Stephen Abresch is the Assistant Director of Government Affairs at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), where his primary responsibilities include covering state legislative and regulatory activity and federal legislative activity. Prior to joining ASCA in 2019, Stephen got his start in state government affairs in 2010 when he was a staffer on the House Appropriations Committee in the Maryland House of Delegates: he later spent nearly seven years at the state government affairs firm Stateside Associates, covering a wide range of topics including digital privacy, financial regulations and state procurement issues.

Stephen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science and completed a Master’s program in Public Policy, with a focus on Social Policy, at George Washington University in 2012.

Dr. Paul Alcock holds the position of Chief Information Security Officer for Surgical Information Systems. With more than 15 years of IT and Information Security experience, and several professional certifications, he leads SIS' enterprise cybersecurity program, overseeing the organization's cybersecurity functions, including security operations and architecture, threat and incident management, and security policy and governance.

Dr. Alcock also serves on GIAC Certifications' advisory board and is an adjunct professor of cybersecurity at New York University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Central Florida.

I am an RN and Administrator of a bustling Eye Surgery Center in Knoxville, TN. I have spent my career as an RN exclusively working in surgery with 15 of those years serving in a leadership role. My passion is providing quality care to every patient that enters our surgery center.

As Administrator, my duties include overseeing our Quality Assurance Improvement Program and spearheading all focus studies. I was honored to receive the AAAHC 2018-2019 People's Choice Award in Quality Improvement and the AAAHC 2021-22 Bernard A. Kershner Quality Improvement Award in Surgical/Procedural Care. My goal is to encourage others to be passionate about patient care always striving to make a positive change.

Gregory Collins, DNP, CRNA, serves as an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Texas Christian University, School of Nurse Anesthesia. Since beginning his practice as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in 2006, Dr. Collins has worked in various settings, ranging from solo, independent practice to team-based models. His experience also includes a tenure as managing partner in a CRNA-only anesthesia group, providing high-acuity, high-volume obstetric care from 2011 to 2019.

In addition to his civilian career, Gregory has a background in the military, having served as an officer in the US Army Reserve. His service record includes downrange deployments in 2008 during Operation Iraqi Freedom and in 2011 for Operation New Dawn.

From 2019 to 2021, Dr. Collins held the position of Vice President of Operations at Emergenc Health, PLLC, where he was responsible for managing and maintaining anesthesia contracts across North Central Texas.

Gregory’s contributions to the nursing and anesthesia community are recognized through his active involvement with the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists, serving on its board from 2017 to 2021, and as President during 2020-2021. Dr. Collins has been a pivotal figure in advancing the profession and advocating for nurse anesthetists across Texas. His multifaceted career is a testament to his versatility, leadership, and commitment to excellence in healthcare.

Terry is Vice President of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Community Health Systems in Nashville, Tennessee. Terry served as President of the national ASC Association (ASCA) from 2014 to 2016 and as President of the California Surgery Center Association (CASA) from 2012 to 2014. Terry was Vice President of Operations for two national surgery center companies and has been Administrator of a large, multi-specialty ASC.

Terry is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and a Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC). He holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and an undergraduate degree in Accounting. He served as adjunct assistant professor at the University of Florida in the Masters in Healthcare Administration program. He retired as Commander in the United States Navy Reserve after 24 years of military service.

Eighteen-year nurse with extensive experience in the critical care setting. Currently the Director of Nursing in a free-standing ambulatory surgery center. Recently presented at an OR management summit covering the topic of strategic decision-making in the perioperative setting and completed the ASCA Administrator Development program. I'm an eager learner always looking to improve my practice and address disparities in healthcare.

Janet Carlson is a distinguished healthcare professional and an accomplished Chief Executive Officer, President, Executive Director and Director of Nursing (DON) of multiple Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) across the country. With a relentless commitment to delivering exceptional patient care, Janet has made significant contributions to the ASC industry throughout her career.

Janet has played a pivotal role in establishing and developing multi-specialty ASCs in various regions. Her visionary leadership and expertise in healthcare administration have been instrumental in the success and growth of these centers. Janet's strategic insights, coupled with her deep understanding of healthcare operations, have enabled her to create thriving ASCs that prioritize patient safety, efficiency, and positive surgical outcomes.

Cristina Bentin, CMA, CPPM, CCS-P, COC, is the president of Coding Compliance Management, LLC, a healthcare consulting company specializing in Ambulatory Surgery Centers with an emphasis on ASC business operations assessments, revenue cycle audits, staff education, and ASC coding support. Ms. Bentin is recognized as an ASC revenue cycle educator, speaker, and writer with over 30+ years of hands-on experience in ASC multi-specialty facility and physician office revenue cycle operations. Cristina's expertise extends to her involvement in federal fraud investigations to include her role as an expert witness. Cristina currently serves on ASCA's education and programs committee.

Rena Courtay is the VP of Ambulatory Surgery at Trinity Health where she oversees the ambulatory surgery platforms for the Health System. Immediately prior to this Rena was the AVP of Perioperative Ambulatory Surgery at Duke Health. Prior to this Rena was the Vice President, Executive Director of HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) Florida. Rena has over 25 years of experience in the ASC industry and has been an operating room nurse, a DON, a surgery center Administrator and spent over 15 years as an RVP for HCA and Surgical Care Affiliates.

Rena served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Society for Ambulatory Surgery Centers for many years. She currently serves on the ASCA Board of Directors as well as that of the North Carolina Ambulatory Surgical Center Association. She also serves on the ASCA education committee.

Rena earned her BSN from Ohio State University and her MBA from Youngstown State University.

Tina DiMarino earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in Executive Leadership at George Washington University. Prior to that, she earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) with a focus in Leadership and graduated Summa Cum Laude with her BSN degree from Notre Dame of Maryland University. Tina earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from West Texas A&M University.

Tina DiMarino has worked in the ambulatory surgery industry for 24 years, serving the last 21 years as an administrator. She holds certifications as a Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) and as a Certified Ambulatory Surgery Center Administrator (CASC). She is also an ASC consultant, developing and managing centers nationwide. She serves on the board of the Maryland Ambulatory Surgery Association.

Casey Duhart, BS, M.Ed., JD, is the Chief Labor & Employment Counsel for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. She provides legal advice and counsel regarding allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful discharge claims brought under federal and state employment laws and regulations.

Ms. Duhart earned her JD, cum laude, from the University of Tennessee College of Law where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Law Review. She is the immediate past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association's Labor & Employment Council.

I have been involved with the ASC industry for about 20 years. In that time I have worked with a variety of facilities, all multi-specialty, but also involved with a varying set of staff. What I have learned is that each ASC has its own unique culture, and also that with proper techniques and drive, you can mold and push that Culture to Excellence in all phases - Clinical, Safety, Financial, and Workforce Engagement.

Currently, I am the Administrator/CEO of Bend Surgery Center in Bend, Oregon - a large multi-specialty ASC that recently expanded to 8 ORs and 6 Procedure Rooms. We do over 14,000 Cases annually with about 160 Staff. Keeping our Culture was extremely important to us. Thus we embarked on a campaign to engage our staff and utilize them to help retain and develop new strategies to keep our Culture of Excellence present every day.

Will has a track record of helping organizations structure and interpret data to drive growth and profitability. At HST Pathways, Will leads Data Science and Insights, where he is responsible for generating actionable information from HST's Data and building data products to support Ambulatory Surgery Centers. Prior to HST, Will led strategy and analytics for the midmarket and small market business units at Lytx.

Will has over ten years of experience in leading revenue operations at high-growth SaaS companies and as an operations research consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. He holds both a B.A. and M.A. in Economics.

Nyleen Flores is a dually certified Medical Services Professional with over 16 years of diverse healthcare and medical services management experience including office practice management, credentialing, and medical staff coordinator roles for a not-for-profit healthcare system and current CEO for a multi-specialty Ambulatory Surgical Center. Her experience includes coordinating, evaluating, planning, developing, and improving the credentialing processes for multiple healthcare systems. Currently, she serves as the Chair of the Subject Matter Expert Subcommittee for NAMSS.

For the past five years, I have been the Administrator for one of the fastest-growing single-specialty ambulatory surgery centers in central Alabama. The center I oversaw originally began with seven partners and has blossomed to over nineteen physician members. Today, I oversee operations for all of the Community Health System ambulatory surgery centers in Alabama. I work closely with each center's Governing Board and Leadership team to strengthen their physician-partner relationships and establish realistic strategic goals to achieve their business objectives.

I started my medical career in 1999 working in almost every position a hospital had to offer. I earned my nursing degree and practiced my skill set in the intensive care units and operating room. I worked as a scrub nurse for orthopedics surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery and GI for over 10 years. In 2018, I made the transition to a management role within ambulatory surgery centers.

Alfonso del Granado, MBA-HC, CASC, is the Administrator & CEO of Covenant High Plains Surgery Centers (CHPSC) in Lubbock, Texas. He has 25 years of leadership experience in practice management, hospital administration, compliance, and corporate development, and is a regular presenter at ASC conferences as well as serving on ASCA's Education Committee. He joined CHPSC just before the COVID shutdown and guided its bariatric program to “Center of Excellence” recognition as well as Blue Distinction Center and Aetna Institute of Quality designations, developed the first ASC-based robotic joint replacement program in West Texas and the first DaVinci robotic surgery program, and ranked in the top 5% in Newsweek’s America’s Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

CHPSC is a joint venture with Covenant Health System, NCP, and 43 physician partners, with 70 surgeons performing over 9,000 cases per year in a wide range of specialties.

Rebecca began in ASC leadership as Business Director for two high-volume, multi-specialty surgery centers in South Florida. In 2008, she joined SurgCenter Development as Director of A/R & Materials where she worked to help develop over 25 ASCs and manage operations with a focus on business and materials management. Rebecca then went on to become VP of revenue Cycle & Managed Care Contracting for a surgery center/surgical hospital management company directing a CBO for its 18+ Clients. As a founding partner of NSN Revenue Resources, Rebecca served as President and built an unmatched team with diversified experience serving over 100 clients.

