Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders in Healthcare for 2023. This carefully selected group of women stands as a testament to their resolute commitment, exceptional proficiency, and transformative contributions to the field of healthcare. Each of these remarkable leaders is redefining the landscape of the field through innovation, compassion, and visionary leadership. From pioneering research that has reshaped medical paradigms to advocacy efforts that have advanced healthcare accessibility, these women have shattered glass ceilings and blazed trails for generations to come. As we celebrate their achievements, we are reminded of the indelible impact that women continue to make in fostering healthier communities worldwide.
Among this year’s awardees is Dr. Nicole Cooper, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer & EVP at United Way Worldwide, who oversees their worldwide public policy, strategic partnerships, and social innovation. Awardee Jennifer Lohse, Chief Legal Officer at Aware Recovery Care, has an expansive comprehension of healthcare operations and routinely advises on multi-state and federal matters, including strategy development, M&A and partnership development, operational implementation, and governance. Also awarded is Dawn Rock, SVP & Chief Compliance Officer at Encompass Health Corporation, who heads the development, implementation, and refinement of strategies that ensure ethical conduct, ongoing compliance with laws and regulations, and adherence to internal policies, including the code of conduct, for Encompass Health's workforce of more than 35,000 employees.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Healthcare for 2023.
1. Nicole Cooper
Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer & EVP, United Way Worldwide
Dr. Nicole M. Cooper serves as Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer & Executive Vice President at United Way Worldwide, guiding global, domestic, and state public policy and advocacy efforts, public-private strategic partnerships, social innovation investments, and the 211 helpline network throughout the US. Her efforts are to reimagine and rebuild systems that address inequities and better serve communities. Nicole previously served as the SVP of health equity strategic partnerships at UnitedHealth Group, co-leading the UHG Office of Health Equity, while serving on the executive UHG Women Leader Advisory Council and the UHG African American Leader Advisory Council.
Nicole formerly served as head of healthcare policy at Lyft, where she developed and managed Lyft's federal and state healthcare policy agenda, working to expand Lyft's presence in the healthcare sector. She previously served as VP of corporate social responsibility at UnitedHealthcare. Before joining UnitedHealthcare, Dr. Cooper was an Obama administration political appointee, and part of the US Department of Health and Human Services team responsible for implementing the Affordable Care Act. Cooper served as a policy advisor to key leaders in the agency, including the Chief of Staff at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health.
Dr. Cooper holds an undergraduate degree from Spelman College, an MPH degree in health management & policy from the University of Michigan, and a doctor of public health degree in health policy from Harvard University.
2. Nasim Afsar
Chief Health Officer Oracle Health, Oracle
As Chief Health Officer, Nasim Afsar leads Oracle Health’s Health Transformation Office with a commitment to delivering healthy people, a healthy workforce, and a healthy business. Her team focuses on supporting clinical care, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability, leveraging big data, and advancing the future of the workforce and health equity. She also works on building the larger ecosystem of healthcare, including working closely with payers, retail, and public health agencies.
Afsar previously served as COO for the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Health with the vision of delivering flawless care for patients in the region while creating the best place to work in healthcare. At UCI Health, she led inpatient and ambulatory operations, resulting in historically high ambulatory growth, inpatient volumes, surgeries, and tertiary care transfers to the institution. During COVID-19, she created a mobile field hospital and drive-thru testing centers, co-led the hospital at-home program, and led a large-scale vaccination program. She also led health system contracting, spearheading new value-based products to market. As the executive for population health management, she ran a number of value-based programs, as well as the UCI Health Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organization.
Previously at the University of California, Los Angeles Health, Afsar served as associate chief medical officer leading large-scale health system initiatives in quality, safety, and patient experience, and as chief quality officer for the Department of Medicine, overseeing population health initiatives. She is past president of the Society of Hospital Medicine and served on its board of directors for eight years.
3. Paulette Frank
Chief Sustainability Officer, Johnson & Johnson
Paulette Frank is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Johnson & Johnson, the world’s largest and most broadly based healthcare company. She is responsible for defining J&J’s strategic direction to accelerate and amplify positive environmental impact and for identifying and supporting solutions at the intersection of human and environmental health. Under her leadership, J&J launched ambitious climate goals in September 2020, which will accelerate the company’s transition to 100% renewable electricity and carbon neutrality for its operations, while also partnering with suppliers to reduce upstream carbon emissions.
Frank has been with J&J for 25 years and previously served as a VP of global environmental health, safety & sustainability. She is a member of the J&J Supply Chain Leadership Team and co-chairs the J&J Enterprise Governance Council. She is also a passionate advocate for advancing DE&I and co-chairs the J&J Supply Chain Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.
Frank has been working in the fields of environmental stewardship, employee health & safety, and sustainability for 30 years. She is a sought-after speaker and contributor at international workshops and conferences, providing a voice for the company’s values and long-standing commitment to help create a healthy future for people, our communities, and the planet. She was previously co-chair and continues as a member of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale Advisory Board. Frank earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Duke University and her master’s degree in environmental studies from Yale University’s School of the Environment.
4. Esezele Payne
Enterprise Vice President of Operations, Atrium Health
Esezele Payne is the Enterprise Vice President of Operations for the Facilities Management Group. She is responsible for environmental services, food services, sustainability, financial planning, communications, talent development, and program management. She manages a $400M operating budget and her team provides support services for 3,000 teammates and 25M square feet. She has had a number of roles at Atrium where she has driven $10M of cost savings throughout the organization, facilitated the division Talent Management and Teammate Engagement activities, advanced communication platforms, practiced change management philosophy, and assisted in the sourcing, negotiation, and implementation of major service contracts within the division.
As Atrium’s leader for Environmental Services, Esezele’s team does more than clean hospital rooms. With a strong commitment to Atrium Health’s mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, she's fixated on leading her team to act as if the hospital patients are their patients too. "While we are not doctors or nurses, given how we can impact a patient's experience in our facilities, we too are saving lives by keeping the environment clean and providing an infection-free environment.”
Esezele has more than 15 years of professional experience in cost reduction, contracting, strategic communications, project management, process improvement, and vendor management. Prior to joining Atrium Health, she worked at CB Richard Ellis, Inc. where she managed $50M of vendor spend on the Global Corporate Services team. In that role, she drafted and negotiated hundreds of contracts that yielded cost savings, developed national sourcing strategies, established performance management tools, and created sourcing strategies for key clients.
5. Jennifer Zinn
President of Clinical Operations, North America, bioMérieux
Jennifer Zinn currently serves as the President of Clinical Operations in North America for bioMérieux. She joined bioMérieux in 2022 as a general manager and head of clinical operations for North America. She has led the effort to prepare the US launch
for BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE®, bioMérieux’s new multiplex PCR system designed for
decentralized Point of Care clinical settings. Zinn draws on 30 years of professional experience in the health sector including 20 years specifically in the diagnostic industry with major international companies.
