Rise

Karen Iapoce RN-BC, MS, CPHQ, CMAC, CAPA, LSSBB Senior Director, Government Programs

ZeOmega, Inc.

Karen Iapoce, Senior Director of Government Solutions at ZeOmega, has 30+ years’ experience in strategic healthcare. Over the years, her titles have ranged from RN to Senior VP of Clinical Operations and Director of Government Solutions. Karen is a clinical leader, trainer, and liaison experienced in driving innovations in quality, products, metrics, revenue, and cost. She has expertise in Medicaid, Medicare, Social Determinants of Health, and federal/state regulations and their application within payer/provider environments.

Cesar Armendariz Senior Director, Community Health; Community Health Administration

Inland Empire Health Plan

Cesar Armendariz serves as the Senior Director of Community Health at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). Armendariz’s innovative programs and community partnerships are addressing the Social Determinants of Health of the region, including food insecurity by organizing large scale food distributions across various sites throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. He is leveraging existing and new partnerships with community partners, civic leaders, universities, and faith-based organizations, to build capacity and infrastructure to improve health outcomes and enhance the lives of members and the community-at-large. Understanding that the physical built environment is key to community wellbeing, a strategic initiative he devised is transforming the existing Community Resource Centers into large scale Community Wellness Centers that will anchor future collaborative, multi-sector Wellness Villages. Concurrently, Armendariz also serves on the boards of various community organizations, including being a founding board member of End Homelessness California, which operates Shower of Hope, California’s largest mobile shower provider for the homeless, and Hope Housing for Students, serving the housing needs of homeless college students.

Prior to joining IEHP, Armendariz was the Community Relations Executive at Adventist Health White Memorial (2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Recipient) in Los Angeles, California. In this role, he led the hospital’s Community Health Integration initiatives, oversaw its Community Wellbeing Council, Community Information Center, Community Garden, fostered strategic collaborations with key community stakeholders/partners, and launched numerous, innovative, health and educational initiatives. Previously, he served as the Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications and Community & Public Relations, where he oversaw the marketing and promotional efforts of the hospital and served as its public spokesperson.

Prior to his time at White Memorial, Armendariz served as the Executive Director for Community Partnerships at the USC Health Sciences Campus (HSC), where he oversaw university-wide community outreach programs, projects, and initiatives to develop and foster positive, collaborative relations between the university and the local communities surrounding the HSC. While at USC, he also was the university-wide Spanish language media spokesperson, an advisor on strategies for Latin America to the USC Office of Global Initiatives, and a member of the USC Government Relations Council. Previously, he served USC as the Director for Master Plan Communications at the University Park Campus.

Before working at USC, Armendariz was the Director of Executive Offices at TELACU (The East Los Angeles Community Union), the nation’s largest community and economic development corporation. His role was to manage and oversee all the activities relating to the Chairman, President and CEO, including business development, and public, corporate and governmental relations. 

Armendariz previously served as the Executive Director of the International Business Center (IBC) of Orange County in the City of Santa Ana, California. He was responsible for coordinating the trade promotion efforts among the various public and private stakeholders of the center, attracting new international trade partners, and maintaining focus on the core mission of assisting small-to-medium-sized California companies expand their current customer base by seeking new export markets. The IBC partnered with federal, state and local government agencies, universities, and served as host of the Mexico Trade Center, Nacional Financiera (Mexico’s largest development bank), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Senior Trade Advisor for the Southwest United States. 

Prior to leading the IBC, Armendariz was the International Trade Advisor and Director of the Los Angeles Office to former California Lieutenant Governor Cruz M. Bustamante. His responsibilities included opening and overseeing the Los Angeles Office and its operations, outreach to the Latino community, and addressing trade issues with Mexico and Asia. Mr. Armendariz coordinated a trade delegation to Mexico for public and private sector leaders to participate in Former President Vicente Fox’s inauguration, successfully meeting with five members of President Fox’s cabinet to foster stronger relations between Mexico and California.

Armendariz also assisted former California Senate Majority Leader Richard G. Polanco, as his Advisor on the Senate Subcommittee on the Americas. This subcommittee was responsible for promoting and addressing trade opportunities between California and Latin America. As a result of Armendariz’s work for Senator Polanco, legislation was addressed in the state senate to explore greater opportunities, and better utilization of state resources for trade and exports, thus creating a California Trade Office in Buenos Aires, Argentina to serve the Mercosur market.

A strong advocate of international trade and cross-border relations, Armendariz spent four years in Mexico City working for the California Office of Trade and Investment as a Trade Specialist in the areas of Consumer Goods, Real Estate, Tourism and Entertainment. Armendariz coordinated official visits and projects for the State of California governmental leadership, the California World Trade Commission, Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida, and the University of Southern California.

Cesar Armendariz currently resides in the Inland Empire, is a native of Los Angeles County, and is an alumnus of the University of Southern California (‘94 & ‘12), where he is also an Adjunct-Professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, Department of Business Communication. He is bilingual (Spanish), bicultural (Latin American protocol), and enjoys spending his free time traveling with his two adult children, Zaira and Aramis. 

Rhonda Barcus Program Manager

National Rural Health Resource Center

Priya Bathija Health Equity Consultant; Founder & CEO

AHIMA; Nyoo Health

Priya Bathija, Founder and CEO, Nyoo Health, is a nationally recognized healthcare leader, attorney, and policy expert. With 20 years of experience working for, in, and with hospitals, she has led the design, implementation and growth of initiatives that make the health system work better for everyone.     Previously, she was at the American Hospital Association where she led policy efforts and strategic initiatives on value, health equity and maternal health. She started her career as a health care attorney and served as in-house counsel and a member of the leadership teams at ProMedica and MedStar Health.     Priya is also a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. In addition, she serves as a public board member for the American Board of Medical Specialties, the largest physician-led specialist certification organization in the United States.    

Malia Beckwith AVP of Ambulatory Medical Practices and Section Chief of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics

Children’s Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility

Dr. Beckwith is a graduate of the University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Medicine.  She completed her Pediatrics Residency and Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship at the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, before her move to the East Coast.  Dr. Beckwith joined the staff of Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) in 2011, providing clinical services as a Board-Certified Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician.   Dr. Beckwith holds various leadership roles at CSH, where she served as Medical Staff President, and is currently the AVP of Ambulatory Medical Practices and Section Chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH).  Dr. Beckwith is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and serves as Fellowship Program Director for the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics.    In her Section Chief role, Dr. Beckwith oversees the nation’s largest Section of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics. This role provides an opportunity to significantly impact the quality of care provided to children with special needs through the development of innovative care models and quality initiatives.    A large portion of her practice and special interest is work with children with autism and their families.  Dr. Beckwith has published on nutritional concerns and obesity risk for children with autism spectrum disorder, in addition to the developmental outcomes of children with prenatal opiate exposure.  She participated in the initial design for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Screening at CSH, and continues to be a champion for SDOH-informed care. 

Carmen Bell Sr. Director, Healthy Aging

United Way of the Lehigh Valley

Carmen Bell, Sr. Director of Healthy Aging for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, envisions a Lehigh Valley that is safe, inclusive and respectful for people of all ages. As an influential member of the Lehigh Valley Alliance on Aging, Carmen participated in the strategic formation of Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley and currently leads the age-friendly initiative in our community. With Carmen’s leadership, deep connections and partnerships, the Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley Action Plan was released, making the Lehigh Valley the nation's first dual-county age-friendly community, certified by AARP and the World Health Organization. Carmen also has a prominent role in our dementia outreach, the Lehigh Valley Walk Audit initiative and the community hubs program.
Prior to joining the team at United Way, Carmen worked with KidsPeace and LANTA where she gained a deep understanding of the needs of seniors in our community. She is a member of the AARP PA Executive Council, the Phoebe Institute on Aging Advisory Council, Phoebe Ministries Board of Directors, Allentown’s African American Advisory Council and Lehigh County’s Human Relations Advisory Council.
A long-time community activist and precinct captain for her West End Allentown neighborhood, Carmen is also the 2nd Vice President of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee as well as a duly elected State Democratic Committeeperson. She is a 2021 Women of Influence award winner, a 2023 The Rising Sun Initiative honoree and a frequent speaker on aging issues.
Carmen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from City College of New York.

Anne Boffa Vice President of Population Health and Network Quality Strategy

Commonwealth Care Alliance

Anne Boffa, MPH, CPHQ, serves as the Vice President of Population Health and Network Quality Strategy at Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA). In this role, she leads development of health equity and health disparities analyses and guides CCA’s enterprise-wide health equity and social determinants of health (SDoH) strategy to address members’ social risk factors and unmet social needs.

Prior to joining CCA in 2021, Boffa served as Director of Clinical Quality and Compliance at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where she oversaw hospital performance improvement and value-based care arrangements, and administered quality grants that provided support for health equity initiatives. In previous roles including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and United Behavioral Health, she worked collaboratively across business areas on key strategic initiatives related to NCQA accreditation, Quality improvement and Network Medical Management. Boffa’s focus has remained on behavioral health strategy and medical/behavioral integration as well as organizational approaches and response to the Opioid crisis.

Boffa received her Master of Public Health, Health Policy and Management, and Bachelor of Arts, Human Services, at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She earned her Certification as a Professional in Healthcare Quality in 2009 and is a graduate of the Strategic Leadership Program at Northeastern University and the Women’s Executive Leadership Program at Bentley University. Boffa has a strong spirit of volunteerism and has served on the Board of the Center for Addictive Behaviors (CAB). She has also participated in the Human Rights Committee at Riverside Community Care, where she advocated for those who need additional support and conducted comprehensive community-based program verification of organizations committed to protecting and promoting the rights of the individuals, families, and communities receiving care.

