Speaker Bios

Jan Allison RN, CHSP

Jan is the Sr. Director of Regulatory for Amsurg and assists surgery centers with state and federal regulatory compliance.

Jan has authored a book on compliance with Joint Commission standards and published a number of articles on compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements. Jan has served as an expert speaker on numerous nationwide audio and live conferences about quality, regulatory and accreditation issues.

Jan is a certified healthcare professional and has been in the Ambulatory Surgery Industry since 1985.

James Arnold

Jim currently serves as Chief of the Policy and Liaison Section, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at DEA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Jim has also served as the Chief of the Policy Unit and the Chief of the Regulatory Unit at DEA Headquarters, as well as in various other investigative and supervisory positions at the DEA New Jersey Field Division, Newark, New Jersey. With over 28 years of experience with the DEA, Jim has spoken nationwide on numerous regulatory subjects.

Jim is a proud graduate of West Chester State University, and Drew University, where he received a Master’s Degree. Jim has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations throughout his DEA career in recognition of many successful investigations and prosecutions, and for his leadership, performance and commitment to public service.

Anthony Asher, MD

Anthony L. Asher MD, FACS is Director, Carolinas Healthcare System Neuroscience Institute and Neurosurgery Residency Program Director at Carolinas Medical Center. He is also Clinical Professor in Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt University. He is Past-President, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and is a Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Asher serves as Director, National Quality and Outcomes Database and Vice Chairman, National Neurosurgery Quality Council. He is Chairman, Privacy and Research Task Force of the AMA National Quality Registry Network Council (NQRN), and is a member of the NQRN Steering Committee. He is a past member of the National Quality Forum Surgery Standing Committee and served as an advisor to the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections.

Dr. Asher is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has been elected to the American Academy of Neurological Surgery and Society of Neurological Surgeons.

Lisa Austin, CASC

Lisa has been an RN for over 36 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, staff recruitment and retention, equipment procurement, 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 manufactures/distributors through all phases of surgery center development and management.

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

Lisa has previously served on the Board of CASCA, the Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, serving as President of the Organization from 2011 - 2015. Lisa currently serves as the Chair of ASCA Public Relations committee.

Chris Behan

As an Internet marketing expert who has helped hundreds of companies build and enhance their web presence, Chris Behan has an unparalleled depth of knowledge in executing online campaigns to help companies stand out from their competitors online. Drawing upon 20+ years of Internet marketing expertise, Chris frequently speaks at national conferences to guide healthcare organizations on tailoring their online strategies to meet their patient acquisition goals. He is the founder of one of the largest Internet marketing firms in the country, which successfully manages the most nationally recognized online orthopedic marketing campaigns.

Cristina Bentin

Cristina Bentin, CCS-P, COC, CMA, is president of Coding Compliance Management, LLC, a healthcare consulting company specializing in ASCs with emphasis on business operations assessments, audits, and training. Ms. Bentin is an ASC revenue cycle educator, speaker, and writer with over 25 years of experience in ASC multi-specialty facility operations. Prior to establishing Coding Compliance Management, LLC, Cristina was CFO of a surgical hospital and participated in its start-up and development. She’s had extensive experience as the education and training manager for a national healthcare corporation, and was directly involved in the continued education of its 200 + ASC facilities nationwide ensuring Medicare and state requirements were met. Cristina’s expertise extends to her involvement in federal fraud investigations to include her role as expert witness. Cristina’s coding lectures include groups such as ASCA and many state ASC associations. Cristina currently serves on the education and programs committee for ASCA.

Sandy Berreth, RN, MS, CASC

Ms. Berreth has been a RN for over 39 years; working in multiple areas in the healthcare arena. One of her greatest achievements and pleasures is her career as an AAAHC surveyor; this opportunity has developed her understanding of federal regulations, and it has also sharpened her awareness of the accreditation processes and ASC policies and procedures. Currently she is an active board member of ASCA, who’s primary goal is to represent ambulatory surgery centers; to provide advocacy and resources to assist ASCs in delivering high quality, cost-effective ambulatory surgery. Sandy has a Master’s degree in business organization and management; and currently holds a CASC certification. She believes the primary goals of any ASC administrator is the commitment to delivering high quality surgical services to ensure a superior patient experience and clinical outcomes, as well as developing a sound business plan and futuristic goals to achieve financial success for her organization’s partners.

Dana Bjarnason, PhD, RN, NE-BC

An ongoing commitment throughout Dr. Bjarnason's career has been to work with the healthcare team to create ethical environments that enhance the safety and quality of patient care. She is active in a number of professional nursing organizations including Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), Oregon Action Coalition (OAC), Northwest Organization of Nursing Executives (NWone), Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) and the American Nurses Association (ANA). Dr. Bjarnason regularly presents at the local, state and national level and has authored and edited peer-reviewed articles for professional journals. Her scholarly interests include end-of-life, moral leadership, moral courage and professional practice.

Beau Bristow

Director, Client Analytics
Healthcare Bluebook

Rebecca R. Craig, RN MBA CNOR CPC-H CASC

Board President
Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA)

Chief Executive Officer
Harmony Surgery Center

Marcus Crider

A broad range of companies—from some of the world's largest employers in manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, retail, and grocery, as well as various hospitality companies, start-up companies and family-owned businesses—rely on Marcus Crider to defend them in labor and employment matters.

