Nate Garcia
Manager, Pfizer School of Science
Bio:
Nathaniel earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Manhattan College in 2018. Guided by his interest in molecular immunology, Nathaniel completed his undergraduate research internship in the Pulmonary Immunology laboratory at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Nathaniel joined Pfizer in 2018 as a Scientist in Pfizer’s Vaccine Research & Development Department, focusing on ligand binding immunoassay development. In this capacity, Nathaniel supported the development of immunoassays for the quantification of human antibodies in response to various bacterial and viral vaccine candidates. Nathaniel played an integral role in both the development of immunoassays and the pre-clinical non-Human primate study throughput for the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine program.
In 2023, Nathaniel joined the Office of the Chairman & CEO as a Manager at Pfizer School of Science, an initiative which strives to inform and inspire NYCDOE middle-schoolers to consider in-demand, high-earning careers in the pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to these efforts, Nathaniel advances EDI awareness and initiatives at Pfizer. He has previously served as the co-lead for Pfizer’s Black Colleague Resource Group at Pearl River and currently sits on the Enterprise Leadership Team for Pfizer’s Latino Colleague Resource Group. In these roles, he works to build productive and sustained partnerships with the community and throughout the firm, to create an inclusive culture that promotes the diversity of people, backgrounds, and scientific innovation.
Bobby Pourier
Summer Director, Pathway Program, Young Medicine Movement (Indigenous program), Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Bio:
Bobby is an Oglala Lakota tribal member who was born, raised, and currently living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He is the Program Director for the Young Medicine Movement (YMM), a native youth suicide prevention and community-based intervention program affiliated with the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Aaniiih Nakoda College in Fort Belknap, Montana. In his role as Director, Bobby is responsible for developing programming and curricula for the YMM program, delivering content, and supporting the personal, professional, academic, and cultural development of youth participants.
Monique Miles
Vice President, Aspen Institute, Aspen Institute
Director, Opportunity Youth Forum
Managing Director, Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions
Bio:
Monique Miles is a Vice President of the Aspen Institute, the Director of the Opportunity Youth Forum, and Managing Director of the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions.
Prior to joining the Forum for Community Solutions, Monique was the Director, Postsecondary Achievement at the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC). In her role at NYEC, Monique oversaw the Postsecondary Success Initiative, a national pilot that supported Community Based Organizations (CBOs) across the country to design and implement postsecondary programming, in partnership with local institutions of higher learning, for students who were disconnected from education.
Monique began her career in education reform working as a Literacy Instructor at Youth Opportunity Boston. In this role Monique worked directly with students remanded to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) to design and deliver education and career development curriculum. Monique went on to serve the same population of students through political advocacy initiatives at the Commonwealth Corporation (CommCorp).
Monique earned a Bachelor of Science from Springfield College and a Master’s in Education, Policy & Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Monique serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Pomfret School. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Tulane University Cowen Institute of Public Education Initiatives. She is on the board of Independent Trust and the Corps Network.
Khama Ennis, MD, MPH, FACEP
Faces of Medicine
Founder
Bio:
Khama Ennis, MD, MPH is passionate about the role of physician diversity in improving health equity and reducing disparities. She created Faces of Medicine, a documentary and storytelling project, to move the needle on representation in medicine. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post and Parents Magazine. She has been an invited speaker on the subject of health equity and a guest on many podcasts. Dr. Ennis is a board certified Emergency Physician with over 20 years of clinical experience as well as training in acupuncture, lifestyle and integrative medicine. She is currently serving as the Assistant Medical Director for University Health Services at the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA.
She graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate concentration in medical anthropology. She earned her MD at the NYU School of Medicine and her MPH at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed her Emergency Medicine residency at Mass General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals. Dr. Ennis completed Medical Acupuncture training at the University of New England and has also trained in Lifestyle Medicine and completed a fellowship in Integrative Health at Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine. She is the lucky mother of two incredible daughters and a devoted daily NY Times crossword solver.
Veronica Vital
President, National Association of Hispanic Nurses
Bio:
Dr. Veronica Vital has 26 years of nursing experience in academia, research, pediatrics, women’s health, and community health. She earned her BSN in 1998 and MSN in 2005 from Arizona State University, followed by a PhD in Nursing in 2013 and a Master of Legal Studies in 2021 from the University of Arizona. Currently an Assistant Professor at Alverno College, Dr. Vital has been a dedicated member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) since 1997 and is the current President.
Within NAHN, Dr. Vital has held various leadership roles, including seven years on the Board of Directors as Bylaws Committee Chair, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair, and Nominating Committee Chair. She also served multiple terms as President and Vice President of the Phoenix Chapter and led key national initiatives such as the MueveteUSA project and the Pfizer Vaccine Partnership.
A visionary leader and champion for health equity, Dr. Vital serves on multiple community advisory boards. She is an Executive Committee member of the Nurses on Boards Coalition and a Board Director for the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA). Additionally, she is part of the Steering Committee for the National Minority Health Alliance and has served on the U.S. Office of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Minority Health.
Dr. Vital's contributions have been recognized with the 2022 March of Dimes Arizona Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award and the 2020 March of Dimes Arizona Nurse of the Year Award in Outpatient/Community and Public Health.
Amanda Pears Kelly
ACU
Executive Director
Bio:
Amanda Pears Kelly is the CEO of Advocates for Community Health (ACH) where she spearheads the coalition’s work to advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and achieve health equity for communities in need. She was also one of ACH’s founding members. Amanda has more than 15 years of experience translating complex issues into easily understood trainings and resources leveraged widely across the health center community and beyond.
A fierce advocate for health equity, Amanda is also the executive director of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU). In this role, she leads organization vision and strategy and manages all aspects of the Association, providing overall leadership and management services to the board of directors and membership.
Amanda maintains deep expertise and established leadership in providing training and technical assistance to health centers and other organizations caring for underserved populations. She has spent much of her career developing multimedia content for diverse audiences with a shared mission of caring for the underserved. Her depth of knowledge and years of work with underserved communities has enabled Amanda to share recognized best practices and lessons learned relative to healthcare workforce recruitment, retention, pipeline programming and more.
Prior to joining the ACU, Amanda held leadership positions working in government affairs, policy, and advocacy as the vice president of grassroots & internal advocacy at the American Diabetes Association, and as the national director of advocacy and civic engagement at the National Association of Community Health Centers. She holds a BA in political science from the University of New Hampshire and is a graduate of the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership at Boston University.
Pangela Dawson
Founding Assistant Dean, Department Chair and Program Director, Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Morehouse School of Medicine
Bio:
Dr. Pangela Dawson is the Assistant Dean and Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). She joined MSM in August 2017 as the Founding Program Director. She earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy Studies and Evaluation in Higher Education from the University of Kentucky. During this time, she also completed a certificate of study in Gender and Women’s Studies. Her academic training includes a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Dawson began her academic career at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, where she served as Director of the Clinical Education, and later received academic appointments at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) School of Osteopathic Medicine as the Director of the Physician Assistant and Master of Biomedical Sciences Programs. She also served as the Clinical Coordinator at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA). As a practicing physician assistant, Dr. Dawson specialized in orthopedic pediatrics and chronic pain management and rehabilitation. Her current research interests include identifying early indicators for student success and enhancing cultural proficiencies in medical education.
Michael Leventhal
Men's Health Network
Director of Operations
Bio:
Mike Leventhal is a Certified Men’s Health Educator who has been serving as Executive Director for the Tennessee affiliate of Men’s Health Network since 2003. Mike is responsible for Men’s Health Network operations within Tennessee and consults with key staff on program coordination throughout the Southeastern United States, with an acute focus on outreach to policy makers, media, and private/public foundations. In addition, Mike represents Men’s Health Network in nationwide activities through a variety of unique capacities.
Mike is the creator of Save the Doodads.Org, an MHN signature primary prevention campaign that is designed to utilize humor while raising testicular cancer awareness and the importance of testicular self-examinations to generations Y and Z. He serves on numerous healthcare related boards and commissions, including as Chairman for the East Region Tennessee Cancer Coalition, Greater Nashville Health Disparities Coalition, former Secretary, Rural Health Association of Tennessee, and other community-based councils and advocacy associations.
Mike attended George Washington University, Lees-McRae College, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
In his spare time Mike enjoys attending sporting events, especially in support of University of Tennessee Men’s and Women’s Athletics, gardening, and home improvement projects. Live music and arts are another of Mike’s passions, but on any given day, when the fish are biting Mike can be found on the lake or the beautiful Tennessee River.
Michellene Davis, Esq.
President and CEO, National Medical Fellowships
Bio:
Michellene Davis is the National Medical Fellowships, Inc. (NMF) President and Chief Executive Officer. Davis is among Modern Healthcare magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Minority Leaders in Healthcare, Becker's Hospital Black Healthcare Leaders to Know in 2024, 2023 and 2022, and Becker’s Hospital Review's Top 113 Great Leaders in Healthcare 2022. The National Association of Health Services Executives awarded her their 2021 Senior Health Care Executive Award.
Davis also founded the Social Impact and Community Investment, an equity-centered, policy-led community health practice addressing health's social and political determinants. Serving under former New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine, was the first African American in state history to serve as Chief Policy Counsel and the first African American and the second woman to serve as New Jersey State Treasurer. She was the youngest person to serve as CEO of the New Jersey Lottery and also served as a senior policy advisor in the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.
Davis is the co-author of Changing Missions, Changing Lives: How a Change Agent Can Turn the Ship and Create Impact (ForbesBooks, 2020), which provides a blueprint for those committed to leading systems change within organizations.
Ms. Davis began her legal career as a trial litigator, is an Honors graduate of Seton Hall University, and holds a Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall School of Law. She has Executive Education Certificates in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Harvard Business School and Social Impact Strategy from the Wharton School of Business.
