Rise

Julie Anderson Senior Director, Clinical Outcomes

Maven Clinic

Priya Bathija Founder + CEO

Nyoo Health

Priya Bathija, is a nationally-recognized healthcare leader, attorney, and policy expert. She is currently Founder and CEO of Nyoo Health, which serves as a guide for healthcare leaders as they improve women's health. 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 healthcare attorney and served as in-house counsel and a member of the executive 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.   

Alexandra Bryden Sr. Policy Advisor

Office of Minority Health (CMS)

Alexandra “Alex” Bryden (she/her), MPP, is a Senior Policy Advisor in the CMS Office of Minority Health. She is responsible for working across CMS programs, policies, and operations to ensure the needs of underserved communities are met. Alex has led initiatives within the CMS Office of Minority Health since she joined federal service in 2013, including the CMS Health Equity Technical Assistance Program, the CMS Framework for Health Equity, and Coverage to Care, and advised on equity implications in major CMS policies and regulations to meet the needs of individuals and health care professionals located in and serving underserved communities. Alex brings decades of local and national experience in payment policy for safety net providers including Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and other 340B providers. She works to bring the voices and perspectives of underserved communities into policy discussions wtihin Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, the Marketplace, and Innovation Center models to eliminate barriers and improve access, quality, and outcomes for individuals eligible for and enrolled in CMS programs.

Stuart M. Butler Scholar in Residence in Economic Studies

The Brookings Institution

Stuart Butler is a scholar in residence in Economic Studies at The Brookings Institution. Prior to joining Brookings in 2014, Butler spent 35 years at The Heritage Foundation as director of the Center for Policy Innovation and earlier as Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies. He is also a visiting fellow and board member at the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution.

Butler is a member of the editorial board of Health Affairs and the board of Briya Public Charter School in the Washington, D.C.-area. He also serves on several advisory councils, including for the Peterson Center on Healthcare. He served as a member of the Advisory Group for the Culture of Health Program and as member of the Board on Health Care Services of the National Academy of Medicine. Most recently his work centers on social determinants of health and aging. He was educated at St. Andrews University in Scotland, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics, a Master of Arts degree in economics and history, and a Ph.D. in American economic history.

Danielle Cameron Director, Program Management

CalOptima Health

Danielle Cameron, MPH, is Director of Program Development for CalOptima Health where she manages a portfolio of significant community investments related to California’s Medi-Cal transformation efforts to make health care more encompassing of the whole person. For the past two years she has led a team of professionals with expertise in the social determinants of health and community-based organizations well-positioned to impact people’s health outcomes through partnerships between the social service and healthcare sectors. Prior to this position, Ms. Cameron was Chief Strategy Officer for National Health Foundation (NHF) where she was responsible for developing and executing strategies to achieve NHF’s mission, communicate with its stakeholders and maintain funding streams to support its efforts. Ms. Cameron was with NHF for 14 years and prior to assuming that position, held positions in the child care and senior services fields focused on both program management and fund development. During these positions, she managed multi-million dollar grant portfolios, led numerous community-based programs, and provided consultative work in strategic planning, fund development and operations/infrastructure design. Ms. Cameron received her Master of Public Health degree from the University of California at Los Angeles.  She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. 

Autumn Campbell Director

Partnership to Align Social Care

Kelly Cronin Deputy Administrator, Innovation and Partnership

HHS Administration for Community Living (ACL)

As Deputy Administrator of the Center for Innovation and Partnership (CIP), Kelly Cronin leads the administration of programs and initiatives that serve both older adults and people with disabilities, including consumer access and protection programs.  This includes overseeing the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, grants to improve Medicare beneficiaries’ access to low income subsidies, and the State No Wrong Door System program for access to long-term services and supports.  She also directs efforts to develop and integrate networks of state and community-based organizations to address social determinants of health and to advance the integration of medical and social care to improve health outcomes of older adults and people with disabilities. 

Ms. Cronin also has served in a variety of other roles at HHS, including with the FDA, CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), where she coordinated health IT programs and policies associated with health care payment and delivery system reform.

