Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Rising Star Women of Medicine for 2024. The women leaders of medicine are top-notch doctors and healthcare practitioners, dedicated to providing quality patient care in their respective specialties. But many of these rising stars are so much more than that. They are leading the charge in clinical services, community-focused healthcare, holistic medicine, and administrative and executive leadership.
This year’s honorees include Carmina Lu, the Clinical Director of Immediate Care for UCLA Health, one of the most comprehensive and advanced healthcare systems in the world. To prepare for a career in medicine, Lu earned dual Master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Public Administration.
Another recipient is the Clinical Director for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Prachi Garodia. In this role, Garodia focuses on integrating traditional medical practices with holistic health and lifestyle medicine to provide the best care possible.
Finally, we celebrate the career of a healthcare and technology leader, Amy McDonough. As the Managing Director for Google Health, McDonough leads the Strategic Health Solutions team. Her team is committed to helping everyone, everywhere be healthier through products and services that connect and bring meaning to health information.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Rising Star Women of Medicine for 2024.
Shoshana Zheng
Medical Director, Occupational Health, Public Health Emergency Officer, Anniston Army Depot
Shoshana Zheng is the Medical Director of Occupational Health and Public Health Emergency Officer at Anniston Army Depot. Anniston Army Depot is the designated Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence (CITE) for tracked and wheeled ground combat vehicles (minus Bradley), towed and self-propelled artillery, assault bridging systems, individual and crew-served small caliber weapons and locomotives, rail equipment, and non-tactical generators.
In her role, Zheng oversees services for one of the largest Army industrial workforces. With expertise in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM), she specializes in medical qualification, return to work, work restrictions, reasonable accommodation, fitness for duty, disability management, hazard evaluation, Employee Assistance Program, and federal drug testing program. Zheng is also recognized as a public health emergency officer, medical review officer, and commercial driver medical examiner. She has presented at the American Occupational Health Conference, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and received the 2023 Samuel W. Sauer Occupational and Environmental Medicine Excellence in Instruction Award.
Additionally, Zheng serves as an adjunct professor of OEM at Uniformed Services University and as a preceptor for aerospace and occupational residency at Fort Novosel, AL. Committed to wellness and health promotion at both individual and population levels, she advocates for the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to enhance employee health, productivity, and overall well-being while reducing healthcare spending and employers' financial costs. Zheng's mission is to cultivate a connected, resilient, and healthier workforce that fosters workers' well-being and happiness. She graduated from Uniformed Services University with an MPH in occupational medicine residency program and from Campbell University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
Maria Lanzi
Deputy Section Chief, Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
A vocal advocate and leader in occupational and public health, Maria Lanzi is the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Nurse Practitioner and Program Coordinator at the Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia. She is a board-certified adult nurse practitioner and advanced nursing specialist in occupational health and travel medicine.
A highly sought-after speaker, educator, and preceptor for advanced practice nurses and physicians, Lanzi has held leadership roles in key professional organizations including the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Adult Immunization Working Group for the CDC; American Association of Nurse Practitioners; the American College of Physicians (ACP) “I Raise the Rates” Immunization Quality Improvement Initiatives, and, currently serves as the first NP Chair of the OEM NP section at the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
She is the lead organizer, content developer, and inaugural faculty of the newly launched national program - ACOEM/AANP Occupational and Environmental Medicine Foundations for Advanced Practice Clinicians. Lanzi graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Science in Nursing, adult nurse practitioner, and MPH in Health Policy and Management, and from New York University with an undergraduate degree in nursing and biology/sociology.
Michelle Alexander
Director Medical, Affairs, Abbott
Michelle Alexander is the Director of Medical Affairs at Abbott. She first joined the company in 2021 as director of medical affairs. Abbott is an Illinois-based healthcare company that develops and markets medical devices in fields such as neuroscience and diabetes. Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life.