Eric Griggs
Vice Chair, 100 Black Men of America Health & Wellness Committee, STEMNOLA
Bio:
Dr. Eric Griggs, affectionately known as "Doc Griggs," is a dynamic physician, community leader, and health educator with a deep passion for preventive health and wellness. As the Chief Health Officer of the Global Institute of Integrated Health, Dr. Griggs is committed to bridging health gaps globally through education, advocacy, and direct community engagement. He also serves as the Community Medicine Director and Associate Vice President of Community Health Affairs at Access Health Louisiana, where he leads impactful community health initiatives.
Doc Griggs' influence extends beyond traditional medicine. He has been a fixture at major events like the Bayou Classic and Essence Festival for over a decade, using his platform to educate and empower individuals on the importance of health screenings, fitness, and disease prevention. His notable accomplishments include authoring the children's book series The Adventures of Jamiale and Poppy - I Said I'm Gonna Be a Doctor and creating engaging health content through his podcast and animated videos on noisefilter.com.
In 2014, the Louisiana Senate and the New Orleans City Council both recognized Dr. Griggs as a Health and Wellness Ambassador, honoring his relentless dedication to public health. His upcoming venture, the 'Doc Griggs Corner' webinar series, continues his mission of making health education accessible, with interactive sessions on nutrition, exercise, mental health, and more. Doc Griggs teaches millions of people each year through his tegular media appearances locally, nationally and internationally on television, radio, animations, webinars, lectures., social media and community engagement.With a vision of "Get Checked. Get Fit. Get Moving!," Dr. Griggs remains a leading advocate for building healthier communities locally and globally."
Dr. Sheldon D. Fields
President & CEO, National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
Bio:
Dr. Fields is Research Professor and inaugural Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing at Penn State University. He is also founder and CEO of “The S.D.F Group, LLC”, which is a health innovation consultant company. He has over 30 years of experience in the health sector as an educator, researcher, clinician, administrator, consultant, health policy specialist, and entrepreneur / business owner. Dr. Fields is a well-known and respected HIV/AIDS prevention research scientist with a significant focus on young men of color. He is an Advanced AIDS Certified Registered Nurse and a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. He worked for over a decade as a primary care provider in a federally qualified health center with historically underserved disenfranchised populations. He is a lifetime member of the National Black Nurses Association, Inc., (NBNA) and currently serves as the organization’s 14th National President. He was the first ever male Registered Nurse selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellowship Program in which he served as a policy adviser to then Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) on the Senate HELP committee during the historic healthcare reform debates and passage of the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Fields is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the National Academies of Practice, and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing. He is the former dean of the Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, as well as the former dean of the school of Health Professions at New York Institute of Technology. He has held other academic and administrative positions at Binghamton University, University of Rochester, Florida International University, and Long Island University-Brooklyn. Dr. Fields received his Ph.D., in Nursing Science from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.S., in Family Nursing and B.S., in Nursing from Binghamton University. He completed his post-doctoral work in the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California San Francisco.
Dr. Jordyn Norde
RxOutreach
Pharmacist-in-Charge
Bio:
Dr. Jordyn Nordé, PharmD, MBA, serves as the Pharmacist in Charge at Rx Outreach Community Pharmacy, overseeing operations, program implementation, and medication dispensing. Previously, at Affinia Healthcare, she worked as a clinical pharmacist focusing on patient education and medication management for underserved populations, with an emphasis on hypertension, diabetes, and pain management.
Dr. Nordé is dedicated to health education and community empowerment. She created Tables., an event bringing young minority professionals together over meals to discuss topics like finances, entrepreneurship, and mental health. Additionally, she founded the Saint Louis Black Pharmacists Association, Inc., aiming to support black pharmacists and pharmacy students in St. Louis through scholarships and networking events.
Dr. Nordé is actively involved in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, 2023 FOCUS St. Louis Emerging Leaders, and the National Council of Negro Women.
Edgar Rios
Pfizer
Vaccine Field Medical Director
Bio:
Dr. Rios received his Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree (Magna Cum Laude) from The University of Houston College of Pharmacy. He went on to complete his post graduate year 1 pharmacy practice training at the Central Arkansas Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Little Rock, AR and his post graduate year 2 infectious disease training at the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Oklahoma City, OK. Dr. Rios is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and Infectious Diseases Pharmacist and has practiced in the area of infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship at the local level in community and academic tertiary care hospitals and at the regional level in a large healthcare system. Currently Dr. Rios is a Vaccines Field Medical Director with Pfizer’s Vaccines Medical Affairs team.
Renee Crichlow, MD, FAAFP
Vice-Chair, School of Medicine, Boston University, Professor
Chief Medical Officer, Codman Square Health Center
Professor at Harvard Chan School of Public Health
Bio:
Renee Crichlow, MD, FAAFP, practiced full-spectrum Family Medicine with Obstetrics for more than 20 years and is now the chief medical officer of Codman Square Health Center in Boston, a Vice-chair at the Boston University Medical School Department of Family Medicine, and is she is also a Lecturer at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health.Dr. Crichlow has lived and worked in both rural and urban environments. She and her family lived for six years in Red Lodge, Montana when Dr. Crichlow was seeing patients and teaching Family Medicine at a federally qualified community health center in Billings, Montana.
Dr. Crichlow was next at the University of Minnesota as the director of advocacy and policy in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and the inaugural holder of the Mac Baird Endowed Chair for Family Medicine Advocacy and Policy.
Dr. Crichlow’s Fellowships include a Fellowship in Health Policy through the Dept of Health and Human Services. She is a Commissioner for Federal and State Policy for the American Academy of Family Physician, and is also on the national Board of Directors and the Immediate Past President of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and the founder of The Ladder, a mentorship program for kids interested in health careers.
Dr. Walter Conwell
Morehouse School of Medicine
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
Bio:
Walter D. Conwell, MD, MBA: Dr. Conwell joined the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) in July 2021 as the inaugural Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and also serves as the Associate Dean for Faculty Development. A graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Dr. Conwell received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida A&M University and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Colorado Business School. He is a practicing Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine physician and medical director of the MSM Sleep Center. Dr. Conwell has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on topics related to medical education, health economics, and health equity.
Dr. Yolanda Lawson,
President, National Medical Association
Bio:
Yolanda Lawson M.D, is the Immediate Past President of the National Medical Association. Dr. Lawson has extensive clinical practice expertise in OBGYN and healthcare leadership. She is the Executive Medical Director, Maternal Infant Health for HealthCare Services Corp and is responsible for leading high profile priority initiatives to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. She founded MadeWell OBGYN in Dallas, Texas, and is an Associate Attending at Baylor University Medical Center. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Lawson is a frequently invited guest speaker, panelist, and moderator on health equity & health disparities and maternal and women’s health. She has testified before the FDA and the Senate and was recently recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the 2024 Top Blacks to Know in Healthcare and by BlackDoctor.Org as a Top Black in Healthcare 2024. Dr. Lawson is a staunch advocate for physicians and the patients they serve. Her tireless efforts and strategic approach are a testament to her commitment as a women’s health advocate and her relentless pursuit to end health disparities.
Ronika (Nikki) Alexander-Parish, R.N. MA Ed, DrPH Candidate
US Medical Director for Health Equity, Vaccines and Antivirals Policy Group, Pfizer
Bio:
Ronika Alexander-Parrish currently serves as Pfizer’s US Medical Director for Health Equity, Vaccines and Antivirals Policy Group.
In this role, she promotes the integration of health equity science and anti-racism research principles and practices in biopharma evidence generation and dissemination. She is the founding Director of the Morgan State Doctor of Public Health Fellowship program. Her efforts to secure the launch and direct the implementation of Pfizer’s first doctor of public health fellowship, and subsequent cohorts, will cultivate a biopharma pathway for future public health practitioners.
Ronika is a sought-after speaker on operationalizing the health equity movement within the biopharma business, and speaks across biopharma, public health agencies, and academia. Recent speaking engagements included Division of Infectious Diseases at Penn Medicine Grand Rounds “Potential Impact of the SCOTUS Ruling Ending Race-Conscious College Admissions on Population Health and the Infectious Disease Workforce” and Pennsylvania State Universities “Student Diversity Conference”,as well as her 2021 Pfizer TedX Talk “All Generalizations are False-Including this One”
In recognition of her thought leadership and commitment to the elimination of health disparities among marginalized communities, she has been named by Pfizer leadership and peers as one of 2023’s “25 Most Inspiring Women” in biopharma and was selected for leadership development programs with the Executive Leadership Council.
Ronika has 15+ years of previous experience at Pfizer as a clinical scientist and health equity advocate as well as US Medical Director, Paxlovid. She has led matrixed teams in the design, implementation, analysis and dissemination of phase 4 vaccine epidemiology studies, and her team won the Pfizer’s VacciNation award four times.
Before joining Pfizer, Inc. Ronika led clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies and community-based participatory research with Wayne State University. She also served as a public health nurse with the City of Detroit and Oakland County Health Departments in Michigan.
Outside of work, Ronika is a member the Society for the Analysis of African American Public Health Issues, the Society for Epidemiologic Research, and the Infectious Disease Society of America. She is also a 30-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a global organization committed to servant-leadership, where she recently served as the Vice President of her local 200-person chapter.
Ronika is expected to complete her Doctor of Public Health degree in 2025. She also holds a Master of Arts in Education, Adult Instruction and Performance Technology from University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Detroit-Mercy.
Feel reach to reach Ronika at www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderparrish1908/.
Gilbert Burgos, MD, MPH
NHMA
Interim President and Chair of NHMA Board
Bio:
Dr Gilbert Burgos is the Interim President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA). During this transition he is assuming leadership of this 30-year-old organization for which he has served as a member for over 20 years.