Before joining HHS in 2001, Ms. Cronin was a health services researcher and coordinated clinical trials in pharmaceutical and medical technology industries. She holds a master of public health with a concentration in epidemiology and biostatistics and a master of science in health policy from the School of Public Health and Health Services at George Washington University.

Shannon Decker, MBA, MBA, MEd., MEd, PhD Founder & CEO

VBC One

Dr. Shannon Decker is Founder & CEO 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 25 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 25 years of experience in healthcare--17 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 in the social and behavioral sciences 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 social and behavioral theories may be brought to bear in value based care and population health management as a whole. 

Krista Drobac, MPP Co-chair

Aligning for Health

Krista Drobac has twenty-five years of experience in federal and state government, and in public affairs. She now provides strategic advice on a broad range of state and federal legislative and regulatory issues around Medicaid, Medicare, accountable care, commercial insurance, digital health, public health and other areas.

In addition to providing consulting services, Krista serves as the Founder of the Alliance for Connected Care, a 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to ensuring that all patients are able to realize the benefits of connected care. She also serves as Founder of Aligning for Health, a coalition advancing social determinants of health policy at the federal level and Executive Director of Moving Health Home, a coalition working to change federal and state policy to enable the home to be a clinical site of care.

She was previously the director of the Health Division at the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices where she directed technical assistance for governors’ health advisors in the areas of health IT, health insurance Exchanges, Medicaid, delivery system reform and public health programs.

Prior to NGA, she was a Senior Advisor at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) working in Medicaid and private insurance regulation. She also served as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services where she worked on policy related to Medicaid and state employee health benefits programs. Prior to NGA, Krista spent five years on Capitol Hill as a health advisor.

Krista holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MPP from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

Sandra Elizabeth Ford, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.P. Public Health Expert/ CEO

BFT Consulting, LLC / Former Special Assistant to the President for Public Health and Science White House Domestic Policy Council

Kurt Greenlund, PhD Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch Chief in the Division of Population Health

CDC

Kurt J. Greenlund, PhD is the Chief of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch in the Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He is an established Public Health professional and scientist, and directs a number of cross-cutting health research, surveillance, and disease prevention and health promotion programs that address population health. His training and experience include a PhD in Sociology with a fellowship in public health from the University of Connecticut, a postdoctoral research fellowship in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and biostatistics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a Research Assistant Professor at Tulane School of Public Health. He has been with the CDC for more than 25 years.

Karen Hacker Director National Center of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

CDC

Dr. Hacker leads CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, setting the strategic direction for the center's portfolio, which focuses on surveillance and epidemiology, policy and environmental improvements, health care system collaboration, and links between community and clinical services.

Role at CDC

Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, is the director of CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), a position she assumed in August 2019. NCCDPHP has an annual budget of more than $1.4 billion and more than 1,000 staff members dedicated to preventing chronic diseases and promoting health across the life span.

Dr. Hacker leads an executive team that sets the strategic direction for the center’s portfolio, which focuses on:

• Surveillance and epidemiology to move data into action.
• Policy and environmental improvements to support health and healthy behaviors.
• Health care system collaboration to strengthen delivery of preventive services.
• Links between community and clinical services to improve self-management of chronic conditions and enhance quality of life.

Previous experience

From 2013 to 2019, Dr. Hacker served as director of the Allegheny County Health Department in Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for 1.2 million residents in 130 municipalities, including Pittsburgh. Under her leadership, the department achieved national public health accreditation in 2017. Dr. Hacker also launched the Live Well Allegheny initiative, aimed at reducing cigarette smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

Previously, Dr. Hacker was the senior medical director for Public and Community Health at the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts. Between 2002 and 2013, she held a variety of leadership roles at the Cambridge Public Health Department and the Institute for Community Health (both part of the Cambridge Health Alliance).

