North Texas Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives

ACHENTX Fourth Quarter Education Event
2023-11-02 15:00 - 19:00 (America/Denver) | Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children – Frisco, 5700 Dallas Parkway, Frisco, TX, 75034
These panels have been approved for 1.5 ACHE Face-to-Face credits each (3.0 if you attend both).
Agenda:
3-3:30pm – Check-In & Networking
3:30-5pm – Panel 1: The State of Healthcare: Industry Leader’s Perspectives
5-5:30pm – Break
5:30-7pm – Panel 2: Crisis Management: Strategies to Effectively Manage a Healthcare Organization
Panel 1 Speakers:
W. Stephen Love (Moderator), President & CEO, Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council
Aaron Bujnowski, FACHE, Director, IDN Lead, Chartis
Fraser Hay, FACHE, President, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano
Pamela Bryant, SVP/Chief Supply Chain Officer, Parkland Health
Panel 2 Speakers:
Christi Nguyen, FACHE (Moderator), Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Nursing Excellence, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Lance Lynch, Consultant, Adaptiv Consulting Solutions
Hollis Mignogno, Vice President of Global Security, Cardinal Health
Rob Monaghan, System Director, Business Continuity and Emergency Management, Baylor Scott & White Health

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Speakers’ Bios:
Pamela Bryant is the Senior Vice President & Chief Supply Chain Officer for Parkland Health. Parkland is one of the largest public hospitals in the country with more than 1 million patient visits annually. Pamela has over 20 years of supply chain experience and leads a team of over 200 personnel and is responsible for all aspects of the supply chain, including procurement, strategic sourcing, informatics, logistics, distribution, vendor management and equipment/asset management. She has a proven track record in driving cost reductions, supporting dynamic growth, implementing new initiatives, improving operational efficiencies, and driving supplier diversity.
Pamela earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and Master of Business Administration degree from Averett University in Danville, Virginia. She is an advisory board member of The Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) and previously served as president of the local chapter North Texas chapter. She also serves as the Board Chair for the Southwestern Medical TIF District Board, is a board member of the Dallas Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council (DFW MSDC) and is the immediate Past President and board member of the Women’s Business Council Southwest (WBCS).
Aaron Bujnowski is a Director and IDN Lead with Chartis. Mr. Bujnowski’s healthcare career spans over 17 years. He focuses on developing innovative enterprise strategies that enable integrated delivery networks and their leaders to create lasting competitive advantage. He also helps PE firms to effectively make buy- or sell-side decisions and deliver increased value through their portfolio companies.
Prior to joining The Chartis Group, Mr. Bujnowski was the system Chief Strategy Officer at Texas Health Resources, a ~$5B integrated health system where he spent nearly nine years. He was responsible for developing and implementing strategies across the entire enterprise, including acute, post-acute, ambulatory, physician, consumer, and value-based approaches His experience includes more than four years with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he served as a core member of BCG’s strategy and health care practices. He was also a founding member of BCG’s PE practice, spending time on Wallstreet working on deals with many of the country’s largest PE firms.
While at Chartis, Mr. Bujnowski has worked with large IDNs on major strategic efforts, including enterprise strategy development and implementation, service line strategy and structure, consumer strategy, and strategic and community partnership development. He has also helped accelerate the growth of the PE practice, working on buy-side due diligence efforts and sell-side efforts in the health provider space. Leveraging his previous in-house strategy experience, he has also worked on value-enabling efforts for PE portfolio companies, which have resulted in identifying significant sources of organic and inorganic growth and operational efficiencies for his clients.
Mr. Bujnowski holds a master’s degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with the highest honors. He also holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he graduated with honors. He is currently a candidate to receive a Doctor of Science in Healthcare Leadership from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2015, Mr. Bujnowski became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and is president-elect of its North Texas Chapter.
Fraser Hay is the President of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano where he oversees the daily operations, strategic planning, business development, and hospital culture for the more than 1,800 employees, 150 volunteers, and 1,000 active medical staff professionals.
Fraser received his BBA in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and then his Masters’ in Health Administration from Trinity University. He completed his residency with INTEGRIS Health in Oklahoma City before eventually joining Texas Health Resources where he has served as an executive in progressive leadership roles since 2010.
He is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and was honored as the 2015 Young Healthcare Executive of the Year by the North Texas Chapter of ACHE, and the 2017 Young Healthcare Executive of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
Fraser is actively involved in his profession, community, and church serving on several boards. He is blessed to have the love and support of his wife, Lindsay, and their three children.