Alexander is a certified MRO and has an extensive history in workplace drug testing and occupational health. Her career spans executive leadership positions, including medical director at Consolidated Edison of New York, one of the world’s largest energy systems, and corporate medical director and chief medical review officer at Sterling Testing. She also spent ten years of her career as the assistant vice president of occupational health at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority/New York City Transit, North America’s largest transportation system.
Alexander earned her Bachelor’s degree in Science from Florida State University and completed her medical degree at the University of Florida, College of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Downstate/Kings County Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, and believes strongly in preventative and natural holistic healing.
As an industry expert, Alexander was the designated MRO speaker during her time at the Federal Transit Authority, for the Federal Transit Administration’s National Drug and Alcohol Program Conference.
Dao Le
Regional Medical Director Radioligand Therapy, Novartis
Dao Le began her professional career 22 years ago. Today, she is the Regional Medical Director of Radioligand Therapy of Novartis. Novartis is an innovative medicines company working to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals, and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease.
With 20 years of progressive experience in academic, commercial, and hospital settings, Le is a skilled nuclear pharmacist and faculty member. Her expertise spans nuclear pharmacy, radiation safety, nuclear education, radiopharmaceutical/nuclear medicine research, and PET cyclotron operations. Proficient in building and managing clinical operations and academic research, she brings extensive knowledge and capabilities to the field of nuclear pharmacy.
Le first got her start in 2002 as a staff pharmacist at Covidien. From there, she went on to Nuclear Education Online, before eventually rising to director of diagnostic imaging radiopharmacy operations at the University Of Texas, MD Anderson, her most recent position prior to joining Novartis. Le graduated from Westminster College (MO) with an undergraduate degree in biology/chemistry.
Genesis Bojorquez
Owner | Director of Nursing, BrightStar Care
Genesis Bojorquez is the Owner and Director of Nursing at BrightStar Care. Based in Chicago, BrightStar Care is a full-service healthcare staffing agency and franchising organization that provides medical and non-medical homecare to private clients within their homes, ranging from infants to seniors, as well as supplemental healthcare staff to corporate clients. They work to understand the needs of their clients and provide a customized care plan to match them with a qualified, pre-screened caregiver who is compatible with their needs. BrightStar is one of the few home healthcare providers that offer both medical and non-medical home care.
Bojorquez has 13 years of experience. Previously, she was an advanced practice specialist at UC San Diego Health. Before that, she was a school nurse at San Diego French-American School. Earlier in her career, she worked with Sterling Healthcare Inc. as a vocational nurse.
Bojorquez is a PhD prepared nurse and Dean’s Research Scholar from the University of San Diego Hahn School of Nursing. She received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from San Diego State University School of Nursing, where she was awarded a Centers for Disease Control Internship and named a CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholar. As part of her PhD curriculum, she received her Master’s degree in Nursing with an emphasis in executive nurse leadership in spring 2018. Her dissertation research focused on examining determinants of Hispanic farmworker health and identifying factors that impact their use of U.S. healthcare services. Her clinical experience spans multiple healthcare settings, including acute care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and school-based clinics. In addition to her practice roles in these diverse settings, she is involved in local community health initiatives.
Lotte Dyrbye
Co-Director, Program on Physician Well-being, Mayo Clinic
Lotte Dyrbye is Co-Director of the Program on Physician Well-being for the Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic owns and operates a chain of nonprofit hospitals that provides pediatrics, cancer care, surgical, and specialty medical services. Dyrbye has conducted numerous national and multi-institutional studies, conducted randomized clinical trials of possible solutions, and been an innovator.
Dyrbye also co-developed the Well-Being Index and an interactive web tool that provides a validated instrument for self-assessment, access to tailored resources, and organization-level reports with comparisons to national norms. In addition, she led efforts, in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to develop and disseminate information on how medical schools and residency programs should respond in the case of a trainee death by suicide, to mitigate the risk of contagion, and help promote a culture of healing after a tragedy.
