Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders in Medicine for 2024. While women have been medical practitioners for centuries, there’s been a recent rise in women physicians in the United States. The numbers have been steadily climbing for nearly two decades, with about 38% of US physicians being women in 2023.
In addition to serving as physicians, women leaders in medicine have taken on administrative and executive roles, lending their skills and specialized knowledge to the field to provide better patient care.
Among these leaders is physician and entrepreneur Avril Beckford. She’s the founder of the Pediatric and Adolescent Center, and she serves as the Chief Pediatric Officer for the WellStar Health System, a nationally recognized healthcare system.
This year’s honorees include Heather Prendergast, the Executive Director of the University of Illinois Physician Group with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Among her achievements is the establishment of the first off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic in 2020.
We also extend honors to Catherine Codispoti, the SVP and Chief People Officer at Mercy, one of the 25 largest health systems in the US. Codispoti has served in multiple executive roles in medicine throughout her 20-year career.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Medicine for 2024.
1). Eve Glazier
President, UCLA Health
Eve Glazier is the President of the UCLA Health Faculty Practice Group (FPG). UCLA Health is among the most comprehensive and advanced healthcare systems in the world. Their mission is to provide state-of-the-art patient care, generate research discoveries leading to new treatments and diagnoses, and train future generations of healthcare professionals.
Glazier has 20 years of experience. Before serving as FPG president, she was the medical director for the UCLA Health Entertainment Industry Medical Group. Glazier is also an associate clinical professor for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Glazier graduated from UCLA with an MBA, from Columbia University with an MD, and from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree.
2). Reetu Singh
Chief Medical Officer, Saint Francis Health System
Reetu Singh is a highly accomplished healthcare professional with a diverse range of experiences and a passion for improving the quality of healthcare. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Singh is responsible for overseeing system quality, medical staff, service line medical directors, and acute inpatient medicine. Her dedication to excellence and her ability to inspire and lead others make her an invaluable asset to the healthcare community.
Singh's educational background includes graduating from the University of Missouri Kansas City, where she completed her residency in internal medicine. She also holds an MBA in leadership from Baker University, further enhancing her expertise in healthcare management. Throughout her career, Singh has held various leadership roles, showcasing her exceptional skills in medical management. She has served as the medical director of hospital medicine, regional chief medical information officer, and system director of clinical documentation. These positions have allowed her to develop a deep understanding of healthcare operations and the importance of effective leadership.
Passionate about quality improvement, physician leadership, and innovation in healthcare, Dr. Singh actively seeks opportunities to make a positive impact in these areas. She believes in the power of equitable healthcare and advocates for the rights and well-being of all patients. As a first-generation immigrant from India, Dr. Singh has a unique perspective and a strong commitment to addressing healthcare disparities.
In her current role as the SVP, System CMO, Dr. Singh is responsible for overseeing system quality, medical staff, service line medical directors, and acute inpatient medicine. Her dedication to excellence and her ability to inspire and lead others make her an invaluable asset to the healthcare community. Dr. Singh's remarkable journey and accomplishments serve as an inspiration to aspiring healthcare professionals and a testament to the importance of compassionate and innovative leadership in the field of medicine.
3). Kameron Matthews
Chief Health Officer, Cityblock Health
Kameron Matthews is the Chief Health Officer of Cityblock Health, a New York-based healthcare organization that provides services like behavioral, Medicaid, and medicare management for patients and physicians. Matthews oversees all clinical operations across the entirety of the integrated care model virtually, in-home, and in community-based clinics, with modern, custom-built technology at the core.
Matthews has focused her career on underserved patient populations, having worked as a staff physician at Cook County Jail and with Erie Family Health Center, a large community health center in Chicago. She served as chief medical officer of Mile Square Health Center within the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, overseeing 12 federally qualified community health center locations. After leaving Chicago, Matthews joined the Veterans Health Administration, the nation’s largest integrated health system, where she served in multiple executive roles. She oversaw a national budget of more than $14 billion and was responsible for the contracted community-based provider network for veterans nationwide. She successfully implemented the VA MISSION Act of 2018, expanding eligibility for Veterans to care with community partners and implementing increased efficiencies in business, technology, and operations processes. She served as VHA's functional champion for EHR modernization across the health system, directing the clinical, business, and operational direction of the system's deployment to a commercial EHR.
Originally from the Philadelphia area, Matthews earned her Bachelor's degree in Public Policy from Duke University, her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, and her law degree from the University of Chicago. She completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she served as Chief Resident in her final year. Matthews was honored to be awarded the 2015 National Medical Association Council for the Concerns of Women Physicians Emerging Trailblazer Award, the 2015 NACHC Health Professions Education and Training Award, the 2015 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Health Braintrust Congressman Louis Stokes Public Health Advocate Award, and the 2017 National Minority Quality Forum 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health Award. She was selected as a Most Influential Clinical Executive of 2023 by Modern Healthcare, a health equity honoree of the 2023 Fierce 50, and an honoree of the Slice of Healthcare 2023 50 Under 50. She was the 2018 to 2020 National Academy of Medicine - American Board of Family Medicine James C. Puffer Fellow, and in 2020, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, where she chairs the Health Policy Fellowships and Leadership Programs Advisory Committee and is a member of the Standing Committee of Primary Care.
4). Lauren Singelakis
VP, Laboratory Operations Department of Pathology, Molecular & Cell-Based Medicine, Mount Sinai Health System
Lauren Singelakis is currently the Vice President of Laboratory Operations, at the Department of Pathology, Molecular & Cell-Based Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. In her current role, she has operational and financial oversight for seven hospital-based laboratories as well as multiple system ambulatory labs. Here, she strives to develop and implement innovative initiatives; delivering system efficiency and exceptional quality.
Prior to joining the Mt Sinai Health System, Ms. Singelakis spent 9 years at Westchester Medical Center where she established and grew a revenue-generating outreach business for the lab. In addition, she and her team in-sourced Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine; a service that was previously vendor-managed for 40+ years. Ahead of this role, Lauren dedicated 13 years of her career to Public Health, serving as the Senior Virologist for the Westchester County Department of Laboratories and Research. There, she honed her skillset in laboratory medicine. One of her team’s most notable accomplishments was isolating a strain of Influenza that was characterized by exceptional growth properties and utilized for the 2005-2006 Northern Hemisphere vaccine & 2006 Southern Hemisphere vaccine. In addition, she led teams that worked on the creation of West Nile Virus testing and collaborated with the CDC and WHO during the 2009 H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic.
Lauren’s interest and passion for laboratory medicine began in the late 1990’s when she joined Montefiore Medical Center as a Laboratory Technologist; working on the early iteration of PCR for HIV Viral Load. Here she was not only intrigued by the science but the functionality of the laboratory as a whole.
She remains an advocate of supporting young women in STEM and served as a mentor in the “Her Honor” program founded by Judge Judy Sheindlin. Lauren is committed to educating the next generation of laboratory scientists and served on the planning and curriculum committee for the development of the Clinical Laboratory Science Master’s Program at New York Medical College; where she was also an instructor. She currently serves as a board member for the New York State Clinical Laboratory Association and the Alumni Council for Mercy University. Ms. Singelakis’ scientific knowledge coupled with her drive for operational excellence has forged her career pathways and led to her success.
Lauren earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Manhattan College in 1996 and an MS in Health Care Management from Mercy University in 2018. She is currently pursuing certification as a Diplomate in Laboratory Management by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
5). Kristin McCabe-Kline
VP & Chief Medical Information Officer, AdventHealth
Kristin McCabe-Kline is a board-certified emergency physician who is also sub-specialty board-certified in Emergency Medical Services and currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer for the AdventHealth Central Florida Division and EMS Medical Director in her local community. AdventHealth is a Seventh-day Adventist nonprofit healthcare system headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida, that operates facilities in nine states across the United States.