After the sale of NSN, Rebecca joined USPI as Vice President, Revenue Cycle Operations, overseeing revenue cycle services provided to 250+ ASCs. Currently, Rebecca continues her lifelong love of ASC operations management as an independent consultant.

John Goehle is the Chief Operating Officer and partner with Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC - a Rochester, New York-based ASC management and consulting services company. John is also the Host of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle - the longest-running podcast dedicated to the ASC Industry.

Mr. Goehle has a Masters's Degree in Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Ithaca College in Upstate New York. He holds the prestigious Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC) credential. Mr. Goehle is also an accreditation surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Mr. Goehle is a frequent speaker on healthcare finance, technology and administration and has authored or co-authored eight books related to the ASC Industry including Ambulatory Surgery Center Governance - A Guide for Ambulatory Surgery Center Owners & Governing Body Members and The Survey Guide for ASCs – A Guide to the CMS Conditions of Coverage & Interpretive Guidelines for Ambulatory Surgery Centers. He is a former board member of the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association and one of the founders of the New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Ruben Garcia is a Life Safety and Physical Environment consultant who has been in the life safety and fire protection industry for over 15 years. He is a former life safety surveyor for HFAP and a current life safety surveyor for AAAHC. He is currently the Director of Facilities Management for Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center.

He is a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager, Certified Healthcare Constructor, Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Certified Fire Inspector I, Certified Life Safety Healthcare Facility Manager, Certified Fire Door Inspector, and NICET Certified in Fire Alarms.

Clint Hailey serves as senior vice president and chief managed care officer of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, overseeing managed care strategy development, and contracting operations for all entities with all managed care companies nationally. He reports to Dr. Saum Sutaria, Tenet’s chairman of the board & chief executive officer.

Prior to joining Tenet, Hailey was vice president of managed care for the Hospital Corporation of America’s (HCA) Texas operations, where he was responsible for directing the development of managed care strategies and negotiating contracts for 34 acute care hospitals and 26 freestanding surgery centers in Texas.

Hailey earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Texas Christian University and his juris doctorate from Texas A&M University School of Law.

He is a member of both the American and Texas Bar Associations and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

John began his career in healthcare management and recruitment right out the gate. He has held high-level sales and business development positions at companies such as Community Hospitalists, Cejka Search, QR Global Markets and most recently with Whitman Partners.

In his free time, John enjoys woodworking, fishing, spending time with his family, and running with his German Shorthaired Pointer, Nellie.

Dr. Himmel has over thirty years of experience in providing healthcare services in a variety of practice settings. Dr. Himmel has been a surveyor for AAAHC since 2009 and was recently elected to be Chair-elect of the AAAHC Board of Directors. She also serves as part of the teaching faculty with AAAHC.

She is credentialed to survey ambulatory surgical centers, Indian Health, college health, and community health agencies. She has a focus on both behavioral health and medical home and specializes in providing consultation and expertise regarding integrated health environments. She currently serves as the Counseling Center Director at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Dr. Himmel holds a Psy.D in Psychology, a master’s in clinical counseling, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, a National Certified Counselor (NBCC) and a member of the National Association for Cognitive Behavioral Therapists.

Lindsay Lowder is the Vice President of Anesthesia Services at SCA Health. In addition to her role as Dr. Grichnik’s business dyad partner leading the anesthesia-related strategy for SCA Health, Lindsay also leads Government Affairs for SCA Health. In her nearly 13 years with the organization, she has served as part of the enterprise’s managed care and strategy teams, including leading the development and implementation of value-based care arrangements in our facilities across the country. Prior to SCA, Lindsay served multiple roles at ASCA in their education department and as the Executive Director of the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification.

Dr. Grichnik is the Chief of Anesthesiology Services at SCA Health, supporting strategic partnerships for stakeholder value, alignment of anesthesiology services for our ASCs and supports quality, safety and clinical care excellence. She has extensive executive experience as the President of American Anesthesiology (2019-2020), the VP for Clinical Development, Surgical Directions Consulting (2018-2019), the CMO for the Cleveland Clinic’s Indian River Hospital (2016-2020) and the VP of Quality and Safety at Mednax (2013-2016).

She was a Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist at Duke University (1991-2013), where she was also the Associate Dean for CME, a member of the Duke Patient Safety Center, the Director of the Center for Educational Excellence, and the Director of the Chancellor’s Clinical Leadership Program. Dr. Grichnik earned her MD from Tufts University Medical School, her anesthesiology residency at Brigham and Women's (BWH) and her fellowships BWH and at Duke University.

Girish P. Joshi, MBBS, MD, FCAI, FASA is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. He is an attending anesthesiologist at the Parkland Health, Dallas, Texas. Dr. Joshi received his medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, M.B.B.S.) and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in anesthesiology from the B. J. Medical College, University of Pune, India. He received his fellowship in anesthesiology from the College of Anaesthetists, Ireland (F.C.A.I.), and then received a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University College Dublin, Ireland. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Dr. Joshi has published numerous original articles, review articles and editorials in several high-impact journals. He has been an invited speaker at many National and International conferences. He is an Executive Section Editor for Anesthesia & Analgesia and a Section Editor for UpToDate.

He is the Past President of the Society For Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA), the Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (SASM), and the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists (TSA). He has received Distinguished Service Awards from SAMBA and TSA. He is a member of the Procedure Specific Pain Management (PROSPECT) Group, an international collaboration of anesthesiologists and surgeons that formulates evidence-based procedure-specific pain management recommendations. In addition, the Prospect group is the Think Tank contributing to the European Society of Anesthesiologists vision on perioperative medicine.

Monica Livingston has been involved in the healthcare industry for more than 25 years. Monica has performed numerous roles ranging from new business systems development to customized on-site consulting and training. Monica co-founded Capital Returns, Inc., a pharmaceutical reverse distributor, in 1991.

Monica has applied her regulatory knowledge and pharmaceutical waste experience in the healthcare industry designing and implementing services to properly segregate and manage pharmaceutical waste generated primarily by acute care hospitals and retail pharmacies. Monica is currently responsible for managing and delivering all services provided by WMSS PharmEcology Services including on-site consulting, training and auditing for hundreds of healthcare clients. Monica works closely with WM Sustainability Services Integrated Customer Solutions to provide expertise in the area of pharmaceutical waste management. Most recently, she has been involved with the creation and implementation of PharmEcology's USP <800> Assessment of Risk and Consultation Program.

Robin Glawson serves as Senior Director of Human Resources at National Cardiovascular Partners (NCP). Robin brings over 20 years of experience within the healthcare industry. Throughout her management career, she designed and implemented strategic Human Resources solutions that have increased productivity and substantially contributed to profitability. She is a strategic leader with a proven track record in employee relations, leadership development, performance management and leading change.

Robin earned her BS in Healthcare Administration with a minor in social work from Auburn University.

With over 20 years of Ambulatory Surgery Center Supply Chain experience, Robert Mayhew has had the privilege to work with hundreds of surgery centers over his career. Robert believes in the value a strong Supply Chain can bring to an organization, not just financially, but to improve the overall patient experience.

Robert holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, is a Certified Materials and Resource Professional (CMRP), and serves as a Board Member for the Minnesota Chapter of The Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management.

Andy Poole is an experienced healthcare executive with a focus on reducing harm, improving outcomes and reducing the cost of care across the continuum of care. As a thought leader for ECRI, he works with healthcare organizations across the county to address current challenges and better prepare for the evolving healthcare landscape.

Prior to joining ECRI, served as the CEO of Monticello Community Surgery Center (MCSC) a 5 room multi-specialty surgery center in central Virginia. During his tenure, MCSC integrated multiple service lines and increased case volumes through developing partnerships with community physicians and local health systems as well as implementing innovative reimbursement strategies focused on bundled pricing and price transparency. Andy began his healthcare career as a Physical Therapist and held various leadership positions across the healthcare continuum. He has also served on the Virginia Ambulatory Surgery Association Board.

With close to 40 years of experience in the Perioperative arena, Kelly Miracle has seen a great deal. She cut her teeth on Total Joints when she was matched up with the Total Joint Coordinator as her preceptor, at a large inner city hospital. During that time she learned to scrub and circulate Total Knees and Total Hip Replacements. Eleven years later, she moved to the country and subsequently transferred to a smaller outpatient facility. She continued scrubbing and circulating orthopedics and eventually moved into a leadership position in charge of 8 ORs.

In 2016, she finally "saw the light" and accepted a position as the Director of an Orthopedic ASC. When she arrived, the arthroplasty surgeon was only doing an occasional uni knee. Since then, the total joint service has grown exponentially to include both total knees and total hips with a volume of over 150 cases per year.

Garret Hilgendorf, MBA, is the Administrator at Mankato Surgery Center. He oversees and is responsible for the operations of the independent, multi-specialty ASC. Garret brings an extensive background in healthcare management and leadership from various roles within the industry. His formal education consists of a bachelor's degree in business and master's degree in business administration.

Jocelyn Gaddie is the innovative leader behind one of the longest-operating ASC billing companies in the nation, in2itive Business Solutions. Thirteen years ago, Jocelyn joined in2itive to be involved in an industry she believed had two things she was looking for: making an impact and substantial growth opportunity. Jocelyn was promoted to Vice President of Business Development at in2itive in 2014, then took on the role of President & CEO in 2020.

Jocelyn has led both in2itive and the many Ambulatory Surgery Centers it serves to make sound, growth-minded decisions by understanding financial performance and taking calculated risks. Outside of her work at in2itive, Jocelyn enjoys spending time with her husband and their 4 children and continuing to spread her passion for health and fitness.