Dyrbye’s work was the impetus for the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, where she continues to serve and advise the ongoing work. Within this role, Dyrbye wrote a NAM discussion paper “Burnout Among Health Care Professionals: A Call to Explore and Address This Underrecognized Threat to Safe, High-Quality Care,” the most downloaded NAM discussion paper to date. Dyrbye co-authored the NAM report "Taking Action Against Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being." Dyrbye graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an MD.
Elizabeth Juneman
Medical Director, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplantation, Banner Health
Elizabeth Juneman joined the faculty at the University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine - Tucson in 2007. She is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology, which is part of the UA Department of Medicine. She currently serves as the Medical Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation. She has served as interim chief of cardiology for nearly two years. She has been a member of the Sarver Heart Center since 2004. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the country.
Juneman worked at Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (Tucson VA) for eight years, where she served as director of heart failure. She served as assistant program director in the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program during this time. Juneman is a key faculty lecturer and co-director in the Cardio-Pulmonary-Renal Block for first-year medical students. She has successfully mentored medical students, residents, fellows, and graduate students. Juneman’s research interest is focused on mechanical and cellular remodeling in heart failure. She is interested in alterations in left ventricular dysfunction and has collaborated on cellular therapy for heart failure. Her clinical interest is cardiac physiology in the failing heart, as well as women’s cardiovascular disease. She has authored multiple manuscripts, editorials, and book chapters, as well as serves as principal investigator on multiple clinical trials.
Juneman received her Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from medical school at the University of Texas - Houston Health Sciences Center in 2000. Juneman is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and advanced heart failure/transplantation. She is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). Juneman serves the Tucson community in her role as an educator and philanthropist. She is an active member of the Tucson Chapter of the National Charity League, along with her two teenage daughters. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Tucson Children's Museum. Juneman is a member of Charter 100 AZ nonpartisan, nonprofit network organization for women leaders of outstanding accomplishments in diverse fields.
Maria Svetaz
Health Equity Clinical Outcomes Medical Director, Hennepin Healthcare
Maria Veronica Svetaz is the Health Equity Clinical Outcomes Medical Director at Hennepin Healthcare. She is also part of the faculty at the LEAH (Leadership Education on Adolescent Health) at the Division of General Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Hennepin Healthcare offers employment opportunities in a variety of settings, including its main campus in downtown Minneapolis and neighborhood clinics.
Originally from Argentina, Svetaz completed medical school, internal medicine rotation, and chief residency at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the University of Minnesota in 1996 to join the Division of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health LEAH training program for a two-year fellowship. At the same time, she completed a Master's in Public Health in Maternal and Child Health and completed her family medicine residency at Regions Hospital. She was a national team member that drafted the 2002 "Consensus Statement on Health Care Transitions for Young Adults with Special Needs," endorsed by AAP/AAFP/ACP/ASIN (published in Pediatrics, 2002). She has designed and funded the Aqui Para Ti/Here for You youth development clinic since its beginning in 2002. She leads another system-wide initiative, "Between US," to make Hennepin Healthcare teen-friendly, funded by MDH through an FPSP grant.
With her team, Svetaz partnered with the DHS in 2015 to pass the Behavioral Health Model in MN, anchored around mental health. Aqui Para Ti is now one of two MN-certified primary care behavioral health homes. Her research includes working with bilingual youth, chronic illness, and youth, issues around parenting that youth, educating practitioners to better work with minority youth, using CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research), and supporting health equity. She is currently a board member of the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) and the past SAHM's National Diversity Committee Chair. She has sat on many boards, including most recently, the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health and Health Equity Advisory Board at Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), and she was part of DHS Behavioral Health Homes' Advisory Committee.
Karen Franklin
Director, Obstetrical Imaging, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
Karen Franklin began her professional career 20 years ago. Today, she is the Director of Obstetrical Imaging at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, a Boston University teaching hospital, offers patients access to some of Boston's most respected physicians and advanced treatments for a full range of medical specialties, including family medicine, cardiovascular care, women's and infants' health, cancer care, neurology care, and orthopedics.