Becky Bradley, AICP Executive Director

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission

Becky Bradley, AICP has over 20 years of experience in city, regional, economic development, historic preservation and transportation planning, including significant implementation experience in community revitalization, infrastructure investment, roadway redesign and trail construction. She has been the Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) since August 2013 and is leading a $4.4 billion regional transportation planning program. Bradley also, manages development proposal reviews, that in the last five years included more than 25,000 new housing units and nearly 40 million square feet of commercial/industrial.

Prior to joining LVPC, Bradley was the Director of Planning, Codes and Development at the City of Easton, PA, where she was instrumental in the over $500 million revitalization of the community, including the addition of the Lehigh Valley’s first sculpture trail, the state’s first road diet, three brownfield redevelopment projects and the opening more than 60 restaurants and shops. Bradley serves on Pennsylvania’s Delaware Basin Water Resources Committee supporting the update of the State Water Plan. She joined the AARP – Pennsylvania Executive Council in 2020 and is working on age-friendly communities initiatives along with serving on the Executive Director’s Council of the National Association of Regional Councils where she represents metropolitan planning for the Northeast US. She is an avid transit, walking and rolling advocate, and member of the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority Board of Directors. She’s a member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Governors and the Lehigh Valley Partnership, supporting collaboration and coordination with the region’s business community. Bradley most recent acknowledgement was being named one of Pennsylvania’s top 50 most influential women by City and State magazine.

Bradley’s work on the issues affecting the region, along with co-author Matt Assad, can be read in the Morning Call’s Business Cycle. She can also be heard monthly on WDIY, 88.1 FM, Lehigh Valley’s National Public Radio station, discussing public affairs in the region as part of the Plan Lehigh Valley program.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Historic Preservation from Southeast Missouri State University and a Master of City Planning degree from University of Pennsylvania. Bradley also, is a Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute Certified Instructor in Community Planning and Adjunct Facility at Lafayette College.

Jennifer Bradley, RD Project Manager – Population Health Operations

 IU Health Plans

Alfonso Brown, Ed.D

Let’s Get to Work

A researcher and writer, Al Brown is a man with unflinching determination. Recently, he earned a Doctorate degree despite being homeless for almost a decade. This future New York Times best-selling author recently had his first professional journal published and co-wrote a separate article with Dr. Christina Gehrke on "Non-profit organizations mystery shopping."

Pablo Buitron de la Vega Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medical Director of THRIVE

Boston Medical Center

Pablo Buitron de la Vega is an experienced general internist and preventive medicine specialist with a strong focus on healthcare education and the impact of patient attitudes, health beliefs, and social determinants of health (SDOH). He prioritizes serving underserved populations, particularly Hispanic patients.    Currently, Pablo Buitron de la Vega holds the position of Program Director at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine (BUSM) Preventative Medicine Residency and is an Assistant Professor of Medicine. He also leads Boston Medical Center THRIVE, a program that systematically screens patients for SDOH and connects them with needed resources.    Pablo Buitron de la Vega is passionate about incorporating emerging educational technologies such as virtual reality and mind mapping into healthcare education. He believes these tools can enhance interdisciplinary learning experiences, specifically addressing health equity and SDOH.    With extensive expertise in preventive medicine and a commitment to healthcare access, Pablo Buitron de la Vega is an ideal speaker for your event. His practical knowledge and innovative approaches to education can provide valuable insights to your audience in a clear and engaging manner. 

Mariah Chrans Programs Director

Community Health Council of Wyandotte County

Mariah Chrans, IBCLC, PhD, Program Director of Cradle Kansas City, Maternal Child Health programs, and supports the Community Health programs. Mariah has over 18 years of experience in maternal child health, public health, and with Community Health Worker programs in: the development of community-based initiatives, collective impact, and human centered design, facilitating and convening a diverse group of co-conspirators, strategy development and implementation. Her body of work includes dedicated to pushing the boundaries of public health and healthcare, says out loud what is said quietly, advocating for the inclusion, safety, and well-being of all individuals within healthcare systems, including the Rare Disease and LGBTQ+ and gender expansive community of which her kiddos are members.    Mariah holds elected positions to the Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, Kansas Community Health Worker Collaborative, KC Regional Community Health Worker Collaborative, and CMH CMRI Research Board.   

Justen Coleman Director Business Development

Centene

Samantha Cornell, JD Director of Community-Based Services

Access Health

Samantha Cornell, JD, is the Director of Community-Based Services for Access Health, a community non-profit dedicated to impacting structural and social barriers to optimal health. Samantha serves as the Director of the Muskegon Community Health Innovation Region (CHIR), a multisector collective-impact collaborative with over 130 stakeholder partners and upwards of 1,200 resident participants through its engagement and implementation processes. Samantha is as a licensed attorney, a path she pursued to amplify her ability to address structural barriers through upstream structural interventions to effect transformative change.  

Samantha brings a dedication to pursuing innovative policy solutions to expand access to services, including the effort to obtain the nation’s first Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) Certification for Access Health’s C3 Health Plan, which remains the nation’s only multishare coverage plan to hold CMS certification.  

Samantha’s work is rooted in strong relationships with health delivery partners, coalitions, cross-sector stakeholders, grassroots organizations and community and resident led organizations. This is reflected through her leadership of community-engaged initiatives, the most notable of which is Livability Lab, Muskegon County’s community-led change accelerator engine, informed through participatory research, community priority setting, root cause analysis, and action. 

Dr. Shannon Decker, MBA, MBA, MEd., MEd, PhD Principal

VBC One

Dr. Shannon Decker is principal at VBC One, a consulting firm assisting physician groups, health plans and vendors maximize the performance of their value based contracts and offerings.  Dr. Decker has more than 20 years experience in health care and most recently led teams in risk, quality, data and analytics, telehealth, COVID response and delegation compliance.  Of her more than 20 years of experience in healthcare--15 include working with risk adjustment, quality and Medicare. Dr. Decker has a PhD. in Interdisciplinary Studies, dual MBA degrees--in Finance and in Marketing, as well as an M.Ed. in Secondary Education and a M.Ed. in Administration and Leadership. Dr. Decker is on the faculty at Arizona State University and is also an associate professor of Higher Education & Adult Learning (HEAL) and chief methodologist for Walden and Capella Universities where she chairs and oversees the dissertations of doctoral students. An author of two books and several peer-reviewed articles, and a prolific national public speaker, her interests include the study of human behavior and how theories on motivation and learning may be brought to bear on population health management. 

Felicia Dortch MPH, BSN, RN CCM, DNCM MDPCP Practice Transformation Coach

Program Management Office for Maryland Primary Care Program Maryland Department of Health

Felicia Dortch, an experienced Registered Nurse (RN) with over 25 years of diverse experience, holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Chamberlain University and a Master's degree in Population Health from Southern New Hampshire University. Passionate about health equality, she has served as Director of Population Health for a large Primary Care Provider, leading initiatives to improve community health and reduce disparities. Currently, as the Maryland State Primary Care Practice Transformation Coach, she guides practices in transitioning to a value-based care model for the Medicare population. Felicia is also a Certified Case Manager, skilled in coordinating care and advocating for patients. Committed to advocacy and community engagement, she actively participates in initiatives promoting health literacy and equity in healthcare. With her extensive experience, academic credentials, and dedication to improving health outcomes, Felicia stands as a beacon of excellence in nursing, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of those she serves.

Tim Driscoll Assistant Director of Service Coordination

Veterans Services of the Carolinas

Tim is a Combat Marine Veteran who served in Afghanistan. He is currently serving as the Director of Service Coordination leading NCServes across North Carolina. Prior to his time at VSC Tim served as the Lead Care Coordinator with NCServes Coastal and Lead Case Manager for the NC Relief Fund for East Carolina Human Services Agency. Tim sits on the Board of Trustees for his local VFW Post , a member of the Onslow County Council of Veterans Service Organizations, and he coordinates Onslow County’s Veterans Stand Down event annually. Tim led the integration of the NCServes Coordination Center for Veterans and their Families into the greater NCCARE360 Network, expanding provider access for Veterans and their families from 400 statewide providers to over 2,000 overnight at the point of integration. Annually, NCServes assists over 7,000 North Carolinans with SDoH needs. NCServes also serves as a state funded screening tool, that screens Veterans for risk of suicide and connection to appropriate level mental health services for Veterans at elevated risk.

Michael Dulin Chief Medical Officer

Gray Matter Analytics

Dr. Michael Dulin is a nationally recognized leader in the field of health information technology and application of analytics and outcomes research to improve care delivery and advance population health. 

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dulin directs Gray Matter Analytics’ growth and success by leading the clinical activities throughout the organization. He drives overall clinical strategy and design for Gray Matters’ CoreTechs® analytics platform and Dynamic VBC Analytics Solutions. He also educates the customer base on how to leverage healthcare data analytics to advance their clinical, operational and financial outcomes. 

Prior to joining Gray Matter, Dr. Dulin led the development and implementation of an analytics center of excellence for one of the largest non-profit health systems in the Southeast. He is currently a professor at UNC Charlotte in the Department of Public Health Sciences where he directs the Academy for Population Health Innovation. 

Dr. Dulin has led population health initiatives and related research projects funded by AHRQ, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Duke Endowment and NIH. He started his career as an electrical and biomedical engineer and received his PhD in Neurophysiology prior to becoming a primary care physician. 

Saeeda Lesley Dunston CEO

Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities Inc.

Saeeda Lesley Dunston is the Chief Executive Officer at Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc. since August 2014.  She is recognized among her peers and human service providers throughout New York State for developing and implementing culturally competent programs and services that address the challenges encountered by marginalized communities, in empowering individuals and families to become change agents and engaged participants in their communities. 

