Francis Collins is a physician-scientist. Under his direction, the Human Genome Project produced the first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. From 2009 to 2021, Collins served under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. His contributions to science, medicine, and society have been recognized by the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton Prize. His most recent book is The Road To Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust (Little, Brown and Worthy, 2024).
U.S. National Institutes of Health (2009–2021)
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science
Chris is a trusted advisor to executives navigating high-stakes moments at the intersection of innovation, organizational strategy, and leadership transformation. He brings deep expertise in artificial intelligence, executive learning and development, and strategic change, helping leaders harness emerging technologies to enhance competitive positioning, reap new benefits and organizational capability, and drive enterprise value and impact.
Before co-founding Stillpoint, Chris served as Head of U.S. Operations at Edelman Smithfield, as well as the founder and leader of its global AI advisory practice. He has counseled Fortune 100 companies, global asset managers, frontier technology firms, and leading AI research organizations—often in complex, regulated environments where trust, ethics, and public interest are paramount.
Chris regularly designs and delivers workforce learning and development programs on artificial intelligence, innovation readiness, and responsible technology use. He has developed custom programs and strategy sessions for senior leadership teams from leading global businesses to large non-profit organizations, helping translate complex AI capabilities into accessible, role-relevant tools that support culture change, productivity, and strategic value.
He is a sought-after speaker and moderator on topics ranging from AI to financial services and public policy. Chris has hosted strategy sessions for Fortune 500 C-suites, and moderated and spoken at high-profile events including Reuters NEXT, Momentum AI, MIT Technology Review’s EmTech, Axios Experts, and forums hosted by The Economist and Semafor.
Chris began his career in policy and public affairs, holding senior roles at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and on Capitol Hill. He holds an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence & Business Strategy from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS, MAMSE, is the chief academic officer and executive vice president of Advocate Health, chief executive officer and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, and executive vice president for health affairs at Wake Forest University. Freischlag is also a practicing vascular surgeon, specializing in the treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Throughout her career, Freischlag has held numerous national leadership roles, including serving as the 2021-2022 president of the American College of Surgeons. She currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of American Medical Colleges and on the National Institute of Health Clinical Center Research Hospital Board, Aga Khan University Board of Trustees and chair of the Health Services Committee, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Board of Visitors, and the University of Illinois Health Advisory Council.
She mentors students, residents and young faculty and is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from her expertise in vascular diseases, teamwork and patient safety, leadership and work-life balance to women succeeding in health professions. Freischlag has dedicated her career to serving as a role model for her students, a respected colleague across health professions, a strong community leader and a national voice for improving health and health care.
Jennifer C. Goldsack is the founder and CEO of the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to advancing digital medicine to optimize human health. Her work focuses on practical approaches to the safe, effective, and equitable use of digital technologies to improve health, healthcare, and health research.
Jennifer serves on the boards of the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) and Sage Bionetworks. She is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Genomics and Precision Health, serves on the World Economic Forum’s Digital Health Action Collaborative, and is an Executive Committee Member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS).
She earned a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Oxford, a master’s in the history and sociology of medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the George Washington University.
Zarah Akrami is a Research Analyst at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), where she leads the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) and the Cochrane Scholars Program. In her role, she supports evidence-based initiatives that advance the quality and accessibility of clinical practice in otolaryngology.
Zarah has contributed to several key projects, including the second update to the Clinical Practice Guideline on Adult Sinusitis Update, published in July 2025. She has also played an integral role in developing Plain Language Summaries for the Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Surgical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Adult Sinusitis Update, ensuring that patients and clinicians can better understand and apply evidence-based recommendations.
Zarah completed her undergraduate degree at American University, where she was part of a three-year Scholars Program focused on Public Health. She went on to obtain a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from the George Washington University, where her graduate research focused on stillbirth.
Amy Ardisana, MPH, PMP, is Director of Registry Account Management, responsible for building and sustaining strategic partner relationships while guiding the IT platform and managed services that underpin national clinical registries and quality initiatives. Amy brings positivity and clarity to complex work, helping teams launch smoothly, migrate safely, and translate analytics into improvement. She also amplifies the voice of the customer within internal teams to ensure solutions remain aligned with partner needs. With 10+ years in healthcare spanning cardiovascular disease, cancer, primary care and epidemiology, she focuses on practical, data-informed solutions that elevate care.
Angela Babb, MS, CAE, APR, CDMP, is a seasoned executive leader with expertise in integrated marketing communications, membership growth, digital strategy, and association management, currently serving as Chief Operations Officer at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). She oversees membership engagement, communications strategy, technology services, and project management, contributing to the organization’s global impact and award-winning initiatives. Babb’s background includes a decade as an award-winning radio journalist and advanced credentials in association management, public relations, and digital marketing, complemented by multiple academic achievements and executive leadership programs.
Natalie Boden, MBA, is a Vice President in the Division of Integrated Communications at the American College of Surgeons (ACS). She has more than 30 years of experience in multimedia marketing and communications for medical associations. In addition to the ACS, she has held executive leadership roles at The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Radiological Society of North America, and The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. Natalie also has led public relations efforts in science news for the American Medical Association and The Journal of the American Medical Association. Prior to her career in medical associations, Natalie was an award-winning news anchor and reporter for several radio stations in Chicago, including WBBM-AM (CBS) and WGN-AM (Tribune). She earned her BA degree with honors from Columbia College Chicago and her MBA with academic distinction from Lewis University in Romeoville, IL. She is a co-author on a dozen peer-reviewed research papers and abstracts, all on cardiothoracic surgery topics.
Felix Brann is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pharos, a San Francisco-based company he established in December 2023. He leads a mission-driven team of clinicians and AI researchers focused on enabling hospital quality teams with AI.
Pharos’s platform automates hospital quality reporting and helps staff identify the root causes of avoidable harm. The company’s AI automates the abstraction of quality measures, process adherence, and patient safety indicators from both structured and unstructured medical data. Beyond retrospective reporting, Pharos also extracts data live from patient journeys, helping teams take immediate action on critical issues like sepsis mortality and hospital-acquired infections. Pharos is backed by $5m in funding from Felicis, General Catalyst, Moxxie, and Y Combinator.
Prior to founding Pharos, Felix was a key leader at Vital, where he served as Vice President of Data Science. His work there included pioneering efforts in medical record summarization using LLMs and achieving a world-leading F1 score for sepsis prediction, which has been published in top-tier medical journals and lays the foundation for Pharos’s mission.
Before his time in healthcare technology, Felix worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in London as a Vice President in Quantitative Research
Selena E. Briggs, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, is an attending otologist, neurotologist and skull base surgeon holding board certification in both Otolaryngology and Neurotology. Dr. Briggs obtained her bachelor’s degree for the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, followed by a surgical internship and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at the University of Minnesota, and a fellowship in neurotology at New York University as the first Black female board certified in the subspecialty. Dr. Briggs earned an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She also earned a PhD from the University of Minnesota for her research on prevention and management of age-related hearing loss. Her areas of research interest include age-related hearing loss, cochlear implantation, quality improvement in healthcare (namely venous thromboembolism prevention and reducing healthcare disparities), wellbeing and clinical applications for artificial intelligence.
