North Texas Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives

Breakfast with the President & CEO - Eulanie Lashley & Expansion Sneak Peek
2025-01-28 07:30 - 09:30 (America/Denver) | Texas Health Hospital Mansfield, 2300 Lone Star Road, Mansfield, TX, 76063
Another great event in our Breakfast with the CEO series – with a Sneak Peek of their upcoming expansion.

7:30-8am – Breakfast & Networking
8-9am – Eulanie’s Presentation
9-9:30am — Optional Expansion Tour

Eulanie Lashley is the newly appointed president and chief executive officer of Texas Health Hospital Mansfield. She is dedicated to fostering growth in the facility while enhancing community connections. With a wealth of experience in healthcare, Eulanie has a proven track record of developing impactful programs and overseeing significant expansions.
Before her role in Mansfield, Eulanie was the vice president and chief operating officer at AdventHealth Apopka in Florida. She helped develop new heart attack treatment and cancer programs during her tenure and led a major $26 million expansion project. Her leadership also extended to AdventHealth Winter Garden, where she oversaw the construction of a $219 million inpatient tower, showcasing her commitment to advancing healthcare infrastructure.
Born on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent and later moving to Antigua, Eulanie’s journey in education began with a scholarship that allowed her to attend Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts. She furthered her studies at Andrews University in Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Southern Illinois University. Eulanie’s career in healthcare began in 2007 as a finance intern with AdventHealth, where she steadily progressed through various finance and leadership roles.
Outside of her professional life, Eulanie enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Rossyl, and their two children, Nathan and Natalie. They are eager to explore their new surroundings in Mansfield.
Eulanie is excited about partnering with the Mansfield community to continue Texas Health Mansfield’s legacy of growth and innovation in healthcare services. She expresses enthusiasm for working alongside talented providers and team members who are deeply committed to delivering exceptional care and achieving outstanding patient outcomes.

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Utilization of PA/NP Workforce in the Current Healthcare Environment
2025-02-27 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.
Evolution and transformational change is inevitable in the current healthcare environment. Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are the fastest growing healthcare professionals. Medical practices and hospital systems recognize the need to ensure optimal utilization of their PA and NP workforce. National data show employers experience greater profit and productivity when they effectively utilize PAs and NPs. During the panel, participants will learn more about national trends, as well as how the PA/NP workforce can have a significant impact on patient access, outcomes and satisfaction and the positive impact PAs and NPs can have on an organization’s financial bottom line. The panel will discuss techniques to measure and document utilization, using metrics such as productivity, quality, provider work satisfaction and resource utilization. This panel will discuss best practices for building sustainable leadership models and career pathways for PAs and NPs in a healthcare organization or medical practice.

Moderator: Dr. Jim Allard, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE
Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer HCA Healthcare
Medical City Arlington
Panelists:
Karen Holmes
Physician Assistant, Orthopedic Surgery
Baylor Scott & White
Charlene Kesee, DBA, FACHE, FACMPE
Clinical Department Administrator
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Diana Mendoza, MPAS, PA-C
Director, APPs Pediatric Specialties
UT Southwestern Medical Center

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The Role Vision Plays in Your Strategic Planning Process
2025-02-27 17:30 - 19:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.

Prior to the advent of the Affordable Care Act, the majority of healthcare leaders had the luxury of a virtually unchanging vision for their organization (where they were going and what they wanted to become). Their visions were typically hospitalbased, simple and clearly understood by all in the organization. For many, each cycle of strategic planning was simply one of refreshing the plan for the upcoming cycle against the backdrop of that static vision for the future – as straightforward as, “What are we going to do this coming year?”
Over the past several years, those clear, unchanging, hospital-based visions have become less relevant to the changing marketplace, driving a need to examine and in most cases completely refresh and redefine the future. Many haven’t addressed this need. Many that have attempted it have struggled.
Participants will leave this session with an appreciation for the effort necessary to develop and articulate a new, meaningful, useful, communicable, and most importantly achievable vision for their organizations.

Moderator: Mark Schnitzer
Strategic Planning Advisor
Innovation Med Institute
Panelists:
Saúl Cordero, PE, FACHE
Senior Vice President and Chief Governance & Strategy Officer
Parkland
Kathi Cox
COO of Ambulatory/Virtual Channel
Texas Health Resources
Donald Taylor
Director, Alliance for Physician Leadership and Professor of Practice
UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management

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Methodist Celina Medical Center Sneak Peek
2025-03-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Methodist Celina Medical Center, Farm-to-Market Road 428 at the corner of Dallas Parkway and FM 428, Celina, TX, 75009
Join us for this special Methodist Celina Medical Center Sneak Peek event to see inside this grand new hospital before it is fully opened to the public. This will be Celina’s first hospital.
We will be honored with a special welcome from Methodist Celina Medical Center President and fellow ACHENTX Member, Cody Hunter, FACHE. We will also be hearing from representatives from both the architectural firm, Perkins & Will, and contractor, Skiles Group – to hear all the special details they have taken into consideration with building out this incredible new facility. Celina was recently named the fastest-growing city in North Texas and this $237+ million will immediately begin providing emergency and critical care services with plans to offer additional women’s health options in August. Methodist Celina Medical Cetner is roughly three miles from Celina’s downtown square at the corner of Dallas Parkway and FM 428. (It’s so new, some gps’s don’t yet recognize the location.)
The evening will include walk and talk tours for our attendees – with ALL Methodist Celina department heads (25+) being on hand to answer questions during the tours and throughout the evening.
A special thanks to Cody Hunter, FACHE, and Methodist Celina Medical Center for hosting this event — and for Aramark for providing our food & beverages.

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2025 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership
2025-03-23 08:00 - 2025-03-27 14:30 | George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, TX, 77010
Don’t miss out on this year’s ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership!
This year is super special in that for the first time, Congress will be held in the great state of Texas! Many from the ACHE of North Texas chapter are planning to attend.

Be sure to also register for the All-Texas Chapters’ Members Reception. (A separate registration is required for this reception.) This reception is being held in conjunction with the 2025 ACHE Congress, but you do not have to be a Congress registrant to attend.
Hosted by ALL SEVEN ACHE Chapters in Texas; ACHE-SETC, ACHE of North Texas, Central Texas Chapter – ACHE, East Texas ACHE Forum, South Texas Chapter of the ACHE, Texas Midwest Healthcare Executives, and Southwest Healthcare Executives Association.
Date: Sunday, March 23
Time: 6-8p
NOTE NEW Location: Marriott Marquis – Houston Ballroom 4
1777 Walker Street
Houston, TX 77010
Register Here for the All Texas Chapters’ Reception: https://ache-setc.org/event1/all-texas-reception/

ACHENTX's Women's Conference: Boldly You. Empowered. Inspired. Unstoppable.
2025-04-04 08:00 - 14:00 | Texas Woman’s University – Dallas Campus, 5500 Southwestern Medical Avenue, Dallas, TX, 75235
This event is being offered by the ACHE of North Texas Foundation and ACHENTX’s Women’s Healthcare Executives Network.
9-9:15am – Introductions
9:30-10:15am – Breakout Sessions 1
Topic Option A: Stop Doing So Much
Speaker: Therese Gopaul-Robinson
Keynote Speaker & Consultant
Therese Gopaul-Robinson Company

Topic Option B: Rest Assured: A Chat about Harmony Between Work and Personal Life
Speaker: Kimberly King Webb
Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer
CHRISTUS Health

Topic Option C: Strategies to Simplify to Impact
Speaker: Dr. Megan Carter
President & Founder
MC Health Care Consulting LLC

Topic Option D: Building a Powerful Community
Speaker: Judy Hoberman
President
Judy Hoberman and Associates Executive Leadership Coach & Mastermind Facilitator

10:15-10:30am – Break
10:30-11:15am – Breakout Sessions 2
(Repeating the four options listed above)
11:15am-12:15pm – Lunch / Networking
12:15-1:15pm – Keynote Session Topic: Bold From Within: Unlock the Power That’s Already Yours
Speaker: Krista Stepney
Chief Executive Officer
KD Speaks, LLC

PLEASE NOTE: BY REGISTERING FOR THIS EVENT YOU ARE CONSENTING TO THE VIDEOTAPING BEING ARRANGED BY ONE OF OUR PRESENTERS.
Register Here
Speakers Bios:
Dr. Megan Carter is a highly experienced Nurse Executive and the Founder of MC Health Care Consulting LLC. She has 18 years of healthcare experience where she has led large, multi-disciplinary teams across the country. She is a proud graduate of Duke University where she received her DNP in Executive Leadership and is board certified as an advanced Nurse Executive. She recently completed the Nurse Executive Fellowship through the AONL. Dr. Carter is passionate about helping healthcare and nurse leaders address burnout, overwhelming workloads and meeting overload through her patented frameworks and programs. She is an engaging speaker and podcast guest who shares the nursing perspective with the world on different platforms.
Therese Gopaul-Robinson works with organizations that want to stay ahead of the competition by developing confident, impactful leaders who fuel better performance, stronger engagement, and lasting success!!
With 20+ years in healthcare, Therese recognized a critical challenge facing leaders—a pervasive lack of self-confidence that led to hesitation in decision-making, avoidance of difficult conversations, and reluctance to share ideas. This held back teams, stalled productivity, and impacted overall business performance. Now she shares her blueprint too help others overcome these struggles.
Her areas of focus include: Self-Confidence in Leadership, Culture Shifts, Security Stacking™, Healthcare Leadership, Women in Leadership.
Therese is based in Dallas, Texas. She is married with two daughters, four dogs, a hamster and is obsessed with true crime podcasts.
Judy Hoberman is President of Judy Hoberman and Associates, a company focused on empowering professional women. She is an award-winning international speaker, best-selling author, trainer, and leading authority on women in leadership and sales. She is also a Certified High Performance CoachTM where changing your habits can change your life. Her focus is on Executive Coaching and Trailblazer Masterminds for women in Healthcare and Financial Services. Judy’s 30 years in business along with her experience in sales and leadership has helped her clients realize the importance of building relationships, standing out and being the authority in their market. She is often described as “transformational.” Judy’s mission…to help one woman a day by following an important philosophy- “Women Want To Be Treated Equally…Not Identically”®
Kimberly King Webb is Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at CHRISTUS Health. Kimberly is responsible for HR strategy for more than 45,000 Associates in the U.S., Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. Kimberly previously served as Deputy General Counsel in CHRISTUS Health’s Legal Department, managing commercial litigation and labor and employment law.
Kimberly graduated summa cum laude from Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Agricultural Business. She earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, where she served on the SMU Law Review.
Kimberly enjoys community service and philanthropy. She serves on the board of the CHRISTUS Health Foundation and the Catholic Health Association of the United States. She previously served on the board of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, where she co-led initiatives to support vulnerable women and children. Kimberly is also a member of Texas Women’s Foundation’s Village Giving Circle, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Concord Baptist Church where she and her husband are leaders in the marriage ministry. Kimberly has received numerous awards and recognitions including: the Texas Diversity Council’s Dallas Top 50 Women in Law, Texarkana NAACP Trailblazer Award, and Lawyers of Color Nation’s Best.
Krista Stepney is an accomplished keynote speaker and transformative leader with over two decades of corporate and executive experience. Her career spans strategy, innovation, start-up, and equity-focused initiatives. Drawing on her expertise in leadership development, business strategy, workplace culture, and systems transformation, she empowers audiences to rethink what’s possible and take bold action to achieve meaningful impact.
As the founder of The BOLDprint Method, Krista challenges individuals to unlock their inner courage, amplify their strengths, and embrace boldness as a way of life. Her three signature keynotes—Bold From Within, The Power to Move, and The Power of ‘What If’—provide a roadmap for personal and professional growth, helping audiences break free from limitations, spark their imagination, and lead with confidence.
With a captivating blend of storytelling, strategy, and authenticity, Krista has inspired audiences ranging from Fortune 500 executives to grassroots community leaders. She is driven by a mission to create a more just and equitable world, leveraging her insights to help others move from idea to impact. When not on stage, she supports organizations as a trusted executive, strategic advisor and coach, helping them unlock potential and drive transformative change.