Prior to Elmcor, Ms. Dunston served in senior management positions and served several boroughs and citywide advocacy and policy focused coalitions that address poverty, anti-racism, health care needs of marginalized populations and communities throughout New York City.

Ms. Dunston’s leadership has secured Elmcor’s position as a vital service provider and advocate on the neighborhood level and has been instrumental in building capacity through collaborative relationships with public and private partners. She has developed and enhanced new and existing programs leveraging organizational resources  to address the prevailing socio-economic-health disparities that challenge Queens communities; and; promote inter- and intra-agency collaborations around issues of  behavioral health, health equity, social and economic justice, anti-stigma and community education. Saeeda also shepherded Elmcor’s first Supportive and Affordable Housing Project providing permanent housing to chronically unhoused and persons recovering from a serious substance use disorder and older adults.

She is also a proud wife, mother, grandmother underscoring the deep personal and familial ties and connections to Queens and in particular the East Elmhurst/Corona communities.

Esther Dyson Founder

Wellville

Esther Dyson is a Swiss-born American investor, journalist, author, commentator and philanthropist. She is the executive founder of Wellville, a nonprofit project focused on improving equitable wellbeing. Dyson is also an angel investor focused on health care, open government, digital technology, biotechnology, and outer space. Dyson's career now focuses on health and she continues to invest in health and technology startups.

Corazon Eaton Director of Health Equity

Buckeye Health Plan

Corazon Eaton, MPH is the Director of Health Equity at Buckeye Health Plan where she oversees the strategic design, implementation and evaluation of Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity, and co-chairs her Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council. She has extensive experience working in the non-profit and Public Health industry. Corazon joined Buckeye Health Plan, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a fortune 25 company in 2020 and has since developed a social determinants of health care coordination model that includes strategic initiatives around housing, housing quality, employment, food insecurity, poverty, access to care and more. In her health equity work, Corazon partners with her analytics and population health teams to understand the root causes of disparities in order to address policies, systems and environmental barriers that cause adverse health outcomes.

Prior to her tenure with Buckeye Health Plan, she led the Comprehensive Children’s Injury Center at Cincinnati Childrens where she oversaw several community-based and inpatient injury prevention programs as well as a national Child Passenger Safety Program in collaboration with Toyota with over 70 organizations and partners throughout the United States and Latin America.

Corazon has served a wide range of populations ranging from children and older adults to persons with intellectual disabilities at Special Olympics overseeing Healthy Communities & Health Athletes programming and the homeless population at restart Homeless shelter, where her work was focused on health education and reduction of recidivism in inpatient and emergency utilization. She is a thought leader and has developed best practices to address a variety of functional areas in public health.

Mrs. Eaton received her BS from Kansas State University in Life Science and Gerontology and a master’s in public health (healthcare administration) from A.T. Still University.

Ellen Fink-Samnick, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP, DBH-C Wholistic Health Equity Strategist, Content Developer, Educator

EFS Supervision Strategies, LLC

Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence.  

Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University’s Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association’s Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen’s Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen’s Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.  

Ellen's fierce professional voice has been constant across her varied roles. She has served as a commissioner of the Commission for Case Manager Certification and Chair of their Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, as well as a past member of the Board of Directors for the Case Management Society of America. Ellen currently serves on the Gravity Project’s Intervention Council and Coalition for Social Work and Health. She is Vice-Chair of the American Association of Doctors in Behavioral Health, and Chair of their Regulations Committee. Ellen is also an editorial board member for the Professional Case Management Journal, and Case Management Monthly. Further information is available on her LinkedIn Profile.  

Mona Fouad, MD, MPH Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UAB Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

Heersink School of Medicine; Edward E. Partridge, M.D., Endowed Chair for Cancer Disparity Research Director, UAB Minority Health and Health Equity Research Center University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

Bill Friedman Vice President of Payer and Provider Engagement

Wider Circle

Bill has deep expertise in selling and marketing digital health engagement solutions to 
payers and providers with an intimate knowledge of the health payer landscape. Most 
recently, Bill led payer sales at Carrot Fertility, a global provider of fertility benefits. 
Prior to Carrot, Bill led all sales and lead generation for Zipari, a SaaS-based 
consumer engagement solution for health insurers. His team was instrumental in the 
company's growth from startup to scale and eventual acquisition by Thoma Bravo, a 
leading private equity firm. Additionally, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Sales 
Officer for Health Republic Insurance of New York, the largest CO-OP health 
insurance carrier in the nation, leading sales operations, broker relations, strategic 
sales planning, and marketing growing the company from startup to 220,000 members 
in less than three years. Prior to joining Health Republic, Bill served as Senior Vice 
President of Sales at Easy Choice Health Plan of New York, where he was vital in 
launching the company’s Medicare Advantage products, and Atlantis Health Plan, a 
provider-owned HMO focused on the commercial health insurance space. 
In his spare time, Bill enjoys live music, playing guitar, the NY Yankees, and he is 
currently studying for his private pilot’s license. He lives in New York's lower Hudson 
Valley with his wife, Lisa, four children, and two poodles. 

Janet Giordano Director of Patient Care Coordination & Patient Experience

Children’s Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility

Janet Giordano obtained a Master’s degree in social work (MSW) from Rutgers University in 1991. She currently holds a NJ state license in social work (LSW).  She previously worked in a local community mental health center in Princeton, working with local youth, teenagers, and young adults around substance use/abuse and treatment. From there, Janet transitioned to a hospital social work position at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital & Bristol Myers-Squibb Children’s Hospital in New Brunswick and was in that position for 16 years.

Janet has over 31 years of experience as a social worker, with primary focus on medical, children/family with special health care needs and their families.

For the past 15 ½ years, Janet has served as the Director of Patient Care Coordination (IN Patient Rehab, Outpatient and Long Term Care) and Patient Experience at Children's Specialized Hospital.

Janet is the Vice Chairperson on the Middlesex County Board of Directors for the local Care Management Organization (CMO).  She has served on this Board for the past 6 years.  

Christa Green Program Director, Turning the Tide Violence Intervention Program

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Christa Green is the Program Director for MUSC’s Turning the Tide Violence Intervention Program, joining the team with over 5 years of experience in the field of injury and violence prevention. She earned her Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Community
Health Education in 2018, has nearly a decade of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating community- and hospital-based public health programming, and has a specific research interest in community firearm violence prevention and intervention. Christa serves on the South Carolina Violent Death Reporting System’s Advisory Council and the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention’s Research & Evaluation Working Group

Victoria Gregorio Director for the Center for Discovery, Innovation, and Development (CDID)

Children’s Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility

Victoria Gregorio received her PhD from Rutgers University and has nearly fifteen years of experience in data analysis and research project management. Currently, as Director of the Center for Discovery, Innovation, and Development (CDID) at Children’s Specialized Hospital, she oversees the development of the SDoH program, developing and piloting new ways to address social drivers of health and embed them into care; this work was awarded the Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care’s 2022 Partnership award recognizing innovative partnerships among patients, families, and healthcare professionals.   She directs the innovation efforts for CSH and leads health equity work, has co-chaired RWJBH’s Innovation Committee, and sat on planning committees for RWJBH’s initiatives related to social impact and community investment, and health equity.  She is also an adjunct faculty member at Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.  She has previously worked in data analytics/forecasting at Rutgers University and Educational Testing Service (ETS) while managing and mentoring other analysts. At Rutgers, she oversaw and assisted in research projects on behalf of the university, including the White House’s Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, Food Insecurity at Rutgers-New Brunswick, and Rutgers-UMDNJ integration. She has also served as the Rutgers PI on the Student Experience at the Research (SERU) study, and was voted into the Board of SERU as one of 3 at-large members. While on the board, she spoke at national and international conferences about evaluating the student experience. 

Erin Hahn Lead Policy Analyst, Value Based Care & Quality

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

As lead health policy analyst for the AAMC’s value based care team, Erin Hahn assists in the efforts surrounding policy, advocacy, research, and data analytics. Erin helps support numerous health systems and hospitals within the AAMC convened groups. Erin also served as the most recent Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council within the AAMC and works to promote health equity in the AAMC convened value based care groups.

Erin is a graduate of Emory University 2016, with a Master of Public Health, Health Policy and Management focus. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and International Relations from Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, England. Prior to coming to the AAMC, Erin completed a health policy fellowship at Powers, Pyles, Sutter, and Verville PC.

Ana Handshuh Principal

CAT5 Strategies

Ana Handshuh, Principal at CAT5 Strategies, is a government programs executive with expertise in creating and implementing corporate programs for the healthcare industry. Her background includes Quality, Core Measures, Care Management, Benefit Design and Bid Submission, Accreditation, Regulatory Compliance, Revenue Management, Communications, Community-based Care Management Programs and Technology Integration. Ms. Handshuh currently serves on the Board of the Resource Initiative and Society for Education (RISE), the preeminent national professional association dedicated to managed and accountable care financing and delivery. She is a sought after speaker on the national healthcare circuit in the areas of Quality, Star Ratings, Care Management, Member and Provider Engagement, and Revenue Management. Her recent consultancy roles have included assisting organizations create programs to address the unmet care management needs in the highest risk strata of membership, document their processes and procedures, achieve accreditation status, design and submit government program bids, institute corporate-wide programs and create communications strategies and materials. She possesses sophisticated business acumen with the ability to build consensus with cross-functional groups to accomplish corporate goals. Ms. Handshuh served as the Vice President of Managed Care Services at Central Florida Inpatient Medicine (CFIM). In this role, she provided leadership and strategy on CFIM projects and collaborations with physicians, risk entities, hospital health care systems, and health plans. CFIM is the largest Hospitalist group in Central Florida, with 70 providers discharging over 50,000 patients annually from multiple hospitals across two health care delivery systems and 24 skilled nursing facilities. At CFIM Ms. Handshuh previously served as the Vice President of Operations. Prior to those assignments, she worked with Precision Healthcare Systems as their Vice President of Quality Improvement. In that capacity, she led the IPA’s Quality efforts and collaborated with payers on implementing programs to move the needle on Quality and Star Rating initiatives. Ms. Handshuh also served as the Director of Corporate Program Development at Physicians United Plan. In this role, she led the Quality Management and Corporate Communications departments and spearheaded the development of innovative integrated technology solutions to drive business excellence and Star Rating achievement initiatives. For the past fifteen years Ms. Handshuh has taken an active role in redefining and implementing changes that have led to improvements and greater efficiency within Government programs and healthcare delivery. Prior to joining Physicians United Plan Ms. Handshuh was the founder of I-Six Creative. Under Ms. Handshuh’s vision and leadership, I-Six Creative provided expertise in the areas of managed Medicare benefit design, MSO/IPA operations, provider network strategy, new market launches, technology integration, corporate communications and quality improvement.  