Previously, Zinn served as the EVP and head of diagnostics for North America at Siemens Healthineers beginning in 2019. Prior to Siemens, she was with Roche Diagnostics for 9 years, leading commercial operations for North America including Point of Care and their diagnostics portfolio outside of the hospital space. She also spent 6 years in commercial operations at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. Jennifer serves on several boards including the AdvaMedDx Board and has served on the Gold Foundation Corporate Council.
6. Dawn Rock
SVP & Chief Compliance Officer, Encompass Health
Dawn Rock is the Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for Encompass HealthCorporation in Birmingham, Alabama. With 158 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals across 37 states and Puerto Rico, Encompass Health is one of the nation’s largest providers of post-acute healthcare services. As Chief Compliance Officer, Rock is responsible for developing, implementing, and refining strategies to promote ethical behavior and facilitate ongoing compliance with federal and state laws, healthcare program regulations and other regulatory mandates, and the company’s internal policies, including its code of conduct, for Encompass Health’s workforce of over 35,000 employees.
Rock comes to Encompass Health from Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc., where she served as the VP of regional compliance. In that role, she directed the organizational strategy that embedded compliance objectives into day-to-day operations and cultivated a transparent culture where raising concerns was welcome and expected. Her background also
includes serving as VP of regulatory affairs and compliance for Peach State Health Plan in Atlanta, and director of corporate compliance for Johns Hopkins Health Care in Baltimore, where she built, implemented, and directed the compliance program for the world-renowned hospital’s various insurance ventures.
Rock currently serves on the Health Law and Policy Program Advisory Board for Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and the Boards of Directors for Maranathan Academy and Planned Parenthood Southeast. She is a member of several professional groups including the American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Care Compliance Association, and the National Association of Health Services Executives. Rock has been regularly awarded as a result of her professional accomplishments and her work in the community. She holds an undergraduate degree in social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a Juris Doctorate and Health Law certification from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She also holds certifications in Healthcare Compliance and Healthcare Privacy Compliance from the Compliance Certification Board.
7. Amy Moss
SVP of Clinical Operations Hospice, Amedisys
Dr. Amy Moss is a healthcare executive with over two decades of experience leading clinical quality and operations programs nationally. She currently serves Amedisys, a national home health, hospice, palliative and post-acute provider as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations.
Most recently, Dr. Moss served as the national medical director for Kindred Hospice expanding from a 5-state region to multiregional responsibilities culminating in a successful acquisition transition. Dr. Moss’ early career focused on geriatric advocacy through clinical operational models of care that supported aging in place including the development of one of the first Joint Commission-certified inpatient palliative care programs in the country inclusive of adult and neonatal services. She is a fellow in internal medicine, triple boarded, and completed her business degree at Texas Woman’s University.
8. Amy C. Hay
VP of Strategic Initiatives for Advanced Oncology Solutions, Varian
Amy Hay is an experienced leader in setting strategy, negotiating transactions, and implementing global oncology programs. Her expertise lies within identifying synergistic relationships that provide value and her portfolio ranges from working with health systems, governments, corporations, providers, and industry leaders worldwide. She is not just a leader in the innovation of healthcare but in its transformation globally. In 2021, Siemens Healthineers acquired Varian to add both radiation oncology and multidisciplinary operational expertise to their broader portfolio ($16.4B cash buyout). Amy led the integration of the oncology workstream to identify synergies and develop targets for commercial acceleration and platform expansion.She joined Varian through the acquisition of her consulting company, Evolve International, in 2020. Evolve added key supportive elements to Cancer Treatment Services International (acquired in 1999 for $283M by Varian), a successful owner and operator of comprehensive cancer programs.
Amy is responsible for the strategic initiatives and the deployment of “Oncology as a Service” (OaaS); which aggregates medical technology, clinical solutions, and technology-enabled services globally. Set by her strategy, CTSI has built out technology-enabled solutions that span virtual tumor boards and molecular analytics with current work underway on the monetization of patient engagement tools. Within her first year at Varian, she closed a partnership with Ayala Health in the Philippines to develop the first stand-alone cancer center and a network partnership with CHRISTUS Health in the US; providing cumulative revenues of more than $75M. She currently is leading strategic initiatives and digital transformation.
Prior to 2016, Amy Hay held the position of SVP of network development at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She was a member of the COO’s senior leadership team and was instrumental in setting the institutional strategy for local, national, and international expansion. Amy earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Southwestern University and her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Houston Baptist University.
9. Soumi Saha
SVP of Government Affairs, Premier
Soumi Saha is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and member of the executive team at Premier, a leading healthcare improvement company uniting an alliance of more than 4,400 US hospitals and 250,000 continuum of care providers to transform healthcare. Both a pharmacist and lawyer, Saha's career has been dedicated to driving innovations in high-quality, cost-effective healthcare and resilient supply chains.
Under her leadership, Premier has become a national authority in ensuring the perspective of the nation's healthcare providers is represented in Washington, DC – and in advancing policies that both address vulnerabilities and modernize the U.S. healthcare system from building resilient supply chains, adopting value-based care, tech-enabling healthcare, and eliminating gaps in care.
Prior to joining Premier, Saha held positions with the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente, and CVS/Caremark. She holds a PharmD and a JD with a concentration in health law from the University of Maryland.
10. Kimberly O’Connor-Soule
EVP of Inpatient Services, KVC Health System
Kimberly O’Connor-Soule serves as the Executive Vice President of Inpatient Services for KVC Health System. Since 1970, KVC has grown from a single home for at-risk children to a national organization serving over 80,000 children and families each year in KS, MO, NE, KY, and WV. Prior to her current role, Kimberly served as the SVP for KVC’s Camber Children’s Mental Health where she led strategic planning across the organization and collaborated with leadership team members to prioritize business strategies, with a strong focus on initiatives that work to improve communication, teamwork, employee engagement and project management.
With over 20 years of experience in children’s behavioral health, Kimberly has held many leadership positions in a range of settings, including residential treatment centers, outpatient services, social services, and schools. Throughout her career, she has gained experience leading compassionate, trauma-informed treatment teams ensuring effective treatment and clinical best practices. Kimberly has extensive knowledge about children’s mental health and wellness, substance use disorder treatment, family therapy, staff training and development, and clinical and quality supervision. Prior to her return to Camber, Kimberly was VP of clinical services for Daytop Village of New Jersey, Inc. where she oversaw clinical services and quality outcomes for eight programs providing drug and alcohol treatment for adolescents and adults.
Kimberly is a certified Trauma Systems Therapy trainer and received advanced clinical training in Structural Family Therapy from the Minuchin Center for the Family in New York City. She earned a post-master certification in executive leadership in the nonprofit sector from New York University. Kimberly has been trained as a Gallup Engagement Champion. She has also participated in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Committee, an initiative led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where she and other experts created a fact sheet and resource on childhood trauma and opiate use. Kimberly earned a master’s degree in social work from New York University and an undergraduate degree in psychology from West Virginia University. She is a licensed specialist clinical social worker in Kansas.