McCabe-Kline has been an owner/shareholder and held leadership positions in two independent groups providing emergency medicine professional services. She served as Vice President of Emergency Medicine Professionals (EMPros), where she facilitated roughly doubling the size of the group. She has also served as AdventHealth Emergency Services Central Florida Division North Region Market Medical Director/EMPros Regional Operations Coordinator, AdventHealth Palm Coast Chief of Staff, AdventHealth Palm Coast Inpatient Hospice Medical Director, Behavioral Health ED Hold Unit Medical Director for Carolina Emergency Physicians Association (CEMPA), Patient Experience Medical Director for CEMPA, and President of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians.
McCabe-Kline is the Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of WaterSafe, a nonprofit organization dedicated to drowning prevention and water/sun safety that has provided swim and safety instruction for more than 1,000 children. She has considerable experience creating and improving systems-level solutions to support care teams across specialties on the front lines of healthcare delivery across the continuum. Her primary goal as a servant leader is to put the patients at the center of every conversation while caring for physicians, advanced practice clinicians, as well as clinical, support, and administrative teams who care for those patients. McCabe-Kline graduated from UT Health San Antonio with an MD and from Rice University with an undergraduate degree in English language and literature/letters.
6). Janis Green, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Holy Cross Health
Dr. Janis Green is a dynamic healthcare executive and accomplished gynecologic surgeon with over 15 years of experience and double board certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, specializing in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. She is known for her visionary leadership and ability to navigate complex healthcare environments, drive positive change, and implement innovative solutions to enhance patient care and operational efficiency.
Currently serving as Chief Medical Officer at Holy Cross Hospital, Dr. Green oversees medical staff operations, medical education programs, and clinical departments, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and advancing best practices in patient care. Previously, as Chief Medical Officer at FHCB Health System, she spearheaded the development and implementation of the Family Lifestyle Improvement Program, focusing on managing diabetes and hypertension while addressing social determinants of health. Dr. Green is also committed to advancing medical education and research, serving as a clinical instructor and mentor, and actively participating in professional organizations.
She holds an Executive MBA from the University of Maryland and a Medical Doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia. Driven by a commitment to excellence, Dr. Janis Green is dedicated to shaping the future of women's healthcare through innovation, compassion, and leadership. Dr. Green is a native of the Washington, DC area and has three sons with her husband John.
7). Jennifer Woodruff
VP, Head of Communications, Caremark, CVS Health
Jennifer Woodruff is the Vice President and Head of Communications for Caremark of CVS Health, the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. They reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through their local presence, digital channels, and over 300,000 dedicated colleagues.
Woodruff began her professional career 28 years ago, starting as an account executive for Crawley, Haskins & Rodgers, drafting news releases and managing events. She then went to Merck, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company. She worked her way up to legging the integrated global communications for Gardasil, the world's first cervical cancer vaccine, and RotaTeq, a vaccine for rotavirus. After a brief stint in corporate communications at Comcast, she returned to Merck, where she stayed for over 12 years.
She accepted a role in corporate reputation communications at CVS Health in 2021 and was promoted to the C-suite in 2023. Woodruff graduated from Syracuse University with a Master’s degree in Advertising and from Rutgers University with an undergraduate degree in journalism.
8). Tulay Aksoy
Chief Medical Officer, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Advocate Health
Tulay Aksoy has graduated from Uludag University School of Medicine in Turkey. Seeking educational excellence, she moved to the US and completed her Internal Medicine training at Montefiore Medical Center, New York. As a dedicated educator and associate professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she practiced as an academic internal medicine hospitalist for 11 years while taking on progressive leadership roles, including medical director of the Wakefield campus at Montefiore. After leading her hospital through the COVID pandemic as medical director, she joined Aurora Health Care as Chief Medical Officer at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in September 2022. Shortly after, she added Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore to her responsibilities.
Aksoy has formal training in performance improvement fellowship at Montefiore Institute of Performance Improvement and received numerous certificates, including leadership strategies for evolving healthcare executives and healthcare financial management for physician leaders certificates from Harvard Chan School of Public Health. Aksoy is studying for an Executive MBA at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and is expected to graduate in 2025.
She has been awarded numerous honors, including being inducted into the Leo M. Davidoff Society of Albert Einstein College of Medicine for outstanding achievement in teaching medical students, and has been featured as a national speaker. Aksoy resides in Brookfield with her husband and three children. The whole family loves watching hockey and enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures.
9). Sareda Nur
Chief Medical Officer, HCA Healthcare
Sareda Nur is the Chief Medical Officer of HCA Healthcare, aNashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 186 hospitals and approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom.
As a hospitalist, Nur works in one of the fastest-growing specialties in medicine. She is a dedicated physician who works exclusively in a hospital. She stays in close touch with primary care providers and notifies them about patients’ medical conditions and discharge planning. She collaborates with sub-specialty doctors about patients’ needs and has daily interdisciplinary team rounds, including bedside nurses, case managers, and pharmacists to make sure all disciplines review the whole case together and have a clear plan.
Nur was previously with TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center, a leader in a wide range of healthcare services, including emergency services, cardiology, orthopedics, and rehabilitation. She started there in 2013, and by 2017, she was promoted to the chief of staff. Throughout the years, she served in multiple roles, including the Department of Medicine Chair, a hospital medicine physician, and the medical director. Her most recent role was chief of medicine.
10). Krista Boe
Chief Clinical Officer, Acorn Health
Krista Boe is a passionate and dedicated clinician with extensive strategic healthcare executive leadership experience. She has served diverse patient populations, across a multitude of care settings, and as a member of highly cross-functional teams for more than 15 years. She currently serves as the Chief Clinical and Compliance Officer at Acorn Health, a foremost provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) delivering quality care for individuals diagnosed with autism across seven states. Boe joined Acorn Health from the outset in 2018 as the business poised itself to scale, and was instrumental in developing our clinical tenants and laying the groundwork for maintaining our high-quality clinical services for every client we serve.
Boe possesses the skill set required to define, disseminate, measure/assess, and evolve a clinical product. She is extremely passionate about the role she plays in ensuring clinical quality is at the forefront of every decision made and every client served and championing the need for refinement and improvement as an organization scales. Previously, Boe served dually diagnosed individuals at an intermediate care facility, and as an independent consultant in a community waiver-based setting. Boe was a board member for the Heartland Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Nebraska Association for Behavior Analysis. She began her work with Autism Centers of Michigan (ACM), an Acorn Health Company, in 2015, as Clinical Director of Northern Michigan operations, and later served as Chief Clinical Officer. In 2018, Boe was appointed to the Michigan Autism Council, representing certified behavior analysts throughout the state.
Boe earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Biology from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University.
11). Colleen Swank
Chief Medical Officer, St. Mark's Hospital
Colleen Swank is the Chief Medical Officer of St. Mark's Hospital, a 317-bed short-term acute care hospital located in Millcreek, Utah, in the United States. St. Mark's Hospital has 317 licensed beds, more than 600 physician medical staff, and over 1,500 employees and volunteers. It handles more than 80,000 outpatient visits, 15,000 inpatient admissions, more than 15,000 surgeries annually, as well as more than 3,500 deliveries a year.
Swank brings over a decade of strategic medical leadership to St. Mark’s Hospital. Her accomplishments at Sanford Health in Bemidji, Minnesota, where she most recently served as VP of the clinic, are a testament to her commitment to patient safety, clinical quality, and physician engagement. Her leadership in implementing clinical practice guidelines to enhance patient access and satisfaction and her role as a source of medical knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate her dedication to her colleagues and the communities she serves.
She has also held the leadership position of chief medical officer at Altru Health System in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where she implemented quality improvement programs and led initiatives that significantly improved physician engagement, satisfaction, and retention. Her commitment to evidence-based leadership aligns perfectly with the hospital's vision to be the choice for healthcare excellence. Swank graduated from the University of North Dakota with an MD and an undergraduate degree in psychology.