Denise Harlow CEO

National Community Action Partnership

Denise Harlow, CCAP, Chief Executive Officer of the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP).

Denise Harlow serves as the CEO of the National Community Action Partnership, the hub that links the nation’s 1,000 local Community Action Agencies to each other and to leaders looking for solutions that connect Americans to greater opportunity. Community Action Agencies reach into 99% of America’s counties and provide life-changing services that build pathways to well-being and prosperity. With more than 30 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector, Ms. Harlow has a deep understanding of the complexities of the human services ecosystem and the challenges faced by community-based organizations and the families they serve.

Prior to her tenure at NCAP, Ms. Harlow was the CEO of the New York State Community Action Association and Sr. Vice President for Capacity Building for the New York Council of Nonprofits. She has a master’s degree in social work from the University at Albany where she was a Fellow on Women and Public Policy at the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society and holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Valparaiso University. Presently, Ms. Harlow holds the position of Board Secretary at the National Human Services Assembly and serves on the national advisory committee for First Nonprofit.

Amy Helwig, MD, MS, FAAP, CPE Chief Quality Officer 

Commonwealth Care Alliance

Dr. Amy Helwig currently serves as the Chief Quality and Population Health Officer at Commonwealth Care Alliance, an integrated health plan and delivery system headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. CCA specialized in the management of individuals with complex, chronic disease, disability, and serious mental illness. In this role, she oversees all quality of care and regulatory programs for both the health plan and provider facilities, population health, health equity, value-based care outcomes, and clinical education.

Dr. Helwig is recognized nationally for developing innovative programs in quality, safety and Health IT to drive value and improve patient outcomes. She has held numerous quality and care transformation leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of RTI International’s Commercial Health division, an industry leader in design and evaluation of value-based care programs; Chief Quality Officer and Vice President, Quality Improvement and Performance at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Insurance Services Division; and Deputy Director of the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, where she led the building and implementation of national patient safety event reporting and AHRQ’s Patient Safety Organization program. Additionally, while at US Health and Human Services, she was the Director, HIT Safety and Clinical Informatics and Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Dr. Helwig is board-certified in both clinical informatics and family medicine and a graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Haile Hernandez Head of Social Determinants of Health

Point32 Health

Haile Hernandez is a first-generation immigrant from the Dominican Republic. He is a MSW by training, with over 15 years of lived and professional experiences 

in the health care industry. He has a strong background in developing and restructuring Social Determinant of Health (SDOH) & Clinical Innovative programs for vulnerable populations with Complex Medical, Social, and Behavioral health needs. As the Head of Social Determinants of Health Strategy-Health Equity, he is responsible for building national solutions to address social determinants and social health disparities for members, patients, and employees, across our entire footprint, while also creating localized community-based solutions for specific communities, markets, and populations as part of our mission and commitment to improve Health Equity for all in our communities. Haile specializes in community health innovation. He builds strong partnerships with the community and develops programming to support both our operations mission and vision. He is skilled in identifying gaps and services and structural inequities and building both individual care plans and programming to empower the population we serve to overcome barriers to care and reach their goals. 

Prior to joining Point32Health, Haile spent more than seven years working as manager of Acute Care Services & Clinical Innovation at Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), where he gained leadership and operational experience through running highly visible community/clinical initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the commonwealth of Massachusetts responses to the global pandemic between 2020-2022. He was responsible for the leadership and oversight of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Isolation and Recovery sites for positive Covid-19 patients without a place to stay, and the temporary transitional housing program for homeless individuals as part of the response to the humanitarian crisis centered around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard in the city of Boston; to support the commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents struggling with housing insecurity, substance use disorder and behavior health needs. In addition, Haile ran a hospital to home program at CCA, whose structure allowed for clinicians embedded in high volume ED’s to divert patients to home using Mobile Integrated Health, thus avoiding ED visits and subsequent acute admissions.  

Dr. T Charles Howell Director of Workforce Development and Financial Coaching

Mon Valley Initiative

Rev. Dr. T. Charles Howell IV has served in numerous capacities in the city of Pittsburgh. His work as a teacher, mentor, and non-profit leader has been primarily to expand equity and opportunity through education, vocation, and ministry for under-served populations in and around Allegheny County.     Dr. Howell is the current Director of Workforce Development and Financial Coaching at Mon Valley Initiative located in Homestead, PA. There, he operates a program that serves over 400 job seekers annually, to attain career track opportunities that restore financial dignity.  He also works, alongside his wife, as co-owner and Director of Pastoral Counseling at Agape Wellness Centre. In addition to these fundamental roles, Dr. Howell serves as a community mediator, facilitator, minister and author. 

Nikki Hungate Quality Product Consultant

Bright Star Health Solutions

Nikki holds a Bachelors and Master of Science in Health Administration from Roberts Wesleyan College. She is currently an Executive Leadership doctoral candidate at the University of Charleston. Nikki has a passion for sharing knowledge, and also serves as an adjunct professor in the health sciences degree programs at Monroe Community College and Roberts Wesleyan College. In her free time she volunteers as the fundraising coordinator for the local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter in Rochester, NY. 

Palak Jalan, BDS, MPH Chief Operations Officer

Access Health

Palak Jalan, BDS, MPH is the Chief Operations Officer at AccessHealth located in the Greater Houston area. Before joining AccessHealth Ms. Jalan worked as a dentist, led global non-profit operations leader, and contributed to quality and operations at Texas Medical Center Institutions such as MD Anderson Cancer Center and UT Physicians.

Ms. Jalan gained her bachelor's degree in dental surgery and medicine at the AMC Dental College in India. She then gained a Master of Public Health degree in Health Management at the School of Public Health, University of Texas.

In her current role, she is responsible for leading strategic partnerships, marketing, grants, care-coordination, expansion, development and making the operations more community-centered. She is instrumental in leading teams in population health and value-based care efforts alongside convening and participating in multiple community collaboratives to conduct needs assessment, community focus groups and prioritizing efforts around COVID-19 testing and vaccines. She has a passion for digital transformation and collaborates with stakeholders to determine the most scalable solutions. Her efforts around the lack of sidewalks have led to a private foundation funding a city for a multiyear multimillion sidewalk project. Her expertise lies in strategic integration of social determinants of health into clinical practice and leading teams to achieve health and quality improvement goals.

Ms. Jalan was awarded the Emerging Leader award by Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC) in 2019, and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) in 2020, for her successful endeavors in improving Population Health. Palak is a member of Chief, American Public Health Association (APHA) and Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. She is also a graduate of Fort Bend Leadership 2019 class and Fort Bend Excellence for Non-Profit Leadership 2020 Class.

With her career spanning many different countries, Ms. Jalan is very experienced in working with diverse cultures and is well equipped to work with the culture and linguistically diverse populations that use AccessHealth’s services.

Meryl Katz Executive Director of Medicaid Compliance

Kaiser Permanente

Jenn Kerfoot Chief Strategy & Growth Officer

DUOS

Jenn brings her deep understanding of the complexities and nuances within the Medicare Advantage & Value-Based Care landscape to their work at DUOS, where they lead business development, go-to-market strategy, and marketing. By leveraging data-driven insights and market intelligence, they spearhead the development of tailored products and services that cater to the unique needs of Medicare Advantage plans and deliver unparalleled value to clients and beneficiaries alike; previous leadership roles include FarmboxRx, Excelera Health, and NationsBenefits. Beyond her role at DUOS, Jenn actively contributes to the industry's progress as a thought leader leveraging expertise and advocacy for innovative healthcare practices to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality.

Adam Kohlrus, MS, CPHQ, CPPS Partner and Chief Health Strategist

Do Tank

Adam Kohlrus, BA, MS, CPHQ, CPPS is an experienced healthcare consultant and business designer with DoTank Health.

He has worked for more than a decade with hospitals on issues such as readmissions, hospital acquired conditions, patient safety, population health and health equity. In leading state and federally funded quality improvement grants for the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, Adam has experienced the impact design thinking inputs can have in traditional healthcare settings.

He received his Bachelors of Arts in Social Psychology at Loyola University with a minor in Peace Studies and a Master’s of Science in Health Sciences with a concentration in Public Health at Western Illinois University.

Adam also served in the Peace Corps as a Community Health volunteer in both Swaziland, Africa and Guyana, South America before working at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, DC. Through his work abroad and domestically, Mr. Kohlrus has demonstrated proficiencies in quality improvement, community development, project management, curriculum development, and data analytics.

