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Kirsten Axelsen, MS
Senior Policy Advisor at DLA PiperKirsten Axelsen focuses on biopharma reimbursement and health policy and has worked with biopharmaceutical and related companies for over 20 years on business strategy and public affairs in the US, EU, China and Emerging Markets. She is an advisor to the Life Sciences sector in the New York office.
Kirsten is an economist who works with healthcare clients on issues including Medicare reimbursement, payer contract negotiations, designing innovative reimbursement contracts. Kirsten works with biopharma, trade associations and health IT companies on pricing, reimbursement, patient assistance, public affairs, industrial organization, and strategic matters. She has worked to developed policy platforms for CEO's and their organizations, including public positions on drug pricing, insurance coverage and regulatory reform. She has helped to establish pricing for medicines including in rare disease and oncology considering value and affordability. Kirsten has guided the development of patient financial assistance programs for biopharma. She has prepared companies and their leaders for Congressional investigations and testimony related to drug price, price increases marketing and research investment. She often uses financial models and data analytics to demonstrate how different stakeholders in the healthcare delivery chain are affected by policy and business practice to guide corporate policy and business practice recommendations and also to estimate the impact of policy change for corporate financial disclosure.
Kirsten is a Health Innovator Fellow with The Aspen Institute, and a Visiting Scholar with The American Enterprise Institute. She has an M.S. in Economics from the University of Texas, Austin and is published for work in health policy and health economics.
Meg Barron, MBA
Managing Director, Engagement and Outreach of Peterson Health Technology InstituteMeg is passionate about driving change with industry stakeholders to improve health care. Prior to joining the recently launched Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), she was the Vice President of Digital Health Innovations & Strategy at the American Medical Association (AMA) where she developed and led a roadmap of national initiatives with collaborators. This included leading partnerships and innovation strategies, such as the inaugural AMA Healthier Nation Innovation Challenge, the establishment of the AMA Interaction Studio at MATTER, the development of Xcertia digital health guidelines, the creation of the AMA Physician Innovation Network that enables entrepreneurs and physicians to collaborate on the development of new solutions, the AMA Digital Health Implementation Playbook series, Digital Health national research, The AMA Telehealth Immersion Program, and a Return on Health value framework for digital health.
Her background includes participation on the Advisory Board for MATTER, MassChallenge HealthTech, MedTech Color FDA Collaborative Community, Together.Health, Node Health Global Advisory Board, the Editorial Review Board of The Telehealth and Medicine Today Journal and as a past TEDMed Research Scholar. She was named a Rising Star: 104 Healthcare Leaders to Know by Beckers Hospital Review and has published articles in Health Affairs, Harvard Business Review and Nature Digital Medicine and frequently participates at national conferences and events.
In her role at PHTI, she focuses on providing rigorous, evidence-based evaluations of innovation healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs. This includes convening and leading a Purchaser Advisory Council made of up of leading health plans, employers, and health systems, as well as the Digital Health Collaborative, a group of leading healthcare and consumer organizations focused on raising the bar for digital health technologies.
Kirby Eng, RPh
Chief clinical officer at OutcomeRxKirby has served in a wide array of Senior and Executive health care leadership positions within managed care, specialty pharmacy, health care consulting, health care technology, provider network development, group purchasing, specialty distribution and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Prior to OutcomeRx, Kirby’s key roles and responsibilities include oncology and specialty drug management solutions, business development, strategic planning, and sales and marketing representing organizations that include D2 Solutions, Onco360, CVS Health, CuraScript/ExpressScript, US Oncology, Oncology Therapeutics Network, Sicor, Fujisawa and Eli Lilly & Company.
As Chief Clinical Officer for OutcomeRx, Kirby is responsible for creating and implementing practical patient centered cell and gene therapy clinical solutions that align key stakeholders with cost-effective options that complement OutcomeRx’s reinsurance and therapy warranty solutions. Kirby also oversees the development of personalized patient support services that address the clinical and financial complexities for patients receiving cell and gene-based therapies and addressing the unique needs of associated caregivers. Kirby is a licensed pharmacist with a B.S. in Pharmacy from the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and is an active member of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. Kirby has also been published in a wide variety of professional publications including the Journal of NCCN, Specialty Pharmacy Times, Drug Topics and the Journal of Managed Care.