Danielle Golino has a national practice focused on complex health care transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures of ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, dental practices, immediate care centers, pharmacies, physician staffing companies, home health agencies, hospitals and medical schools. Danielle is also a national expert in ambulatory surgery center (ASC) transactions and physician practice management (PPM) transactions, assisting a wide variety of clients with ASC acquisitions and PPM platform growth and development on a national scale across a variety of medical specialties. Danielle also has experience structuring transactions to comply with state and federal health care fraud and abuse laws, state licensure issues, corporate practice of medicine prohibitions and other health care regulatory compliance matters.

With a career as a Chief Operating Officer in an office setting, I have embarked on an exciting transition into the dynamic realm of surgery center administration. My professional journey has been characterized by a relentless commitment to organizational excellence, process optimization, and team leadership. I bring a wealth of experience in driving efficiency, streamlining operations, and ensuring the highest standards of service delivery.

As I transition into surgery center administration, I am thrilled to apply my strategic mindset and leadership acumen to the healthcare sector. My goal is to optimize surgical center operations, enhance patient experiences, and collaborate closely with medical professionals to ensure top-notch healthcare delivery.

This career move represents a natural evolution in my quest for meaningful impact, and I am eager to bring my expertise to the forefront of healthcare administration, contributing to the provision of safe, efficient, and patient-centric surgical services.

Dan has been a part of the ASC community for 10 years serving in the roles of Director of Nursing and currently as the Administrator of Red Hills Surgical Center in Tallahassee, FL. As a graduate of FSU College of Nursing, he proudly holds a CASC certification and is an active member of the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Dan has provided clinical and administrative leadership for his multispecialty ASC working closely with the Facility’s Medical Director since transitioning from the hospital to the ASC world in 2014. His experience and leadership have helped the facility through in inevitable highs and lows seen in any business. Dan believes that effective communication and teamwork are key to ensuring success in the day-to-day operations as well as strategic planning and emergency management of any facility.

Maia Kunkel is the Manager of Government Affairs at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). At ASCA, her primary responsibilities include facilitating grassroots advocacy efforts and programs with ASCA members, members of Congress and other associations. Maia graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Affairs from Northeastern University in 2019.

Dr. Lorraine Jordan is the Chief Science and Practice Officer for the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology serving over 60,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. Dr. Jordan earned both her anesthesia and doctoral degrees from The Ohio State University. Lorraine's passion includes patient safety, anesthesia quality and outcomes, cost-effectiveness and healthcare policy. She has published over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals, served as editor of a book, authored chapters, served as a reviewer for scientific publications, and professional lectures both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Jordan has been active and served in several organizations, such: as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), Chair of AAAHC Institute for Quality Improvement, Chair of the Interagency Collaborative on Nursing Statistics, the Academy of Health, the American Academy of Nursing. She served on several advisory boards, such as ABC News and Medical Protective.

Bill Slife serves as nimble’s Executive Vice President of Operations, a pivotal role in growing the company’s revenue and overall financial performance. As an accomplished leader with a strong background in the field of revenue cycle management, Bill has led teams through strategic planning to manage budgets and consistently meet key performance indicators. His career highlights at previous revenue cycle and healthcare organizations include winning the Pinnacle of Excellence Award twice, driving over $100 million in new revenue within 12 months, and delivering a substantial $15 million year-over-year EBITDA growth. His skillset encompasses supply chain management, data analysis, financial reporting, pricing strategy, and organizational development.

Bill attended an Executive Leadership Program at Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern) and has an MBA from Weatherhead School of Management (Case Western), and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Ohio University.

Over 13 years of experience in healthcare leadership with expertise in all areas of ASC operations and financial management.

John Goehle is the Chief Operating Officer and partner with Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC - a Rochester, New York-based ASC management and consulting services company.

Prior to forming AHS, Mr. Goehle developed and managed two Rochester New York-based ambulatory surgery centers and provided management consulting services for a wide range of health care organizations, primarily in the Northeast.

Mr. Goehle has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Ithaca College in Upstate New York. He holds the prestigious Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC) credential. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York. Mr. Goehle is also an accreditation surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Mr. Goehle is the host of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle available on iTunes and Google Play. He is also a frequent speaker on health care finance, technology and administration and has authored or co-authored eight books related to the ASC Industry including Ambulatory Surgery Center Governance - A Guide for Ambulatory Surgery Center Owners & Governing Body Members and The Survey Guide for ASCs – A Guide to the CMS Conditions of Coverage & Interpretive Guidelines for Ambulatory Surgery Centers. He is a former board member with the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association and one of the founders of the New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Paige Proffitt has worked in the ASC space for over 25 years in various roles. She currently works as Regional Vice President of Operations with Amsurg. In this role, she oversees the operational, financial, growth strategy and customer relationship management of ASCs across the Amsurg Southeast Division.

Paige is a current board member and past president of the Tennessee Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (TASCA).

Jessica joined nimble in 2014 and has developed deep surgical revenue cycle expertise by working in multiple departments over the years. As the Vice President of Sales, Jessica serves as a trusted advisor to our clients. She analyzes payer trends, solves payer denials and revenue cycle challenges, and helps clients achieve financial growth. Jessica demonstrated her expertise as a key voice, educating the ASC community about Hospital Without Walls (HWW) during the pandemic.

Michael J. Patterson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mississippi Valley Health.

For the past 25 years, his professional career has encompassed a variety of positions in healthcare ranging from a Registered Nurse in a Level I Trauma Center to the Chief Administrative Officer of a 350-bed community hospital and Chief Nurse Executive of a 3 hospital health system.

Michael has served over 23 years in both the Active and Reserve components of the US Navy and was deployed multiple times to provide Trauma care around the world. He retired with full honors in 2012.

Michael is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Master of Science in Nursing where he was awarded the Distinguished Nurse Alumnus in 2010. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Mary learned to scrub while in Nursing school and has remained in the perioperative field ever since. Early in her nursing career, she was appointed the Director of Nursing for a startup surgery center. In addition, Mary held positions such as Administrator, Group Administrator, Regional Manager, Group Clinical Director and Clinical Consultant. She has assisted many start-up centers as they became certified and helped others achieve or maintain accreditation.

She currently is a Senior Consultant for Amblitel. Mary was one of the founding members of the Iowa ASC Association and served as the first President. Mary has served on the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification (BASC) and frequently speaks at the ASCA Annual Conference. She has been one of the three main presenters for the Management Essentials for ASC Administrator course for many years.

Lawrence E. Tan, Esq., NRP currently serves as a National Safety Officer III with Medxcel where he is supporting the Ascension Medical Group outpatient facilities. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP), Delaware-certified paramedic, Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP) and certified Business Continuity Management Planner (BCMP). He retired as Chief of Emergency Medical Services for the New Castle County (Delaware) Department of Public Safety following over thirty-seven (37) years of service.

Larry is a graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences where he received an Associate of Science degree in Emergency Medical Sciences. He later graduated summa cum laude from Wilmington University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management. He received a law degree from Widener University School of Law and is admitted to the bar of the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey and the Supreme Court of the United States. Larry was awarded a national scholarship to attend the Harvard University JFK School of Government Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.

Larry has served on a variety of projects including the National Commission on Children and Disasters, the Health, Medical and Responder Safety (HMRS) Subgroup of the federal InterAgency Board (IAB), the United States DHS First Responder Resource Group, and the FEMA Region III Regional Advisory Council. He is also a Past President and Director Emeritus of the International Association of Emergency Medical Services Chiefs (IAEMSC).

Sandra Jones is President of Ambulatory Strategies, providing management, development, regulatory compliance, accreditation preparation, ASC licensing and CMS certification compliance consulting, and risk management services to surgical centers. Sandra is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management, Certified Administrator Surgery Center, Certified in Health Care Quality Management, and Fellow of the Health Care Financial Management Association.

She is a contributor on the subject of risk management, regulatory compliance and operational issues for several professional publications. Sandra is an AAAHC accreditation surveyor, serves on the Standards Development Committee for the AAAHC and is a former board member of AAAHC. For nine years, she served on the board of the ASC Association where she served on Governance, Strategic Planning, HIPAA Compliance and other committees.

She recently was on the board of the Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management and Patient Safety and now serves on the Advocacy and Education Committees.

Dennis Wichern is a partner in PDC, where he focuses his efforts on DEA compliance, opioid risk mitigation initiatives and training services to protect ASCs, healthcare organizations, providers, and pharmacies nationwide. His experience includes 30 years of public service as a DEA Special Agent retiring in 2018 as the Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division where he directed all criminal enforcement and diversion control operations in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota with a team of approximately 550 employees.

Dennis was the first to develop DEA compliance services and training relating to pain and prescription opioids for ASCs, hospitals, providers, pharmacies, and drug researchers. Dennis is a recognized expert on the dangers of heroin and the opioid epidemic and routinely speaks to healthcare organizations, ASCs, pharmacies, and providers to identify methods to better safeguard their practices.

Debbie currently provides consulting services to organizations for construction and renovation needs of ASCs. Assisting with survey readiness for state, CMS and accreditation. Prior to consulting, she was a VP of Operations for a management company overseeing the operations and development of ASCs and surgical hospitals. She has worked in the ASC industry in California since 1993, beginning as an Administrator of a surgery center.

Debbie served on the Board of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association for 15 years; including Past President. She continues to assist in developing Infection Control Seminars for many ambulatory surgery center organizations for over 13 years.

Arnaldo Valedon, MD is an anesthesiologist practicing outpatient perioperative management for twenty-five years. He received his BS at Cornell University and his MD degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He continued his training in anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, with sub-specialty training in pediatric anesthesia at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

He is currently serving as the Medical Director for Outpatient Perioperative Services at WellSpan Health. He is the President-Elect for the International Association of Ambulatory Surgery, is a Past Chair for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC) and a board member of AAAHC-International, and Past President of SAMBA.