Mr. Stephen W. Love is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council which promotes collaboration, cooperation, and advocacy on behalf of its 90 member hospitals. The Hospital Council also has approximately 100 Associate Members (business and industry), including prominent accounting, legal and consulting firms. The primary mission is to drive evidence-based improvement in patient care and health equity in North Texas. He was the United Nations Association Award Winner in 2018 for Global Goals. He served as 2015 Chair for the Conference of Metropolitan and Regional Hospitals Association in the United States. He received the 2020 D CEO’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the Dallas Medical Society’s Millard J. and Robert L. Health Award for a non-physician providing outstanding leadership to the community. He also previously served on the Children at Risk Board for North Texas and Mothers Against Drunk Driving Dallas. He serves on the Southwest Region Board for the American Heart Association; Southwest Transplant Alliance; Cure Glaucoma Foundation Advisory Board; North Texas Eye Research Institute; the Metropolitan YMCA Board of Directors; the Board of Directors of Prism Health North Texas and the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Mr. Love has worked in healthcare management for over 45 years. He has demonstrated leadership in tax exempt, investor-owned, specialty and private hospitals in operations, finance, and corporate governance. Prior to joining the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, Mr. Love was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 healthcare company that owned over 50 hospitals and managed approximately 200 facilities in the United States.
Lance Lynch began his career in Emergency Medical Services in 2003 and served as a 911 paramedic, field training officer, and certified flight & critical care paramedic. During this time, he participated in and chaired several patient safety, performance improvement, and educational committees while providing clinical education for various public safety programs in the community college setting and serving as Regional Faculty for the American Heart Association. While finishing his undergraduate degree in Emergency Medical Care Administration at Western Carolina University, Lance turned his attention to hospital-based emergency preparedness, response, and resilience. Lance holds an MBA in organizational consulting from Michigan’s Spring Arbor University, a Certified Business Continuity Professional certification through Disaster Recovery International, Inc., and is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional through the International Board for Certification Services and Management. Since serving as Chair of the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, JPS, and Parkland, Lance began serving as a consultant for various healthcare organizations Emergency Management programs throughout the country.
Lance currently resides in the Fort Worth area with Julia, his wife & biggest cheerleader of 17 years and Natalie, his 7 year old daughter.
As a Vice President of Global Security for Cardinal Health, Hollis Mignogno is responsible for security operations and programs at Cardinal Health worldwide. She also has accountability for Travel, Meetings & Events, Trade Shows, Business Resiliency and the Security Operations and Intelligence Center (SOIC). Hollis’ key responsibilities include crisis management and pandemic planning, supply chain integrity, international travel and security, and training for the organization. Hollis has been with Cardinal Health since October 2001, working in the Corporate Aviation Department for two years, and in the Global Security Department for the past 20 years. She is a member of OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council) and ASIS (American Society for Industrial Security), and participated on the Pharmaceutical Council, serving as Vice-Chair in 2012 and Chair in 2013. She has been a Board Member for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce since 2022. She holds a BS in Criminal Justice from Ohio Dominican University. She gives back to the community by supporting time and resources to the American Heart Association and is on their Central Ohio Executive Leadership Team, she is the Executive Sponsor for Cardinal Health, and has been a Team Coach since 2008.
Rob Monaghan is a distinguished Homeland Security, Emergency Management, and Business Continuity professional with a wealth of experience in program management and interagency coordination. Currently, he holds the position of System Director of Business Continuity and Emergency Management at Baylor Scott & White Health. In this capacity, Rob offers strategic guidance, sets the program’s direction, and provides leadership to ensure optimal emergency management practices. His proficiency in developing comprehensive plans and conducting training exercises has been exemplified through successful responses to critical incidents, such as a flooded hospital evacuation and a NICU fire. Furthermore, Rob is an active participant in public education and community outreach, contributing his expertise to speaking events and organizing regionwide training events. Complementing his practical expertise, Rob holds a Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Administration & Planning from the University of North Texas. He is engaged in various professional organizations, including the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI), Rob is dedicated to advancing emergency management practices and ensuring communities remain resilient in the face of adversity.
Dr. Christi Nguyen is the Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Nurse Excellence. She is an experienced nurse leader in the inpatient and ambulatory settings holding prior leadership positions at community and academic medical centers. Dr. Nguyen is also a Clinical Assistant Professor with the University of Texas at Arlington’s MSN Nursing Administration program and a faculty advisor in the DNP program.
Dr. Nguyen has worked in multiple areas of nursing, including oncology, home health, hospice, case management and as a wound and ostomy nurse.
She earned both her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing and Healthcare Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Texas Christian University. Dr. Nguyen is certified as a Nurse Executive Advanced and a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives.
Dr. Nguyen is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives, American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), Texas Organization for Nursing Leaders (TONL), and North Central Organization for Nursing Leadership (NCONL). She serves as the AONL Region 7 Board Director and is President-Elect on the DFW Great 100 Nurses Board.