Dr. Gilbert Burgos is the Executive Director of Medical Affairs for Elderplan/HomeFirst, a Special Needs Managed Care Organization in New York State (NY). Most recently, he was the Executive Director and Chief Medical Director for Nassau Queens PPS where he worked with the NY Department of Health and three major health systems in New York City to implement the DSRIP (Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment) program, a major state initiative to restructure how Medicaid recipients receive health care in NY.
Dr. Burgos is board certified in Internal Medicine and is also a Certified Physician Executive through the American Association of Physician Leaders. He has over twenty years of experience as a senior executive with physician groups, hospitals and health plans. Previous positions include Executive Director of Medical Management with Advantage Care Physicians (ACP) in NY, Executive Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer for Preferred Health Partners (PHP) in NY, Senior Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer of Mercy Memorial Hospital System in Michigan, and Chief Medical Officer for Care Choices Health Plan, part of Trinity Health System in Michigan.
He obtained his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Montefiore Medical Center. In addition, he acquired a master’s in public health from Harvard University’s School of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.
Dr. Chien Chen
Chair and Member, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association (AAPINA)
Chief Officer for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships, Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office
Bio:
Dr. Chien Chen, DNP, MS, RN-BC, PMH-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN s an innovative national-level executive with a proven record of leading high-impact and scalable solutions that leverages equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging concepts to produce data-driven outcomes. As a minority leader and nurse, he is passionate about supporting and developing a culturally-attuned health care workforce; advocating for the unique needs of our diverse Veterans, patients, staff, and communities.
Dr. Chen continues to advocate for minority and underrepresented nurses and contributes to the Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association (AAPINA) by chairing, leading, and supporting AAPINA initiatives.
Dr. Chen is honored to serve within the Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Officer for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships. His role provides enterprise-level leadership and strategic direction to VHA’s robust partnerships and innovative healthcare advancement initiatives at the national, state, and community levels. Prior to this role, Dr. Chen also served in multiple key enterprise-level senior executive and officer roles impacting healthcare delivery, nursing practice, informatics, and education.
Dr. Chen is board-certified in several specialties and holds a faculty appointment. He serves on several committees at the national, including National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dr. Chen is a Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellow, was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, and as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
DeQuan Smith-Murry
Morehouse School of Medicine
Office of Career Connections
Bio:
Dr. DeQuan M. Smith is a globally recognized health care and higher education leader, educator, and strategist with over a decade of progressively responsible and expansive leadership and budgetary experience across institutional types and functional areas. Dr. Smith has a track record of excellence spearheading institution-wide new initiatives based on his professional expertise in strategic planning and assessment, cross-functional collaboration, and innovative problem-solving. He has a demonstrated history of creating and supervising high-performing teams that deliver results for the institution while also creating an environment of inclusion while ensuring all students have an opportunity to thrive.
A servant leader, Dr. Smith has been recognized for his transformational leadership skills and excellent record of working with teams to achieve unprecedented success at an accelerated pace. He is passionate about advancing economic and community partnerships and ensuring student academic, professional, and personal success. Dedicated to inclusion, Dr. Smith has been recognized for his ability to curate talent across multiple disciplines ensuring sustainable career pathways for current and emerging leaders entering the workforce.
Dr. Smith devotes his time to advising many new and aspiring higher education leaders, mentoring students interested in careers in the health and biomedical profession, teaching in executive education programs, and writing and speaking on salient topics in higher education – innovations in learning, diversity, the impact of digital technologies, and leadership, among others.
Professional Highlights:
- Presented at over 100+ international, national, state, and local conferences
- Award winning professor and Amazon bestselling published author
- Appointed Youngest Dean of Color for the Virginia Community College System
- Notable mentions: AJC, Atlanta Daily Tribune, Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Georgia Bio, and many more
Melissa Bishop-Murphy, JD
Pfizer
Senior Director, State Government Relations
Bio:
Melissa is Senior Director of National Government Relations and Multicultural Affairs for Pfizer, Inc. Melissa has twenty-eight years of lobbying and alliance development experience on the state and federal levels.
Melissa currently lobbies in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Melissa works nationally to build multicultural coalitions to advocate for greater access to healthcare and pharmaceuticals. She co-chairs Pfizer’s Multicultural Health Equity Collective, “MHEC”. The MHEC is a cooperative of Pfizer colleagues and US-based organizations focused on achieving health equity across ethnic groups and other underrepresented communities facing significant health disparities.
Prior to joining Pfizer in 1998, Melissa worked as General Counsel for the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance, a multi-billion-dollar Medicaid agency. As General Counsel, she concentrated on health care regulation and compliance, program evaluation, and the financing of various health care delivery systems for Medicaid recipients.
An alumnus of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Melissa received her B.A. degree in English/Pre-Law, summa cum laude. She received her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. and her MBA from the University of Georgia. Melissa serves on the Board of Trustees of Stillman College.
Some awards/honors Melissa has received include:
- 2022 Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) Rising Star
- 2021 Pfizer Global Inclusive Leader Award
- 2021 NOBEL Corporate Champion Award
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners’ Certificate for Outstanding Service and Lasting Contribution
- 2018 – Honorary Member, National Black Nurses Association – one of only two people to ever receive this honor
- 2014 Corporate Leadership Award – National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
- 2011 – Named one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Attorney, Women Looking Ahead Magazine
- Georgia State Medical Association Award – 2018
Melissa is committed to health care for all and is proud of her service to the public. According to Melissa, “Riches and wealth are short- term; only through service do we find significance for the long term.”
Gail Christopher, D.N.
National Collaborative for Health Equity
Executive Director
Bio:
Dr. Gail C. Christopher is an award-winning social change agent and author with expertise in the social determinants of health and well-being and related public policies. A prolific writer and presenter, Dr. Christopher is the author, co-author, and has contributed to 14 books, hundreds of articles, presentations, publications, and more. She is known for her pioneering work to infuse holistic health and diversity concepts into public sector programs and policy discourse. She retired from her role as Senior Advisor and Vice President at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she was the driving force behind the America Healing initiative and the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation effort. In 1996 she was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. She chaired the Board of the Trust for America’s Health from 2012-2022. In 2019, Dr. Christopher became a Senior Scholar with George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and became the Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity. In 2021, she was elected by the APHA Governing Council to serve as the APHA Honorary Vice President for the United States. In 2023, the American Journal of Health Promotion honored Dr. Christopher as one of the 10 Most Influential Women Scholars in Health Promotion. As of January 2024, Dr. Christopher became Chair of the Board of the Institute of Functional Medicine.
Representative Ajay Pittman
Representative of House District 99, Oklahoma House of Representatives
National Caucus of Native American State Legislators and National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women
Bio:
House District 99 is represented by Ajay Pittman, one of Oklahoma's youngest state-elected officials and a fourth-term legislator in the 60th Legislature. As the first millennial female and second-generation woman to serve in the district, Ajay is a committed advocate for health equity, economic development, and social justice. Her deep roots as a sixth-generation Oklahoman and seventh-generation Native American, with dual citizenship in the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, inform her leadership. Ajay has made significant strides in public service, including her roles as vice-chair of the state-wide redistricting committee and the Tourism Committee, where she demonstrates a unique ability to bridge divides and find common ground.
Ajay's influence extends beyond Oklahoma, as a national voice for change, particularly among young Americans. She has held leadership positions in numerous organizations, including the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women and the National Caucus of Native American State Legislators. In her home state, Ajay is a tireless advocate for her community, fighting for causes like maternal health, minority teacher recruitment, and criminal justice reform. Her dedication has earned her national recognition and awards, highlighting her as a champion for health equity and social justice. Ajay Pittman embodies the spirit of service, drawing strength from her heritage and continuing to pave the way for future generations.
Vacheria Keys
Associate Vice President, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, National Association of Community Health Centers
Bio:
Vacheria Keys is the Associate Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the National Association of Community Health Centers in Washington, DC. In her current role, she oversees federal policy, state policy, and regulatory affairs. Vacheria advocates and develops health policies that improve access for underserved patients and reimbursement for health centers across the nation. For nearly three years, Vacheria leads NACHC’s 340B policy work, Medicaid and Medicare policy, COVID-19 related policies, and more. Previously, Vacheria worked as a Regulatory Affairs Specialist at the American Society of Anesthesiologists and a Reproductive Rights and Health Legal Fellow at the National Women's Law Center. As a double HBCU grad, Vacheria takes great pride as a Spelman Alumna and graduate of Howard University’s School of Law.
Francys Crevier JD
National Council of Urban Indian Health
CEO
Bio:
Francys Crevier (Algonquin) has served Indian Country for over a decade. She has served in various capacities, from clerking for Tribal supreme courts and working for the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to representing Tribes as in-house counsel and special prosecutor. Francys joined the Indian healthcare field in 2015 to advocate for better healthcare in Indian Country and educate Tribal members and communities on alternative healthcare options. She joined NCUIH in 2016 as the Policy Analyst and Congressional Relations Liaison and later became the Director of Governmental Affairs. As of August 2017, she is now NCUIH’s Chief Executive Officer. Francys received her J.D. from the University of Arizona Law with a Certificate in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy and her B.A. in Public Administration from Florida International University
Francisco (aka Pancho) Arguelles Paz y Puente
Senior Director for Network and Power Building, The Praxis Project
Bio:
Francisco (aka Pancho) Argüelles Paz y Puente was born in Mexico City and has lived in the U.S. since 1997. For the last forty years he has worked on human rights issues in Mexico, Central America, and the United States: as a rural teacher in Chiapas, supporting Guatemalan refugees, co-founding Universidad Campesina in Nicaragua, and with rural cooperatives in Central Mexico. Pancho served on the board of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights where he co-authored the popular education curriculum, BRIDGE: Building a Race and Immigration Dialogue on the Global Economy. He lives in Houston, TX, where he co-founded Fe y Justicia Worker Center and served as the executive director of Living Hope Wheelchair Association for ten years. He serves on the board of the Highlander Research and Education Center and in 2023 became the Senior Director for Network and Power Building with The Praxis Project where he provides technical assistance, capacity building and accompaniment to community power building organizations. Thanks to a fellowship with the Community Justice Exchange he recently published the short video “Becoming Free of the Cage Within”, a tool for community organizers to reflect about the intersection of Radical Healing, Abolition and Popular Education. He holds a Bachelor Degree on Education from UNAM (Autonomous National University of Mexico) and a Master on Science on Multicultural Education from University of Houston – Clear Lake.