Dr. Valedon is president and CEO of Knightstone Consulting Group and has been actively consulting on perioperative management nationally and internationally. He has been an invited speaker at multiple conferences nationally and abroad.

Will graduated from the University of California, San Diego, in 1986, and graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1989. Will is an Equity Partner with the San Diego, California, law firm of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, LLP, and is the former Chairperson of the Firm’s Health Care Group (years 2011-2021). For the past 33 years, Will’s practice has included civil trial litigation, with an emphasis on the representation of healthcare clientele in both State and Federal courts.

Will represents healthcare clientele in their business litigation, administrative law, and medical malpractice matters; to date, he has represented both national and state-wide, healthcare clientele in over 500 matters. His clients include Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Hospitals, Physicians, and other Allied Health Professionals.

Will has received the highest rating (A-V) available from Martindale-Hubbell for legal ability and ethics, has been designated "The Best Lawyers in America“ by Best Lawyers, and has been designated a "Super Lawyer for Southern California” by Thomson Reuters, "Top Healthcare Lawyer" by The Daily Journal, the “Best of the Bar” by the San Diego Business Journal, and a “Top Lawyer” by San Diego Magazine.

Kristen Richards is the Vice President of Cardiovascular Operations for Atlas Healthcare Partners. Kristen is an experienced leader in cardiovascular care focused on driving solutions to improve clinical, financial, and operational performance of healthcare organizations and ambulatory surgery centers across the US.

Kristen's knowledge and expertise in the cardiovascular space began at Banner Health where she worked for 14 years with the majority of that time as Director of Cardiovascular Operations followed by nine years with Philips as the Director of Healthcare Economics. Recognized for identifying market opportunities and solutions that address the challenges in the cardiovascular space, Kristen moved back into operations and joined Atlas in 2022.

Kristen leads CV ASC Operations for Atlas and is committed to ensuring patient care is optimized in this setting through the achievement of clinical, financial, and operational excellence.

Laurie has been in the ASC industry for over 25 years, serving 20 in leadership roles. Her certifications include Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR), Certified Registered Nurse First Assist (CRNFA(E)), Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC), as well as Certified Ambulatory Infection Preventionist (CAIP). She is also a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC).

Prior to relocating to Cape Cod Massachusetts, she served as an executive board member and secretary for the New Hampshire ASC Association.

Laurie has provided clinical and administrative leadership for both large and small multi-specialty ASCs. She currently is a deemed-status surveyor for AAAHC, sits on the education committee for ASCA, is the Director of Clinical Services and an Infection Prevention Consultant for a national ASC regulatory compliance company, provides legal nurse consultant expertise and is a proud mother and grandmother of amazing young women.

Kara Marshall Newbury serves as director, government affairs and regulatory counsel for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), and through these roles spearheads ASCA’s federal advocacy efforts. Kara previously coordinated state legislative, regulatory and public affairs for the association. Before joining ASCA, Kara served as the assistant director, state government affairs at the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations and staff attorney and director of government relations for the Community Financial Services Association. Kara received her undergraduate and law degree from The Ohio State University.

David Shapiro, M.D. is an anesthesiologist from Florida who has had extensive experience serving as a department chair, medical director, and board member of several ambulatory surgery centers. Dr. Shapiro currently serves on the Boards of both the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (FSASC) and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and is a Past President of ASCA. Additionally, he is the Chair of the Board of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), an organization for which he also conducts healthcare facility surveys on behalf of AAAHC and Medicare.

Dr. Shapiro is also on the Board of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaboration (ASC QC), which develops, measures, and publicly reports national ASC quality data. Further, he serves on the Board of the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) and participates as a member of their Health Guidelines Review Committee (HGRC).

Salvatore Puccio is a Partner at Garfunkel Wild, P.C.. He is a member of the firm’s Employment Law, Cannabis, Litigation and Arbitration, Health Care and Appellate Groups. Sal's practice primarily focuses on advising and counseling health care providers on their day-to-day business operations.

Sal has particular experience in counseling clients concerning the employer-employee relationship including the defense of age, race, gender, national origin, disability discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits, compliance with workplace regulations and employment statutes, and wage and hour lawsuits.

Sal also focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters and has represented clients in breach of contract matters, managed care disputes, partnership disputes and breakups, antitrust matters, construction litigation, landlord/tenant disputes, and employment disputes.

Debra Stinchcomb has over 30 years of health care experience including development, clinical, administrative, operations and sales. The last 30 years have been focused exclusively on the ASC industry.

Her responsibilities have included budget development/management, revenue/expense management, contract negotiation, licensing/certification/accreditation compliance, marketing, risk management, quality improvement and benchmarking.

Debra is a Registered Nurse having received her BSN and MBA. She is the founder/past President of the Arkansas Ambulatory Surgery Association and has served nationally as a past board member of FASA and the ASC Association. She is currently the past President of the Arkansas Ambulatory Surgery Association. She received her CASC credential in 2002.

Debra was an AAAHC surveyor 2001 - 2007 and is a past participant and Chair of the Ambulatory Joint Commission Professional and Technical Advisory Committee.

Debra is the current chair of BASC.

Gina Throneberry is the Director of Education and Clinical Affairs for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). In this role she educates members and non-members to the Medicare Quality Measure Reporting Program for ASCs. She also works with federal agencies (Medicare, CDC, FDA, OSHA) in regards to clinical, regulatory, and quality issues/concerns among the ambulatory surgery center industry. Ms. Throneberry is a board member of the Tennessee Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. She is also a surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Becky is an avid proponent of the ASC industry, is certified as a Surgery Center Administrator, and currently serves on the ASCA Board. She was employed for thirteen years as the ASC Administrator of a multi-specialty independent surgical center and remains active in the ASC space as the Assistant Executive Director of the ASC Quality Collaboration and in consulting/assisting surgical centers with regulatory, and operational projects.

With a background in leadership, performance improvement including benchmarking, healthcare compliance, survey preparation, health information management, and revenue cycle management, her career expands the entire healthcare spectrum, encompassing acute care, long-term care, psychiatric care, outpatient clinics, and outpatient surgery.

Jeff Snodgrass is the President and Chief Executive Officer of AMSURG, a national leader in ambulatory surgical care with ownership in more than 250 surgery centers in 34 states and the District of Columbia, including medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. Snodgrass was appointed to his current role as President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2023, having previously served as AMSURG’s President from 2020 to 2023. He joined AMSURG from Azura Vascular Care and National Cardiology Partners, where he served as President and CEO, leading the company’s outpatient vascular and cardiology, interventional and surgical business units.

Under his leadership, Azura Vascular Care experienced unprecedented growth and transformed from an office-based outpatient business to an ambulatory surgical care company. Snodgrass also served as the Chief Financial Officer at inVentiv Health and spent more than 17 years at Merck & Co. in several leadership positions in finance and marketing, including Vice President of Finance.

Snodgrass earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Penn State University.

Eric Evans has served as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Surgery Partners, Inc. since January 2020. He previously held the title of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since April 2019. Mr. Evans has nearly 20 years of experience in a range of operating and strategic roles in healthcare services. Mr. Evans previously served as President of Hospital Operations for Tenet Healthcare. In his role, he was responsible for 68 acute care hospitals, 161 hospital-affiliated facilities, more than 2,200 employed providers and other related healthcare services and functions within the company. His early career at Tenet consisted of various positions, including CEO of Tenet's Texas Region and market leadership roles as well as Chief of Staff to the CEO. Mr. Evans also serves as Director for Teladoc Health, QuVa Pharma, the Nashville Health Care Council, the American Heart Association of Middle Tennessee, and the SPOON Foundation. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Purdue University.

Marie leads the strategy team focused on market strategy, new business incubation, identifying new ways and places to create growth for our partners, and how to create value between SCA Health’s business and primary care physicians. She previously led SCA Health’s payer engagement, contracting and government affairs teams. Prior to SCA Health, she served as director of reimbursement policy for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and vice president of managed care and compliance for Specialty Surgicenters Inc. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health from Emory University.

Mr. Albertz has more than 20 years in the ophthalmic and healthcare industries with expertise in administration, business development, and compliance. Prior to joining EW, he was the Vice President of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Eyecare Partners. In his role at ECP, Todd provided leadership to 30 ophthalmic ASCs across the country. Additionally, he played a key role in the planning and development of numerous surgery centers around the country.

At Eckert Wordell, Todd leads the Healthcare Solutions team that works alongside our architecture, interior design, and engineering teams to provide consulting services, including: sizing considerations, defining block time models; pro-forma development; operational considerations and structure; equipment needs; staffing considerations; development of policy and procedure manuals; ASC licensure process support; and compliance issues related to life-safety issues and operational needs/requirements.

Dr. Erik Bendiks is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, a leading spine surgeon and researcher, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Bendiks has been nominated as a Top Doctor by the International Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, lectured at numerous conferences, and taught other spine surgeons on new techniques and technology to include his knowledge and development of new implant designs.

In 2015 he founded Georgia Spine & Orthopaedics, and in 2018 founded the Surgery Center of Roswell. Dr. Bendiks is affiliated with multiple hospitals throughout the Atlanta metro area, and on staff with the Surgery Center of Roswell.

Charles W. Cha, MD is an orthopedic spine surgeon and partner of Georgia Bone & Joint Surgeons. Board certified and fellowship trained in spine surgery, Dr. Cha specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal fusions, laminectomies, discectomies, and total disc arthroplasty. Dr. Cha sees patients in his Cartersville and Canton offices and performs surgery at Georgia Bone & Joint Surgeons Center For Orthopedic Surgery, Cartersville Medical Center, Northside Cherokee Hospital.