Her clinical interests include maternal mental health, substance abuse, preterm birth (particularly perceivable births), fetal diagnosis and treatment, and preeclampsia. Franklin enjoys inpatient and outpatient care and working with a diverse group of multi-cultural and ethnically diverse populations. She is particularly interested in improving the antepartum patient experience for those women who require extended hospitalization during pregnancy particularly as it relates to the high rate of antenatal mood disorders in these patients.
Franklin has had diverse exposure to various research topics and is the author of several peer-reviewed papers, which have been published in journals such as the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine and The American Journal of Perinatology. She has given talks at national conferences such as The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and poster presentations at the annual Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Conference. Franklin graduated from The Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine at The University of Vermont with an MD, from Washington University in St. Louis with a Master’s of Science in Clinical Investigation, and from Arizona State University with an undergraduate degree in biology and French.
Ayrenne Adams
NY Medical Director, Galileo
Ayrenne Adams has a diverse work experience in the medical field. Adams is currently working as the NY Medical Director at Galileo, a team-based medical practice working to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare for all.
Before this, Adams held the position of clinical assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine starting in October 2020. Adams also served as a primary care physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Tremont. During that time, she held various leadership roles, such as clinical director of social determinants of health, clinical lead of the medical racism initiative, and Clinical Leadership Fellow. Earlier in her career, she was a resident physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Adams completed her Doctor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Before medical school, she was a Teach for America Corps Member and earned a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on History and Chemistry. Motivated by a passion for healthcare and public health, Adams pursued a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Behavioral Science and Health Education at Emory University. Adams attended Harvard Business School for a program in 2019. Also in June 2019, she obtained an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification from the American Heart Association, and in June 2020, she obtained a New York Medical License from the New York State Education Department.
Seanna Grob, MD, MAS
Academic Director, Division of Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Medical Director, Department of Ophthalmology, Berkeley Outpatient Clinic, UCSF Health
Dr. Seanna Grob is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and an oculoplastic surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In this role she also serves as the Academic Director for the Division of Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery and the Medical Director for the Department of Ophthalmology at UCSF Berkeley Outpatient Center.
Dr. Grob is originally from San Diego, CA. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of California, Berkeley in Molecular and Cellular Biology, she received her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. She then completed an internship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center followed by residency in ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Upon invitation, she stayed on as the Chief Resident and the Director of the Ocular Trauma Service at Harvard. Subsequently, she completed a prestigious two-year American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship in oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery at the University of California, Irvine and Kaiser Permanente South Bay and Orange County. During fellowship, she received a Heed Fellowship Award from the Society of the Heed Fellows. She has also received a number of awards including Fellowship Teacher of the Year, ASCRS Foundation Resident Excellence Award, Excellence in Ophthalmology Award, Stein Institute for Research on Aging (SIRA) Award, and the John and Lola Ross Award in the Science and Culture of Medicine, Rising Star and Top Doctor Awards, and an AAO Achievement Award.
She is currently an active and involved member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, serving on the Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee, and the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, serving as the chair of the Young ASOPRS Committee, as an inaugural member of the ASOPRS podcast workgroup, and as member of the Scientific Symposia Committee. She is well-published including her own book, Management of Open Globe Injuries, and numerous other peer-reviewed articles on topics in oculoplastics, eye trauma, and genetic eye disease.
Luti Kashimawo
PICU Medical Director & Section Head Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Ochsner Health System
Luti Kashimawo began her professional career 35 years ago. Today, she is the PICU Medical Director & Section Head of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Ochsner Health System. Ochsner Health is the leading not-for-profit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers.
Kashimawo earned her medical degree from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife in Nigeria, Africa. She completed her internship and practiced at the Massey Street Children's Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, before immigrating to the United States. She completed her pediatric residency and fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida. She is board-certified in general pediatrics, as well as pediatric critical care medicine, and has been on staff at Ochsner since August 2001 as a pediatric intensive care provider.