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ACHENTX Community Event: Irving Cares
2025-04-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Irving Cares, 440 South Nursery Road ##101, Irving, TX, 75060
Our volunteers will be spending their time at Irving Cares sorting, packing or stacking food which can make an enormous difference for the families they serve. Each volunteer experience is critical in helping provide healthy meals to families facing hunger. Volunteers should be 18 years of age.
Please wear comfortable clothing and closed toe shoes.
Thank you for making a difference in the Irving community!

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2025 ACHENTX Cocktails with the Chiefs - Rangers v. Angels
2025-04-16 17:30 - 22:00 | Globe Life Field, Globe Life Field 734 Stadium Drive, Arlington, TX, 76011
2025 ACHENTX Cocktails with the Chiefs
Topic: The never-ending price escalation of healthcare benefits.
Who’s to blame? The payors, the brokers, the employees, the employers. Sadly, it’s all of us.
For the first time, our popular Cocktails with the Chiefs event is being held in conjunction with a Rangers game (as the Rangers will be playing the Los Angeles Angels), in a private suite at Globe Life Field. Our program will begin with networking and check-ins at 5:30pm, with the educational panel starting promptly at 6pm. The networking and fun will then continue as the game gets started at 7:05pm.
Panel Moderator:
W. Scott Hurst, MBA, FACHE
President & CEO
Patient Physician Network
Panelists:
Larry Childress, CEBS
Senior Vice President
Lockton
Chris Gay
CEO and Cofounder
Evry Health
Angela A. Ripper
Assistant Vice President and Managing Counsel
Unum Group
Dr. Dominic Vu, PharmD
Senior Vice President
USI Southwest
A special thanks to our event hosts for this event!
Evry Health
USI
Unum
Lockton

Register Here

Speakers Bios:
As a Senior Vice President, Larry Childress is a lead consultant for Lockton’s healthcare industry vertical and supports a variety of clients across the healthcare spectrum. He is well versed with the Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) and its impact on benefit plan compliance and configurations.
With more than 28 years in the employee benefits industry, Larry has assisted health systems with promoting the utilization of their proprietary assets through benefit program customization and alignment with third-party partners.
His career began as a group underwriter at Prudential Healthcare, and after four years, he transitioned to employee benefits consulting with Mercer. Larry joined Lockton as a Senior Account Executive and was promoted to Consultant Lead before progressing to a Senior Vice President position, where he serves as the senior lead consultant and executive sponsor to many client relationships.
During his time at Lockton, Larry implemented and led the employee benefits Transaction Advisory/M&A practice for the Lockton-Dunning Series. In this role, he managed the due diligence process for a variety of financial sponsors, including private equity and corporate strategic buyers.
Larry has also served as the Head of Benefits, North America for Ericsson, Inc., where he oversaw the strategy development and execution of all health and welfare, defined benefit, and defined contribution retirement plans for 10,000+ employees in the U.S. and Canada.
He earned his Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation in 2008 from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds the FINRA Series 7 and NASAA Series 66 securities licenses.

Chris Gay is the CEO and cofounder of Evry Health, A Globe Life Company. Launched by Y Combinator in 2018 and acquired by Globe Life in 2024, Evry Health is a commercial health insurer. Chris started his career at Goldman Sachs, escaped to be a mediocre software programmer, and eventually became a serial entrepreneur. Chris attended UT Austin and has lived in East Dallas with his family for 28 years.

William Scott Hurst, MBA, FACHE is currently the President & CEO of Patient Physician Network (PPN), one of the largest Independent Physician Association’s (IPA) in North Texas with over 650 members encompassing multi-specialty physicians and advanced practice providers. In this role, he works with teams of dedicated physicians, staff, and caregivers to advance independent medicine and to prepare the market for changes that have to take place to ensure the future of independence.
Scott is known as an accomplished leader with over 24 years of experience in Physician Alignment, Payor Contracting, Quality Improvement, Operations, Provider Recruitment, Patient Experience and Value-Based Care Operations. At the end of 2024, Scott was honored to be nominated by D CEO and D Healthcare as one of five “Innovators of the Year” for his work around Libertatem.
Before being recruited to PPN in April 2020, Scott served as an Executive Director overseeing operations in Texas and Louisiana for naviHealth, an industry leader in value-based care operations for health systems and health plans servicing Medicare patients.
Over his career, Scott has been blessed to serve as a Project Leader at Methodist Health System; the Senior Director of Physician Networks at Children’s Health in Dallas; a Director of Physician Alignment at CHRISTUS Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, TX and as a consultant for over 10 years to hospitals in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest and Alaska. In addition, Scott had the honor of serving as the President of the North Texas chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives in 2020.
Scott completed his Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Drury University (1995 / 1997) in Springfield, MO while working in the Athletic Department in Sports Information & Event Management. When he is not at work, Scott can be found hanging out with his wife Erica who is a research nurse at Texas Oncology and her daughters, getting updates from his soon to be graduating 21-year-old daughter who is finishing her degree in painting at the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), assuming the role of “Grand Dude” for his new grandson, listening to live music around the Metroplex or refereeing high school basketball for the North Texas Basketball Officials Association.

Ms. Angela Ripper advises HR daily on decisions ranging from initial hires to disciplinary actions to termination. She works with HR on Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, Immigration, OSHA as well as strategic matters. She also advises on Reductions in Force, reviews contracts, and advises the Absence Management Center on the FMLA and the ADA.
Ms. Ripper received her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1986 and her JD from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1989. She is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Chattanooga Bar Association and the Association of Threat Management Professionals. Ms. Ripper served on the National Advisory Board of In-house Counsel for M. Lee Smith Publishers. Ms. Ripper served on the Finance Board for St. Jude Catholic Church. She is the past Chairperson of the school board for St. Jude Catholic School and served on the school board for Notre Dame High School. Ms. Ripper serves on the Executive Committee and the Board of the Northside Neighborhood House and serves of the Executive Committee and the Board for Chambliss Center for Children.

Dr. Dominic Vu joined USI Southwest in 2019 as Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical Strategies in the Employee Benefits Division. Dr. Vu has extensive clinical and administrative leadership experience in medication adherence, population health initiatives, and PBM pharmacy operations from his previous role as Director of Pharmacy for Memorial Hermann Health Plan. His work has focused on leveraging population health data to design clinical programs to reduce healthcare cost through pharmacy and medical benefit design, formulary management, and negotiating with PBMs for lowest unit cost price. Dr. Vu’s formal education includes completing an AMCP managed care pharmacy residency with Kelsey-Seybold Clinics, Doctor of Pharmacy from University of Houston (2011), and Bachelor of Computer Science from Midwestern State University (2002).

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2025 ACHE of North Texas' DFW Healthcare Student Summit
2025-04-19 08:30 - 15:00 | UNT Health Science Center – Medical Education & Training Building, 1000 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76107, United States
AGENDA
8:30am – 8:50am: Check-in and Registration
8:50am – 9:00am: Welcome and Introductions
9:00am – 10:00am: Keynote Session 1: Crisis Management & Prevention
Jared Shelton, FACHE, President, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth
10:00am – 10:10am: Break
10:10am – 11:30am: Panel Discussion 1: Crisis Management and Prevention
1) Christi Nguyen, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FACHE, FAAN, Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Nursing Excellence at UT Southwestern Medical Center
2) Lance Lynch, MBA, CHEP, CBCP, Healthcare Emergency Management & Business Continuity SME
3) Crystal Brown, MBA, LSSYB, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
4) Timothy Wilson, MA, Senior Vice President, Population Health Management at P3 Health Partners
Moderator: Brianna Garza, BSN, RN, Chair of ACHENTX Student Council
11:30am – 12:20pm: Lunch and Networking
12:20pm – 1:20pm: Keynote Session 2: Policy and Reform in U.S. Healthcare
Patricia T. Driscoll, BSN, MSN, JD, Professor of Health Service Management, Texas Woman’s University
1:20pm – 1:30pm: Break
1:30pm – 2:50pm: Panel Discussion 2: Policy and Reform in U.S. Healthcare
1) Felixia Colon, MBA, FACHE, Senior VP at SCP Health, eHealth Solutions, Former ACHENTX Chapter President
2) Richard Greenhill, DHA, FACHE, Chief Transformation Officer at Quality Insights
3) Serena Bumpus, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Executive Officer at Texas Nurses Association
4) Kristin Tesmer, JD, MBA, FACHE, Assistant Professor of Practice, Interim Director, Business of Health Programs, Texas Christian University
Moderator: Tricia Whaley, MHA, CAPM, LSSYB, NRCMA, Secretary of ACHENTX Student Council
2:50pm – 3:00pm: Optional Networking After/Event Ends
Thanks for UNT Health Science Center for hosting us for this event!