12). Sally Boeve
Chief Medical Officer, Easterseals Blake Foundation
With over 14 years of experience in direct care and leadership for mental health organizations across Southern Arizona, Sally Boeve, MD is the Chief Medical Officer of Easterseals Blake Foundation in Tucson, Arizona. Easterseals Blake Foundation provides exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that people living with and without disabilities can thrive in their communities.
She has helped multiple organizations implement and grow psychiatric services for children, adolescents, and adults. She has served across inpatient, crisis, substance use, private, public, and academic settings. Dr. Boeve has helped to close the gap in services for children with substance use disorders and continues to support both adults and children at Easterseals Blake Foundation and Cope Community Services with medication-assisted treatment to support sobriety. She has significant experience in working with and supporting other providers who work with children in the Birth to Five population, and children, adolescents, and adults with neurodiversity and developmental disabilities. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in adult and child psychiatry and also incorporates broad-based integrative tools to treat the whole person in her psychiatric practice.
Dr. Boeve has nearly two decades of experience. Before joining Easterseals Blake Foundation, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona. Before that, she held Chief Medical Officer Positions at Intermountain Centers for Human Development and Pasadera Behavioral Health. Earlier in her career, she completed her Adult Psychiatry Residency and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Arizona. Dr. Boeve earned her Bachelor of Science at the University of Washington and her Medical Degree at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in the Chicagoland area.
13). Julie Sprengel
California Region President & CEO, CommonSpirit Health
Julie Sprengel is the President and Chief Executive Officer for CommonSpirit Health’s California Region, providing executive leadership to healthcare delivery systems spanning 650 miles from as far north as Mt. Shasta to as far south as San Bernardino. CommonSpirit Health is a health system, the country's largest Catholic hospital chain, and its second-largest nonprofit hospital chain. Sprengel has successfully led innovative and strategic planning processes focused on workforce recovery, investment in graduate medical education and nurse residency programs, enhancing quality and safety, the patient experience, employee engagement, and the implementation of sustainable growth initiatives. Sprengel oversees nearly 40,000 dedicated employees and 10,000 physicians, encompassing 31 acute-care hospitals, and more than 125 ambulatory care sites, including physician clinics, urgent care centers, surgery centers, imaging centers, and post-acute and home health agencies.
Sprengel helped pave the way for historic partnerships with Charles R. Drew University School of Medicine and Science, where she serves on the Board of Trustees, and separately, the Morehouse School of Medicine, to expand GME training for BIPOC. Additionally, Sprengel serves as the Secretary/Treasurer on the Executive Board of Trustees for the California Hospital Association (CHA) and speaks frequently as an advocate for the benefits of a population health framework and diversification of providers to improve clinical outcomes and overall health.
Sprengel first got her start in 2005 as a chief operating officer at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center. From there, she went on to Dignity Health. Sprengel graduated from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School with an MBA and from LAC/USC School of Nursing with an undergraduate degree in nursing.
14). Deb Halligan
Chief Clinical Officer, Nudj Health
Deb Halligan is the Chief Clinical Officer and Co-Founder of Nudj Health, a unique virtual company that partners with physician practices and hospital systems to coach patients through lifestyle modifications to improve and reverse their chronic health conditions.
With a team of lifestyle experts, Nudj Health meets patients where they are to create and maintain their new habits, offering one-on-one coaching, group classes, and virtual cardiac rehab. Nudj Health patients are improving their quality of life, both mentally and physically, as evidenced by clinically validated assessment scores and other objective data such as blood pressure, weight reduction, and lab values. The current healthcare system does little to address remission and reversal of chronic conditions, and it is Halligan’s mission to extend this model of care into every corner of the country.
Before Nudj, Halligan was an early adopter of remote monitoring of cardiac devices, which led to publications in EP Lab Digest and presentations at the Heart Rhythm Society. She joined the executive team at Geneva Health Solutions and scaled their remote monitoring business from 8,000 patients to 90,000 patients. With 23 years of in-hospital nursing experience ranging from critical care, cardiology, and electrophysiology, she observed the gaps in the current healthcare system, allowing her to design and oversee virtual clinical operations to extend the care of patients outside the walls of the clinic and the hospital.
15). Antoinette Hardy-Waller
CEO, The Leverage Network Inc.
Antoinette Hardy-Waller is the CEO of The Leverage Network Inc. The mission of The Leverage Network, Inc. is to improve board and leadership diversity by increasing the number of seats held by black healthcare executives. Achieving this mission is of vital importance to the health of their nation. An influencer for change, with more than 30 years of business, clinical, and board expertise, Hardy-Waller is an accomplished leader, entrepreneur, and champion for diversity and equity, whose career demonstrates strong proficiency in starting, growing, and leading complex, highly regulated businesses.
Hardy-Waller began her career as a critical care nurse in a top 100 hospital. Transitioning from acute care to post-acute care utilizing her nursing skills and leveraging her relationships to build her first home care company. A decade after founding and serving as CEO of her Chicago-area home care company, Hardy-Waller sold it to Columbia HCA, where it became the regional flagship for the large Columbia Home Care division. She launched a second home care company, years later, selling it to a private equity group. Leveraging her background and expertise, she has consulted with major health systems nationally in creating and executing business strategies to optimize revenue, reduce costs, and ensure clinical excellence enterprise-wide.
Hardy-Waller serves on the board of CommonSpirit Health. She chairs CommonSpirit’s Quality, Safety, and Patient Experience Committee and is a member of the Human Resources/Compensation Committee. Previously, she was Vice Chair of the Board of Stewardship Trustees for Catholic Health Initiatives, the legacy organization that joined with Dignity Health to form CommonSpirit Health. Hardy-Waller founded and is President of The Leverage Network. She has been named one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s Top 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know for two consecutive years; appeared on the cover of Modern Healthcare magazine for a feature article, “Diversity Starts at the Top”; and recognized as one of the National Association for Healthcare Executives’ 50 Inspiring Leaders. Hardy-Waller earned a Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago and an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Illinois Chicago.
16). Catherine Codispoti
Senior VP & Chief People Officer, Mercy
Catherine Codispoti joined Mercy as SVP and Chief People Officer on Dec. 1, 2023, with a focus on hiring, recruiting, and retaining co-workers for the health system’s multi-state region.
Prior to joining Mercy, Catherine served as chief people officer at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, where she led compensation, benefits and well-being, learning and development, labor relations and compliance, talent acquisition and more for a team of 8,500.
Before Children’s National, Catherine served for more than 13 years in a variety of financial and operational leadership positions at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, including director of corporate financial planning, director of clinical planning and financial management, and vice president of human resources.
Catherine earned her master’s in health administration at the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
17). Lynette Scherer
CEO, Surgical Affiliates Management Group
Lynette Scherer is the Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Affiliates Management Group. She first joined the group in 2013 as Chief Medical Officer. Surgical Affiliates is the leading surgical hospitalist company focused on improving surgical quality and performance in trauma care, acute care surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and urology. Their hospital partners recognize the need for dedicated in-house surgical teams so patients with emergency surgery always have access to the highest quality of care.
Before joining Surgical Affiliates, Scherer served as Professor of Surgery and Chief of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. She also assisted the Air Force in training trauma surgeons to treat soldiers wounded on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as traveled to Afghanistan for on-site evaluation as part of this assignment.
Scherer is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is an active member of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She has published work in the Annals of Surgery and has also published sentinel works related to surgical models – both in academic and private hospital settings. She is a graduate of UC Davis Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine.
18). Sonal Chandratre
Chief Medical Officer, Ascension
Sonal Chandratre has diverse and extensive work experience spanning various roles and responsibilities. Currently, she serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Ascension starting in September 2023. Chandratre also held the position of pediatric endocrinologist at Ascension St Michael's Pediatric Outpatient Clinic since July 2020, where she provides specialized care to pediatric patients with endocrine, diabetes, and metabolism issues. Ascension is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit and Catholic health systems, with a mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.