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Breakfast with the Vice President and Administrator - Kevin Greene
2023-11-14 07:30 - 09:00 | Cook Children’s Medical Center Prosper, 4100 West University Drive, Prosper, TX, 75078
Be sure to join us for our next quarterly Breakfast event!
Kevin Greene is the Vice President and Administrator for Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper, Cook Children’s Health Care System’s newest medical campus located in Prosper, Texas. Kevin is responsible for the executive operational oversight and strategic vision for the medical center.
Kevin also has a passion for volunteering in the community where he currently serves as the president-elect for the Town of Prosper’s Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and on Prosper ISD’s Education Foundation Board. Outside of his engagements in the community, Kevin participates on the Texas Hospital Association’s Emerging Leadership Forum and the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Policy Advisory Council, Health Care Task Force and Innovation Task Force.

Immediately following the breakfast, for those able to stick around, there will be a 15-20 minute tour as well of their ICU suite, surgical area, in patient unit and infusion center.
A big thanks to Kevin and Cook Children’s Medical Center Prosper for hosting us for this event!

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Ensuring Your Community’s Emergency Preparedness
2023-11-16 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual
Another joint great event offered by the East, North and Midwest Texas ACHE chapters. . . .the first of four panels offered this November.
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Face-to-Face credits.

In the best of circumstances, healthcare organizations operate in a complex environment. This can be exacerbated when a community faces a local or national emergency, either natural, human-caused, or technological, that thrusts the healthcare system to the forefront of response and makes it the focus of recovery efforts. It is critical that the local healthcare community be actively engaged in the development of comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, training, and exercises to ensure that local organizations communicate and coordinate their mutual support in service to the community.

Moderator: Matt Richardson, FACHE, DrPH, MPH
Director of Public Health
Denton County
Panelists:
David Abernathy
Mayor
City of Pittsburg, Texas
Walter Cassity
Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Public Safety, Environment of Care & Emergency Management
Baylor Scott & White Health
Dr. Rohith Saravanan
CEO
Curbside Consult, LLC

Speakers’ Bios:

Mr. David Abernathy is a fifth-generation resident of Pittsburg, is the son of the late D. H. Abernathy, who was mayor of Pittsburg for 52 years. He has a son, David H. E Abernathy.
He has served the citizens of Pittsburg and Camp County for most of his life. David has been a volunteer firefighter for over 47 years and was co-founder and 13-year president of Camp County Emergency Medical Service (EMS). He developed the first city/county emergency management plan and served as emergency management coordinator and as county fire marshal for over 30 years, without pay, and is a reserve deputy sheriff. David initiated our citizen emergency alerting system. He and his father built eight fire trucks for the city and county, donating their labor, and he has helped design four others.
David is a trustee for the First United Methodist Church and for the Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum. He retired as an Assistant Chief with the Texas Forest Service, where he helped manage major disasters and events throughout the nation, including two Super Bowls, and provided training and assistance to a multitude of agencies including the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was appointed by two Texas governors to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. David is the owner of Abernathy Training and Consulting and sits on state and national public safety committees.

Walter Cassity is senior vice president of real estate, public safety, environment of care and emergency management at Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest not-for-profit health system in Texas. The system’s integrated delivery network includes Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform, MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,100 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care, as well as an array of virtual and in-home services. In his role, Cassity implements the System’s real estate strategy and oversees programs that mitigate, prepare and respond to workplace hazards and emergencies in accordance with federal, state and local standards. He previously served as vice president of environment of care & emergency management, police, public safety and security. Earlier in his career, he was corporate director of environmental safety & emergency management at Baylor Health Care System and safety manager and safety technician at Baylor University Medical Center. Cassity holds a master’s degree in public administration— executive health care administration and a bachelor’s degree in industrial safety from the University of Texas at Tyler. He previously earned an associate degree in environmental health & safety from Texas State Technical College.

Dr. Matt Richardson was appointed as the Director of Public Health for Denton County in the summer of 2014. Dr. Richardson previously served as Director with the City of Amarillo and Potter/Randall Counties for 9 years. Dr. Richardson has authored peer-reviewed publications, testified to the Texas Legislature regarding public health issues and continues to advocate for public health practice and resources for Denton County and the state of Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Abilene Christian University and both Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Public Health from the University of North Texas. He is currently board certified and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr. Richardson also serves as an accreditation site reviewer for public health programs in universities across the US. Matt lives in Argyle with his wife of 24 years and their two daughters.

Dr. Rohith Saravanan is a physician executive with over 15 years of broad experience across the healthcare industry, including clinical care, quality, regulatory compliance, business development, operations, community partnerships, and strategic growth. He started his career in clinical medicine as a family physician providing care for the underserved population, and quickly grew into leadership roles in operations and strategy, in progressively larger settings. He has led physician groups, urgent care & occupational medicine networks, ACOs, and acute care hospitals.