Dr. Briggs is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), American College of Surgeons (FACS) and a fellow of the American Neurotology Society (ANS). She has served in leadership within multiple national organizations. Dr. Briggs was elected to the Audit Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNSF) where she served as chair of the committee. She has also served on numerous committees of the AAO-HNSF including the Imaging Committee, and Humanitarian Efforts Committee. Dr. Briggs has served as chair of the Geriatric Committee of the AAO-HNSF and co-chair of the taskforce that developed the MIPS age-related hearing loss measures for CMS on behalf of the Academy. She has served on the ANS Continuing Education Committee. She also serves on the Executive Council for the American Society of Geriatric Otolaryngology and is the current President.
Dr. Briggs is the current President of the MWHC Medical & Dental Staff Board. She is also the Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology and Medical Director of Audiology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She is a Professor within the Department of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Relative to quality and safety, she currently serves as the chair of the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Committee and as a safety officer for the Department of Otolaryngology. She is the chair-elect of the AAO-HNSF Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Committee and serves on the Guidelines Taskforce. She was recently appointment chair of the MedStar National Rehabilitation Network QSPAC and elected President of the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Medical Board. She has earned the CPHQ (Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality) certification via the National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and an Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety and Leadership via a collaboration between Georgetown University and MedStar Health. She has a commitment to quality and safety in healthcare, improving the patient experience and outcomes for all.
Megan Brunner, MBA, leads strategic engagement efforts as the Associate Executive Director of Marketing and Membership at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Megan completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Illinois Gies School of Business and her Master of Business Administration degree from North Park University with focuses in nonprofit management and operations management. Early in her career, she developed a user experience focus while guiding nonprofit and for-profit clients in digital projects. She has brought this UX focus to her association work for the past 10 years at AAPM&R, now leading marketing and membership for the Academy.
Alana Burke, MPP, MPH is a director of Quality Services at the National Committee for Quality Assurance, where she oversees the implementation of contracts and grants with federal, state and foundation partners. Projects she has overseen include measure development, health equity and behavioral health research, and implementation of quality programs. Ms. Burke has subject matter expertise in health care policy, development and implementation of performance measurement specifications, quality rating systems and consumer understanding of health care quality information. Prior to joining NCQA, Ms. Burke held positions in health care philanthropy, provider groups, and the federal government.
Bio coming soon
Chelsea Cipriano, MPH serves as Managing Director of the Common Health Coalition, which brings together more than 350 health organizations committed to improving the US health system through better partnerships between healthcare and public health.
Chelsea previously served as Executive Director of Government Affairs and Deputy Public Information Officer for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Chelsea also served in the New York City Mayor’s Office, first as a Health Policy Advisor and then as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of Management and Budget, and with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Prior to her career in public health, she worked as an EMT in New Orleans and earned her Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Tulane University.
Employment:
2024-present Pharos
2022 2020-2021 2016-2018 Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer
Meta Reality Labs, New York
Research Scientist in Computational Modelling, CTRL
6-month PhD internship in generative machine learning
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London
Senior House Officer, Neurology
PhD pause due to Covid-19 Pandemic
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / University of Newcastle
Academic Foundation Programme
Project: Causal modelling of cortico-cerebellar circuits during sleep
Education:
2019-2024 Imperial College London
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Award
PhD (completed – awaiting full award)
Linear and non-linear blind source separation in neurophysiological time series.
Supervised by Professor Dario Farina
2018-2019 Imperial College London
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Award
MRes in Neurotechnology (Distinction)
2012-2016 University of Warwick
MBChB in Medicine and Surgery
2009-2012 University of Warwick
BSc (Hons) in Physics
Upper Second-Class Honours
Dr. Cook is an Associate Professor and the Vice Chair of Practice Transformation in the Department of Radiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She completed her doctoral work in quantitative image processing in the Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL). During her residency, Dr. Cook developed RADIANCE, only the second open-source radiation exposure monitoring tool used worldwide in 2010. She is an active member of multiple radiology societies, including the ACR, SIIM, AAR, and RSNA. She received one of the 2011 E. Stephen Amis, Jr. Fellowships in Quality and Safety from the ACR. She was one of the four AAR GERRAF fellows for 2013-2015. In 2020, Dr. Cook was inducted into the College of SIIM Fellows and received the inaugural Dr. Ruth Dayhoff Award for the Advancement of Women in Medical Imaging Informatics. She is the past Chair of SIIM. She became a Fellow of the AAR as well as of the ACR in 2025. Dr. Cook currently enjoys an academic appointment in radiology that combines her clinical work in cardiovascular imaging with her research and innovation interests in imaging informatics. She is the director of the Imaging Informatics Fellowship in the Department of Radiology, as well as the clinical director of the 3-D and Advanced Imaging Laboratory. In her various roles, she is pursuing innovative engineering and imaging informatics approaches to enhance the delivery of patient care in radiology and improve radiologists’ workflow.
Maura Davis is Vice President of Education Strategy & Member Initiatives at the American Gastroenterological Association, where she leads efforts to advance professional development and educational excellence for gastroenterologists nationwide. With 15 years of experience in continuing medical education, Maura has built her career at the intersection of clinical practice, education innovation, and physician engagement.
Throughout her career, Maura has been passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that actually change practice. She’s worked to modernize CME delivery and ensure that educational programs meet the evolving needs of healthcare professionals.
Beyond her work at AGA, Maura is co-founder of She THRIVES: A Network for Women in CE/CPD, an organization dedicated to supporting and amplifying women leaders in the continuing education space. She’s committed to building community, fostering mentorship, and creating pathways for the next generation of women in medical education leadership.
Maura’s passion for education extends beyond medicine. She has served as PTA president twice and actively advocates for education equity and the most vulnerable students in her county. She believes that every child deserves access to excellent learning opportunities.
Adam is the Director of Advocacy, Access, and Impact at the American Epilepsy Society, where he leads initiatives to advance equitable access to care, workforce development, patient partnerships, and advocacy. He serves as Secretary of the CMSS DEI PPG.
Adam’s career has spanned higher education, clinical research, independent consulting, and nonprofit leadership, unified by a commitment to health equity and social impact. Before joining AES, Adam was Director of Medical School Education at the University of Chicago and previously served as a Lecturer and Academic Director at the University of Michigan.
A first-generation college graduate, Adam earned his BA and MPH from the University of Michigan, subsequently completing a policy fellowship in Washington, D.C. with the Gill Foundation. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in public health at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Erica is the Chief Learning and Engagement Officer with the American Society for Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). She has oversight of the Membership, Meetings, and Education teams with a special interest in strategic planning and global engagement opportunities. She received her BA in Journalism from The Pennsylvania State University, MS in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and MBA from The George Washington University.
