310/268-3340 (Beverly)
fax: 310/268-4264

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Medical Authorities

Department Phone/Internet
All-inclusive Health Topics including:

National Cancer Institute, HRSA Division of Transplantation,
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (medical errors)
Hollywood, Health & Society at the
USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center
323/782-3311
www.usc.edu/hhs
Alzheimer's Disease
The Alzheimer's Screenwriter Project
818/907-5588
alsanjak@aol.com 
Amer. Med. Assoc. (AMA) 312/464-5000
Anesthesiology 800/562-8666
Alcohol/Drug Use 800/488-DRUG (3784)
Blindness 213/663-1111
communications@brailleinstitute.org
Brain Research, Brain Imaging (MRI
and other techniques), Human Learning
and Memory, Reading and Dyslexia
Russell A. Poldrack, Ph.D.
poldrack@ucla.edu
Child and Teen Health 847-434-4MRT (4678)
6719112@archwireless.net
Chiropractic/Holistic/Alternative Dr. Lieberman
310/858-6099
Cosmetic Surgery Dr. Andrew Berman
310/278-3223
drandrewberman@beverlyhills-surgery.com
CPR 310/281-2753
Dentistry Judy Covar Rubins
818/783-2770
Dentistry (General & Cosmetic) Nidhi Pai
650/323-4222
Diabetes (Type 2) and
Juvenile Diabetes (Type I)
Elizabeth Flynn
Toll Free: 888/533-9255 or 310/203-9486
flynnadv@att.net
DNA and Genetics Debra Robertson, Ph.D.
858/792-8019
drobertson@forensicstudygroup.com 
www.forensicstudygroup.com
Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics Michelle Shuffett, MD
310/995-6075
mshuffett@me.com
Epilepsy and/or Seizures
Epilepsy Foundation
Kimberli Meadows
301/918-3747
kmeadows@efa.org
Gay and Lesbian Med. Assn. 415/255-4547
fax: 415/255-4784
GLMAMedia@aol.com
Health Care Research 301/656-3100
www.equals3.com
Immunology 414/272-6071
info@aaaa1.org
Infertility 818/781-6800
818/776-8700
Lymphoma 310/204-7040
larfa@aol.com
Medical 818/707-2270
ab141@lasn.org
Medical Information Guides 301/656-3100
globalone@erols.com
Medical Storyline Development 718/389-9800
cinemaworldstudios@earthlink.net
Medical Technical Advising
& Family Relationships
Michelle Shuffett, MD
310/312-6075
mshuffett@yahoo.com
National Society of Genetic Counselors, INC Janice Berlinger
718/226-6181
NSA (Stuttering) 949/661-2215
irate99@yahoo.com
Nursing Lucy A. Doty
langsame@aol.com 
Oral Surgery 818/995-8601
Organ Tissue Donation and Transplantation Elizabeth Flynn
310/203-9486
flynnadv@att.net
Organ Tissue Donation and Transplantation Tenaya Wallace
Donate Life Hollywood Campaign Director
213/229-5659
twallace@onelegacy.org
Pain Management 617/667-5558
Pancreatic Cancer Elizabeth Flynn
Toll free: 877/272-6226
flynnadv@att.net
Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics
800/433-9016 ext. 7873
fax: 847/228-5097
mrt@aap.org
www.aap.org/mrt
Surgery & Medicine Rob Shapiro, MD, FACS
818/642-0114
robshapiro1@gmail.com

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Religious Information

Department Phone
Internet
Baha'is of L.A. 323/933-8291
Catholicism 818/846-8141
Christian Film & TV Comm. 805/383-2000
Ted@movieguide.org
Christian Science Kim Robert Walker
714/994-2169
compubsca@cssocalifornia.com
Christianity 805/383-2000
Mormons LeAnn Hull
310/475-7018
800/533-2444
publicaffairsla@aol.com
Muslims and Islam Imran Anwar
imran@imran.com
Scientology Public Officer
213/960-3100
ccinternational@earthlink.net
Theological Accuracy Paul Viggiano
pastorpaul@integrity.com

