2024 DFW Healthcare Student Summit
2024-02-17 08:30 - 14:30 (America/Denver) | UTA Fort Worth, Gallery 76102, 1401 Jones Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76102
We are excited to host our 4th Annual DFW Student Summit organized by our ACHE of North Texas Student Council!
This event is geared toward current healthcare administration students preparing to move into a healthcare career, already in a healthcare occupation and nearing graduation, or recently graduated and employed in their first healthcare position. We welcome all those who are interested in learning more about the industry.
The agenda will consist of two panel discussions and conclude with a Keynote after lunch.
Please join us on Saturday, February 17 from 8:30am – 2:30pm at the UTA Fort Worth Center, 1401 Jones St, Fort Worth, 76102.
A special thanks to the University of Texas at Arlington for hosting this event at their Fort Worth Campus!
Event Itinerary
8:30am-8:50am: Coffee, Check-in, and Registration
8:50am-9:00am: Welcome and Introductions
9:00am-10:30am: Healthcare Operations Panel

Crystal Brown, MBA; Vice President & Chief Operating Officer; Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
Justin Pond; Chief Operating Officer; Baylor Scott & White Health Waxahachie
Loren Fouch, LCSW; Chief Executive Officer; Millwood Hospital
Gregory Chelsey, MHA; Chief Operations Officer; Medical Specialists Associated

10:30am-10:50 am– Break
10:50am-12:20pm– AI Healthcare

Harvey Castro, M.D., MBA, FACEP; CEO of Convo with GPT, CCOO at Vitel Health

Nick Kagal, FACHE; Vice President of Business Development, Customer Success; SpinSci Technologies
Pamela Salyer, PhD, RN, NI-BC; BS, MS and Ph.D. in Nursing; Houston Methodist
Ogan Gurel, MD; BioHealth Innovation Specialist at the University of Texas – Arlington; Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics (MICHI)

12:20pm-1:05pm – Lunch and Networking
1:05pm-1:50pm – Keynote
Speaker: Alexis Burnett; Division Vice President of Surgical & Procedural Services; Medical City Healthcare
2:00pm-2:30pm – Optional Networking

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Speakers Bios:
Crystal Brown, MBA, is a native of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. She serves as the Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center in Mansfield, TX. In this role she is focused on service line growth & development, operational efficiency, and patient experience. At Methodist Health System, she serves on the W.O.M.E.N Women of Methodist Enrichment Network to foster the growth and development of women within the organization. She is also active in the Mansfield community and serves on the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation Board.
Crystal has a strong passion for personal and professional development that has been sharpened with over 24 years of experience in Human Resources, Supply Chain, and Hospital Operations. She is a proud graduate of Texas Woman’s University where she received her Master’s in Business Administration. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives serving on the Women Healthcare Executives Network Committee and the Board of Directors, National Association of Health Services Executives, and the Girls Scouts of Northeast Texas serving on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Corporate Council Committee.
Crystal has received numerous awards for her transformational leadership style. In June of 2023, she was awarded the Dr. Marion J. Brooks “Legend in the Making” award for her contributions in healthcare. In October of 2023, she was honored with the ACHENTX Executive Servant Leader Regent’s Award. She is passionate about the growth & development of girls, women, and healthcare leaders and often volunteers at local events, conferences, and colleges to donate her time and expertise.

Alexis Burnett is currently the division vice president of surgical and procedural services for Medical City Healthcare, a division of HCA healthcare. Additionally, she leads the abdominal transplant and robotics service lines across the 16-hospital system. A proud graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, she was inspired to pursue a career in nursing and subsequently decided to advance her knowledge by obtaining a master’s in business administration and a doctorate in business administration. She is also certified in patient safety.
With almost 13 years in the healthcare industry, her passion is helping others. Initially rooted in helping patients, she found her calling in leadership. She finds joy in mentoring and helping other healthcare professionals advance their own careers.
When Alexis isn’t at work, she is chauffeuring her children to sports or trying to find time for a run.

Dr. Harvey Castro is a Physician, Author, CEO, and AI Healthcare Advisor. With over two decades of experience as a physician, entrepreneur, and former CEO of a healthcare system, Dr. Castro expanded his influence into healthcare management, working with physicians, and integrating healthcare management into modern practices.
His commitment to revolutionizing healthcare through AI has led him to serve as a Strategic Advisor for ChatGPT & Healthcare. Dr. Castro aims to create a seamless symbiosis between healthcare professionals, AI developers, and innovative AI solutions. Healing with Data, One Byte at a Time.

Gregory D. Chesley, MHA, is the Chief Operations Officer for Medical Specialists Associated in Dallas, Texas. He holds a master’s degree in Health Administration (MHA) from the University of Southern California. His undergraduate degree is from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA with a double major in Finance and Marketing and a minor in Business Administration.
In 1996, he relocated to Dallas and began his career in the healthcare field as a staff accountant with HCA covering 23 ambulatory surgery centers. His career progressed to an ophthalmology physician practice management company (Physicians Resource Group) as a senior accountant. In 1999, he took a financial analyst position with another specialty physician practice management company (CareSelect). He ended his time at CareSelect as the Director of Purchasing, Planning, and Development.
Greg assumed the helm of Texas Cardiac Associates as the Chief Executive Officer in 2001 until their acquisition in 2015. During the acquisition he became the Practice Administrator – Dallas Market, covering over 8 locations and 14 specialty providers, for Tenet Healthcare. In 2016, the organization transitioned ownership to the Baylor Scott & White Health System. Upon that transition he became the Practice Administrator III for the East Dallas Region over Cardiology and Pulmonology. In this role he managed 14 locations, 20 specialty providers, 120+ employees for Baylor Scott & White.
In 2019 Greg became the Regional Market Director – Dallas / Ft. Worth for DispatchHealth. Dispatch Health is a mobile urgent / acute care option focused on decreasing the cost of healthcare through the reduction of emergency department utilization. In this role he managed the relationships with strategic partners, payors, providers, and consumers. In 2021 Greg took over as the Vice President of Operations for Premier Management Company (ACO). He was responsible for three Accountable Care Organizations spanning four states managing multiple provider offices, ventures, and Medicare Advantage contracts.
Currently, Greg is the Chief Operations Officer for Medical Specialists Associated. He is responsible for the operational, financial, and clinical oversight of an independent provider group of 15 internal medicine specialists. We also offer external consulting and RCM services to external private practice groups in the local North Texas area.
In addition, Greg is an Adjunct instructor for the Executive Master of Health Administration program at the University of Southern California. He teaches Strategic Management, Operations Management, and Leading People in Healthcare Organizations.
On a personal note, Greg is the husband of a fellow USC Alumni and father to a 5 year old boy. In his free time, Greg is an avid martial artist and holds the ranks of Godan (5th Degree) in two styles of martial arts and a Sandan in Jujutsu. He enjoys traveling, running, and biking.

Loren Fouch, LCSW is the CEO of Millwood Hospital, a 134 bed inpatient behavioral health facility in Arlington Tx with and 4 outpatient clinics across the DFW Metroplex. Loren is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked in a wide variety of behavioral health settings throughout her career to include inpatient and outpatient settings, crisis intervention teams with local law enforcement, schools, emergency departments, and medical social work. She began her career working in West Africa as an intern and developed a passion for social work and advocating for underrepresented communities. After receiving her Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin she has spent her career in the great state of Texas. Her clinical specialties have been around child and adolescent mental health to include play therapy and family interventions. AS she transitioned into administrative roles, she found that her clinical experiences assisted in bringing a human-centered approach to both leadership and providing care to those in need. Her passion is helping individuals and families find a place of peace and understanding along their recovery.

Dr. Ogan Gurel has had a wide-ranging career spanning clinical medicine, scientific research, industry and academia. He currently serves as a BioHealth Innovation Specialist at the University of Texas – Arlington and the Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics (MICHI). Dr. Gurel has had an extensive career in healthcare innovation with familiar names such as IBM, Samsung, Booz Allen as well as dozens of startups worldwide. Bridging the worlds of industry and academia, he has also held previous academic appointments as a Visiting Professor at the Solbridge International School of Business, Vice-Chair & Distinguished Invited Professor in the Management of Innovation program at DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology) as well as Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois – Chicago and Roosevelt University. Dr. Gurel’s over 35 years of experience spans multiple sectors: biomedical science, clinical medicine, strategy consulting, marketing, business development, executive management, marketing, and R&D management, with domain expertise in medical devices, digital healthcare, healthcare IT, molecular biophysics, and medical imaging. Prior to surgical training at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Gurel obtained an MD degree Alpha Omega Alpha from the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, also doing graduate work in structural biology (M.Phil degree) and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Sciences cum laude from Harvard College working with Prof. Martin Karplus (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013). Authoring 14 peer-reviewed scholarly papers (as well as a novel, Waves), presenting nearly 200 conference proceedings, and co-inventor on ten patent applications (four granted), Dr. Gurel has also given keynote addresses and other speeches at scientific and business conferences and seminars worldwide. He has taught the mini-MD, a comprehensive overview of medicine for healthcare professionals for the past decade in locations worldwide, including South Korea, the United States, Italy, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

Nick Kagal is the Vice President of Business Development and leads Customer Success for SpinSci Technologies, a healthcare technology solutions provider focused on driving patient engagement. Nick previously led Customer Success for the Western United States for Premier Inc.’s Performance Services division supporting informatics solutions and services focused on cost, quality, and safety. He has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and has held leadership roles with several Dallas/Fort Worth health systems including Parkland Health & Hospital System, Medical Center of Plano, and HealthSouth.
Nick received his BA in Biology and psychology from Austin College and holds an MBA from Texas A&M University. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a board member of DFW HIMSS, and a Commissioner on the City of Plano Cultural Arts Commission. Nick serves on various ACHE committees including Advancement (a former chair), Education, and is a co-chair of the Asian Healthcare Leaders Community (AHLC). Nick lives in Plano, 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.

Justin Pond serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Waxahachie. He first joined the Baylor Scott & White family in 2011 as a registered nurse in the emergency department and moved to the administrative team in 2015.
A native of North Carolina, Justin received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He completed his Master of Business Administration from Baylor University. Prior to joining the healthcare industry, he served in the United States Marine Corps.
He is a board member of the United Way of West Ellis County and former Chair of the Texas Hospital Association Leadership Development Council. His experiences in the military and healthcare helped him to uncover a passion to serve others.
Justin and his wife, Kristen, enjoy spending time with their two children, James and Ellie. They love to travel and can frequently be found anywhere there are mountains to hike.

Pamela Salyer, PhD, RN, NI-BC is a Texas Woman’s University (TWU) Alumni, with a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Nursing. She has worked at Houston Methodist for 42 years, with 34 of those years in Information Technology, doing every aspect of IT from product selection and procurement to post-implementation review of and strategic planning for clinical and corporate systems. She served as Corporate Compliance Officer for the IT Division for five years before leaving Houston Methodist in 2008 to assist in setting up
the Gulf Coast Regional Extension Center at the University of Texas (UT) School of Biomedical Informatics. She returned to Houston Methodist in 2012, becoming the Project Manager for the Chief Information Officer and a Consultant for the Houston Methodist Center for Innovation. In addition to her work at Houston Methodist, Dr. Salyer taught the Information Management class in the MHA Program at TWU for 24 years, and graduate-level Project Management and Systems Analysis at the UT School of Biomedical Informatics for 11 years. She is ANCC-certified in Nursing Informatics, with expertise in IT regulatory and legal compliance, electronic medical records, analytics, and healthcare technology innovation.