Teresa Fraker is the Executive Director of the Obesity Medicine Association. Previously, she was the Program Administrator for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in Chicago, IL.
Teresa has held certifications in both oncology as well as bariatric nursing and she has worked in multiple clinical and healthcare administrative areas over the last 35+ years of her career in the areas of women’s health, breast cancer, perinatal services and bariatric surgery. Prior to her role at ACS, she worked as a hospital administrator with oversight of multiple hospital-based outpatient clinical departments.
Professionally, Teresa is extensively involved with the Colorado Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). In addition, she actively participates in the Baldridge Program as a Senior Examiner, having served three different states in this capacity.
Ms. Gibson joined ABMS in 2021, bringing 20 years of experience and leadership in policy, practice transformation, and patient engagement. She leads the ABMS federal and state advocacy strategy, develops national strategic partnerships to promote high standards for the medical profession, and engages with patient advocates, hospitals, federal agencies, and policy makers to promote patient safety and quality specialty care through ABMS certification.
Ms. Gibson came to ABMS from Booz Allen Hamilton, where she served as lead faculty for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) National Learning Network contract. She worked with 2,900 participating primary care practices, along with commercial payer partners, health information technology vendors, and other key stakeholders to identify and share high-impact care delivery strategies in value-based payment arrangements.
Previously, she spent six years at the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative as Chief Operating Officer, working with national health care leaders and patient advocates to improve primary care and strengthen relationships between patients and physicians. For the American Academy of Pediatrics, Ms. Gibson directed all activities, national programs, and staff in the Division of Children with Special Needs Department of Community Pediatrics and served as the Director of the National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs. Additionally, she spent her early career leading child health learning collaboratives in Nebraska and providing hands-on nursing care to pediatric patients in Illinois and Ohio.
Ms. Gibson earned her master’s degree from the Northern Illinois University School of Nursing in Dekalb, Illinois and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Certified Change Management Practitioner.
Director, Quality Measurement and Improvement
American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
David Godzina is the Director of Quality Measurement and Improvement at the American Gastroenterological Association, where he leads national efforts to develop and implement clinical quality measures and indicators, based on evidence-based guidelines, and quality improvement strategies. With more than 16 years of experience guiding cross-functional teams in complex, matrixed environments, David has established expertise in federal policy engagement, quality measurement, and the operational integration of quality programs across large health systems.
At AGA, David oversees the development and stewardship of clinical measures and quality reporting tools used across CMS programs and commercial payer environments, and he has managed both strategic and grant-funded quality improvement initiatives. He has led the creation of national CME-accredited education programs, data-driven decision-making frameworks, and stakeholder partnerships that have expanded AGA’s organizational reach, enhanced physician engagement, and supported continuous quality improvement across diverse care settings.
David also serves as a subject matter expert and organizational representative to multiple federal agencies and national collaborative bodies, where he has contributed to policy design and the evolution of performance measurement in value-based care.
He holds an MBA and a Master of Arts in Government with a specialization in national security from the Johns Hopkins University, as well as bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from Indiana University.
Ms. Grupe currently serves as the Senior Director of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)’s Continuing Education division and has been with the Society since 2000. She currently serves as Past-Chair of the CMSS CPD Directors Professional Peer Group was most recently Chair of the CMSS Code Update Task Force. She has served as a volunteer surveyor for the ACCME since 2013 and previously served as Chair of the Accreditation Review Committee as well as on the Steering Committee of the 2017 and 2021 Learn to Thrive Meetings. Ms. Grupe is also an ACEHP Fellow and has received both the Rising Star Award and a President’s Award. Educationally, her graduate work focused on adult education, with a Master of Science in Vocational and Technical Education from Virginia Tech. She has served as faculty for multiple ACCME workshops and meetings, ACEHP sessions, CMSS meeting sessions and CMEPalooza sessions.
Director of Ethics, Compliance, and Documents at the American Thoracic Society
Mr. Harmon is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austion and has worked with the American Thoracic Society for the past 15 years. He currently serves as the director of the Ethics Department within the society. The department reviews and develops policies that pertain to organizational, biomedical, and research ethics, ranging from topics on industry interactions, professional decorum, compliance/mitigation with accrediting and external governing bodies, and setting standards/best practices across the ATS.
AMIA – Vice President, Information Technology
Eduard (Eddie) Herman is a leader with a tech bend. In +25 years of experience in the world of technology across multiple industries, Eddie has experienced success both as a leader and a subject matter expert. He is currently leading AMIA through a Digital Transformation positioning it for growth in membership and influence. He takes pride in a service approach to his career and is an avid student of leadership and public speaking.
Tod Ibrahim is Executive Vice President of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), which represents more than 21,000 kidney care professionals in 141 countries. Prior to this position, he was founding Executive Vice President of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, Director of Public Policy for the Association of Professors of Medicine, Director of Communications for Robert Betz Associates, and Staff Assistant for US Representative Thomas C. Sawyer (D-OH). A two-time recipient of George Washington University’s Jenny McKean Moore scholarship for poets, Tod has a master’s degree in liberal arts from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland at College Park.
A recipient of the President’s Award from the American Association of Kidney Patients, Tod is also a former President of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, a coalition of more than 50 societies representing over 800,000 US physician members. He is the author or coauthor of many articles, including “Stepping into the Void: Remunerating, Valuing, and Understanding Nephrologists”; “Maintenance of Certification, Self-Regulation, and the Decline of Physician Autonomy”; “Overcoming Barriers in Kidney Health—Forging a Platform for Innovation”; “The Kidney Research Predicament”; “The Future Nephrology Workforce: Will There Be One?”; “Globalization: A New Dimension for Academic Internal Medicine”; and “Centers, Institutes, and the Future of Clinical Departments.” Tod also coauthored a chapter for the Guidebook for Clerkship Directors entitled “Understanding, Navigating, and Leveraging US Medicine.”
Violaine Iglesias is the CEO and co-founder of Cadmore Media, the leading platform for streaming, hosting, and distributing academic and professional video and audio. With a vision to help purposeful content stand out in a world of mindless video, she has built Cadmore into a trusted partner for societies, publishers, and associations seeking to deliver media with the same integrity and impact as their written scholarship.
Since founding Cadmore in 2018, Violaine has led the company’s growth into an award-winning, ISO 27001-certified organization serving more than 45 clients worldwide. Under her leadership, Cadmore has pioneered technology that combines the user experience of modern streaming with the rigor of scholarly publishing—making it easier for organizations to create, manage, and share credible, accessible, and searchable media at scale.
Before launching Cadmore, Violaine spent over a decade in scholarly publishing and video delivery, including leadership roles at Sage and GVPi. Drawing on her deep expertise in metadata, workflows, and digital content strategy, she is an advocate for raising the standards of media publishing across academia and the non-profit sector.