Dr. Hacker served as Interim chief public health officer (2006 to 2007) and medical director for the Cambridge Public Health Departments (2004 to 2013) and as executive director of the Institute for Community Health (2002 to 2013). She also spent several years working for the Boston Public Health Commission, with a focus on adolescent health, serving as division director for Child and Adolescent Health (1999 to 2002), director of Adolescent and School Services (1992 to 1999), and director of Adolescent Services (1989 to 1992).

As an expert in community-based participatory research (CBPR), Dr. Hacker served as the director of the CBPR program of the Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Award Initiative (Harvard Catalyst). She wrote Community-Based Participatory Action Research, a widely used academic text, and taught a course on the topic at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As the executive director of the Institute for Community Health, she designed, led, and published on numerous community participatory health projects. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on a wide variety of topics, including chronic disease, adolescent health and school-based health centers, obesity, substance use, and health policy.

Education

Dr. Hacker received her BA from Yale University, her MD from Northwestern University School of Medicine, and her MPH with honors from Boston University School of Public Health. She completed her internship and residency training in primary care internal medicine at Boston City Hospital, followed by an adolescent medicine fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She is board-certified in internal medicine and has served as an associate professor at Harvard Medical School (2010 to 2015) and at Harvard School of Public Health (2012 to 2015), and a visiting professor in the Graduate School of Public Health and clinical professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently an adjunct professor at the Emory School of Medicine and at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Blair Harrison UnitedHealthcare Community & State

Policy Director, Community & Social

As the Director of Medicaid Policy at UnitedHealthcare Community & State, Blair works with national, state and community-based partners on Medicaid policy and program design optimization that increases access and advances population health goals.

Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Blair was the deputy director of a local public health department and served previously as the Senior Advisor on Health, Homelessness and Housing for the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness. Blair is an epidemiologist by training and has worked to advance health equity for more than 15 years.

JaWanna Henry, MPH, MCHES Interoperability Systems Branch Chief

ONC

JaWanna Henry serves as the Branch Chief for Interoperability Systems at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP). In this role, she manages initiatives like the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) and leads efforts to advance the integration of health IT standards and policies, including social determinants of health (SDOH) data exchange, to help improve public health outcomes.

Previously, Ms. Henry served as a Policy Analyst at ASTP, where she developed strategic plans for portfolios focusing on SDOH, behavioral health, and clinical decision support. She has spearheaded initiatives to integrate Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) with electronic health records, facilitated the use of HL7 FHIR standards for health equity, and supported research projects like the Patient Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Coordinated Registry Network for Women's Health Technologies.

Ms. Henry's career reflects a commitment to advancing health equity and leveraging technology to enhance care delivery. Before joining ASTP, she contributed to public health research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Johns Hopkins University, where she managed data collection and intervention programs addressing rare autoimmune diseases and urban health disparities.

Ms. Henry holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a focus on Community and Population Health, and a Certificate in Epidemiology from East Tennessee State University. Her work has been recognized with awards for innovation and leadership in advancing public health policy and practice.

Caitlin Holcomb Founder + CEO

Dwellness Communities

Mark Humowiecki

Camden Coalition

Rene Hurtado Chief of Staff

Emergence Health Network

Rene Hurtado was born and raised in El Paso and has over 25 years of experience in healthcare operations and public policy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Mr. Hurtado has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare delivery systems along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has designed communication initiatives in different areas of public health to include trauma & crisis communications, children’s outreach and poison control centers. He has also led marketing and public affairs initiatives for one of the largest hospital systems in El Paso, where he designed multi-media communications initiatives for various healthcare product lines including pediatrics, kidney transplant and oncology. In the area of public policy and government relations, he served as Director of Public Affairs for Spectrum Communications where he advocated for effective telecommunications legislation.

He currently serves as Chief of Staff for Emergence Health Network, the designated mental health authority for El Paso County responsible for designing and maintaining the public mental health/developmental disability service delivery system for the region to include crisis services and suicide prevention. He oversees community affairs, human resources, training & education, and government relations.

Mr. Hurtado also works and has held leadership positions with various community agencies. He has served as chair of the public relations committee for the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation and chair of the government relations division for the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteered with Leadership El Paso, Creative Kids and various community agencies. Mr. Hurtado is a graduate of the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund Leadership Program, Leadership El Paso and the El Paso Creative Cities Leadership Group.