Chandratre has held several leadership positions at Ascension. She has worked on developing strategic plans for clinical practice growth, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, implementing utilization review and quality improvement systems, and providing pediatric endocrinology services. Chandratre also collaborated with stakeholders within the organization and community partners to achieve optimal outcomes aligned with Ascension's goals. Before joining Ascension and Aspirus Health, Chandratre worked at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she developed and delivered various curriculum components, mentored and evaluated students, and contributed to the improvement and restructuring of courses. Earlier in their career, she gained valuable experience working as a senior house officer in the Department of Pediatrics for various NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Overall, Chandratre's work experience demonstrates their strong leadership skills, clinical expertise in pediatric endocrinology, and contributions to medical education and curriculum development.
Chandratre has a Fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Kansas City, MO. She also has a Fellowship in Medical Education from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. She earned their MD in Pediatrics from Albert-Einstein University in NY. Sonal holds a DCH and MRCPCH degree in Pediatrics and Child Health from the Royal College of Pediatrics & Child Health in London, UK.
19). Alison Flynn Gaffney
President, Healthcare Division - National, JLL
Alison Flynn Gaffney is the President of the National Healthcare Division for JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management.
In this role, Gaffney leads and inspires a national team of professionals across JLL to become the preeminent healthcare workplace solutions partner. She supports JLL’s brand, purpose, culture, and values while focusing on team, patient, and family experience, mitigating risk, enhancing safety, and driving financial performance for healthcare clients through real estate, project and development services, and facilities solutions.
Previously, Gaffney served as the Interim chief operating officer at the University of Utah Health. She was also the senior vice president of strategic initiatives at GNYHA Ventures and the SVP and healthcare practice lead at Giuliani Partners. Earlier in her career, she worked with Beth Israel Medical Center as a project manager for infection control. Gaffney earned a graduate degree and an undergraduate degree in Health Care Administration and Management from Iona College.
20). Luxme Hariharan
Pediatric Ophthalmologist & Global Health Specialist, Nicklaus Children's Health System
Luxme Hariharan is a Pediatric Ophthalmologist within the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. As an accomplished global researcher and child health advocate, Hariharan has a passion for international health that is deeply rooted in her own background. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and she has written textbook chapters on childhood blindness prevention. Hariharan’s life and career passion is to create and scale effective programs and policies to prevent, diagnose, and treat childhood vision disorders both locally and abroad. Specifically, she has experience in policy, advocacy, and governance, working with ministries of health on the implementation of childhood blindness prevention programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as with the United Nations’ World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
As part of the University of Wisconsin’s competitive medical scholar program, Hariharan majored as an undergraduate in biology, as well as Spanish and Caribbean studies. She earned her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. She completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania/Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia, followed by a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine/Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Hariharan then pursued an additional fellowship in pediatric cornea, cataract, and glaucoma with an emphasis on international health at the University of Southern California Gayle and Edward Roski Eye Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
She also holds an MPH with an emphasis on global and child health policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Hariharan is board-certified in ophthalmology. She is a member and serves on several committees within the American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology, and Strabismus; and sits on the board of directors of Combat Blindness International.
21). Elizabeth Ransom
Chief Medical Officer, Central Division, Providence
Elizabeth Ransom is the Regional Chief Medical Officer for Oregon at Providence St. Joseph Health System. In that capacity, she is responsible for the coordination of care in the inpatient environment with oversight for quality, patient safety, program growth, physician leadership development, community health, and physician services. She coordinates, advances, and aligns with providers to enhance affordability, access, quality, and the reduction of variability of care delivery across the Oregon region. At Providence they see more than patients, they see the life that pulses through us all. That’s why they’re dedicated to a holistic approach to medicine that employs not only the most advanced treatments to improve outcomes but also puts compassion and humanity at the heart of every interaction.
Previously, Ransom was executive vice president and chief physician executive of Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida. Before joining Baptist Health, Ransom was executive vice president and clinical leader for the eight-hospital North Zone of Texas Health Resources (THR). She also served as THR’s lead for the academic affiliation with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Ransom received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University in Montreal and her medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. She completed her residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Henry Ford Hospital and was a senior staff physician there.
22). Jamie Engel
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, Parkview Medical Center
Jamie Engel is an Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon at Parkview Medical Center. Her clinical interests include polytrauma, complex fracture care, periarticular fractures, nonunions, and pelvic/acetabular fractures. Engel’s experience is primarily within clinical and biomechanical research with national and regional presentations, as well as multiple publications of peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter.
Engel currently serves on committees in the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, and the ACGME. She is passionate about orthopedic education and research and the advancement of women in orthopedics. Previously, she served as an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, where she was responsible for covering trauma calls, operating on complex fractures, teaching residents and medical students, and conducting research.
Engel graduated from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo with an MD and from the University of Notre Dame with an undergraduate degree in science professional studies.
23). Avril Beckford
Chief Pediatric Officer, WellStar Health System
Avril Beckford is a pediatrician who founded the Pediatric and Adolescent Center in 1993 in Atlanta Georgia and is the Chief Pediatric Officer of the WellStar Health System, as well as a member of the WellStar Board of Trustees. She has an unmatched passion and unwavering commitment to the children, adolescents, and multi-professional team she works with. Their goal is to serve every patient and family as if they are their very own and as if they were the only ones that they serve. They believe overarching is the commitment to up to current best practices and evidence-based medicine.
Beckford is the past president of the Georgia Chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the National Nominating Committee of the Academy of Pediatrics. She is passionate about pediatrics and pediatric advocacy and has served on several other volunteer boards, including that of The Lovett School, The Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, The 1998 Society of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and Camp Kudzu for Children with Diabetes.
She has authored three books, a parenting book titled Allow Your Children to Fail If You Want Them to Succeed, and two children's books, I Love You 65 Bulldozers and The Tooth Fairy, as well as writing the forward of Typecast and a chapter in a major Pediatric textbook. She enjoys public speaking and has given presentations internationally. Beckford graduated from the University of Cape Town with an MD in Pediatrics.
24). Sowmya Viswanathan
Chief Physician Executive, BayCare Health System
Sowmya Viswanathan is the Chief Physician Executive of BayCare Health System. As BayCare’s chief physician executive, responsibilities include providing strategic and operational direction on the transformation of care delivery. BayCare is a leading not-for-profit healthcare system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Their mission is to improve the health of all they serve through community-owned, healthcare services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.
Viswanathan has 19 years of experience. She is internal medicine board-certified and completed her residency at Boston University. Her prior experiences include leadership and management positions as the quality officer, regional chief, chief ACO officer, and group chief medical officer at large health systems. During her tenure as the executive and chief ACO officer at Dartmouth Hitchcock, she focused on system redesign, access to care, and enhancing clinical and operational performance. Most recently, Viswanathan served as the group chief medical officer for Tenet Healthcare in the Massachusetts and South Carolina markets. At BayCare she will be responsible for ongoing strategy, engaging clinical leaders to ensure the delivery of high-quality and value-driven care, as well as optimizing financial and operational performance. Responsibilities will include driving efficiencies across various service lines and integration of complex healthcare services.
Viswanathan completed her Master’s in Healthcare Management (MHCM) from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, and an MBA at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
25). Heather Sojourner
Community Medical Director, WellBe Senior Medical
Heather Sojourner is a board-certified family physician and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Sojourner is on a mission to help patients lead meaningful lives and improve access to care for the highest-risk populations. After 16 years of creating and owning a thriving five-physician privately owned medical practice in Utah and being the former US medical director for an international digital health technology company, she is now focusing on making healthcare easier for Utah’s highest-risk Medicare population as the WellBe Senior Medical Utah Medical Director. As an advocate for digital healthcare and other innovative care models, Sojourner is proud to work within the WellBe care model, providing concierge-level home-based primary care to patients struggling with the traditional models of care. She believes in an interdisciplinary team approach to healthcare, so leading the Utah WellBe team of nurse practitioners, social workers, pharmacists, and other clinicians is a natural fit for her leadership.