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Digital Health in the Healthcare Delivery System
2024-02-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education credits.
The pandemic has only accelerated what was already a fastmoving train toward more of healthcare becoming digital. Whether it is the increasing need for telehealth services, the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence, or advances toward more personalized medicine, the intersection of healthcare and digital technology is here to stay. In addition, digital health has become a healthcare access imperative. Its innovative benefits are of vital interest amid the implementation of most healthcare regulations.
This program surveys some of the current uses and organizational deployment of digital health strategies. The discussion includes adoption and innovation across the clinical and patient perspectives. The technical, operational, regulatory, and financial/reimbursement aspects of the development of these programs will also be investigated. The expanding role that digital health holds in daily life and its direction into the future of the healthcare delivery system will be explored.

Moderator:
Nick Kagal, FACHE
Vice President of Business Development-Customer Success
SpinSci Technologies
Panelists:
Dr. Chris Gallagher
Chief Executive Officer
Access TeleCare
Urooj Mansoor, MD
Physician
Legacy Internal Medicine
Seth Mollitt
Senior Vice President, Product Development & Innovation
SCP Health

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Speakers Bios:
Chris Gallagher, M.D., FACC is the CEO of Access TeleCare and a practicing cardiologist.
Access TeleCare is the country’s largest high-acuity telemedicine provider, operating programs in almost every state in the country. Its core service lines include neurology and behavioral health, cardiology, cardiac arrest management, hospitalist, pulmonary and critical care, infectious disease, and maternal-fetal medicine. Most recently, the company has added nephrology and endocrinology to its service lines.
Dr. Gallagher is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease. He has dedicated his career to physician leadership and the development of efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality physician networks.
Prior to leading Access TeleCare, Dr. Gallagher co-founded Access Physicians in 2013. In this role, Dr. Gallagher pioneered the use of telemedicine to manage cardiac arrest more effectively.
Access Physicians merged with SCO Telemed in 2021, and Dr. Gallagher became CEO of the merged company. In 2022, the company acquired Forefront Telecare to expand its behavioral health footprint and rebranded as Access TeleCare.
Dr. Gallagher served as the Chief Medical Officer of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs from 2012 to 2017. He trained at UT Southwestern for both his Internal Medicine residency and Cardiology Fellowship and earned his Doctor of Medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. He is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology, member of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association.
In 2023, Dr. Gallagher was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Tech University for his contributions to the field of medicine and the positive impact his work with Access TeleCare has on the larger society.

Nick Kagal is the Vice President of Business Development and leads Customer Success for SpinSci Technologies, a healthcare technology solutions provider focused on driving patient engagement. Nick previously led Customer Success for the Western United States for Premier Inc.’s Performance Services division supporting informatics solutions and services focused on cost, quality, and safety. He has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and has held leadership roles with several Dallas/Fort Worth health systems including Parkland Health & Hospital System, Medical Center of Plano, and HealthSouth.
Nick received his BA in Biology and psychology from Austin College and holds an MBA from Texas A&M University. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a board member of DFW HIMSS, and a Commissioner on the City of Plano Cultural Arts Commission. Nick serves on various ACHE committees including Advancement (a former chair), Education, and is a co-chair of the Asian Healthcare Leaders Community (AHLC). Nick lives in Plano, 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.
Dr. Urooj Mansoor is primary care physician and practices at Legacy Internal Medicine in Frisco, TX. She graduated from a Prestigious Medical school, Sindh Medical College, Pakistan in 2000 and completed her residency in internal medicine from Chicago in 2006. She is Board certified in Internal Medicine and has experience of more than 20 years. She has an extensive clinical experience in taking care of patients in the inpatient hospital setting, clinic, rehab and skilled nursing facilities. Dr. Mansoor is fluent in English, Urdu and Hindi. Dr. Mansoor has always been highly respected by her patients, peers and colleagues, because of her compassionate care and excellent communication skills.

Seth Mollitt leads Product Development and Innovation for SCP Health. In his role Seth is responsible for identifying and launching new service offerings and for driving innovation within SCP Health’s Emergency Medicine and Hospital Medicine services. Prior to joining SCP Health Seth led health system partnerships for a digital health startup, and before that he spent 13 years at GE Healthcare where he held a variety of roles focused on creating innovative partnerships which leveraged GEHC technologies and capabilities to drive outcomes for health systems. Seth holds a undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of California, Berkely and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Strategically Mapping Your Early Career Development
2024-02-22 17:30 - 19:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education credits.
In today’s changing healthcare environment, early careerists need skills and strategies to position themselves for the future. You have the freedom to create the career paths that link your talents and interests with the right job. No job comes with a lifetime guarantee, and flexibility is important. To achieve upward mobility in your career, you must constantly reinvent your brand. Learn from your peers the necessary steps to take your career path to the next level. This panel will focus on nuts-and-bolts career planning for early careerists in the healthcare sector.
Moderator:
Sunil Sinha, MD, MBA, FACHE, FACP
Vice President of Population Health and Quality
Sentara Health Plans
Panelists:
Melissa Arana
System Director, Clinical Services Department
Baylor Scott and White Quality Alliance
Matthew Lin
Undergraduate Research Fellow
University of Texas at Dallas
Marion Spears Karr, MA, FACHE
Managing Partner and Founder
In-FLOW Executives

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Speakers Bios:
Melissa Arana DNP, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NEA-BC is a System Director of the Clinical Services Department for Baylor Scott and White Quality Alliance. With more than 16 years of experience as a Trauma/ General Surgery/Orthopedic/Quality Improvement/ Nurse at Baylor Scott & White Health, Melissa holds national credentials as a Certified Medical Surgical Nurse (CMSRN) and NEA-BC (Nurse Executive Advanced Board Certification) and in 2021 finished up her Doctorate Nursing Program (DNP) at UTA. Melissa also worked at Dallas Regional Medical Center in the Emergency Room as a staff nurse for 15 years.
Melissa served as a staff nurse, charge nurse, unit-based educator and clinical supervisor on a 82 bed Trauma/general surgery/orthopedic unit at Baylor Medical Center in 2007 until 2014. In 2014 until 2017 Melissa served as the Programs Outcomes Manager for the Orthopedic Population where she managed total joint patients and published an article in the Journal of Orthopedic Nursing titled “Reducing length of stay, direct cost, and readmissions in total joint arthroplasty patients with an Outcomes manager led interdisciplinary team.” Melissa has also presented multiple poster and podium presentations in her career and has been involved in multiple research studies.
From 2017 to present Melissa has spent the last 6 years as the System Director of the Clinical Services Department at BSWQA. Melissa has designed multiple clinical programs with our direct to employer, commercial and Medicare contracts (Sleep Apnea, Low back pain, Sepsis, Cardiovascular Surgery, MA care model, Medicare Care model, ESRD). She also leads the ambulatory pharmacy department and the gaps in care department. Melissa has designed and implemented a complex clinical performance compensation program for providers and hospitals related to provider quality and utilization performance. She has designed and implemented provider success/performance programs related to payer contract performance. She has assisted her organization in obtaining $83.6M in total savings in 2022 for MSSP, which is the highest earned savings nationally for an ACO.

Matthew Lin is an undergraduate sophomore majoring in Public Health at the University of Texas at Dallas. He graduated in the top 5% of his Californian high school class, and received a full-ride scholarship to enroll in the Honors program at UTD. He is currently on a pre-medical track whilst self-studying subjects in Healthcare Management, Economics, and Health Policy. He recently completed an MIT certification in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and hopes to contribute to the integration of AI in healthcare delivery as a future practicing physician and health policy contributor.
He has varied previous experiences from community-level breast and cervical cancer public health interventions at UTHealth Houston to molecular analysis on the Sars-CoV-2 spike protein under former Bristol Myers Squibb drug researchers.

Dr. Sunil Sinha has served in a variety of clinical and administrative leadership roles and is the Vice President for Quality and Population Health at Sentara Health Plans (SHP) in Virginia. Previously he was the Chief Medical Officer of the BJC medical group in St Louis, Missouri, the Chief Medical Officer of ChenMed and JenCare Neighborhood Medical Centers in Virginia, and the Chief Medical Officer at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center in Richmond, VA. Prior to joining Bon Secours, Dr. Sinha served as Director for Medical and Public Health Policy for Pfizer Inc. in New York and Washington, D.C., and as a senior medical officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he served as the Director of the Managed Care Clinical Center of the VA Maryland Health Care System and the Director of Primary Care at the Marion VA Medical Center.
He has served as a senior examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program and was appointed by the U.S. Commerce Secretary to serve a three-year term as a national judge. He is past chairperson of the Maryland Performance Excellence Award program, board member of the Virginia state Baldrige Award program, and board member and judge of the Illinois ILPeX (Baldrige) award program. He served as a juror for the National Quality Forum’s National Health Care Quality Award and the Joint Commission’s John M. Eisenberg Award. He has been adjunct faculty at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Virginia Commonwealth University and is the Editor in Chief of the Core Body of Knowledge for the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Reviews Healthcare Quality and Physician Advisor certification. He is a certified executive coach from the Center for Executive Coaching.
He has served on the American College of Physicians (ACP) Maryland and Illinois Governor’s Councils and with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) has served on the national Board of Governors, as the President for the Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives, Regent for Maryland, and on the Board for the Central Virginia Healthcare Executive Group.
Dr. Sinha is a board-certified internist, completing his medical education in India and an internal medicine residency at the Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, where he served as Associate Chief Resident. He received his MBA from Southern Illinois University, holds a graduate certificate in information systems from The Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School and is currently pursuing an MPH from the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health.

Marion Spears Karr is the Managing Partner and Founder of in-FLOW Executives, a healthcare-centric executive search and leadership solutions company focused on building highly engaged and focused leadership teams, support them with proprietary coaching and learning platforms, and create a “culture of accomplishment”.

With over 33 years of experience in healthcare executive recruiting and talent acquisition, Marion’s spent a great deal of time in the industry focused on understanding it on a macro and micro level and enjoys collaborating with mission-focused leaders from all levels of experience.

He is the developer of the Accomplishment Culture© Coaching Model for team and individual leadership growth which is founded on positive psychology thought such as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi “Flow Theory,” Elias Porter’s “Relationship Awareness Theory,” the work of Michael Maccoby on “Strategic Intelligence” along with other influences and his own work over the last 30 years.

Marion most recent training model development, The Authentic Gratitude Communication Framework, equips leaders to harness the power of gratitude to build engagement, trust, and promote positive behaviors within team members. Multiple hospitals across the U.S. have been the pilot for this training and a future research project is in the works.

Having suffered a traumatic brain injury years ago, Marion volunteers in organizations that support brain injury research and recovery programs.

Marion is a board-certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Campbell University and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership from Liberty University.

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ACHENTX AHLC Pop-Up Lunch at Tokyo Café in Fort Worth
2024-02-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Tokyo Café, 5121 Pershing Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, 76107
Join us for some fun food and lovely conversations at Tokyo Café in Fort Worth (or the other simultaneous Pop-Up location in Dallas – see other event listing for the Dallas location details). We may have some special guests join in and chat with us!

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AHLC Pop-Up Lunch - Thai Orchid
2024-02-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Thai Orchid, 4930 Belt Line Rd., Suite 190, Dallas, TX, 75254
Join us for some fun food and lovely conversations at Thai Orchid in Dallas (or the other simultaneous Pop-Up location in Fort Worth – see other event posting for the Fort Worth location details). We may have some special guests join in and chat with us!