Kashimawo is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. She has been very instrumental in the growth of the pediatric intensive care unit and has built a solid team of specialists caring for critically ill children with complex needs. She believes every child should be cared for with respect and compassion.
Edith Allen
Medical Director, Special Healthcare Needs/DDD, Community & State Health Arizona, UnitedHealthcare
Edith Allen is the Medical Director of Special Healthcare Needs/DDD, Community and State Health Arizona of UnitedHealthcare. With connections to more than 1.3 million physicians and care professionals and 6,500 hospitals and care facilities across the globe, UnitedHealthcare can collaborate in new ways to improve patient care while providing customizable and comprehensive solutions in any marketplace, anywhere.
Allen holds academic appointments as a clinical professor at the University of Arizona - Phoenix, and Creighton University, School of Medicine, Phoenix. Board-certified in general pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine, she joined UnitedHealthcare in December 2023 as the medical director of developmental disability and special healthcare needs for the Arizona Community and State Plan. Previously, she served as medical director of care management and utilization review at Phoenix Children's Hospital and pediatric clerkship director for Creighton University and the University of Arizona.
Allen obtained her medical degree at Universidad Mexico Americana del Norte in her hometown of Reynosa, Mexico, and she practiced general medicine for three years before immigrating to the United States for her pediatric residency training. More recently, she completed an executive MBA program with a healthcare concentration at Arizona State University. Her interests include caring for patients with complex medical conditions, serving underinsured children, and supporting minorities, especially the LGBTQ+ community.
Deb Houry
Chief Medical Officer & Deputy Director for Program and Science, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Debra Houry, MD, MPH, is the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Houry is also the Designated Federal Officer for the Advisory Committee to the CDC Director, working directly with private and public sector constituents to prioritize CDC’s activities and address key areas, including data modernization and health disparities. As a board-certified emergency physician, she has seen firsthand the impact of infectious diseases, chronic health conditions, and injuries on individuals, families, and communities and strives to address and prevent challenges with implementable, evidence-based practices.
Before this role, Houry served for nearly two years as CDC’s acting principal deputy director, overseeing improvements to lab quality, updating global health strategy and governance, and elevating cross-cutting initiatives across the agency such as social determinants and mental health. She was also a key leader in the CDC Moving Forward reorganization process for the agency. Houry served as the director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC. She previously served as vice chair and tenured associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and as associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health. Houry also served as an attending physician at Grady Memorial Hospital in the emergency department and in the medication-assisted treatment clinic for opioid use disorder.
Houry has participated on numerous public health boards and committees and is an alum of Leadership Atlanta and the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Houry received her MD and MPH degrees from Tulane University and completed her residency training in emergency medicine at Denver Health Medical Center.
Dr. Aditi Korlimarla
Associate Medical Director, Ono Pharma USA
Dr. Aditi Korlimarla's journey through the world of medicine showcases the transformative power of perseverance, passion, and purpose. After graduating from medical school (Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, India), she pursued a residency program in clinical cardiology at the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai. Arriving in the United States, she faced numerous challenges, yet she remained resolute in her determination to leave a lasting impact. At Duke University's Center of Excellence in Rare Diseases, she had a fortuitous encounter with the realm of clinical development and research while pursuing post-doctoral training focused on neurology, pediatrics, and rare disease research. She distinguished herself as a prolific researcher, and later a respected faculty member, publishing multiple peer-reviewed articles in prestigious medical journals.
Dr. Korlimarla’s dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes garnered widespread recognition, laying the groundwork for her transition into the biopharmaceutical industry. Today, as a valued leader of Ono Pharma U.S. (OPUS), she leverages her diverse expertise and unwavering passion to drive innovation, accelerate drug development, and improve the lives of patients worldwide. She uses her free time to volunteer as a mentor in Women in Bio, an organization that provides mentorship, advice, and peer support to women in life sciences as way to help her peers and the next generation.