Joan Dentler, MBA, is the founder of Avanza Healthcare Strategies, an ambulatory surgery center and healthcare advisory organization supporting leading healthcare organizations in planning, developing, executing and operating their ASC and outpatient strategies. For more than 25 years, Joan has been consulting on, developing or operating ASCs, hospital outpatient services and outpatient strategy. She founded ASC Strategies in 2007 and Outpatient Strategies in 2011, unifying the two companies under a single brand, Avanza Healthcare Strategies, in 2013. Avanza was acquired by MedHQ, a provider of technology-enabled expert healthcare services, in 2023.

Joan's breadth of experience and disarming nature help her quickly build trust and establish credibility with clients and other stakeholders. She is known for her incisive business acumen and elegant solutions to complex problems. Before founding Avanza, Joan worked in healthcare administration, serving as a hospital liaison for physician-hospital joint ventures and as an administrator of community-based women's health and pediatric primary care facilities.

Matt is a Partner at ECG Management Consultants and has spent more than 25 years leading and advising organizations focused on ambulatory services. He has guided surgery centers, health systems, and physician group practices through the process of assessing and improving financial and operational performance. Matt often assists distressed providers in re-engineering their managed care relationships and business operations. Moreover, he has helped a number of new ASCs prepare for success by negotiating appropriate initial commercial contracts that positioned start-up providers for immediate as well as long-term success.

Nick leads HST Pathways’ revenue organization and works with HST’s customers to help keep their staff happy and revenue high.

Nick joined HST from Zego where he led Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success. During his tenure at Zego, the company created a new market category, accelerated organic revenue growth, and increased profitability - ultimately culminating in a sale to Global Payments (NYSE: GPN). Prior to Zego, Nick worked at Vista Equity Partners where he partnered with the firm’s portfolio companies to develop and execute value creation initiatives across all functional areas.

Nick graduated with Distinction from Emory University and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Jessica Nelson oversees Surgical Information Systems' Revenue Cycle Services (RCS) team. Under her leadership, the RCS team focuses on ongoing operational efficiencies and improvements that help to deliver outstanding customer service, strategies to increase profitability, and delivering on financial objectives for SIS RCS clients. Jessica has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare revenue cycle management, previously working in accounts receivable, payment posting, implementation, and client services.

Mr. Penny is a principal and senior project manager at Eckert Wordell. Curt has more than 25 years of experience managing, coordinating, planning, and programming architectural projects. Curt’s vast experience in healthcare facilities, and ASCs in particular, has resulted in a keen understanding of the physical environment as well as the many compliance regulations today’s healthcare facilities face.

Curt’s programming, planning, and design philosophy emphasizes the creation of efficient, safe, compliant environments through adherence to sound planning principles and facility design while also addressing flexibility in use, operational efficiency, and adaptability without compromising safety.

Reid is the CEO of Gain, a company on a mission to enable healthcare providers to take on more patients. He is an industry expert on working with providers to see patients in need while maximizing reimbursements in a challenging environment. Reid has been featured in national and local media throughout his career. He was named the 2022 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year in the Southeast Region, an award given for his entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact. Reid is passionate about making a difference by connecting, mentoring, opening doors and leading people.

As CEO of the HTA, Andrews oversees the strategic direction of approximately 60+ major corporations that have come together in an alliance to do one thing: fix our broken healthcare system. Formed by four founding members in September 2015, the HTA member companies collectively are responsible for more than 8 million employees, dependents, and retirees with an annual healthcare spend of $30+ billion. Through Andrews’ leadership, the HTA has launched value-driven solutions specifically designed to improve patient care and economic value through world-class data and analytics, pathbreaking pharmaceutical solutions, high-quality medical networks, and robust consumer engagement initiatives. To date, the cooperative has saved its member companies well over $2 billion in healthcare costs. Andrew’s leadership has been equally important in the HTA developing programs addressing racial and ethnic disparities in health care, mental health issues, and safe return-to-work programs following the pandemic./p>

Prior to private practice, Andrews served as a Member of the United States House of Representatives for nearly 24 years. Upon his departure from Congress, President Barack Obama praised Andrews’ service as “an original author of the Affordable Care Act...and a vital partner in its passage and implementation,” and cited his “tenacity and skill” in representing the people of New Jersey.

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Tyler Picciano’s healthcare experience comes from more than four years as an office manager at an orthopedic ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and scheduler for a behavioral health practice. He has handled every aspect of credentialing for dozens of providers, implementing new technology, and solving problems on the fly. Tyler has been helping healthcare organizations solve credentialing challenges at MedTrainer for the past six years. He works closely with many internal teams to translate his experience into solutions.

Tyler earned his Master of Health Administration from Colorado State University and currently resides in Florida.

Lisa has been an RN for over 38 years and in ambulatory care for the majority of those years. Lisa’s extensive operational development, management and consulting experience provides clients with expertise in facility administration, budget development, regulatory compliance, policy and procedure development and implementation, and organizational interfacing. Lisa’s national ASC and Hospital Department development and management expertise affords clients, who are opening new Facilities, unparalleled success.

Lisa has developed numerous surgery centers working in concert with investors, corporations, hospitals, architects, builders and equipment manufacturers/distributors through all phases of surgery center development and management.

Lisa has achieved CASC, the credential that connotes expertise in ASC administration.

Tina Piotrowski is the Chief Executive Officer of Copper Ridge Surgery Center in Traverse City, Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from Northern Michigan University and her Master’s degree in business administration from Davenport University. With 20 years of experience in ambulatory health care, she has successfully led organizations to achieve best-in-class outcomes by developing high-performing, competent teams. She serves as Past President of the Michigan Ambulatory Surgery Association, is on the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification, and holds the CASC designation as a Certified Administrator - Surgery Center.

Kelly Bemis, RN, BSN, is the Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) for National Cardiovascular Partners (NCP), a subsidiary of Fresenius Medical Care of North America (FMCNA). In that capacity, Ms. Bemis is responsible for the overall strategy, direction and oversight of all clinical aspects of the organization, to include facility certification, governance and regulatory compliance; physician relations; medical research; and the monitoring and reporting of comprehensive quality outcomes.

Ms. Bemis has spent her entire career in the healthcare, first in patient care, and later in a succession of high-level management and oversight roles. Ms. Bemis is a member of the Joint Commission’s Ambulatory Care Advisory Council, and represents NCP as a member of the Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society (OEIS). Her work has been published in several leading healthcare publications and national journals.

Dr. Elizabeth Dovec is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. A Penn State graduate, she earned her medical degree at the Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia and completed her general surgery residency with the Allegheny General Hospital/West Penn Hospital Graduate Medical Education Consortium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She then carried out an elite fellowship in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mandy Hawkins, RN, CASC, CAIP, is the president of the ASCA Board of Directors and chief executive officer of Three Hawks Advisors. She has more than 24 years of experience in healthcare. Her knowledge of the ASC industry, coupled with her passion and dedication, make her a spirited and successful leader of the surgery center community. Hawkins received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University where she was a National Collegiate Athletic Association All-Americans gymnast. She is a strong supporter of ASCAPAC and believes that healthcare policies will continue to shape the ASC industry. Hawkins was the previous treasurer of the ASCA Board, sits on ASCA’s Finance Committee, Government Affairs Committee, Education Committee, Public Affairs Committee and Strategic Planning Committee, and was a mentor for ASCA’s ASC Administrator Development Program. She also advocates with ASCA on the association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative to address workforce challenges, improving access to care and providing more education and training on cultural competence. Hawkins is the chair of the South Carolina Lowcountry Healthcare Coalition and sits on the ASC Quality Collaboration’s Strategic Planning Task Force. She previously served on the South Carolina Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s Education Committee. She speaks at state and national conferences regularly.

Kasey Krabler is Office Manager for Rocky Mountain Surgical Center in Bozeman Montana. In her eight years at RMSC she has worked in each business office position and now enjoys overseeing the daily activity within a community driven ASC. Learning each role from coding and billing to provider credentialing has given her an expertise and perspective that many are not granted. From reception to board level data management, her experience grows each day. With a wide array of work exposure prior to RMSC, Kasey's focus has always been geared towards taking care of the community and providing excellence in all areas. Outside of work she enjoys long walks with her dogs, reading, and soaking up the sun.

Jan is currently the Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Research for NCP, a provider of outpatient cardiovascular services. Jan is a certified healthcare safety professional and has been in the Ambulatory Surgery Center industry since 1985, spending the past 15 years assisting hundreds of ASCs with accreditation and regulatory support. Jan has served on ambulatory advisory panels for AORN, Joint Commission and the ASC Quality Collaboration, has authored a book over compliance with Joint Commission standards and has had several publications in the AORN Journal. Jan has served as an expert speaker on numerous nationwide audio and live conferences over quality, regulatory and accreditation issues.

Stephen Abresch is the Assistant Director of Government Affairs at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), where his primary responsibilities include covering state legislative and regulatory activity and federal legislative activity. Prior to joining ASCA in 2019, Stephen got his start in state government affairs in 2010 when he was a staffer in the House Appropriations Committee in the Maryland House of Delegates: he later spent nearly seven years at the state government affairs firm Stateside Associates, covering a wide range of topics including digital privacy, financial regulations and state procurement issues.

Stephen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science and completed a Master’s program in Public Policy, with a focus on Social Policy, at the George Washington University in 2012.

Alice has over 15 years of experience as an epidemiologist in both the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. She has a record of publications and presentations in the fields of infectious disease and epidemiological research. She has led programs and teams in the areas of regulatory affairs, surveillance, data analysis, and clinical research. As head of PDI Clinical Affairs, Alice is responsible for providing clinical strategy, elevating relationships with industry and government organizations, and supporting business development and innovation for PDI.

Alice earned a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology, a master’s degree in Public Health Epidemiology, and is a doctoral candidate in Health Sciences. She is certified in Infection Control and Epidemiology and Healthcare Quality. She is a Fellow of the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and a member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the American College of Epidemiology, and the American Public Health Association.