Peter Holtgrave
National Association of County and City Health Officials
Senior Director, Public Health Infrastructure and Systems
Bio:
Peter L. Holtgrave, MA, MPH, is Senior Director of Public Health Infrastructure and Systems at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), where he oversees the organization’s Performance Improvement, Workforce and Leadership Development, and Health Equity and Social Justice portfolios. Mr. Holtgrave brings over 20 years of public health experience, including serving as the National Health Manager at the OASIS Institute, a national nonprofit focused on healthy and productive aging, managing the evaluation of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities national initiative, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and directing programs for the Boston Public Health Commission.
Chris Tall Bear
National Network of Public Health Institutes
Tribal Public Health Advisor
Bio:
Chris Tall Bear (Southern Cheyenne) is the Tribal Public Health Advisor for the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). Within this role, he provides project management support and subject matter expertise to the diverse and growing array of public health projects related to tribal health as part of the National Coordinating Center for Public Health training (NCCPHT) at NNPHI. The NCCPHT Collaborates with public health training centers, member public health institutes and a wide range of national, state, tribal and local partners to build the capacity of the public health workforce.
Chris has worked in the tribal public health realm for over 20 years. Prior to joining NNPHI, he worked for Southern Plains Tribal Health Board-Tribal Epi Center overseeing several grants in his time there. While serving his tribe, his most fulfilling legacy was developing and implementing the Special Diabetes Program for Indians with his own tribal nation, the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. He was appointed as the Cheyenne representative to the National Park Service for the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.
He has a deep understanding and appreciation for his Cheyenne culture and traditions. Although he has earned degrees within the academic world, he considers his true education is through his lived experience and participation within his own tribal community.
Shane Chen
Chief Operations Officer, Hope Clinic
Bio:
Ms. Shane Chen is the Chief Operations Officer of the Asian American Health Coalition (AAHC) dba HOPE Clinic. Established HOPE Clinic in 2002 by the minority health coalition, HOPE Clinic is today a fully staffed federally qualified health center that provides access to primary and preventive health services including pediatric, OB & GYN, family medicine, dental, behavioral health, internal medicine, vision, and eligibility assistance.
Ms. Chen has a Master in Healthcare Administration from Texas Women’s University, she has over 15 years of experience working with the community and advocating for various Asian, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander health issues surrounding cultural competency, health equity, and healthcare access. Since 2008, Ms. Chen has overseen HOPE Clinic's operations, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and growth. Believing that health care is beyond the walls of the exam rooms, Ms. Chen leads HOPE Clinic’s community engagement and capacity development initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of the community.
Ms. Chen grew up in Houston, Texas, and holds the community near and dear. She serves on the Texas Associations of Community Health Center’s Valued Base as well as Membership-Nomination Committees. Ms. Chen also contributes locally as a Health Advisory member of Harris County Precinct 4.
Floritta Pope
Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH)
Bio:
Floritta Pope serves as the Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity at the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). In this role, she spearheads strategic initiatives aimed at addressing health disparities, enhancing cultural competency, and fortifying Oklahoma’s health system infrastructure. Floritta holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Science in Management from Southern Nazarene University. She has also completed the Executive Development Program for State Officials and is a fellow of the Oklahoma Public Health Leadership Institute.
A dedicated and enthusiastic leader, Floritta excels in cultivating a dynamic organizational culture and building effective, collaborative teams. She currently manages resources, budgets, timelines, and documentation for a national initiative to address COVID-19 health disparities among high-risk and underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and rural communities. This initiative, supported by a grant exceeding $43 million, represents the CDC’s largest investment in reducing COVID-19-related health disparities, providing essential support to the most affected communities.
Floritta’s unwavering commitment to public health is evident through her numerous impactful initiatives. She organizes and hosts listening sessions with community and faith-based organizations and established a remote COVID-19 vaccine call center, recruiting and training over 40 individuals within two weeks. Additionally, she leads a statewide vaccine equity committee.
Beyond her local contributions, Floritta represented Oklahoma as the COVID-19 Equity Lead for the White House COVID-19 Response Team. She currently serves on the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Region VI Health Equity Workgroup and is the Vice President of ASTHO’s Power of Partnership Health Equity Alliance. Her passion for advancing health equity continues to drive her efforts to raise awareness and foster understanding at the community level.
Madhuri Jha LCSW, MPH
ETR
Integration
Bio:
Madhuri Jha, MPH, LCSW (she/hers) is a nationally recognized and award winning clinical social work and public health executive, advisor and clinician,with experience providing thought leadership, training/education, consultation and direct clinical practice to programs focused on health equity, behavioral health systems strengthening, trauma and resiliency, mental health epidemiology and community capacity building. She currently serves as the Vice President of Science, Equity, and Integration at ETR, a 40-year-old organization focused on identifying science-based solutions to achieving health equity for children, families and communities. Ms.Jha is also licensed psychotherapist, clinicalexperience in inpatient, outpatient, school-based, community-based and mobile psychiatric treatment settings. She sits on multiple legislative task forces to advance effective mental health policy, is a frequently consulted advisor to HHS and SAMHSA, and serves on the Board of Directors at Mental Health America.She is also a professor of mental health policy at New York University. Prior to joining ETR, Ms. Jha was the Director of the Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity at the Morehouse School of Medicine where she led national discourse, programming and research focused on advancing equity in policies and services that reach people living with or at risk for adverse behavioral health outcomes. She gained national recognition for her scientific and policy leadership
on embedding equity into 9-8-8, the national mental health crisis emergency line that launched in July 2022. She completed both a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from New York University. Ms. Jha is a 2022 National Minority Quality Forum 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health Awardee.
John Bruce
Program Director and Director of Faith-Based Partnerships and Health Equity, Men’s Health Network
Bio:
Mr. John Bruce is currently serving as the Director of Faith Based Partnerships and Health Equity Initiatives with the Men’s Health Network. Mr. Bruce formerly served as the vice-president of the Tennessee Cancer Coalition. Mr. Bruce also formerly served as the Faith and Justice Coordinator for the North Georgia region of the Governor’s Office of Re-Entry and Support in Atlanta, Georgia. During his time with the Governor's office Mr. Bruce also served on the Walker County Drug Task Force. Additionally, he was the co-founder of House of HOPE which was a faith based housing program for returning citizens and the founder of Destiny Life Counseling services which continue to provide individual and couples counseling to underserved populations. Mr. Bruce is a state certified substance abuse and anger management counselor and currently works as a mental health practitioner for several organizations located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mr. Bruce is an active member of the 100 Black Men of Bradley County. Mr. Bruce currently serves as the senior pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tennessee. Mr. Bruce and his wife Tori Bruce have been married for 23 years. They have a daughter who is a sophomore at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and a son who is a senior at Heritage High School. Mr. Bruce is a conference speaker and an advocate for addressing health disparities among underserved populations.
Janys Esparza
Treatment Program Director, Latino Community Development Agency
Bio:
Janys H. Esparza, a native of the Dominican Republic, has been working at the Latino Community Development Agency (LCDA) since August, 1997.
She has a Master Degree in Clinical Psychology and has an LADC license. Ms. Esparza has had many positions at the LCDA, Program Coordinator, Behavioral Case Manager, Program Supervisor, Drug and Alcohol Counselor and for the last 13 years she has been the Treatment Program Director. She oversees 9 programs, including: Outpatient Mental Health & Substance Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Violence Program, and Child Trauma.
Ms. Esparza has worked closely on various projects with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse including “Bienvenidos Project” in which she provided education to other agencies on cultural competency to improve access to services for the Latino community. She provides many presentations throughout the community including to universities to continue eliminating the stigma for mental health services.
Among many of her active roles as Director of Programs for the agency, she has served as a Board Member for different mental health organizations, including the Systems of Care Executive Team.
Ms. Esparza is co-author of Latino’s Perspectives and Experiences with Intimate Partner Violence, published in the publication Violence Against Women, 2007; 13 141-158.
In 2014 Ms. Esparza served as an Interim Executive Director for the LCDA.
Janys Esparza has demonstrated dedication, passion and commitment in serving the Latino community. For the last 13 years, she has been instrumental in obtaining, managing and maintaining the funding for all the treatment areas.
Dr. Hassanatu Blake
Associate Clinical Professor & Inaugural Director of Global Health Undergraduate Program, Department of Global, Environmental, Occupational Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health
Bio:
Dr. Hassanatu Blake is Associate Clinical Professor and inaugural Director of the new Global Health Undergraduate Program at University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD SPH). She has nearly 20 years of practice, research, and academia experience in global health, health equity, and digital health. Dr. Blake's health equity experiences include formerly leading National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Health Equity and Social Justice portfolio prior to joining UMD SPH. She was appointed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore and currently serves as a Health Commissioner on the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to ensure that communities are informed about health resources, hold the health care system accountable, and have equitable and appropriate health care services .