As she continues to lead with passion and kindness, her journey serves as a testament to the profound influence that one individual can have when guided by resilience, fueled by passion, and committed to making a difference in the world, embodying the indomitable spirit of humanity. Her impactful contributions to the field of medicine have illuminated pathways for many aspiring women and men in medicine and life sciences, serving as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment.
Alma Harb
Clinic Medical Director, Concierge Medicine, UC San Diego Health
Alma Harb began her professional career 21 years ago. Today, she is the Clinic Medical Director and Concierge Medicine of UC San Diego Health. Alma Harb practices Executive Health and Concierge Medicine at UCSD's state-of-the-art medical center in La Jolla. She joined UC San Diego Health System in 2011. Harb is board-certified in internal medicine and a fellow of the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. UC San Diego Health and Health Sciences has been caring for the community and producing physicians for more than 50 years. In 1966, they established their first medical center. Two years later, in 1968, the UC San Diego School of Medicine opened for business.
Harb first got her start in 2003 as a physician - internal medicine at Scripps Health. From there, she went on to the National Arab American Medical Association - San Diego Chapter. Harb received her Doctor of Medicine from Damascus University School of Medicine in Damascus, Syria, in 1997.
She completed her Internal Medicine internship at the Cleveland Clinic-Meridia program in Cleveland, Ohio, and her Internal Medicine residency at the Scripps Health-Mercy Program in San Diego, California.
Janine Overcash
Clinical Professor of Nursing, The Ohio State University
Janine Overcash is currently a Clinical Professor in the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University. She was recently the Director of Nursing Research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. The Ohio State University is a leading research university and the model for Ohio's public higher education institutes.
Overcash was an Associate professor of nursing at the University of South Florida and a geriatric nurse practitioner who specialized in the care of older cancer patients. She has assisted in the design and management of one of the first geriatric oncology programs located at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. Overcash has authored over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles in the area of geriatric assessment. A book entitled, The Older Cancer Patient: A Guide for Nurses and Related Professionals by Janine Overcash and Lodovico Balducci highlights principles of care of the older person with cancer and received the Book of the Year award by the American Journal of Nursing.
Overcash has completed a post-doctorate with the John A. Hartford Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Program. Overcash participated in the Geriatric Nurse Educational Consortium sponsored by the American Academy of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the John A. Hartford Foundation, which instructed over 500 faculty from all over the United States.
Overcash earned a Doctorate in Applied Medical Anthropology from the University of South Florida College of Arts and Sciences, an MS in nursing from the University of South Florida, and an undergraduate degree in nursing from Florida State University.
Christine Fechter
Associate Director, Clinical Informatics, ChenMed
Christine Fechter is currently the Associate Director of Clinical Informatics for ChenMed, a national leader in primary care recognized as a Fortune Magazine “Change the World Company.” Fechter is an expert in the clinical and business execution of ChenMed's proven/highly personalized approach to primary care. In her role, she has led initiatives to optimize healthcare systems, enhance patient safety, and streamline processes. Her focus is on leveraging data analytics, electronic health records (EHRs), and telehealth solutions to improve patient outcomes.
Fechter’s journey as an Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) has been deeply rewarding. She specializes in managing chronic health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. Her commitment to promoting health within culturally diverse communities drives her practice. She has also worked extensively in long-term care settings, where she collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive care for older adults. Whether in hospice, palliative care, or specialty clinics, her goal is to enhance quality of life and empower patients and their families.
Fechter prioritizes a holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on physical, social, emotional, and environmental well-being. She is an advocate for vulnerable populations and prioritizes lifelong learning to provide the best care possible in the dynamic healthcare field.
Preeti Pancholi
Director, Clinical Microbiology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Preeti Pancholi is the Director of Clinical Microbiology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC). OSUWMC is a multidisciplinary academic medical center located in Columbus, Ohio, United States, on the main campus of Ohio State University.