ACHENTX's WHEN Annual Women's Conference: Beyond All Limits
2024-03-01 08:30 - 13:30 | Texas Woman’s University – Dallas, 5500 Southwestern Medical Avenue, Dallas, TX, 75235
Join us for our 2024 ACHENTX’s WHEN (Women’s Healthcare Executive Network) Women’s Conference: Beyond All Limits!

Network with fellow women healthcare leaders and participate in break-out sessions on topical issues. Networking Breakfast and lunch will be served.
Schedule:
8:30-9:00 am – Registration & Breakfast
9:00-9:15 am – Kickoff
9:30- 10:15 am – Breakout Session 1 Topics/Speakers:

Sky’s the Limit: Unleashing Confidence to Surpass Boundaries presented by Ebony Travis Tichenor, MBA, PHR, Director, Global Wellbeing & HR Employee Policies, Boston Scientific
The Importance of Mental Wellness for High Impact Women: Women Going Beyond All Limits presented by Dr. Veronica Tetterton, Co-founder and Chief of Operations, Anticipate Joy; and Dr. Karla Evans, Co-Founder and Chief of Clinical Operations, Anticipate Joy
How to Go Beyond All Limits on LinkedIn presented by Jennifer “J” Alexander, DHA, FACHE, Operations Manager for Imaging Services, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Leading with Trust presented by Laura Evans, LMHC, Strategic Portfolio Director, Health Sciences Consulting -North America

10:15 – 10:30 am– Break
10:30 – 11:15 am – Breakout Session 2 Topics/Speakers:

Sky’s the Limit: Unleashing Confidence to Surpass Boundaries presented by Ebony Travis Tichenor, MBA, PHR
The Importance of Mental Wellness for High Impact Women: Women Going Beyond All Limits presented by Dr. Veronica Tetterton, Co-founder and Chief of Operations, Anticipate Joy; and Dr. Karla Evans, Co-Founder and Chief of Clinical Operations, Anticipate Joy
How to Go Beyond All Limits on LinkedIn presented by Jennifer “J” Alexander, DHA, FACHE, Operations Manager for Imaging Services, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Leading with Trust presented by Laura Evans, LMHC, Strategic Portfolio Director, Health Sciences Consulting -North America

11:15 am -12:15 pm – Network Break & Lunch
12:15-1:15 pm – Keynote Address: Krista A. Medlock, Owner, Thriving Brands
Topic: Success Against All Odds
1:15-1:30 pm – Closing Comments
1:30-2:00 pm – Networking

Special thanks to NTAHQ (the North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality), Texas Woman’s University and Corgan for hosting this event!

Register Here

Speakers Bios:
Dr. Jennifer “J” Alexander is the Operations Manager for Imaging Services at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Serving, collaborating, and mentoring healthcare professionals is Dr. Alexander’s passion. She frequently attends healthcare conferences and events since she is a passionate scholar. Dr. Alexander has also spoken at colleges, universities, and other events on networking, creating connections, and the valuable social media tool LinkedIn. She routinely posts healthcare-related content on social media to inform her followers about the fast-evolving healthcare market and the branding and exposure needed to stay relevant.
She has earned a doctorate in healthcare administration from the Virginia University of Lynchburg and an MBA and an MHA from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Certified Radiology Administrator with AHRA.

Laura Evans is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 12 years of Clinical, Healthcare, and Leadership experience. She obtained her Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling at St. John Fisher University, and graduated as the recipient of the Bufano Counselor Excellence Award.
Her first experience as a clinical provider was within an urban Chemical Dependency clinic, working with an underserved population. She began rebuilding the adolescent program to reflect some of the unique challenges facing this challenging population. Later, she transitioned into leading the Adult Co-Occurring disorders track, supporting individuals with both Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.
Laura followed a trusted mentor to a new opportunity within a New York State Blues Plan, developing the SafetyNet Behavioral Health Case Management programming for the recent carve-in.
She spent over 7 years as the Clinical Operations leader, creating and refining processes, enabling Population Health engagement, aligning and enhancing Crisis Call procedures, and being the go-to for Behavioral Health subject matter expertise within the organization.
Prior to transitioning to her current role as a Healthcare Consultant at Cognizant, Laura received her certification for Human-Centered Design from LUMA Institute.
Now in her newest endeavor, Laura supports her client as a Strategic Portfolio Director for the Medical Management, Pharmacy, and Customer Service portfolios. She provides support her plan’s strategic development and design, enhances collaborative relationships, manages oversight for end-to-end delivery of products, and continues to develop and lead mental health awareness and management for her plan and the populations it serves.
Personally and professionally, Laura’s primary passion will always be Mental Health in Leadership. Supporting others, especially women, and help them gain the skills and confidence critical not only for their own success, but to the success, engagement, and retention of their teams as well.

Krista A Medlock is a respected brand and marketing strategist with over 23 years of experience in brand development, activation, and growth. She has worked with small start-ups to global corporate entities, both B2C and B2B, and has anchored organizations in sound tactical planning and multi-channel execution. Krista has had success in market planning, campaign development, customer experience, corporate and brand strategy, email marketing, digital strategy, and channel partner cultivation.
She is the owner of Thriving Brands, a consultancy that has built a reputation for translating market opportunity into profitable growth plans for its brand partners. Krista is also an industry speaker at some of the largest industry forums and conferences. Having created and managed over 70 notable brands. She is a “go-to” for large-scale retail brands, global manufacturers, boutique brands, and start-ups.
Krista is a former titleholder in the USA and America pageant systems, including Miss Lake Highlands USA, Miss Highland Park USA, and Miss Richardson. She is a former model and pageant coach and was the Founder and Director of National Distinguished Women Beauty Pageants. Krista has appeared on Good Morning Texas, local television commercials, talk shows, training videos, and TV pilots.
Krista is the brainchild behind the most coveted luxury experience, The Weekender Dallas.
Leveraging her experiences as a successful business owner and beauty industry leader, she is a speaker for women around the country. Krista is a best-selling author and servant-led community advocate.
Krista Medlock’s personal mantra, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible”, is the daily “grit” check that she uses in her personal and professional pursuits. Krista is a visionary who believes she can change the world. She uses her life experiences to inspire and activate purpose and potential. When she is not facing life head-on, she is watching a good Lifetime Movie, traveling, or enjoying a meal with her friends.

Dr. Karla Evans & Dr. Veronica Tetterton
Dr. Karla Evans is the co-founder of Anticipate Joy and Chief of Clinical Operations of Anticipate Joy, an innovative telehealth company offering mental health services. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has served in various mental health settings including the federal prison system, psychiatric inpatient facilities, community clinics, and as an adjunct instructor. She has provided mental health treatment and services for the severely mentally ill and was the Director of Clinical Training for APA accredited doctoral interns. She has also conducted home studies, facilitating the placement of children through child protective services and provided training on caring for abused/neglected children. She has been a public speaker at conferences, leadership groups, and weekend retreats for adolescent and teen girls & marriage enrichment workshops. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Counseling in 2004 and her Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology in 2005, both at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. In 2010, she received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University.
Dr. Evans always anticipates joy. Her friends would describe her as an eternal optimist who often has a word of wisdom sprinkled with humor. She energizes by connecting people to their purpose and guiding them on a journey toward hope, healing, and wholeness. She adores her husband and four joyful young boys.
Dr. Veronica Tetterton is the Co-founder and Chief of Operations of Anticipate Joy, an innovative telehealth company offering mental health services. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field. She worked for the federal government for eight years, in various roles overseeing the operations of a residential drug treatment program and a trauma treatment program. She left the government sector to establish a private practice specializing in psychological evaluations. She established the company as a high-quality provider of disability assessments and risk management evaluations. She later went on to co-found Anticipate Joy, a company that has been awarded the Community Impact Award by the Otis and Rosie Brown Foundation for their extraordinary efforts to provide mental health services to their community.
Dr. Tetterton obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2000. In 2002, she obtained a Master of Science degree in Research Psychology, graduating with honors from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2006, she received a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama, where she was recognized with the Joffre and Zadie B. Whisenton Award for achieving the highest academic standing.
Dr. Tetterton is also a published author and public speaker who is sought out for her passion for sharing strategies that empower people to live their best life. She is an eternal champion of hope. She is happily married to her best friend of 20 years and she is the mother of three.
Ebony Travis Tichenor, MBA, PHR:
Background: Embark on an enriching narrative journey with Ebony Travis Tichenor, a seasoned professional whose life echoes a tale of resilience, authenticity, and holistic inclusivity. Born in Joliet, Illinois, and raised into a blend of Black and Mexican heritage in the quaint realm of Mathis, Southern Texas, Ebony’s story is a testament to the transformative power of embracing one’s identity amidst diversity and challenges.
Her academic and professional journey, marked by a spirited venture into online education while navigating the demanding environs of Corporate America, showcases her relentless drive. With 26 enriching years in the corporate sector in the healthcare industry, she climbed from an administrative role to pivotal managerial and directorial positions, with her heart and focus always steering towards fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and promoting holistic health and wellbeing.
Experience: Ebony’s voice has resonated beyond the corporate halls, finding its echo in prestigious platforms where her insights on leadership, DEI, and authentic living have garnered widespread recognition and appreciation. Her feature in collaboration with other leaders in Forbes on “6 Leadership Resolutions to Kick-Start 2023” underscores her forward-thinking approach to leadership strategy, while her spotlight in CIO VIEWS Magazine (2022) titled “Promoting Accountability and Awareness around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is Personal for Ebony” offers a deep dive into her personal and professional commitment to DEI.
Her narrative continued to inspire in the Voyage Minnesota Magazine feature “Meet Ebony Travis Tichenor” (2021), and her engaging discourse on “Exploring Black History Month with Ebony Travis Tichenor of Boston Scientific” on a podcast with the Medical Alley Association shed light on her thoughtful reflections on heritage and inclusivity.
Expert Voice: Her narrative is not just a tale of personal and professional growth, but a resonant message on the power of authentic living, inclusivity, and visionary leadership. With a rich tapestry of experiences and a heart-driven towards fostering a culture of equity, living authentically, and holistic well-being, Ebony Travis Tichenor is more than a speaker. She is a thought leader, an inspiring narrative, and an authentic voice ready to bring a blend of insight, engagement, and transformation to your next event.

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Certified Lean Six Sigma 2-Hour White Belt Certification Course
2024-03-05 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

Register Here

Course Coach/Instructor: Tanya Stinson, MHQS, CLSSMBB, MCBA, CRP
Founder/CEO/Master Consultant of Leaning Towards Change, LLC
Supervisor of Data Governance 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 a Supervisor of Data Governance Support 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!

Register Here

Community Event: Ft Worth Botanic Garden
2024-03-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107
Join your fellow ACHENTX members to volunteer some time and give back to the community!
Our group of ACHENTX volunteers will be helping the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ horticulturalist in the Tinsley Rock Springs Garden. Volunteer tasks will likely be clearing plant beds, watering, and planting Spring flowers.
All volunteers are encouraged to bring water, gloves, a hat, sun protection and if you want, some snacks as well. All attendees will be asked to sign a liability waiver.
What do we wear: Please wear closed toe shoes and weather appropriate clothing.
All registrants must be 18 years of age or older.
Please note: If you register for this event, please make every effort to attend. If you find you are no longer able to attend, please notify us right away so we can try to fill your slot. We have only a limited number of volunteer spaces available for this program and we have committed to supporting the Botanic Garden with this level of support.