Rachel Landauer Clinical Instructor- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation

Harvard Law School

Rachel Landauer (she/her) is a Clinical Instructor at the Center for Health Law and Innovation of Harvard Law School. Her work primarily focuses on technical assistance and policy advocacy to support partnerships and programming that break down silos between the health care and social services sectors. Rachel is especially passionate about building the capacity of organizations, through resource development, trainings, and other tools, to navigate health care regulatory and compliance matters such as patient privacy laws as they apply to interventions that address health-related social needs. 

Rachel graduated from UCLA School of Law in May 2016 as a member of the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, and with a Master of Public Health degree from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Prior to joining the Center, Rachel was an associate at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. She is a licensed member of the California Bar. 

Amy Lasher System Administrative Director, Community Impact

Adventist Health

Yolanda Lawson, MD, FACOG Executive Director, Maternal Infant Health

HCSC

Yolanda Lawson M.D, Board Certified Obstetrician- Gynecologist, is the Executive Medical Director of Maternal Infant Health, HCSC. She is a Board-Certified Obstetrician- Gynecologist with 20 years of clinical expertise in women’s health.
Dr. Lawson earned her medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, completed internship at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and completed residency at St. John Hospital & Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan.
As a seasoned leader and strategist, she is the 124th President of the National Medical Association. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, member of the Texas Medical Association, and she is a delegate for the Dallas County Medical Society.
Dr. Lawson makes frequent appearances as an invited speaker, panelist, and moderator for various forums to discuss health equity, health disparities, and maternal health. She is also a contributor to several medical publications.
With a focus on education, community and empowering women she utilizes her leadership positions to advocate for women’s health and the awareness and elimination of health disparities.

Alison LeBlanc Executive Director of the Child Health Equity Center

UMass Memorial

Marci Lesko Chief Operating Officer

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

Marci Lesko serves as Chief Operating Officer at United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and is grateful for the opportunity to improve lives and strengthen communities every day. Marci joined United Way in 2006 and has become integral to the executive leadership team, having previously served as the organization’s Vice President of Community Impact, Executive Vice President, Chief Impact Officer and Corporate Secretary. She was appointed COO by the Board of Directors in 2023 and will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer starting in June 2024. With a graduate degree in organization leadership and an outstanding track record of turning donor investments into lasting
results, Marci has transformed key areas of the organization including impact, grants, data, communications, human resources and technology. She has been a national leader in Collective Impact, which she brought to the region in the early 2010s; she started the highly successful and nationally recognized Community Schools model in the Lehigh Valley, and she developed the results-based investment strategy United Way continues to follow today. In addition to being a proud member of United Way Tocqueville Society and long-time member of United Way Women United, Lesko serves on several boards and is affiliated with many community improvement efforts such as the Lehigh County Suicide Prevention Coalition, as Board Chair for Pennsylvania’s Family Support Alliance, as Chair of LINC, as Board Chair of Enduring Keys, Inc., and as a committee chair of the Concourse Club of Palmerton. Lesko has won several distinguished awards for her work, including the Human Relations Commission (2005), The Donley Award for Children’s Advocacy (2016), Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania Take the Lead Award (2017), Community Achievement Award/Woman of Influence Award from Lehigh Valley Business (2018), the PBS39 Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award (2018) and led United Way to receive the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Community Leadership Award (2021).
Lesko holds a Bachelor of Science in community health education from Illinois State University (1999) and a Master of Professional Services in organization development and change management from Pennsylvania State University (2022).

Brian Li System Director Community Health Strategic Initiatives

CommonSpirit Health

Brian Li is the System Director of Community Health Strategic Initiatives at CommonSpirit Health, where he leads initiatives that address the social, physical, and mental needs of community members through community-based partnerships. Prior to CommonSpirit, Brian worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center in operations. In his free time, Brian enjoys running, biking, traveling, volunteering, and eating pie. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Claremont McKenna College and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.    

Suyanna Linhales Barker, DrPH Chief of Programs and Community Services

La Clinical Del Pueblo

Prior to serving as La Clínica’s Chief Program Officer, Dr. Linhales Barker served as La Clínica’s Senior Director of Health Equity and Community Action. Dr. Linhales Barker has always believed that healthcare is a fundamental human right and has focused her career on ending health disparities related to poverty and discrimination. As the Chief of Programs and Community Services, she is responsible for overseeing the design, implementation and evaluation of programs that are culturally and linguistically grounded. In 2015, Dr. Linhales Barker was awarded the Distinguished Community Advocate Award by the District of Columbia Primary Care Association. She holds a Doctorate in Public Health from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and a Master’s Degree in Social Psychology from the State University in Rio de Janeiro. 

Angie Lockwood Sr. Mgr, Health Care Quality, Quality and Compliance Operations

Aetna Clinical Solutions

Jo Ellen McNamara VP of Housing + Health Partnerships

National Equity Fund

Alyssa Meller Chief Operating Officer

National Rural Health Resource Center

Alyssa joined The Center in December 2013 and brings over ten years of Managed Care Medicaid and Medicare experience. This experience includes care coordination, program development, quality improvement and collaboration with local and state partners. In addition to overseeing operations at The Center, she directs community work in the Delta region through the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) Program. This helps rural health care organizations understand the importance of community outreach, engagement, care coordination, and how it is an essential part of the value-based payment models.  

At The Center, Alyssa oversees program operations related to the organization’s mission, including human resources, finances, and technology. She works with the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors to develop The Center’s strategic plan and oversees implementation of the strategic plan, budget development, marketing, service line development, and monitoring of the balanced scorecard. 

Alyssa serves on the Board of Directors for Minnesota Rural Health Association and Men As Peacemakers. She received a Master of Administration in Management with a concentration in Organizational Development from The College of St. Scholastica and holds a double major from the University of Wisconsin Superior in Psychology and Sociology. 

Mary Messarra, MDiv Director of Crisis Ministry

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry

Mary Messarra serves as the Crisis Ministry Director at ABCCM working with a network of over 300 multi denominational churches, 250 volunteers, local businesses and community organizations to support families and individuals who are facing a crisis.  Chair of the Buncombe Emergency Assistance Coordinating Network, Mary leads and facilitates over 30 agencies addressing the needs of Buncombe county residents through collaboration and communication to improve and support our growing community.  Mary has implemented the Healthy Opportunities Program at the four Crisis Ministry locations in the Food and Housing Domains of the program, where SDoH are screened, evaluated and action steps are taken to provide transformative resources to our Medicaid - Managed Care members.  ABCCM began in 1969 and has 7 ministries that served 1 in 11 of our neighbors in Buncombe county in 2023.   

Sarah Mills Senior Manager, Health Systems

Share Our Strength

Sarah is the senior manager of health systems at Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need.  In this role, she supports partnerships and projects at the intersection of healthcare and food access, identifying and amplifying solutions for integrating nutrition assistance into preventative care.   Prior to this, Sarah was employed at Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit, MI where she oversaw the growth and expansion of Gleaners’ initiatives with health care providers to address food insecurity in patient populations, with the goal of improving health outcomes and healthy food access.   Sarah is a registered dietitian and has a Master’s degree in Public Health from Michigan State University.   

DeAnna Minus-Vincent Founder and Managing Partner

The Outcomes Architect

DeAnna Minus-Vincent has tackled the toughest issues plaguing our country today—equity, poverty, housing, health, and education, just to name a few.  DeAnna has created programs that move individuals along their pathway, but believes that the most sustainable change happens when we work across sectors to re-engineer fractured systems; in so doing we can exponentially impact the lives of many and create sustainable change.  DeAnna is noted for not just programmatic and policy prowess, but for scaling organizations—she has transformed entities and dramatically increased revenue, service regions, as well as product mix.

Drawing from a broad range of lived and learned experiences, DeAnna Minus-Vincent serves as the Founder and Managing Partner of The Outcomes Architect, a strategic advisory firm that works across sectors to optimize leadership, leverage relationships, and gather insights to improve organizational results with an aim to develop efficient and cost-effective solutions that empower companies and the communities they serve. Immediately prior to this role, DeAnna served as Executive Vice President, and inaugural Chief Social Justice and Accountability Officer for RWJBarnabas Health where she was charged with addressing the social drivers of health and developing organizational change. She has also worked as the Chief Engagement Officer at Benefits Data Trust (BDT), a national social change organization and the Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

DeAnna serves as an advisor for many national and local entities, as well as on the Board of Trustees for the Corporation for Supportive Housing. DeAnna has been recognized for her success in business, equity, and health care. Most recently, Ms. Minus-Vincent was recognized by the NJ Chamber of Commerce for her innovative business practices.

DeAnna received a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Morgan State University, a historically Black university. DeAnna is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership and Innovation.  Born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, DeAnna lives in Lumberton with her husband, Daryl and daughter, Darynn.

Tracy Muday, MD Executive Medical Director

Regence BCBS of Oregon

Dr. Muday has been a medical director working in a variety of payer settings for nearly 20 years. She previously practiced full-spectrum Family Medicine. Prior to joining Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon, Dr. Muday held leadership positions with Providence Health Plan, CareOregon, Oregon Health Authority and Advanced Health. She has a passion for community health, evidence-based medicine, and ensuring high-quality medical care is available to all.

Dr. Muday received her medical degree from the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University and completed her Family Medicine residency at Saginaw Cooperative Hospitals in Michigan.

Robert Mundy Health Policy Analyst

Maryland Department of Health

Rob Mundy is a Health Policy Analyst with the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program at the Maryland Department of Health. He helps Marylanders living in institutions like nursing facilities transition safely to the community setting of their choice. Before his work with the Maryland Department of Health, Rob was a trauma therapist for 9 years. He has worked with refugees, trafficking survivors, people leaving radicalized hate movements, children in the adoption process, and people with psychosis. His work centers on compassionate program development and equitable healthcare access for all.  
 