Pancholi is responsible for the daily management of the clinical microbiology laboratory offering diagnostic testing in bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, mycology, mycobacteriology, parasitology, virology, and molecular diagnostics. Pancholi’s primary research interests are the use of molecular and other rapid technologies to improve clinical infectious disease diagnostics and, further, to evaluate the impact of these technologies on patient care. She is an active team member of the Antimicrobial Management Program at the Ohio State University Medical Center and is involved in several research collaborations and clinical trials.
Before joining OSUWMC, Pancholi was an associate director of clinical microbiology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Before that, she was an assistant professor at Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, NY. She has a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. She was an ost-doctoral Fellow at Rockefeller University and a Clinical Microbiology Fellow at the Mayo Clinic, as well as a Postdoctoral Associate at the Weill Cornell Medical Center and a Senior Research Fellow at The Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute.
Ellen McKeown
Administrative Director, Healthcare, Michigan Medicine
Ellen McKeown is the Administrative Director of Healthcare at Michigan Medicine. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan Medicine is part of one of the world's leading universities. It’s a premier, highly-ranked academic medical center and healthcare system with state-of-the-art facilities. Their vision is to create the future of healthcare through scientific discovery, innovations in education, and the most effective and compassionate care.
McKeown has been with Michigan Medicine since 1988. She has held a variety of positions, including staff nurse in the surgical ICU and operating rooms, clinical care coordinator with vascular and general surgery, nurse educator and interim nurse manager in ambulatory care, risk management consultant, operating room nurse manager; and staff specialist with the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC).
McKeown graduated from the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in nursing. She has received a Lean Certificate in Healthcare, completed the Michigan Medicine Healthcare Leadership Institute Leadership Development Program, and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety.
Jill Donofrio
Medical Director, Emergency Department, HealthPartners
Jill Donofrio began her professional career 13 years ago. Today, she is the Medical Director of the Emergency Department of HealthPartners, a nonprofit organization that offers medical insurance plans and wellness programs for individuals. HealthPartners, an integrated healthcare organization providing healthcare services and health plan financing and administration, was founded in 1957 as a cooperative.
Prior to medical school she obtained a Master's in Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, and worked in public health research, yielding multiple publications. She graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009 and completed a residency in emergency medicine at UNECOM/Kent Hospital in Rhode Island in 2013. She also joined EPPA in 2013, and practices at Allina Mercy Hospital and HealthPartners/Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital.
Donofrio assumed a director role at the HealthPartners Olivia Hospital Emergency Department in 2020. She worked as an Assistant Reimbursement Advisor for four years at EPPA and has completed the HealthPartners Quality Academy. She is a member of the interdisciplinary HealthPartners COVID Expert Panel, assisting in the development and implementation of safety protocols and order sets to streamline care and ensure staff safety. Donofrio has demonstrated her commitment to caring for her colleagues as a founding member of the Professional Satisfaction Committees (EPPA and Methodist Hospital), EPPA Peer Support Network and EPPA Health Equity Committee.
Dion Metzger
Senior Clinical Advisor, Talkspace
Dion Metzger is the Senior Clinical Advisor of Talkspace. Founded in 2012, Talkspace pioneered message-based therapy, fulfilling an unmet desire of many people to text with a therapist, any time, from anywhere. Today they are a single destination for comprehensive mental healthcare, including therapy for individuals, couples, and teens, psychiatry and medication management, and self-guided tools and resources. All care is delivered through their fully encrypted web and mobile platform that meets HIPAA, federal, and state regulatory requirements.
Metzger has 10 years of experience. She is a board-certified psychiatrist and senior clinical advisor with a passion for women’s health, building mental health awareness in communities of color, and working with young adults. She provides clinical expertise for press/public initiatives on Talkspace research and mental health in the news. She provides support with writing, providing quotes and medically reviewing clinical content.
Metzger graduated from Morehouse School of Medicine with an MD and from Emory University with an undergraduate degree in psychology.