Chris Gibbons, MD, MPH
CEO of The Greystone Group, IncDr. Gibbons is a digital health innovator, entrepreneur, physician and scientist. His career has
been dedicated to solving some of life’s most challenging health problems including improving
health among underserved populations and using digital technologies to improve health beyond
the walls of the hospital. He is the Founder and CEO of The Greystone Group, an equity focused
digital health innovation and healthcare transformation firm. Dr. Gibbons is also the Chief
Health Innovation Adviser for the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect2Health Task
Force, an external health equity and innovation adviser to the American Medical Association’s
(AMA’s) Center for Health Equity and a visiting Professor at Duke University School of
Medicine. Previously Dr. Gibbons was an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins Schools of
Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Health Disparities scholar at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) and an Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Urban Health
Institute. Dr. Gibbons attended medical school at the University of Alabama. He then trained in
Preventive Medicine, General Surgery and molecular neuro-oncology basic science research at
Johns Hopkins before completing a federal health policy fellowship at the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) & the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Fauzea Hussain, MPH
Vice President, Public Policy at McKessonFauzea Hussain is the Vice President of Public Policy at McKesson, where she champions innovative public policy strategies that drive the company's mission to improve health outcomes for all. With a keen focus on patient-first solutions, Fauzea collaborates across the McKesson enterprise to address the diverse needs of distributors, wholesalers, community providers, health systems, pharmacies, manufacturers, technology vendors, and consumers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she elevated McKesson's role as a trusted public health partner for the Federal government, states, and underserved communities.
A seasoned policy expert with over 25 years of experience, Fauzea has a proven track record in assessing the impact of state and federal policies on patient access, provider reimbursement, and the life sciences industry. Before joining McKesson, she led Avalere's Reimbursement and Market Access team, where she developed groundbreaking market access strategies for drugs, biologics, devices, and technologies.
Fauzea's career began as the Assistant Director of Reimbursement Policy for the American Academy of Physician Assistants, where she honed her expertise in payment issues. A dedicated patient advocate, she serves on the board of the Cancer Support Community, a leading patient advocacy organization.
Anna Kaltenboeck, MS, MBA
Practice Director, Prescription Drug Reimbursement of ATI AdvisoryAnna Kaltenboeck is Head of the Prescription Drug Reimbursement Practice at ATI Advisory. As a health economist, her work focuses on how federal and commercial reimbursement policies shape the market for prescription drugs and new health technologies. Prior to joining ATI, Ms. Kaltenboeck was Senior Health Advisor on the Senate Committee on Finance, where she led on drug pricing issues, including Medicare negotiation and prescription drug reimbursement provisions. In her previous role as Program Director for the Drug Pricing Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, she conducted research on policies to re-align payment for prescription drugs with evidence of their value and offer economic rewards for the creation of new treatments based on how much they improve patients’ lives. Ms. Kaltenboeck provides federal and state-level technical assistance that is informed by her research and experience as a consultant specializing in pricing and market access for pharmaceutical products. She has advised states on providing Hepatitis C treatment through subscription-based contracts, and CMS on Medicare payments, pricing, and Part D redesign options. Ms. Kaltenboeck received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Economics from Tufts University, and her MBA from Yale University.
Esther Krofah, MPP
Executive Vice President of Health at Milken InstituteEsther Krofah is the executive vice president of Health at the Milken Institute, leading FasterCures, Public Health, the Future of Aging, and Feeding Change. She has extensive experience managing efforts to unite diverse stakeholders to solve critical issues and achieve shared goals that improve patients’ lives. Most recently, Krofah was the director of public policy at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), where she led engagement with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and relevant executive branch agencies on broad healthcare policy issues. Prior to GSK, Krofah was a deputy director of HHS’ Office of Health Reform. She also served as program director at the National Governors Association (NGA) healthcare division and worked in consulting at Deloitte Consulting LLP. Krofah received a BA from Duke University and a master’s in public policy from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Stacy Lloyd, MPH, BCPA
Director, Digital Health & Operations of American Medical AssociationStacy Lloyd is currently the Director of Digital Health and Operations at the American Medical Association. She has over 17 years of experience in finance and operations, digital health, innovation, and patient advocacy at leading healthcare organizations. Stacy also holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from Duquesne University and a Masters in Public Health Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Stacy was diagnosed with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) in 1999 at the age of 13. Since then, several other members of her family have also been diagnosed with the disease. As a Board-Certified Patient Advocate, she is active in the VHL community, served 6 years on the VHL Alliance Board of Directors, and works to improve the patient experience across healthcare by collaborating with physicians, care teams, and other patients.