Dr. Saravanan is a dynamic physician executive adept at assessing needs, developing solutions, and implementing positive changes to achieve sustainability and growth in challenging market conditions. He is exceptional at building teams and strengthening strategic business relationships. He has a history of streamlining clinical operations, increasing revenue, and reducing costs to maximize value. People describe him as an inspirational leader with a humanitarian spirit. With his proven track record of success, his broad educational background and his diverse management and clinical experience, he is the type of a well-rounded healthcare leader that boards, investors, and other executives can depend on.

As a business leader he has the knowledge, creativity and imagination that allows him to be innovative, and his endurance and hard work help him see projects through. He is confident and enthusiastic, yet self-aware; fair and patient, yet decisive; and he operates with the utmost integrity and possesses steadfast virtue. His unique style combines inspirational leadership with humility, a commanding presence, and a calming demeanor. He cares deeply about people, develops leaders in all those he touches and has a strong heart for community service.

Dr. Saravanan’s passion in life is to a make positive impact in the communities he serves on a progressively larger scale. Having previously held multiple executive positions within the healthcare corporate setting, he has deep industry experience in direct care delivery, outpatient/inpatient operations, strategic planning & business development in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He has recently embarked on an entrepreneurial journey to acquire and operate his own medical practice group.

He is also the Co-Owner and Executive Chairman of ameriCARE Texas, a non-medical personal care franchise currently based in the DFW area. Additionally, he has invested in and serves as a medical advisor to mobriseHealth, an AI powered digital health startup in the remote patient monitoring and chronic care management space.

Fun fact: Dr. Saravanan grew up in 5 different countries throughout his life and can speak 5 languages. He loves to travel, cook, and spend time with his wife (also a physician) and 2 kids.

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Crisis Management: Strategies to Effectively Manage a Healthcare Organization
2023-11-16 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual
Another joint great event offered by the East, North and Midwest Texas ACHE chapters. . . .the second of four panels offered this November.

This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Face-to-Face credits.

Preparing for an unplanned or unexpected event, such as a natural disaster, pandemic, civil disturbances, medical error or labor disputes (e.g., union labor) causes physical, psychological and emotional stresses that can overwhelm employees, medical staff, patients and communities. In the event of a crisis, the quality and efficiency of care delivery may be challenged and typically takes a toll on every part of the organization. Lack of the unknown or uncertainty is also a challenge that healthcare leaders face in the time of crisis. Healthcare leaders need to understand ways to prepare their organization for unforeseen circumstances, which includes developing a communication plan, managing organizational resources, such as medical supplies, levels of patient care and leveraging local and state resources and funding.

Moderator: Jonathan Sell
Founder and CEO
Innovative Solutions Management
Panelists:
Serena Bumpus DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Executive Officer
Texas Nurses Association
Dr. William Hooks, MD, MBA
Chief of Anesthesiology/Medical Director, Perioperative & Procedural Services
Titus Regional Medical Center
Kenneth Hutchenrider, Jr., FACHE
President
Methodist Richardson Medical Center

Speakers’ Bios:

Dr. Serena Bumpus currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Nurses Association where she is responsible for providing oversight of related entities and programs including the Texas Nurses Foundation and the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses and other programs as identified. She is responsible for executing the ongoing vision for the association as it relates to the changing healthcare landscape and the nursing profession. As the CEO of the largest professional nursing organization in Texas, Serena has the unique opportunity to build strategic relationships with constituent and partner organizations to elevate and advocate for nursing governance and practice based on evolving issues affecting nursing practice and policy in Texas and nationally. She is well positioned to influence and lead meaningful change for the profession of nursing and healthcare.
Dr. Bumpus’s nursing career spans over 21 years where she has held various positions from staff nurse to Nurse Executive. She has demonstrated a strong career trajectory with involvement in leadership, governance, and advancing the nursing profession. She has made significant strides in improving outcomes and advancing nursing practice throughout her career.
Serena received her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2019 from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. She is also an active and engaged member of numerous professional nursing organizations. It was her involvement in these professional organizations early on in her career that triggered a passion for health policy impacting both patients and nurses. She firmly believes empowered nurses can drive meaningful change at the local, state, and national level when they use their collective voices together.

A native of Mt. Pleasant, Dr. William Hooks is the Chief of Anesthesiology and the Medical Director for Perioperative & Procedural Services at Titus Regional Medical Center. Additionally, he performs minor pain management procedures such as epidural steroid injections, trigger point injections and joint injections. Dr. Hooks joined the medical staff of TRMC in 2016 after serving for 13 years in the United States Navy where he completed residency and served as an Anesthesiologist and Flight Surgeon.