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After Hours Networking Event: Maple Branch Brewery
2024-04-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Maple Branch Craft Brewery, 2628 Whitmore Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76107
Come out and join members of ACHE of North Texas and North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ) for this after hours networking event at the Maple Branch Brewery in Fort Worth.
Your event tickets include two drink tickets and food.
Space is limited, so be sure to register early!

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ACHENTX Virtual New Member Orientation
2024-04-04 15:00 - 15:30 | Virtual
Join us for a brief online orientation to ACHENTX!
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 invovled and ways you can maximize your ACHE membership.
All are welcome!

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Physician Opportunities in Healthcare Leadership
2024-04-16 18:30 - 20:00 | University of Texas at Dallas – Jindal School of Management Building, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
This event is exclusively for physicians.

Agenda Highlights:
Opening Remarks/Presentation:
Don Taylor, MHA
Colonel (retired), USAF
Professor, Practice in Healthcare Leadership & Management, Jindal School of Management
Executive Director, Alliance for Physician Leadership
Keynote Presentation:
Aaron Bujnowski, FACHE
President
ACHE North Texas
ACHE of North Texas Physician Advisory Committee Introduction:
Dr. Noreen Butte
Pediatrician and a Senior Physician Leader, Healthcare Information Technology Executive and CMO MedExpanse
Mark Kruzel, MD, MBA
Associate Medical Director in Oncology
Quest Advanced Diagnostics
John Marcucci, MD
Regional Chief Medical Officer
Baylor Scott & White DFW – East Region
Mark S. Schnitzer, MD, FACHE
Surgeon, Educator, Physician Advisor, Medical Director and Consultant
Interactive Session/Q&A: We will conclude with a Q&A session, inviting feedback on educational needs, seminar topics of interest, and challenges faced by our physician peers in advancing their leadership careers.
A selection of light appetizers will be offered with a cash bar.

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This event is exclusively for physicians.
Speakers Bios:
Dr. Noreen Butte, a pediatrician, is a leading figure in Healthcare Informatics, showcasing an exceptional commitment to innovation and excellence. Her expertise in blending medicine with technology has led to significant breakthroughs in product launches and the establishment of transformative partnerships across the healthcare spectrum. She is especially noted for her contributions to Population Health and the integration of Artificial Intelligence into healthcare. Beyond her clinical expertise, Dr. Butte’s leadership skills are evident in her ability to inspire teams, drive change, and enhance healthcare narratives. Her work in Digital Healthcare and Precision Medicine showcases her ability to forge impactful collaborations with healthcare institutions and government entities, cementing her status as a pioneering force in reshaping global healthcare.

Mark Kruzel, MD, MBA; serves as Associate Medical Director in Oncology at Quest Advanced Diagnostics.
Dr. Kruzel’s role bridges the gap from assay development, validation to clinical utility and he provides guidance on the appropriate utilization of testing. Recently, Dr. Kruzel has developed clinical care pathways for oncology focusing on providing access to testing in an efficacious and guideline driven manner.
Dr. Kruzel has extensive research and industry experience ranging from managing an FDA trial site to commercializing a pharmaceutical compound for a start-up company. He has published numerous peer reviewed journal articles as well as presented abstracts at both local and national conferences. Through his role at Quest, Dr. Kruzel has developed key opinion leader strategies which help Quest advance in the field of precision medicine.
Dr. Kruzel received his medical degree from The University of Texas at Houston – McGovern School of Medicine; he received his Master of Business Administration from Cox Business School at Southern Methodist University. He is an active member of American Society of Clinical Oncology, Association for Molecular Pathology and American College of Healthcare Executives.

Dr. John Marcucci graduated from UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed residency in Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center / Parkland Hospital. He has been with Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Plano since 2004. First, serving as the Emergency Department Medical Director, and then in 2010 became the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Marcucci took on an expanded role with Baylor Scott & White in 2019 as the Regional Chief Medical Officer of the DFW – East Region overseeing four full-service community hospitals and two specialty heart hospitals.

Dr. Mark Schnitzer is an experienced Surgeon, Educator, Physician Advisor, Medical Director, and Consultant.
An interest in processes and mathematics led him to pursue an unlikely course of pre-medical study: electrical engineering. It was during his Ph.D. studies that he applied to medical school and completed his MSEE and MD concurrently. He completed his clinical training in neurological surgery and a fellowship in neurosciences critical care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. His final year at Johns Hopkins was in the role of Assistant Chief of Service.
After fifteen years in solo, private neurosurgical practice and medical staff governance roles, he was recruited to Hawaii as the sole, full-time neurosurgeon for Kaiser Permanente with the mandate to set the groundwork for a completely internalized program. That experience led to his invitation to serve as the inaugural medical director of neurosciences and an ambitious project to unify the neurosciences programs across the government hospitals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Once this unification was well underway, the program was handed off to the Cleveland Clinic. Subsequently, he served as the inaugural CMO for a start-up telemedicine company in Dubai and as an adjunct associate professor in a graduate program for healthcare administration.
He returned to the USA after four years in the Middle East and took on the role of physician advisor for SSM Health. Initially accountable for one hospital, he was elevated to a regional, multi-hospital role where he was accountable for insurance denial management including education of clinicians in evidence-based medicine and responsible stewardship as well as holding numerous roles in quality improvement projects.
Most recently, he has taken on the role of medical director for a large accountable care organization based in Dallas, TX.
Dr. Schnitzer is a Fellow of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians and is board certified in healthcare quality and management with added qualification as a Physician Advisor. He is a certified professional in healthcare quality by the National Association for Healthcare Quality and is certified by the American Society for Quality as a Six Sigma Black Belt. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Dr. Schnitzer has provided a number of invited publications and presentations in the areas of healthcare informatics, patient safety, and responsible stewardship and he serves as a senior examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Dr. Schnitzer considers himself an interface professional, like most clinicians who have transitioned into healthcare leadership roles. He maintains a state of constant inquiry and curiosity with the ever-present thought, “There is something I do not know, the knowing of which could change everything.”

Don Taylor is a Professor of Practice in Healthcare Leadership and Management at the Jindal School of Management and the Executive Director of the Alliance for Physician Leadership, a nationally recognized Healthcare Management Executive MBA for senior physicians. He is also an Adjunct Professor at UTSW Medical Center.
Don served in the US Air Force for over 27 years in various roles in healthcare operations, strategy, and leadership. He has been the CEO of hospitals and served as the COO of USAF Academic Medical Center (6000+ staff) in San Antonio. He also led the largest trauma hospital in Iraq in 2006 as the only non-physician commander (CEO). He has served in Executive Leadership roles in the Veteran’s Administration in various locations. Recently, he served as the VP of Healthcare Administration for the HHS Emergency Intake Site mission in Dallas. He also served as the Director, Southwestern Health Resources Integration at UTSW, where he helped develop an integrated network of care with Texas Health Resources. He offers lectures to emerging and senior leaders at UT Southwestern on leadership, strategy, health transformation, and value-based care, as well as teaches in the graduate school on the challenges of the US Healthcare System.
As a volunteer, he founded the Air Force Association’s Wounded Airman Program and served on their National Board of Directors supporting 100,000 members. He is also past Chairman of their Veteran and Retiree Council. He led the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee and served on the San Antonio Economic Development Council. He has also published the book, “The Quiet Heroes: Timeless Reflections of American Airman” which shares the personal experience of a WWII veteran who served in the Army Air Corps. He has been a member of ACHE for almost 20 years.
Don has a BS in Architecture from UT Arlington and a Master of Health Administration from Penn State. He lives in Southlake, Texas with his wife Judy Hoberman who is an author, speaker, and trainer in the area of sales and leadership

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Certified Lean Six Sigma 8-Hour Yellow Belt Certification Course
2024-04-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Curious about 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 an 8-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma Yellow 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. Yellow Belt is the second level. 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 Yellow Belt course is required to be completed before the Green Belt course, as it teaches you the basics of how to use the Lean Six Sigma tools, methods, and techniques, and will help you to be more successful as a Green Belt, so you won’t be overwhelmed with information when starting out as a new Green Belt.

The Yellow Belt builds upon the foundations of what is learned in the White Belt course. You will learn how to bring together a team of Subject Matter Experts and use the Lean Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology to identify where the problems are, determine the root causes, and implement long-term, sustainable improvements to eliminate wastes, errors, inefficiencies, and defects from day-to-day processes.

The 8-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification course was created with healthcare in mind. The scenarios and simulations that are discussed are from a healthcare perspective and were based on real-life process and quality improvement projects that had previously been successfully completed.

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 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 LSSYB certificate.

What’s included:

• Discuss Lean, Six Sigma, Change Management, as well as other tools, techniques, and methods
• Simulated Healthcare Environment and Healthcare Project Examples Based on Real-Life Projects That Were Completed
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Course e-book
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Exam
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Toolkit
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certificate via Email
• Live Coach Instruction and Support Throughout the Entire Course
• 100% Success Rate

Course Coach/Instructor: Tanya Stinson, MHQS, CLSSMBB, MCBA, CRP

Founder/CEO/Master Consultant of Leaning Towards Change, LLC

Supervisor of Data Governance at Texas Health Resources

Virtual Platform: Zoom

Register Here

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 a Supervisor of Data Governance Support 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!

Register Here

Introduction to ACHE Fellowship Virtual Event
2024-04-23 17:00 - 18:00 | 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 education session as we discuss the pathway and requirements to earning your certification, review the Board of Governors exam, and go over exam preparation material, including an exam preparation course organized by the Advancement Committee and led by local industry professionals.
Speakers:
Brandon Goertz, PhD, FACHE
Vice President of Professional and Support Services
Texas Health Resources
Day-Vene Gilliam, MHA, FACHE
Staff Vice President of National Network Optimization & Business Development
National Healthcare Solutions

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After Hours Networking Event - Texas Rangers vs Seattle Mariners
2024-04-24 19:00 - 22:00 | Globe Life Field, Globe Life Field 734 Stadium Drive, Arlington, TX, 76011
Join us for a casual evening at the ballpark and enjoy a fantastic view of the game from the suite of our host, SBL Architecture, Inc., while the Rangers take on the Seattle Mariners.
Complimentary foods and beverages will be provided by SBL.
The suite will be open to guests at 6:30 PM, and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED AND AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED BASIS, SO REGISTER TODAY!!!
A big thanks to SBL Architecture for their ongoing support of ACHENTX and for hosting this event for us!
SBL Architecture, Inc. is a healthcare architectural, interior design and planning/consulting firm located in Arlington, Texas. Since 1994, SBL has worked on thousands of projects — with extensive experience in new construction, expansion, master planning and rehabilitation of older healthcare facilities. Healthcare design is their focus and their passion.

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Second Quarter Education Event
2024-04-25 15:00 - 19:00 | Methodist Dallas Medical Center Hitt Auditorium, 221 W Colorado Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75203
This event has been approved for up to 3.0 ACHE In Person Education Credits (1.5 per panel).