Sojourner was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville for her undergraduate degree and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock for medical school. She then completed the Virginia Commonwealth University Riverside Regional Family Medicine Residency Program in Newport News, Virginia. Sojourner moved to Utah in 2005, where she happily resides with her husband, kids, and three dogs.
Sojourner currently serves on the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness and the Utah Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. Other notable roles for Sojourner include a four-year term as the Intermountain Medical Center Department of Family Medicine chairperson, Salt Lake County Medical Society president, and an active member of both the American Medical Association and Utah Medical Association.
26). Deborah Gilboa
Founder & CEO, Ask Doctor G
Resilience expert Deborah Gilboa teaches individuals, teams, and companies some of the most valuable skills they need to learn – how to transform fear, stress, and anxiety into resilience, productivity, and innovation. Gilboa is a popular TV guest and a board-certified family physician who frequently appears on top television programs, including TODAY, Good Morning America, and The Doctors. She is also a contributor to the Washington Post, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Forbes, and other print and digital outlets. Gilboa is the author of five self-development books, which include From Stressed to Resilient: The Guide to Handle More and Feel It Less.
Popularly known in the wellness world as “ G.,” Gilboa helps companies foster resiliency in the workplace by teaching professionals how to develop the skills they need to cope with difficult events, daily pressures, and trauma they may face on the job or at home. She collaborates with a broad range of brands that include Westinghouse, the Young President’s Organization, Boy Scouts of America, and the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine and Carnegie Mellon University, Gilboa serves a highly diverse, multilingual population in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Squirrel Hill Health Center. She is also a clinical associate professor for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and has received many awards for clinical excellence in teaching, including the Alpha Omega Alpha Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award. Fluent in American Sign Language, Gilboa’s work with the Deaf community has received national recognition, as well as being the focus of her service as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow. An alumna of Second City Improv Theater in Chicago, she has a great sense of humor that has earned her the appreciation of audiences and patients alike. Past clients note her ability to positively impact corporate culture, help them navigate change without pain, and cut through complex subjects clearly and entertainingly.
27). Anitha Mullangi
Market Chief Medical Officer CenterWell, Humana
Anitha Mullangi is the Market Chief Medical Officer CenterWell of Humana. She first joined the company in 2023. Humana is a Kentucky-based managed healthcare company that provides health insurance services, including medical and supplemental benefit plans for individuals and families. At Humana, their cultural foundation is aligned to helping members achieve their best health by delivering personalized, simplified, whole-person healthcare experiences.
Mullangi earned her medical degree from Siddhartha Medical College in India. She completed her family medicine residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, New York. She holds a Master's in Healthcare Management from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and is a certified physician executive.
Before joining Humana in 2023, Mullangi founded and served as CEO of Alma Health. She also held the position of Chief Medical Officer with multiple California-based primary care health systems, including St. John's Community Health, QueensCare Health Center, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, and Community Health Systems. Her devotion to serving vulnerable seniors, solving the challenges faced by older adults, and caring for people regardless of age or circumstances align with CenterWell’s patient-centered values.
28). Heather Prendergast
Executive Director, University of Illinois Physician Group, University of Illinois College of Medicine
Heather Prendergast is the Executive Director for the University of Illinois Physician Group with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. As a physician-leader, Prendergast led the efforts to establish the first off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic in 2020. She also spearheaded the submission to the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services for the Inaugural Healthcare Transformation Initiatives Collaborative on behalf of the University of Illinois Physicians Group, with a subsequent award of $17.2 million. This award established the 55th and Pulaski Healthcare Collaborative, the second off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic.
Prendergast is a physician-scientist and leader recognized for developing high-quality medical programs and creating strategic alliances while fostering positive hospital, physician, and community relationships. She has successfully increased engagement through effective retention strategies that focus on developing and mentoring staff, faculty, and students. Prendergast's passion and focus have been on minority cardiovascular health, particularly for individuals seeking care within the emergency department, together with community engagement. Her research has been well funded, most notably she has been the recipient of continuous funding since 2007. She currently serves as the principal investigator for the first Randomized Clinical Trial funded by NHLBI focused on addressing asymptomatic undiagnosed/uncontrolled hypertension in a predominantly minority population being discharged from the emergency department.
Prendergast has received several awards for her work. She received an MD degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore. She received her MPH, Master in Clinical and Translational Science, and MHA from the University of Illinois School of Public Health. She received her MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago Business Liautaud Graduate School.
29). Haley Parker
Director of Clinical Operations, Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
Haley Parker is a state board-licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in VA, DC, MD, NJ, and GA. She is a New Mexico State Board Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and a Diplomat in Oriental Medicine certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Haley received her master’s degree in The Science of Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her background as a Division 1 athlete contributed to her successful strategy of working with student-athletes on sports-related psychology, competitive performance, and nutritional aspects of their athletic training. Haley’s passion for athletics and physical fitness continued to serve her as she worked as the resident acupuncturist at the prominent El Gancho Racquet and Fitness Club in Santa Fe, New Mexico before she joined Princess Cruise Lines to travel the world for 5 years. Over this time, she became extremely proficient at teaching acupuncture to guests and jump-starting their healing while they were on vacation.
For the past 5 years, Haley worked for Palmercare Chiropractic in two locations in Northern Virginia. She onboarded and coached the newly hired acupuncturists into the company and helped them transition into their businesses. Her passion for teaching was ignited, and she joined the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine in 2021 to teach the practice management and clinical communications curriculum. She is currently serving as the Director of Clinical Operations for the University, overseeing the VA, NJ, and GA locations.
Haley is a board member of the Acupuncture Society of Virginia lobbying for acupuncture advocacy, The NCCAOM Professional Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, and the Acupuncture Advisory Board for the Virginia Board of Medicine. She has worked to represent acupuncturists, as well as the community, in the healthcare system. She is passionate about the acupuncture movement across the legislative and integrative healthcare systems. She is inspired to become more informed and involved through her work with her colleagues in the state and wants to continue to encourage professional networks and group representation across the state, nation, and even further.
30). Melissa Marth
Vice President & GM, Medical Affairs, IQVIA
Melissa Pirolli Marth is VP and GM of Medical Affairs at IQVIA. Marth has over 18 years of experience analyzing real-world data, including both primary and secondary healthcare data. During her time at IQVIA, she has focused on specialty areas, including hematology/oncology, non-malignant hematology therapeutic, and autoimmune spaces. IQVIA is a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. IQVIA creates intelligent connections across all aspects of healthcare through its analytics, transformative technology, big data resources, and extensive domain expertise.
Marth leverages her advanced statistical skills and clinical knowledge to support forecasting, market sizing, health outcomes research, safety, payer reimbursement, and launch excellence. Utilizing anonymized, longitudinal patient-level claims and EHR/EMR data, Marth has published several papers in journals (Cancer Medicine, Supportive Care in Cancer, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment) and presented posters at conferences (ESMO, ASCO, ASH, MASCC, SABCS).
Before joining IQVIA, Marth conducted primary market research projects at TVG. She performed segmentation analysis, fielded/analyzed quantitative online studies, and developed/conducted in-depth interviews with physicians, patients, and payers. During her graduate studies, Marth taught algebra and statistics classes at Duquesne University. Marth has a BA in mathematics and an MS in computational mathematics from Duquesne University.