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SPEAKERS BIO’S
Crystal Brown, a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, serves as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center in Mansfield, TX. In this capacity, she spearheads service line growth & development, operational efficiency, and enhances patient experience. Committed to fostering the growth and development of women within Methodist Health System, Crystal is an active member of the W.O.M.E.N Women of Methodist Enrichment Network.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Crystal is deeply engaged in the Mansfield community, serving on the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation Board. With over two decades of experience in Human Resources, Supply Chain, and Hospital Operations, Crystal is a seasoned healthcare executive. She earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, where she serves on various committees and boards.
Recognized for her transformational leadership style, Crystal has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Dr. Marion J. Brooks “Legend in the Making” award in June 2023 and the ACHENTX Executive Servant Leader Regent’s Award in October 2023. Committed to the growth and development of girls, women, and healthcare leaders, Crystal frequently volunteers her time and expertise at local events, conferences, and colleges. Outside of work, she enjoys savoring life’s pleasures with her family and friends, indulging in food, travel, and energizing sporting events.
Dr. Serena Bumpus currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Nurses Association where she is responsible for providing oversight of related entities and programs including the Texas Nurses Foundation and the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses and other programs as identified. She is responsible for executing the ongoing vision for the association as it relates to the changing healthcare landscape and the nursing profession. As the CEO of the largest professional nursing organization in Texas, Serena has the unique opportunity to build strategic relationships with constituent and partner organizations to elevate and advocate for nursing governance and practice based on evolving issues affecting the nursing profession and health policy in Texas and nationally.
Dr. Bumpus’s nursing career spans over 23 years where she has held various positions from staff nurse to Nurse Executive. She has demonstrated a strong career trajectory with involvement in leadership, governance, and advancing the nursing profession. She has made significant strides in improving outcomes and advancing nursing practice throughout her career. She has been successful in leading and advocating for legislative support toward increased funding for nursing education, workplace violence protections, as well as state level funding for nursing scholarships and nursing loan repayment programs.
Serena is a three-time graduate of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing where she received her BSN, MSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership. She is an active and engaged member of numerous professional organizations and serves as an advisor to a Health Tech AI company. She has presented nationally and internationally on the power of the nurse’s voice in health policy development and published several articles on the topic.
Felixia Colón, a native of Jacksonville, FL, brings over 25 years of healthcare experience to her role as a Senior Vice President with SCP Health. Ms. Colón leads SCP Health’s robust Telehealth Core Solutions for Emergency Medicine, Hospital Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine Practices. She maintains oversight and overall accountability for her clients’ clinical performance, quality care, operational excellence, and financial stability.
Ms. Colón has served in various roles in the healthcare field. Her background includes development of a physician outreach program with a major health insurance carrier, managing multi-specialty and multisite physician practices in emergency medicine, academic hospital medicine programs, private hospital medicine programs, transitional care medicine, eHealth/TeleNocturnist programs, and post-acute practices (SNFs/LTACs).
Ms. Colón formerly served as Senior Vice President for one of the largest independent physician practices in Texas. While there, she was responsible for the oversight of the company’s operations, contracting, business development, marketing, recruiting, and healthcare payment reform programs, which included CMS’ Bundled Payment Care Initiative (BPCI) Program.
A graduate of Nova Southeastern University, Ms. Colón holds a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Management. She earned a Bachelor of Health Administration from the University of North Florida. She is also a Fellow and active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Currently, she serves as Immediate President of for the North Texas Chapter of ACHE. She has also served as an elected Board position with ACHENTX and as ACHENTX’s Vice-Chair for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
An accomplished educator and senior healthcare leader; Pat Driscoll is the former President and CEO of Home Health Services of Texas, Inc., the only independent community based, not-for-profit home health organization in the DFW metroplex. Prior to stepping into the CEO role, she served on the board of directors. She has more than 40 years of health care experience, including work in her private legal practice and roles in a variety of clinical, executive, consultant, and educational settings. Pat currently serves as Professor of Health Service Management at Texas Woman’s University. She was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for St. Paul Medical Center, a 600 bed tertiary teaching hospital. She served in managerial roles at Parkland Health and Hospital System and RHD Memorial Medical Center. In her role as a consultant, she advised Fortune 500 companies on health care strategy.
Pat has extensive expertise in acute and post -acute care, as well as community engagement. She serves as the Chair of the board of directors of CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Partner) in Washington DC. She chaired the Texas Alliance for Transitional Care (a consortium of acute and post-acute providers), the North Texas Intra-professional Task Force, and currently serves on the Methodist Health System ACO Care Coordination Committee.
Pat chaired the THR Community Leadership Council for Dallas and Rockwall and served on the Board of Health First, an integrated health delivery system with four hospitals, a health plan, home health and hospice. She also served as the Chair of the Board of the North Texas Health Industry Council
Pat holds a JD from Southern Methodist University, a Certificate in Governance from Stanford University as well as a BSN and MSN.
Richard G. Greenhill, DHA FACHE serves as the Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) at Quality Insights. As CTO, he spearheads strategic initiatives focused on innovation, efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness. He is a sought-after international and national speaker on topics related to AI use in healthcare delivery, hospital resilience, quality and patient safety. He is the Editor-In-Chief of the International Journal for Quality in Healthcare, Communications (IJCOMS), an Oxford University Press and International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) peer-review publication.
Rich’s career is extensive with deep experience across the continuum of care, quality, and performance improvement. He was elected by his international peers to the prestigious International Academy for Quality and Safety (IAQS), joining luminaries in the universe of quality improvement and patient safety. Membership in the Academy is lifelong and one of the highest honors that someone in healthcare quality can achieve.
He has participated in numerous policy fora and expert panels with the World Health Organization on hospital resilience and sustainability. Rich is a well published researcher and author of various textbooks, editorials, and peer-reviewed publications.
He serves in several ACHE National Faculty roles including author, executive mentor, and coach for various ACHE offerings including:
– ACHE Choice
– Career Accelerator Program
– Executive Program
– Thomas C. Dolan Diversity in Executive Leadership Program
Lance Lynch is a healthcare emergency preparedness and business continuity subject matter expert with over 20 years’ worth of experience in emergency management, response, and preparedness. In addition to directing and managing multiple hospital emergency management and business continuity programs, he has either chaired or been heavily involved with his local healthcare coalitions. Most recently, Lance has worked in JPS and Parkland’s Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs. Additionally, he chaired the Regional Emergency Preparedness Committee with the North Central Texas Trauma and Regional Advisory Council. Lance is also a member of the North Texas Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, is a member of the Northern Texas and Greater Houston Chapters of the Association of Continuity Professionals, and also serves as the Director of the Association of Continuity Professional’s Healthcare Special Interest Group. Lance is currently lending value to healthcare organizations’ resilience initiatives as the Director of Healthcare for Veoci, Inc. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Spring Arbor University, a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional credential from IBFCSM, a Certified Business Continuity Professional credential from Disaster Recovery Institute International, and lives in Fort Worth.
Dr. Christi Nguyen is the Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Nursing Excellence at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She oversees Clinical Education and Professional Development, Practice Transition Program, Magnet, Nursing Research and Professional Practice. She also is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation’s MSN Nursing Administration and DNP program. She serves as the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Region 7 Board Director, North Central Organization for Nursing Leadership Board Director and DFW Great 100 Board President-Elect. She is on the Education Committee with the American College of Healthcare Executives North Texas Chapter.
She is an experienced nurse leader holding prior leadership positions in community, safety net and academic medical centers. Dr. Nguyen has worked in multiple areas of nursing, including oncology, home health, hospice, case management, wound and ostomy nurse and risk management.
Dr. Nguyen holds a DNP from Texas Christian University and MSN, MHA and BSN from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Jared Shelton
Jared Shelton, FACHE, serves as president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, assuming the role in September 2024 after a two-year stint as president at Texas Health HEB.
Shelton’s previous roles included six years as president of Texas Health Allen, and a term as vice president of Professional & Support Services for Texas Health Dallas.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business and a minor in religion. He also earned a Master of Science in health care administration from Trinity University. Shelton was named the 2024 Trinity University Health Care Administration Alumni Association “Momentum Award” winner, which recognizes early careerists age 40 and under for outstanding achievements in the field of health care management.
Shelton currently serves as a trustee on the Board of Directors for the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. He is also serving a three-year term as Regent for the American College of Healthcare Executives in District 4, Texas-Northern. He is a past president for the North Texas chapter of ACHE. He has served two terms on the Texas Hospital Association’s “Council on Policy Development” and is also a member of the Wake Forest Athletic Advisory Council.
Outside of work, Shelton and his wife, Kathryn, enjoy parenthood with their young children — daughters, Mackenzie and Caroline, and son, Jack.

Kristin Tesmer currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice for Texas Christian University. Her role includes supporting the development and expansion of the Neeley School of Business’ health and health care business offerings in partnership with the university’s school of medicine and school of nursing. Her immediate prior role was as the Program Director for Healthcare Management in the Jindal School of Business at UT Dallas.
Kristin’s industry work includes service as an attorney, health system executive, and CEO/President of several health-related non-profit organizations.
As CEO of Dallas Medical Resource Kristin led a group of Dallas’ non-health business executives and the CEOs of Dallas’ health systems in their mission to promote a healthy healthcare safety net and inform and educate the community with candor, integrity and transparency on issues impacting medical and health care services in Dallas.
As President of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Education and Research Foundation she provided leadership for regional health system and community organization collaborations focused on improving the health and healthcare of the residents of North Texas. Under Kristin’s 10-year tenure, more than 10 million dollars in non-local grant funding was awarded to the Foundation to enhance investments made in health and health care initiatives led by our local health systems, physicians, foundations, and community partners.
Kristin also served 10 years as Chief Compliance Officer, SVP of Quality, Network Liaison to Physician Leadership and various other executive roles with JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas.
Her entry to the healthcare sector was as a private healthcare attorney in Fort Worth, Texas representing physicians and health systems.
Kristin earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, a degree in Finance from the M.J. Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University and an M.B.A. from the Jindal School of Business at the University of Texas Dallas. She is married to David Tesmer and has two daughters and one son, Georgia and Sarah Jenkins and Austin Tesmer.

Timothy Wilson serves as the Senior Vice President of Population Health Management at P3 Health Partners, where he leads operational teams focused on optimizing healthcare delivery. His efforts enable providers to deliver the right care at the right time, balancing affordability while minimizing administrative costs. A strong advocate for early intervention, Timothy believes in ensuring that quality care is accessible to every patient.
With over 16 years of experience in healthcare, Timothy has demonstrated a proven track record of addressing complex challenges and driving operational excellence across claims operations, systems configuration, provider services, and audit and recovery. His leadership has been instrumental in improving efficiencies and fostering innovation within the healthcare landscape.
Timothy holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and Image Management and a master’s degree in mass communication and media studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is an active Board Member of the National Association of Health Services Executives (N.A.H.S.E.) Dallas-Fort Worth chapter and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) North Texas chapter. Additionally, he is a dedicated mentor to professionals at all stages of their careers, helping to shape the next generation of healthcare leaders.
Timothy’s professional certifications include a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, earned during his tenure at UnitedHealth Group, and the prestigious Strengthening the Pipeline certification from the Executive Leadership Council (ELC).
Outside of his professional commitments, Timothy enjoys quality time with family and friends and is an avid reader and culinary explorer.