11. Kelly Parsons Kwiatek
Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Halifax Health
Kelly Parsons Kwiatek is the Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Halifax Health, a 678-bed, Daytona Beach-based community health system. Kwiatek joined Halifax Health in 2019 after serving as a shareholder with the law firm of Cobb Cole for 15 years. In private practice, she was Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Labor & Employment Law and has received many awards. A graduate of Syracuse University, where she received an undergraduate degree in musical theater, she later earned a Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law in 2004.
Kwiatek is the immediate past chairperson and legal counsel on the board of directors of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, a trustee for Daytona State College, a commissioner for the Judicial Nominating Committee for the Seventh Circuit, and an honorary member of the Halifax Area Civic League and Easterseals. She is married and a super proud mom of two children and a dog.
12. Christina Barrington
Vice President of Pharmacy Programs, Priority Health
Christina Barrington is Vice President of Pharmacy Programs at Priority Health. She leads all aspects of the pharmacy division. In her role, she is responsible for setting strategy for the Pharmacy department and managing the pharmaceutical services budget across the organization.
Prior to joining Priority Health, Barrington held numerous leadership roles within the pharmacy profession. After completing her hospital clinical practice residency, Barrington served as clinical director and coordinator of clinical support services for a large teaching hospital. She has served as a pharmacy executive for several regional and national health plans.
In addition to her role in pharmacy management, Barrington has conducted extensive research into the impact of value-based benefit designs and is a pioneer in risk-based contracting strategies. Additionally, she has served as the vice chairman of the board of managers for the Illinois Foundation of Quality Health Care and as a member of the URAC Measures Advisory Research Group. As an active member of AMCP since 1996, she has held the office of president of the Midwest Affiliate for two terms and currently serves on the Finance Committee. Barrington graduated from the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis with a PharmD and an undergraduate degree in pharmacy.
13. Sandra Ogunremi
VP of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Monument Health
Dr. Sandra Ogunremi, DHA is the Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging for Monument Health. She has been with Monument Health since 2008, most recently as director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Spiritual Care Services. Her successful work is evidenced by Monument Health Rapid City Hospital being recently recognized as one of three healthcare systems to earn the 2023 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care (EOC) Award. She has made it a priority to increase cultural knowledge and awareness and to tear down the barriers that keep us from learning about each other. She is a national and international conference speaker.
Ogunremi earned a doctorate degree in health administration from Central Michigan University (CMU) in 2009. She has a master’s degree in administration from CMU and an undergraduate degree in pharmacy from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She is certified in Diversity Management with the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. She is a Cornell Certified Diversity Practitioner and holds several other certifications that enable her to deliver her best. She is an Assemblies of God-ordained minister and is the published author of the books Casting Down Disruptive Imaginations and Overcoming Threats, Thoughts, and Triggers.
14. Chantelle Schenning, PhD, MHA
Leader of Healthcare Transformation & Policy, Invitae Corporation
Founder, Chantelle Schenning LLC (Advising Companies & Individuals)
Dr. Chantelle Schenning's career spans 16 years of healthcare experience starting at the frontlines of patient care in low-income community clinics and Johns Hopkins Hospital where she recognized systemic opportunities to improve the population’s health and shifted her trajectory from medical school towards healthcare leadership. Chantelle’s comprehensive background encompassing clinical and leadership roles, a myriad of clinical settings and sectors, and academic achievements, including a PhD in health services, underscores her profound expertise and impact across diverse tiers of the healthcare landscape.
At Johns Hopkins, she was an operations leader in Radiation Oncology. Driven to make a difference upstream in patients’ health, Dr. Schenning joined Kaiser Permanente. Chantelle led clinical operations in primary care and complex care management with interim roles across many departments. She also presided over campus-wide telehealth implementation in 2016, achieving the highest utilization rates in the region. She was promoted to regional executive consultant for the region’s VP/COO. In that role, Chantelle spearheaded a Kaizen-inspired, human-centered design strategy across multiple clinical departments, yielding remarkable results, with patient access and satisfaction scores surging by up to 20% within just 6 months of implementation and receiving the Press Ganey Success Story Award.
Dr. Schenning joined Invitae, a leading medical genetics company, to advance the nation’s healthcare system through innovation and policy. She launched and leads the government affairs team from an altruistic stance of always doing best by patients. Her team championed legislative introductions to improve patient access to services, advocated successfully for appropriations including $15M for the VA, and established a first-of-its-kind private-public partnership during the pandemic. Outside of policy, Chantelle helped source one of the company’s largest health system partners within 4 months of hire, influenced Invitae's medical affairs’ engagement in health economics research, and crafted a genetics-based oncology care model. Her role evolved to Healthcare Transformation & Policy, where her team advanced Invitae becoming the first-ever genetic testing company on a prominent National Quality Forum committee, helped develop a clinical playbook for genetics implementation in community cancer centers, and cultivated a collaboration with an HBCU to expand genetics access to underserved populations in the “Black Belt.”
15. Jolie Limon
VP of Academic Affairs, Valley Children's Healthcare
As Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jolie Limon oversees a variety of educational and research programs for Valley Children’s Healthcare. As the founder of the Valley Children’s Pediatric Residency Program and Interprofessional Education Simulation Program, she strives to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes through collaborative, interprofessional education by using a diverse and dynamic environment. Her passion is in training and fostering the education and development of the next generation of healthcare providers and leaders. She shares her expertise through academic appointments at UCSF-Fresno and Stanford University. She is committed to mentorship, especially for women in medicine, and advocates for continually evolving graduate medical education programming that responds to resident wellbeing, work-life integration, and inclusion.
Limon is also dedicated to community advocacy. Some of her community work includes serving on the board of directors for the Children’s Movement, a non-profit to promote health policy in children, and acting as medical director of the Fresno Office of Education (FCOE), where she oversees and guides medical resources for the FCOE Mobile Health Unit which serves rural underserved areas in the central valley of California. She is currently also working on a Master’s in Public Health from UC Berkeley. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 23 years, and two college-age sons, hot yoga, travel, and reading.
16. Laura Tomaino
Senior Vice President of People & Culture, HealthEdge
Laura Tomaino is the Senior Vice President of People & Culture of HealthEdge. She first joined the company in 2013 as a senior human resources generalist. HealthEdge is on a mission to drive a digital revolution in healthcare. They’re connecting health plans, providers, and patients with end-to-end digital technology solutions to support new business models, reduce administrative costs and improve health outcomes. Their growing portfolio of products provides talented and passionate professionals with opportunities to lead change and make a lasting, global impact in healthcare. When Tomaino began her career with HealthEdge there were 150 employees and today they have grown to over 1500. Since 2020 alone, they have grown from 500 to 1500 employees all while dealing with the challenges of the pandemic and the many other obstacles.
Previously, Tomaino was a human resources coordinator at Harvard University's Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. She earned a master's in sustainability and environmental management from Harvard Extension School and an undergraduate degree.
17. Jennifer Lohse
Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Aware Recovery Care, Inc.
Jennifer Lohse joined Aware Recovery Care in 2022 as Chief Legal Officer, where she is responsible for the legal, risk management, compliance, privacy, payer relations, and health information management functions. She is a member of the executive leadership team, services as a corporate officer, and is a direct advisor to the governing board and several board committees. Lohse has an expansive comprehension of healthcare operations and routinely advises on multi-state and federal matters, including strategy development, mergers, acquisitions and partnership development, operational implementation, and governance.