Katja Auer has been part of the UVC industry for over 15 years. She is an expert in UVC EVS applications with a focus on infection prevention.

Katja is a member of ASHRAE’s TC 2.9 Ultraviolet Air and Surface Treatment from its inception and served as the TC 2.9 Secretary, Vice-Chair and Chair. Additionally, she served as Secretary on ASHRAE’s Standards Committees (ANSI) SPC185.1 and SPC185.2 She is the Vice-Chair of SPC185.3 "Method of Testing In-Room Devices and Systems for Microorganism" and Chair of SPC185.4 "Method of Testing In-Room Ultraviolet Devices and Systems for Microbial Inactivation on Surfaces in a Test Room."

She serves as Handbook Chair of ASHRAE TC2.9 and is a contributing author to ASHRAE Handbook chapters for both Fundamentals and Systems & Equipment. She is a member of ASHRAE’s Guideline Project Committee GPC37 Upper Room Ultraviolet. Additionally, Katja is a member of IUVA (International Ultra-Violet Association) and its Healthcare working group plus a voting member of ISO WG TC 142 and ISO USA Expert panel on UV-C.

Katja holds a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Arizona and an MBA from the University of La Verne and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership-Health Science at the University of Houston.

James Kendig is the Field Director for the Life Safety Code Surveyors/Engineers at The Joint Commission. In this role, he oversees half (approximately 40) of the surveyor cadre who specialize in surveying The Joint Commission’s life safety, environment of care, and emergency management standards.

Previously, Mr. Kendig also served as a Joint Commission Life Safety Code Surveyor. Prior to joining The Joint Commission, he was a Vice President and Safety Officer for a four-hospital system in Florida on the “Space Coast”.

Mr. Kendig maintains certifications as a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional, Certified Hazard Control Manager, Certified Healthcare Environmental Manager, and is a licensed Healthcare Risk Manager. He serves on the faculty of the University of Central Florida’s Licensed Risk Management Program.

Mr. Kendig holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is currently a resident of Florida.

Colin Park is a Managing Director at VMG Health and is based in the Dallas office. His focus has been on developing client relationships and providing valuation, transaction advisory, and operational consulting services in the healthcare services industry. Specifically, he has significant experience with ambulatory surgery centers, acute care and specialty hospitals, oncology centers, diagnostic imaging centers, dialysis centers, physicians groups, and numerous other ancillary healthcare service business segments.

In addition to the extensive valuation experience for transaction planning and financial reporting purposes, he has consulted on numerous development, feasibility, and denovo business development engagements. Clients include for-profit and not-for-profit health systems, ancillary services providers, development companies across several healthcare industry sub-specialties, and other publicly owned and privately held healthcare entities.

Eric Burger has 30 years of experience in healthcare with the past 15 years in healthcare leadership, primarily focused on surgical services. He has worked in a range of settings including large hospital systems and outpatient facilities. Eric started with Duly Health and Care (formally DuPage Medical Group) in 2019 and was an integral part of starting their first robotic program for their outpatient surgery centers. Eric has a Bachelor of Science in Project Management and a Master of Business Administration with a Leadership Concentration.

Dr. PJ Papadakos, MD, FCCM, FCCP, FAARC, has been at the University of Rochester since 1988 where he is a director of Critical Care Medicine and Professor with tenure in Anesthesiology, Surgery, Neurology, and Neurosurgery. He is an internationally known expert in Critical Care Medicine publishing extensively in the fields of ARDs, Sepsis, Mechanical Ventilation, Sedation in the ICU, and on the physiology of critical illness. He has authored several hundred papers, commentaries, book chapters and has edited ten textbooks.

Since 2000 he has also focused on professionalism in the digital era and how it impacts both the provider and the patient. He coined the term "Distracted Doctoring" and has been quoted in the international media including the NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, Fox, and ABC News. His work has led to schools and hospitals educating professional staff on the topic. He has also edited text Distracted Doctoring with Stephen Bertman.

Over 12 years of experience in ASC Supply Chain Management with an excellent background in perpetual inventory management using EMR and contract negotiations. Proven experience in showing cost savings and effective materials management in various health care settings. Expertise in contract enforcement, GPO implementations and vendor management.

Terry is Vice President of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Community Health Systems in Nashville, Tennessee. Terry served as President of the national ASC Association (ASCA) from 2014 to 2016 and as President of the California Surgery Center Association (CASA) from 2012 to 2014. Terry was Vice President of Operations for two national surgery center companies and has been Administrator of a large, multi-specialty ASC.

Terry is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and a Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC). He holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and an undergraduate degree in Accounting. He served as adjunct assistant professor at the University of Florida in the Masters in Healthcare Administration program. He retired as Commander in the United States Navy Reserve after 24 years of military service.

I have worked as a teacher, supervisor, professor, instructional designer, change leader, mentor, and facilitator. I have a bachelor's in Sociology and a Master's in Anthropology and in Information Science. For over 20 years I have helped teams develop and grow. I have certifications in DiSC, Change Style, Teamwork, coaching, facilitation and more. I have worked with non-profits, NGO's, government, higher education, and corporate groups to grow individuals, create team, and impact customer experience.

J. Blake Peart RRT, CMAA

Blake has had the opportunity of an extensive and diverse career in healthcare for over twenty years. In the past ten years, he has served as CEO for multiple hospitals of Fortune 500 companies and CEO for several large Ambulatory Surgery Centers. In addition, his operations and business development knowledge has allowed him to experience the entire M&A process from start to finish focusing primarily on private equity transactions. Blake’s history as both a CEO and clinician provides a unique perspective based on years of experience and empathy when working with business owners seeking M&A advice. His expertise is in Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Physician Practices, and independent hospital businesses. He is here to support healthcare business owners who select the M&A direction as one who has walked in their shoes. Blake knows that every transaction is unique and tailored to a seller’s need in getting the best deal and providing a positive experience throughout the entire process.

Lee M. Eaves is currently a security and risk consultant for Eaves Consulting, LLC. In this role Mr. Eaves provides services such as active shooter training, vulnerability risk assessments and consulting in the areas of security, risk and internal investigations.

Mr. Eaves was previously employed as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service tasked with the dual mission of protecting our nation's financial infrastructure and protecting our nation's leaders. Mr. Eaves also has previous experience in the medical field having worked as a flight paramedic in Birmingham, AL.

Nikia Smith serves as Diversity and Inclusion Manager for Tenet Healthcare, where she oversees diversity programming enterprise wide. She also serves on Tenet’s internal D and I Council and their external Supplier Diversity Council.

Prior to joining Tenet in 2022, Nikia served as Global DEI Program Manager for American Airlines. She has more than 25 years of experience working in leadership roles across healthcare, aviation, automotive and telecom, among other industries. Over the years, her landscape in various companies has allowed Nikia to leverage DEI from an innovative lens. This approach allows her to meet people where they are on their journey and curator a successful path forward.

Nikia is a graduate of Southern University A & M College where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and holds a MBA from Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee. She also holds a Six-Sigma Green Belt Certification.

David Shapiro, M.D. is an anesthesiologist from Florida who has had extensive experience serving as a department chair, medical director, and board member of several ambulatory surgery centers. Dr. Shapiro currently serves on the Boards of both the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (FSASC) and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and is a Past President of ASCA. Additionally, he is the Chair of the Board of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), an organization for which he also conducts healthcare facility surveys on behalf of AAAHC and Medicare.

Dr. Shapiro is also on the Board of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaboration (ASC QC), which develops, measures, and publicly reports national ASC quality data. Further, he serves on the Board of the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) and participates as a member of their Health Guidelines Review Committee (HGRC).

Liz Even, BSN, MSN, RN, CEN currently serves as the Senior Associate Director of Clinical Standards Interpretation in the Division of Healthcare Improvement at The Joint Commission. In this role, she collaborates with the Standards Interpretation Group, providing guidance to organizations and Surveyors, and supporting the accreditation process.

Ms. Even has 2 decades of acute care hospital experience specializing in emergency medicine. She is committed to professional development, safe environments of care, and nursing leadership. Prior to joining The Joint Commission, Ms. Even served as the Patient Care Manager of Emergency Services at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She also held a leadership position within the department of surgical education at Northwestern University. She is BCEN certified in emergency medicine as well as trauma nurse certified and has served as one of the clinical leads in developing a 3-tiered security approach in response to violent traumas.

Lori is a proven leader in the ASC industry. She has twelve years of experience as an ASC Administrator and has recently launched Stratify Management Solutions; an ASC management, billing, and consulting company. Lori has been successful in turning around underperforming organizations and is considered a valued resource in the industry. She is the founder of a national monthly Administrator call which provides peer support to Administrators around the country. She is also a mentor in the ASCA Administrator Development Program. Lori is also a regular speaker at ASC industry conferences and contributor to ASC publications.

Experienced nurse with front line through Executive level experience in the OR, Cardiac Cath lab, ICU and most recently the ASC. Current role includes insuring that managed ASCs demonstrate clinical excellence and that new ASC projects utilize appropriate space planning and design needs, equipment planning and operations as the Vice President of Clinical Operations for Surgical Management Professionals. The current role allows the marriage of experiences in the operating room with administrative responsibilities bringing perspective and insight to the boardroom. Experience with design teams, contractors and infrastructure vendors allow for the best opportunities related to new and remodeled ASCs.

Currently, Deb has assisted with the design development and equipment planning and successful Medicare surveys for 13+ new facilities. She is a frequent contributor on clinical and operational topics on ASCA, speaker and article contributor at Becker's, ASC Focus, OR Today, OR Manager and AORN.

I have 30 years of experience in healthcare facilities management ranging from assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities to large acute care hospitals. I have been a Certified Healthcare Facilities Manager since 2008 and a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional since 2016.