Learn from those taking the lead with focusing on the wellbeing of their teams, as well as from those who are focusing on the financial sustainability of their healthcare organizations; earn up to 3.0 ACHE In Person Education Credits; and network with your colleagues from throughout the metroplex.
Here’s our agenda for the afternoon:
3-3:30pm – Check-In & Networking
3:30-5pm – Panel 1: Sustainable Strategies to Support Well-being for Healthcare Professionals
Moderator:
Dawn Zell Wright, JD, MBA, SPHR, FACHE; System VP for HR Operations; CHRISTUS Health
Panelists:
Lara Burnside; Partner, Chief Experience Officer, Executive Coach; CSE Leadership LLC
Kim Cummings; SVP Human Resources, Employee Experience; Children’s Health
Brett Stanley; Director of Wellness; Methodist Health System
5-5:30pm – Dinner Break
5:30-7pm – Panel 2: Financial Sustainability of Healthcare Organizations: A Plan of Action
Moderator:
Steven Edgar, FACHE, PT; Chief Executive Officer; Medical City Denton
Panelist:
Bob Karl; Chief Financial Officer; CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic
Dawn Coates; Regional Vice President, AGS
Jamie Hill-Watters; Chief Revenue Officer; Alpha II

A huge thanks to Methodist Dallas Medical Center and Aramark for hosting us for this event!

Register Here

Speakers’ Bios:
Lara Burnside has spent the last 25 years creating workplaces that honor and value every person – whether they are a patient, employee or clinician. Her early career in human resources taught her the importance of a people-first mentality. She has built human resources and patient experience departments from the ground up – one being recognized as a recipient of the Malcom Baldrige Quality Award, one of the highest national honors. She honed her skills in healthcare consulting over the course of a dozen years, teaching the value of implementing practical tips and tools that provide exceptional patient care. By tapping into clients’ passion and purpose, she achieved top quartile performance and beyond in more than 200 hospitals across the Unite States. With a focus on physician/clinician engagement, she has helped organizations reduce burnout, increase engagement and create a sense of community among care teams. The last decade of Lara’s career has been spent as a senior leader in the hospital setting, where she created and developed patient experience divisions that embrace best-practice tactics proven to engage patients as partners in their care. This level of excellence led to a public hospital system being recognized by Washington Monthly as the number one hospital for patients in the United States. Lara’s love and desire for people to do and be their best motivated her to develop training programs for leaders, employees and clinicians. Program results have brought engagement scores to top decile performance. The Patient Experience Mastery Program for physicians achieved profound results – improving every question on the patient experience survey by an average 6.5% top box points. Lara has been recognized four times by Becker’s Healthcare as a top Chief Experience Officer in the United States. Lara has a strong desire to give back to organizations and those providing care. Her expertise in valuing all people is where her heart and passion have always been.

Dawn Coates, CRCR, has served the healthcare provider industry for over 30 years and has been an HFMA member for over 20 years. She obtained her Certified Revenue Cycle Representative, (“CRCR”), in 2021. She serves as a director on the Lonestar HFMA chapter board and will be the upcoming Educational Program Chairperson.
Her experience has focused on business development; however, she has become a trusted advisor and a problem solver, working with large health systems, community hospitals as well as physician groups. She began her career in pharmaceutical sales and later joined BSW in the late 90s, where she served in BSW’s network expansion.
She joined the PwC healthcare practice in 2000, where she focused on the healthcare revenue cycle as well as working in the audit and internal audit vertical. This experience led to her commitment to serving the provider space. Dawn also spent several years with a major GPO, where she assisted members with supply cost reduction efforts and labor redirection.
Dawn joined AGS Health in 2021 and has focused on supporting hospitals, medical groups, and integrated delivery networks in the SW with staff management, budget constraints and overcoming obstacles in non-clinical areas.
Dawn obtained her BS degree from Texas Woman’s University, with a healthcare administration and business focus.

Kim Cummings serves as Senior Vice President, Employee Experience for Children’s Health Dallas. In this role, Kim leads human resources, talent strategy and talent initiatives for the Children’s Health Dallas campus and service area.
Prior to joining Children’s Health in 2020, Kim held various leadership roles within HR across various industries including transportation, food services and retail.
Kim graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from Texas State University. She earned her Master of Human Resource Development and Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) designation and certified employee relations credentials.

Steven Edgar joined Medical City Denton as Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Since that time the hospital has seen consistent progression in patient experience for services provided in the Emergency Department, inpatient services, and for outpatient tests and treatments. In December, 2023, Medical City Denton added the Medical City Argyle Surgical Hospital as a second campus of Medical City Denton. Additionally, Medical City Denton has seen industry-leading performance with infection prevention, antibiotic stewardship and key accreditations in Chest Pain, Stroke, Bariatric Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and General Surgery. Edgar has overseen the reaccreditation of the Magnet Program and the designation as Level II Trauma Center at Medical City Denton.
Prior to his arrival at Medical City Denton, Edgar held executive leadership positions with Wesley Medical Center and Wesley Woodlawn Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. Edgar is a physical therapist and worked for years in the Kansas City, Missouri metroplex prior to starting his administrative responsibilities.
Edgar holds a bachelor’s degree in health science-physical therapy from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He earned a Master of Public Administration – health administration, from University of Missouri, Kansas City. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Bob Karl serves as Chief Financial Officer for CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. He is responsible for the financial aspects of the organization, including accounting, revenue cycle, and electronic medical record operations. Bob has been with CHRISTUS for over 10 years. Previously he was Vice President of Finance for Seton Clinical Enterprises in Austin, Texas, a division of Ascension Healthcare. Bob has over 20 years’ experience in the area of physician practice administration where he has held various titles including Analyst, Manager, Director, and Vice President of Finance.
Bob currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lone Star Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He also served on the HFMA’s National Advisory Council for Strategy and Innovation in Healthcare. He has been a panelist/presenter at various national and regional healthcare meetings.
Bob is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and received his Masters of Professional Accounting from University of Texas in Arlington.
Bob lives in Keller, Texas with his wife Katie and their four children.

Brett Alana Stanley is the Director of Wellness at Methodist Health System (MHS), one of the leading healthcare providers in Texas. A native of Dallas, Brett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. She then went on to teach English in Palencia, Spain for two years, where she honed her Spanish language skills.
Subsequently, Brett worked for the World Affairs Council, planning and executing official visits for diplomats from around the world. She also worked for Custom Caregivers which provides non-medical, in-home care services to the community.
In 2017, Brett joined Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) where she was responsible for developing health education and wellness programming for corporate partners. During her more than five-year tenure at BSWH, Brett progressed from wellness coordinator to wellness manager and implemented an employee engagement program, which supported more than 40,000 employees and beneficiaries.
In 2022, Brett was honored to join the MHS team, and she has fully embraced the compassionate culture the system boasts. In this role, she brings over a decade of well-being experience and a knack for creating creative content to empower others to thrive and advocate for their own health and wellness. Brett collaborates with the employee population as a whole to understand their needs and deploy a customized, engaging and forward-thinking program.
Brett resides in Dallas, Texas with her 7-year-old son, Elam. When she’s not talking passionately about well-being, she enjoys crocheting, dancing, and exploring the latest wellness trends.

Jamie Hill-Walters is the current President-Elect of the HFMA Lone Star Chapter. With 19 years in healthcare, Jamie executes strategies to grow and sustain revenue while helping hospitals achieve financial goals. She has worked with the largest healthcare systems in the US, many recognized in US News and World Report’s “Best Hospitals in the United States.” Most recently she was the Chief Revenue Officer at Alpha II, serving on the leadership team for 2 acquisitions and a strategic investment from TA Associates & Westview Capital Partners. Prior to Alpha II, Jamie held various leadership positions at Ensemble Health Partners and Healthcare Payment Specialists, acquired by TransUnion.

Dawn Zell Wright is a transformative executive leader with a demonstrated ability to align operations strategy with business goals, develop leaders, and drive action resulting in significant, sustainable organizational improvements.
By designing, creating, building, and implementing a full spectrum of high functioning, consistent, centralized, agile human resources services and teams that leverages best practices and standardizations designed to deliver best in class solutions, Dawn positions organizations to create incredible employee experiences, lead the market as a best place to work, and realize sustainable growth with financial excellence. Her strategic operations partnerships have proven to be a keystone in the unification of highly matrixed, growing healthcare systems, better positioning the organizations to fully realize their potential as highly reliable organizations for patient outcomes, employee experience and community impact.
Dawn joined CHRISTUS Health in November 2021 as System Vice President of Human Resources Operations. Before joining the CHRISTUS Health, Dawn served UPMC as its Vice President of Human Resources for the Northcentral Region of Pennsylvania and CommonSpirit Health as Catholic Health Initiatives Texas Division’s Director of Human Resources. As a healthcare early careerist, Dawn served as the Director of Human Resources for Artesia General Hospital in New Mexico where she developed a deep understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced in rural healthcare.
Dawn’s Human Resources expertise is complemented by her experience as an attorney. As a litigator and defense attorney, she received many peer-nominated awards and client accolades and was often recognized by the local judiciary for tackling tough issues adversely and disproportionately impacting minorities. As a law student, Dawn was a founding team member of The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Minority Issues, with a focused resolve of giving a voice to the voiceless by shedding light on issues affecting disadvantaged communities. Dawn’s passion for tackling tough issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging continues to motivate her. In this time of rapid change, Dawn is focused on removing artificial barriers to build a sustainable pipeline of diverse and inclusive healthcare leaders reflective of the communities served.
Dawn earned her undergraduate degree in Behavioral Science from Concordia University Texas, MBA from West Texas A&M, and Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

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Breakfast with the President & CEO - Robert Walker, FACHE
2024-04-30 07:30 - 09:00 | Texas Scottish Rite Hospital For Children – Dallas, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX, 75219
Another great offering in our Breakfast with the CEO series!

Robert L. “Bob” Walker joined Scottish Rite for Children in 1979. He previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and was named President/CEO in 2012. In his role, Bob is responsible for the overall strategic and operational direction of the organization and continuing its position as one of the top-ranked pediatric orthopedic centers in the world. He works closely with the Board of Trustees, medical staff and executive leadership to ensure that the highest degree of medical care is provided to our pediatric patients.
Bob has served on the board of the Texas Hospital Association and on its Executive and Audit committees. He is a past chairman of the Texas Hospital Association Foundation Board and was a member of the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board and the Children’s Hospital Association Public Policy Committee. Bob is past board chairman of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council and served for many years on the Shelton School and Evaluation Center board, where he was also chairman. Bob serves on the executive committee of the BMW Dallas Marathon, and he is a member of the advisory boards of The Ronald McDonald House and Camp John Marc.
A native of Garland, Texas, Bob earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) and his Master of Health Care Administration from Trinity University. Bob has been honored by both Garland High School and Texas A&M University-Commerce as an Outstanding Alumnus and was awarded the Senior Leader award by the North Texas Chapter of the ACHE. He is a past recipient of the Dean Leonard A. Duce Award for Excellence in Healthcare, awarded by the Trinity University Department of Healthcare Administration, is a past recipient of the Dallas Father of the Year award, and a past recipient of the Anson Jones Award which is presented annually by the Fort Worth Scottish Rite Foundation. Bob is a 33° Scottish Rite Mason and holds fellowship status in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

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Combined Networking Blitz - Mentorship Program Orientation
2024-05-01 18:00 - 20:30 | Abilene Christian University – Addison Campus, 16633 Dallas Parkway, Suite 800, Addison, TX, 75001
We’re excited to announce the combining of two events into one gathering, enabling our Networking Blitz participants to also connect with our 2024 ACHE of North Texas Mentorship Program 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 2024 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!

Register Here

Thanks to Abilene Christian University for hosting us at their Addison campus!