Ken Hutchenrider joined Methodist Richardson Medical Center as President in July, 2010.
He has more than 30 years of executive experience with a result oriented record of substantially increasing financial stability and strengthening team management to build a tradition of providing the best care possible to the communities served.

During his tenure, Ken administered the assimilation of the hospital into the Methodist Health System, as well as the development of a $120M replacement hospital and its subsequent and ongoing expansions. Under his direction, Methodist Richardson has received accreditations as a Chest Pain Center, a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and Level 3 Trauma Certification and Nursing Magnet Certification.

Prior to July 2010, Ken served as the Chief Executive Officer of Galesburg Cottage Hospital, in Galesburg, Illinois. Previously in his career, Ken served in executive roles including Chief Executive Officer of the Terre Haute Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. Ken started his career in a clinical position as a Paramedic and Supervisor in Pasadena, Texas.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston, Clear Lake.

Ken has received many accolades, including the American Heart Association SOAR Award, the Community Health System Outstanding Achievement Award, and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is actively involved in the community and is past Chairman of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. Ken is past Regent, Texas Northern for the American College of Healthcare Executives. Finally, Ken is the current Richardson City Councilperson for Place 5.

On a personal note, Ken and his wife Melinda have two teenage daughters. When he’s not spending time with his family, you are most likely to find Ken on the golf course. He is also a private pilot.

Jonathan Sell is the Founder and CEO of Innovative Solutions Management, a staffing and consulting firm, and the Executive Director of Booker EMS. He is a recent graduate of Yale University School of Medicine’s Online Physician Assistant Program (MMSc) and has agreed to begin working with a focus on rural Emergency Medicine at Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton Texas once he obtains his Texas License.
Additionally, Jonathan also holds his Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from TTUHSC and multiple undergraduate degrees. Sell has two decades of experience in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and has been deployed as a Task Force Leader by the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) to disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, tornados, mass casualty events, and more. Sell has a passion for both direct patient care, as well as for creating sustainable healthcare systems to serve as the framework for individual patient care. His focus continually is on compassionate individual care, clinical excellence, and system efficiency. This has carried over to his various deployments where the normal “systems” are overwhelmed or out of service.
Outside of work, Jonathan is married to his wife Caitlin and the father of two boys. Together they raise a variety of animals on their family farm, and enjoy sports, games, and time with extended family. In the rare moments that Jonathan finds silence, you would likely find him reading a good book, likely about history.

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AHLC End of Year Event: Cultural Immersion – Healthcare and Beyond
2023-11-16 18:00 - 20:00 | SpinSci Technologies LLC, 14850 Quorum Drive #150, Dallas, TX, 75254
Immerse in a cultural experience and join us in festivities as we celebrate another year of creating safe and brave spaces. Spaces where we can embrace our full selves and find strength in our diversity. Wear something unique to your culture, bring a cultural delicacy if you like, and come join us in an evening of exploration, celebration, and mingling! We look forward to seeing you all.

o Keynote – Kim Cummings
o Closing Comments – Felixia Colon
o AHLC Year in Review – Angela Michael

Speakers’ Bios:

Angela Vincent Michael is a healthcare leader, coach and collaborator who is passionate about improving patient experience and key outcomes by engaging clinical and operational leaders on innovative process and technology changes. Her passion for healthcare improvement is cemented firmly in her experience as the advocate and care navigator for her mom (oncology) and daughter (prematurity). For over a decade, Angela has engaged healthcare cross-functional teams with a strong focus on quality improvement, performance excellence, project management and clinical analytics. In her current role, she collaborates with leaders at all levels of the organization to advance patient care and employee engagement.

Kim Cummings, SCP, SPHR is senior vice president, Human Resources, Talent and Workforce Planning at Children’s Health based in Dallas, Texas. In this role, Kim leads HR and Talent strategy including workforce/people transformation initiatives, succession, and supports cross-market enterprise-wide talent development initiatives for the Dallas market.
Kim has over 25 years of HR experience in a variety of leadership roles encouraging and promoting employee engagement in companies that include BNSF Railway, BELO Broadcasting, Burger King Corporation, Dell and Target Corporation. Kim is a thought leader in the space of Diversity & Inclusion receiving numerous community service and business awards that include “HR Professional of the Year” designation by Ogletree Deakins Law Firm and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, DiversityFIRST™ Award, Top women in Healthcare recognition from the National Diversity Council, Texas Most Powerful Business Women by Texas Diversity Magazine and the SWJC Audrey Kaplan Inspiring Women Southwest award.
Kim received her Bachelor degree in Social Work from Texas State University graduating from the University’s Emerging Leader program and was inducted into Who’s Who in College & Universities students. Kim received her Master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Human Resource Development & Leadership. She holds a Senior Professional designation in Human Resources and certified employee relations credentials. Kim is a professional member of the Fort Worth Human Resources Group and National Society of Human Resource Management.