His presentation reviews methods to support someone in crisis while still prioritizing your own needs as a helper. Helping roles include direct care, information and referral, eligibility, program development, and program supervision. Participants will learn how to justify their own self-care in settings that often encourage their neglect, strategies to access resilience, and ways for programs to build self-care into their policies and structures. The presentation centers the experiences of its participants. Feedback and conversation is more than welcome

Vivian Nava-Schellinger, J.D. Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community Impact

The SCAN Foundation

Vivian Nava-Schellinger, (she/her/ella), is Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact for The SCAN Foundation. A proud Tejana, originally from the border region of El Paso, Texas, Vivian has utilized her legal training to efficiently and successfully merge business strategy, organizational management, and health policy to ensure that all communities have access to the information they need to make informed decisions. At The SCAN Foundation, Vivian directs TSF’s DEI strategy and operational implementation internally among staff, leaders, and the Board. Additionally, she works across program teams to incorporate TSF’s community impact work within its Advancing Health Equity in Aging Initiative.

Vivian received her Juris Doctorate from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She is also a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, where she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Legal Reasoning and a Master of Science in National Security Studies.

Vivian enjoys running, gardening, and listening to Chicano oldies as well as spending time with her husband, Jake, and their four dogs.

Zeev Neuwirth, MD Internal Medicine Physician Podcast Host, 'Creating a New Healthcare'; Lecturer

Yale School of Public Health

Dr. Zeev Neuwirth is a healthcare executive whose most recent role was Chief Clinical Executive for Care Transformation at Atrium Health. He has over 15 years of clinical practice experience and 15 years in clinical operations, population health and strategic services. In 2017, Zeev launched the award-winning 'Creating a New Healthcare' podcast. A major focus of this podcast and Dr. Neuwirth’s current work is in Health Equity. In 2019 he published his first book, Reframing Healthcare - a Roadmap for Creating Disruptive Change. In September 2023, he published a second book, Beyond the Walls - the Megatrends, Movements & Market Disruptions Transforming American Healthcare.  This latest book has a significant focus on health equity. Dr. Neuwirth attended Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He obtained a Masters of Healthcare Management at the Harvard School of Public Health where his most recent book, Beyond The Walls, is now a required part of the curriculum. He also lectures at the Yale School of Public Health.

Len Nichols Non-Resident Fellow, Health Policy Center

Urban Institute

Len M. Nichols is a non-resident Fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., Professor Emeritus at George Mason University, and President of NS Ideas, LLC, a health policy consulting firm.  In all three capacities he continues to expand his recent work on financing social determinants of health.  From 2010-20 he was the Director of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics (CHPRE) in the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason.  He has been intimately involved in health reform debates, policy development, and communication with the media and policy makers for 25+ years, after he was Senior Advisor for Health Policy at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Clinton Administration.   Since that time he has testified frequently before Congress and state legislatures, published widely and spoken to a large number of hospital associations, physician groups, boards of directors, and health policy forums around the country.  Len is often asked to provide technical expertise to members of Congress, governors, state legislators, local policy officials, and private health-related organizations.  He has consistently sought to add moral arguments to the technical health policy debate.   

After OMB Len was a Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute, Vice President of the Center for Studying Health System Change, and Director of the Health Policy Program at the New America Foundation.   Len served on the Board of Directors of the National Committee for Quality Assurance from 2006-2021.  Len has been an advisor to the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, the Virginia Health Reform Initiative, the Virginia Center for Health Innovation, an Innovation Advisor to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at CMS, and has been the Principal Investigator on PCMH evaluation studies as well as more general ways to use payment and delivery reform to achieve triple aim and health equity goals.  Len served on the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC), which advises the Secretary of HHS on Alternative Payment Models, from 2015-2019.  Len’s research focus now is on incentivizing collaborative financing of social determinants of health. Len’s first job was teaching economics at Wellesley College from 1980-1991, where he became Associate Professor and Economics Department Chair, after receiving his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois in 1980.  Len got his B.A. from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, in 1975, and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Arkansas in 1976. 

Kelly Nielsen Director, Omaha Pathways Community HUB

Omaha Community Foundation

Kelly's professional education, training and passion is in public health and she is committed to driving programs and systems change to achieve healthier, more equitable communities. As Director of the Omaha Pathways Community HUB (PCH), an initiative of the Omaha Community Foundation, Kelly works collaboratively with a network of cross-sector partners to build the first PCH in Omaha with the goal of improved community access to social, medical and behavioral resources and positive impact on maternal health disparities. Previously, Kelly served as the Division Vice President of Strategy and Healthy Communities for the Midwest Division of CommonSpirit Health and applied her background in public health and strategic planning to align and drive the organization’s effort to solve for patient, community and business need in order to meet the mission of addressing social justice and creating healthier communities. Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA; her Master’s of applied behavior analysis at George State University; and her Master’s of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.

Aaron Novotny, Ph.D. Director of Healthcare Economics and Outcomes

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield

Dr. Aaron M. Novotny serves as an adjunct professor at both the University of Arkansas Sam Walton College of Business and at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Faye Boozeman College of Public Health. Dr. Novotny has published papers in Social Desirability and in Developmental Economics. His division at ABCBS concentrates on methodologies and research through advanced statistical techniques to support healthcare intervention strategies and optimize outcomes. The most visible projects from his group are (1) Birds of a Feather: analysis on how health shocks for a particular family member shift healthcare utilization for other household members; (2) understanding the social determinants of health on utilization patterns and disease progression rates; (3) examining the impact behavioral health services have on physical health cost of care and chronic condition maintenance; and (4) maternal analysis to understand birth outcomes for underserved populations to reduce infant and maternal mortality in AR.

Jennifer Obadia Senior Director, Health Care Partnerships

Project Bread

Dr. Jennifer Obadia is the Senior Director of Health Care Partnerships at Project Bread. Since 2020, she has developed, implemented, and evaluated Project Bread’s Flexible Services Program, which provides comprehensive food assistance for individuals referred through the health system. Prior to joining Project Bread, Jennifer spent six years as the Eastern US Director of Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Food in Health Care Program. In that role she worked with hospitals and healthcare systems to improve the food environment of the communities in which they were located. Other past roles include community organizing to improve the accessibility of farmers markets in Boston and serving as adjunct faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Dr Obadia received her BA from New York University, MS in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Maryland at College Park, and her doctorate in Nutrition from Tufts University. 

Brent & Kyle Pease Ironman Champion Triathletes

Kyle & Brent Pease BiographyDiagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, Kyle Pease had grown up supporting his athletebrothers Brent and Evan from the sidelines. While his condition limited his ability to playsports, it didn’t dampen Kyle’s passion forthem, nor did it stop the Pease family fromincluding Kyle in everything. Neither he nor his family treated his disability like a tragedy,and instead used it to fuel his dreams and spirit; from rolling his wheelchair up Bridal VeilFalls in Yosemite National Park to zipping down snow-covered Colorado slopes, there wasnever a dull moment with the Pease family. Where there was a wheel, there was a way-toadventure!Upon witnessing Brent complete his first IRONMAN competition, Kyle asked Brent a lifechangingquestion: “Can people in wheelchairs do IRONMAN?”. Brent never hesitated withhis response; the answer was a resounding “YES!”.Who would ever have imagined that a man who has never taken a step under his ownpower would be blessed with the opportunity to compete in a sport that is defined as “threepartsports discipline comprising swimming, cycling, and running”? You’ve never met KylePease (or a Pease brother) then!Starting from scratch with no running chair, learning from others, and through trialand errorand a ton of hard work, Kyle and Brent Pease have since completed more than 75 racestogether, including four IRONMAN triathlons and countless other endurance races. Finally,after years of hearing “NO” from their KONA applications, they were awarded theopportunity to participate in the 2018 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.This is historic, as they are the first ever set of brothers and the second ever “push-assistteam” to compete in the iconic KONA triathlon.Brent and Kyle speakto audiences across the nation, sharing their message of inclusionand define what is truly possible. Their presentations interweave both their perspectives ofPEASY life and their KONA quest, and Kyle and Brent recount the experiences that shapedthe undying bond that has resonated between them since childhood; through their strengthand tenacity audiences are inspired to stand up, face their own challenges and embracechange. Their motivational message and humble style can show audiences ways tocontinually challenge themselves and build the life they dream of.As well as being avid racers, they also founded and manage The Kyle Pease Foundation;for many years the foundation has empowered athletes with disabilities to compete in themulti-sport and endurance world, and promotes success for young persons with disabilitiesby providing assistance to meet their individual needs through sports and competition.Since its inception, it has championed more than 100 athletes across 60 events and hasmultiple programs including grant and scholarship opportunities, assistance purchasingadaptive sports equipment, and participation in educational campaigns.

Sheila Phicil Director of Innovation, Health Equity Accelerator

Boston Medical Center

Sheila Phicil is a dynamic trailblazer and currently holds the role of Director of Innovation at Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) Health Equity Accelerator. In this capacity, she spearheads transformative initiatives that propel the cause of racial health equity forward, while also tackling the intricate web of social determinants of health. With a remarkable track record spanning 15 years in healthcare, Sheila has expertly navigated policy, strategy, and operations within diverse clinical, research, and teaching environments. Sheila has a robust educational background, holding dual Master’s degrees in Public Health and Financial Economics, accompanied by the respected title of Certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Beyond her formal accomplishments, Sheila's perspectives are deeply rooted in her lived experiences as a first-generation Haitian American woman. With an unwavering belief in the power of system design to shape outcomes, Sheila is resolutely committed to reimagining care systems that cater to and uplift vulnerable and marginalized populations. 