Dr. Brian Rivers
Director & Professor, Morehouse School of Medicine Cancer Health Equity Institute
Bio:
Dr. Rivers is Professor and Director of the Cancer Health Equity Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). Dr. Rivers is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in health disparities research and a retired member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NACMHD). Dr. Rivers is a co-author of the recently released report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Unequal Treatment Revisited: The Current State of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare. Dr. Rivers is an active member in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) community and serves in several leadership capacities. Dr. Rivers is a behavioral scientist with a broad background in dissemination and implementation science and public health, with specific training and expertise in methodologies commonly used to address health disparities and advance health equity. Dr. Rivers’ research portfolio has endeavored to expand the application of population-based intervention science to address cancer health disparities in clinical and community-based settings, utilizing multi-level/multi-domain/multi-sectoral approaches, such as novel technological platforms and iterations of the Patient Navigation model. Dr. Rivers has and is leading several large randomized controlled trials, funded by NIH National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) (R01), to evaluate and characterize the impact of multi-level, digital health interventions, targeting African American men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (R01), to examine the interplay of social and molecular determinants in lung cancer disparities and outcomes.
Dr. Jeffrey Hall, MSPH, MA
Acting Deputy Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Health Equity (OHE)
Bio:
Jeffrey E. Hall, PhD, MSPH, MA serves as the Acting Deputy Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Health Equity (OHE). Prior to these positions, he served as 1) Deputy Director of CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE), 2) Chief of Minority Health and Health Equity Activity within OMHHE, 3) OMHHE’s Deputy Associate Director for Science, and 4) Lead for the Minority Health and Health Equity Science Team (which he chartered).
Before joining OMHHE in 2016, Dr. Hall worked CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control within the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP). There he served as Lead Behavioral Scientist for the Morbidity and Behavioral Surveillance Team in DVP’s Surveillance Branch and previously as a Behavioral Scientist and Senior Service Fellow on the Etiology Team of the Etiology and Surveillance Branch.
Prior to joining CDC in 2005, Dr. Hall served as an Assist Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a medical sociologist by training. He also holds degrees in epidemiology, general sociology, and psychology—all from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Clyde Glenn
President, Essie B. & William Earl Glenn Foundation for Better Living
Bio:
Clyde E. Glenn, M.D., is the President and CEO of the Essie B. and William Glenn Foundation for Better Living, a sibling-run non-profit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for those living in the Mississippi Delta. Inspired by the example set by his loving parents, he and his siblings founded this organization to lend a helping hand to all in need.
In addition to the work that he does with his siblings, he is redefining what whole-person care means as a board-certified general psychiatrist, serving children, young adults, and the elderly. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa’s Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and completed his residency at Ohio State University Hospital. As a naturally gifted scholar, he was an honor student throughout school, graduated Magna Cum Laude from undergrad, and was awarded two research fellowships from the Department of Internal Medicine at Iowa.
Wanting to focus on the collective body, mind, and spirit, he began his private practice, Rehoboth Psychiatric Services, PLLC, located in Ridgeland, MS, in 2000 and has been in practice for more than 22 years. With a humble, down-to-earth personality, Dr. Glenn uses his diverse experiences and educational training to understand the vast human experiences of his patients. He has earned top marks in all patient-rated categories, including examination thoroughness, clarity of instructions, active listening, positive attitude, and follow-up. He has served as a consultant, medical director, or chief clinical officer in small rural towns such as Fayette, MS; Cleveland, MS; Greenwood, MS; and Meadville, MS—locations where residents are in great need of thoughtful mental health services.
Of all his achievements, Dr. Glenn is also proud to be an accomplished percussionist, a minister of more than 23 years, and a loving husband, father, and brother. He is pleased to share what the Glenns have learned across the intergenerational life spectrum. This learning will help build useful practices and tools to foster peaceful, thriving, and cohesive communities and families for generations to come.
Rita Carreon
Vice President, Health at UnidosUS
Bio:
Rita Carreón is Vice President for Health at UnidosUS, a national nonpartisan and nonprofit Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. Mrs. Carreón oversees the organization’s strategic direction in health, including community engagement and programming, addressing social determinants of health, and advancing health equity. She works in close partnership with UnidosUS Affiliates, public and private partners, and other stakeholders to advance access to quality and equitable healthcare. Previously, she was Vice President of Clinical Strategies and Health Care Equity at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and led health programming at the National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc. Mrs. Carreón’s expertise and interests include improving healthcare quality for diverse communities. She advises organizations within the public and private sectors on envisioning systemic changes to advance health equity. She currently co- chairs the regional team steering committee for the National Institutes of Health’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) and the Boards of the Capital Area Food Bank and Feeding America. As a Carol Emmott Foundation Fellow alumnus, a member of CHIEF and the Women of Impact for Health Care, she is part of a network of female healthcare executives with a shared goal to realign the healthcare system to meet equitable and just needs of all Americans, recognizing that people who need care come from all walks of life.
Johanna Gorman-Bahe
Director, Division of Nursing Services, Indian Health Service
Bio:
Johanna Gorman Bahe, DNP, RN, an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe, serves as the Director of the Division of Nursing Services (DNS) of the Indian Health Service (IHS). She began her career with the IHS as a clinical nurse in Obstetrics in September 1996, her clinical nursing practice includes working with patients of all ages, from newborn care to geriatric nursing. Dr. Bahe also held positions as House Supervisor, Supervisory Clinical Nurse for pediatrics, Assistant Chief Nurse Executive, and the Chief Nurse Executive, in addition she worked as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner at the Chinle Service Unit All of her Nursing experience has been working in Indian Country, mostly on the Navajo Nation. Dr. Bahe received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico; her Masters of Science degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Clinical Systems Leadership from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; and her Doctor of Nursing Practice – Nurse Executive Organizational Leadership from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Shonta Chambers
Executive Vice President Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement, Patient Advocate Foundation
Bio:
Shonta Chambers is a seasoned non-profit executive and public health professional whose career spans more than 25 years of experience in chronic disease prevention, health promotion, community engagement, and women’s health. As Executive Vice President-Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement for the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), she is responsible for the development and execution of the Foundation’s national strategy to address health equity, with a specific focus on persons with chronic and complex health conditions residing in low-income communities with high disease morbidity and premature mortality. This includes establishing benchmarks to measure progress and impact. Shonta specifically drives program initiatives that respond to unaddressed social determinants of health and the social need gaps caused by them. As the staff lead for PAF's health equity work promoting person-centered care, she engages strategically with community stakeholders aligning with all facets where people seek assistance, to mitigate barriers to health care.
Shonta also serves as the Principal Investigator for the SelfMade Health Network, one of eight national networks supported by CDC-RFA-DP23-0015: CDC’s National Networks Driving Action: Preventing Tobacco-and Cancer-Related Health Disparities by Building Equitable Communities. She provides leadership in implementing and evaluating evidence-based strategies to advance the prevention of commercial tobacco use and promote early detection of cancer among populations with low socio-economic characteristics with the overall goal of decreasing related disparities.
Ranjit Kumble
Pfizer Inc
Vice President of Data Science and AI
Bio:
Ranjit Kumble is Vice President of Data Science and AI within Pfizer’s Digital organization. Ranjit’s career has focused on the advancement of global enterprise Data Science and AI capabilities and his tenure at Pfizer has included leadership roles in strategic analytics, advanced analytics and Data Science across scientific, clinical and commercial domains. In addition to his responsibilities at Pfizer, Ranjit is Adjunct Faculty with the Applied Analytics program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. Prior to Pfizer, Ranjit worked as a management consultant at ZS Associates and was an NIH Research Fellow in Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. Ranjit holds a B.Sc. (Honors) degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, India and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Princeton University.
Dr. Walkitria Smith
Chief Digital Medical Officer and Associate Professor at Morehouse School of Medicine
Bio:
Dr. Smith earned her B.S. from Spelman College and her M.D. from Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Chesterfield Family Practice in Richmond, VA, where she served as Chief Resident. Her clinical interests include Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, and holistic health, focusing on empowering patients to manage chronic diseases.
A leader in digital health, Dr. Smith is driving innovation through her work in clinical informatics, telemedicine, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and translational research. She is leading efforts to establish a Center for Digital Health Equity at Morehouse School of Medicine, focusing on bridging the digital divide in underserved communities.
Dr. Smith has received multiple teaching awards and is an active member of the American Board of Family Physicians and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. Outside of her professional life, she is a devoted wife and mother who enjoys cooking and traveling.
Andrew Patricio
Principal, Data & Analytics, Unidos
Bio:
Andrew Patricio is the Principal, Data and Analytics at UnidoszUS where he leads our transformation to being a true data driven enterprise. He has improved data effectiveness by replacing manually intensive efforts with tools that allow programs to track and report on data in a more streamlined fashion, freeing up capacity for staff to spend on more value-adding data activities.
He has spearheaded our enterprise data strategy via the creation of our centralized data infrastructure in the form of a data lake/data warehouse hybrid. He has driven innovation via the development of a custom Generative AI tool that allows our staff to generate synthesized summaries from our vast collection of internal documents in a controlled manner and directly addresses the hallucination/bias, privacy, and visibility issues inherent in similar commercial tools.
Prior to joining Unidos, Andrew led technology teams at numerous public sector agencies. He is the former Chief Data Officer/CIO of the District of Columbia Public Schools where he led the implementation of the district’s first reporting data warehouse and the successful multi-million dollar replacement of the core Student Information System. He also ran a consulting firm advising multiple clients from the non-profit and commercial startup sectors on how to make more effective use of their data.
He has spoken at numerous conferences and served as a board member and technical advisor for local nonprofits focused on youth development and English language learners. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois.
Juliet Choi
Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum
President & CEO
Bio:
Juliet K. Choi is the president and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), a national health justice organization which influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
She is an accomplished cross-sector leader and coalition builder who specializes in change management, system reform and stakeholder relations, particularly in the areas of immigration, civil rights, healthcare and disaster relief.