Felixia Colón, FACHE, 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, eHealth/TeleNocturnist programs, and post-acute practices (SNFs/LTACs).
Ms. Colón formerly served as Senior Vice President for one of the largest independent physician practices in Texas. While there, she was responsible for the oversight of the company’s operations, contracting, business development, marketing, recruiting, and healthcare payment reform programs, which included CMS’ Bundled Payment Care Initiative (BPCI) Program.
A graduate of Nova Southeastern University, Ms. Colón holds a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Management. She earned a Bachelor of Health Administration from the University of North Florida. She is also a Fellow and active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Currently, she serves as 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.
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Reinventing Customer Service in Healthcare: Lessons Learned from the Best
2023-11-30 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual
Another joint great event offered by the East, North and Midwest Texas ACHE chapters. . . .the third of four panels offered this November.

This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Face-to-Face credits.

Consumer-driven services in business and the need for efficiency are accelerating changes in the way organizations operate and compete. Many consumers today are taking greater control of their purchasing power and healthcare decisions and are demanding excellence in service. The challenge is how to give them the best service in a meaningful and economic way.
Organizational survival relies on healthcare leaders with the vision, determination and courage to test various methods of enhancing the patient experience. Patient expectations are being set by other industries; for example, the airline industry, in which Southwest Airlines is the only airline that has turned in profitable years for 33 consecutive years, consistently achieved the best on-time performance, received the fewest customer complaints and fewest mishandled bags, is consistently cited for the best customer service, the smartest management and as the most fun place to work. Can the principles from a culture like Southwest Airlines help healthcare win the hearts and minds of their employees?

Moderator: Paula Turicchi, FACHE
Chief Strategy Officer
Parkland Community Health Plan
Panelists:
Monica Anderson, MS, CPXP
Valued Base Consultant, Customer Experience Leader
Baylor Scott and White Health Texas -East Region
Aaron Davis, MSHA, FACHE, CPXP
Vice President & Chief Experience Officer
UMC Health System
Brandi Jaco
Director of Patient Experience
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic

Speakers’ Bios:

Monica Anderson, MS, CPXP is currently a Valued Base Consultant, Customer Experience Leader for Baylor Scott and White Health Texas -East Region. She is an experienced, passionate and outcome -oriented healthcare leader that leverages foundation is Psychology, Valued Based Consulting, and Executive Transformational Healthcare Leadership.
Monica Anderson has been a champion for cultivating and maintaining high performing teams by developing relationships of trust and respect, as well as building unity amongst peers, team members and organization leaders to effectively align with and support key hospital initiatives. She is qualified in both outpatient and inpatient customer experience operations, with a proven track record of HCAHPS performance improvement. She focuses on transforming teams through awareness and engagement in action plans using Relationship Center Communication and celebrating success.
Her clinical psychology background and experiences have assisted in her ability to lead and build effective teams, create framework for growth, engage team members to achieve results and adapt to the ever-changing healthcare environment to meet patient and business needs. Monica has been instrumental in forming and coaching staff on vision, strategy, and tactical plans for successful execution of system-wide result improvements.

Aaron Davis, MSHA, FACHE, CPXP has been with UMC Health System for 16 years.
Beginning as a Patient Service Assistant, Aaron progressed throughout the Health System, first as a Health Unit Coordinator, second a Staff Supervisor, third a Department Director, and now currently serves as the systems first Vice President & Chief Experience Officer.
Aaron currently oversees Patient Experience, Corporate Marketing, Sponsorships, Regional Outreach, Employee Wellness & Resilience, Pastoral Care, and Volunteers & Guest Services.
Aaron holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Texas Tech Health Science Center and received his Green Belt in Lean/Six Sigma from Villanova University. Aaron is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Over the past six years, Aaron has organized efforts to maintain high patient experience results – achieving national rankings/awards, from four separate comparison database organizations. Furthermore, he has led efforts to strengthen partnerships with UMC’s surrounding regional hospitals, visiting all 50 referring facilities annually, ultimately leading to increased referrals and market share.
Aaron is actively involved in the community; he serves as a Board Member for Community Health Center of Lubbock and The Salvation Army. He is an active member of the Lubbock ISD Partners in Education Committee and has served for several years on the Program Review Board for the Lubbock United Way. Lastly, but most importantly, Aaron is passionate about his faith, family, and serving others.
Brandi Jaco is a Director of Patient Experience with almost 20 years of working to help and heal the vulnerable while listening to their voices to improve processes. Brandi currently specializes in Patient Experience and leads a successful team with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic, that has seen marked improvement in patient loyalty, and has led the industry by implementing a strong large-scaled service recovery program. Developing authentic relationships is the foundation of what she does both professionally and personally. Brandi spends all of her free time attending practices, games and school events with her 3 sons and husband and serving how she can in the Children’s ministry of her church.