Cheria Poole Director of Healthcare Strategy and Innovation

LexisNexis Risk Solutions

With almost two decades of experience consulting for SaaS companies, Cheria Poole is very familiar with customer technical needs and how to improve their front-facing interfaces. Cheria’s past ten years have been focused on identifying customer use cases and solution architecting for a myriad of industry partners navigating their way through professional services. As the Director of Healthcare Strategy and Innovation, Cheria’s hands-on customer experience provides critical insight into healthcare market needs.

Davina Prabhu Vice President, Operations of Ambulatory Care and Community & Population Health

NewYork-Presbyterian

Spencer Pratt Chief Growth Officer

NourishedRx

Katrina Pratt-Roebuck, MBA Senior Director of Systems Integration

Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services- City of Philadelphia

Kim Prendergast VP, Policy

Community Care Cooperative

Kim Prendergast is Vice President for Policy for Community Care Cooperative (C3), a Federally Qualified Health Center-led Accountable Care Organization (ACO) based in Massachusetts. In this role, she leads the ACO’s strategic and policy initiatives to support FQHCs to leverage value-based payments and address social drivers of health to improve health equity and health outcomes. Kim joined the organization in 2019 and was the architect of C3’s work to build partnerships across the healthcare and social services sectors, designing and implementing their $20M Flexible Services program through partnerships and contracts. Today C3 partners with more than twenty-five community organizations and has supported more than 15,000 C3 members with interventions to improve food insecurity, housing instability, and homelessness.

Prior to joining C3, Kim spent two decades addressing food insecurity and health with Feeding America through roles in public policy, nutrition programs, and healthcare partnership consulting. Kim is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a BS in Dietetics from Purdue University and has a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. She lives in the Boston area.

Maria Ramirez Perez, MPH NC Medicaid; North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Program Manager, Healthy Opportunities Pilots

Indie Rodriguez Patient Perspective

Marc Rosen System Director Community Impact, Operations, and Partnerships

CommonSpirit Health

Marc Rosen is the System Director of Community Impact and Partnerships at CommonSpirit Health, where he leads strategies that address the social needs of older adults through community-based partnerships. Through community-based, vendor, and health system roles, Marc has spent the past fifteen years working on clinic-to-community partnerships focused on patient’s chronic diseases and social needs. While in the SDoH vendor field, Marc led efforts to establish performance measurement frameworks for social care networks as well as efforts to evaluate the impact of those networks. His time in the community-based sector includes nearly seven years at YMCA of the USA, where as Director of Healthcare Integration he helped broker cross-sector partnerships that integrated Y’s into care pathways and reimbursement models. In his free time, Marc enjoys traveling, watching Chicago sports, and volunteering as a Spanish language medical interpreter at a free healthcare clinic in Chicago. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Latin American Studies and Spanish and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago.    

Hillery Ross-CCHW, B.S., CLE Community Programs Manager

Access Health

Charlotte Safrit Breast Cancer Advocate and Content Creator

Meet Charlotte, a breast cancer survivor, activist, keynote speaker and passionate cancer advocate reshaping the landscape of patient support. Charlotte was a caregiver for her Mother while she battled breast, thyroid and small cell lung cancer. At the age of 42, Charlotte had her first mammogram and began fighting her own battle with breast cancer. Her unique perspective as both caregiver and survivor gives her a unique patient perspective.

Charlotte's journey is not just a story; it's a powerful call to action. Through her compelling narrative, she sheds light on the urgent need for early detection and better access to breast imaging for pregnant and lactating individuals.

Through her lived experience, Charlotte proudly identifies as a cancer myth buster, challenging misconceptions and highlighting the pivotal role patients play in contributing and collaborating  as a consumer in a healthcare system they must learn to navigate. Her dedication lies in providing resources crafted by patients, for patients—a practice which fell to the wayside during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

With a focus on dispelling myths surrounding cancer and transforming healthcare practices for patients, Charlotte imparts her own story in an engaging and captivating way to audiences, clinicians, and healthcare leaders to underscore the critical need for change.  

Charlotte speaks to audiences of all sizes through her advocacy work, sits on advisory panels for health systems and is a content creator at CharlottePXP. In her spare time, she runs a Mom's group, a foodie group and breast cancer support group. She loves to paint, kickbox, belly dance, play with her kids, sing karaoke, bake and volunteer for her community.

Athena Santos Executive Director, Quality Performance and Value

AdventHealth Primary Care Division

After 24 years serving in the U.S. Coast Guard as a Medical Administrator, Independent Duty Corpsman and Educator, she commenced work in 2014 in the civilian sector at a Florida based Clinically Integrated Network, focused on value-based care delivery models and population health. Now as the Executive Director of Quality Performance and Value in the newly formed Primary Care Network, Athena is leading a team focused on capturing all aspects of quality and value to improve population health and patient experience, while reducing the cost of care through efficiencies in workflows. As an educator and public speaker, Athena consults with a variety of customers on optimizing workflows to maximize revenue while improving consumer and provider experience.

Athena has earned a Master of Public Health, along with a Master of Psychology and a Master of Management and Organizational Leadership. She recently concluded a Harvard course in Global Health Delivery, is an MBTI and PPS practitioner, AAPC certified in CPC, CRC and CDEO, and is an ordained minister. She has two adult children, two grandchildren, five cats and a dog and makes her home now in Florida.

Maggie Schano Director, Community Benefit Organization Engagement

Highmark Health

Maggie Schano joined Highmark Health in 2018 and served in various roles from strategy to operations in health care.  Prior to joining Highmark, she drove execution of strategies for Fortune 500 companies in marketing, sales, procurement and operations.  In her current role as Director, SDOH Network Management, Maggie and team leveraged lessons learned and evolved the sustainability of the Social Care Network.

Alexandra Schweitzer Executive Fellow

Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative

Alexandra Schweitzer is an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative, focused on the drivers of success in health and social care integration at individual, program, and system levels. She is also Associate Faculty at Ariadne Labs, a research center and innovation incubator.

Alexandra specializes in leading complex and transformative new ventures from strategy through successful execution. She has built and led new programs and products in a wide range of organizations, including state government, Medicaid and Medicare managed care organizations, Accountable Care Organizations, and a national primary care start-up. She has held numerous non-profit board leadership positions and currently chairs the board at Goddard House, an assisted living residence which also brings participatory arts to underserved communities.

Alexandra has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, a B.A. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University, and an executive MBA from Columbia University.

Megan Shreve CEO

SCCAP

Megan Shreve serves as the CEO of South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) in Pennsylvania. With over three decades of service in the health and human services field, Megan has been a driving force in implementing numerous programs and community engagement initiatives aimed at eliminating poverty and helping individuals reach their potential. During her career, she has also made impactful contributions in the private sector, consulting on business processes, policy change, and implementation strategies, around large-scale change management projects. Megan's passion for creating positive change and her ability to bridge sectors has allowed SCCAP to be an effective partner with health systems and managed care organizations around the Social Determinates of Health, helping local individuals create a thriving, healthier future and bringing increased attention to the need for system/policy level solutions. 

Michael-Sean Spence Managing Director, Community Safety Initiatives

Everytown for Gun Safety

Michael-Sean Spence is the Managing Director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown for Gun Safety, where he brings 16 years of experience in public safety to lead Everytown’s efforts to reduce gun violence and improve community safety.  Since joining Everytown, Michael-Sean founded the Everytown Community Safety Fund, created the Everytown Community Training Institute, and launched CityGRIP.org, an online, responsive clearinghouse of gun violence prevention strategies to fuel issue awareness and advocacy among Americans.      Michael-Sean formerly served as a Special Assistant at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Before joining state government, Mr. Spence served as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City’s Queens District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted intimate partner violence and white-collar crimes. He served as a valued member of the 24/7 response team, served as counsel to the New York City Police Department’s 113th Precinct, and recovered more than $5MM in restitution to New York State, leading to a Unit Citation at the New York City Detective Investigators’ Awards.     Michael-Sean holds a Bachelor’s in Marketing from the R.H. Smith Business School at the University of Maryland-College Park, a J.D. from the Howard University School of Law, and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. 

Celina Sullivan, JD, BSHCM Regional Director, Medicaid

Kaiser Permanente

Celina M. Sullivan, JD, BSHCM, has over 24 years of healthcare leadership experience. She has led highly successful and thriving Quality Programs, Population Management, Chronic Conditions, and Outpatient Service Lines teams across California, with a focus on Medicaid patient populations.

Recently, she successfully established clinics and sustainable workflows focusing on health equity, specifically, increasing the rate of controlled hypertension for Black & African American patients, and diabetes control for Latinx patients.

Celina’s volunteer work centers around helping women and children access resources to rebuild their lives. She has volunteered at Building Futures, a shelter committed to providing safe refuge for women and children. Celina also volunteered at La Casa De Las Madres, an organization committed to helping domestic violence survivors, and providing crisis response.

Mikal Sutton Managing Director, Medicaid Policy

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA)

Mikal Sutton is Managing Director of Medicaid policy for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of thirty-four independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies. BCBSA covers 114 million lives across all lines of business in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Twenty-four of the BCBSA Plans operate a Medicaid program in twenty-nine states and Puerto Rico with more that twelve million Medicaid members.  

With almost 15 years of experience Sutton has collaborated with state and local agencies, organizations, and external stakeholders to build substantive policy solutions. Sutton oversees detailed Medicaid policy analysis and strategies to support BCBS companies, in collaboration with BCBSA’s legislative, regulatory, research and modeling teams. Since joining the Association in 2020, Sutton has worked on regulatory and policy development on a wide variety of program issue areas including maternal health, social determinants of health, long-term services and supports, expansion of Medicaid and the Public Health Emergency unwinding.  