A senior executive, she served in the Obama administration as the former chief of staff and senior advisor of two federal agencies: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to her political appointments, she led disaster relief operations and strategic partnerships at the American Red Cross. She previously worked at the Partnership for Public Service, Asian American Justice Center, Mental Health America, and a Fortune 500 corporation.
The proud daughter of South Korean immigrants, Juliet is humbled to serve on the board of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission on Data Modernization.
Juliet received her J.D. from University of Maryland School of Law and clerked for the Hon. Dennis M. Sweeney (ret.) of the Circuit Court for Howard County, Maryland. She received her B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Alex Sheldon
Executive Director, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
Bio:
Alex Sheldon is the Executive Director of GLMA and a professional researcher, strategist, and advocate with over 15 years of experience in the field of human rights with a concentration in LGBTQ+ rights. Prior to joining GLMA, Alex was the Head of Research & Social Impact at an LGBTQ+ start-up company, where they specialized in economic inclusion for LGBTQ+ people. Previously, Alex served as the Deputy Director of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) at the Clinton Foundation, and they held roles at Everytown for Gun Safety, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), and several international nonprofits. They received an MA in International Human Rights with a concentration in Global Health Affairs from the University of Denver, a BA in Psychology from Whittier College in California, and a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Alex is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Equality Federation.
L. Neicey Johnson, BSN, RN, JD
Chief Operations Officer, Association of Black Cardiologists
Bio:
Neicey Johnson, registered nurse and attorney, is the Chief Operations Officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc., a 50 international non-profit. The core of her success is in her compassion for people, a zeal for community engagement, and continuous learning that yields health equity. She is the chairperson emeritus for the Georgia CTSA Community Engagement Steering Board, member of the CTSA’s External Advisory Board.
Having launched nationally modeled programs aimed at healthy minds, bodies and spirits, Neicey has touched over 1 million lives. Her proven track record in changing the lives of others is anchored at her belief that to change one's circumstance requires a change in the way one thinks. Neicey’s life purpose is to provide an environment where persons are empowered to improve their health and economic status through education and skills development with parity. Under her leadership, organizations have successfully executed programs that enable their participants and employees to overcome barriers to success, including social determinants of health, embrace innovation and move beyond the “now.”
Neicey is an active participant of several community-based business Boards and a frequent volunteer. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Birmingham School of Law. She is currently licensed to practice law and nursing in the southeast as well as a licensed Georgia Mediator. She holds many certifications including those as a facilitator and trainer, Les Brown Platinum Speaker’s network, and Six Sigma Black Belt.
Kenneth Romero JD
National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
Executive Director
Bio:
Kenneth Romero is the Executive Director of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), an affiliate of the Council of State Governments. Kenneth graduated from Boston University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. After completing his Juris Doctor at the University of Puerto Rico, he moved to Washington, DC to pursue a Master’s in International Business and Trade Law at American University. At the same time, he began his career in public service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working on trade policy. He later was appointed Director of Tourism for the City of San Juan. He also worked as Director of Issues and Public Affairs for the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico and later served as Legislative and Federal Affairs Counsel to four Secretaries of Transportation of Puerto Rico. Before joining NHCSL, Kenneth served as Executive Aide and Advisor to the Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives. He was appointed Chairman of the Host Committee for the 53rd Annual Meeting and Policy Forum of CSG’s Eastern Regional Conference. Until early 2024, Kenneth chaired the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), the coalition of the forty most important Hispanic civil rights organizations in the Nation.”
Meredith Raimondi
National Council of Urban Indian Health
Vice President, Policy and Communications
Bio:
Since starting at NCUIH in 2019, Meredith has successfully advocated for key policies improving health outcomes for Native communities and has been integral to amplifying the National Council of Urban Indian Health’s (NCUIH) work. Working as the Director of Congressional Relations in the Policy Department, Meredith helped secure over $500 million in COVID-19 relief for urban Indian health and tripled the inclusion of urban Indians in legislation. She is a political and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in government, political campaigns, and nonprofits. She served as an Obama appointee at the National Endowment for the Arts and as a staffer for Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) for seven years on Capitol Hill. She worked in press operations for political campaigns in 2012, 2016, and 2018. She specializes in using digital and online communications as tools for advocacy, cause campaigns, and fundraising. Her press experience includes placements in the Washington Post, New York Times, New Yorker, The Hill, and Good Morning America. Her volunteer work in animal welfare organizations has been highlighted nationally and she is a proud owner of two rescue dogs. Meredith has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the George Washington University and is from Minnesota.
Jim E Warne
Community Engagement Director, Oyáte Circle University of South Dakota Center for Disabilities Sanford School of Medicine and Warrior Society Development, LLC
Bio:
Educator-Advocate-Filmmaker Jim Warne, Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Nation. His mom, Beverly, grew up on Pine Ridge Reservation and was an administrator for South Dakota State University College of Nursing. His dad, Jim Sr., worked internationally in Thailand and Mexico. His brother Don is Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. His wife, Jill, was on the Hoopa Tribal Council and Ryan is Jim’s son. Jim earned a BS, Arizona State University and MS, San Diego State University (SDSU). Jim created Tribal continuing Education programs at SDSU Interwork Institute from 1993-2015. He has written over 50 million in grants and contracts for Universities and Tribal Nations.
Currently, Jim is the Community Engagement Director at University of South Dakota (USD) Center for Disabilities, Oyáte Circle Sanford School of Medicine and an Instructor for USD Pediatrics. Jim wrote several grants for University of South Dakota to establish the Oyáte Circle that include partnerships with various state/federal agencies, universities, and organizations.
Jim is President of Warrior Society Development, LLC and Gen7 Productions. He consults with government agencies, Tribal Nations, Academia, including Arizona College of Medicine Sonoran Center and helped establish the Circle of Indigenous Empowerment. He joined Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research & Training Center as Indigenous Disability Policy Specialist. Experience includes Motivational Speaking, Workforce Inclusion, Advocacy, Congressional Testimonies, Film Production, Actor/Stuntman, Pro Football, Organizational Development/Higher Ed Admin. Jim produced award winning documentaries, “7th Generation”, “Remember the Children”, Emmy Nominated “Oyáte un Itówapi - Pictures of my People”. His new film is “My Native America”.
Dr. Jacqueline L. Burton
Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) President
Bio:
Jacqueline L. Burton committed her career to advancing the work of the Black Church. She is also committed to public service and has provided extensive leadership in corporate and community-based collaborations. A graduate of Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee, Ms. Burton also holds honorary doctorates from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Paul Quinn College, and her alma mater, Lane College. Ms. Burton joined the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, where she served for 22 years as a program director in the areas of religion, community development, and faith-based initiatives. She currently serves as President of the Institute of Church Administration and Management (ICAM), which includes the Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) which is comprised of the largest historically black denominations in the nation. These denominations represent more than 31,000 congregations with over 25 million members across the country. Its mission is to serve as a unified voice of Black religious bodies that seek to improve the quality of life for African Americans. Ms. Burton and CNBC worked with the healthcare community during the COVID-19 pandemic to build trust in the community, which has led to more than 2 million people getting vaccinated. Ms. Burton was recognized for her work by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of the 2023 Women on the Frontlines: Celebrating Women of Faith Leaders celebrants and by the National Action Network as one of the country’s leading women in faith.
Dr. Stephan Davis
Georgetown University, School of Nursing
Incoming Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Education
Bio:
Dr. Stephan Davis is the director of Doctor of Nursing Practice education and an associate professor at Georgetown University. An alumnus and an award-winning healthcare executive and educator, Dr. Davis returned to Georgetown in September from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he has served as the associate dean of inclusive excellence and belonging for the College of Health Professions and the School of Nursing, leading diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives across nine health professions disciplines for approximately 2,000 students, hundreds of faculty and staff, and thousands of alumni stakeholders. He also served as the inaugural executive director of inclusive leadership education for the VCU Department of Health Administration.
Dr. Davis is a fellow and national faculty member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He is a 2023 recipient of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration’s Teaching Excellence Award. That same year, he led the VCU College of Health Professions to achieve its inaugural Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Health Professions award from Insight into Diversity Magazine, distinguishing the college as the first and only academic unit on the VCU Health Science Campus to receive the honor.
In addition to fellowship with ACHE, Dr. Davis is a fellow of the National Academies of Practice, a fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, an inaugural and founding fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing, a fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education, and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Rocio Sanchez
Executive Board Member, National Association of Hispanic Nurses
Bio:
Rocio Sanchez, BSN, RN, serves as an Executive Board Member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and holds a pivotal leadership role at Advocate Health, where she oversees 22,000 nurses across the Midwest. In this role, she leads the transformation from shared to professional governance, enhancing nursing practice and patient care outcomes through empowered decision-making and comprehensive professional development. As a seasoned clinical nurse with extensive experience in critical care, Rocio brings a profound understanding of frontline healthcare challenges to her governance roles. Her efforts are dedicated to advocating for health equity and empowering nurses to practice to the full extent of their licenses. Her leadership extends beyond administrative duties, influencing regional and national initiatives aimed at advancing professional governance and improving patient outcomes through clinical excellence. Rocio is committed to enhancing healthcare delivery by promoting inclusive health policies and practices, demonstrating her dedication to the nursing profession both at the bedside and in the boardroom.
A.C. Locklear
Interim Chief Executive Officer, National Indian Health Board
Bio:
A.C. Locklear, a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer for the National Indian Health Board (NIHB). Founded in 1972, NIHB advocates as the unified voice for all American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to reinforce Tribal sovereignty, strengthen Tribal health systems, secure resources, and build capacity to achieve the highest level of health and well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native People.