Prior to joining Aware Recovery Care, Lohse served as general counsel, chief compliance officer, and corporate secretary at both the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the Center for Diagnostic Imaging/Insight Imaging, where she led the legal, risk management, and compliance departments.
Lohse received her law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, and her undergraduate degree from the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in St. Joseph. She has been certified in healthcare compliance by the Compliance Certification Board. Lohse is also an active member of the American Health Lawyers Association and the vice chair of their Behavioral Health Task Force. She is also a member of the Health Care Compliance Association. Jennifer presents regularly on healthcare care legal and business topics.
18. Keisha Greene
VP of Quality & Compliance, Mental Health Cooperative
Keisha Greene has over 25 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and in healthcare management with over 17 years specifically in nephrology nursing and dialysis management. Keisha has considerable experience in the development of policies & procedures, quality management tools, and training programs for caregivers and clinic operations managers. She has significant experience in the large-scale multi-site implementation of policies, procedures, and electronic medical records systems. She currently serves as the Vice President of Quality and Compliance for Mental Health Cooperative. In her role, she is responsible for the development and effective operation of MHC's quality & compliance programs and is accountable for the operations, outcomes, and financial productivity of the offices of compliance, quality & safety, risk management, and quality training. She provides overall quality guidance and support to all lines of business to ensure the agency is meeting its quality, accreditation, regulatory, and compliance goals.
Keisha holds an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, a Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist, and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management. Keisha is a systems-thinking and process-driven leader who strives to consistently operate in excellence. She lives by the quote “The time is always right to do what is right!” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
19. Laura Gwyn
Principal & Managing Director, Perkins&Will
Laura Gwyn is a Principal and Managing Director of the North Carolina practice of global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will. An architect, strategist, and mentor, she is known for her 360-degree perspective—gained from her experience in roles as an architect, construction manager, and owner representative. Grounded in expertise in health and well-being, she leads teams to apply equitable design to all project environments with a high level of care toward social, physical, and emotional well-being. Laura is also a member of the Perkins&Will Internal Project Delivery Board through which she advises on firmwide project execution and delivery. She is an active AIA speaker on career development, women in leadership, and sustainability and also chairs the Raleigh Women in Healthcare mentoring program.
Prior to her roles with Perkins&Will, Laura served with BBH Design, WakeMed, and Holt Brothers Inc. She graduated from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School with an MBA, from North Carolina State University with a master’s degree in architecture, and from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with an undergraduate degree in architecture.
20. Nicole Vorkapic
VP of US & Canada B2B Business, Inogen
Nicole Vorkapic is the Vice President of US and Canada B2B Business for Inogen. She first joined the company in 2022. Inogen’s compact, lightweight, and travel-approved portable oxygen concentrators are designed to free patients from heavy tanks, managing tank refills, or being tethered to stationary systems. Vorkapic is a sales, marketing, and strategy leader, with over 20 years of experience in the medical device space from sales rep to VP, currently leading sales teams and building the strategy through cross-functional collaborations to grow revenue.
During her career, Vorkapic has driven multiple cultural change initiatives including the reduction of company turnovers by hiring for cultural fit. She has led initiatives that grew revenue through the development and implementation of strategies and by shortening sales cycles through the training on sales best practices company-wide. She is a customer-centric business development healthcare leader with an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Vorkapic’s senior operations and marketing roles accompany her sales experience and have allowed her to refine skills in strategy, process, and team development. Throughout her career, she has enabled and driven growth in mature and high-growth B2B companies including Baxter and Applied Medical. As a lifelong learner with an insatiable curiosity, she naturally gravitates to processes and teams that need revitalizing or pioneer ideas that need developing. After all of her years of experience, she returned to school in 2018 and graduated from the Executive MBA program at Kellogg.
21. Maureen Donnellan Habel
Chief Human Resources Officer, Talbert House
Maureen Donnellan Habel is Vice President of Talent and Engagement for Talbert House, a health and human services agency headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, serving southwest Ohio.
Together with CEO Neil Tilow and the rest of the executive team, her current priorities at Talbert House include workforce development; workplace culture; equity, inclusion, and diversity; leadership development and succession; and employee engagement and retention.
Starting her professional career with Business Information Solutions in Cincinnati, Maureen spent ten years progressing through positions of greater responsibility in sales, marketing, and customer support, ending her tenure there as VP of development under the leadership of CEO Frank Albi. Maureen left BIS in 2002 to work in the nonprofit industry for the Diocese of Covington as director of development, where she established a long record of success in recruitment, fundraising, community engagement, alumni relations, and diversity and inclusion under the leadership of David Otte, principal of St. Henry District High School. In 2012, she joined Management Performance International, and together with the president and CEO John Hawkins, helped lead MPI’s leadership development and employee engagement capability area as VP of consulting, serving client companies in healthcare, manufacturing, consumer goods, and public service.
Maureen is a graduate of East Carolina University where she studied community ecology and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in biological sciences. She has been recognized for her leadership contributions by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, the NAACP, and the Kentucky League for Educational Alternatives. As a public speaker, she has led workshops for SHRM, the American Marketing Association, the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, several Chambers of Commerce, the Ohio Society for Association Executives, the Institute for Medical Leadership, and others. Maureen has served her community as a volunteer for the Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center and coached USA Jr. Olympic Volleyball for ten years in Greater Cincinnati.
22. Lisa Jansen-King
Managing Director, Impact Advisors
Lisa Jansen-King is a versatile, innovative, purposeful leader with more than 18 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is focused on managing client relationships and providing engagement oversight for system-wide operational and strategic performance improvements across health systems. She has subject matter expertise in corporate and shared services, physician enterprise, access optimization, organization model design, and revenue cycle solutions.
Jansen-King is a GE-certified Black Belt with broad experience leading process excellence, Lean Six Sigma, change management, and organizational and leadership development engagements for healthcare providers nationwide. She provided direct management experience and P&L responsibility in infrastructure technology sales, product management, and turnaround efforts across multiple industries. She is effective at building, leading, and managing teams within complex engagements. Lisa is currently Managing Director at Impact Advisors, Inc. She earned a master’s degree in international management from the University of Denver and an undergraduate degree in business administration from Winona State University.
23. Megan Zimmerman
VP of Employee Health & Benefits, Marsh & McLennan Agency
As Vice President with Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA), Megan Zimmerman provides advice on health and benefits plans, mergers & acquisitions, and more to a diverse base of corporate
clients with locations throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. She is dedicated to helping corporate leaders understand the full scope, risk, and costs of various employee benefits strategies and plan designs. Along with her team, Zimmerman solves complex health challenges by utilizing innovative healthcare cost containment strategies to create better healthcare consumers and keep clients current on all regulatory issues
Zimmerman was selected nationally as a Health Rosetta Certified Adviser due to her industry-leading standard of transparency and fiduciary responsibility to her clients and their employees. In 2020, she was awarded the Rising Star Award by Employee Benefit Advisor magazine. In 2021, she was selected nationally as a finalist for BenefitsPRO Broker of the Year. Zimmerman speaks throughout the United States on healthcare innovation and educating health plan sponsors on fiduciary responsibilities. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in dietetics with an emphasis on workplace wellness from Mount Mary University in Wisconsin.