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Psychological References

Department Phone
Internet
 
AIDS/AIDS Project LA 888/440-APLA
Amer. Humane Assoc. Film & TV Unit
“No Animals Were Harmed”
818/501-0123
info@americanhumane.org
www.americanhumane.org
Breast Cancer (emotional) 310/859-1273
California Psych. Assoc. 916/325-9786
jlyman@calpsychlink.org
Cancer Institute 301/496-6641
Domestic Violence/Legal 323/935-8666
Eating Disorders 805/945-2336
Humane Society 301/258-3060
Hunger 310/454-3716
Hypnosis 508/356-0909
jsbwolf@yahoo.com
Literacy 916/324-7358
Medical Info (MPTF) 818/876-1888
Parents, Families and Friends
of Lesbians and Gays
202/467-8180
fax: 202/467-8194
info@pflag.org
Psychiatry/Forensic 415/453-8920
Social Issues (N.C.N.) 310/456-1082
Social Workers 310/456-1082
Southern Cal. Coalition on Battered Women 323/935-8666
www.nami.org
Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health,
Public Policy and Survivors
202/449-3600
www.spanusa.org

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Miscellaneous

Department Phone
Internet
 
Aerospace & Engineering 714/962-2587
Alcohol, Drug Prevention 323/463-6852
gmarcellell@health.org
Antarctica 818/798-6490
wmstout@bbs-la.com
Archaeology 310/206-8934
Association of Film Commissioners 323/462-6092
www.afci.org
Astrology 619/568-0425
Children's Action Network Jennifer Perry
310/470-9599
fax: 310/474-9665
Chinese Culture Samuel Chong
626/487-8909
chineselanguagetutor@yahoo.com
Computers 505/992-8462
ssalemi@earthlink.net
Croquet 503/838-5697
eliassen@open.org
Dinosaurs 818/848-2646
Disabilities & Wheelchairs John Carpenter
jcarpenter@earthlink.net
Ethnic Images (MIC) 213/974-7621
Environment (EMA) 310/287-2803
joyce@ept.org
Firearms 703/267-1300
www.nra.org
Genetics 310/317-9856
askit@aol.com
GLAAD/LA 323/933-2240
glaad@glaad.org
Gun Violence/Prevention 310/475-6714
cphvwest@aol.com
High Tech and Air Combat 310/640-2765
GJStiles@aol.com
Insurance 818/763-8501
Last Acts
(Care & Caring at the End of Life)
www.lastacts.org
Law Enforcement
(Fraud Schemes, Undercover Investigations, etc.)
John Auvinen
707/453-0178
johnauvinen@comcast.net
Life Insurance Tony Steuer
tony@tonysteuer.com 
Lobbying/Congress/Fed Gov. Jason Bryson-Alderman
415/932-2110
jason@alderman.net 
Mexican-American 213/343-2190
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) Salam Al-Mara Yati
213/383-3443
fax: 213/383-9674
mpacusa@aol.com
Muslim Women's League Semeen Issa
626/358-0335
Plague History 818/907-0117
Private Investigation 323/935-8451
Safety Council 213/385-6461
Science 818/707-2270
ab141@lasn.org
Search & Rescue 540/582-5708
stroryspinr@aol.com
Sugar Assoc. 202/785-1122
sugar@sugar.org
USO World Headquarters Terri Kaufman, Public Relations
703/836-9222, x 3035
tkaufman@wwafsp.com
Vaudeville/Circus 851/8948 ext. 328
Violence 818/508-2080
fax: 818/508-2088lallen@mediascope.org

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Points of Interest

Department Phone/Internet Address
Aviation Research Center 310/864-4116 12032 E. Firestone Blvd., Norwalk, CA
CA Institute of the Arts Library 805/253-7887
mhanft@calarts.edu
24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA
California Institute of Technology 818/397-2704 Archive Office, Pasadena, CA 91125
California Historical Society 818/449-5450 San Marino, CA
Eddie Brandt Saturday Matinee 818/506-4242 North Hollywood, CA
Institute of the American Musical 323/934-1221 121 N. Detroit St., L.A., CA90036
National Museum of Natural History (202) 633-1000 10th St & Constitution Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20560-0135
Railway History 818/449-4423 700 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106
Southwest Museum/Library 323/221-2163 234 Museum Dr., Highland Park, CA 90042

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