Violaine is passionate about ensuring that video and audio serve education, research, and professional development—not algorithms. Through Cadmore, she continues to champion purposeful media: helping trusted organizations deliver the right content, to the right audience, at the right time, in the right way.
Ndifreke Ikpe manages and supports CMSS’s Encoding Equity project, working closely with the Advisory Committee, task forces and work groups, assisting with the grantee learning collaborative, and supporting alliance summits and other events.
Ndifreke is engaged in all CMSS programs and activities related to health equity, establishing and nurturing partnerships to foster collaboration in addressing racial disparities. She works with specialty societies on shared learning programs and best practices that support health equity, clinical guidelines and algorithms, research, informatics, and publishing. Ndifreke’s work helps CMSS and member societies build capacity around race-conscious clinical guidelines, and algorithms to better inform equitable clinical practice and clinical decision-making. Additionally, she contributes to project design and development, new program development, and development of grants related to health equity and other priority topics.
Previously, Ndi served as a senior associate at the Aspen Institute, where she supported the development and strategy for the institute’s Health Innovators Fellowship. She also served as a Maternal Mental Health Clinical Care Coordinator at the Joseph J. Peters Institute on developing strategies to improve mental health outcomes. Ndi holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Maryland.
Andrew Imholte, CAE, is the Director of Creative Services at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), where he leads the organization’s writing, design, and audiovisual teams. During his 15+ years with the AAN, he has played a central role in shaping the Academy’s brand presence across member communications, digital experiences, and large-scale events. Andrew holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from ASAE and brings a collaborative, strategic approach to brand storytelling in the medical association space.
Stephanie joined ASCO in September 2021. She leads the measure development team and is the staff lead for the Measures Steering Group (MSG) and the mCODE Executive Committee and Technical Review Group. The measure team works to develop, test and steward clinical quality measures (CQMs) and electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) for use in federal and commercial value-based payment programs. Prior to joining ASCO, Stephanie helped develop, launch and oversaw the College for American Pathology (CAP) Pathologists Quality Registry. Prior to ASCO and CAP, she spent 10-years with the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery where she oversaw the development of clinical practice guidelines and measures, as well their research grants program. Stephanie is based in Alexandria, VA, near the ASCO Headquarters.
Associate Director, Clinical Registries
American Academy of Dermatology
Toni Kaye, M.P.H., is a public health professional with more than a decade of experience advancing quality improvement and data-driven innovation across national medical specialty societies. As Associate Director of Clinical Registries at the American Academy of Dermatology, she leads strategic initiatives that harness clinical data to advance scientific research, drive quality improvement, and support emerging applications such as artificial intelligence in dermatology. Toni oversees the operations and strategic growth of DataDerm, dermatology’s premier clinical data registry, and was instrumental in launching the DataDerm research program to expand research and publication opportunities for AAD members.
Prior to her current role, Toni held positions at the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Medical Association, where she directed multi-stakeholder efforts to develop clinical quality measures, improve patient care, and inform health policy. Her work has consistently focused on using data to demonstrate quality, safety, and value in clinical practice, as well as supporting physicians in translating evidence into actionable improvement.
Toni holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is passionate about using clinical data to drive continuous improvement, foster collaboration, and advance patient-centered care across medical specialties.
AAPM&R Executive Assistant and Volunteer Director
Margaret Keating has been with the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation for over 16 years. She is AAPM&R’s Executive Assistant and Volunteer Director. In that capacity, she supports the CEO, the Board of Governors, the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Awards Committee. Margaret directs AAPM&R’s Volunteer Program and Future Leaders Program. Margaret has served as staff liaison to strategic planning processes, physician burnout/wellness discussions, and inter- organizational collaborative initiatives. Margaret’s unique legal background connects her to emerging compliance evolutions and governance challenges.
Chief Development and Operations Officer
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS)
Jason C. Keith, CAE, is a proven association leader recognized for his ability to build strategic partnerships, enhance organizational growth, and deliver measurable value to stakeholders. With a career spanning the association, corporate, agency, and rights-holder sectors, he brings a distinctive blend of strategic insight and creative execution to every initiative he leads.
As Chief Development and Operations Officer for the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), Jason oversees Revenue Development, Marketing and Communications, and Operations. In this executive role, he drives initiatives that expand reach, strengthen engagement, and advance the Society’s mission through innovation and collaboration.
Prior to joining ASCRS, Jason advised a diverse portfolio of national and international clients through a leading association management firm, providing expertise in strategic planning, business development, and performance evaluation. His earlier work in corporate engagement for a major health-focused charity and in sponsorship management for top-tier brands established his reputation for crafting partnerships that align business objectives with meaningful impact.
Renowned for his skill in differentiating organizations and sponsors through compelling messaging and strategic positioning, Jason consistently develops approaches that foster connection and drive results. A Certified Association Executive (CAE), he is valued for his multidimensional perspective, versatility, and commitment to advancing mission-driven success in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.
At the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), I have the privilege of serving as the Deputy Chief of Membership, where I guide our strategy and operations, oversee impactful member programs, and launch initiatives that harness technology and data to create better experiences for our members. I believe in always moving forward—whether that’s through innovation, continuous improvement, or keeping our goals aligned with our mission. I’m passionate about building strong, vibrant membership communities that make a real difference and impact at both the individual and organization level.
Leading the AAN Membership Team has allowed me to set strategic direction for several key areas: Member Engagement, Insights, Data, Member Services, and Global Strategy. I’ve also led the AAN Career Services team, helping members navigate their professional journeys. My leadership style is rooted in service excellence, making decisions based on data, and fostering growth and innovation. Over the 15+ years at the AAN, I’ve held a variety of roles, all with experiences that have shaped my expertise in membership strategy, analytics, operations, and stakeholder engagement. What motivates me most is advancing member value, championing digital transformation, and building strategic partnerships that help organizations grow and make a lasting impact.
Outside of the AAN, I’m committed to leadership and service in the broader association and nonprofit community. I proudly serve as the current Board Chair for Associations North, former Chair of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies Membership Directors Professional Peer Group from 2015 to 2018, and as a former member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) International Association Advisory Council from 2021-2024.
Jakub Konysz, MBA, IOM, CAE, is the founder of Global Navigators, a management consulting firm that helps U.S. professional societies enter new international markets and scale existing efforts. He partners with associations to design global engagement and growth strategies, assess needs and opportunities through market and member research, and build alliances with peer organizations and corporate supporters. The Global Navigators’ team spans Brazil, Spain, France, and the United States.
Jakub brings more than 20 years of progressive experience across nonprofit and corporate sectors. Most recently, he led the global programs team at a large Washington, DC–based medical society with a robust international footprint. His earlier roles include global strategy/outreach and communications positions with the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Association Executives. Prior to the association sector, he worked in the corporate arena for a global automotive financing company, an advertising agency, and a chamber of commerce/convention & visitors bureau serving 10 million annual visitors.