As the Interim CEO, A.C. is committed to leading with integrity, fostering sustainability across NIHB and Public health in Indian Country, and enhancing cooperation among the Tribes and Native organizations to create lasting, positive impacts for our people.
Prior to his role as Interim CEO, A.C. previously served as the Federal Relations Director at NIHB, leading NIHB’s federal budget and regulatory policy priorities, including developing and advancing Tribal health and public health policy priorities to the White House and federal government agencies, lead budget formation, analysis, and advocacy work, and bolstered Tribal leader participation in consultation and Tribal advisory committees. He also facilitated collaboration between the federal government and Tribes to increase access to quality health programs and advance federal policies to improve the health and well-being of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Prior to NIHB, A.C. also served as a Program Manager for the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute and the Director of Student Engagement for the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A.C. is a two-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies, with a concentration in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, in 2013, and his Juris Doctorate in 2016.
The driving force behind A.C.’s educational and professional experiences is the desire to continue the path of his ancestors and those who came before him by working to counteract barriers and improve Tribal communities and the quality of life for American Indian and Alaska Native peoples.
A.C. is originally from Pembroke, North Carolina, and is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
Estakio Beltran
Partnerships Advisor (IPA), Office of Strategic Partnerships, Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Bio:
Estakio Beltran serves as Partnership Advisor and leads the new Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP) at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs. He joins DOI on assigned detail from Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) through an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Agreement. Estakio, collaborates regularly with the White House Council on Native American Affairs and other Federal agencies that house initiatives focused on conservation, economic development, and revitalizing Native languages through public-private engagement between philanthropy, Tribal organizations, and the business sector.
Estakio grew up in central Washington on the Yakama Nation. After spending over a decade advising senior members of Congress and high-ranking officials in Washington, D.C; he returned home to work in philanthropy with community-based organizations to co-design partnerships that improved the economic resilience of Tribal and rural communities. Estakio’s success is rooted in a bold vision for systems change through community-centered solutions. He earned his BA from Gonzaga University, and his Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York.
Robyn Sunday-Allen
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic
Chief Executive Officer
Bio:
Robyn Sunday-Allen (Cherokee) currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she received her BA in Psychology, BSN in Nursing, and Master of Public Health in Health Administration and Policy. Robyn began her career at the OKC Indian Clinic as an RN and became the Director of Nursing shortly thereafter. She was promoted to the Chief Operating Officer position in 2001 and was appointed as the President and CEO in 2009.
Robyn is currently on the Board of Directors for the National Council of Urban Indian Health, Oklahoma Quality Foundation, Leadership Oklahoma City, YMCA Greater OKC, and New View Oklahoma. She is a Graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City Class XXIX and Leadership Oklahoma Class XXVI.
Robyn has received many awards including Indian Health Service’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Luana Reyes Leadership Award, The Journal Record’s 50 Making a Difference Woman of the Year Honoree 2009, 2010 2012; The Journal Record’s Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO Honoree 2009-2011and was inducted as the first ever CEO in Oklahoma’s Circle of Excellence. In an Oklahoma Proclamation from Gov. Brad Henry declares November 14 Robyn Sunday-Allen Day. Robyn was named Oklahoma Mother of the Year in 2022.
James Kennedye
Member and former Board of Director member
Association of American Indian Physicians
Bio:
Dr. James Kennedye, a member of the Kiowa Tribe, grew up in Midwest City, OK, and is an Emergency Physician that has practiced EM at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center and Integris Baptist in OKC, St. Francis and Hillcrest in Tulsa as well as the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and is Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). He has served as clinical faculty at OU College of Medicine (OKC and Tulsa) and OSUMC in Tulsa. Dr. Kennedye serves as the current Oklahoma College of Emergency Physicians (OCEP) President. He also serves on the ACEP National Council as well as its State Legislative & Regulatory Committee. He is an active member of the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) and the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctor’s Congress (PRIDOC). He was elected class MVP of Leadership Edmond Class 23 and is also a lifetime member of Leadership Oklahoma Class 30. He is a member of the Kiowa Black Leggings Warrior Society and has served on the Kiowa Election Commission, the Kiowa Casino Operating Authority as well as the Boards of Red Earth, AAIP, and the Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS).
A 16-year U.S. Navy veteran as both an enlisted Seabee and as a medical officer, he graduated from Oklahoma City University, medical school at the University of Oklahoma, his residency in Emergency Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis/Barnes-Jewish Hospital and completed a Health Policy Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and a Masters Degree in Public Health at Harvard University in 2012. He currently serves on the board of the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. His son, Patrick, is a family physician and his daughter, Jacqueline, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and is a U.S. Navy Pilot. Dr. Kennedye was a 2022 and 2023 White House Fellowship National Finalist. In his free time, Jim likes to travel, camp, play sports, follow college football and participate in Native American cultural and language projects. Being an avid motorcycle enthusiast, he both rides locally and serves as trackside physician for the AMA Professional Supercross and Motocross Series’ across the United States.
Edie Stringfellow
SVP, Global Health Strategy & Biomedical Commercialization, Precia Group, Glocal Health
Bio:
Edie Stringfellow brings 20 years of experience in public policy, global health equity, ecosystem development, and clinical research to her role as SVP Global Health Strategy & Biomedical Commercialization at Precia Group. She is dedicated to advancing women’s health research, diversity in clinical trials, and global health equity, positioning Precia Group as a leader in inclusive biomedical research.
Edie's career includes key positions such as Vice President of Ecosystem Development at the Center for Global Health Innovation, Senior Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and Strategic Executive Advisor at Biocom California. Her strategic insights aim to foster new business opportunities and global partnerships.
Co-founding the LS-VAN and the Women Innovating Together in Healthcare (WITH) Boston Chapter, Edie also spearheaded the “CEO Pledge to Racial Equity in BioPharma,” garnering industry support. Her public policy work has led to endorsements from organizations like the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
As a Sickle Cell Disease advocate, Edie serves on the Mass General Brigham Biobank / NIH All of Us Research Program Community Advisory Panel and the Medable Patient Advisory Council. Before her life sciences career, she spent 15 years in sports and entertainment, working with ESPN and other notable organizations.
Edie holds a BSc from Illinois State University and an MSc from Boston College. She enjoys collaborating on STEM-related projects in sports and entertainment. Her daughter, Cheyenne, a Pre-Med Neuroscience student at the University of Miami Florida USA, aspires to become a neuropathologist/CTE specialist and screenwriter.
Sarah Jaromin
National Conference of State Legislators
Policy Associate
Bio:
As a policy associate in the Health Program, Sarah Jaromin focuses on access, cost and coverage issues with a particular focus on health technology and health facilities. Jaromin has experience working with the policy division of the NYS Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers including working on legislation related to Medicaid and behavioral health workforce shortages. She earned her master’s degree in social work from the State University of New York at Albany after completing a bachelor’s in sociology at Brandeis University.
Renée Cummings
National Conference of State Legislators
Policy Associate
Bio:
Professor Renée Cummings, an award winning artificial intelligence (AI) innovator, is an AI, data and tech ethicist, and the first data activist-in-residence at the University of Virginia’s (UVA) School of Data Science where she was named Professor of Practice in Data Science. She’s also the inaugural senior fellow in AI, Data and Policy at All Tech Is Human, a leading international think tank.
Professor Cummings is also a nonresident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, co-director of Brookings’ Equity Lab, and a distinguished member of the World Economic Forum’s Data Equity Council and the World Economic Forum’s AI Governance Alliance. She is also a member of the Global Academic Network, at the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), Washington, D.C.
A criminologist, criminal psychologist, therapeutic jurisprudence specialist, and a community scholar at Columbia University, Professor Cummings serves as co-director of the Public Interest Technology (PIT) University Network, at UVA, and is on the board of advisors of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
Listed among the world’s top 100 women in AI ethics, Professor Cummings is a thought- leader, motivational speaker, and mentor, who has given a multitude of lectures, keynotes and talks to a variety of audiences, including policymakers in the U.S. Senate. She’s an internationally recognized expert on responsible AI, ethical data science, and technology we can trust. Professor Cummings offers expert analysis, on national and international television, on everything from criminology to augmented collective intelligence. She has mastered the art of creative storytelling and deconstructing complex topics into critical everyday conversations that inform and inspire.
Mark Rogers
CEO,
Osage Nation Health System
Bio:
Mark Rogers is the CEO of the Osage Nation Health System. Previously he served as the Executive Director of the Absentee Shawnee Health System. While at the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, he drastically increased revenue and assets due while reducing workforce turnover. He is a triple board certified professional and a fellow with both the American College of Healthcare Executives, and American College of Medical Practice Executives. He is also board certified with the Healthcare Compliance Association, being a board Certified in Healthcare Compliance.
Mark has also been a CEO at multiple different Oklahoma Hospitals, including a rehabilitation hospital, three long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), and two short-term acute county hospitals, an ambulance authority, and two home health agencies. He has experience in For-Profit, Non-Profit, and Not-For-Profit type healthcare entities in private and public sectors.
His work within Indian Country spans time with many Tribes, working for the Assiniboine, Sioux, and Choctaw Nations, as well as with Alaskan Natives on Kodiak Island, with healthcare related efforts during his career focused on improving healthcare for all Native people. He was recognized in 2020 by AARP’s Annual Oklahoma Indian Elder’s Honor Award as a member of the Cherokee Nation.
Holding a master’s degree in leadership, and a master’s level certificate in healthcare administration from the U.S. Air Force, his service spanning nearly 40 years. Mark is a Disabled Veteran and Combat Veteran, and currently serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard as Senior Health Services Administrator.