Recently Mr. Hurtado was appointed to One Fund El Paso, which provided guidance and resources for victims of the El Paso August 3rd 2019 Walmart Shooting and has advocated for increased access to mental health services as a result of this tragic mass shooting.

Doug Jacobs, MD, MPH Chief Transformation Officer, Center for Medicare

CMS

Lenel James Interoperability Solutions Lead

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Lenel James, MBA, FHL7
Business Lead, Health Information Exchange and Innovation
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Chicago, IL 60601

Mr. James is the Business Lead for Health Information Exchange and Innovation at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), on the Health Information Technology (HIT) team. He has been with the Association for over 20 years and is the principal HIT and standards advisor for internal BCBSA proof-of-concept projects with technology partners and BCBS Plans on the effective use of industry standards and innovative use of technology.

Mr. James has been the BCBSA HL7 voting representative for 19 years. He has been the payer advisor champion for multiple HL7 FHIR Accelerators including the Da Vinci Project, for value-based care health data exchange, the Gravity Project, for Social Determinants of Health, and is a founding member of the FHIR-At-Scale Taskforce, for FHIR standard scalability. He has served as co-chair for the HL7 EHR (Electronic Health Records) Workgroup and the HL7 Payer User Group and currently participates in numerous workgroups. He also has co-authored multiple HL7 standards.

In addition to his extensive standards development organization involvement, Mr. James has received industry recognition. In 2006, he received the “Award of Merit” from WEDI (Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange) and was named the HL7 “Member of the Year.” In 2019, he received the HL7 John Quinn Fellowship Award, for more than 15 years of leadership and increasing payer community engagement in HL7.

As part of his 35+ years of experience in clinical information systems, and information technology strategic planning, Mr. James also spent five years as the Acting Director of Clinical Systems for the IT Department of the third largest public hospital in the USA – giving him both a health system and payer perspective on the challenges for the health care industry.

As part of his history of community engagement, Mr. James was a member of the Executive Committee of the Great Lakes Regional Health Equity Council (RHEC-V). The RHEC was part of an HHS Office of Minority Health initiative, the National Program for Action to End Healthcare Disparities, where he co-chaired the Social Determinates of Health Committee. He also co-founded and co-chaired the Cross-RHEC Community Health Worker Coalition (representing four regions across over 25 states).

Mr. James holds a BS degree from SIU-Edwardsville and MBA from the University of Illinois. He was appointed to NCVHS in 2023, serving on the Subcommittee on Standards.

Dan LaVallee Senior Director, Social Impact

UPMC

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.

Suyanna Linhales Barker, DrPH Chief Program Officer

La Clinica 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. 

Jessica Little VP, Business Development and Programs

Civitas Networks for Health

As Vice President, Business Development and Programs at Civitas, Jessica leads development and implementation of national partnerships and programs with a focus on national multi-site grant funded programs and contracts leveraging the vast expertise of the Civitas network. Civitas programs deliver direct training and technical assistance, content curation and dissemination, and coordination of learning communities. Jessica frequently represents Civitas members and programs at national conferences and events including AHIMA, Health Level 7, and the CDC Innovation Summit.

Prior to her role at Civitas, Jessica worked at an integrated health system in Maine leading cross-departmental teams with development of data-driven population health management programs focused on chronic disease management and transitions of care. The programs were developed in compliance with NCQA certification for disease and case management programs. Additionally, she has direct clinical care experience as a registered dietitian in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Studies from Utica University, and a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from Boston University.

Matt Longjohn, M.D., M.P.H. Representative Elect, 40th District

Michigan House of Representatives

Dr. Matt Longjohn is a nationally recognized leader in public health and health systems innovation who was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November of 2024.  For over 25 years, he has led coalitions, businesses, and non-profit organizations in efforts to integrate community resources into equitable, effective, and sustained population health initiatives.