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ACHENTX Virtual New Member Orientation
2025-04-23 14:00 - 14:30, 2025-09-10 12:00 - 12:30 | Virtual
All new (and new-ish) members of ACHE of North Texas are encouraged to attend this session to hear about how the chapter works, how we’re organized, opportunities for you to be involved and ways you can maximize your ACHE membership.
All are welcome!

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ACHENTX Second Quarter Education Event
2025-04-24 15:00 - 19:00 | Medical City Plano, 3901 West 15th Street, Plano, TX, 75075
These two panels have been approved for 1.5 ACHE In Person Education Credits each (3.0 if you attend both).

Agenda:
3-3:30pm – Networking & Check In
3:30-5pm – Panel 1 – Ethical Challenges in Healthcare Leadership
Ethical challenges arise in all aspects of healthcare and service, from the bedside to the boardroom. Hospital leaders and boards set the ethical compass of the organization by making decisions about priorities, policies, and resource allocation as they determine the best ways to meet the needs of their communities, while respecting their staff and the populations they serve. Understanding the expanding paradigm of planning, creating, and maintaining an ethical healthcare organization is crucial to help identify strategies for implementing ethics initiatives within your own organization. Healthcare leaders must “walk the talk” and demonstrate their commitment to ethics throughout their organization.
Panel 1 Moderator:
R. Bryan Day, FACHE
Director of Operational Design and Deployment
Texas Health Resources
Panel 1 Panelists:
Sondra Davis, PharmD, FACHE
Vice President Operations
Medical City
Dr. Michael Rubin
Director of Clinical Ethics
UT Southwestern

Ashley Thompson Smith
Ethics and Compliance Officer
Medical City Plano/Frisco/ Sachse
5-5:30pm – Networking Break (including snacks & beverages)

5:30-7pm – Panel 2 – Employing Social Media to Build Customer Satisfaction and Community Outreach
Social media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter) and blogs, have opened new channels of communication between individuals in a meaningful and highly interactive way. Online communities allow organizations to hear directly from customers and vice versa. Healthcare organizations benefit from the use of social media platforms to reach beyond the physical setting in growing their communities. Social media tools enhance the customer experience by building communities of care, engendering patient support and education that extend beyond treatment within a facility. They also create new forums for staff to connect beyond face-to-face interaction, increasing satisfaction and belonging and providing new avenues for recruitment. In addition, social media offers new means with which to deliver news and events, new product roll outs and other initiatives that benefit the community at large. Discover the advantage of incorporating social media into your strategic plan to enhance patient satisfaction, grow your customer base and increase the visibility of your organization.
Panel 2 Moderator:
Bert Witherspoon
Chief Operating Officer
Texas Vision and Laser
Panel 2 Panelists:
Makala Pollard
Director of Brand Management
Texas Health Resources
Melissa Weston
Senior VP Marketing
US Radiology

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Speakers Bios:
Sondra Davis joined Medical City Plano as the Vice President of Operations in January 2025.
Prior to January 2025, Sondra served as the Director of Pharmacy and co-Ethics & Compliance Officer at Medical City Arlington. She began her career with Medical City Healthcare in 2007 and progressed in her clinical and operational leadership roles during her tenure.
She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, her MBA in Health Services Management from UNT College of Business and her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington.

R. Bryan Day, FACHE serves in the role of Director of Operational Design & Deployment at Texas Health Resources. He leads system-wide design and deployment of strategic clinical and operational initiatives within Texas Health. This includes managing a team and leading large initiatives to evaluate, design, and implement solutions to improve the health of the people in the communities we serve. He has 13 years of experience in various healthcare administration roles. Bryan has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from Abilene Christian University, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Makala Pollard is a healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience in healthcare marketing and brand strategy. As the Director of Brand Management for Texas Health, she ensures brand compliance, enhances customer experience, and leads branding efforts for physician practices, joint ventures, and new services. Makala also oversees social media and digital assets, and directs new market launch plans and positioning strategies.

Michael Rubin, MD, MA is a critical care neurologist and neuroethicist. He has a scholarly interest in death determination, coma, shared decision-making, and the ethics of invasive brain research. After completing neurology residency at UT Southwestern and critical care training at Washington University in St Louis, he completed a master’s in bioethics and health policy from Loyola Chicago. He serves as the Director of Clinical Ethics at UT Southwestern, co-director and creator of NOMAD and is a UTSW Certified Professional Coach. He is a national leader in neuroethics, including authoring multiple position papers with the American Academy of Neurology’s Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee.

During the last 3.5 years at Medical City Plano/Frisco and now Sachse, Ashley Thompson Smith has made multiple contributions to our Cardiovascular and Neuroscience programs. Some highlights have been developing the nationally know ECMO/ECPR program, leading the implementation of a true neurocritical care ICU, and driving growth and improvement in our overall outcomes in the CV Surgery, Cath Lab, and ECMO spaces. Ashley has 16 years of experience leading cardiovascular programs. Additionally, she has served as our Ethics and Compliance officer for Medical City Plano, Frisco, and Sachse for the last two years and works with many other service lines in the development space.

Melissa Weston is an award winning global commercial executive with over 20 years of expertise spanning consumer packaged goods, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. She’s renowned for her ability to transform businesses, Melissa excels at accelerating performance through synergizing complex strategies across the US or international markets. Her strategic vision has consistently driven brand evolution, leveraging insights, segmentation, and positioning with omnichannel effectiveness to boost profitability.
Currently, Melissa serves as Senior Vice President of Marketing at US Radiology, one of the largest radiology companies in the nation. Her approach to leadership is characterized by a principle-centered style that fosters high-performing, collaborative cultures. Outside of her professional endeavors, Melissa is an avid drummer and enjoys capturing architectural beauty through photography. She lives with her husband, Dan, and their black lab Maggie. She and Dan have two financially independent adult sons. She’s very proud they even have their own Netflix accounts.

Bert Witherspoon is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 20 years of leadership experience, beginning with a distinguished career as a firefighter and paramedic with the Denton Fire Department. Over nearly two decades in emergency services, he honed his expertise in crisis response, operational leadership, and patient care. His passion for healthcare administration led him to serve as President and COO of Sacred Cross EMS, where he spent nine years leading business development, financial management, and strategic growth for a private transfer and contracted Emergency ambulance service.
Building on this foundation, Bert transitioned into broader healthcare management, holding executive roles in business development, physician relations, and operations across multi-site health systems. As the Chief Operating Officer of Texas Vision & Laser Center, he oversees all financial, operational, and strategic management functions, driving growth, efficiency, and profitability. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), he is dedicated to leveraging innovation, business development, and provider relations to enhance patient care and organizational success.
In addition to his leadership role, Bert serves as the 2025 Chair of the Communications Committee for ACHE of North Texas, where he focuses on advancing strategic communication efforts. With deep expertise in business development, social media engagement, and digital strategy, he is committed to enhancing healthcare outreach and community engagement.

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Combined Networking Blitz - Mentorship Program Orientation
2025-05-01 18:00 - 20:30 | Texas Scottish Rite Hospital For Children – Dallas, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX, 75219
We’re excited to once again be combining two events into one gathering, enabling our Networking Blitz participants to also connect with our 2025 ACHE of North Texas Mentorship Program mentor and mentee participants.
We will start the evening with everyone gathered together for some fun networking activities, a brief showcasing of the ACHE of North Texas chapter and an exploration of how to maximize your ACHE membership experience. Then, as the night progresses, the two groups will separate with 1) the 2025 ACHENTX Mentors and Mentees having an orientation of this year’s Mentorship Program and 2) the Networking Blitz attendees continuing with some additional organized networking opportunities.
It’s going to be an evening filled with a lot of fun and TONS of networking! We look forward to seeing you there!

Our guest speakers for this event will be:
Angie Buckmeier, MHA, BSN, RN, CONQS
Chief Nursing Officer
Scottish Rite for Children
Angie Buckmeier is an experienced Chief Nursing Officer with over 35 years of healthcare experience. Currently, Angie serves as the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Scottish Rite for Children, where she is responsible for the overall coordination of nursing care, ancillary support, and other clinical functions. She joined as a member of the executive team in May 2022 and participates in the formulation, review, and revision of standards, policies, procedures, and programs for patient care needs. Angie also oversees the development of nurse staffing plans, budget planning, hospital-wide quality assessment and improvement, and the integration of healthcare technology and information systems.
Prior to her current role, Angie held various progressive leadership positions at Medical City Plano/Frisco, Medical City Children’s Hospital Dallas, and Parkland Health and Hospital System Dallas. She has experience in managing within large healthcare facilities, achieving high standards of care, and improving patient outcomes. Angie has also been actively involved in professional affiliations, advisory boards, and community involvement, including serving as a board member for North Texas Make-A-Wish and Richardson Symphony League.
Angie holds a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeast Louisiana University, as well as a certification in Obstetrics and Neonatal Quality and Safety (CONQS) by NCC. Angie recently participated in the Texas Hospital Association Fellowship Program, where her team presented their white paper on “Prior Authorizations and Retrospective Denials” to the THA Board of Trustees.

Cardell Velez MBA, R.T.(R)(N)(CT)(CNMT)
AVP
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Cardell Velez MBA, ARRT (R)(CT)(N), NMTCB(CNMT) is the AVP overseeing Imaging Services, Heart and Vascular Services, Apheresis, First Floor Prep and Recovery and Vascular Access Teams for all UT Southwestern Hospitals and Clinics. He came to UT Southwestern from Highmark Health/Allegheny Health Network (AHN) in Pennsylvania where he served as the System Vice President. At AHN, he had oversite for 42 hospitals and clinics, and 21 Breast locations across Pennsylvania and New York. Prior to his time at AHN, he worked at Texas Health Resources serving in multiple leadership roles. Cardell brings over 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership and has a deep understanding of the operational, financial, and strategic needs for a large, growing healthcare organization.
Cardell is an Air Force veteran who was raised abroad in a military family with his father who also served in the Air Force. While deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Cardell was the Director of Radiology for Baghdad International Airport Hospital. There, he was responsible for all Radiologic support to Task Force 21 and 3,500 wounded prisoners of war during the movement from Abu Ghraib prison to Camp Cropper. For his efforts, he was awarded the United States Air Force Achievement Medal among others.
Cardell completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Southern Methodist University (SMU) Cox School of Business and holds a Bachelor of Science from Wayland Baptist University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for North Texas American College of Healthcare Executives.

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Introduction to ACHE Fellowship Virtual Event
2025-05-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Are you a healthcare professional working on your graduate degree? Perhaps you have the years of experience under your belt, are active in your profession and community and are looking for a way to differentiate yourself from your peers? Earning your board certification in healthcare management from ACHE is an excellent way to do that. The ACHENTX Advancement Committee wants to support you on your journey. Join this informative session as we discuss the pathway and requirements to earning your certification, share some details about the Board of Governors exam process, provide some tidbits about the separate Board of Governors Exam Review course (which will be offered later this year by the Advancement Committee and led by local industry professionals).