I have 7 years of experience as a Life Safety Code surveyor for AAAHC and currently perform mock Joint Commission Life Safety Code surveys for Medxcel at acute care hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. I am also the president and owner of Life Safety Solutions of West Florida, LLC, providing regulatory compliance services and consulting services for ambulatory surgery centers.

For the past six years, Mr. Fazio has been a senior director of financial analysis for the ambulatory surgery center division of Community Health Systems. Mr. Fazio's primary responsibilities in his current role include managed care analysis, case costing, and financial modeling for potential de novo projects or acquisitions. Prior to his current role, he spent more than eighteen years as a healthcare equity analyst for several Wall Street firms.

John Goehle is the Chief Operating Officer and partner with Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC - a Rochester, New York-based ASC management and consulting services company.

Prior to forming AHS, Mr. Goehle developed and managed two Rochester New York-based ambulatory surgery centers and provided management consulting services for a wide range of health care organizations, primarily in the Northeast.

Mr. Goehle has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Ithaca College in Upstate New York. He holds the prestigious Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC) credential. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York. Mr. Goehle is also an accreditation surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Mr. Goehle is the host of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle available on iTunes and Google Play. He is also a frequent speaker on health care finance, technology and administration and has authored or co-authored eight books related to the ASC Industry including Ambulatory Surgery Center Governance - A Guide for Ambulatory Surgery Center Owners & Governing Body Members and The Survey Guide for ASCs – A Guide to the CMS Conditions of Coverage & Interpretive Guidelines for Ambulatory Surgery Centers. He is a former board member with the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association and one of the founders of the New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Jamie Tuck has 20 years of nursing experience in the inpatient and outpatient surgical setting. Jamie began her OR career in St. Louis with an emphasis on Cardiac, IR Vascular, and General Surgery. In 2008, she moved to the Chicagoland area and started a career in outpatient GI procedures with Duly Health and Care at one of their Ambulatory Surgical Care (ASC) locations. Duly Health and Care’s ASC is an 11-room OR Multi-Specialty ASC that performs approximately 23,000 surgeries a year. For the last eight years, Jamie has been a clinical leader at the ASC and is currently serving the role of Clinical Manager. Jamie obtained her BSN from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Jim Freund started his career in the ASC industry more than 30 years ago, starting with the very first software company in the space and eventually co-founding Source Medical (now SIS). He later served in leadership roles and as a principal with several industry leading firms before becoming a partner and now the managing director and president of ASCs Inc. Jim leverages the experience, knowledge and expertise gained from successfully completing hundreds of strategic transactions to help ASC owners and executives who are considering a strategic partnership and transaction realize the absolute best financial and non-financial results. He has been recognized as a Becker’s Healthcare “People to Know” numerous times, inducted into the SurgiStrategies ASC Hall of Fame, and has been a frequent speaker and contributor with ASC organizations and publications over the years.

Gina Throneberry is the Director of Education and Clinical Affairs for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). In this role she educates members and non-members to the Medicare Quality Measure Reporting Program for ASCs. She also works with federal agencies (Medicare, CDC, FDA, OSHA) in regards to clinical, regulatory, and quality issues/concerns among the ambulatory surgery center industry. Ms. Throneberry is a board member of the Tennessee Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. She is also a surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Stephanie Tarry is an Executive Vice President with ASCs Inc. and has been a recognized leader in the surgery center industry for more than 25 years. As a past senior executive with Nuehealth, Stephanie was directly involved in the rapid growth of the company: recruiting physicians, syndicating ASCs, surgical hospital and real estate partnerships, acquiring existing ASCs, and providing management to over 80 ASCs, surgical hospitals, MOBs, and real estate transactions. With her extensive background in finance, accounting, strategic growth and operations of surgical facilities, she brings a wealth of knowledge to help clients achieve continued growth and maximum monetary value. Stephanie resides in Missouri.

Peter Doerner joined North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA) in early 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. He leads a talented team of professionals focused on growing the NAPA-related businesses in a nationwide expansion.

Peter is a proven senior executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare. Having led teams in large publicly traded companies as well as private equity-backed ventures, Peter has created significant new client value for healthcare customers as well as new organic and acquisitive revenue for the companies that he has served while increasing shareholder value in each of those organizations. With a combination of operating, marketing, business development, and board service skills and experience, he brings a unique approach to NAPA’s current and future healthcare clients as well as clinical partners.

Jocelyn Gaddie is the innovative leader behind one of the longest-operating ASC billing companies in the nation, in2itive Business Solutions. Eleven years ago, Jocelyn joined in2itive to be apart of an industry she believed had two things she was looking for: making an impact and substantial growth opportunity. Jocelyn was promoted to Vice President of Business Development at in2itive in 2014, then took on the role of President & CEO in 2018.

Jocelyn has lead both in2itive and the many Ambulatory Surgery Centers it serves to make sound, growth-minded decisions by understanding financial performance and taking calculated risks. Outside of her work at in2itive, Jocelyn enjoys spending time with her husband and their 4 children and continuing to spread her passion for health and fitness.

Vicki Heinz has 20 years of experience in talent management and acquisition, compensation, and as a human resources business partner. In her previous role, she was responsible for building a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy including a DEI Council, multiple employee resource groups, and achieving national awards for supporting active military, veterans and LGBTQ+ employees. In 2022, Heinz was recognized by Twin Cities Business as a Notable Leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Heinz is currently the interim Chief Human Resources Officer at SCA Health.

Zach George is the Executive Director of Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation at The Joint Commission. On a mission to help ambulatory surgery centers achieve continued growth in the current healthcare environment, he is focused on how to maximize the ROI associated with accreditation and certification.

Over the years at The Joint Commission, Zach has led strategic initiatives affecting Ambulatory Surgery Centers. In particular, he led the commercialization of the the Total Hip & Knee Replacement and Spine Surgery certification in collaboration with American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), as well as initiatives to align payer distinctions such as Blue Distinction with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Institutes of Quality with Aetna with Joint Commission programs. In addition, he serves as a board member of the ASC Quality Collaboration, is an internal and external speaker for The Joint Commission, and works closely with partner organizations such as AAOS, American Joint Replacement Registry, American Spine Registry, and American Heart Association.

Prior to his time with The Joint Commission, Zach worked in strategic pricing, sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical industry, and achieved his MBA in from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

I have been an administrator for North Texas Team Care Surgery Center for the last 10 years. I have been in the OR since I was 17 years old. I started out as an orderly in the hospital and moved up to become a surgical tech. Graduated nursing school in 2005. I have been with my wife for 22 years. We have 3 children and 2 small dogs. My favorite hobby is playing competitive dodgeball.

Nelson Gomes is an accomplished healthcare IT executive with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He passionately advocates for leveraging technology to enhance patient care while transforming the business of healthcare. Currently, Nelson serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Medicus IT, where he spearheads business growth and development initiatives.

Nelson's journey in healthcare IT began with the founding of PriorityOne Group in 1997, a premier provider of healthcare IT services and solutions. Under his leadership, PriorityOne Group grew to become a recognized leader in the industry, pioneering innovative solutions that enabled healthcare organizations to utilize technology for improving patient care, optimizing operations, and managing costs.

In his current role at Medicus IT, Nelson is dedicated to helping healthcare organizations navigate the complex landscape of healthcare IT and to delivering innovative solutions that drive business growth and improve patient care. Nelson is passionate about cultivating strong business relationships with clients, partners, and healthcare industry leaders and values the opportunity to collaborate with the exceptional team at Medicus IT. His contributions reflect a deep-seated drive to revolutionize the healthcare landscape through the strategic use of technology.

Nelson Gomes is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader in the healthcare IT industry. His expertise, frequently shared at conferences and events, spans a wide range of topics including healthcare IT trends, ambulatory practice consolidation, building frameworks for growth and scalability, cybersecurity, and innovative transformations.

His authoritative insights and deep understanding of the healthcare industry have earned him multiple invitations to contribute to industry-related articles and podcasts. Nelson's influence continues to shape the landscape of healthcare IT, further enhancing its growth and evolution.

Outside his professional sphere, Nelson's dedication to positive impact extends to his active involvement in various charitable organizations. He cherishes giving back to his community. When he is not working, Nelson enjoys spending quality time with his family, staying active, and rooting for his favorite soccer team. He savors great meals with friends and family, making every moment count.

Stephen Klein, M.D. is an associate professor of anesthesiology and division chief of ambulatory anesthesia at Duke University. He completed medical training at UMDNJ-Rutgers and his anesthesiology residency at Duke University. For the past 30 years, he has been practicing ambulatory anesthesia with a special focus on regional techniques and pain management. He and his colleagues helped pioneer the use of continuous peripheral nerve blocks in the outpatient environment, the reintroduction of paravertebral blockade for breast surgery as well as many other advances. He has authored over 100 publications and remains and active researcher.

Dr. Klein is currently a co-investigator, studying the use of methadone for analgesia in ambulatory patients, a project supported by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Klein helped establish the Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center, serving as its medical director for more than 15 years. Today as Chief of Ambulatory Anesthesiology for Duke University Health System, he and the ambulatory leadership team, are responsible for designing strategy, implementation and operations for Duke’s ambulatory surgery enterprise.

Involved in Hospital Facility Management for 27 years, the last 15 years as the Facility Maintenance Manager at a hospital. Retired from this position in November of 2020. Prior to working in Healthcare, I spent 10 years as an HVAC service manager. I have been working as a Life Safety Surveyor for a national accreditation organization for the last 6 years. I have been an active member of the New England Healthcare Engineers Society, the New Hampshire Society of Healthcare Facility Managers and the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) since 2006.

Michelle George is Vice President of Clinical Services with Surgical Care Affiliates. Michelle has over 35 years of experience as a registered nurse. She has worked in various areas of nursing including critical care, emergency and trauma, and surgical services. Michelle has served in multiple hospital and ambulatory surgical center leadership roles, served on professional advisory boards, as affiliate faculty to a nursing program and professional speaker to professional and state healthcare organizations. She has authored various nursing journal articles and been contributing author to a healthcare textbook.