Paula Turicchi, FACHE, is Chief Strategy Officer, at Parkland Community Health Plan in Dallas, Texas. The health plan serves more than 185,000 members in Medicaid’s STAR, CHIP, and CHIP Perinatal programs through a network of more than 6,000 providers and 40 facilities located in 7 counties in the Dallas service delivery area.

Previously, Paula served as the Vice President of Hospital Operations and Administrator of Women and Infant’s Specialty Health (WISH) at Parkland Health & Hospital System. She was instrumental in the design and construction of the New Parkland Hospital facility and the Moody Center for Breast Health. Paula played a key role in completing the System Improvement Agreement (SIA) and Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) from 2013 to 2018. In addition, she chaired the Women’s Health Advisory Committee of Texas which was created by Texas’ 84th Legislature to advise the Health & Human Services Commission on consolidation of women’s health programs.

Paula was a 2018 Texas Hospital Association Leadership Fellow. She is board certified in Healthcare Administration and holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

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Disruptive Innovation in Healthcare Delivery
2023-11-30 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual
Another joint great event offered by the East, North and Midwest Texas ACHE chapters. . . .the last of four panels offered this November.
This panel has been approved for 1.5 ACHE Virtual Face-to-Face credits.

Disruptive innovation, a term coined by Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen, is a transformative business model that leverages technology to help focus on making products and services more accessible and affordable. In healthcare delivery, disruptive innovations have the potential to decrease costs while improving both the quality and accessibility of care. Disruptive innovations enable new applications and changes in behaviors. The current thinking with many innovators is a belief that a host of disruptive innovations would have wide implications for payers by shifting payment models to reward precision diagnostic tests and abilities of providers. Several current disruptive innovations like retail clinics, telemedicine, medical tourism, and point-of-care medical payments are making a major difference in how health care is delivered. This panel will focus on the role of innovation in the medical marketplace and examples of disruptive innovations that will change lives in healthcare.

Moderator: Aaron Bujnowski, FACHE
Director and Integrated Delivery Network Segment Lead
Alvarez & Marsal
Panelists:
Brad Prugh
Chief Executive Officer
Care Continuity
Dr. Leslie Wainwright
Chief Funding and Innovation Officer
Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation
Dr. Stormee Williams
Vice President & Chief Health Equity Officer
Children’s Health System

Speakers’ Bios:

Aaron Bujnowski just recently joined Alvarez & Marsal to be their Director and Integrated Delivery Network Segment Lead. Prior to that, he was a Director with The Chartis Group and leader of the Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) practice area. Mr. Bujnowski’s healthcare career spans over 14 years. He focuses on developing innovative enterprise strategies that enable integrated delivery networks and their leaders to create lasting competitive advantage.

Prior to joining The Chartis Group, Mr. Bujnowski was the system Chief Strategy Officer at Texas Health Resources, where he spent nearly nine years. He was responsible for developing and implementing strategies across the entire enterprise, including acute, post-acute, ambulatory, physician, consumer, and value-based approaches. His experience also includes more than four years with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he served as a core member of BCG’s strategy and health care practices. Mr. Bujnowski previously held various leadership positions in new venture development and innovation at The Dow Chemical Company for more than nine years.
Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Bujnowski is co-inventor of six U.S. patents, certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt and has volunteered his services through many national organizations. To name a few, he was a Red Cross volunteer for Katrina Relief in New Orleans, a full-time missionary and humanitarian volunteer in Chile, South America, and served as an executive board member for the Boy Scouts of America. He was featured in the award-winning book, Intangibles: The Unexpected Traits of High-Performing Healthcare Leaders by Amer Kaissi, PhD.
Mr. Bujnowski holds a master’s degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with the highest honors. He also holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he graduated with honors. In 2015, Mr. Bujnowski became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Brad Prugh joined Care Continuity in 2020 with over two decades of experience in healthcare technology, operations, and business development. Prior to assuming the CEO role, Brad served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. Before joining Care Continuity, Brad held senior leadership positions at Conifer Health Solutions, MedeAnalytics Inc, and Perot Systems.

Brad is an accomplished leader who is passionate about using technology to help healthcare organizations improve the lives of patients. He is a strong advocate for innovation and collaboration, and he is committed to building a culture of excellence at Care Continuity. He has a proven track record of driving revenue growth, optimizing operations, and delivering results for healthcare clients.

Prior to his career in healthcare technology, Brad served as an officer in the United States Army for 5+ years, where he honed his leadership and teamwork skills. Brad is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a Master of Health Administration from Ohio University.