She is personally and professionally invested in the future of healthcare and enjoys being a resource in this space for family, friends and other patients, so that they can be better informed and empowered in their own healthcare journeys.
Kelly Maynard
President / Founder of Little Hercules FoundationKelly launched Little Hercules Foundation on January 1, 2013, after her youngest son, Jackson, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of five. After desperately searching for a treatment for her son only to find none, Kelly decided to leave her career and invest all her time and energy fighting Duchenne. As President of Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly focuses on health policy and its impact on the daily lives of those living with rare diseases. In 2021, Kelly was appointed to Ohio’s Rare Disease Advisory Council by Governor Dewine.
Prior to Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly served the State of Ohio for over 20 years in various capacities, the most recent being in insurance regulation. She is married with 3 children, 2 grandchildren, 2 rescue dogs, and 2 goats. Kelly lives in Dublin, Ohio, and is a lifelong Buckeye.
Chris Mazzanti
Chief Operating Officer at Carta HealthcareChristopher Mazzanti is the Chief Operating Officer at Carta Healthcare, a healthcare technology start-up focused on improving patient outcomes and reducing costs within healthcare organizations by applying advanced technology to data abstraction, data collection, and data analysis problems. A healthcare technology operations executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in health tech startups, Mr. Mazzanti runs all day-to-day operational aspects of Carta’s business, including product development, engineering, customer support, and outsourced data abstraction services.
Prior to Carta, Mr Mazzanti was the CTO of an ePrescription startup, SVP of Product and Technology at Inteliquet, a clinical trial matching company, and VP of Product at TransMed, an oncology precision medicine company. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech.
John Nosta
Founder of NOSTALAB“John Nosta is simply amazing and one of our national treasure geniuses.”
—Brian Roemmele
First and foremost, John Nosta is a thinker entrenched in the world of technology, science, medicine, and innovation. As the founder of NOSTALAB, a globally recognized innovation think tank, he embodies an inspired vision of transformation that resonates across industries and intellectual spheres.
Unwilling to accept the status quo, John's contrarian perspective focuses sharply on the future. A leading voice in the convergence of technology and humanity, he defines, dissects, and deliberates global trends in technology. Ranked among the leading global influencers in innovation and technology, he has been honored with titles ranging from “most admired” to “top disruptor” in various fields including technology, AI, innovation, life sciences and the pharmaceutical industry.
John's prowess as a speaker has earned him popularity across the globe, where he presents vibrant and insightful perspectives on the future of innovation. His focus on guiding companies, NGOs, and governments through the dynamics of exponential change is complemented by his keen understanding of the diffusion of innovation into complex systems, particularly in technology, AI, and LLMs.
His writing contributions are frequent and influential, with over 500 articles published in Fortune, Forbes, Psychology Today, Bloomberg, and prestigious peer-reviewed journals like The American Journal of Physiology, Circulation, and The American Journal of Hematology. In 2018, John's intellectual contributions were honored with a Ph.D., honoris causa, from various international institutions, and a diploma of honor from the Bolivian government for advancing health technology. Nosta has also published several AI-related perspectives and frameworks that are now frequently cited in academic research. His work has been translated in over 15 languages.
His associations with renowned entities like World Health Organization, Roche Advisory Council, Google Health Advisory Board, and ARK Invest further solidify his influence and credibility in the scientific, technology and investment communities.
John's career is built on the “science of innovation,” a harmonious blend of strategy and creativity that generates market inflection points. Recognized for translating complex medical and scientific concepts into accessible material, his communicative talent bridges gaps between consumers, clinicians, and scientists.
Earlier in his career, John co-authored significant research in cardiovascular physiology, focusing on cell volume regulation, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. His professional acumen extends into his business background. He has held key positions at major agencies like Ogilvy CommonHealth, including roles such as Chief Creative Officer, Chief Strategic Officer, and Unit President.