Marcus' experience includes:

Numerous federal jury trials involving alleged violations of Title VII, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and common law retaliation
Defending litigated matters ranging from complex multi-plaintiff claims involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the National Labor Relations Board
Assisting companies with traditional labor matters including the arbitration of contract interpretation and employee discipline cases
Assisting companies of all sizes in non-compete and related business litigation, including negotiation and drafting of employment agreements

Jeannie David, MS

Jeannie David, M.S. is on the CDER Drug Shortage Staff and manages multiple drug shortage prevention, mitigation, and policy efforts. She has worked at FDA since 2008, where she has also managed chemistry and manufacturing applications related to new drug approvals and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.

Lee Eaves

Lee M. Eaves is currently a security and risk consultant for Agape Tactical, 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.

Bruce Ettinger, MD, MPH

Dr. Ettinger is a board-certified obstetric/gynecologic surgeon, with a master’s degree in health services administration and management. He practiced in private, public health, and academic settings for 32 years, then surveyed for 10 years, as a federally-certified inspector for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, specializing in ASCs. Since retiring in 2012, he consults with ASCs for Medicare and Accreditation compliance, to integrate clinical standards of care and services with regulatory and accreditation requirements, into ASC operations, administration, and services. His past contributions to national, regional and local health service organizations include committee service and position papers on clinical practice, licensing, accreditation, and facility governance and leadership. Dr. Ettinger advocates for the ASC community on the national and regional levels as a member of Board of Directors for ASCA and the California Ambulatory Surgery Association, and serves as a frequent educational speaker for both organizations.

Maria Freed, MHSA

Maria Freed has 25 years of healthcare experience as a senior healthcare manager. Before joining Coral Gables Surgery Center in 2014, her previous positions included Assistant Administrator at Coral Gables Hospital, and Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables,Florida. She was a former director of international services for HealthSouth Corporation and later served as the Director of International Services for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Maria holds a master’s degree in Health Services Administration and lectures frequently nationally and internationally. As a healthcare manager she has focused on physician relations, recruiting and keeping medical staff for successful programs,including the first Gamma Knife and Cyber Knife Units in Florida. In 2015 she was awarded the Miami Women Who Rock Advocacy Award. In 2016, she received the AXA Advisors Businesswoman of the Year Award in Healthcare from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce.

Michael Galvin

I was a surgery center administrator for 13 years prior to becoming a Regional Vice President for USPI covering 7 surgery centers in 3 states. As the administrator at our Spine Surgery Center in Cincinnati, OH I oversaw the development and implementation of the Center's 23 hour stay program.

Ann Geier, MS RN, CNOR, CASC

Ann has worked in the ASC industry for 30 years. She has been responsible for every aspect of financial & clinical operations in numerous freestanding surgery centers and has been a surveyor for Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) since 2006. Currently, she is Chief Nursing Officer for SourceMed, a leading provider of software and EHRs for ASCs, HOPDs, hospitals and therapy clinics.

Ann’s extensive clinical background is in the operating room, where she served as a scrub nurse, circulator, educator, and director. She is an active member of AORN and ASCA and she represents the association as a Board member with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

Ann has an ADN from Palm Beach State College, a BS in Health Arts and a MS in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis. She is CASC & CNOR certified. She speaks at national meetings on topics such as Leadership, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources, Billing & Collections, Case Costing, QAPI, Credentialing, Peer Review, and Staffing. She contributes articles to Outpatient Surgery Magazine, ASC Focus, Becker’s ASC Review, and she has written several white papers, as well as an e-book, Admin 101: What Every New ASC Administrator Needs to Know.

Rebecca Geise

As a nationally recognized ASC revenue cycle leader, Rebecca has successfully managed all areas of revenue cycle management for more than 15 years, specializing in aggressive pursuit of fair and reasonable reimbursement, managed care contracting, coding and ensuring cash is optimized through proven revenue management methods.

Rebecca began in ASC leadership working as Business Director for two high volume, multi-specialty surgery centers in south Florida for four years.

She then spent 4 years working for SurgCenter Development as Director of A/R & Materials.Rebecca then went on to become VP, Revenue Cycle for a surgery center/surgical hospital management company directing a centralized business office for its Clients. In this role, Rebecca managed a CBO staff of more than 40 employees and directed all revenue cycle related processes including: coding, billing, cash applications, A/R management, bad debt, managed care contracting, monthly productivity and financial reports, HIPAA compliance and other related functions.

Currently Rebecca serves as President of NSN Revenue Resources, where she has built an unmatched team with diversified experience, representing both legal and payer side experience as well as ASC coding and billing experience. NSN currently has 60 ASC clients, 115 team members and prides itself on serving its clients through excellence in customer service, reimbursement strategy, company culture and team development.

Michelle George, RN, MSN, CASC

Michelle George is a Group Director Clinical Services with Surgical Care Affiliates where she is responsible for oversight of clinical strategies including leader development, clinical quality outcomes and reporting. Michelle has over 30 years of experience as a registered nurse. She has worked in various areas of nursing including critical care, emergency 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 multiple 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 ASC Quality Collaboration’s Technical Expert Committee and Board of Directors She is also a board member for California Ambulatory Surgery Association and member of the AORN Ambulatory Advisory Committee.