Hayat Mousa
Program Director, Advanced Fellowship in Pediatric Neurogastroenterology & Motility, University of Pennsylvania
Hayat Mousa is the Program Director for the Advanced Fellowship in Pediatric Neurogastroenterology and Motility at the University of Pennsylvania. She accepted this role in 2020. The University of Pennsylvania is one of the oldest universities in America and as a member of the Ivy League, one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world.
Mousa received her training at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, gaining broad exposure to all gastrointestinal disorders, including liver disease, small bowel transplantation, and gastrointestinal motility disorders. Later, she joined the GI group at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where she initiated its motility center, served as the medical director for motility for 16 years, and acted as the fellowship director of a GME-approved training program in pediatric motility disorders for 10 years. Among her honors and awards are the NASPGHAN Motility Prize, the Nationwide Children Hospital Career Contribution Award, and the NCH IMPACT Business Process Improvement Program Award.
Her research, which is widely published, is focused on chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction, pre- and post-transplantation, gastric accommodation and compliance after fundoplication in comparison to its baseline before the surgery, gastroesophageal reflux and its association with apnea and respiratory symptoms, and gastric pacing with its effect on gastric function and quality of life. She is an active member of various professional societies, including the American Neurogastrointestinal Motility Society, Society for Pediatric Research, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), American Gastroenterology Association, and the Association of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders (AGMD). Mousa earned an MD in biology from Damascus University.
Katlyn Burr
Director, Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine, Nemours
Katlyn Burr is a member of the patient care services leadership team at Nemours Children’s Health and Nemours Children’s Hospital-Delaware. As the Director of Respiratory Care and Sleep Medicine, she focuses on leading change that is RT-driven, patient outcome-focused and empowered by medical literature. Through family-centered care in their children's hospitals and clinics in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as well as world-changing research, education, and advocacy, Nemours is committed to improving the health of children.
At Nemours, Burr is responsible for business operations and strategic planning for the Respiratory Care and Sleep Medicine Departments in acute, critical care, and outpatient environments at the nation’s largest pediatric health system. She is a licensed Respiratory Care Provider in the states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey with over 13 years of respiratory care experience. Burr is an SSGI-certified Project Management Specialist. Additionally, she is a Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instructor and an advisory board member for Delaware Technical and Community College (Wilmington and Georgetown), West Chester University and Millersville University’s Respiratory Care Programs.
Burr obtained a Master’s of Science Management from Wilmington University of Delaware. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Strategic Leadership at Liberty University of Virginia. She has authored research and presented lectures, posters, and abstracts at an international level. She is an active member of the Delaware State Society for Respiratory Care (DSRC) and the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). She has achieved her Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), Neonatal and Pediatric Specialist (NPS), and Asthma Certified Educator (AE-C) credentials from the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) and the National Asthma Educator Certification Board (NAECB).
Rebecca Berman
Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, Physician, University of California, San Francisco
Rebecca Berman is the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director and Physician at the University of California, San Francisco. UC San Francisco is driven by the idea that when the best research, the best education, and the best patient care converge, great breakthroughs are achieved. They pursue this integrated excellence with a singular focus, fueled by collaboration among their top-ranked professional and graduate schools, medical centers, research programs, and support teams.
As a nationally recognized leader in medical education and primary care, Berman focuses on reducing pay disparities and enhancing diversity in medical leadership by teaching negotiation skills to physicians nationwide. Additionally, she founded the National Association of Program Directors of Internal Medicine's Primary Care Program Director Group and serves as the editor of their Primary Care Toolkit, now in its second edition, which provides guidance for establishing and enhancing primary care tracks. Her interests also extend to novel curricular design, promoting women in medicine, diversifying the physician workforce, and improving care for underserved communities.
Previously, Berman was a primary care residency program director and physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Berman earned an MD in medicine from Harvard Medical School and an undergraduate degree in Afro-American Studies from Harvard University.