At the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine (WMed), he co-directs a course on community engagement and health systems science and leads WMed’s Facing Racism as Medical Education (FRAME) project. He also leads a small consulting firm which provides technical support to non-profits, health systems and federal agencies as they address Social Drivers of Health.

Dr. Longjohn’s previous roles include National Health Officer and Vice President for Community Integrated Health at YMCA of the USA, where he oversaw ~$100M in grants and led a team of ~ 50 people to scale evidence-based health interventions across the nation. Notably, he directed a $12M Health Care Innovation Award funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which certified the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program as a cost-saving intervention.  This work led to nationwide insurance coverage for community-based diabetes prevention interventions, and the Obama Administration identified Dr. Longjohn as one of the top 100 health innovators in the country for that work.

Longjohn has also served on numerous governing and advisory boards and committees, including the Committee to Protect Healthcare (CTP) and the CTP Education Fund. Earlier in his career, he was a Fellow at the Altarum Institute and served as faculty at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He has a bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College and an M.D. and MPH from Tulane University. Dr. Longjohn and his wife, Valerie, are both 5^th generation residents of Kalamazoo County where they raised their 2 children.

Marcella Maguire

Corporation for Supportive Housing

Marcella Maguire, Ph.D. is Director of Health Systems Integration for CSH. Her work nationally focuses on the intersection of the housing and healthcare sectors in the financing, policy and implementation of systems and programs. She is or has been engaged with multiple states such as CA, DC, IN, MN,  NC and WA around how to use  Medicaid and health policy levers to build equity in communities and address community needs. Prior to joining CSH, Marcella worked for 17 years for the City of Philadelphia leading efforts to integrate behavioral health, managed care and affordable and supportive housing systems.

Jenny McGuigan Babcock Senior Vice President for Medicaid Policy

Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP)

Jennifer McGuigan Babcock is ACAP’s Senior Vice President for Medicaid Policy. She also spent over four years as ACAP’s Vice President for Exchanges. In 2010, she served the Eligibility and Enrollment team within the Office of Health Insurance Exchanges in the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO, now known as CCIIO), focusing primarily on the interplay between Medicaid and Exchange coverage. Before joining OCIIO, Jennifer served as ACAP’s Director of Policy, working on Medicaid and CHIP health plan issues.  Previously, she worked on policy related to Medicaid, CHIP, the uninsured, and private health insurance in the Office of Health Policy for the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the Department of Health and Human Services.

She has also held positions with CHIP at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as special assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Health Care Financing at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and as an associate consultant with The Lewin Group in Falls Church.  Jennifer also served as an MPH Fellow at the Consumer Health Foundation in Washington, D.C., and as Executive Director of the Lovelight Foundation, an anti-poverty organization in Detroit. She has a Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan, Department of Health Management and Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Kalamazoo College in Michigan.

Michael McKnight Senior Vice President of National Programs 

Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

Michael McKnight is the Senior Vice President of National Programs. He heads advocacy, policy analysis, and innovative financing and partnership work. Michael finds his “more” in helping improve the lives of those in need. Before joining GHHI, he served as an analyst for a federal government contractor, bringing valuable experience to his role. He describes himself as driven, a quality that inspires him to make a positive impact on communities.

Originally from Maryland, Michael has lived in various parts of the United States but has rooted himself in D.C. for the long term. His go-to quote for inspiration is “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”

Outside of work, you can find Michael spending quality time with his family, hitting the gym, or keeping up with the Washington Commanders. You can also find Michael listening to “They Reminisce Over You,” one of his favorite songs.

He holds a B.A. from Harvard University.

Beck Moore CEO

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP)

Beck Moore is a resident of Palmyra, PA, and has over two decades of leadership experience in the non-profit sector. Currently, Beck serves as the CEO of the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP), working to strengthen, advocate for, and empower the network of 43 Community Action Agencies, serving every county in the Commonwealth to effectively address issues of poverty and uniquely addressing Social Determinants of Health.  Drawing from personal experiences, Beck is deeply committed to exploring how identity, geography, and health intersect within the context of poverty in Pennsylvania and on a national scale.