ACHE Multi-Chapter Healthcare Forum: Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation
2024-05-09 08:00 - 2024-05-10 14:00 | Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
This event has been approved for up to 7.5 ACHE In Person Education Credits and 2.0 ACHE Qualified Credits.
Please join us for this first-ever two-day multi-chapter education conference being hosted by the ACHE of North Texas, East Texas ACHE Forum and Texas Midwest Healthcare Executives. During this event you will be able to earn up to 7.5 ACHE In Person Education Credits and 2.0 self-reported ACHE Qualified Credits. This will include five 1.5 hour breakout session panels (with 10 panel topics to choose from) – and two keynote presentations.
On Thursday evening, May 9, there will be an offsite After Hours Multi-Chapter Networking Reception. Your conference registration fee will include your access to this reception.
You’re not going to want to miss all this great education and these networking opportunities! Space is limited so be sure to register early – we fully expect this to become waitlisted very quickly.
We would like to thank our special hosts for this event: Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth for hosting us on their campus; Compass One Healthcare for providing the breakfasts and lunches for us; Aramark for hosting the Thursday night reception; and Texas Health Clearfork for providing the venue for the reception.

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Conference Agenda
Thursday, May 9
8-9am: Check-In & Breakfast
9-10am: Opening Keynote Presentation: Code Blue: Recognizing & Responding to Medical Identify Theft
Presented by: Kelle Slaughter; Senior Investigator; Federal Trade Commission (FTC),Southwest Region
10-10:30am: Break
10:30am-12pm: First Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Population Health Management: Access, Outcomes and Financial Implications
Moderator: Herron Mitchell, FACHE; Chief Operations Officer; Foremost Family Health Centers
Panelists:
Stephanie Copeland, MD, MBA, CPHQ, FAAP, CPXP; Regional Medical Director for Quality and Risk Adjustment; OptumCare North/West Texas Region, WellMed/USMD; National Medical Director – Quality Performance Management/Optum Clinical performance
Brian D. Jones, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAFP; Chief Medical Officer, Methodist Patient Centered ACO; VP of Value Based Care, Methodist Health System
Option 2: Navigating Supply Chain Challenges in the Current Healthcare Environment
Moderator: Benson P. Chacko, FACHE; President; Methodist Southlake Medical Center
Panelists:
John Kott, FACHE, CMRP; Cook Children’s Health Care System
Cheryl Petersen, MBA, BSN, RN, NE-BC; Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer; Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth & Prosper
Cassandra Self, MSHA, FACHE, CMM; Program Director of Clinical Supply Services;Texas Health Resources
12-1pm: Lunch
1-2:30pm: Second Breakout Sessions
Option 1: The Role of Data and Advanced Analytics in Transforming Healthcare
Moderator: Nick Kagal, FACHE; Client Success; SpinSci Technologies
Panelists:
Dr. Mehmet Ayvaci; Associate Professor of Information Systems; University of Texas Dallas
Brian Kenjarski, MD, MBA, FACEP; SVP, Chief Medical Informatics Officer; Methodist Health System
Nitin Kunte; Senior Director; NTT
Option 2: Inclusive Leadership in Healthcare
Moderator: Michael Belkin, FACHE; Senior Vice President; Curative Clinical Search
Panelists:
Danielle Jenkins; CEO and Founder; NursingInstyle Consulting, PLLC
Nadine Nadal-Monforte, MPH, CPH; Director of Community Health Development; CHRISTUS Health
Ajith Pai, PharmD, FACHE; President; Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth
2:30-3pm: Break
3-4:30pm: Third Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Behavioral Healthcare: Approaches to Increase Value for the Organization and Meet Community Needs
Moderator: Walter L. Taylor, PhD, FACHE; Chief Strategy Officer; North Texas Behavioral Health Authority
Panelists:
Teneisha Kennard; Executive Director of Behavioral Health – Ambulatory Services; JPS Health Network
Sejal S. Mehta, MD MBA; President; Psychiatric Medical Associates in Plano
Matt Roberts; Chief Operations Officer; North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (NTBHA)
Option 2: Managing for Morale—Effective Management Techniques to Retain Your Staff
Moderator: Pamela Stoyanoff, MBA, CPA, FACHE; President & Chief Operating Officer; Methodist Health System
Panelists:
Kristen Dunlap; Corporate Human Resources Director; Methodist Health System
Kevin Johnson; Founder; Express Pros Training
Ed Marx; Author, “Voices of Innovation” & “Healthcare Digital Transformation;” Podcaster, “DGTL Voices;” Blogger, “CEO Unplugged”
5-7pm: After Hours Multi-Chapter Networking Reception (at Texas Health Clearfork)
Friday, May 10
7-8am: Breakfast
8-9:30am: Fourth Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Care for the Uninsured and Underinsured
Moderator: Richard G. Greenhill, DHA FACHE; Program Director, Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management Program; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Panelists:
Michael Malaise, DSc; Senior Vice President of Communications & External Relations; Parkland Health
Teneisha Kennard; Executive Director of Behavioral Health – Ambulatory Services; JPS Health Network
Joel Hunt; Acclaim Multispecialty Group
Option 2: Quality Management Systems: Ensuring High Quality Care
Moderator: Denise B. Elliott, FACHE, CLSSMBB; Quality Management Officer; VA Heart of Texas Healthcare Network
Panelists:
Mark S. Schnitzer, MD, FACHE, CEC; Surgeon, Educator, Physician Advisor, Chief Medical Officer, Consultant, & Board Certified Executive Coach
Dr. Shernette R. Kydd, PE, PhD, MBA, CLSSMBB, CSSBB, CPHQ, LBC; Assistant Vice President of System Effectiveness; Cook Children’s Healthcare System
9:30-10am: Break
10-11:30am: Fifth Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Integrating the Principles of Patient-Centered Care
Moderator: Brett Lee, FACHE; President; Texas Health Frisco Hospital
Panelists:
Mass Cham, FACHE; Director of Lab & Pathology Operations; Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
Sophia McRae, CPXP; Vice President of Standardization, Innovation & Experience; Compass One Healthcare
Stephanie Wells; Director of Patient Experience; Methodist Health System
Option 2: The Value of Developing and Implementing Alternative Care Models
Moderator: John P. Carter, MS, MBA, FACHE: Brand Ambassador; Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting
Panelists:
Melissa Campenni; Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships; The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation
Day-Vene Gilliam, FACHE; Staff Vice President of National Network Business Development; Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Belinda Tommey, BSN; Executive Director; Dallas Nephrology Associates
11:30am-12:30pm: Lunch
12:30-2pm: Closing Keynote Presentation: Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations Overview and Highlights
Presented by: Jason Meadows; Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Region; HHS/Office of Inspector General
Access Speakers Bios Here

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After Hours Multi-Chapter Networking Reception
2024-05-09 17:00 - 19:00 | Texas Health Clearfork, 5400 Clearfork Main Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76109
Please join us for this special networking reception. If you are registered for the two-day ACHE Multi-Chapter Healthcare Forum, you do not need to register separtaely for this reception. If you would like to attend this reception only, please register here.
If you would like to learn more about or register for the ACHE Multi-Chapter Healthcare Forum, May 9 & 10, please click the respective link further below.
Space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Remember, if you are registering for the two-day conference, you do not need to register here/separately for this receiption.
A special thanks to Texas Health Clearfork and Aramark for hosting this reception!

Register Here for Reception Only

Learn More – Register for the Two Day ACHE Multi-Chapter Healthcare Forum, May 9 & 10

Brewing Success: Boba with AHLC
2024-06-12 17:30 - 19:30 | 9 Rabbits Bakery, 2546 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX, 75229
Something is brewing… Join the AHLC (Asian Healthcare Leaders Community) of North Texas for a tea-rrific hour and get to know the leaders and fellow members. Learn more about our upcoming events and ways to get involved. The drinks are $5 for the event attendees. Have a sip at the AHLC table!

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Executive Exchange
2024-06-25 18:00 - 20:30 | Haworth Showroom, 2021 McKinney Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX, 75201
A special ACHENTX event for those in positions at the Vice President level or higher.
As excitement continues to build, the Dallas-Fort Worth healthcare market is gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With DFW selected to host 9 matches, which will be the equivalent of 9 SuperBowls, it is critical that our healthcare executive leaders are equipped with the knowledge and understanding regarding this impact to our industry. Join us as we hear how we got to this point, key takeaways for our industry, and what is deemed to be an economic impact that is expected to exceed $400 million in the summer of 2026. Please join us as we explore the impact this could have on our supply chain resources, emergency management systems, and beyond.
This will be our first-ever ACHENTX Executive Exchange where healthcare executives at the Vice President level and above will have a unique opportunity to come together and network with their peers.
Special guest, Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission, will be joining us for a fireside chat, moderated by Felixia Colón, FACHE.

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As the Executive Director for the Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul plays an essential role in implementing bid strategies and marketing programs that enhance Dallas’ acquisition of sports competitions and events, including solicitation of Olympic, professional, collegiate and amateur sports.Paul also works closely with professional leagues, the NCAA, Olympic National Governing Bodies and amateur sports federations, promoting Dallas as a premier destination for events, conventions and meetings. Paul’s efforts proved instrumental in Dallas being named a Host City for FIFA World Cup 26 and securing nine matches during the tournament, more than any other market in 2026.
Prior to joining Visit Dallas in 2008, Paul was the Associate Director of Events at USA Volleyball, where she oversaw the international events for the USA Women’s and Men’s National Teams and served as Director of Competition for the 2007 National Senior Games in Louisville, Kentucky. Before that, Paul served as Director of International and Domestic Events for USA Taekwondo, and Director of Events, Marketing and Sponsorships for the Junior Volleyball Association of Austin.
Paul earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She currently serves on the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors, Cotton Bowl Classic Board of Directors, the Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation Board of Directors, Women in Sports & Events (WISE) DFW Chapter Advisory Board, and the University of North Texas Sports Entertainment Management Industry Advisory Board. She was selected as the DCEO Non-profit and Corporate Citizenship Award Winner in Leadership Excellence in 2023, DCEO’s Dallas 500 in 2022, Women in Business honoree by Dallas Business Journal in 2020, and in 2015she was honored as one of Connect Sports’ Top IX Women in the Sport Tourism Industry.
Paul teaches Contemporary Issues in Sport Management at Southern Methodist University and is also a licensed real estate agent and realtor.

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 multi-site physician practices in emergency medicine, academic hospital medicine programs, private hospital medicine programs, transitional care medicine, Health/TeleNocturnist programs, and postacute 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 Past 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.

Parking will be validated by our host, Haworth.