He holds an MBA from The George Washington University and a master’s degree in communication from Missouri State University, along with the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from ASAE and the Institute for Organization Management (IOM) credential from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He also completed graduate certificates in conflict and dispute resolution and in strategic management.
With extensive experience in leading ICU learning and quality improvement collaboratives, I am well-equipped to contribute significantly to the project’s success. Through my tenure at SCCM, I have led numerous quality improvement projects, focusing on critical areas such as ICU liberation, pediatric ICU liberation, and the implementation of team-based and patient-centered care. These efforts have engaged around 100 hospitals and yielded substantial improvements in clinical and process outcomes. This work has provided me with invaluable insights into the profound impact of evidence-based, multidisciplinary care on patient outcomes. Collaborating closely with esteemed investigators has enriched my understanding of how to effectively integrate quality improvement and research to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
As project manager, I have taken on various responsibilities, such as ensuring compliance with funder requirements, managing budgets and resources, overseeing data collection, and facilitating meetings with participants to exchange information, analyzing data, and addressing achievements and challenges.
In this grant, my role encompasses implementation, management, and reporting on behalf of SCCM. I will provide comprehensive support for study activities, and actively contribute to publications in collaboration with investigators. I will also facilitate the dissemination of project findings through coordination with SCCM staff. Furthermore, I am currently pursuing an implementation science certificate, which will enable me to apply this knowledge directly to the project. With extensive experience, a strong commitment to evidence-based care, and a proven track record of successful QI collaboratives, I am well-positioned to make significant contributions to this project.
I am Vishakha Kumar, MD, MBA, with extensive experience in medical research and healthcare quality improvement, dedicated to the advancement of critical care medicine. At the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), I currently hold the position of Head of the Department of Research & Quality, where I am responsible for overseeing the SCCM’s research, quality implementation, and clinical practice guidelines portfolio. I manage a wide range of responsibilities, from program development and implementation including SCCM/ESICM’s global Surviving Sepsis Campaign. I am also serving as a co- investigator on several significant grants funded by prestigious organizations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institute of Health (NIH), Janssen R&D Research, Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation and the CDC Foundation. I have been the Co- Principal investigator on the Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study COVID-19 Registry (VIRUS COVID-19 Registry), was one of the early ICU COVID-19 registries in the United States, which enrolled >90,000 patients from 306 sites from 26 countries globally over a 2-year period since its inception in March 2020.
I have co-lead Discovery, SCCM’s Critical Care Research Network for the past 7 years, and in the last 4 years have successfully managed numerous extramural grant funding within the Research & Quality department. I ensured that each research project complied with Society policies and procedures, and well as grant requirements, facilitating efficient operations and oversight of its project management teams, clinical and data coordination teams. I have actively sought out and secured grant funding, oversaw the implementation of research projects, and managed a dynamic team.
I take pride in my tenure at SCCM, where I my previous roles I have successfully managed a national quality improvement collaborative, which led to the implementation of the ABCDEF bundle in ICUs across the country. My efforts contributed to the publication of peer-reviewed articles on ICU Liberation and alarm and alert fatigue in the ICU.
I have a strong commitment to mentorship and professional development, which I incorporate into managing my team. I am also engaged in global strategic partnership for SCCM and engaging with organizations such as World Health organization, global critical care societies and regional partners. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of presenting my research findings at national conferences and seminars, and I have co-authored manuscripts >40 manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
Before joining the Society, I worked at Vizient Inc., as a Consultant in Advanced Analytics & Methodology, and prior to that as a Fellow in Quality and Performance Improvement. My responsibilities included developing clinical outcome reports for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as part of the Partnership for Patients initiative and serving as a primary contact for the use of National Quality Forum measures.
My diverse medical practice across Asia, and Eastern Europe, has enriched me with a profound comprehension of regional healthcare dynamics and health advocacy. This eclectic professional background underpins my unwavering commitment to elevating patient care by driving research, advancing quality improvement and education within the critical care medicine sphere.
Jacob Marzalik serves as the Director of Research & Quality at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), where he oversees initiatives that advance evidence translation into practice, including clinical practice guidelines, expert consensus statements, and the Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts grants and Cochrane scholars programs. He previously served as Senior Project Manager for Evidence-Based Practice at the American Psychological Association (APA), where he supported the development and dissemination of APA’s clinical practice guidelines as well as facilitated APA psychologist members’ review of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s draft systematic reviews and meta-analyses and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Forces’ draft recommendation statements and draft evidence reviews. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a master’s in clinical psychology and a strong commitment to advancing health equity and improving the use of evidence in clinical care.
Nancy Matthews serves as Vice President for Strategy and Development at ACP. She is responsible for leading ACP’s philanthropy strategy, pursuing innovation opportunities, and coordinating implementation of ACP’s strategic priorities. She has worked for ACP since 2005, previously leading the ACP Marketing department and Business Development. Ms. Matthews has an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, a BA from Connecticut College, and over 30 years of experience in marketing and new product development. Prior to ACP, Ms. Matthews worked in various consumer marketing roles for 13 years at American Express, culminating as Vice President, Interactive Services Marketing at the advent of the commercial use of the internet.
Julie McDowell is an award-winning communications leader with over 15 years of experience in strategic healthcare communications, advocacy, and crisis management. As Director of Strategic Communications and Digital Content at the College of American Pathologists (CAP), she leads integrated campaigns that drive revenue growth, elevate engagement, and shape public policy.
Julie specializes in leveraging digital media, storytelling, and data-driven strategies to enhance organizational reputation and influence key stakeholders. She launched CAP’s social media presence, achieving an average 30% year-over-year engagement increase, and created the award-winning CAPcast podcast. Her expertise spans high-stakes communications, complex regulatory environments, and cross-channel content strategy.
A frequent speaker and thought leader, Julie brings actionable insights on how to align email, social, and web strategies to maximize impact—particularly in advocacy and healthcare communications.
Jennifer Medicus, MBA is Practice Guidelines Director at the American Psychiatric Association where she leads the practice guideline team in developing, disseminating, and implementing practice guidelines and their derivative products. Prior to joining APA, Jennifer served as a program specialist developing appropriate use criteria at the American College of Radiology. She also spent ten years at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry working on reimbursement, systems of care, and health information technology policies in addition to developing clinical practice guidelines.
Nicole Napoli is a seasoned communications professional with nearly two decades of experience in health care public relations. As Director of Media Relations at the American College of Cardiology (ACC), she leads the organization’s efforts to share groundbreaking cardiovascular research and innovation with audiences around the world.
Since joining the ACC in 2012, Nicole has helped elevate the College’s voice as a trusted source for heart health news, guiding strategy through major scientific meetings, public awareness campaigns, and global health initiatives. Known for her ability to translate complex science into compelling, accessible stories, she is passionate about connecting clinicians, researchers, and the public around a shared goal of improving lives through better health.