Mary Jean Geroulo, MBA, JD

Partner
Wilson Elser

John Goehle, MBA, CASC, CPA

John Goehle is the Chief Operating Officer with Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, a New York based regulatory and financial consulting services company. AHS provides financial and regulatory oversight on a retainer basis as well as consulting in all aspects of ambulatory surgery operations. Mr. Goehle has a MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland, and a BS 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 a deemed status accreditation surveyor with AAAHC and is a frequent speaker on health care finance, technology and administration and has written many 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.

F. Paul Greene, JD, Ph D

F. Paul Greene is a partner in Harter Secrest & Emery’s Rochester office and serves as chair of the firm’s Privacy and Data Security Practice. Paul counsels clients of all sizes in a wide range of industries concerning all aspects of pre-breach preparation and risk management, including security and vulnerability assessments, policy and procedure review, breach response planning and drills, as well as board and management education on cyber risk issues. After the breach, Paul, his team, and the team’s professional consultants provide a full array of breach coach and response services, including breach response and remediation, crisis management and communication, internal and governmental investigations, breach notification, and potential litigation or regulatory action. Paul has been recognized by Chambers USA 2015 and 2016 in the field of Litigation, was the 2015 recipient of The Daily Record's "Up and Coming Attorneys" Award, a 2015 New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel® Pro Bono Honoree, and was awarded the William McKnight Volunteer Service Award for distinguished pro bono service to the community in 2012. Paul is also a two-time Empire State Counsel Honoree.

Lori Greiser, BSN, RN, CNOR

Lori is the Clinical Director for The Christ Hospital Spine Surgery Center. Lori completed her nursing diploma program from Good Samaritan Hospital and later graduated Sum Cum Laude from Indiana Wesleyan with her BSN.

Lori has been in the health care industry for over 25 years and has served in a variety of roles surrounding Perioperative Nursing. Lori has managed in both Large Teaching Hospitals as well as over 10 years in the Director Role in the ASC arena. Lori also served in the United States Army Nurse Corps where she was honorably discharged as a Captain. Lori is an active member with AORN and a member of Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society.

Lori loves teaching and has a passion for the ASC.

Scott Grubman

Scott Grubman is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and DOJ Trial Attorney who represents companies and individuals in the healthcare industry in connection with government and internal investigations, False Claims Act and complex civil litigation, and white collar criminal defense. Much of Scott’s practice involves representing healthcare clients of all types and sizes in connection with high-stakes government investigations – both criminal and civil – by agencies including the Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, and state Medicaid Fraud Control Units, as well as in administrative proceedings and audits. Scott also advises healthcare clients on a variety of regulatory compliance issues, including those related to Stark, Anti-Kickback, and HIPAA.

Ray Grundman, BSN, MSN, MPA, CASC

Ray Grundman has been involved in ambulatory health care for over 30 years in a variety of roles, as a clinician, administrator, educator, and consultant practicing as a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner, medical group practice and college health center administrator, and founder and Executive Director of several surgery centers. He is currently Vice President and General Manager of Ambulatory Accreditation Operations and Chief Business Development Officer for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) with headquarters in Skokie, IL.

An active member of MGMA for many years, he has twice served as President of its Ambulatory Surgery Management Society specialty assembly and is currently a Nominee for Fellowship. He is the founding President of the Wisconsin Surgery Center Association. He served on the Board of Directors of the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association for nine years and in 2013 was named to the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification which administers the CASC board certification exam. He also serves on the Clinical Advisory Board of the Convenient Care Association which represents the retail clinic industry.

In 2010 he completed 13 years representing FASA on the Board of Directors of AAAHC, having served in all of the Board officer and committee chair positions and served as the Board President in 2007-2008. He is an active accreditation surveyor and a member of the AAAHC surveyor training faculty.

Mr. Grundman earned his undergraduate degree in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, and also completed his Master’s in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) and his Master’s in Public Administration (Health Care Administration) from the same institution. He is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Surgery Center Administrator (CASC).

Judy Harless, MBA, CASC

With over 20 years in healthcare, ambulatory surgery center operations is Judy’s passion. In addition to her 15+ years as a manager/leader, Judy has taught undergraduate HR classes, focusing on organizational behavior. Judy is proud to serve on the Board of Directors for both ASCA and California Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (CASA). She participates in grass roots advocacy efforts and serves on several ASCA and CASA committees. She also holds the CASC credential.

Valerie Jensen, RPh

CAPT Valerie Jensen is Associate Director of the Drug Shortage Program at the Food and Drug Administration. She received a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa in 1990. She completed an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Specialized Residency in Ambulatory Care at the White River Indian Health Service hospital in White River, Arizona in 1991. She worked as a clinical pharmacist for Indian Health Service hospitals in Arizona and New Mexico for nine years before joining FDA. She has been with the Drug Shortage Program at FDA for the past fifteen years.