24. Debbie Kirschman
Senior Counsel, Taft Law
Debbie Kirschman joined Taft, Stettinius and Hollister in 2022, one of the Midwest’s largest regional law firms, recently recognized as One of The Best Law Firms for Women. Kirschman’s work continues in the healthcare and life sciences industry with an emphasis in corporate and regulatory matters.
Prior to joining Taft, Kirschman was a corporate counsel to Alternate Solutions Health Network (ASHN), an organization that partners with health systems to create post-acute home health and hospice care solutions. Kirschman continues in her role at ASHN as its external corporate counsel. Prior to her work at ASHN, Kirschman held corporate counsel and compliance officer roles at leading and innovative medical device and biologics companies in the Midwest. She is currently the compliance officer for Aerobiotix, LLC, a company that specializes in the development and manufacture of proprietary environmental management devices for use in institutional healthcare, home health, and commercial settings.
Kirschman was appointed to the advisory board of Jewish Family Services of Greater Dayton, and she is working towards obtaining her Guardian Ad Litem certification. She earned a JD from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
25. Arianne Roy
Co-Founder & CEO, Global Health Leaders
Arianne Roy is the Co-Founder and CEO of Global Health Leaders, an international healthcare agency focused on advancing accessible healthcare around the world. Among many services, GHL connects healthcare leaders with medical and healthcare administration students to build a network of like-minded individuals changing the global healthcare landscape. Additionally, GHL provides internship and volunteer opportunities to provide essential medical services in developing countries with individuals in extreme poverty that have no access to healthcare services.
Adrianne is an experienced integrated healthcare leader who is passionate about helping people live healthy lives. She is highly skilled in value-based healthcare, program development, strategic planning, US healthcare policy, leadership, and data analytics. Prior to co-founding GHL, Adrianne was the COO of Family Services of Rise Services. She first got her start in 2006 as a head instructor and addiction counselor at SageWalk of The Wilderness School. From there, she went on to Central City Concern, before eventually rising to become a director of clinical strategy and analytics at Terros Health
Adrianne has completed graduate coursework at the top two universities in the US for innovation refining skills of design thinking, program development, leadership, business development, innovation, and strategy. She believes that integrated whole health programs save lives and improve communities. Adrianne graduated from ASU College of Health Solutions with a DBH in management, from the University of Phoenix with an MS in clinical mental health counseling, and from Marylhurst University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
26. Christine Muldoon, MBA
SVP of Marketing & Strategy, WebMD Health Services
Christine Muldoon is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at WebMD Health Services. WebMD Health Services, part of the WebMD family, is a leading well-being program and service provider helping employers and health plans to empower well-being in everyone. Christine has been with WebMD for over 15 years, working her way up by demonstrating and being recognized for her leadership talent.
Christine has over 25 years in the healthcare industry. She is a thought leader and speaker and was recognized by Medical Marketing & Media as their Hall of Femme Women to Watch. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with an MBA, specializing in health care management, and from Providence College with an undergraduate degree in business. She also received a certificate for Strategies that Build Winning Brands from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.
27. Julie Schubert
VP of Professional Services, Artera
Julie Schubert is a pioneering healthcare change leader passionate about saving lives and leveraging healthcare technology to achieve better outcomes. She has a knack for developing the systems, structures, and teams to enable healthcare start-ups to scale with quality and reliability. Known for effectively leading transformational change, growing teams, and achieving sustainable outcomes, Julie currently leads customer education and professional services at Artera, a SaaS digital health leader building the future of healthcare communication. She’s also a corporate coach, seasoned healthcare consultant, and registered nurse with over 25 years of clinical, operational, and IT experience.
After years spent thriving in the chaos of a trauma ER, Julie is motivated to help care teams navigate the complexity and constant state of change in healthcare. This includes making performance excellence a way of life as well as making it easier to do the right thing at the right time through enabling and innovative technology. Prior to joining Artera, Julie challenged the status quo and led advisory services for organizations such as IBM Watson Health, GE Healthcare, Huron, McKesson, and TigerConnect. She’s also forever grateful for the years she worked at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where she had rich leadership development opportunities and mentorship.
28. Xochy Hurtado
Chief Operating Officer, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas
Xochy Hurtado is the Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. Building upon 18 years of progressive leadership experience in the healthcare industry, Xochy guides the direction of clinical and regional operations to ensure the organization’s mission and vision are realized. Her oversight of clinical operations includes two primary care clinics in San Antonio and two School Based Health Centers in Schertz and Marion. Regional operations across MHM’s 74-county service area emphasize community health and wellness and include MHM’s Wesley Nurse Program; Community Counseling Services; and family wellness programs such as Get FIT (Families in Training); and Blue Ribbon recognized Parenting Programs. She also oversees the Prosperemos Juntos/Thriving Together program that supports communities in cultivating behaviors, processes, and systems leading to a culture of health and sustainable improvements in well-being and equity.
Under her leadership, MHM has: Transitioned to telehealth for all clinical operations with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic; MHM Implemented PRAPARE (Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks and Experiences) – a nationally recognized social determinants of health screening tool – in MHMs clinical and regional services; and she serves as the executive sponsor overseeing the establishment of a Medical Legal Partnership pilot program within the organization to better serve the needs of patients and clients. During her tenure, MHM has been recognized as having “Top Decile Quality Metrics” for medical patient services. Xochy also oversaw the organization-wide effort to implement two major process-improvement efforts: Becoming a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and the first organization in Bexar County to become a Trauma-Informed Care Certified entity. Xochy also directed MHM’s response to the changing healthcare landscape brought forth by the coronavirus pandemic and spearheaded efforts to ensure not a single outbreak occurred among staff or patients/clients.
Xochy earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University in College Station, a master’s degree with a specialization in healthcare administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, and certificates in population health essentials and population health management & strategy from the Jefferson College of Public Health. In December 2023, she will earn an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD. She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Xochy is a member of the Texas Rural Funders Collaborative and a graduate of Leadership Women Texas 2020. She volunteers her time as a board member for the Trinity University Board of Visitors and the United Way of San Antonio. She also serves as a member of Methodist Healthcare System’s Clinical Excellence Committee and Ethics and Compliance Committee. Xochy’s personal interests include photography, bible studies and spending time with her family. Hurtado lives in her hometown of San Antonio with her husband Todd and their two children.
29. Cynde King
SVP of Physician & Employee Solutions, PRC
Dr. Cynde King is dedicated to uncovering the underlining and evolving fundamental needs that drive employee and physician engagement. Her research has found that employees’ perceptions and well-being improve when they are provided interpersonal and workplace support. Cynthia’s research background along with her dedication to improving overall employee and physician experience make her a strong asset at PRC.