Speakers:
Day-Vene Gilliam, MHA, FACHE
Staff Vice President of National Business Development
Healthcare Networks
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Lee Ann Benson, FACHE
Senior Vice President
Maternal-Child Program Development
Children’s Health

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Multi-Chapter Healthcare Forum - Transforming Healthcare
2025-05-08 08:00 - 2025-05-09 11:30 | Texas Woman’s University – Dallas Campus, 5500 Southwestern Medical Avenue, Dallas, TX, 75235
This two-day conference is being offered by ACHE of North Texas, ACHE of East Texas and Texas Midwest Healthcare Executives. The theme for this year’s event is: Transforming Healthcare: Strategies for Internal and External Excellence.

Earn up to 7.5 approved ACHE In Person Education Credits!

Register Here

Agenda
May 8th (Day 1)
8-9am – Registration & Breakfast
9-9:15am – Opening
9:15-10:15am – Keynote Presentation
Edward W. Marx
Chief Operating Officer, Marx Advisory
Author of healthcare bestsellers including Voices of Innovation and Healthcare Digital Transformation
10:15-10:30am – Break
10:30am-12pm – First Breakout Sessions
Panel 1 Option: The Promise and Perils of Precision Medicine
Moderator: Ajith Pai, PharmD, FACHE, President, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth & Texas Health Hospital Clearfork
Panelists:
Steven Curley, MD, Medical Director, Precision Oncology
Mark Kruzel, MD, Medical Director in Oncology, Quest Advanced Diagnostics
Alex Melton, VP of Engineering, Invene
Panel 2 Option: Marketing and Money: Linking New Products, Services and ROI
Moderator: Darin Szilagyi, FACHE, FHFMA, Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications, Platinum Dermatology Partners
Panelists:
San Banerjee, MBA, Vice President Product Development- Health Services, CVS Health
Lance Lunsford, MBA, FACHE, Co-Founder/Senior Partner, Groundswell Health
James Schleck, Co-Founder, Growth Verticals, Founding Partner, Tea Leaves Health
12-1pm – Lunch
1-2:30pm – Second Breakout Sessions
Panel 1 Option: The State of Healthcare: Industry Leaders’ Perspectives
Moderator: Crystal Brown, VP & COO, Methodist Mansfield
Panelists:
Allan Akinradewo, VP Talent Acquisition, Methodist Health System
Frances Dare, Senior Director, Provider Practice Lead, Cognizant
Lance Lunsford, MBA, FACHE, Co-Founder/Senior Partner, Groundswell Health
Panel 2 Option: Listening to Employers: How Health Systems Can Support Population Health Management
Moderator: David Friederichs, Managing Director, Innovacer
Panelists:
Brian Felty, Chief Market Payor and Financial Officer, Southwestern Health Resources
Benjamin Hagan, Assistant Vice President – Benefits, AT&T Services, Inc.
Shannon Huggins, SVP, Contract Strategy & Pop Health, Methodist Health System
William Scott Hurst, MBA, FACHE, President & CEO, Patient Physician Network
2:30-3pm – Break
3-4:30pm – Third Breakout Sessions
Panel 1 Option: Developing High Performing Teams
Moderator: Bert Witherspoon, MS, MBA, LP, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer, Texas Vision & Laser Center
Panelists:
Patrick Crocker, Assistant General Counsel, Texas Health Resources
Audrianne Schneider, FACHE, Owner, J29 Marketing Group, LLC
Rebecca Tucker, SVP, Channel Integration, Texas Health Resources
Panel 2 Option: Financial Sustainability of Healthcare Organizations: A Plan of Action
Moderator: Kris Sanders, FACHE, Senior Vice President, Northern Market Growth and Development, Children’s Health Plano
Panelists:
Sarah Hereford, Director, Forvis Mazars
Steve Love, President & CEO, Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council
Tammy Walsh, FHFMA, CRCR, CEO, Paramount Healthcare Solutions
May 9 (Day 2)
7-8am – Breakfast
8-9:30am – Fourth Breakout Sessions
Panel 1 Option: The Globalization of Healthcare
Moderator: Richard Greenhill, DHA, FACHE, Chief Transformation Officer, Quality Insights
Panelists:
Joe Longo, Senior Vice President/Chief Digital Information Officer, Parkland Health
Niyati Patel, Program Manager Strategy & Business Development, MD Anderson
David Vequist, PhD, Director, Center for Medical Tourism Research, Incarnate Word University
Panel 2 Option: Implementing Strategic Plans for Successful Operations
Moderator: Corey Wilson, FACHE, COO, Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth
Panelists:
Felixia Colon, FACHE, Senior Vice President, SCP Health
Dr. David Gonzales, Regional President of Hospital Medicine & Emergency Medicine Services, Sound Physicians
Don Taylor, MHA, Director, Alliance for Physician Leadership and Director of Practice, UTD
9:30-10am – Break
10-11:30am – Fifth Breakout Sessions
Panel 1 Option: Leading Through Mergers and Acquisitions
Moderator: Aaron Bujnowski, FACHE, Managing Director, Alvarez and Marsal
Panelists:
Chris Core, Chief Growth Officer, US Radiology Specialists
Lee Mathew, Administrator, USPI
Tim Godfrey, FACHE, FACMPE, Vice President of Physician Practice Operations, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic
Panel 2 Option: Winning the Battle for Markets and Share
Moderator: Jeff Stewart, FACHE, Vice President Strategic Marketing, CHRISTUS Health
Panelists:
Stacy Covitz, Chief Marketing & PR Officer, Methodist Health
Fernand “Fern” Fernandez, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Children’s Health
Daphne Tam, MS, Founder and Principal, DT Communications

Thanks to Texas Woman’s University-Dallas for hosting us on their beautiful campus!

Click Here to Reference Speakers’ Bios

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After Hours Networking Event: LGBTQ+ Community
2025-05-22 17:30 - 19:30 | JR’s Bar & Grill, 3923 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, TX, 75219
Join us for the first-ever gathering of the ACHENTX LGBTQ+ Community, a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals and allies to connect, share experiences, and build a sense of community within ACHENTX. This casual, come-as-you-are event will take place upstairs at JR’s Bar & Grill from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Food will be provided, and drinks will be available for purchase at the bar.
Learn more about our upcoming events and ways to get involved with our new LGBTQ+ Community. Whether you’re hoping to meet new people, find support, or just enjoy a relaxed evening of conversation, we’d love for you to stop by!

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Certified Lean Six Sigma 2-Hour White Belt Certification Course
2025-06-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
Curious on what it takes to become a change maker? Want to learn about process improvement and how to eliminate wastes, errors, defects, and inefficiencies from day-to-day work?
ACHE of North Texas is proud to present a 2-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification Course.
There are 5 Lean Six Sigma levels: White, Yellow, Green, Black and Master Black. The first level is the White Belt. It is the foundational course. You are not required to take the White Belt course before the Yellow, but if you have very little knowledge of Lean Six Sigma and want to learn more about the foundational aspects of Lean and Six Sigma, you may want to take the White Belt course first.
The 2-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification Course will teach you all about Lean and Six Sigma. You will learn who the founders are of the two methods, as well as what a process is, and how the two methods were combined and work very well together.
Lean and Six Sigma have been proven to be very successful methods to eliminate wastes, errors, inefficiencies, and defects for many, many years. You can apply these methods, tools, and techniques in your home and work lives. This foundational course is 100% online, is coached/taught in a live Zoom meeting by Certified Master Black Belt, Tanya Stinson. Tanya will support you throughout the entire course. Once the course is completed, there will be an online, open book exam that will be required to be completed. You must pass the certification exam with at least a 70 to get your LSSWB certificate.
What’s included:
• Discuss foundational aspects of Lean and Six Sigma
• Learn how to complete a Waste Walk
• Lean Six Sigma White Belt Course e-book
• Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification Exam
• Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certificate via Email
Course Coach/Instructor: Tanya Stinson, MHQS, CLSSMBB, MCBA, CRP
Founder/CEO/Master Consultant of Leaning Towards Change, LLC
Program Director, Compliance Operations and Project Management at Texas Health Resources
Virtual Platform: Zoom

Tanya Stinson is very passionate about Performance/Process Improvement and Change Management. Her Motto is “Changing the World, One Improvement at a Time.” Tanya is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt has a Master’s degree in Healthcare Quality and Safety, a Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, and 15+ years’ experience in leading, coaching, and mentoring professionals in completing Lean Six Sigma, Quality, Compliance, Risk and Safety initiatives. Tanya has well-rounded and knowledgeable skill sets, as she has worked in various industries, such as mining, utilities, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare. Tanya is passionate about helping others by sharing with them what she has learned and helping to create positive changes within any organization.
Tanya has been working for Texas Health Resources since June 2017. Currently, she is Program Director, Compliance Operations and Project Management for Texas Health Resources. Tanya was a Performance Engineer/Coach for Texas Health Resources for 4 years. To help others to grow on their PI journeys, Tanya started a woman owned small business in 2000 called Leaning Towards Change, LLC. Since moving to the DFW area and starting her small business, Tanya has successfully coached and certified over 100 White Belts, over 500 Yellow Belts, and over 100 Green Belts. Below are just a few of her awards/accolades:
• Womelle Magazine: She’s Possible – Top 25 Female Influencers of 2023
• 2020 ACHE of North Texas Mentor of the Year
• Trailblazer Award – Texas Health Arlington Memorial, 2018 for Blood Culture Contamination Reduction Project
• Quality Award (2) – Texas Health Fort Worth, 2019 for Neonatal Extubation Process Improvement Project and “Let’s Get Moving” Patient Ambulation Improvement Project
• Discoverer Award – Texas Health Resources, 2019 for ED Discharge Scheduling Improvement Project
• Transformer Award – Texas Health Resources, 2020 for Interventional Radiology Throughput Improvement Project
Outside of work, Tanya is a wife and mother of 4 handsome young men. She loves to fish, go camping, and loves classic cars!
Tanya is thankful that you have chosen to read about her accomplishments, and she looks forward to helping you on your PI journey! She hopes you will love Process/Performance Improvement and Change Management as much as she does!

Women’s Networking Happy Hour
2025-06-12 17:30 - 19:30 | Tower Club Dallas, 1601 Elm Street #48th Floor, Dallas, TX, 75201
Connecting Women Leaders in DFW Healthcare: Empower, Network, Thrive.