Before joining the ACC, Nicole worked with the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), where she managed communications highlighting advances in cancer care.
Nicole earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Louisiana Tech University, where she developed a strong foundation in writing, media, and storytelling.
Chief of Staff & Partner, CURA Strategies
Thy-Ann Nguyen brings extensive experience in strategic communications, with a proven track record designing and executing impactful programs across the health care spectrum — from global corporations to mission-driven nonprofits. She has led integrated campaigns that combine earned media, thought leadership, product communications and stakeholder engagement to drive visibility and influence for her clients.
As Partner and Chief of Staff at CURA Strategies, Thy-Ann oversees key operational areas including talent development, marketing, finance, business development and organizational culture. She plays a critical role in ensuring the firm’s operational excellence through strategic planning, financial stewardship and staff development.
Thy-Ann currently leads CURA’s work supporting the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session media program and has previously directed communications for organizations such as the IgA Nephropathy Foundation, Behavioral Health Group and DynamiCare Health. Earlier in her career, she managed communications for global pharmaceutical and medical device clients including Novo Nordisk, Abbott Vascular and Philips Healthcare — focusing on home health care, clinical informatics, medical imaging, and cardiovascular care.
Angela Nicholas has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, including clinical research, bioinformatics, and strategic leadership across medical specialty societies. For the past decade, she has led the development and modernization of clinical data registries, accreditation programs, and quality measures—driving innovation in health policy and data strategy. As the Senior Director, Provider and Patient Associations at IQVIA, Angela specializes in aligning technology with mission-driven goals, enabling associations to maximize member value through scalable, interoperable registry solutions. She holds an MBA in Operations Management from Loyola University Chicago, a Doctor of Chiropractic from Palmer West, and a BS in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Genetics from UC Irvine.
Justine Nicholas, MS is the Senior Manager of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Community Engagement at the ASH Research Collaborative (ASH RC), where she leads strategy and implementation for community-centered research initiatives that elevate patient voice and promote inclusion in clinical research. In this role, she oversees a network of local and national Community Advisory Boards (CABs) that bring the lived experiences of individuals with SCD directly into the research process.
Before joining ASH RC, Justine worked at the University of Florida, where she led enrollment growth among historically underserved and underrepresented families in pediatric lupus and juvenile arthritis data registries for the Childhood Arthritis Rheumatology and Research Alliance (CARRA). She also developed mobile health engagement strategies for adolescents with uncontrolled asthma. Justine brings deep experience in stakeholder collaboration, research engagement, and program design, ensuring that research includes, and is guided by, the voices of the populations it serves.
Sarah Paliani, MPH is a Manager of Clinical Quality Improvement at the American Society of Hematology, where she leads quality improvement education and training initiatives and supports implementation of clinical practice guidelines. Prior to joining ASH, Sarah led HEDIS and eCQM measure development initiatives at the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). She also served as a practice transformation consultant with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, helping primary care practices achieve Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition and succeed in value-based payment programs. Sarah holds a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, with a certificate in Health Promotion Research and Practice.
Miguel Paniagua, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, FCPP has served as a course director, clerkship director and internal medicine residency program director at various points during his career in academic medicine prior to joining the staff of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), where he served as Associate Vice President, Assessment Operations & Medical Education. After eight years at NBME Miguel assumed the role of Vice President of Medical Education at the American College of Physicians (ACP) in 2022. Miguel received his undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University before earning his MD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago. Dr. Paniagua completed his internal medicine residency and gerontology & geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of Washington, Seattle. Dr. Paniagua practices consultative Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and is Adjunct Professor of Medicine in the faculty of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-editor of the fifth & sixth edition of “Constructing Written Test Questions for the Basic and Clinical Sciences,” The chapter on “Writing High-Quality Constructed-Response and Selected-Response Items” in Assessment in Health Professions Education (2nd ed.) and is the co-editor of the fifth edition of the “Essential Practices” (UNIPAC) palliative medicine book series.
Martha Z. Pascale, CPM, is a Certified Product Manager® with more than 15 years of experience in digital product development, specializing in medical education. An industry speaker for organizations like the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and .orgCommunity, Martha was recognized as a “Forty Under 40” honoree by Association Forum in 2022 and has earned the Strategic Leadership & Management Specialization from the Gies College of Business in 2025.
Christine Pokorny, M.S., is the Marketing Manager at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), where she leads marketing strategy for the Academy’s practice management portfolio, including the DataDerm® clinical data registry. Drawing on a broad background in strategic marketing and data product commercialization, she works cross-functionally across the Academy to define positioning, shape messaging, and deliver integrated campaigns that translate complex data capabilities into clear, compelling value propositions that drive adoption and growth. Chris played a key role in advancing the next generation of DataDerm, helping evolve it into a platform that supports clinical improvement, research, and innovation across dermatology.
Paul Pomerantz served as CEO of several health and medical associations before “retiring” at the end of 2023. His last full-time position was with the American Society of Anesthesiologists, a 55,000-member, $50 million association based in Chicago and Washington, DC. While there, Paul led the organization through a turnaround and a period of growth and heightened influence.
Paul has been active in the professional association community, having served as chair of ASAE Business Services, Inc, chair of the Association Forum, chair of the ASAE Foundation, and treasurer of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies. He is frequent writer and speaker on association leadership topics.
In 2024, Paul received his certification in Leadership Coaching in Organizational Performance and formed Pomerantz Consulting. In his consulting practice, Paul works with executives on professional and career development as well as team building and mediation. He also currently works with ASAE as Managing Director of the new Association Governance Institute.
Christine Presta, BS, FACEHP is the Director, Digital Learning at the American Academy of Dermatology. Over the course of her career, her work has focused on education delivered in digital formats. She has served as a speaker at various meetings including the Council for Medical Specialty Societies as well as the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (ACEhp). Christine is the former chair of the ACEhp Fundamentals Committee and former member of the ACEhp Professional Development Committee.
Mark Hyman Rapaport, MD, Professor, joined the department January 1, 2021 as new Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and CEO of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI). Dr. Rapaport serves as the second William H. and Edna D. Stimson Presidential Endowed Chair, University of Utah School of Medicine.
From 2011-2020, Dr. Rapaport was Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine and Chief of Psychiatric Services at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to that appointment, he was the Chairman of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a Professor of Psychiatry at both Cedar-Sinai and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He was the first holder of the Polier Chair while at Cedars-Sinai and also previously served as Director of the Mental Health Outpatient Clinical Research Center in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego. He served as the first Chair of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network’s Data Safety Monitoring Board and Chair of its Special Review Committee and also serves on NIH and NIMH Review Committees.
Dr. Rapaport has received peer-reviewed grant funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, The Stanley Medical Research Institute, the Veterans Affairs Research Board and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) Foundation. His research interests focus on human psychoneuroimmunology, psychopharmacology research, clinical trial methodology, quality of life, and complementary and alternative medicine. Dr. Rapaport has trained and mentored students, physicians and researchers in the fields of psychopharmacology, outcomes research, and psychoneuroimmunology for over 30 years.