Linda Jordan, BSRN MCHM

Linda has over 30 years of experience in clinical and administrative healthcare leadership. Her clinical background includes pediatrics, medical/surgical, urgent care, school based healthcare and ambulatory clinics. Linda served as Vice President of Ambulatory Services at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, Michigan. She is a Joint Commission Surveyor, and surveys the standards in the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual/Accreditation for Ambulatory Care and Office Based Surgery Practices.

Amy Kearbey

Amy Kearbey is a partner in the Washington, DC office of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. She focuses her practice on the complex regulatory issues facing health industry stakeholders, including health care fraud and abuse laws, data informatics strategy and Medicare reimbursement policy. Amy regularly counsels all types of health care organizations on issues arising under the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute. Amy also has extensive experience advising clients on data privacy matters, with an emphasis on the complex issues associated with "Big Data" initiatives. She works with clients on strategic approaches to the development and implementation of these initiatives and provides counsel on the nuanced and evolving requirements under federal and state privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Amy also regularly counsels clients on Medicare coverage, coding reimbursement issues.

Naya Kehayes

Naya Kehayes is a Principal and the Ambulatory Surgery Practice Leader for ECG Management Consultants. She has spent more than 25 years in the healthcare industry and 18 years in consulting. She has devoted her career to working with ASCs, surgical hospitals and surgical practices and has a proven track record creating value for her clients. Prior to ECG, Naya was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eveia Health Consulting and Management. She is an industry leader serving on the ASCA Government Affairs Committee, Washington Ambulatory Surgery Center Association Board and is the Chair of the Payment Policy Committee. Naya is a guest lecturer at Yale University School of Public Health and in 2015 was a recipient of the Winslow Centennial Honor Roll for Excellence and Service award. She earned a B.A. from the University of Rochester and M.P.H. from Yale University School of Public Health

Robert Liles, JD, MBA, MS

Mr. Liles’ background is somewhat unique. In addition to a law degree, he holds a Master’s in Health Care Administration. Robert has worked on the provider side, as a federal prosecutor and now represents physician practices around the country in connection with Medicare and private payor audits and investigations. While working as a federal prosecutor, he was asked to serve as the first National Health Care Fraud Coordinator for the DOJ’s, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. In this capacity, he advised prosecutors around the country regarding health care fraud statutes, schemes, investigative tools, privacy concerns, and compliance issues. Since entering private practice, Robert has continued to build on his health care background and experience. Robert has rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating that may be awarded to an attorney. He has also been rated “10.0” out of a possible 10.0 by AVVO.

Bill Lindeman, AIA

Mr. Lindeman is the President of WEL Designs PLC, a consulting firm for health care facility development and regulatory compliance. As a licensed architect working with ambulatory and acute care providers since early 1983, he has been instrumental in the planning and design of millions of square feet of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, medical practice suites, and other health care facilities. He has been an active contributor to development of national guidelines for healthcare facility design, and remains instrumental in the development of independent accreditation standards. His company is the Physical Environment Consultant to the AAAHC, in which capacity he is responsible for development and maintenance of the AAAHC’s Life Safety Code survey tools and process, and is an active Medicare Life Safety Code surveyor.

Sarah Logue, MSM in RMI, RPLU, CPCU, AU, ASLI

Sarah is responsible for leading the Medical Facilities Division at OneBeacon which underwrites Ambulatory Surgery Centers. She joined OneBeacon in 2011 as a Senior Underwriter with the Medical Facilities team. Most recently she was the Eastern Underwriting Manager, where her responsibilities included: handling a large book of business; mentoring and managing team members; developing guidelines, applications, and manuscripts with legal; and coordinating with claims and operations/support managers. Sarah began her career at the James River Insurance Company. Prior to joining OneBeacon, she underwrote multiple professional liability lines at Markel Corporation.

In addition to her 18 years’ experience in the insurance industry, Sarah holds the CPCU, RPLU, AU and ASLI designations. She also has her Master’s in Science Management in Risk Management and Insurance from Florida State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Insurance Law from the University of Connecticut Law School.

Marian Lowe, MBA

Marian Lowe is the Senior Vice President of Strategy at United Surgical Partners Intl, Inc. (USPI). In addition to leading USPI's corporate strategy group. Marian is also responsible for the development and deployment of value-based payment strategies for USPI facilities. She is leading the implementation of a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO under USPI’s subsidiary IPA in St. Louis as well as convening over 400 physicians to participate in Medicare’s bundled payment demonstration program for orthopedic and spine surgery episodes. She also has responsibility for four USPI hospitals entering the new Medicare Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model in 2016.

Marian joined USPI in 2013 from Strategic Health Care where she was a partner working with some of the nation’s largest healthcare systems. She has also represented the ASC industry in Washington since 2005. Prior to Strategic Health Care, Marian worked with the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Martin Lowery

Martin is an adept business professional with 30 years of international experience in both corporate and operational roles. Prior to founding OpusVertex International, LLC he was working with Sony Pictures Entertainment as Senior Vice President of Leadership & Organization Development, based on the studio lot in Culver City, California. Before that, he served as Chief Learning Officer for The Apollo Education Group, one of the world’s largest education companies.

Martin spent most of his career with Hilton Worldwide in a variety of operational and corporate roles, ultimately serving as the Chief Learning Officer for the company. He has travelled millions of miles facilitating executive and management team development and learning experiences in over 30 countries.