As Senior Vice President of Physician and Employee Solutions for PRC, she leads the Physician and Employee Engagement division and is responsible for the development of the Engagement Index used to help healthcare organizations find effective and meaningful ways to engage employees, physicians, and caregivers in their overall culture. Considered an expert in Action Planning for Excellence, she is an accomplished speaker and published author. She received a PhD in educational psychology with a specialization in learning cognition, motivation, and instruction and an MA in program evaluation from the University of Texas at Austin.
30. Vanessa Haydon
VP of Account Management, Revecore
Vanessa Haydon is the Vice President of Account Management for Revecore, a leading provider of revenue integrity solutions for underpayments and denial prevention and complex claims reimbursements solutions for motor vehicle accident, workers’ compensation, and Veterans Affairs claims. Revecore combines efficient technology platforms with the most talented and experienced experts to capture the best reimbursement for our partners, resulting in being named Best In KLAS for Complex Claims two years in a row!
Vanessa has over 15 years in the healthcare industry and has been actively involved with the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM) for 8 years and is currently serving a second term as President for the Illinois Chapter. Vanessa received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University.
31. Carrie VanZant
Chief Operating Officer, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Inc.
Carrie VanZant is a nationally respected healthcare executive, innovator, and patient advocate that currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Prior to this role she was the senior vice president of operations at Vivent Health, a non-profit HIV Medical Home. Prior to joining Vivent Health, Carrie was in an associate VP position for a national $25B hospital healthcare system where she improved optimization and aligned best practices across multiple states and was a senior director at the nation's largest ($1.8B) pediatrics medical group where results doubled EBITDA goals. She also previously served as a VP of operations at Washington's largest community health center, where she helped drive growth to triple the size of the organization transforming the delivery of health care for the Latino community.
Carrie considers herself a life learner post two undergraduate degrees in chemistry and biology, a master’s degree in business and the completion of public health doctorate classes for the program specialty of community health. She thrives on assembling the strengths within a team to focus on improvements that impact outcomes of care and believes a collaborative team approach is the key to a positive patient experience.
32. Kristin Ferge
Chief Financial Officer, Capri Communities
As Capri Communities’ Chief Financial Officer, Kristin Ferge is a well-rounded and highly accomplished C-level financial executive and business leader. Kristin’s holistic understanding of sustainable growth coupled with her expertise in the senior living industry has directly contributed to Capri’s growth during her tenure. Since joining Capri in September 2016, the company’s revenue has grown by over 178%. She has been instrumental in enhancing the company’s executive committee to position Capri for continued growth and operational success. Kristin’s specialty is leading fast-paced, dynamic high-growth, and business turnaround initiatives to a successful conclusion. She is able to lead multi-discipline teams across a wide variety of financial areas and brings expertise in both a for-profit and nonprofit setting. She leads capital-raising activities and is also responsible for building relationships with joint venture partners, investment bankers, commercial banks, lessors, auditors, attorneys, and shareholders.
Kristin’s expertise includes debt and equity financing, IPOs, M&A, restructuring, SEC matters, strategic planning, governance, treasury, banking, financial analysis and modeling, financial reporting, and auditing. She also has significant experience working with boards of directors and audit committees. Prior to Capri, Kristin was EVP, Chief Accounting Officer, and Treasurer with Brookdale Senior Living which has revenues over $6.0B, making it the largest for-profit, publicly traded senior living corporation in the U.S. She also served as VP and CFO at Alterra Healthcare Corporation, a privately held senior living company, where she was responsible for the financial operations of 300 locations and overseeing a team of 300+ professionals. Kristin graduated with a master’s degree in healthcare administration and finance from the University of Wisconsin and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Marquette University. She is a CPA.
33. Linda Finkel
Chief Executive Officer, AVIA
Linda Finkel is the CEO of AVIA, the nation’s leading network of healthcare organizations committed to leveraging digital to accelerate the transformation of care in our country. A results-oriented innovator, Linda has been leading high-growth businesses to success and results for more than 20 years. As a healthcare leader, she has collaborated with hundreds of health systems and digital health companies to transform patient care, the health of our communities, and the financial sustainability of the providers and payers that serve them.
Prior to joining AVIA, she served as COO of Accretive Health’s population health business where she held responsibility for the core elements of service launch and delivery. Previously Linda held several executive leadership roles. These include co-head and COO of Bowne Business Solutions, now Williams Lea USA, where she led the business to market leadership with revenue of $300 million and 3,000 employees in four countries. Prior to her role at Bowne, Linda served as president of Donnelley Business Services, the leading business services provider to top-tier financial institutions and professional service firms which she grew from $30M to $90M in less than four years. Linda was part of the founding executive team of the company which she helped take public and continued to run as the largest business unit of Donnelley Enterprise Solutions Inc, a publicly traded NASDAQ company. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.
34. Margot Case
Chief Growth Officer, Wondr Health
Margot Case serves as Chief Growth Officer of Wondr Health, the proven leader in digital behavior change. Their clinically-proven, personalized approach helps people improve their physical health and emotional well-being by providing lifelong behavior change skills and tools. Wonder Health prevents and reduces the cost of chronic health conditions and improves the quality of life for its participants.
Margot is a seasoned commercial leader with over twenty years of driving impact on health outcomes for payers and employers. She has diverse experience leading teams in high-growth, healthcare environments and is passionate about health tech innovation. Margot earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Vanderbilt University.
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35. Merle Griff
CEO & Founder, SarahCare Adult Day Services
Dr. Merle Griff is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of SarahCare adult day health centers. With locations in 13 states, SarahCare is also developing internationally in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Griff has served on numerous national boards and task forces including being the past chairperson of the board of directors for NADSA, an invited task force member for the Assistant Secretary of Program and Evaluation in the Department of Aging, and a delegate to the last three White House Conferences on Aging. Her current activities include being a member of the CMS Caregiver Workforce Group a Thought Leader for HEOPS, Inc. a leader in managed care services, and a certified CARF surveyor. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, host of the podcast, Caught Between Generations, and a Forbes book author, her newest book being for family caregivers through the life cycle entitled Solace in the Storm.
36. Raji Kumar
Managing Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Hill Regional Hospital
Raji Kumar is a healthcare entrepreneur focusing on building relationships and meeting the healthcare needs in the communities where her businesses are located. In 2020, during the pandemic, she and her business partner acquired Hill Regional Hospital in Hillsboro, TX, a 25-bed critical access hospital. She serves as the CEO of that hospital, as well as Crescent Regional Hospital in Lancaster, TX. Kumar previously served as the regional CEO of Dallas Medical Center and Dallas Regional Medical Center, both part of Prime Healthcare.
Some of her accolades have included being named by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of The Top Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know. Raji also was named Business Woman of the Year for 2013 for The City of Farmers Branch, Becker’s Top 25 Under 40, and made the list of Top 500 Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know. She served as the keynote speaker at the Annual BAPS Charities Women’s Conference three years in a row. Raji received the prestigious Roshni Media award in May 2015 in Manhattan, NY, and was published in the Roshni coffee table book of Global Emerging Leaders. Raji delivered the keynote address at the Air Force Annual Ball on ‘Innovation’, in August 2015, at the Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA.