31). Daniela Ferrara
Principal Medical Director of Ophthalmology, Genentech
Daniela Ferrara received her medical degree summa cum laude from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one of the most prestigious universities in South America. During medical school, she joined a research group from the Biophysics Institute and conducted laboratory research projects on macromolecular metabolism. She completed a surgical internship and ophthalmology residency at the same University, followed by a Master’s degree in Ophthalmology. Ferrara completed her training at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, achieving a PhD in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Ferrara moved to the US in 2006 to complete a research fellowship in Medical Retina at the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital affiliated with New York University, and since then she has been working on multimodal imaging analysis for clinical trials on retinal diseases. Ferrara’s training and career are shaped to bring together basic research and clinical challenges.
Ferrara’s major research interests include imaging of the posterior segment of the eye, and multimodal imaging analysis on pathological conditions of the vitreous, retina, and choroid. As assistant professor of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Ferrara is currently involved with the Optical Coherence Tomography Team at the New England Eye Center, a multidisciplinary group that promotes the scientific contribution in a clinical setting between retina specialists and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
As Principal Medical Director in the Clinical Science team of Genentech, one of the largest biotech companies worldwide, Ferrara participates in the development and execution of clinical initiatives within the Clinical Ophthalmology group. She is a key contributor in building an integrated plan for late product development, providing support and clinical guidance, and assessing future opportunities to advance the science and address unmet needs in ophthalmology.
32). Samira Ummat
Medical Director, Longevity Medical Clinic & Bellamedica
Samira Ummat is a regenerative medicine specialist in Kirkland, WA, with over 20 years of experience in transforming the way people age. She is currently the Medical Director of Longevity Medical Clinic and Bellamedica, an upscale age management practice with several locations in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. She believes in empowering her patients and others with knowledge and tools to transform their health on her popular weekly radio show Leading Edge Medicine and Beautiful You. Ummat has also appeared on the TV show New Day Northwest with King 5 in Seattle to discuss aging and hormonal balance.
After obtaining her medical degree from a renowned school, she then completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a field of internal medicine dedicated to helping people heal after injuries, strokes, and complicated medical setbacks. Her goals changed after several years of practice to focus on prevention and well-being and proactively reduce the risk and progression of many diseases. She is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Academy of Regenerative Medicine.
Ummat integrates evidence-based interventions with a comprehensive and proactive approach to patient care. Her specialties include disease prevention, women's and men’s health, hormone replacement therapy, nutritional and metabolic therapy, and exercise physiology. She combines cutting-edge, age management treatments with her mind-body philosophy in patient management. She emphasizes the importance of preventive medicine, focusing on early detection and intervention to address potential health issues before they become more serious. By identifying risk factors and implementing personalized preventive strategies, Ummat aims to delay the onset of age-related conditions, addressing the unique needs of each individual to help them achieve their goals and enjoy a fulfilling life.
33). Emelie Ilarde
VP, Lawn Medical Center
Emelie Ilarde is the Vice President of Lawn Medical Center, which has served the Oak Lawn Area for over 40 years. They are a premier mid-sized primary healthcare group, they strive to work as physicians and associates to competently and compassionately promote and provide excellent healthcare to the individuals, families, and communities they serve.
Ilarde is board-certified in family medicine. She began caring for patients at Lawn Medical Center in 1999. She received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from St. Xavier University, where she also minored in math and Spanish. Honoring her initiative in achievement and service, she became the recipient of the Congressional Award Gold Medal. Ilarde went on to earn her medical degree from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. She served her Family Medicine Residency at the University of Illinois at Advocate Christ Medical Center. She shares her expertise by serving as a Teaching Attending in the Family Practice Residency Program at this same health facility (ACMC) and is also a faculty appointment at Rush University Medical School. Her top performance in achieving exceptional clinical integration outcomes earned her the Advocate Physician Partners’ “Exemplary Physician Award.”
Furthermore, Ilarde serves on Advocate Physician Partners’ Credentialing and Peer Review Committee and is a member of the Performance Improvement Committee at Advocate Christ Medical Center. Additionally, she is a member of the Physician Leadership Institute. Ilarde is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
34). Christie-Michele Hogue
CEO & Founder, Mouth Mirrors
Christie-Michele Hogue is a dental clinician, researcher, educator, and author. She has devoted over a decade of service to our nation’s veterans as a dental clinician with the VAMC. She previously served as a dental research investigator at the Miami VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center. Hogue's research focuses on cultural competence and health literacy for minority veterans to address oral health disparities. Her areas of interest include oral health and frailty, preventative/behavioral dentistry, dental ageism, oral health literacy, oral health disparities, health equity, and cultural competency. As a dental clinician, she is passionate about patient education and sharing the correlation between oral and systemic health. As a dental researcher, she hopes to enhance and innovate interactive models of care to empower patients to participate in their healthcare through knowledge and behavior modifications.
She is the CEO and Founder of Mouth Mirrors LLC, an online education company, established to help bridge the gap through knowledge and education with an interdisciplinary approach to learning. The overall goal is to encourage health professionals to render compassionate, competent, comprehensive care for the oral health of our most vulnerable older populations. Hogue is also the host of the Aging Pearls Podcast.
Hogue is a distinguished fellow of the American Geriatric Society. She completed an advanced fellowship in geriatrics focusing on geriatric research, education, and clinic care at Bruce W. Carter Miami VA. She completed her general practice residency in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan at the John D. Dingell Veteran Affairs Medical Center. She graduated from Howard University College of Dentistry earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery. She completed her undergraduate studies at Tennessee State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science.
35). Kenna Stephenson
Physician, Primary Care, Northern Arizona VAHCS
Kenna Stephenson, a native Texan, graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin, joining the estimated 3% of children orphaned at birth who hold university degrees. At age 5, she declared her desire to become a physician. As a teen she worked in cotton fields, excelled in fast food, and following her 18th birthday, she eagerly became a certified nurse’s aide. She received her last nurse’s aide paycheck on graduation day from medical school. A human artist with an eternal passion for patient care, she thrives on helping others achieve well-being and has cared for over 100,000 patients in diverse settings: on a Marae in rural New Zealand, under triple canopy jungles of Guatemala, inside a mobile unit traversing East Texas minefields, and on a Paramount Pictures’ set.
Stephenson received a Doctor of Medicine with Research Honors from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and completed a student clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Her residency at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center culminated with the Resident’s Resident Award. She is board-certified in Family Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and a member of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.
Her career has spanned private practice, community medicine, the creation of a health center for female veterans, employee health, academic medicine, and global health. She has practiced in underserved areas of Texas, Arizona, Belize, Guatemala, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand. Her research has been featured in Family Practice News, Cardiology News, OB/GYN News, Medscape, and UK News Digest, and she is an award-winning science educator in radio and television. Stephenson currently practices medicine in Northern Arizona and is an associate professor of family, community, and preventive medicine at The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Her book, The Gospel of Women’s Health: Awakening Athena Again has received international acclaim.
36). Giovanni Rodriguez
Chief Medical Resident, Mass General Brigham
Giovanni Rodriguez is a first-generation Mexican American who obtained her BS in biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Additionally, she obtained her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. Rodriguez is a current Chief Medical Resident at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Mass General Hospital/Brigham and Women's Hospital. Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic healthcare system that unites great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for their communities and the world.
Rodriguez was a student member of the Indiana University GME Board of Executives for two years. Currently, she serves as a resident member of the Mass General Brigham Education Committee and serves on the Mass General Hospital Center for Diversity and Inclusion Resident and Fellow Committee (RFC), which is an inter-departmental board for underrepresented in medicine (URM) trainees at Mass General. As the Vice Chair, Rodriguez assists trainees in getting involved in the larger Harvard and Boston communities, residency recruitment, and social and networking events for trainees.
Rodriguez's SAEM experience includes former AWAEM Newsletter Committee member and Resident Member of the AWAEM Executive Committee. Currently, Rodriguez will serve as a RAMS Board Member-at-Large and RAMS Board liaison to the ED Administration and Clinical Operations Committee.