While with Hilton Hotels Corporation, Martin was frequently loaned to other major corporations and both national and international associations to facilitate executive meetings and lead a wide variety of workshops designed to optimize team performance.

With a deep interest in cognitive and neuroscience, Martin utilizes the latest research and state-of-the-art psychometrics and facilitation techniques to ensure a comprehensive approach that optimizes group output and performance. Martin ensures all cerebral preferences of the group are engaged along with the power of emotions (EQ) to enable all voices and perspectives to be considered in moving towards decisions

Winborne Macphail

Winborne serves as the Senior Vice President of Sales and Market Development for Surgical Care Affiliates with responsibility for strategic partnerships and business development, including oversight of their salesforce. Prior to joining SCA in 2011, Winborne spent 15 years with Apria Healthcare, serving in multiple sales and operation leadership roles, including direct sales, management of their Southeast sales force, and just prior to her appointment at SCA, Division Vice President of Operations for Apria’s Southeast Division overseeing 60 facilities.

Brian Mathis

Brian joined SCA in 2009 and serves as Senior Vice Present of Strategy and Payment Innovation. Prior to SCA, Brian served as a Manager at Blue Ridge Partners (a boutique revenue growth strategy consulting firm) and as an Assistant Analyst in the Macroeconomics Division of the Congressional Budget Office. Brian serves on the board of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa honoree, and an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia.

Erin McCoy, MS, RN, ONC

Erin McCoy is the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) program lead and a hospital program analyst in the Division of Acute Care Services of the Survey & Certification Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Central Office. In this role, she works daily with issues related to compliance with the CMS ASC Conditions for Coverage as well as development of surveyor training. Prior to coming to CMS, Ms. McCoy worked in the acute care hospital setting as a nurse educator specializing in post-surgical care. She obtained her BS in nursing from Villa Julie College and her MS in Nursing Education from Towson University.

Leana McGuire, BS, RN

Leana McGuire is an RN with 25 years of experience in adult critical care and heart transplantation. After obtaining her degree in Management and Organizational Development in 2007, Leana transitioned away from the bedside to focus on her passion for leadership and staff development.

Linda McSmith, RN, LHRM, CPHRM

Linda is responsible for OneBeacon's Risk Management resources and services for our health care policyholders. Linda brings to OneBeacon's Healthcare Group a nursing career that spans greater than 30 years. With a background in ambulatory surgery operations and risk management, Linda also has hands-on experience in medical surgical nursing, dialysis and other outpatient surgical services. Linda has an RN degree from St. Petersburg College and is licensed in the state of Florida as an RN and Licensed Healthcare Risk Manager. She is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). She obtained her CPHRM certification from the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management.

William Miller, Esq

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 Chairperson of the Firm’s Health Care Group. For the past 27 years, Will’s practice has included civil trial litigation, as well as representation of clients in administrative proceedings, with an emphasis in the representation of healthcare clientele in both State and Federal courts. Will represents healthcare clientele in their business litigation, administrative law, and professional liability 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 distinguished as a designated “Super Lawyer for Southern California” by Thomson Reuters, the “Best of the Bar” by the San Diego Business Journal, and a “Top Lawyer” by San Diego Magazine.

Kara Newbury

Kara Marshall Newbury serves as regulatory counsel for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), and through this role spearheads ASCA’s federal regulatory efforts. Prior to this role, Kara 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. She began her career working for the Ohio Senate, and has sixteen years of state and federal government experience. Kara received her undergraduate and law degree from The Ohio State University.

Donna Nucci, RN MS CIC

Donna has been a registered nurse for over 28 years working as a nurse in pediatric oncology, labor and delivery, the operating room and recovery room. Donna completed both her undergraduate in nursing and graduate degree in healthcare management from Salve Regina University. She is Certified in infection prevention and was on the board of directors of APIC New England. Donna is on the board of directors for the Connecticut Patient Safety Organization. She works as a consultant for APIC auditing hospitals infection prevention programs, mentoring new infection preventionist. Donna is an infection preventionist for Yale New Haven Hospital covering over 100 ambulatory sites including Surgery and Endoscopy centers, urgent and emergency and cancer care .In addition to her role at Yale New Haven Hospital Donna works as a private consultant to over 25 surgery and endoscopy centers, assisting them to meet regulatory and patient safety goals.

Michael O'Neal

Michael ONeal is a registered pharmacist in Tennessee and has been practicing in the hospital/clinic/retail pharmacy setting there for over 22 years. After graduating from Pharmacy School at Auburn University, he moved to Nashville and began his career. He has been consulting for 20 years in various Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the middle Tennessee area. His clients include HCA, Symbion, USPI, SCA and multiple independent surgery centers.

He holds practical expertise in the field of medication management regulatory and compliance and works with Administrators and staff to create a safe and effective medication management system for his clients.

Michael enjoys outdoor activities with his wife and four children and spending quality time with family and friends.

Michael Patterson, FACHE

Michael J. Patterson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mississippi Valley Health (MVH). He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business operations and providing leadership and direction for all aspects of patient care, operational excellence, and business development services provided by MVH.