Join us for an inspiring Women’s Healthcare Happy Hour at the beautiful Tower Club in Dallas! This exclusive event brings together women leaders and professionals from across DFW’s healthcare community for an evening of networking, empowerment, and connection. This event is being co-hosted by the ACHE of North Texas Chapter, our ACHENTX Women’s Healthcare Executives’ Network and the HFMA Lone Star Chapter.
The event will feature a short talk from Jenna Hemmingway, Senior Vice President, Platform Growth at Catalyst Health Group. (See Jenna’s bio below.)
A “permanent jewelry” vendor will also be onsite for attendees to be able to purchase bracelets or anklets. (The vendor uses a device to “zap” the jewelry and make it permanently affixed to one’s wrist or ankle, a popular trend in jewelry right now.) A portion of the purchased jewelry proceeds will go to the ACHE of North Texas Foundation. This is a perfect opportunity for adding a little sparkle while giving back! (Read more about the ACHENTX Foundation here: https://achentxfoundation.org.)
Come raise a glass, expand your network, and celebrate the incredible women shaping the future of healthcare.
Your ticket purchase will include one drink ticket. A cash bar will be available for any additional beverages you might want.

A big thanks to our event host, Moss Adams!

Register Here

Jenna Hemmingway is the Senior Vice President, Platform & Growth at Catalyst Health Group. With more than 15+ years of healthcare operations and business development leadership, Jenna is responsible for driving enterprise growth, strategic planning, enhancing partnerships, integrated practice solutions and optimizing patient access for communities.
Career Highlights

Prior roles Catalyst Health Network Executive Director, VP of Network Operations, and Practices Services Manager
Instrumental in building Catalyst Health Network from initial inception to become the largest network of independent primary care physicians in the state of Texas
Led provider engagement and value-based care performance strategies that resulted in over a hundred million dollars in community shared savings over the course of a five-year period
Directed market growth for Catalyst Health Network, expanding the organization across two additional geographic markets and increasing physician membership by 4X
Previously served in senior advisory roles for independent physician practices, improving operational excellence and increasing practice volume by 30%+

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Volunteer with ACHENTX PRIDE & Resource Center at the Fair Park Pride Parade!
2025-06-15 12:00 - 16:00 | Fair Park, Dallas
🎉 Event Description:

Celebrate Pride Month by joining the American College of Healthcare Executives of North Texas chapter’s PRIDE Community (PRIDE: Professionals for Representation, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) in partnership with the Resource Center, a longstanding leader in supporting the LGBTQIA+ and HIV/AIDS communities in Dallas-Fort Worth.
From frontline advocacy during the AIDS crisis to championing marriage equality and launching the city’s first LGBTQIA+ affirming senior housing, Resource Center has been at the heart of progress for over four decades. Come be a part of that legacy and show your support during this year’s Pride Parade!
💖 What You’ll Do:
Volunteers will walk alongside the Resource Center’s parade group, helping to pass out fun, health-promoting swag and show visible support for LGBTQIA+ health, equity, and inclusion. It’s a high-energy, meaningful way to celebrate and serve the community.
🧃 Perks Include:

Drinks and snacks provided
Parking reimbursement available
A vibrant experience with fellow healthcare professionals and community leaders

📍 Meeting & Parking Info:
Exact meeting location and parking details will be provided prior to the event. Parking costs will be reimbursed.
🕐 Schedule Info:
We are being asked to arrive by 12 PM. Last year’s call time for the parade was 1 PM, with it wrapping at around 4 PM. Volunteers are only expected to stay until our group completes the parade route—if we finish early, you’re welcome to leave at that time.
💵 Cost to Participate:
Free!
Let’s walk with pride, purpose, and unity. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Register Here

Breakfast with the COO – Herron Mitchell, FACHE, SSGB
2025-06-17 07:30 - 09:00 | Foremost Family Health Centers, 2922-B Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75215
Herron Mitchell is the Chief Operations Officer for Foremost Family Health Centers in Fair Park, Dallas. At this community-established federally qualified health center (FQHC), Herron currently has direct executive responsibility for outreach, patient access, and revenue cycle management.
Prior to this position, Herron held various roles at Parkland Health, including Director of Operational Excellence and Regional Director of Community Oriented Primary Care. Herron has a passion for population health, preventative care, community outreach, and process efficiency. This passion for process efficiency was instilled early in Herron’s career within the assembly plants of General Motors, where Herron gained an intimate knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, which are still utilized in Herron’s healthcare career today.
In addition to Herron’s executive role, Herron is also a lecturer at the University of Virginia, teaching management theory to undergraduate and graduate students. Herron has had the privilege of working at the Baldridge award-winning hospital, Mosaic (formerly Heartland Health), during the initial years of the Affordable Care Act. Herron also served as the Parkland Health operational lead for establishing two Community Based Testing Sites in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, later assisting with the creation of multiple walk-up testing sites.
Herron has been married for 25 years to an executive in the food/beverage industry at a Fortune 500 company, and they have three adult children whose focuses are Marketing, Law, and Engineering. Herron seeks to bring all transferrable skills to bear on improving the health of the entire community with services that are safe, equitable, efficient, effective, patient-centered, and timely.

A big thanks to our event host, Charles Schwab Bank!

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AHLC Pop-Up Boba Networking Event
2025-07-08 17:00 - 18:30 | 9 Rabbits Bakery, 2546 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX, 75229
Come join your colleagues and peers with the Asian Healthcare Leaders Community at Nine Rabbits Bakery in Dallas for a pop-up boba social. We’re working on bringing in a local healthcare leader to enhance the networking experience and to share valuable leadership insights.
There is no cost to register, but attendees will be responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages.

Register Here

Breakfast with the CEO - Christina Mathis, MHA
2025-08-14 07:30 - 09:00 | Medical City Dallas – City Hall Auditorium, 7777 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX, 75230, United States
Christina Mathis, MHA, has served as CEO of Medical City Las Colinas since March 2025. She has spent the majority of her healthcare career in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, serving in progressive leadership roles within Medical City Healthcare at Medical City Plano and most recently, as CEO of Medical City Frisco. In her current role, she is responsible for the hospital’s service line growth, culture, quality and governance.
Christina earned a Master of Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences from The University of Texas at Austin. She’s also an active board member of the American College of Healthcare Executives North Texas chapter.

Please note the new location for this event:
Medical City Dallas
7777 Forest Lane
Dallas, Tx 75230
As special thanks to Christina and Medical City Dallas for hosting us for this event!

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Constellation Club Happy Hour
2025-08-21 17:30 - 19:30 | The Constellation Club, 5215 North O'Connor Boulevard, Suite 2600, 26th Floor, Irving, TX, 75039
Join ACHE of North Texas for an evening of high-impact networking at the Constellation Club — one of Dallas’s most iconic venues.
This is more than just a happy hour — it’s a chance to connect with healthcare leaders, build new relationships across the DFW ecosystem, and engage with fellow ACHE members in a relaxed, upscale setting. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, explore new opportunities, or simply enjoy great conversation with peers who “get it,” this event delivers.
Each ticket includes one complimentary drink, light bites, and access to an incredible space overlooking the Dallas skyline.
Space is limited — don’t miss it!
Please note, parking at the club costs $12 per car.

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Sustainable Strategies to Support Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals
2025-08-28 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.50 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.

In the wake of the pandemic, pre-existing challenges with healthcare professional burnout have only accelerated. This has resulted in challenges for these individuals and their loved ones, as well as workforce shortages that are putting a strain on the healthcare system. In addition, adverse patient events have been attributed to healthcare staff who have had trouble sleeping, reduced job satisfaction, impaired behavior, and anxiety. These attributes contribute to more serious consequences such as burnout, depression, post-traumatic disorder, and suicidal ideation. Healthcare leaders often struggle with finding long-term solutions to address an important but personal issue for their staff and organization. During this panel, participants will learn sustainable strategies and approaches that will address wellbeing and resiliency for healthcare professionals in today’s healthcare environment. Even when leaders recognize this as a problem, they are often presented with confusing information or get-better-quick solutions that bring no lasting change and can sometimes increase cynicism among employees. During this panel, participants will learn the importance of supporting and sustaining well-being for healthcare professionals in today’s health care environment.

Moderator:
Nick Kagal, FACHE, FHIMSS
HX Client Success Manager
Press Ganey
Panelists:
Dr. Debbie Hillard
Licensed Psychologist
Texas Health Employee Assistance Program Director
Jasmine Mitchell
Director of Patient Experience
Medical City Arlington
Kimberly Williams
Clinical Excellence Program Manager
Texas Health Resources
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Speakers Bios:

Dr. Debbie Hillard earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) in 2002 and soon after she served as an Administrator and Clinician for the Johns Hopkins University/Johns Hopkins Hospital Employee Assistance Program, a role she held until 2011. Building on her experience at Johns Hopkins, she has served as Director of the Texas Health Employee Assistance Program since 2016—providing strategic leadership and compassionate support for workplace mental health and wellness initiatives. She draws on extensive expertise in counseling, organizational support, and program development. Her approach centers on designing responsive, confidential services that empower employees through life’s challenges and transitions. As a trusted partner to HR teams and executive leadership, Dr. Hillard delivers data-informed insights and proactive outreach solutions that strengthen performance, resilience, and retention.
Her work bridges the gap between individual care and organizational culture—creating environments where employees feel seen, supported, and equipped to thrive.

Nick Kagal has three decades of experience in the healthcare industry and has held leadership roles with several major DFW provider organizations including Parkland Health & Hospital System, HealthSouth & Medical Center of Plano. Nick is a Customer Success Executive at Press Ganey, and was previously the Vice President of Marketing, Business Development, and Customer Success at SpinSci Technologies, a leading patient engagement solutions provider. Prior to this Nick served as the Senior Director of Customer Success with Premier Inc for the Western United States.

Nick received his BA in Biology & Psychology from Austin College and an MBA from the Texas A&M University. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) and serves on the boards of both ACHE of North Texas and DFW HIMSS. Nick has also been a national reviewer, moderator, and presenter for the Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, served on the HIMSS National Professional Development Committee, and currently serves on the Governance and Operations Chapter Task Force. Nick lives in McKinney, Texas, and is an avid sports fan, a weekend warrior athlete, a long-distance cyclist and plays guitar & bass in the local cover band Sonic Dissonance.

Jasmine Mitchell has over 16 years of combined customer service and healthcare experience. Throughout her career, she has championed service and operational excellence initiatives to help organizations enhance service quality, quality of care, employee engagement, and patient satisfaction. ​
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Prior to her current role as Director of Patient Experience at Medical City Arlington, Jasmine has worked in retail leadership and several departments of healthcare, including Billing, Emergency Services, Clinical Research, Quality Management, Volunteer Services, Patient Experience, and Nursing Professional Development.​
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Jasmine’s academic journey reflects her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Health Studies, and completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science at Texas Woman’s University.​
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Jasmine could not be where she is today without her friends, family, and high school sweetheart turned husband; their love and continuous support enables her to do the work she loves. To meaningfully impact the lives of those she serves, Jasmine operates with the core values of authenticity, relationality, and transcendence as she seeks to help others find their passion, fulfill their purpose, and find peace.