Dr. Leslie Wainwright joined the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation [PCCI], as their Chief Funding and Innovation Officer in March 2019. Prior to this role, she oversaw RTI International’s Innovation Advisors health practice where she worked with health systems and technology developers to guide the development and adoption of impactful healthcare innovations. She has also served in executive roles at Sg2, AVIA and Business Models Inc., a Dutch-based innovation consultancy.
She is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation, and has experience that spans academic research, pharma/biotechnology and healthcare delivery. Leslie has worked with executive teams from multi-national organizations and startups alike to design growth strategies, create alternative business models and evaluate emerging clinical and care delivery technologies. Additionally, she has spent several years addressing innovation and how healthcare organizations build their own sustainable innovation competencies. Leslie is a frequent speaker and facilitator on the future of healthcare, enabling technologies, disruptive innovation and emerging business models, both domestically and abroad.
Leslie received her PhD in microbiology at Northwestern University, completed postdoctoral research training at the University of Maryland’s Center for Vaccine Development and received a B.A. in Biology from DePauw University. She serves as a clinical advisor on the Board of Start-up tech companies and has served as faculty teaching strategy and innovation at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Additionally, Leslie is passionate about STEM education and is in the Women’s Board of the Field Museum in Chicago, working with the museum to expand opportunities for girls in science.

Dr. Stormee Williams is the Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer at Children’s Health System in Dallas, Texas. She is a board-certified pediatrician who began her career in federally qualified health centers and community health clinics having a strong desire to work with underserved populations. Over the last decade, she worked to transform the way children receive medical care through innovation and telemedicine. She helped develop the fastest-growing school-based telemedicine program and continues to work with national organizations to improve telemedicine access and quality. Dr. Williams’ work promotes health equity and strives to diminish the many disparities evident within health care. She is responsible for providing the organizational strategy around health equity, including identifying social determinants of health and creating pathways to improve health outcomes for marginalized groups. Dr. Williams enjoys serving the community and hopes to continue her work to expand quality healthcare access to those who need it most.

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After Hours 2023 Holiday Networking Event
2023-12-07 17:30 - 20:30 | BowlGames, 139 Turtle Creek Boulevard #Suite 120, Dallas, TX, 75207
Please join us for our end of year ACHE of North Texas holiday networking event. In addition to this special time of networking, attendees will also have the opportunity to play the games offered at BowlGames in the Dallas Design District.
Please Note: this event will also include a tacky holiday sweater contest as well – so be sure to wear your “finest.”
Event includes:

Crudité and Taco bar
Cash bar
Tacky Sweater contest

Darts – no charge
Shuffleboard – no charge
Foosball – no charge
Dominoes – no charge
Pool Tables – $1/game
PIN TOSS (a cross between football, bowling and cornhole): located in the cages and is an additional cost. Attendees may purchase “Open Play” wristbands for $14.50.
Ample parking available

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Community Event: Volunteering at CitySquare Food Pantry
2023-12-08 12:30 - 16:30 | CitySquare, 1610 South Malcolm X Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75226
Join your ACHENTX collegues in doing a good deed. We are going to be volunteering at the CitySquare food pantry – helping them organize, restock, and take inventory.
Please note, immediately after registering, your confirmation messages from Eventbrite will include a link to an additional registration step we’re being asked to take with CitySquare directly. This will trigger them to send us additional information that will be helpful leading up to this event.

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Breakfast with the President - Amanda Thrash, FACHE
2024-01-30 07:30 - 09:00 | Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen, 1105 Central Expressway North, Allen, TX, 75013, United States
Amanda Thrash, FACHE, has served as president of Texas Health Allen since July 3, 2022.
Amanda has primary oversight of daily operations and responsibility for the 88-bed hospital’s annual operating plan.
Amanda previously served as vice president, professional and support services, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano. Her tenure with Texas Health extends much further, though. She started at Texas Health Dallas as an administrative resident in 2009, moving to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano in 2010. She became administrator of Texas Health Neighborhood Care & Wellness Prosper in 2016, serving in that role for two years.
Over the span of Amanda’s career, she has focused heavily on market strategy, physician relationships and streamlining hospital operations. Most recently, Amanda has been successful in growing EMS traffic, improving perioperative efficiencies and growing the cardiovascular and robotic service lines.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband of eight years, Bucky, and their 5-year-old son, Beau. They recently added a new addition to their family – daughter Shelby who was born in August 2023. They love cheering on the TCU Horned Frogs during football season and entertaining friends in their home.

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A special thanks to Amanda and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen for hosting us for this event!

2024 DFW Healthcare Student Summit
2024-02-17 08:30 - 14:30 | 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!

Register Here

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!

Register Here

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.

Register Here

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

Register Here

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

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

Register Here