For the past 15 years his professional career has encompassed a variety of positions in the healthcare field 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. In addition, he has served on several not-for-profit community Boards as well as the Red Cross and the national ASC association (ASCA) Board. He is the Past-President and founding Officer of the Iowa Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and is currently an ASCA Board Member.

William Phillips, PhD, CGC, CIAQP, CLSS-HC, CSITMS

William R Phillips received various advanced degrees in education and varying credentials before moving into healthcare facility management in 1983. He served nearly 14 years in a variety of roles as hospital engineer and integrated support services; later as support services administrator in several hospitals and facilities.

In 1994 he established in partnership a company manufacturing and exporting fully equipped modular surgical facilities and clinics for export and designed review programs for indoor air quality compliance and life safety compliance in long-term care facilities and standalone surgical facilities.

In 1998 he established his own company specializing in compliance for licensed ambulatory surgical centers. He provides services and consulting compliance services for locations in 14 states and 3 foreign countries. The principal focus of services is for physical plant compliance with life safety / CMS standards, licensure standards, accreditation standards primarily for VHR, AAAHC and JACHO.

Cheryl Pistone, RN, MA, MBA

Cheryl Pistone has been a nurse for over 30 years with experience in endoscopy, primary care and management. She has been a surveyor with AAAHC since 2009 and has recently joined them as staff.

William Prentice

Bill Prentice is the chief executive officer of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and the ASCA Foundation (ASCAF). ASCA is the national organization representing the approximately 5,400 ambulatory surgery centers in the US, and provides advocacy, education, benchmarking and staff training for its many members.

Under his tenure, ASCA has achieved record membership numbers, significantly increased revenue while reducing expenses, developed a number of new membership programs and services and dramatically strengthened its advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with relevant federal agencies.

Before joining ASCA, Mr. Prentice was a senior executive at other national and state associations, a lobbyist at both the federal and state levels and vice president of a contract lobbying and public affairs firm in New Jersey. He started his career on Capitol Hill, where he worked for both a member of congress and on the staff of a House Committee.

Bill holds an undergraduate degree in political science from The George Washington University, a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark.

Louis Raso, MD

Louis J. Raso, M.D. specializes in Interventional Pain Management and holds board certifications in both Pain Management and Anesthesiology from the American Board of Anesthesiology. He is CEO of Jupiter Interventional Pain Management Corporation. He received his M.D. degree in 1985 from Rutgers Medical School and completed his training in Anesthesiology and Pain Management Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He is a solo-practitioner in Jupiter Florida and has traveled throughout the United States and abroad lecturing and instructing other physicians on Spinal Cord Stimulation. Dr. Raso participates in leading technology and research. He has published numerous journal articles and book chapters on interventional pain management.

Carolanne Reho, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR

Carolanne has been a Registered Nurse for over twenty years and worked in emergency medicine in the hospital setting for 10 years prior to managing an ASC. In 2009, she began conducting surveys for AAAHC and still enjoys helping leaders in health care by providing support, consultation, and encouragement on a national level. She works full-time as a Senior Director of Clinical Services for AMSURG Corporation. One of her responsibilities for both jobs is reviewing and assessing QI studies. She offers guidance to the center leaders on selecting topics based on their performance in various areas and supports them throughout the process while educating about the required elements for a successful study.

Lisa Rock

Since 2003, Lisa has served as President of National Medical Billing Services, one of the largest ASC billing companies in the country. Lisa is a seasoned healthcare management veteran with over 25 years experience in the industry. Her wide-ranging background consists of positions such as Director of Training and Education for the largest regional payor in the Mid-Atlantic area for seven years, and Vice President of Business Office Operations for an ASC development and management company for 2 years. She has also managed private practices in the specialties of orthopaedics, retina surgery, cardiology and anesthesia. Early in her career, Lisa worked in the OR and PACU in Northern Virginia. Her unique knowledge of healthcare management provides National Medical's clients with the tools and information they need to most effectively run their facilities amidst the highly fluctuating business of medical billing and compliance.

Nader Samii

Chief Executive Officer
National Medical Billing Services

Mary Ryan, BSN MBA CASC

Education: University of Iowa: BSN, MBA

Experience: Fell in love with the OR as a Summer Three Ten student at the University of Iowa. Learned to scrub and circulate. First Position was at St Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Held various leadership positions until awarded the Director of Nursing role for Tri-State Surgery Center, a start up ASC in Dubuque, Iowa 1998.

Mary became the Administrator in 2001 and remained in that role for 14 years. Mary also held positions as Regional Manager and Clinical Consultant for Health Inventures and Johnson and Johnson. Mary is currently serving as a Group Clinical Director for Surgical Care Affiliates. Mary was one of the founding members of the Iowa ASC Association and served as the first President as well as multiple recurrent appointments as president. Mary currently serves on the BASC Board for ASCA

Laura Schneider, RN, CGRN, CASC

Laura Schneider has 33 years of GI nursing experience with 27 of years in GI Management. In 2003 Laura was invited to China to speak on Endoscope Reprocessing Standards in the US, and this sparked her interest in scope reprocessing. She became certified in Gastroenterology Nursing in 1990 (ABCGN), CASC in 2011, and Endoscopy Reprocessing in 2015 (CBSPD). She is a Trainer for the SGNA’s Endoscope Reprocessing ‘Train the Trainer’ Courses and she has given several presentations on scope reprocessing at SGNA and APIC regional and national Conferences. Laura is currently a Senior Clinical Director for the AmSurg Corporate Office in Dallas where she assists Center Leaders on Quality issues at 18 outpatient endoscopy centers.