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Certified Lean Six Sigma 40-Hour Green Belt Certification Course
2024-07-08 18:00 - 2024-07-19 22:00 | Virtual
Class Dates & Times:
July 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 (6-10pm each night)
July 13 (8am-5pm)
July 15, 16, 17 & 19 (6-10pm each night)
Are you a certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow belt and want to become a Green Belt? This course is for you! You will continue to learn tools, methods, and techniques that will help you in eliminating wastes, errors, inefficiencies and defects from processes.
ACHE of North Texas is proud to present a 40-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma Green 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. Yellow Belt is the second level. The Yellow Belt course is required to be completed before the Green Belt course, as it teaches you the basics of how to use the Lean Six Sigma tools, methods, and techniques, and will help you to be more successful as a Green Belt, so you won’t be overwhelmed with information when starting out as a new Green Belt.
The Green Belt builds upon the foundations of what is learned in the White and Yellow Belt courses. You will learn how to bring together a team of Subject Matter Experts and use the Lean Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology to identify where the problems are, determine the root causes, and implement long-term, sustainable improvements to eliminate wastes, errors, inefficiencies, and defects from day-to-day processes. You will also learn basic statistics that will help you to use data to tell the story on how complex the problems are and will help you in putting long-term controls in place to keep the changes you have made from reverting to the previous state.
The 40-Hour Online Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification course was created with healthcare in mind. The scenarios and simulations that are discussed are from a healthcare perspective and were based on real-life process and quality improvement projects that had previously been successfully completed.
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. These courses are broken down by phases, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. The course is 100% online, is coached/taught in live Zoom meetings 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 LSSGB certificate.
What’s included:

Discuss Lean, Six Sigma, Change Management, as well as other tools, techniques, and methods
Simulated Healthcare Environment and Healthcare Project Examples Based on Real-Life Projects That Were Completed
Statistical Analysis Training and Application
Online Course Lessons and Quizzes
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course e-book
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Exam
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Toolkit
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate via Email
Live Coach Instruction and Support Throughout the Entire Course
100% Success Rate

Course Coach/Instructor: Tanya Stinson, MHQS, CLSSMBB, MCBA, CRP
Founder/CEO/Master Consultant of Leaning Towards Change, LLC
Supervisor of Data Governance at Texas Health Resources
Virtual Platform: Zoom

Register Here

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 a Supervisor of Data Governance Support 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!

Register Here

2024 Better Together
2024-07-18 17:30 - 20:00 | Vizient, 290 East John W Carpenter Freeway, Irving, TX, 75062
Join us for an evening dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the healthcare industry. Hosted by the North Texas chapter of American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHENTX) and Vizient Inc. This networking event brings together healthcare professionals , advocates, and allies committed to fostering a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape.
Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about driving positive change in healthcare. To recognize this essential collaboration, ACHE of North Texas’ Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee has coordinated this event with local chapters of healthcare organizations with one mission – we are ‘’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) along with ACHENTX and it’s Asian Healthcare Leaders Community of North Texas (AHLC) and Women’s Healthcare Executives’ Network (WHEN), will co-host a reception for members of these organizations and others who are interested in learning more about the individual and collective work of these groups.
Together, let’s celebrate diversity, amplify underrepresented voices, and work towards building a more inclusive healthcare system for all.
Keynote Presentation by:

Therese Gopaul-Robinson, MPH
Owner President
The Therese GR Company
Therese Gopaul-Robinson is a leadership consultant and dynamic keynote speaker, with more than 20 years of experience in enhancing organizational cultures.She is known for inspiring leaders and teams to move beyond the unique challenges of their industry and overcome limiting beliefs to level-up their skills and embrace new opportunities to excel.
Therese specializes in helping teams improve outcomes through streamlined internal processes, creating clear production and quality goals, and implementing training programs.She also partners with leaders for development opportunities that will mitigate crises, resulting in stronger, more productive teams.

Register Here

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.
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.
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.
Also attending, Vizient’s DNA Groups:
Ability @ Vizient
Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi and Allies @ Vizient
Black @ Vizient
Dimensions @ Vizient
Hispanic/ Latinx @ Vizient
Pride @ Vizient
Veterans @ Vizient
Women @ Vizient

Register Here

After Hours Networking Event - Texas Rangers vs Baltimore Orioles
2024-07-19 19:00 - 22:00 | Globe Life Field, Globe Life Field 734 Stadium Drive, Arlington, TX, 76011
Join us for a casual evening at the ballpark and enjoy a fantastic view of the game from the suite of our host, SBL Architecture, Inc., while the Rangers take on the Baltimore Orioles.
Complimentary foods and beverages will be provided by SBL.
The suite will be open to guests at 6:30 PM, and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED AND AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED BASIS, SO REGISTER TODAY!!!

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A big thanks to SBL Architecture for their ongoing support of ACHENTX and for hosting this event for us!
SBL Architecture, Inc. is a healthcare architectural, interior design and planning/consulting firm located in Arlington, Texas. Since 1994, SBL has worked on thousands of projects — with extensive experience in new construction, expansion, master planning and rehabilitation of older healthcare facilities. Healthcare design is their focus and their passion.

Crushing It, Personally and Professionally!
2024-07-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Crush It! Sports Lounge, 401 West State Highway 114, Grapevine, TX, 76051
Do you have a colleague who isn’t an ACHE member, but you think they would enjoy all the organization has to offer?
Are you thinking about joining ACHE?
Please join us for an evening of fun and games at Crush It Sports & Social Lounge on Tuesday, July 23rd. Come and play either golf, dodgeball, or basketball, network with other healthcare careerists, and learn about the benefits of joining the North Texas chapter of ACHE. Tickets are $30 per person which includes appetizers, games, and one beverage. If you’re a current member and bring a prospective member to the event, your ticket is $20 – and prospective members attend for free.

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The Business of Healthcare
2024-07-26 13:00 - 16:00 | University of Texas at Dallas – Jindal School of Management Building, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
ACHE of North Texas is pleased to bring back this special networking and educational event! The program will showcase companies from various healthcare-oriented businesses which support the business of healthcare outside of the four walls of a hospital or health system. This event will expose attendees to the vast market outside of a hospital, but very relevant within the healthcare industry such as: Marketing, Consulting, Support Services, Patient Engagement, Practice Management, Architecture, Law, Provider Staffing, etc.
The event space will have tables set up for attendees, and each table will have a panelist present. The table presenters will be discussing how their professions touch healthcare, trends and innovations in their fields, and about their personal leadership journey. After each iteration, the panelists/presenters will switch tables and speak to a new attendee group. The event will also include an open networking session at the end, enabling attendees to further visit with the presenters and network with other ACHENTX Members.
This is not a job fair, rather an opportunity to broaden perspectives and understand how professional businesses support our local healthcare ecosystem.
Light hors d’oeuvres will be available.
Thanks to UTD Naveen Jindal School of Management for hosting this event!
Date: Friday, July 26
Time: 1-4pm
Location: University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)
Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM)
Executive Dining Room800 West Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080
Presenters:
Jason Aboujeib
Health Principal
HDR
John Henry
Chief Growth Officer – Medical
Access Telecare
Scott Hurst, FACHE
President & CEO
Patient Physicians Network

Albert Karam
Vice President, Data Strategy & Analytics
Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation
Evie Lalangas
Senior Attorney
Bradley

Jason McClaren
Advisory Member
Go Heroes
Mary McDaniel
Client Partner – Health Sciences
Cognizant

Sam McKeon
Director, Unit III
Crothall/Compass One Healthcare
Raymond Romo, MBA
Senior Vice President
SCP Health

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Speakers Bios:
A Health Principal in HDR’s Dallas studio, Jason Aboujeib brings more than 20 years of experience and passion for delivering exceptional health projects. Working closely with project teams he is committed to achieving client visions by encouraging collaboration between team members and elevating each person’s unique skills. Jason is a leader who builds robust client relationships and inspires project teams to achieve the best possible outcomes for HDR and our clients regionally and abroad.

John Henry serves as chief growth officer for Access TeleCare’s medical specialty service lines. He oversees Access TeleCare’s sales and revenue strategy.

William Scott Hurst, MBA, FACHE is currently the President & CEO of Patient Physician Network (PPN), one of the largest IPA’s in North Texas with over 680 members encompassing multi-specialty physicians and providers ranging from Pediatrics to Neurosurgery. In this role, he works with teams of dedicated physicians, staff, and caregivers to advance independent medicine by driving both clinical and financial integration, value-based care initiatives, and seeking ways to reduce cost in the provision of care.
Scott is known as an accomplished leader with over 20+ years of experience in Physician Alignment, Contracting, Quality & Performance Improvement, Hospital & Clinical Operations, Provider Recruitment, Patient Experience and Value-Based Care Operations.
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, getting updates from his 21-year-old daughter who just finished her junior year at the Savannah College of Art & Design, listening to live music around the Metroplex or refereeing high school basketball for the North Texas Basketball Officials Association.

Albert Karam is the VP of Data Strategy and Analytics for Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation, a nonprofit data science and technology company in Dallas Texas. He is a mathematician by trade with a Masters in Mathematics, Business Analytics and MBA with a healthcare administration concentration all from UTD. With over a decade of healthcare analytics experience in both the hospital and payor spaces, Albert oversees all Data Science and predictive modeling for PCCI. Having implemented over a dozen predictive models for health systems, payors, and community, Albert is dedicated to using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to help underserved populations.

Evie Lalangas brings an insider’s perspective to healthcare and business services matters. Having worked for health-related nonprofits and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she not only understands the legal issues surrounding the healthcare industry, but also the policy and business concerns. Her unique vantage point gives her an intimate understanding of her clients’ perspectives and enables her to help them achieve their goals in the healthcare field and beyond. She is Board Certified in Health Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Evie’s clients include hospitals, surgery centers, behavioral health providers, provider staffing companies, home health and hospice agencies, pharmacies, medical device companies, laboratories and other ancillary service providers. Clients rely on her to handle the broad range of issues that arise while operating a healthcare business, which inevitably include regulatory considerations to ensure compliance with complex state and federal fraud and abuse laws, billing and reimbursement compliance, privacy considerations, and shepherding and negotiating transactions to make necessary business modifications, including mergers and acquisitions. More specifically, Evie counsels on fraud and abuse laws including the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law, HIPAA, the Sunshine Act and other state and federal laws.
Evie earned her B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and her J.D. and M.P.H. in Health Policy from St. Louis University.

Jason McClaren is a distinguished speaker and the current leader of Go Heroes, an organization dedicated to supporting the welfare and advancement of first responders and veterans. With a rich background in military service, Jason brings a unique perspective on leadership, resilience, and teamwork, crucial traits in both military and healthcare environments. His transition from a decorated military career to a motivational leader has been driven by a passion for service and a deep commitment to improving the lives of those who serve our communities.

Hi, I’m Mary McDaniel, representing Cognizant, an ACHENTX platinum sponsor, and global leader in technology and engineering innovation. Texas is a major hub for Cognizant across several industries including healthcare. Our focus for the DFW healthcare community is to help hospitals and health plans incorporate digital advancements, including AI, that redefine how they operate, administer care, and impact the communities they serve. We have developed a wide range of capabilities both “inside and outside” the walls of the hospital. Examples include:

Designing digital frameworks necessary for generative AI adoption across the enterprise and developing use case bots for care management or operational efficiency
Building digital networks that can identify and connect providers with patients in marginalized communities, enabling hospitals to “reach patients where they are”
Automating technology to improve patient experience, staff burnout, streamline reporting, and quality assurance
Incorporating a health equity framework including SDoH and DEI data that is measurable and sustainable, impacting population health and community assessment goals
Reimagining customer experience from check-in thru discharge planning/tracking and call center redesign

I’m a healthcare career veteran and I’ve helped rural, community and large health systems build more equitable, transparent, and accessible networks of care. I’m excited to have the opportunity to share my experiences and thought leadership with the ACHENTX community and have regular access to the best barbecue, Margaritas and nicest people!

My name is Sam McKeon, I’m 28 years old, and currently work for Crothall Healthcare, a nation-wide provider of contract healthcare support services. I am currently serving as the Director of Patient Transport Services at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.
I started my journey here from the ground up as a patient transporter in 2019, taking on several departmental leadership roles over the years before landing in my current position in 2023, directing an operation that responds to over 150,000 patient transport requests annually.
With an education background in organic chemistry, I initially applied for the patient transporter job hoping to gain some hands-on hospital experience to support what I thought would be an exciting career on the clinical side of healthcare. As I was presented with more advanced leadership opportunities within my organization, I realized how much I enjoyed the business and operations work I was doing, and ultimately decided to change my education and career focus to support the impactful and fulfilling work that I was doing on the administrative side of healthcare.