Kimberly Williams serves as Clinical Excellence Program Manager at Texas Health Resources, bringing over 27 years of nursing experience to her role. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing, is certified in maternal-newborn nursing, and holds advanced certification as a nurse executive.

Her clinical expertise spans trauma, orthopedics, and mother-baby care. Kimberly’s innovative leadership has been instrumental in advancing mentorship and staff development across the organization. In 2024, she became a Faith Community Health Promoter, an honor granted by her organization that reflects her commitment to holistic wellness and healthcare survivorship. She has also completed resiliency facilitator training through the Center of Resiliency and is currently pursuing certification as a Certified Resiliency Facilitator.

Driven by her passion for community service, Kimberly founded The Chrysalis Movement in 2018, a program dedicated to empowerment and transformation. She also shares her love of movement as a certified Zumba instructor at a local community center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she uncovered a new creative outlet—jewelry design—and launched her own business, K ‘Marie Lynn Jewels.

Above all, Kimberly cherishes her role as wife to Jarvis, her husband of 25 years, and as a proud mother to her two sons, Jayden (24) and Jonathan (17)—her greatest sources of joy.

Register Here

Creating a Sustainable Clinically Integrated Network
2025-08-28 17:30 - 19:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.50 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.
Date: Thursday, August 28
Time: 5:30-7pm

Healthcare organizations increasingly face the demands of value-based reimbursement as physicians and healthcare executives are held accountable for higher-quality care delivered at a lower cost. As leaders plan and prepare for value-based care, they also must remain focused on improving health outcomes while reducing cost and waste within their organizations. To maintain focus on current operations while positioning themselves for the opportunities in this value-based reimbursement market, many hospitals and physicians have turned to a clinically integrated network as a viable option. This program will highlight key components of a successful CIN and provide strategies and tactics to create sustainability. This will provide participants with the key components to developing sustainable CINs and operationalizing best practices.
Moderator:
Rhett Stover, MHA FACHE
President
Proactive MD
Panelists:
Dr. Patrick Aguilar
Managing Dir of Health
Washington University
Patrick Hammond
Chief Executive Officer
Emory Health Network
David Thompson
SVP, Chief Growth Officer
Mercy

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Speakers Bios:

Dr. Patrick Aguilar is Managing Director of Health at Washington University’s Olin Business School. Patrick is a pulmonologist with a diverse leadership portfolio spanning academic medicine, integrated health systems, and corporate healthcare. He has served as Director of Medical Critical Care at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore University HealthSystem), and Chief Medical Officer at QuikTrip Corporation, where he led the launch of a retail health initiative and provided clinical oversight for a large, self-administered employee health plan. Patrick currently develops and leads the health-focused portfolio at WashU Olin Business School, where he also teaches and writes on health innovation. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and continues to practice pulmonary medicine.

Rhett Stover, MHA, FACHE, is an accomplished healthcare executive recognized for leadership in guiding healthcare operations, market strategy, and financial performance across various organizations.
Most recently, Mr. Stover served as President of Proactive MD, overseeing a system of 100+ primary care centers across a geographic region of 23 states focusing on innovative Advanced Primary Care, commercial value-based care, and cost-effective healthcare delivery solutions.
Mr. Stover’s leadership experience also includes serving as CEO of Oklahoma State University (OSU) Medicine & OSU Medical Center (OSUMC) where he led system operations, enterprise growth, and directly oversaw operational and financial performance for the OSU Medicine network, comprised of 54 care sites including OSU Physicians, a multi-specialty academic practice plan.
Additionally, Mr. Stover has previously served as Regional President at Healthcare Highways, developing innovative healthcare products and solutions tailored towards the self-insured employer and ERISA plan sponsors, Vice President, Strategic Growth Initiatives for GlobalHealth, Inc., an Oklahoma-based health maintenance organization, and National Director, Strategic Markets, for City of Hope, a national network of advanced oncology focused treatment and research hospitals.
Mr. Stover holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). His contributions to the healthcare field have been recognized with prestigious accolades, including being named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s “Rising Stars: 50 Healthcare Leaders under 40”, the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business “40 Alumni Under 40”, and Oklahoma Magazine’s “40 Under 40”. Mr. Stover is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

Patrick Hammond has had the privilege that his entire 34-year professional career to date has been with Emory Healthcare. Mr. Hammond graduated from Emory University in 1989 where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1991, he received a Master of Health Administration from Duke University. He joined Emory Healthcare in 1991 as an Administrative Resident and has taken on increasing areas of responsibility throughout his career at Emory. These include starting the first managed care office for the system in 1992 and forming the Emory Healthcare Network in 2011.
In his current roles, he has executive leadership responsibility for the following areas: the Emory Healthcare Network; the Emory Healthcare Population Health Collaborative that includes Emory’s aligned primary care physician network of over 550 primary care physicians, including over 50 Emory owned primary care offices throughout Metro Atlanta. As Chief Market Services officer he has accountability for the system’s managed care payer contracting, including medical economics, and reporting. The contracts negotiated by this department account for over 80% of the system’s net revenue. He also has accountability in this role for medical staff services that encompasses credentialing, payer enrollment, medical staff support and physician outreach strategies.

Dave Thompson serves as Mercy’s senior vice president, chief growth officer and president of population health. He joined Mercy in 2020 and has helped design many of Mercy’s current value-based contracts, with their crucial combination of quality, safety and reduced cost for payers and most importantly, Mercy patients. Dave’s focus is transformative growth and population health, helping to simultaneously transform the care model and payment model to meet consumer needs. Prior to Mercy, he worked for more than 20 years in various senior level financial and operational roles within the health care industry, including primary care, population health, health system and health plan payer sectors.
Thompson holds a bachelor’s in accounting with an emphasis in management and accounting information systems from Oklahoma State University.

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Executive Exchange
2025-09-11 07:30 - 09:30 | International Plaza II, 1st Floor Conference Room, 14221 Dallas Pkwy Suite 400, Dallas, TX, 75254
A Strategic Exchange for Senior Leaders Shaping Tomorrow.

Join a select group of senior leaders from across the metroplex for an exclusive morning of peer connection, strategic dialogue, and shared insights. This intimate gathering is designed to foster meaningful conversations around system growth — what’s driving it today and what’s on the horizon.
Hear from fellow executives in the DFW market during a dynamic session, where each speaker will share key initiatives and forward-looking strategies in a quick, impactful format.
Whether you’re navigating expansion, transformation, or innovation, this is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and gain fresh perspectives from your peers.
This event is exclusively for those who are at the Vice President level or above.

Register Here

2025 Pride Parade on Cedar Springs “United in Love, Bound by Pride”
2025-09-21 13:30 - 16:00 | Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, TX, 75219
Join us as we celebrate love and pride while marching together in the 2025 Pride Parade!

Be part of the excitement at the 2025 Pride Parade on Cedar Springs, “United in Love, Bound by Pride”! Volunteers will walk alongside the Resource Center Sexy Mobil Unit, enjoy snacks and water, and help make this vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community unforgettable. Arrive by 1:30 PM on Sunday, September 21, and march from 2–4 PM in a fun, inclusive, and spirited event.

1:30 PM: Walkers in parade groups: Walkers do not need to be in the allotted space until this time, but they must arrive by 1:30 PM. Volunteers will walk alongside Resource Center Sexy Mobil Unit, water and snacks will be provided.
2:00 PM: Parade Starts. Please do not stop on the parade route unless instructed. Follow any instructions given by the Parade Technical Crew guiding you along the parade route.
4:00 PM: Parade Ends. After completing the parade route, we will exit onto Oak Lawn Avenue toward I35 and head to our next destination. Walkers are free to leave after this or stay to watch the rest of the parade.

Register Here

ACHE of North Texas Board of Governors Exam Preparation Course
2025-09-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford (HEB), 1600 Hospital Parkway, Bedford, TX, 76022
Become a recognized leader among executives in healthcare management by becoming a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives®.

Guided by North Texas Healthcare Leaders, Designed for Your Success!
Join the ACHE NTX Advancement Committee for our annual Board of Governors Prep Course
We’ve brought together a diverse group of seasoned leaders and hospital executives from across North Texas to guide you through our Board of Governors Exam Preparation Course. These accomplished professionals will share their firsthand knowledge, expertise, and insights to help prepare the next generation of Fellows.

During the course, we will:
· Review the Board of Governors Exam content and structure
· Share exam preparation tips and resources to set you up for success
This is more than just an exam review — it’s a chance to learn directly from industry executives who have navigated the journey themselves and are committed to helping you achieve your professional goals.

Register Here

Knowledge Area 2025 Subject Matter Experts

Healthcare
Lee Ann Benson, FACHE
Senior Vice President
Children’s Health & UT Southwestern Joint Pediatric Enterprise (JPE)

Management and Leadership/Business
Matt Richardson, DrPH, MPH, FACHE
Director of Public Health
Denton County Public Health

Human Resources
Phaedra Johnson, RACR, CCMP, SHRM
Human Resources Officer
Texas Health Fort Worth Hospital

Finance
Heather Jones
Vice President & CFO
Baylor Scott & White Frisco

Quality and Performance Management
Brandon Goertz, PhD, FACHE
President
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford

Professionalism and Ethics
Javier Montemayor
Division Ethics and Compliance Officer
HCA Healthcare

Laws and Regulations
Toya White, JD, MBA, APRN, FNP-C, FACHE
President & Chief Nursing Officer
Texas Health Kaufman

Governance and Organizational Structure
Marva Gordan, PharmD, MBA, DPLA, FACHE
Director of Pharmacy
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth

Healthcare Technology and Information Management Knowledge
Eric Stephens
Vice President, Data and Analytics
Catalyst Health Group

A big thanks to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hurst-Euless-Bedford for hosting this event for us!!

2025 ACHE of North Texas Better Together Event
2025-09-30 17:30 - 20:00 | CHRISTUS Health Corporate Office, 5101 N O'Connor Blvd Irving, Irving, TX, 75039
Please join us for this special event, as we truly are “Better When We Are Together!”

Join us for an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing community, culture and inclusion within the healthcare industry. Hosted by the North Texas chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHENTX), CHRISTUS Health, and the North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ), this networking event brings together professionals, advocates, and allies who share a commitment to building a more equitable healthcare landscape.
Connect with peers who are passionate about driving positive transformation in healthcare. In recognition of the power of collaboration, ACHE of North Texas has organized this event alongside local chapters of leading healthcare organizations under a shared banner — “Better Together.” The National Association for Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE), the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE), Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS), North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ), and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), Healthcare Data & Analytics Association DFW Chapter (HDAA-DFW), in partnership with ACHENTX and its Asian Healthcare Leaders Community of North Texas (AHLC), PRIDE Community and Women’s Healthcare Executives’ Network (WHEN), will co-host a special reception open to members and all interested in learning more about the impactful work of these groups.