David Shapiro, MD, CASC, CHCQM, CHC, CHPRM, LHRM

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. In addition, Dr. Shapiro has served as the national medical director on behalf of ASC management corporations, prior to establishing his consulting practice. His areas of expertise encompass a wide range of disciplines primarily focused on all aspects of ASC development, administration and operations. These include clinical quality, regulatory compliance and medical liability in the ambulatory surgery arena. He is an active participant in numerous surgery center industry activities, and is a frequent speaker at both state and national ambulatory surgery industry functions.

Ann Shimek, RN, BSN, MSN, CASC

Ann Shimek is the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and Corporate Compliance Officer for United Surgical Partners, Intl responsible for all clinical oversight for the organization. Her primary goals are to develop a team of clinical experts to provide the tools and resources necessary to empower the clinical staff of the organization to deliver the care to every patient that they would insist on for one of their family members or loved ones. Ann has been with USPI since 2003 and has a passion to provide the highest quality of care to every USPI patient. Ann has been in the health care industry for over 25 years primarily in and around the operating room. She graduated Sum Cum Laude from Wright State University with her BSN and received her MSN with honors from Benedictine University. Ann is a Board Member for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, on the Technical Committee for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaborative and on the ASC Quality Collaborative Committee for Electronic Health Record for the ASC. Ann is a member of Sigma Theta Tau.

Donna Slosburg, BSN, LHRM, CASC

Donna Slosburg, RN, BSN, LHRM, CASC is Executive Director of the ASC Quality Collaboration. Donna oversees and participates in a broad range of quality-related projects on behalf of the ASC industry, and speaks across the country regarding ASC quality measurement. In addition to directing internal ASC quality measure development and overseeing the public reporting of ASC quality data, she has collaborated with organizations focused on advancing quality, including recent work with the CDC and AHRQ. Donna's leadership roles included senior vice president of surgery operations for HealthSouth. She received the HealthSouth Special Achievement Award for Clinical Excellence. Donna has served on the Board of Directors for FSASC. Donna is currently a member of several Technical Expert Panels. She is a speaker for the AORN Ambulatory Administrator Skills Course. Donna is a Licensed Healthcare Risk Manager and Certified Administrator Surgery Center.

Daren Smith, BSN

Daren Smith is the Senior Clinical Solutions Specialist for AmkaiSolutions. In this role, Daren serves as a product and industry subject matter expert, frequently speaking at industry events and contributing to industry publications such as Becker’s ASC Review and ASC Focus Magazine. Previously, Daren worked as the director of clinical services for Surgical Management Professionals (SMP), an ASC and surgical hospital management and development company. Daren has also held the position of director of outpatient services for Avera McKennan Hospital, administrator and CEO of Fremont Surgical Center, and nurse manager at Grand Island Surgery Center. He is a graduate of Clarkson College and the University of South Dakota.

Missy Soliz, BSN RN

Missy Soliz is the Quality and Risk Manager (QRM) for Mississippi Valley Surgery Center and Mississippi Valley Endoscopy Center. As QRM Manager, she is responsible for the administration, development, implementation, and evaluation of the facility’s overall Quality Improvement and Risk Management Programs. Key activities include collaboration with the leadership team on facility-wide QRM activities, policy and procedure development, staff development and education, risk identification and mitigation, improvement plan development and implementation, and management of compliance with regulatory and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) standards and requirements. Missy serves as a quality, risk management, and compliance resource for all staff members and health care providers in both facilities.

In 2002, Missy graduated from Scott Community College with an Associate Degree in Nursing and in 2013 she graduated summa cum laude from Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree.

Missy is a technical advisory panel member for AAAHC orthopedic/total joint replacement certification. She is a member of National Association of Orthopedic Nurses (NAON), the American Society of Perianesthesia Nurses (ASPAN), the Association of perioperative Nurses (AORN), the national Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and, at the state level, the Iowa Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (IAASC). Missy is active on the IAASC’s education committee. Aligning with the IAASC’s mission to advance educational opportunities for the ASC industry, the committee plans a day and a half annual conference specifically focused on issues and topics relevant to the Ambulatory Surgery Center setting.

Kristine Stark

Kristine Stark is the Manager of Billing Services for Mississippi Valley Health. She is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the office including billing submissions, insurance and patient collections, and outstanding follow up. She has been with the company since 2008 and has performed each aspect of the billing office both for physician offices and Mississippi Valley Health.

Kristine previously worked for United HealthCare in Moline, IL where she handled provider and member inquiries prior to becoming the data analyst for the customer service center. Kristine assisted in the development and roll-out of the claims inquiry tool currently utilized by UHC River Valley.

Kristine grew up in Bettendorf IA. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing. She is an avid UNI Panther fan. She and her husband and two children attend many UNI events each year.