Raji has been interviewed for and quoted in numerous articles across various publications including Becker’s Hospital Review, Modern Healthcare, Healthcare Executive Exchange, Addison Magazine, Inside Healthcare, India Abroad, and others. She received her certification in Managing Health Care Delivery from Harvard Business School and an MBA from the University of Michigan. She received an undergraduate degree from Oakland University in Michigan and an undergraduate degree in physical therapy from India.
37. Karma Bass
CEO & Founding Principal, Via Healthcare Consulting
Karma Bass is the CEO and Founding Principal of Via Healthcare Consulting. She first joined the company in 2013. Throughout her more than 25-year career, Karma has been a sought-after speaker, facilitator, and consultant with deep knowledge and experience in governance, strategic planning, philanthropy, healthcare policy, and board effectiveness. Her experience gives her a uniquely valuable perspective as a consultant to hospital and health system boards today.
Before co-founding Via Healthcare Consulting, Bass worked as vice president for Accord Limited, a Chicago-based consulting firm. She served for two years as president/CEO of Alliance Healthcare Foundation in San Diego, where she reported to an independent, 11-person not-for-profit board. Notably, she spent 10 years at The Governance Institute, holding various positions, including vice president of membership services and director of research and publications. Bass also oversaw the prestigious biennial hospital governance practices survey tracking trends in nearly 5,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems. During three years at the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, she facilitated the first-ever collaborative community health needs assessment for San Diego’s 32 hospitals.
Bass holds a master’s degree in public health with a focus in health services administration from San Diego State University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego.
38. Morgan Haynes
President, Tribal Health
An energetic and inspiring leader who has led operations for private, public, and federal healthcare systems, Morgan Haynes has more than a decade of expertise in business development, M&A, and federal contracting. She is recognized for her ability to drive transformative growth, recruit elite talent, and motivate a productive workforce at unprecedented engagement levels.
As President of Tribal Health, Morgan oversees executive strategy and business development while fostering an inclusive culture of humanitarian purpose and professional growth. A healthcare change agent for the underserved, she is uniquely skilled at aligning solutions to care disparities with profitable, sustainable business programs. Under her leadership, the company has consistently driven year-over-year revenue growth and most recently quadrupled its national presence in one year.
Morgan served as a top officer and advisor for telemedicine leader MeMD until its acquisition by Walmart. She is also a passionate advocate for the medical ketogenic diet in managing intractable epilepsy. In addition to holding a Professional Human Resources certification from the Society for Human Resource Management, and The Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional certification, she holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Arizona State University. Morgan was named 40 under 40 by Phoenix Business Journal and Staffing Industry Analysts.
39. Jessica Jankowski
Chief Impact Officer, UCS Healthcare
Jessica Jankowski began her professional career 7 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Impact Officer of UCS Healthcare, which offers one of the broadest arrays of behavioral and primary healthcare services in central Iowa. They believe each patient's treatment should be both individualized and holistic. That is accomplished by offering a continuum of care that ranges from well-baby care to geriatric medicine and a broad range of mental health care services, psychiatry, and substance use disorder treatment including medication-assisted treatment. The team members at UCS Healthcare find great personal rewards in using their skills and life experiences to partner with patients to achieve optimum health. Jankowski graduated from DeVry University with an undergraduate degree in healthcare administration.
40. Milica McDowell
VP of Product & Sales, Physitrack PLC
Dr. Milica McDowell is the Vice President of Product and Sales at Physitrack, a London-based health-tech company that is the world leader in remote patient care. Since joining the organization she has been responsible for launching Physitrack's professional e-learning division, Physicourses, which provides on-demand education and training to medical and wellness practitioners worldwide. She leads a global team of educators, authors, therapists and operations professionals who curate education from world-class authors while partnering with industry-leading organizations such as the Gray Institute, Evidence in Motion and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Prior to joining Physitrack, Milica was the senior director of medical at an international consumer product goods company where she oversaw live and e-learning education and product development for medical and fitness professionals. Milica served as an adjunct faculty at her alma mater, Montana State University for nine years, where she taught undergraduate courses in human performance and mentored pre-medical students. Her professional background includes several successful brick-and-mortar startups including an orthopedic and sports physical therapy clinic, Clearwater Therapeutics, a durable medical equipment company, Bluebird Medical Supply, a full-service fitness center, Epic Fitness, a CrossFit gym, CrossFit Send It, and a predictive analytics company in the biomechanics and motion capture space, 4CSports Injury Analytics.
In addition to her role at Physitrack, Milica currently serves as the Head of Professional Education at Fringe, a US-based continuing education and product company. Additionally, she is a scientific consultant for several medical and fitness product companies who engage her expertise in research, literature review and scientific product claims development as part of growth or go to market activities. She is the author of a series of evidence-based professional education programs, is a textbook chapter author and has been invited to lecture at numerous national and international conferences. Milica earned her master’s in physical therapy at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Idaho State University where she studied predictive factors of non-contact knee injuries in skeletally immature female athletes. She is a member of the APTA, ACSM and NATA and has completed 13 Ironman triathlons.
41. Carol McKinley
President & CEO, Simpson
Dr. Carol McKinley serves as the President and CEO of Simpson, a regional retirement system in the Philadelphia area composed of three retirement communities, three affordable housing communities, a home care company, and a rehabilitation company. She also serves as a member of the LeadingAge of Pennsylvania Board of Directors, a trade association representing more than 380 quality senior housing, health care, and community services across the commonwealth. These providers serve more than 75,000 older Pennsylvanians and employ over 50,000 dedicated caregivers on a daily basis. She is a veteran health care executive and licensed nursing home administrator having served in a wide range of health care and aging services for over 35 years.
Her academic credentials include a Doctorate in Administration and Leadership from The Indiana University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Social Work specializing in health care and gerontology from Boston University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work with a health care focus from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Dr. McKinley has devoted much of her education and career to the care of older adults. She is committed to elders having quality lives, being treated and respected as adults, and receiving the care and services they need to live to their full potential. Motivated by the challenging health care environment, her overall goals are using creativity with available resources and finding ways in which elders can continue to be honored. She vigorously participates in streamlining care pathways through appropriate collaboration and partnership, including post-acute strategy, value-based care programming, value proposition development, and advancing partnership development. She has been active in strategic initiatives in person-directed services; dementia care strategies; technology advancements; renovating for relevance; and navigating new reimbursement models. In her endeavors, Carol has been an advocate for both state and national issues. She has spoken on the national and international level to advance the elder care agenda.
42. Charisse Litchman
Chief Medical Officer, BeCareLink
Charisse Litchman is Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of BeCare Link, an AI-driven platform for quantitative assessment of neurologic function. Since its inception in 2017, Litchman has helped guide the company’s vision and goal of fundamentally changing the way patients and medical professionals understand and manage chronic neurologic diseases, remove biases, and find new treatment options with better outcomes. Trained at Yale School of Medicine and Cornell-New York Hospital, Litchman has had a successful neurology private practice for 25 years, was on the faculty of Yale School of Medicine, worked with a Contractor Research Organization monitoring pharmaceutical trials, and created a migraine service at a telehealth company.