Dr. Rapaport’s written over 200 articles for such peer-reviewed publications as The American Journal of Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology. He currently serves as Editor of Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, published by American Psychiatric Association Publishing, Inc. and the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Rapaport is a member of the American College of Psychiatrists, American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the Psychiatric Research Society and the Collegium International Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). He is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the CINP. Dr. Rapaport is board certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (1987-present).
Brian Reilly, MBA, CAE, is the chief executive officer (CEO) at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). In this role, he is responsible for executing the many programs of ASA as directed by its Board of Directors. Prior to his tenure as CEO, Reilly was ASA’s chief operating officer, where he directed the day-to-day operations of many of the Society’s departments, including Governance, Membership, Education, Meetings, Marketing and Communications, Publications, Information Technology, Residency Engagement, Component and Intersociety Relations, and Member and Product Experience. Reilly reshaped ASA’s organizational structure to be more responsive to its strategic plan, member needs, and market opportunities, and streamlined and focused ASA’s strategic planning process. Previously, Reilly held the position of ASA chief digital strategy officer and has been with ASA since 2016. Before joining ASA, he was chief digital officer at Crain Communications in Detroit.
Reilly holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and a Master of Business Administration in finance and organizational behavior from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He is a certified association executive (CAE), a credential of distinction from the American Society of Association Executives.
Theresa Miskimen Rivera, MD, DLFAPA, is the current President of the American Psychiatric Association; a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA); a member of the American College of Psychiatrists, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She served most recently as Medical Quality and Clinical Effectiveness Officer for Behavioral Health of the Department of Psychiatry at Hunterdon Medical Center, Flemington, New Jersey. Dr. Miskimen centered her public sector clinical practice on improving access and delivery of psychiatric care to bilingual and bicultural communities, developing and implementing intercultural clinical programs, and, most recently, serving as a consulting psychiatrist for a collaborative care practice in New Jersey. Her clinical work has informed research endeavors, resulting in numerous articles and lectures on diagnostic challenges and symptom phenomenology when treating racial and ethnically diverse populations, as well as ethical issues affecting psychopharmacological research among ethnic populations and the cultural aspects of patient symptomatology. For over 30 years, Dr. Miskimen has applied her passion and expertise to critical roles, including psychiatric clinical care, patient advocacy, community outreach, academic endeavors, and organizational leadership.
Dr. Miskimen has served in numerous community-facing initiatives and appointed positions under three past Governors of the State of New Jersey, addressing mental health issues spanning the intersection of technology and the delivery of psychiatric care, mental health in university settings, and youth suicide prevention. She has served as a Delegate of the APA to the American Medical Association Section Council on Psychiatry.
She is also a member of the Steering Committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Wellness through Equity and Leadership (WEL) program, which is tasked with developing a training curriculum and leadership experience for women physicians, mentoring participants, and establishing principles on equitable work environments.
Kate leads efforts to understand the most pressing clinical data management needs in research. Her career path from research coordinator to nurse practitioner and ultimately to her current role has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the clinical research landscape and the innovative solutions needed to advance medical knowledge and patient care — including the Q-Centrix Research Network.
Denise Shouse is a marketing and communications leader with extensive experience in health care, strategic planning, brand management, and digital marketing. As Deputy Chief of Marketing and Communications at the American Academy of Neurology, Denise develops and executes strategies that align with organizational goals and drive engagement across diverse audiences.
Her expertise spans market research, content creation, social media, public relations, and brand strategy. Denise is recognized for her ability to analyze market trends and consumer behavior, delivering targeted initiatives that achieve measurable results.
She holds a degree in Communications and certifications in digital marketing, product development, and customer journey mapping. Denise is committed to ongoing professional development and actively contributes to industry associations to stay current with best practices.
Known for innovative thinking and collaborative leadership, Denise consistently elevates brand presence and drives growth in the organizations she serves.
Dave is a Managing Consultant in Health and Life Sciences at PA Consulting, where his mission is harnessing the growing volume of health data to empower societies to help clinicians deliver high-quality patient care. Dave and his team partner with societies to deliver registry platforms that navigate the complex intersection of society missions, clinical workflows, regulatory compliance, and real-world evidence.
Prior to joining PA, Dave spent nearly a decade at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where he served as Head of Product for Terra, a cloud-based biomedical research platform, and later as Director of Corporate Relations managing transformative collaborative funding partnerships. He led consortium activities with NIH, academic institutions, and industry partners, developing expertise in multi-stakeholder governance and data-sharing frameworks. Dave previously held roles in product management at Microsoft and user-centered design consulting for medical devices and healthcare applications. Throughout these experiences, he has specialized in bridging academic research, clinical practice, and industry through technology platforms that enable meaningful collaboration. Dave holds a BA from Yale University.
Colleen Skau is the Assistant Director of Quality and Performance Measurement at the College of American Pathologists (CAP), where she oversees development, testing, and implementation of quality measures for pathology. Prior to joining the CAP in 2019, she was the Quality and Research Programs Manager at the American Urogynecologic Society, where she oversaw a research registry dedicated to FDA post-market review studies as well as a quality improvement registry that tracked patient satisfaction and adverse events in device implantation surgeries. At the CAP, Colleen has been involved in building measures for the Pathologists Quality Registry, a CMS-recognized QCDR, for various subspecialties of pathology. She leads efforts to improve data extraction from pathology reports to make quality measure reporting lower burden for participating practices and improve interoperability. She has also supported the CAP’s diagnostic excellence projects, including work on improving pathology reports for patients and quantifying diagnostic uncertainty for registry users. As well, she advocates on behalf of pathology regarding CMS’ Quality Payment Program, covering MIPS, APMs and ACOs. Colleen continues to work to raise the profile of pathology while improving the care pathologists provide to patients without increasing the burden on pathologists.
Cynthia Smith, MD, FACP, is Chief Membership and Engagement Officer at the American College of Physicians (ACP) and an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine. She received a medical degree from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is board certified in internal medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP).
After completing an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), she joined the medical staff of MGH and the faculty of Harvard Medical School. She relocated to the Philadelphia area and served as the internal medicine program director at Lankenau Medical Center where she also founded and directed the academic hospitalist program. She joined the ACP 14 years ago and has continued her work to advance medical education and support internal medicine physicians on national/international levels.
Her current responsibilities at the ACP include overseeing the Departments of Professional Development and Fulfillment and Membership and Member Engagement. In addition, she is an active participant in the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-being and recently served on the ABMS Advancing Practice Task Force.
She continues to see patients and teach medical residents at the University of Pennsylvania.