Sutton has worked on Medicaid policy in Illinois, policy initiatives with the Illinois Department on Aging and as a director of grant operations for a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant focused on growing the nursing pipeline in Illinois. Sutton has a master’s degree in political studies and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Illinois at Springfield.  

An Illinois native, Sutton earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and master’s degree in political studies from the University of Illinois, Springfield. She enjoys outdoor activities, listening to music and traveling with her family.  

Kate Tullio Associate Vice President, Health Equity

CareSource

Kate has dedicated her career to improving the health of populations in Ohio. She is currently the Director of Health Equity for the Ohio market at CareSource, Ohio’s largest Medicaid Managed Care company. In her role, Kate oversees the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of health equity efforts into quality, clinical, and population health initiatives. She also partners to inform population health strategy and target quality improvement areas, including the design of clinical programs that improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities. She helps inform decision-making around best payer practices related to disparity reductions, including the provision of health equity and social determinant of health resources and research to leadership and programmatic areas. In her role she supports the CareSource mission by helping the most people possible. 

Kate joined CareSource in June 2021. Prior to joining CareSource, She also has held positions at Cleveland Clinic, The James Cancer Center at Ohio State University, and Ohio Department of Health investigating health disparities in cancer, diabetes, depression, and infectious disease. Kate also serves as the Co-Chair for the Ohio Partners for Cancer Control (OPCC), where she also helped initiate the OPCC Health Equity subgroup. An author of more than 50 scientific publications and frequent speaker at conferences and events, Kate earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from John Carroll University and master’s degrees in public health (epidemiology) and health information management from The Ohio State University. 

Kate resides in Cleveland with her husband, daughter, and dog. In her free time, she enjoys running, teaching fitness classes, traveling, and cooking. 

Brian Urban Director of Innovation and Emerging Markets

FinThrive

Brian Urban has a deep skill set in health promotion and product development for rare disease and senior populations with Large Health Plans and Specialty Pharmacy. 

Urban has served as a speaker on such topics for the Alzheimer’s Association, Obediah Cole Prostate Cancer Foundation, Cigna Corp and Utica University Institute for the study of integrative healthcare. Urban is also the host of the FinThrive Podcast, Healthcare Rethink. 

Urban has received a Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology-Health Promotion, Masters of Business Administration in Market Development, a Masters in Public Health and is currently completing a dual MS/PhD at Brown University. Urban is currently a research-fellow sponsored by a Robert Wood Johnson Grant supporting Utica University public health research in Upstate New York. 

Kellie VonStein Associate State Director Outreach and Advocacy

AARP PA

Kellie VonStein is an Associate State Director for Outreach and Advocacy for AARP Pennsylvania where she leads the development of programs, initiatives, and community partnerships in the Lehigh Valley, one of Pennsylvania’s target communities.  In this pivotal role, Kellie cultivates community partnerships and is responsible to oversee the recruitment, organization, and retention of a team of local AARP volunteers who assist in the delivery of in-person and virtual programs, workshops, and community events geared at improving the lives of older adults throughout the Lehigh Valley.  Kellie also serves as the lead liaison for the State Office’s veterans, military and their families outreach by coordinating a variety of Salute to Service activities, including delivering relevant resources on key issues, such as caregiving, fraud, and financial security and collaborating with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation Caregiver Fellows Program to support military family caregivers.  Prior to joining AARP, she served the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over seventeen years. 

Linda Waddell Family Faculty Supervisor

Children’s Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility

Linda Waddell, Family Faculty Supervisor, has been employed at Children’s Specialized Hospital as a Family Faculty since June of 2008.     On behalf of the hospital, Linda has presented with her team on Patient and Family Centered Care at regional, national, and international conferences.  Most recently, Linda was a member of a parent panel that presented at the 2023 NJAAP Annual Conference & Exhibition:  Parenting a Medically Compromised Child: Navigating Info Sharing.  Linda has participated in various hospital committees such as Patient Experience, Environment of Care, Schwartz Rounds Steering Committee, Experience Council, and Workplace Violence Committee. Linda is also a member of The International Pediatric Rehabilitation Collaborative since 2022.   Linda was the 2019 recipient of the Lester Z. Lieberman Humanism in Healthcare Award and received the IPFCC 30th Anniversary 2022 Partnership Award on Social Determinants of Health.  Linda received her Bachelors of Science degree in Business Management from Kean University. Linda works side by side with senior leadership and hospital staff to support and assist patients and families at our hospital.  Linda’s first experience with Children’s Specialized Hospital began in 1999 receiving multiple services for her newborn, medically fragile baby.  Linda is most appreciative for the opportunity to serve and support the patients, families and staff at Children’s Specialized Hospital by utilizing her experience as a caretaker for her special needs daughter. 

Maria Welch, MPH, CHES Program Manager

Geisinger

Maria Welch is a Program Manager with the Geisinger Steele Institute for Innovation.  Maria has been with Geisinger for over 10  years and currently leads the clinical and health plan organization’s Social Determinants of Health strategy, that includes the identification of social needs, connection to local community resources and the creation of new programs to support members and patients.  Additionally, Maria leads the Health Equity strategy for the Geisinger Health Plan.  to A native of Pennsylvania, Maria earned her B.S. in Biology from Juniata College and her M.P.H. from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Rick Whitted CEO

US Hunger

Rick Whitted is the President & Chief Executive Officer at U.S. Hunger, a global nonprofit whose mission is feeding families today and uniting them to a healthier tomorrow. In total, U.S. Hunger (USH) has provided over 150 million meals to families in need. Before his appointment as CEO in March 2020, Rick served on USH’s board of directors. Rick has overseen the launch of several of the organization’s initiatives: expanding home delivery of fresh produce into its supply chain; aligning its Full Cart® program with the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health equity framework; and, developing a cloud based SaaS solution that uses A.I. and Machine Learning to identify root causes of food insecurity in the U.S. and provide real-time actionable intelligence on social determinants of health (SDOH). Rick is a graduate of Stetson University and Nova Southern University where he received a BA in Political Sciences/American Studies, and an MBA, Business Administration and Management, respectively. Prior to joining USH, he spent 27 multi-faceted years in banking; focusing on small business, government and non-profit banking. He is also an accomplished author and speaker with expertise in leadership, workplace culture and individual and team development. 

Pamela Wilbon Interim Executive Director

Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc.

Pamela Jeneé Wilbon started her career at Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. (PCSI) as a Direct Services Case Manager. She was later promoted to several leadership positions within the organization including Interim Executive Director. Ms. Wilbon has been an integral part of this organization for 25 years. She has been in the field of social services for 32 years working in mental health, family therapy with at-risk and adjudicated youth, and advocating for impoverished individuals and families.     She has attended various training courses and is currently enrolled in the Society for Human Resource Management certification program. She is also a certified John Maxwell trainer. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Sociology/Anthropology and a minor in Psychology from Carlow College. She attained her Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.    

Aviva Woog Director, Health Equity & Drivers of Health

Centene Corporation

Aviva Woog is the Director of Community Engagement and Impact at WellCare of NJ. In her role she is responsible for the execution of the Community Connections program focusing on connecting the community to sustainable social services and supporting community-based organizations to participate in healthcare delivery for government sponsored beneficiaries. Her work also focuses on community engagement and innovation, developing and implementing collaborative partnerships with external stakeholders to support the social drivers of health that impact health outcomes of communities. She also championed, created and chairs WellCare NJ’s internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council leading internal committees focused on Cultural Competency in Healthcare Delivery, Provider Diversity, Stakeholder Engagement, and Employee Inclusion. She chairs Centene corporation’s Employee Inclusion Group ABILITY, for persons with disabilities, caregivers, and allies. She continues to demonstrate her commitment to the needs of the community. Before joining WellCare, Ms. Woog has held community relations positions at Healthfirst NJ and Amerigroup. 

Prior to her fifteen years in Healthcare, Ms. Woog worked in community programs supporting initiatives for youth as Program Officer for Supplemental Education Services after school programs throughout New York City through the White House “No Child Left Behind” initiative and at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark, as the Director of Prevention Programs where she was integral in creating gang awareness, prevention, and intervention programs for Newark families and the Boys and Girls Clubs movement.   

Ms. Woog has received recognitions and awards for her dedication to the communities she serves. Aviva is a graduate of Loyola University, holds a certificate for DEI Practices from Cornell University continuing education, and completed the McKinsey Accelerated Management Program. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Raritan Bay Area YMCA. 

Rebecca Yanniello Vice President, Population Health

Regal Medical Group

Becca Yanniello is a passionate and skilled leader in population health management. She holds a Master of Public Health degree and a certificate in Population and Reproductive Health from UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Italian from the University of Southern California. She is currently the Vice President of Population Health at Regal Medical Group, a leading managed care organization in Southern California. Prior to that, she worked in the government and non-profit sectors, developing, implementing and overseeing health programs and services for vulnerable populations. Becca recently published A Kids Book About Public Health (A Kids Co) in 2023. 

Alla Zilbering Medicare National Medical Director for Health Equity

Cigna HealthCare

Dr. Alla Zilbering is Cigna Medicare’s first National Medical Director of Health Equity.  Her passion is working toward a U.S. health care system that provides high-quality, cost-effective care for all. She advocates for members and providers to eliminate health disparities by developing strategy and identifying solutions.

She continues to serve at the Market Medical Executive for Cigna Medicare markets in the Northeast and Pennsylvania. She is a board-certified internist with over a decade of clinical experience, specializing in medically underserved and complex urban populations. She has been with Cigna Medicare for 10 years and has in depth knowledge on improving patient health outcomes, quality- based incentive programs, and containing medical cost.

Dr. Zilbering was born in Russia and grew up in New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Haverford College, attended University of Buffalo School of Medicine, and completed her residency training at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. She is currently pursuing her MBA.