This panel has been approved for 1.50 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.

Note: If you are a registrant of the in-person (May 14) portion of the 2026 ACHE East-North-Midwest Texas Multi-Chapter Education Symposium, you are eligible to purchase your ticket for the below referenced virtual panel at a 25% discount. The promo code for that discount is provided to you in your confirmation email from Eventbrite for the May 14 event.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions. HAIs are associated with a variety of causes, including but not limited to the use of medical devices to include catheters and ventilators, complications following surgical procedures, transmission between patients and healthcare workers, or the result of antibiotic overuse. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of HHS has shown that about 36% of these infections are preventable through the adherence to strict guidelines by healthcare workers when caring for patients. This discussion will seek to inform hospital leadership and administrators about the causes of hospital acquired infections and the impact leadership can have on the quality, financial health and safety of their organizations.

Moderator: Jim Allard, Chief Nursing Officer, Advocate Christ Medical Center

Panelists:

Ryan Blas, National Director of Ops, Sanderling Renal Services
Eric Gustaf, Director of Quality Safety and Risk Management, Texas Health Resources Azle
Angela Gamber, VP, Clinical Operations, Stormont Vail Health

Speakers’ Bios:

Dr Jim Allard, DNP, RN, NEA‑BC, FACHE, serves as Chief Nursing Officer at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He leads nursing services for a 788‑bed premier teaching institution—one of the Midwest’s major referral centers—with one of Illinois’ busiest Level I trauma centers.

With over three decades in healthcare, Dr. Allard’s frontline experience spans pediatric critical care with a focus on congenital heart care. Since 2008, he has held progressive executive roles, including CNO at Medical City Arlington and CNO for Medical City Children’s Hospital & Medical City Women’s Hospital–Dallas, as well as assistant and interim CNO positions within HCA Houston Healthcare.

Dr. Allard earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice from Texas Christian University and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington; he is board‑certified as a Nurse Executive Advanced (ANCC) and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Ryan Blas, RN, BSN, C-EMBA, LSSGB, is the national director of operations for Sanderling Renal Services, where he oversees clinical and operational excellence in the renal dialysis field. With a background in nursing and executive leadership, Ryan brings hands-on experience in infection prevention, patient safety, and quality improvement. He is passionate about advancing best practices that keep patients safe and drive better outcomes across healthcare settings.

Angela Gamber is the Vice President of Clinical Operations at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, Kansas, where she provides executive leadership across complex clinical service lines with a focus on quality, access, operational excellence, and system integration. In this role, she partners closely with physician and administrative leaders to advance patient-centered care, improve network integrity, and drive sustainable performance across acute and ambulatory settings.

With a career rooted in frontline clinical operations, Angie brings deep expertise in emergency, trauma, surgical, and diagnostic services, as well as enterprise-level service line strategy and performance management. She is known for her ability to align clinical outcomes, workforce engagement, and financial stewardship while navigating the evolving demands of healthcare delivery.

Angie is an active leader within the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and currently serves as a Kansas Regent, supporting the professional development of healthcare leaders across the state and advancing ACHE’s mission of excellence in healthcare management. In this capacity, she contributes to education, mentorship, and leadership engagement at the state and regional level.

A respected collaborator and thought partner, Angela frequently participates in leadership forums, panels, and strategic discussions focused on healthcare operations, access to care, and rural and regional health delivery models. She is passionate about building strong leadership pipelines and designing systems of care that are resilient, equitable, and patient-focused.

Eric Gustaf MSN, RN was born and raised in Texas. He was homeschooled from grade school through high school and went on to attend TCU on the Commanders Leadership Scholarship, the first homeschooler to be awarded this scholarship. After graduation in December of 2009, he served in the United States Air Force as a nurse for 4.5 years achieving the rank of Captain. After separation he worked in the Trama ICU at University Hospital in San Antonio for 2 years. He then returned to my hometown of Fort Worth and began working at Texas Health Azle. At Texas Health Azle over the past 10 years he has grown from Emergency Department Nurse to Chage nurse then House supervisor. Then he became the Med/Surg ICU manager while also obtaining his Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration in 2021 and has held the role of Director of quality Patient Safety and Risk for the past 3 years achieving 2 Clinical Excellence awards and a Leader of the Year award. Eric is married with 3 children ages ranging from 8 to 1 years old.