Michelle completed a Master’s in Nursing Administration program at San Diego State University and holds a Certified Administrator Surgery Center certification. She serves on the ASCA Education Committee, is a past-president for ASC Quality Collaboration Board of Directors and is the immediate past President for California Ambulatory Surgery Association.

Ann has worked in the ASC industry for over 30 years. She has been responsible for every aspect of financial & clinical operations. She has been a surveyor for Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) since 2006. Currently, she is Chief Nursing Officer for Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, which provides administrative oversight and consulting services to ambulatory surgery facilities.

Ann’s extensive clinical background is in the operating room, where she served in every capacity. She is an active member of AORN and ASCA and served on the Board of Directors of AAAHC. She is a member of AAAHC’s Surveyor Administration Committee. She serves as president of the BASC Board of Directors, which oversees the CASC and CAIP certifications.

Ann has an MS in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis. She is CASC & CNOR certified. She speaks at national meetings and contributes articles to several national journals. She wrote an e-book, Admin 101: What Every New ASC Administrator Needs to Know, available by request.

She enjoys world travel, mentoring up-and-coming ASC leaders, and public speaking.

Tammy graduated from Triton College with a certificate in Surgical Technology and an Associate degree in Science. Tammy also graduated with an Associate degree in Business from Sawyer Business College. Tammy received her Certification in 2001. Tammy has 20 years of experience in surgical scrubbing positions in Chicagoland. Tammy has spent most of her time working in the western suburbs at facilities including, Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove and Northwestern Hospital in Winfield. Tammy has provided scrubbing expertise in General Surgery, Urology, Plastics, Gynecology and Obstetrics Procedures.

Tammy is currently the Robotic Lead at Duly Health and Care, where she championed the introduction of the Intuitive XI Robot for Urological, Gynecological and General Surgery Procedures. This is one of the few deployments of an Intuitive XI robot in surgical centers across the nation.

My architectural firm, Marasco & Associates, has helped design/develop over 400 ASCs across the country, making our experience, thus expertise, unmatched in the industry.

I have lectured at AAASC, ASCA, Becker’s ASC, OOSS… & written for The Monitor, OR Today, SurgiStrategies, Outpatient Surgery… on ASC design/development. I was the first architect to be recognized by Today’s Surgicenter as a “Who’s Who in the Ambulatory Surgery Industry.”

Salvatore Puccio is a Partner at Garfunkel Wild, P.C.. He is a member of the firm’s Employment Law, Cannabis, Litigation and Arbitration, Health Care and Appellate Groups. Sal's practice primarily focuses on advising and counseling health care providers on their day-to-day business operations.

Sal has particular experience in counseling clients concerning the employer-employee relationship including the defense of age, race, gender, national origin, disability discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits, compliance with workplace regulations and employment statutes, and wage and hour lawsuits.

Sal also focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters and has represented clients in breach of contract matters, managed care disputes, partnership disputes and breakups, antitrust matters, construction litigation, landlord/tenant disputes, and employment disputes.

Cori Prisco, RN, DNP, MSJ has over two-decades of proven success in accreditation and regulatory survey preparation, compliance and management. She began her career by managing credentialing files through a successful Joint Commission survey and working in all areas of the business office prior to returning to nursing school and working as a quality manager, clinical director and current administrator. She is the current Vice President and member of the board of directors of the New Jersey Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, co-founder of The Primac Group and sits on several advisory committees and task forces for special projects.

She has previously presented on patient safety processes and implementing new service lines. Cori holds a master’s degree in science of jurisprudence with a focus on health law from Seton Hall Law School and master’s and doctorate in nursing from George Washington University. Cori is a skilled and experienced leader with a passion for business development and patient safety.

Kevin Makati, MD, FACC, FHRS, is co-founder of Fast Pathway, Inc, a health tech software suite aiming to optimize the patient experience while improving operational efficiencies and successfully navigate federal Value Based Purchasing Programs. As a founding physician partner board member of a system with a $4.9 billion operating budget, employing over 6,000 medical professionals, and performing over 80,000 outpatient surgical procedures, he has had a unique experience and understanding with healthcare delivery, payor contracting, and quality measure assessments. As a practicing cardiologist, he has had direct involvement with quality improvement programs including the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR®), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) as well as patient satisfaction improvement programs involving CMS vetted survey tools such as HCAHPS and OAS CAHPS.

Herman McKenzie is currently a Director in the Standards Interpretation Group at The Joint Commission. In this role, he manages all activities associated with the daily operations of the Physical Environment Department, provides standards interpretation and education to Joint Commission Surveyors and accredited organizations, reviews equivalency requests and survey reports, conducts surveys and Intracycle Monitoring conference calls, serves as faculty for educational programs, and is a speaker for national, regional, state, and local audiences.

Mr. McKenzie has over 30 years of health care experience having held managerial and director-level roles in Clinical Engineering, Plant Operations and Facilities Services throughout the Chicagoland area. Previously, he was a part of the team that opened the first new hospital in Illinois in over 25 years.

Mr. McKenzie is a certified healthcare safety professional (CHSP), and is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) and the Healthcare Engineers Society of Northern Illinois (HESNI) serving as president from 2013 - 2014. Mr. McKenzie also serves as a Board Director for the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

Mr. McKenzie earned his Master of Business Administration from Governors State University, University Park, Illinois, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Management from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois.

John Mwangi serves as VP of Fintech Product Development at triValence. John has over 11 years of experience in various areas of product development, product management, and strategy. John currently leads triValence’s Fintech Product Development team responsible for all aspects of fintech products and strategy. Prior to triValence, John spent his career in multiple roles spanning product management and strategy at Mastercard and previously held various roles in multiple global organizations including PayPal, Deloitte, and Action Against Hunger.

John holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya.

Michael O'Neal has been consulting for Ambulatory Surgery Centers within the Nashville area for over 28 years. He has a vast knowledge of Medication Management and experience with surgical practice as well as regulatory affairs and provides a practical approach to this complex topic. He finds consulting to be an important bridge between the Best Practices of Pharmacy and the ASC space.

He enjoys life in Nashville with his wife and 4 children and an array of outdoor activities.

Sandra Jones is President of Ambulatory Strategies, providing management, development, regulatory compliance, accreditation preparation, ASC licensing and CMS certification compliance consulting, and risk management services to surgical centers. Sandra is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management, Certified Administrator Surgery Center, Certified in Health Care Quality Management, and Fellow of the Health Care Financial Management Association.

She is a contributor on the subject of risk management, regulatory compliance and operational issues for several professional publications. Sandra is an AAAHC accreditation surveyor, serves on the Standards Development Committee for the AAAHC and is a former board member of AAAHC. For nine years, she served on the board of the ASC Association where she served on Governance, Strategic Planning, HIPAA Compliance and other committees.

She recently was on the board of the Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management and Patient Safety and now serves on the Advocacy and Education Committees.

Debbie currently provides consulting services to organizations for construction and renovation needs of ASCs. Assisting with survey readiness for state, CMS and accreditation. Prior to consulting, she was a VP of Operations for a management company overseeing the operations and development of ASCs and surgical hospitals. She has worked in the ASC industry in California since 1993, beginning as an Administrator of a surgery center.

Debbie served on the Board of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association for 15 years; including Past President. She continues to assist in developing Infection Control Seminars for many ambulatory surgery center organizations for over 13 years.

Marc-Oliver Wright, MT (ASCP), MS, CIC, FAPIC is the clinical science liaison for the central region at PDI, Inc. He has an extensive work history in infection prevention including as corporate director of infection control and quality improvement for NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois. He is a board certified in infection prevention and is a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) served as an officer and member of the board of directors for APIC. He has authored several book chapters, including in APIC’s “Surveillance Programs for Healthcare Settings” and SHEA’s “Practical Healthcare Epidemiology”. He has over 60 publications in the American Journal of Infection Control, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Emerging Infectious Diseases, among others and served as an editorial board member and section editor for the American Journal of Infection Control from 2009-2019.

Healthcare providers depend on Colbey Reagan to advise them on Stark and Anti-Kickback compliance, licensing and certification, HIPAA, reimbursement matters and other regulatory issues affecting the healthcare industry. Colbey also assists clients facing data breach and other government investigations.

Previously, Colbey was Deputy General Counsel of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc., where he was responsible for advising the company and its facilities regarding compliance with state and federal healthcare regulations, physician relationships, reimbursement disputes, licensing and certification, mergers and acquisitions, corporate litigation, and numerous other challenges faced in the day-to-day operation of a large healthcare company.

Jan Kleinhesselink, RN, BSHM, CPHQ is the Chief Quality Officer of Lincoln Surgical Hospital and associated entities. As CQO Ms. Kleinhesselink oversees the leadership of Health Information Technology, Laboratory services, Quality services and the Regulatory Compliance departments for the hospital and ASC. She has participated in the development and management of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Specialty Hospitals.

Ms. Kleinhesselink has been a surveyor for Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) since 2009 and is a current member of the AAAHC Board of Directors; she has served on several AAAHC expert content committees. A seasoned professional, Jan has published several articles and has spoken at multiple national conferences including AAAHC Achieving Accreditation.

For over 20 years, Janie Kinsey has been serving and delivering excellence to the healthcare industry. She is a seasoned veteran who genuinely loves what she does. Her passion dates back to 1998 when she began her career as a surgical nurse. Janie later grew into an administrative role where she managed staff members and directly focused on patient satisfaction. With CASC credentials, Janie strives to provide progressive care by developing and implementing programs that improve patient experience.

Janie stays active in the healthcare community by attending conferences, speaking at events, and serving as a board member. Janie enjoys speaking on various topics and interacting with her peers in the healthcare field. She has served on the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association Board of Directors. Personally, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.