Debra Stinchcomb, RN, BSN, MBA, CASC

Debra Stinchcomb has 30 years of health care experience including development, clinical, administrative, operations and sales. The last 16 years have been focused exclusively in 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/current Vice President of Arkansas Ambulatory Surgery Association and has served nationally as a past board member of FASA and the ASC Association. She received her CASC credential in 2002. Debra was an AAAHC surveyor 2001 - 2007 and is Past Chair of the Ambulatory Joint Commission Professional and Technical Advisory Committee. Debra is Chair of the ASCA Quality and Patient Safety Committee and serves as a member of the Ambulatory Surgery Advisory Board for OR Manager.

Gina Throneberry, RN, MBA, CASC, CNOR

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 Ambulatory Surgery Centers. She also works with federal agencies (Medicare, CDC, and FDA) in regards to clinical, regulatory, and quality issues/concerns among the ambulatory surgery center industry. Ms. Throneberry is the past President of the Tennessee Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (TASCA) and a current board member. She is also a surveyor with the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC).

Jo Vinson, RN, BA, CASC

Currently is Director, Integration Management, Surgical Care Affiliates. Previously, she was President of NJM Consulting, providing Resource Management to various healthcare facilities. Been involved in ambulatory healthcare for over 28 years in a variety of roles, including administrator, educator, development and management and resource management.

An active surveyor for AAAHC, serving on the Accreditation Committee and facilitator for Achieving Accreditation Educational Seminars. Previously served as member of the Standards and Survey Procedures Committee and Quality Task Force. In 2004, completed 10 years on the Board of Directors of FASA (ASCA), serving as Chairman of Nurses Committee for four years. Certified Ambulatory Surgery Center Administrator (CASC) and recognized speaker for CASC certification program. Speaks frequently at national meetings and authors multiple articles on topics relating to costs, HR, accreditation, quality, infection control and regulatory issues. Ms. Vinson has a diploma in nursing and a B.A. in Health Administration.

Craig Wallace

Craig Wallace is a Senior Technical Specialist in the 3M Infection Prevention Division laboratory. Craig has held a number of positions in 3M Healthcare over the last 34 years, including management and technical roles in medical device and pharmaceutical R&D organizations. He has specialized in the area of sterilization and disinfection for the last 20 years. Craig is the Convener of ISO TC 198 Working Group 4, the international committee responsible for biological indicator performance standards. He is also the Co-Chair of AAMI WG4, the U.S. biological indicator standards group. Craig is active on several other AAMI and ISO standards committees focused on chemical indicators, washer-disinfectors, terminology, process challenge devices, and ethylene oxide sterilization. Craig leads the 3M Sterilization Technical Service and Education Team, and has given lectures on a wide range of sterilization-related topics in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Ashley Wise, MBA

Ashley Wise is the Vice President of Technology Innovation at United Surgical Partners International (USPI). In this role, she works to align people, processes and technology to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving healthcare sector. Ashley’s role focuses on optimizing IT workflows, road mapping technology needs, vendor evaluation, enterprise contract negotiation, and innovation pipeline development. Ashley is currently guiding USPI's patient engagement strategy and is leading the development of a mobile solution for patients. Ashley also has primary responsibility for the deployment of a population health solution to support 500+ providers in the St Louis Physician Alliance (SLPA) network and their Medicare ACO.

Ashley previously worked as the Vice President of Strategic Systems for USPI, where she focused on using technology to support organizational strategies and alignment with USPI’s partners. She first joined USPI as the Director of Technical Operations, where she provided IT and Strategy consulting services for a network of 8,000+ physician partners.

Monica Wofford, CSP

Monica Wofford, CSP, is a leadership development expert who writes, speaks, trains, coaches and consults on how to become a better leader in life and work. She is a former corporate training executive who now serves as the president and CEO of Contagious Companies, a five-division global training and consulting firm that provides training courses and development for leaders and managers. Since delivering her first keynote speech at age 18 to more than 8,000 people, she has spoken in 27 countries and all 50 US States across industries that include healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, technology, government agencies, corporations and associations. Monica is the author of six books, including Contagious Leadership and Make Difficult People Disappear, and has been featured on Forbes, MSNBC, CNN, Fox, Bloomberg and numerous other media outlets.

Cindy Young, BSN, RN, CASC

Mrs. Young has served as the Administrator of Surgery Center of Farmington for the past 14 years. The Surgery Center of Farmington has two operating room and two procedure room and provides multi-specialty outpatient surgical services. This facility has 18 physicians and allied health professionals on staff and performs approximately 4000 procedures per year.

Mrs. Young’s accomplishments have included successful three year Accreditations with AAAHC, Administrator of the year with ASD management in 2001, C.A.S.C. certification 2007, served on MASCA board and currently serves on ASCA/ASF board. She has been recognized in Becker’s ASC review as one of the ASC Administrators to know. Mrs. Young has spoken at several ASCA annual conferences, FSASC annual meeting and ASCA webinars

Ed Zacharias, JD

Edward Zacharias is a Partner in the Boston Office of McDermott Will & Emery and focuses his practice on complex health care transactions and health care regulatory compliance matters. A substantial component of Ed's regulatory practice involves advising clients on Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other state and federal privacy and data security laws. Ed has extensive experience assisting clients respond to government investigations regarding HIPAA compliance and has negotiated multiple settlements with HHS to favorably resolve alleged HIPAA violations.