Driven by a dedication to values-based leadership, Beck specializes in member-based organizations, with a focus on membership growth and program development. His impactful contributions extend across various roles within youth serving organizations, where he garnered national recognition for stabilizing and expanding membership through innovative program initiatives.  Beck holds a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Penn State and a master's degree in human resources from the University of Scranton. He is actively engaged in numerous boards and committees at both state and national levels, some of which include Fairness Pennsylvania,  United Way of PA, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Interstate Renewable Energy Council WAP Enhancement and Innovation Committee, Parents as Teachers Advisory Committee, and others.  He also regularly educates on topics such as health equity, workplace culture, and challenging assumptions. 

Beyond his professional endeavours, Beck finds joy in the outdoors, particularly fishing and camping, but also reading, and writing.  He cherishes the adventures he has with his wife, six- and seven-year-old children, and three silly dogs. Currently, Beck is working on his debut book, and hopes to help others heal by sharing his journey of trauma and how he was able to begin living authentically.

Ernest Moy Executive Director

Veterans Health Administration

Ruth Ann Norton President & CEO

Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

Ruth Ann Norton is the President & CEO of the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. She joined the organization in 1993 and has led its development into one of the nation’s most effective and foremost authorities on healthy housing and its impact on the social determinants of health and racial equity.

An expert on lead poisoning prevention, healthy homes and the intersection of climate, energy and health, Ruth Ann directs GHHI’s national strategy, policy framework and services to integrate climate, healthcare and healthy housing as a platform for improved health, economic, educational and social outcomes for low-income communities. Ruth Ann has been at the forefront in building the business case for healthcare investments in housing to address the social determinants of health and racial equity.

Ruth Ann is currently leading GHHI’s $50 million Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program for EPA Region 3 to fund environmental justice projects across the Mid-Atlantic and is spearheading GHHI’s work in the development and implementation of decarbonization, electrification, and climate change mitigation services for low-income households.

Ruth Ann serves on numerous boards and committees, including the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee, the National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Population Health Information Technology Advisory Board. She is Chair of the Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Commission and is also a federally appointed Liaison Member to the CDC’s Lead Exposure and Prevention Advisory Committee.

Casey Osgood Landry Senior Advisor

Legislative & Regulatory Affairs at Nemours Children's Health

Timothy P. McNeill, RN, MPH Co-Chair

Partnership to Align Social Care

Timothy P. McNeill is the founder of Freedmen’s Health Consulting and Freedmen’s Medicine. Freedmen’s Health Consulting is a Washington, DC healthcare consulting firm specializing in implementation of innovative models of care. Freedmen’s Medicine a home-based primary care practice serving older adults and persons with disability with complex care needs in the District of Columbia. Mr. McNeill also serves as the co-chair of the Partnership to Align Social Care. The Partnership to Align Social Care is a multi-sectoral group of health plans, health systems, community-based organizations and Government liaisons that work together to identify and address priority issues that are essential to a fully aligned health and social care system that incorporates the vital voice of the community.

Mr. McNeill has started or expanded multiple sustainable health programs including two Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs, two ACO REACH programs operating across 30 States, an IPA made up of FQHCs and independent physicians, a network of community-based free clinics, managed the operations of a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers, and established multiple regional networks to deliver Long-Term Services and Supports, contracting with MCOs, in support of State Medicaid Waiver implementation.

Mr. McNeill is a Registered Nurse with a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a Master of Public Health from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Mr. McNeill is also a retired U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Officer.

Sue Pechilio Polis Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs

Lutheran Services

Sue Pechilio Polis is Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs at Lutheran Services in America. Prior to joining Lutheran Services in America, Sue was the Director of Health and Well-being for the National League of Cities (NLC) Institute for Youth, Education, & Families. Sue founded and developed Cities of Opportunity, a multi-year effort to engage mayors and city leaders in addressing the root causes of poor health (social determinants of health).