Raymond Romo has more than twenty-five years of experience implementing strategies to improve cash flow, mitigate bad debts and enhance overall financial health through comprehensive analysis and optimization of current guidelines and procedures within the healthcare industry.

Breakfast with the President - Juan M. Fresquez, Jr.
2024-07-30 07:30 - 09:00 | Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, 2700 E Broad Street, Mansfield, TX, 76063
Date: Tuesday, July 30
Time: 7:30-9am
Location: Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
2700 East Broad Street
Mansfield, TX 76063
Juan Fresquez Jr., MBA, is a distinguished figure in healthcare leadership and civic engagement, currently serving as President of Methodist Mansfield Medical Center within the Methodist Health System. With a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in acute care hospital management, Juan has honed his expertise in operations, leadership, physician relations, cost management, quality and process improvement, compliance, clinical quality management, and customer service.
Under his guidance, Methodist Mansfield attained the esteemed 5-Star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2020. Notably, Juan played a pivotal role in the inauguration of Methodist’s first de novo ambulatory surgery center on the Methodist Mansfield campus in August 2020. Additionally, he assumed the presidency of Methodist Midlothian Medical Center upon its establishment in November 2020.
Prior to his tenure with the Methodist Health System, Juan held key executive roles with Tenet Healthcare, where he significantly enhanced patient satisfaction, quality of care, and financial performance in both the Texas and Arizona markets.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Juan is deeply committed to his family, having been happily married to his wife, Carla, for 35 years and raising three accomplished children together. He is an active participant in the Mansfield community, dedicating his time and expertise to various chamber, economic development, and community boards.

Juan has always been committed to serving his community and promoting public welfare. In May 2024, he will take his dedication to the next level by being sworn in as the Mansfield City Councilman Place 4. His decision to join the council is a testament to his unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for all residents of Mansfield. Through his compassionate leadership and civic responsibility, Juan hopes to make a positive impact on his community and serve as a role model for others to follow.

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After Hours Networking Event - Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox
2024-08-02 19:00 - 22:00 | Globe Life Field, Globe Life Field 734 Stadium Drive, Arlington, TX, 76011
Join us for a casual evening at the ballpark and enjoy a fantastic view of the game from the suite of our host, SBL Architecture, Inc., while the Rangers take on the Boston Red Sox.
Complimentary foods and beverages will be provided by SBL.
The suite will be open to guests at 6:30 PM, and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED AND AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVED BASIS, SO REGISTER TODAY!!!
A big thanks to SBL Architecture for their ongoing support of ACHENTX and for hosting this event for us!
SBL Architecture, Inc. is a healthcare architectural, interior design and planning/consulting firm located in Arlington, Texas. Since 1994, SBL has worked on thousands of projects — with extensive experience in new construction, expansion, master planning and rehabilitation of older healthcare facilities. Healthcare design is their focus and their passion.

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After Hours Networking Event - ACHENTX & HLA
2024-08-08 17:00 - 19:00 | The Constellation Club, 5215 North O'Connor Boulevard, Suite 2600, 26th Floor, Irving, TX, 75039
Join us for an after-hours networking event at the Constellation Club in Las Colinas! Located on the 26th floor of the Towers at Williams Square, enjoy breathtaking views of the Dallas skyline while indulging in drinks and appetizers, and meeting other DFW healthcare professionals. This event is a fantastic networking opportunity and is being co-hosted by the Healthcare Leaders Association of North Texas (HLA).

Please note, onsite parking will be user pay at $12 per car.

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Navigating Key Legislative Issues Facing Healthcare Leaders
2024-08-22 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.
Numerous public policy and legislative issues around healthcare delivery and public health affect healthcare organizations and demand involvement of their leaders to respond and adjust organizational policies and procedures. These issues often relate to improving population health, access and coverage through Medicaid and other programs, improving value, addressing consumer issues and workforce shortages, and more. Learning these issues and being involved in policy and organizational responses is important for healthcare leaders, regardless of how directly they may be involved.

Moderator:
Becky Tucker
SVP Channel Integration
Texas Health Resources
Panelists:
Aaron Bujnowski, FACHE
Managing Director & Transformative Strategy Lead
Health Industry Group | Health Systems Practice
Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC
Dr. Randy Pilgrim
Enterprise CMO
SCP Health

Katherine Yoder, MBA
Vice President of Government Relations
Parkland Health & Hospital System

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Speakers’ Bios:

Aaron Bujnowski is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal’s Healthcare Industry Group. With nearly two decades of dedicated experience in the healthcare industry, he is known as a transformative healthcare strategist, empowering health systems and their leaders to attain sustainable competitive advantage.
Mr. Bujnowski executes innovative approaches to enterprise strategy, value-based care (VBC), service lines, partnerships, corporate development and M&A.
Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Bujnowski spent more than four years as a Director and Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) Lead at Chartis, a U.S. healthcare consulting firm. He collaborated with integrated delivery networks to conceive and implement critical strategies and played a pivotal role in launching Chartis’ Private Equity (PE) practice, which assists PE firms to make informed buy- or sell-side decisions and optimize value within their portfolio companies. Previously, Mr. Bujnowski served as the System Chief Strategy Officer of Texas Health Resources, a ~$5 billion integrated health system in Dallas-Fort Worth, developing and executing enterprise-wide strategies. His purview included acute, post-acute, ambulatory, physician, consumer and value-based approaches. Mr. Bujnowski began his career with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), as a core member of its strategy and healthcare practices. He also played a pivotal role in founding BCG’s private equity practice.
Mr. Bujnowski earned a bachelor’s degree (honors) and a master’s degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He earned an MBA (highest honors) from The University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Bujnowski is currently a candidate to receive a Doctor of Science in Healthcare Leadership from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is President of the North Texas Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and was honored as Fellow.

Dr. Randy Pilgrim provides executive oversight for SCP Health’s clinical practices, including systems that deliver clinical excellence, minimize risk, and provide key results for patients and clinicians. He leads SCP’s efforts in health care policy, industry relations and advocacy, working to foster an effective, sustainable system of acute, unscheduled care. Dr. Pilgrim completed medical school and residency at the University of Minnesota. He has served in emergency medicine practice and leadership roles for over 30 years, and is regularly involved with health policy issues at state and national levels. His actuarial background, analytical skills, and practical experiences combine with clinical expertise to balance patient care demands, clinician’s needs, and key business concerns. During four terms as Chair of the Board for the ED Practice Management Association (EDPMA), he represented members that impact over half of the ED visits in the nation, addressing legislative and regulatory measures that affect quality emergency care. He chairs EDPMA’s Federal Health Policy Committee, and co-chaired ACEP’s Task Force on Alternative Payment Models. He serves as a faculty member for ACEP’s ED Director Academy, and has lectured with the IOM’s workshop series, “Hospital-Based Emergency Care, At the Breaking Point”. As faculty for ACEP’s Scientific Assembly and ED Director Academy, Dr. Pilgrim has been honored twice as a Speaker of the Year.

Becky Tucker currently serves as the system senior vice president of Channel Integration for Texas Health Resources (THR). In her current role she oversees key strategic and operational initiatives for the health system including business growth, business continuity, patient family experience, transformational management, design and deployment, joint venture partnerships, the THR call center, patient navigation, the central staffing office, patient logistics center, police, security, and system emergency management.
Becky most recently served as the president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth and Clearfork. As president, Becky led the overall management and strategic programming of Texas Health Southwest and Clearfork hospital operations which consists of 263 combined critical, medical, surgical, and emergency beds, 1,400 employees, 650 active medical professionals and almost 100 volunteers.
Becky served as vice president of Integrated Health Campuses (IHCs) at Texas Health Resources. As vice president of IHCs, Becky led the overall management of Texas Health Resources’ Integrated Health Campuses (IHC) operations and oversaw the alignment and evolution of all IHC care integration across the continuum. Centers included site-specific combinations of ambulatory surgical services, outpatient diagnostic imaging, emergency care and/or urgent care, rehabilitation/therapy services including cardiac rehabilitation, outpatient behavioral care services, chronic disease management, health behavior education and well-being services.
Becky served as administrator of Texas Health Neighborhood Care & Wellness Burleson, oversaw Texas Health Harris Methodist physician timeshares in Saginaw, Keller and Burleson and managed the development of Texas Health’s second IHC, Texas Health Neighborhood Care & Wellness Willow Park in Parker County, which opened in January of 2015.
Becky has been a part of the Texas Health family for 23 years. She first worked as an administrative assistant in the Medical Staff Affairs office of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano. While working at Texas Health Plano full-time, Becky completed graduate work in business and healthcare administration. She transitioned into a healthcare administrative residency position at Texas Health Fort Worth where she continued her fellowship.
In 2006, Becky transitioned to director of ambulatory clinics and physician services where she was responsible for the Assisted Reproductive Technology Service, Executive Health program and physician referral development.
In 2007, Becky began development of Texas Health Burleson. As administrator of Texas Health Burleson, she and her team signed more than 2,000 members to its fitness center, achieved patient satisfaction scores for Likelihood to Recommend in the top 5 percent of the nation, and secured Joint Commission accreditation for all new services, College of American Pathologists Commission on Laboratory accreditation, American College of Radiologists accreditation for MRI and CT, and chest pain accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.
Becky earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a minor in biological science from The University of Texas at Austin. She also holds master’s degrees in health care administration and business administration from Texas Woman’s University.
Becky is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a board member for the Fort Worth Leukemia and Lymphoma Society where she also serves on the executive leadership committee for the Visionary of the Year campaign. Becky was the 2023 Tarrant County American Heart Association Go Red co-chair. She is a past board member of the United Way of Tarrant County, former chair of United Way of Tarrant County Young Leaders Society, past board member and vice chair for the Alzheimer’s Association of North Central Texas. Plus, Becky served as the president of her local early childhood PTA for three years.
In addition, Becky is a Fellow with the Texas Hospital Association (THA) and the past chair for THA’s Leadership Development Council. In 2012, Modern Healthcare named Becky as one of it’s Up and Comers in Healthcare. In 2014 she was selected as one of Fort Worth Business Press’ 40 Under 40 and was awarded the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council’s Young Healthcare Executive of the Year award. Lastly, in 2019 Tucker was awarded the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fort Worth Woman of the Year and was recognized as a Fort Worth Business Press Healthcare Hero in 2020.
Becky is enjoying parenthood with her husband, Toby. Her son Tavin is 11 and daughter Landon is 6. Becky, Toby, Tavin, and Landon spend as much time as possible outside with their dog Whiskey.

Katherine Yoder has served as Vice President of Government Relations for Parkland Health & Hospital System since October 2012. In her role, she oversees the development and implementation of local, state and federal public policy efforts for the health system. Prior to joining Parkland, Katherine spent more than 15 years working at the Texas Capitol in both the legislative and executive branches. She served as an advisor on health policy to former Governor Rick Perry for four years and provided budget and policy recommendations to the Governor on health and human services-related issues including Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), child welfare and long-term care.
Prior to working for the Governor’s Office, she was a senior policy analyst for the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and a Chief of Staff for a House member.
Katherine holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas and has an undergraduate degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.

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