37). Diana Chavkin
Physician, Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles
Diana Chavkin is a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and an infertility specialist who is passionate about helping people build their families. She sees patients at Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles. For over 30 years, people have been choosing the Pacific Fertility Center of Los Angeles, one of the leading fertility clinics in the world. With success rates that are among the best in the nation, they have been a part of over 13,500 happy, healthy births, creating families, and making dreams come true all over the world.
Having struggled with infertility, Chavkin knows the value of a compassionate, transparent, and effective medical team. She offers personalized care with exceptional outcomes. Her approach is holistic and thoughtfully individualized to each patient. She has empowered thousands of families and individuals through fertility treatment and fertility preservation.
Chavkin graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University with a degree in psychology and history. She earned her medical degree at New York University and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency and her reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
38). Alexis Anvekar
Concierge Physician, Internal Medicine, The Leela Integrative Medicine Center
As the founder of The Leela Integrative Medicine Center, Alexis Anvekar is a Concierge Integrative Medicine Doctor with a solo medical practice in Pasadena, California. She is board-certified with the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons.
Anvekar was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was not allowed to attend college due to her gender, so she left home at age 18 and financed 100% of her room, board, and education. She recalls many nights sleeping in her car for the first couple of years and states that her inspiration came from famous quotes of people who were once struggling like her. She told herself every single day, “I’m giving it 110% today because I’m quitting tomorrow.” Anvekar graduated with honors from UC San Diego, obtaining degrees in biochemistry and cell biology with a minor in psychology. She graduated from the USC School of Medicine and was the sole student in her medical school class selected into USC’s highest secret honor society. As a senior at the medical school, she was invited, along with the top 0.01% of graduating seniors to complete a coveted leadership fellowship called the USC Presidential Fellowship run by USC's Marshall School of Business.
Anvekar was very active in leadership roles throughout college and medical school, including roles as student body president, student body VP, editor-in-chief for the college newspaper, co-editor-in-chief of the medical school newspaper, co-founder of Student Organization for the Medical Awareness of AIDS, delegate for American Medical Association and American Medical Women's Association (AMWA). She received a national leadership award with AMWA given to the most promising female physician-in-training in the country.
39). Jennifer Zinn
President, Clinical Operations, North America, bioMérieux
Jennifer Zinn is the President of Clinical Operations for North America at bioMérieux. A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for 60 years, bioMérieux is present in 45 countries and serves more than 160 countries with the support of a large network of distributors.
Zinn leads the clinical operations team worldwide, including the different commercial regions and key global functions of bioMérieux applied locally. As a member of the Executive Committee, she will directly report to Pierre Boulud. Zinn joined bioMérieux in 2022 as general manager and head of clinical operations in 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, she served as the Executive vice president and head of diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers beginning in 2019. Before Siemens, she was with Roche Diagnostics for nine years, leading commercial operations for North America. She also spent six years in commercial operations at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. Zinn serves on several boards, including the AdvaMedDx Board, and has served on the Gold Foundation Corporate Council. She earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware.
40). Aenor Sawyer
Director, University of California, Space Health; Dir. Skeletal Health Service, University of California, San Francisco
Aenor Sawyer has more than two decades of experience in the development and evaluation of health technologies, telemedicine, and remote medical management. Her experience in remote medical management includes 15 years as an Expedition Medic and Medical Advisor for extreme ocean rowers. She also conducts research with the Australian Antarctic Division on remote medical monitoring. Additionally, she has expertise in remote care and Space Health/Medical management as the Director of the UC Space Health Program and previously served as the Chief Health Innovation Officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health, a NASA-funded program.
Sawyer is a member of the UCSF IT Governance Committee, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the UCSF Center for Advanced 3D+ Technologies, Co-Founder of the Center for Digital Health Innovation, and a UCSF HEALTH HUB board member. Her external roles also include chair of the MCRI HealthTechnology Advisory Board, advisor to UCSF Invest Fund, advisor to ANDHealth, External Advisory Board Member of the Scripps Translational Sciences Institute, and prior associate editor of Nature’s Digital Medicine Journal.
As a UCSF Orthopedist, she is the Founder and Director of the Skeletal Health Service, where she combines her background as an orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, and exercise physiologist enabling pediatric to geriatric patients to optimize their bone health across the lifespan. Her career includes 10 years as a Physical Therapist, after, which she received an MS in human physiology and her MD from the University of California, Davis. Upon completion of her orthopedic surgery residency at Stanford University, she completed fellowship training in pediatric orthopedic surgery and pediatric/adolescent sports medicine, both at Boston Children's Hospital and in the Harvard Orthopaedic program.
41). Sharon Henry
CEO, Integrated Delivery | Southern California, Envision Healthcare
Sharon Henry is the CEO of Integrated Delivery, Southern California, for Envision Healthcare, a leading medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology. Envision's medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of their communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients.
With decades of experience in medical service delivery, M&A, and start-ups, she is responsible for the integrated delivery of EmCare, American Medical Response (AMR), and Evolution Health in Southern California. She is widely known for her innovative and results-oriented approaches to medical delivery, including mobile integrated health, which has proven to provide reduced cost, better care, and an enhanced patient experience. She served on the Board of the Wireless Life Sciences Alliance and has implemented and tested wireless monitoring devices in several population health settings to help drive improved patient experience and reduced cost.
Henry is responsible for enterprise growth for the southern California operations of EmCare, the nation's leading provider of outsourced physician services in the areas of emergency and hospital medicine, anesthesia, radiology, and acute surgery; for American Medical Response, the nation's largest provider of ambulance service; and for Evolution Health, the leading post-acute provider that provides population health solutions that combines the logistical strength of AMR with the clinical expertise of EmCare. Henry graduated from UC Irvine with an undergraduate degree in MBA.
42). Anita Chandrasena
Chief Medical Officer, MarinHealth
Anita Chandrasena is the Chief Medical Officer of MarinHealth, which includes three major entities – a hospital, a foundation, and a network of expert clinicians. In addition to her clinical background as a practicing pulmonary/critical care physician since 2009, Chandrasena brings more than eight years of experience in progressive leadership roles – nearly half of which were in chief executive roles for a large acute-care system.
Chandrasena has held several key medical staff executive roles. Most recently, she served as Dignity Health’s chief physician executive for the Northern California Division. Before this, she served as a physician executive for the Bay Area and chief medical officer at Sequoia Hospital.
In addition to her clinical background, she brings a proven track record in developing innovative strategies focused on engaging clinicians and leading teams toward excellence in patient safety, quality, and patient experience.
Chandrasena graduated from medical school at Yale University School of Medicine, completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and completed a Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at the University of California San Francisco.
43). Sacsha T.M. Sanders
Physician Consultant & Territory Manager, Vikor Scientific
Sacsha T.M. Sanders made history when she became the first African American from Portage County, Ohio to earn an MD. As a modern-day renaissance woman, she empowers other female physicians to branch into the business of medicine, fostering physician-owned and operated hospitals, pioneering physician-developed medical devices and products, as well as drawing focus to the impact of the intersection of biotechnology and medical diagnostics.
Sanders believes that innovation and entrepreneurship are the driving forces to setting this generation of female physicians apart. Her transformational leadership and commitment to philanthropy have had an international and local impact.
She has participated in missions focused on small islands in the Caribbean, as well as serving underprivileged communities in Ohio through various Christian charities and organizations, including Emmanuel's Mission, which she co-founded with her mother, and the Miss Universe Organization, which she holds the title of Miss Ravenna, USA.
44). Marjorie Bessel
Chief Clinical Officer, Banner Health
Marjorie Bessel is the Chief Clinical Officer at Banner Health. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the country. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers, and an array of other services, including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.
Bessel began her journey with Banner 12 years ago and has served in progressive physician leadership positions. She initially served as chief medical officer for several hospitals, then moved into the Arizona Division chief medical officer role, before accepting vice president roles for Continuum Management and Clinical Integration. She most recently served as vice president/chief medical officer for community delivery.