Dr. Elena Rios
Founder & President, National Hispanic Health Foundation
Bio:
Dr. Rios has served as Founder and President of the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) for 30 years. The mission of the organization is to improve the health of Hispanics and is focused on leadership, educational, research and advocacy activities. She earned her BA in Human Biology/Public Administration at Stanford University in 1977, MSPH at the UCLA School of Public Health in 1980, MD at the UCLA School of Medicine in 1987, and completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose and the White Memorial Medical Center in East Los Angeles in 1990, and her NRSA Primary Care Research Fellowship at UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine in 1992.
Dr. Renee McLeod-Sordjan
Department of Nursing Professor, Morehouse School of Medicine
Bio :
Renee McLeod-Sordjan, DNP, PhD is Dean and Professor. She is a board-certified ethicist as well as family, palliative and acute care nurse practitioner specializing in HIV, gynecology, and critical care. Her 37 years in health care, has poised her to lead and transform secondary education processes to provide students with an education that emphasizes experiential learning, clinical excellence, and research.
McLeod-Sordjan is a recognized leader in nursing education; bestowed upon her is the highest accolade in nursing, fellowship within the American Academy of Nursing. She is the first nurse inducted in the International Perinatal Society. The impact of her research in moral reasoning, palliative care and bioethics has been cited globally. Publications from her research also significantly broadened nursing knowledge related to incorporating patient readiness for advanced care planning in palliative care. She is President-elect within the Empire State Bioethics Consortium and holds a Presidential Advisory Board position in the American Bioethics Program Directors (ABPD). As a member of the ABPD Task Force for Racial Equity, she seeks to address health inequities and integrate nursing science into health policy decisions. Dr. McLeod-Sordjan received her BS, BSN, MS, and DNP from Pace University, a PhD from Adelphi University, completed a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowship in Bioethics at Northwell Health and is currently pursuing her MBA at Yale University. She is also a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Medical Educators.
Niesha Foster
Vice President, Global Health & Social Impact, Product Access
Co-lead, Pfizer Multicultural Health Equity Collective
Bio:
Niesha Foster is Vice President, Product Access, Global Health & Social Impact at Pfizer where her team is focused on addressing patient affordability challenges, creating last mile product access solutions, and driving community engagement. In this role she is accountable for Pfizer’s US Patient Assistance Program, administered through Pfizer RxPathways; signature international product donation programs, including the International Trachoma Initiative; and co-leading Pfizer’s Multicultural Health Equity Collective (The Collective). The Collective focuses on achieving health equity across ethnic groups and other underrepresented communities facing significant health disparities in the US.
Niesha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Syracuse University and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She is currently a Board Member and Development Committee Co-Chair of New York Edge, the largest provider of after school and summer programming for NYC school children.
Matthew McCurdy MPH
BLKHLTH
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Bio:
Matthew McCurdy, MPH (he/him), is a public health practitioner passionate about developing creative solutions that improve health outcomes for marginalized communities. He has designed and implemented public health solutions for complex problems in academic, nonprofit, and government sectors. Matthew is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of BLKHLTH, a nonprofit that develops public health interventions to overcome the barriers created by racism and improve health outcomes for Black people. He previously worked at Emory University School of Medicine's Health DesignED as the Director of Operations and the US Department of Health and Human Services as a Presidential Management Fellow. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Matthew is a graduate of Georgia State University and Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health.
Peace Okpoko
President
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Chapter of Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
Bio:
Peace Okpoko is a second-year medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine from Oklahoma City, OK. Having got her Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies from Duke University in 2020, Peace is very passionate about uplifting underserved communities and this is exemplified in her being the president of both the OU Health Science Center campus-wide Black Student Association and OUCOM’s chapter of the Student National Medical Association, an organization that provides support to underrepresented minority medical students and pre-medical students. Peace spent the 2.5 gap-years before applying to medical school, working in clinical research and clinical care, volunteering, and enhancing her academics. Knowing how difficult the medical school application process can be for minority students, Peace hopes to inspire more underrepresented students to join the field of medicine and serve our communities in a positive light.
Floribella Redondo-Martinez
Cofounder & CEO
Arizona Community Health Workers Association, Inc.
Bio:
Floribella Redondo-Martinez, began her journey as a Promotora (CHW) in 1989, educating her farmworker peers on HIV and STD’s in the agriculture fields of Arizona and California. She is Co- Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Community Health Workers Association (AzCHOW), state appointed CHW Advisory Board member for Arizona CHW Voluntary Certification, Co-chair of the Arizona CHW Coalition, CHW Core Team Member of the National Council on CHW Core Consensus Standards (The National C3 Council), Subject Matter Expert for the ASU CCR Evaluation team, Cofounder of the National Association of CHWs (NACHW), CHW Council member of the Envision Project, and Chair of the American Public Health Association CHW Section. Ms. Redondo developed and is the Lead Faculty for the CHW Occupational Certificate Training Program for Arizona Western College. Floribella is a CHW Master Trainer, and a nationally recognized leader in public health, and most recently for creating the first response to the mental health needs of the CHW workforce during Covid-19 pandemic, and for her efforts in advocating for and leading a voluntary certification path for CHW workforce in Arizona. She has 35 years’ experience as a CHW/Promotora, and over 25 years in training, developing and implementing bilingual and bicultural CHW programs that enhance the wellbeing of the communities they serve. One of Ms. Redondo-Martinez biggest passions’ is working and developing programs that build opportunities and strengthen the leadership of women in rural and underserved communities.
Bethsy Morales-Reid
VP for Program Strategy and Impact
Hispanic Federation
Bio:
Bethsy is the Vice President for Program Impact & Strategy at Hispanic Federation. She has a track record of developing programs and advocacy strategies that engage communities and their leaders at the national level. While Ms. Morales-Reid has a public health background and assists in the development of health policy priorities for HF, she leads teams that impact the community through programs addressing health, early childhood - college education, and community engagement. Most recently, Bethsy led multi-region vaccination initiatives to increase uptake among Latinos and is currently working on community asthma research with the Yale School of Medicine.
Prior to the Hispanic Federation, Ms. Morales-Reid led various programs within the Research and Evaluation Department, at the Latino Commission on AIDS. Bethsy is an experienced trainer/facilitator and has vast experience in working with non-traditional partners, type 2 diabetes, HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, advocacy, program design and evaluation, curriculum development, coalition building and capacity building. She has been published in the AIDS Education and Prevention Journal for her work on behavioral interventions.
Bethsy has also consulted for UNAIDS, Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Work, and the International Rescue Committee. Bethsy is a native New Yorker who received her BA in Political Science at Fordham University, and her MA in International Affairs at the New School University. Ms. Morales-Reid has worked her entire professional life as a passionate advocate for social and economic justice, which is fundamental to combating societal barriers impacting public health in our various communities through public education, advocacy, and increased visibility.
Michael Crawford
Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, Howard University Office of Health Affairs
Bio:
Mr. Michael Crawford, MBA, MHL, is the Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at Howard University’s Office of Health Affairs, Founder and Executive Director of Howard University’s 1867 Health Innovations Project, and Host and Executive Producer of The 21st Century Health podcast. Mr. Crawford serves as a strategic advisor to the Senior Vice President of Health Affairs and CEO of Howard University Hospital Corporation and collaborates with medical science, health, academic, and HU Board leadership to advance Howard University’s academic, health, and innovation mission.
Prior to Howard University, Mr. Crawford served as the Chief of Staff at Unity Health Care, Inc., one of the largest health center networks in the United States. Prior to Unity, Mr. Crawford held leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Gannett Company, nonprofits, and start-ups.
Mr. Crawford serves on numerous national and local committees, including a Board Trustee of Cancer Research Institute, member of Consumer Technology Association AI Health Council, member of Robert Wood Johnson National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems, member of American Essential Hospitals Innovation Committee, member of the Advisory Board of National Minority Quality Forum, and member of HIMSS Global Health Equity Network.
Mr. Crawford holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership (MHL) with a concentration in healthcare administration and management from Brown University, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in strategic management and finance from The George Washington University.
Dr. Howard W. Glenn
DMD, Family Dentistry, Treasurer,
Essie & William Earl Glenn Foundation
Bio:
Dr. Howard Glenn is the fifth child and the fifth son born to the late Essie B. and William Earl Glenn. Dr. Glenn is a Master of The Academy of General Dentistry graduate and has practiced for more than 40 years.
He serves as Treasurer for the Glenn Family Foundation, which works in tandem with the ACEs Awareness Foundation informing communities about toxic stress, emotional trauma, and their impact on one’s health.
Dr. Glenn earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Tougaloo College in 1972. He matriculated into dental school, receiving his Doctor of Dental Medicine in 1976 from the University of Connecticut, and later completing a residency in General Practice Dentistry in 1977, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. His post-graduate pursuits include a Mastership in Dentistry from the Academy of General Dentistry, in 1996, and a Fellowship in Implant Dentistry from the renown Misch Implant Institute, in the year of 2000.
He furthered his professional training with a Fellowship in Orthodontics from Lightforce Orthodontics in 2008, earning a Certificate in Geriatric Dentistry and Implantology. His memberships in professional societies include the National Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, American Federation of Care Organization, Shelby County Dental Society, International Orthodontic Association, and the ACEs Connection, a professional informational exchange.
Dr. Glenn not only incorporates strategies to practice trauma-informed patient dental care, but he also holds a Certificate in Diabetes Prevention Education, imploring special techniques to treat diabetic patients. He currently holds the distinction of Board Member Emeritus from Tougaloo College Board of Directors for outstanding service of more than 25 years.
Dr. Glenn describes his work with his family foundation as a sibling inspired, family-focused community-based organization serving the needs in Mississippi’s most impoverished area, the Mississippi Delta.
“Our Mother and Father always taught us to give back and to remember from whence you came. It brings me great joy to work side by side with my brothers and sisters to enrich the lives of the place that draws upon us–called home. This work can be a little daunting at times, but if it’s not us giving back to raise life outcomes for the Delta, then who?”