As CMO of BeCare Link, Litchman addresses the need for more objective, sensitive measurement of neurologic function that often makes clinical trials and drug development for neurologic patients long, expensive, and yield low-quality data. Remote, ongoing monitoring enhanced by artificial intelligence empowers real-time detection of subtle changes in neurologic function. The result: improved patient outcomes. Studies at Yale School of Medicine and Weill Cornell provide empiric proof of the app’s convergent validity with traditional, in-clinic neurologic exams.
A former assistant professor of clinical neurology at Yale School of Medicine, Litchman has published articles on headaches and multiple sclerosis and served as an editor of the first textbook on a rare soft tissue tumor. She earned a Medical Editing and Writing certificate from the University of Chicago. Litchman earned an MD in internal medicine from Yale University School of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in biopsych from Wesleyan University.
43. Jenna Hartter
Vice President of Operations, Cubby Beds
Jenna Hartter is the Vice President of Operations at Cubby Beds, where she leads supply chain, quality, and revenue operations along with overall P&L responsibility. Cubby Beds manufactures and sells smart beds to improve sleep, safety, and sensory control for people with cognitive conditions. Since launching in 2020, Cubby has shipped thousands of beds to families of kids with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and many other conditions. Cubby is the only app-enabled bed on the market and is on a mission to provide revolutionary technology solutions that kids love, doctors trust, and families rely on.
Before joining Cubby, Jenna was a fractional operations director for several direct-to-consumer startups and was an operations leader at Unilever. Jenna has successfully led software & business process transformations, initial forecast & KPI development, and supply chain operations at organizations of many sizes. Jenna holds degrees in finance and sustainability from Oregon State University.
44. Susan Conover
Co-Founder & CEO, Piction Health
Susan Conover is the Co-Founder and CEO of Piction Health. She first joined the company in 2019. For patients with skin, hair, or nail issues, Piction Health provides expert care by dermatologists within 2 days, including diagnosis and a personalized care plan. Piction Health's goal is to ensure every person has access to high quality, expert dermatology care from the comfort of home. Piction Health utilizes AI to provide a trusted, quick experience for both patients and providers.
Previously, Conover was a management consultant at Oliver Wyman and before that a research assistant at The University of Texas at Austin. Earlier in her career she worked with Grant Thornton LLP as a business advisory services consultant. Conover earned a master's degree in system design and management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
45. Rosemary Browne
President & CEO, Alder Health Services
Rosemary Browne began her professional career 37 years ago. Today, she is the President & CEO of Alder Health Services. Alder Health improves the health and well-being of individuals living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ+ communities in South Central Pennsylvania by providing an inclusive and affirming environment that empowers the people they serve.
Browne first got her start in 1986 as a VP of administration at Vartan Enterprises. From there, she went on to Dauphin County Human Services, before eventually rising to program officer at Highmark Foundation, her most recent position before joining Alder Health Services. Browne graduated from Saint Francis University with an undergraduate degree in sociology and urban planning.
46. Charu Raheja
Chief Executive Officer, TriageLogic Group
Charu Raheja began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is the Chief Executive Officer of TriageLogic Group, a URAC-accredited, physician-led provider of top-quality nurse telehealth technology, remote patient monitoring, and medical call center solutions. Founded in 2007, the TriageLogic Group now serves more than 22,000 physicians and covers over 42 million lives nationwide.
Raheja first got her start in 2001 as an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University. From there, she went on to Wake Forest University, before eventually rising to director of national board at Creating Healthier Communities, her most recent position before joining TriageLogic Group. Raheja graduated from NYU Stern School of Business with PhD and an MA in finance, and from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree in finance.
47. Sarah Woodley
CEO, BPA Health
Sarah Woodley, CEO of BPA Health, Inc., has over 20 years of experience with the company and a great vision for the future of Idaho’s leading behavioral health service provider. She joined BPA Health in 1996 and has worked in quality assurance, finance, contract services, and clinical office management functions for the organization.
Before joining BPA Health, Sarah was responsible for the development, testing, and staff training for decision support systems of an international retailer. She received an undergraduate degree from Santa Clara (California) University in Spanish and anthropology and studied at Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica.
48. Cynthia Latsko
Chief Executive Officer, Mobile Medical
Cynthia Latsko, President and Chief Executive Officer, is an entrepreneur and woman business leader who has built Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) from an innovative concept in 1990 to a multi-million dollar corporation with employees throughout the USA. She brings with her an extensive background in business development, collective bargaining, sales, and marketing management. Cynthia possesses a unique client service sensitivity and understanding that has been the driving force in the success of the organization.
Through her insight, vision, and direction, the company has achieved many "1st in the industry" accomplishments, including being first in the industry to develop and provide state-of-the-art proprietary software applications plus a secured interactive website that enables clients to have the ability to view their proprietary records 24 hours a day 7-days a week. With this technology, MMC provides its customers with an "around-the-clock" eligible workforce.
49. Virginia Baker
Director of Operations, Surgery Partners, Inc.
Virginia Baker is the Director of Operations of Surgery Partners, Inc. She first joined the company in 2023. Surgery Partners is a leading operator of surgical facilities and ancillary services with more than 180 locations nationwide. They provide exceptional integrated healthcare experiences between our providers and patients. Their diverse company operates multiple types of healthcare services dedicated to improving the quality of care in a convenient and cost-effective manner.
Previously, Baker was the CEO of the Charleston surgery center at SCA Health. She holds a Master of Science in Health Administration and a Master of Business Administration. Virginia concentrates on healthcare leadership and operations. Through her education and work experience, she offers a unique insight into the challenging and exciting world of the healthcare industry.
50. Cherlyne Majors
Chief Development Officer, Constellation Behavioral Health
Cherlyne Majors is a widely respected behavioral healthcare professional with over 28 years of experience ranging from clinical practice to senior executive administration at prestigious, nationally renowned treatment facilities such as the Betty Ford Center, Cirque Lodge, Charter Behavioral Health’s Provo Canyon School, and most recently as executive director for Casa Palmera. Holding both a Doctorate and two master’s degrees, Majors has a robust history of developing successful start-up businesses and being an agent of change in existing businesses that want to make an investment in continuous improvements and expect immediate results as well as long-term strategies to maintain achieved gains. As a consultant and both a national and international speaker, Majors focuses on innovation in behavioral healthcare.
Starting early in her career, Majors has a proven track record of achieving results. Majors developed and marketed the Statewide Technical Assistance and Training Services (STATS) program, a Texas prevention program for high-risk youths which she grew from 20 to 101 programs in three years and positively impacting the lives of more than 20,000 youths across Texas.
Majors completed her Ph.D. in Addiction Studies as well as post-graduate training in Family Systems Theory. She is a Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Master Addiction Counselor (National), and a licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (Texas), and holds a Lifetime Teacher’s Certificate from the state of Texas.