Her clinical background is as a hospitalist and she maintains board certification and active staff privileges. She is also passionate about the empowerment of patients through the transparency of individual clinical information. Bessel earned a BS in biology, magna cum laude, from Syracuse University and she attended Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, where she was presented with the James B. Herrick Award for most outstanding performance in internal medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, and was honored by continuing for an additional year in the capacity of Chief Resident.
45). Sunitha Reddy
Chief Revenue Officer & VP, Operations, Prime Healthcare Services
Sunitha Reddy is the Chief Revenue Officer and Vice President of Operations for Prime Healthcare, the fifth largest for-profit health system in the United States with 44 hospitals in 14 states, more than 300 outpatient locations, and nearly 50,000 employees and affiliated physicians. Fourteen of Prime's hospitals are not-for-profit members of Prime Healthcare Foundation. Prime is one of the nation's leading healthcare service providers, with nearly 45,000 employees and affiliated physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare.
In her leadership role, Reddy drives innovation throughout Prime Healthcare through the planning and directing of Prime Healthcare’s operational and financial strategy and initiatives. She is responsible for the attainment of short- and long-term financial and operational goals and collaborates with other leaders to guide the development of Prime Healthcare’s future growth. In addition, Reddy plans and directs strategy and initiatives toward revenue generation and improved alignment between all revenue-related functions. Committed to improving the health and lives of others, Reddy is a dedicated philanthropist who volunteers her time with several organizations. Reddy is also actively involved as an Executive Director with the
Prem Reddy Family Foundation. Earlier in her career, Reddy served as a consultant in strategy and operations for GE Healthcare Camden Group, based in Los Angeles. While there she led strategic planning engagement for a large, six-hospital system and assisted with clinical integration with its aligned physician groups. Reddy also worked as an associate in healthcare facilities and services for Credit-Suisse in New York. Reddy received her MBA from Harvard University with honors and a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University in New York, where she received the Foster G. McGaw scholarship award for academic excellence. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology (magna cum laude) from UCLA with college and departmental honors. Reddy, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, has been recognized as a “Rising Star” in Becker’s Hospital Review and as an “Emerging Leader” in 2022 by Modern Healthcare magazine. She was also recognized in 2023 as a “Woman of Influence” by the Los Angeles Business Journal and “Inspirational Woman” by LA Times B2B Publishing.
46). Lisa Morris
VP, Clinical & Specialty Pharmacy, Elevance Health
Today, Lisa Morris is the Vice President of Clinical and Specialty Pharmacy of Elevance Health, a lifetime, trusted health partner fueled by its purpose to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire care journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead healthier lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve more than 115 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, digital, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, and complex care solutions.
As the VP of Clinical and Specialty Pharmacy, Morris leads a team of clinicians and professionals who oversee specialty pharmacy, cost-of-care programs, clinical account teams, as well as provider collaboration strategies. She is responsible for managing the total drug spending and trends with clinical strategies and demonstrating the effectiveness of those solutions to our clients. Morris joined Elevance Health in 1998 and has over 25 years of pharmacy benefit management experience.
Morris holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati.
47). Loren Robinson
Chief Medical Officer & VP, Medical Affairs, CHRISTUS Health
Loren Robinson continues a tradition of service, currently as Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, in Texarkana, Texas, where she is responsible for the hospital’s quality and safety efforts, as well as physician recruitment. CHRISTUS Health is a Catholic not-for-profit healthcare system comprising more than 600 centers, including long-term care facilities, community hospitals, walk-in clinics, and health ministries. During the COVID-19 pandemic response, Robinson served as the physician lead and medical technical specialist lead for the hospital’s Incident Command Structure. Under Robinson’s leadership, the hospital’s quality accomplishments include improvement in the hospital’s Leapfrog Score from ‘B’ to ‘A’, multiple successful Joint Commission survey visits, and achievement of Excellence standing in the CHRISTUS Health Hospital Harm Index.
In 2016, Robinson was named to the National Minority Quality Forum’s 40 under 40 Leaders in Minority Health, received the National Medical Association’s Rising Star Award, and was elected to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. She was also selected for LinkedIn’s “Next Wave: Game Changers 35 years old and Younger in Healthcare.” In January 2017, she was featured in Essence Magazine as a “Top Doc” to watch. Robinson has received more than 30 awards, including the 2013 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, University of North Carolina chapter; the UNC School of Medicine Henry C. Fordham Teaching Award; the National Med-Peds Resident Association Howard Kubiner Award; and the 2012 National Medical Association’s Top 40 Under 40 award.
Robinson received a Doctor of Medicine from Duke University School of Medicine, a Master of Science in Health Policy Research from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts in French from Spelman College. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Robinson is also a member of several professional organizations, including the National Medical Association, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and the National Physicians Alliance. She was recently inducted into the Texarkana Twin Cities Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., where she hopes to mentor and guide children and young adults in the Texarkana area about the boundless doors that education can open.
48). Laurie Walsh
VP & Chief Nursing Officer, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Laurie Walsh is a well-versed registered nurse who serves patients as Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York. The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City, is the primary teaching hospital for two Ivy League medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine at Cornell University and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. The hospital includes seven campuses located throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Walsh has an impressive professional journey that spans twelve years and her areas of expertise cover medical/surgical nursing, critical care nursing, inpatient nursing, and perioperative care nursing. Her background includes EMR, healthcare management, faculty practice plan nursing, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and clinical education. Walsh has participated in the design and implementation of new facilities and new programs. Before her current endeavors, she served as Director of Nursing Women and Children’s Health and Perioperative Services at NYP/Lower Manhattan (2013-2105) and Director of Peri-anesthesia Services at NYP/Weill Cornell Medical Center (2007-2013). Throughout her many years in practice, Walsh has upheld a steadfast commitment to the ethical and professional standards of her work, as evidenced by her sterling record, and ensures an impeccable degree of patient satisfaction in all facets of her practice.
Walsh has received several leadership awards, including the Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award (1999), the Service Excellence Award (2003), the Patient-Centered Care Leadership Award (2009), and the President’s Circle Leadership Award (2011) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to NYP. Walsh graduated from Hunter College with a Master’s degree in Nursing and from Mount Saint Mary College with an undergraduate degree in nursing.
49). Nancy Beran
VP, Chief Quality Officer, Ambulatory, Northwell Health
Nancy Beran began her professional career 18 years ago. Today, she is the Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Ambulatory of Northwell Health, a New York-based integrated healthcare system that provides primary and specialty medical care services for patients. They care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond.
Beran first got her start in 2006 in internal medicine for women at Westchester Health Associates. Less than a year later, she accepted a director of finance role with Westchester Health Associates, where she worked her way up to chief medical officer. She started her VP role with Northwell Health in 2021.
Beran graduated from Jefferson Health with an MD, from Dartmouth College with a Master of Healthcare Delivery Science, and from Washington University in St. Louis with an undergraduate degree in biology.
50). Pam Rudisill
Senior VP, Community Health Systems
Pamela Rudisill is Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Community Health Systems (CHS). Community Health Systems is developing and operating healthcare delivery systems in 40 distinct markets across 15 states, CHS is committed to helping people get well and live healthier. CHS affiliates operate 71 acute-care hospitals and more than 1,000 other sites of care, including physician practices, urgent care centers, freestanding emergency departments, occupational medicine clinics, imaging centers, cancer centers, and ambulatory surgery centers.
In her role, Rudisill supports nurses with quality and safety resources as they deliver patient care across more than 80 affiliated hospitals in 16 states. She is responsible for developing and sharing clinical best practices across the organization, providing leadership to nursing executives, and supporting nurses at affiliated hospitals as they provide quality, compassionate care.
Rudisill also directs the Survey Management/Survey Readiness team, which assists affiliates with regulatory, accreditation, and certification surveys. She also leads Patient Experience at CHS.