Thomas D. Tack is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than three decades of leadership experience driving growth, innovation, and strategic transformation across clinical registries, medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, and digital health. He currently serves as Sr. Director, Registry at the American College of Rheumatology, where he leads the organization’s qualified clinical data registry initiatives, overseeing research and analytic collaborations and all registry operations. Under his leadership, the registry is successfully redefining its value for members, launching new and innovative features and functionalities to support improved outcomes for patients with rheumatic diseases, all while achieving record-breaking growth and provider submissions to CMS.
Prior to his current role, Tom founded Beta Wave Consulting, advising early-stage and growth-stage companies on commercialization strategy and operational scaling. His leadership at Zipnosis, a virtual care platform, and Center for Diagnostic Imaging (now Rayus Radiology) helped accelerate national market expansion, launch more than 20 new service lines, and drive sustained revenue growth.
Tom began his career at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, where he held progressive sales and marketing leadership roles and led strategies that delivered more than 450% market share growth for key therapeutic brands.
Renowned for his strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and data-driven approach, Tom has extensive experience guiding organizations through change and growth in highly regulated healthcare environments. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Creighton University and has served on multiple nonprofit boards supporting healthcare innovation and patient care.
Kaitlyn Tholen is a member of the Research and Quality team at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), where she leads strategic initiatives to advance research, enhance care quality, and translate evidence into clinical practice. In this role, she oversees the CORE Grants program and plays an integral part in the development and dissemination of evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Kaitlyn holds a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and completed two years of medical training, during which she developed a passion for patient-centered care and the systems that shape healthcare delivery. Over the past six years, she has contributed to a diverse portfolio of otolaryngology research and remains deeply committed to leveraging research to promote equity, improve patient outcomes, and drive the advancement of the specialty.
Nicole E. Thomas is the director of the Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center for Evidence-Based Guidelines (the Center) at the College of American Pathologists (CAP) where she provides strategic leadership and oversight of the guideline department. She received her Bachelor’s in Biology from Kentucky State University and completed her cytotechnology training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. A Chicago native, she worked as a cytotechnologist while completing her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and joined the CAP in 2009. For four years she managed the Cytopathology Committee overseeing their Pap testing programs. In 2013 she became a manager in the Center and was quickly promoted to senior manager. Nicole has led more than seven expert panels and several medical professional societies through the process of developing evidence-based guidelines to advance the specialty of pathology and laboratory medicine. In her current role as director, she supervises six direct reports who contribute to the portfolio of more than 20 guidelines.
Mike Tilkin, M.S., is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Executive Vice President for Technology at the American College of Radiology (ACR). In that capacity, he leads an information and technology program that supports a broad portfolio of ACR activities spanning quality and safety, clinical research, data science, imaging informatics, and radiology education. Mr. Tilkin is responsible for the ACR Data Science Institute, a program dedicated to promoting the research, development, and safe adoption of artificial intelligence in imaging, and leads initiatives in areas such as image exchange, AI training and validation, distributed computing, and large-scale image collection and processing. Mr. Tilkin has a long track-record leading technology and data solutions across the public and private sectors, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Steven E. Waldren, MD, MS is the Chief Medical Informatics Officer at the American Academy of Family Physicians and co-founder of Phyx Primary Care. He is a nationally recognized expert in health information technology and has over 20 years of experience. Prior to joining the AAFP, Dr. Waldren was a National Library of Medicine Medical Informatics Postdoctoral Fellow at the Univ. of Missouri, Columbia; At which time, Dr. Waldren earned a master’s degree in Medical Informatics. Dr. Waldren is also a residency trained family physician. Besides his role at the AAFP, he also participates in many national health care informatics initiatives including board member of Logica Health, co-chair of the Da Vinci Clinical Advisory Council, and past commissioner on the federal Medicaid Payment and Access Commission. He co-founded Phyx Primary Care to help primary care physicians and teams to drive adoption of innovations that truly improve the primary care experience, support the 4 C’s of primary care, and to help achieve the quintuple aim.
Stephanie Wight is a seasoned communications professional specializing in health and health care public relations. Stephanie has worked creatively over the past decade to translate complex health care issues for lay audiences, elevate the voices of key leaders, and secure top-tier media coverage to reach target audiences with important health messages.
At CURA, Stephanie leads media relations efforts and provides earned media counsel, outreach and training for many clients across corporate communications and public affairs accounts. Highlights include securing top-tier placements to highlight the important role of OB hospitalists in improving maternity care, landing a feature story in STAT News calling out a CMS policy that hindered care for organ transplant patients, and elevating the media footprint of a nonprofit accreditation organization and its CEO, positioning him as a go-to expert in health care AI regulation.
Prior to joining CURA, Stephanie was part of the the public health team at JPA Health where she led several large accounts including American Kidney Fund, the LUNGevity Foundation,, U.S. Pharmacopeia, American Gastroenterological Association, and the CDC’s Inside Knowledge campaign. Stephanie began her career at The Reis Group where she led earned media activities for a national children’s health system, worked closely with leading Alzheimer’s researchers at a large health system and led the newsroom for Digestive Disease Week.
Stephanie has been an active member of Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) and is a member of Michael Smart’s Inner Circle, a premier group of PR professionals who specialize in media relations.
Marketa M. Wills, MD, MBA, FAPA, is the CEO/Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), becoming the organization’s eighth CEO—and its first Black American and first woman in the role—on June 1, 2024. She leads the 180-year-old professional society with a focus on advancing equitable, high quality, and patient centered mental health care.
Prior to joining APA, Dr. Wills served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Johns Hopkins Health Plans (JHHP), where she led clinical strategy and operations across Pharmacy, Medical Management, Care Management, and Quality Improvement. Her leadership helped drive improved outcomes and cost-effective care for health plan members.
Her career spans roles at McKinsey & Company, Memorial Hermann Hospital System and WellCare Health Plans where she has led efforts around strategy & operations, physician affairs, population health and clinical quality.
She is the co-author of a groundbreaking book entitled “Understanding Mental Illness” which is a practical guide written to educate the public about common mental health and substance use conditions and how to get needed help.
Dr. Wills earned her medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and completed a residency in adult psychiatry at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital program, serving as chief resident in her last year. She also has a master’s in business administration from The Wharton School.
Outside of work, she enjoys fitness, traveling, the arts, and engaging in community services. She is a certified yoga teacher and dedicated meditator.
Dr. Travis Zack is Chief Medical Officer at OpenEvidence and an Assistant adjunct professor at UCSF. His research lies at the intersection of computational biology, clinical medicine, and artificial intelligence. Travis received his PhD in Biophysics from Harvard and an MD in the Health Sciences and Technology track at MIT and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Zack has dedicated his career to using data-driven approaches to address pressing challenges in medicine. His lab focuses on developing AI models to support clinical decision-making and enhance patient outcomes, including machine learning–based tools for real-world evidence studies and natural language processing methods to extract valuable insights from electronic health records. In his role at OpenEvidence, he oversee design, production, evaluation, and quality for all our existing and future tools for bringing evidence based practice to every clinical decision