With expertise in health policy, Sue’s work spans the connection to housing, economic opportunity, mental health, substance use disorders, obesity, trauma, systems alignment, and data for well-being. Prior to NLC, Sue led the development and management of the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) external relations and strategic partnership efforts in support of the organization’s public policy goals. Sue’s background includes work with AARP on health and financial security-related issues with an emphasis on advancing policy to address the needs of vulnerable 50+ populations. She was also the founding National Director of Advocacy for the American Heart Association.

Kim Prendergast Vice President, 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). In this role, she leads the ACO’s strategic and policy initiatives to support FQHCs across six states and the District of Columbia 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 has been the architect of C3’s work to identify and address health-related social needs through partnerships across the healthcare and social services sectors. She designed and implemented C3’s $25M Medicaid-funded Flexible Services program in Massachusetts which improves health outcomes and reduces health care costs. Kim is passionate about sharing these successful approaches to value-based care, partnerships and social health programs to expand primary care to advance health equity.  

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.  

Lauren Riplinger Chief Public Policy and Impact Officer

AHIMA

Lauren currently serves as AHIMA’s Chief Public Policy and Impact Officer. In this capacity, she is responsible for providing strategic and operational oversight over AHIMA’s advocacy and programmatic strategy to demonstrate mission impact. Prior to that, Lauren served as Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs at AHIMA, overseeing the organization’s policy and advocacy before Congress and various federal agencies. With two decades of healthcare policy experience, Lauren previously worked on Capitol Hill where she was actively involved in almost every aspect of a congressional office, including serving as Chief of Staff—a position that requires the ability to quickly synthesize multiple issues and adapt to constantly shifting priorities. Lauren received her JD from American University Washington College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University. She is admitted to practice law in New York. 

Jack Rollins Director of Federal Policy

The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD)

Jack Rollins joined NAMD in April 2014. He is responsible for the association’s policy work, including analysis of legislation and regulations impacting the Medicaid program, convening Medicaid Directors and their staffs to identify and build consensus around policy objectives, and articulating members’ consensus positions via comment letters and other communications to federal policymakers and Medicaid stakeholders. In his time at NAMD, Jack has focused specifically on the areas of Medicaid prescription drug coverage, managed care, and long-term services and supports.

Charlotte Safrit Patience Advocate

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. 

Jessica Schubel "Special Assistant to the President for Health Care at the Domestic Policy Council - Executive Office of the President"

White House Domestic Policy Counsel

Kalin Scott

Healthy Alliance

Jason Sizemore Co-Executive Director

The Mindful Child Initiative

Jason is the Co-Executive Director of the Mindful Child Initiative (MCI). Jason’s 21 years of service to K-8th grade public school students in Harrisburg, PA, the five boroughs of NYC and Allentown, PA, as a teacher & administrator, led him to MCI, a 501c3 non-profit which provides weekly mindfulness education to 7800+ low-income, school-aged children who might not otherwise receive mindfulness instruction, due to limited resources at home and/or school. 

The program is implemented in an urban, public school district in a historically underserved community in Allentown, PA. MCI also supports over 1,200 teachers and staff within the district. Jason’s passion for the welfare of all beings who are within the walls of our schools and beyond has driven him to support MCI by working directly with students, school staff and community organizations to provide self-care and mindfulness training and experiences while also serving as an advocate for mental health promotion and prevention strategies, through trauma informed mindfulness education.

The Mindful Child Initiative believes all children deserve equal access to programs that fully support their overall health. www.themci.org

Lauren Taylor, PhD. Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health

NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Tashique Thomas Health Equity Leader

Tashique Thomas is a seasoned senior executive with a diverse background in public health, strategic business development, and partnerships. With over a decade of leadership experience across industries, Tashique has consistently driven impactful results, from leading transformative healthcare initiatives to shaping strategic narratives and cultivating alliances that fuel sustainable growth.

Currently, Tashique is focused on creating innovative solutions at the intersection of health and technology. Leveraging expertise honed at organizations like Walmart, United Healthcare, and the U.S. Navy, she has spearheaded multi-million-dollar projects, led groundbreaking health programs, and implemented operational improvements yielding significant market growth.