All are welcome!

Keynote Presentation by:
Patrick Hart
Founder
PDPMEDIA
Kris Sanders, FACHE
Senior Vice President, Northern Market Growth & Development
Children’s Health Plano

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Speakers Bios:
With nearly three decades of experience, Patrick Hart stands out as a transformational force in the healthcare and digital media landscapes. He currently leads HealthHustle Chronicles and PDPMedia, two ventures focused on storytelling, career elevation and brand visibility within the healthcare sector. Through these platforms, he produces content that amplifies unique voices, addresses professional growth barriers and uplifts the next generation of healthcare leaders.
Before launching his own companies, Mr. Hart held multiple executive leadership roles, including vice president of enterprise development, vice president of sales and vice president of customer success. In each role, he was responsible for strategic growth, market expansion, sales leadership and enhancing client experience. Across his career, he has consistently driven innovation, operational excellence and inclusive leadership, helping organizations scale while keeping people at the center of the mission.
Mr. Hart’s foundation in leadership was forged during his service in the U.S. Army, where he worked as an aviation maintenance supervisor and operations leader. This military background laid the groundwork for the discipline, agility and resilience that define his professional ethos today.
An advocate for lifelong learning, Mr. Hart holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of Phoenix. His academic achievements complement his hands-on experience and entrepreneurial drive.
Outside of business, Mr. Hart remains deeply committed to community service. He has been a dedicated blood donor with Carter BloodCare for over 17 years and is the author of “Hustle to the Top: A Modern Guide for Scaling Your Career,” a motivational guide that reflects his passion for mentoring and empowering others.
Born in Austin, Texas, Mr. Hart is a proud family man, married for over 23 years with four sons. Looking forward, he aims to expand his global reach by sharing impactful stories, building international networks and continuing to shine a light on the unsung heroes of healthcare and beyond.

Kris Sanders, FACHE currently serves as Senior Vice President, Northern Market Growth and Development at Children’s Health Plano. She is board certified in Healthcare Administration. She has a Bachelor of Healthcare Administration as well as her Master of Business Administration. Kris currently oversees the leadership and implementation of all Northern Market activity in DFW for Children’s Health. She previously worked at Envision Physician Services, which she worked as Vice President of Operations. Other previous roles include opportunities at Methodist Health System and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Kris is a board-certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). She also serves as a board member and President Elect for ACHE North Texas. She is a proud member of National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) where she currently serves as the President Elect for the DFW chapter. Kris also serves on the board of directors for Live Oak Surgery Center and Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County. She is a proud Leadership Plano Class 39 graduate and was recently awarded Diversity Leaders “Rising Star” by Modern Healthcare magazine in 2024. In addition to the professional work, Kris is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Chi Zeta Omega chapter in Plano, TX.

Participating Organizations/Networks/Communities:
AHLCNTX:
The Asian Healthcare Leaders Community of NTX aims to increase representation of Asian-Americans in healthcare leadership in various healthcare settings and at all career stages. The AHLCNTX community addresses this mission through targeted education, networking, casual conversations, publications, social media spotlights and community visibility initiatives designed to provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.
HDAA:
The Healthcare Data and Analytics Association (HDAA) is a volunteer-led organization founded in 2001 to foster collaboration among healthcare professionals focused on improving patient outcomes and reducing costs through data and analytics. It offers a vendor-free environment for sharing best practices, hosts an annual conference, and supports special interest groups and online forums for over 6,500 members across nearly 1,400 healthcare providers, insurers, public health agencies, and academic institutions.
HFMA:
HFMA is the nation’s leading membership organization for healthcare financial management executives and leaders. More than 34,000 members, ranging from CFOs to controllers to accountants consider HFMA a respected thought leader on top trends and issues facing the healthcare industry. HFMA members can be found in all areas of the healthcare system including hospitals, managed care organizations, physician practices, accounting firms and insurance companies.
HIMSS:
Healthcare Information Management Systems Society is a professional organization for healthcare and IT professionals providing leadership, professional development, education, and networking opportunities. The Mission of HIMSS is to reform the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.
NALHE:
The National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives is a national organization led by Latino/Latina executive leaders of U.S. hospitals and healthcare organizations and experts in the fields of health care policy and practice. NALHE was founded in 2005 to increase senior-level Latino/Latina representation in hospitals and health systems in the United States. Our goal is to create a future workforce of highly talented Latino/Latina healthcare executives who can meet the challenge of delivering and improving healthcare in our diverse communities.
NAHSE:
The National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) is a non-profit association of Black health care executives founded in 1968 for the purpose of promoting the advancement and development of Black health care leaders and elevating the quality of health care services rendered to minority and underserved communities. NAHSE’s purpose is to ensure greater participation of minority groups in the health field. Its basic objective is to develop and maintain a strong viable national body to effectively have input in the national health care delivery system.
NTAHQ:
The North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ) is committed to excellence in healthcare through developing and promoting professional expertise in the art and science of healthcare quality. Additionally, NTAHQ provides opportunity for collaboration with area colleagues.
PRIDE:
The ACHENTX PRIDE community is dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ leaders and allies in healthcare by fostering representation and inclusion across all settings and career stages. The PRIDE community supports this mission through networking, advocacy, and visibility initiatives that provide opportunities for personal and professional growth while promoting a more equitable healthcare environment.
WHEN:
Our ACHE of North Texas Women’s Healthcare Executives’ Network (WHEN) started in 2018 – offering educational and networking opportunities specifically geared toward women working in and around the healthcare industry. These programs include our popular annual Women’s Conferences and annual Women’s Breakfasts – and other periodic gatherings spread throughout the year as well.

Register Here

Women's Breakfast - Policy, Power, and Purpose: Women Executives Influencing Healthcare Legislation
2025-10-03 07:30 - 09:30 | AMN Healthcare, 2999 Olympus Blvd, Suite 500, Coppell, TX, 75019
Date: Friday, October 3
Time: 7:30-9:30am
Location: AMN Healthcare
2999 Olympus Boulevard
Coppell, TX 75019

Policy, Power, and Purpose: Women Executives Influencing Healthcare Legislation is a dynamic Women’s Breakfast event bringing together influential female leaders in healthcare policy. Attendees will gain insights into how women executives are shaping legislative priorities, advancing equitable healthcare reforms, and leveraging their leadership to drive systemic change. This empowering gathering offers valuable networking, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiration for women at all stages of their professional journey.

Moderator:
Whitney M. Laughlin
Corporate Secretary & Chief Legal Officer
AMN Healthcare
Panelists:
Michaela Bennett
Vice President of Government Relations
Children’s Health
Sara González
Vice President of Advocacy, Public Policy, & Political Strategy
Texas Hospital Association
Shona Sowell
Director of Community Relations
Texas Health Frisco & City of Frisco Mayoral Candidate

A special thanks to AMN Healthcare and Encompass Health for hosting this event for us!

Register Here

Speakers’ Bios:

Michaela Bennett serves as vice president of government relations at Children’s Health in Dallas. In her role, she leads advocacy efforts to shape public policy that enhances pediatric health care access and outcomes across Texas. Bennett collaborates with lawmakers and stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels to advance initiatives supporting children’s health. Her work includes engaging with legislative processes, such as registering support for health care-related bills in the Texas Legislature. Through her leadership, Children’s Health continues to be a prominent voice in promoting the well-being of children statewide.

Sara González serves as Vice President of Advocacy, Public Policy, and Political Strategy for the Texas Hospital Association (THA). Joining THA in 2016, Sara works to advocate for Texas hospitals by educating members of the Texas Legislature on an array of policy issues including Hospital Finance, Medicaid, Managed Care, Quality, and Behavioral Health policy.

Prior to working at THA, Sara worked for over 13 years in the Texas Senate on various aspects of public policy and government affairs and in numerous roles including Chief of Staff to a state Senator. Originally from Rio Grande City, Sara graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Whitney M. Laughlin serves as the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for AMN Healthcare, overseeing the legal, corporate governance, privacy and compliance, equity compensation strategy, government and community affairs functions of the company.

Ms. Laughlin joined AMN Healthcare in 2006 and was named Deputy General Counsel in 2011. She holds leadership responsibilities within the legal department’s corporate, employment, litigation and contract divisional legal support functions and provides strategic and operational oversight for the Ethics and Compliance programs.

Prior to joining AMN Healthcare, Ms. Laughlin was a partner at Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith where she had an employment litigation practice, primarily serving healthcare and staffing industry clients. She received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, both from Southern Methodist University.
Ms. Laughlin is a licensed attorney in California and Texas. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of SafeHaven of Tarrant County and on the Board of International Esperanza Project.

Shona Sowell’s extensive involvement in the community of Frisco includes being elected to two terms on the Frisco City Council from 2016-2022. In her role on council, she chaired the Legislative Committee leading the efforts in working for legislation that would positively impact Frisco residents by providing testimony, input, and expertise with state legislators. Her work at the state level led to the residents of Frisco receiving much needed funds (over $28 million) from the state to help with the cleanup of a closed battery plant. She has a passion for collaboration with legislators at all levels and works to connect and build relationships.

Shona also served on the Budget & Audit Committee, Governance Committee, Ad Hoc Performing Arts Center Committee, the North Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Committee, Regional Transportation Council, and Mayor’s Youth Council. Each of these committees allowed her to take deep dives into the resources and relationships of the City of Frisco to better represent the needs of our residents. Recently, Shona announced her candidacy for Mayor of Frisco with the election coming in May of 2026.

Professionally, Shona serves as the Director of Community Relations for Texas Health Hospital Frisco, where she works to build relationships among community groups and the hospital to provide more services in the community.

Shona holds bachelor’s degrees from Southwest Baptist University (4 Majors—Political Science, History, Social Science Education, & Speech), as well as two master’s degrees in Communications and Political Science/Public Policy. Previously, Shona has served in government relations roles at the Frisco Chamber of Commerce advocating legislatively for the business community, and as a nationally recognized high school teacher of US Government, US & World History, and Communications. She coached Speech & Debate on the national circuit working with high school students to find and improve their voice. She has a passion for articulate AND considerate discussion of tough issues that impact society. Over the years, she has worked with the Frisco ISD Independent Study and Mentorship program as a mentor to young men and women looking to make their own marks in the field of public policy.

Shona and her husband Will are empty nesters with four children between them and one very spoiled dog named Honey Bear. They are members of Genesis Metro Church in Frisco and both active in various community roles. When they are not working or serving in their community, Will and Shona can be found traveling or cheering on Formula 1 racing.

Register Here