Tashique also advocates for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, evidenced by their leadership as the Executive Sponsor for Women of Elite Excellence at Walmart, where they championed initiatives empowering women leaders. She was also 1 of 12 Black women chosen for the 2023-2024  executive leadership development program at Walmart. 

A dynamic thought leader, Tashique’s work has spanned complex fields such as population health, military public health readiness, and strategic partnerships. Her insights and experience position her uniquely to drive innovation and transformation in today’s evolving healthcare and policy landscapes.

Beyond her professional achievements, Tashique actively engages in public speaking, sharing expertise on social determinants of health, public-private partnerships, and strategies for organizational excellence. A trusted advisor and accomplished leader, Tashique is dedicated to building meaningful solutions that improve lives and communities

Angela Thomas, DrPH, MPH, MBA Vice President, Healthcare Delivery Research

MedStar Health

Angela D. Thomas, DrPH, MPH, MBA, brings over 20 years of experience in the scientific and administrative leadership of translational and clinical research. She currently serves as the vice president of healthcare delivery research at MedStar Health Research Institute. Dr. Thomas also ensures that these research activities leverage the collective leadership and unique strengths of MedStar Health and Georgetown University.

Dr. Thomas is also the Executive Lead for the Safe Babies Safe Moms initiative, which has reduced disparities in maternal and infant mortality in Washington, DC.  In addition, she contributes her research expertise in disparities, health equity, and patient safety to uncover the contributing factors leading to disparities in maternal harm.  Dr. Thomas has been recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as one of the 2024 “Black Healthcare Leaders to Know” and received the Health Equity Leader Award for the 2024 Washington Business Journal’s inaugural Innovators in Health Care Awards.

Dr. Thomas received a Bachelor of Science in biopsychology and the cognitive sciences from the and a Master of Public Health in health behavior and health education from the University of Michigan. She also received a Master of Business Administration from the Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration and a Doctor of Public Health in Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health from the University of South Florida.

Hannah Wagner Senior Advisor, Policy Development & Partnership

Nemours Children's Health

Rick Whitted President & CEO

U.S. 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. 

Sandra Wilkniss, PhD Senior Program Director

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)

Brandon Wilson Chief Operating Officer - ABCCM

Veteran Services of the Carolinas

Brandon Wilson is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer with the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM). His duties include the oversight of seven ministries that provide emergency assistance needs for families in crisis, providing transitional and permanent supportive housing of the homeless through three transitional housing facilities, increasing access to health care for half the uninsured and medically underserved, coordinating education activities at the jail; as well as work readiness, mentoring and job placement services. Coming into this role, Mr. Wilson worked to scale ABCCM’s Veterans programs 300%, increasing staff from 12 to over 95 and growing this portfolio from $750k to over $10 million annually with Veterans Services of the Carolinas. Mr. Wilson’s early involvement and implementation of NCServes, the nation’s first statewide coordinated care network for Veterans and their families, led to the adoption and creation of the nation’s first statewide coordinated care network, NCCARE360, an integral part of North Carolina’s transformation and expansion of Medicaid and the launch of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot. Prior to this role, Mr. Wilson has served as a consultant for Vaya Health, a North Carolina Managed Care Organization, and has also held numerous positions with the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Whereas Deputy Director was instrumental in the establishment of the new cabinet level agency, the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. During this time, he spearheaded a 42% increase in Fully-Developed Veterans’ Claims, leading to the growth of North Carolina’s Veteran portfolio by over $1.2 Billion, the fastest growth rate of VA claims in the United States in 2015. Brandon, a combat Marine who served in the infantry during Operation Iraqi Freedom, is a strong advocate for social health reform, speaking at conferences across the nation, and is considered a national thought leader piloting many innovative strategies. He serves as an advisor to several local, state, and national committees and task forces to include; serving as the Chair of the NC State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee for NDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley and was appointed as Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Homeless Veterans by VA Secretary Denis McDonough.

Aviva Woog Director of Health Equity and Drivers of Health

Centene

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.