John Nosta's career paints a rich tapestry of intellectual curiosity, disruptive thinking, and innovative leadership. His important influence on technology, medicine, and creative strategy continues to shape and guide the future, placing him at the forefront of global thought and innovation. His multifaceted career encapsulates a tireless pursuit of knowledge and creativity that transcends traditional boundaries, establishing him as a true luminary in his field.
Smit Patel, PharmD
Director, Digital Health and AI of DiMeDr. Smit J. Patel serves as the Director, Digital Health and AI at the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), a 501(c)(3) global non-profit organization dedicated to better health powered by digital medicine. Smit’s work focuses on applied approaches to the safe, effective, ethical, and equitable use of digital technologies to advance clinical research, clinical care, and public health. Smit is an Advisory Board member for Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health and serves on advisory committees for digital health program(s) at the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), American Pharmacists Association (APhA), and HealthXL. To help share the future of ideas, he serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review (HBR) Advisory Council.
Smit earned his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the Ohio State University. He currently holds a faculty position for the Digital Health Innovation Certificate Program at the Brown University School of Professional Studies. Additionally, he is a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, a Forbes 30 under 30 scholar, a TEDx speaker, and MIT-Harvard Health Innovation alumnus.
Sharon Phares, Ph.D, MPH
Associate Director for Research of NEWDIGS- Center for Biomedical System Design - Tufts MedicineSharon Phares, PhD, MPH, is the Associate Director for Research at the Center for Biomedical System Design (CBSD) at Tufts Medicine and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She directs CBSD’s research strategy and oversees all quantitative and qualitative research activities.
Sharon Phares is an accomplished health researcher and author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, as well as book chapters and white papers on a variety of healthcare topics. Her research focuses on the economics of biomedical innovation, access to healthcare, utilization and payment for medications, the healthcare payment ecosystem, and the impact of medicines on health and productivity. She has a passion for patient access to care balanced with payment design that supports a sustainable healthcare system.
Previously, Dr. Phares has had a number of roles including Chief Scientific Officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), Senior Vice President of Research and Education at the Pharmaceutical Benefit Management Institute, Director of Analytic Consulting at Pharmaceutical Strategies Group (PSG), an EPIC company, Vice President of Research & Advanced Analytics at Express Scripts, as well as senior positions in research and analytics at Laboratory Corporation of America and Walgreens.
Dr. Phares holds both a PhD and a Master of Science in sociology from North Carolina State University, a Master of Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbus State University. She also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Sharon was named as one of the top 100 Women Leaders in STEM and has considerable expertise in survey design, prescription drug benefit design and evaluation, health outcomes, employee health, wellness, and productivity, developing epidemiologic and population-based models of healthcare costs and utilization, behavioral economics, research methods, predictive modeling, and program evaluation.
Tricha Shivas, MBe
Chief of Staff and Strategy at Foundation for Sarcoidosis ResearchTricha Shivas joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) in December of 2020 as the Chief of Staff and Strategy. Tricha has 20 years of non-profit leadership experience dedicated to improving the lives of those with complex chronic illness and rare diseases. Throughout her career, she has built comprehensive patient engagement and awareness programming, developed robust diversity, inclusion, and equity programming, worked with the NIH, FDA, academic researchers, and industry to expand therapeutic pipelines and to increase patient centricity in drug development. Tricha has played a pivotal role in FSR’s Ignore No More Campaign focused on awareness and increased clinical trial diversity.
Tricha received her bachelors in American Studies from Albright College and her Masters of Bioethics from University of Pennsylvania. She currently serves on Drexel University’s Health Administration Department Advisory Council is on Global Skin’s Rare Disease Steering Committee and past co-chair the NIAMS Coalition.
Sherry Yun Wang, Ph.D
Assistant Professor at Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Pharmacy, Chapman UniversityDr. Sherry Yun Wang is an Assistant Professor at Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP). She began her academic journey with a foundation in Geospatial Science from Washington University in St. Louis, an exploration of Data Science at Monash University, and completed comprehensive Ph.D. training in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR).
Since joining Chapman in May 2021, Dr. Wang has established and led the "Patient Safety Lab," a research initiative driven by her profound interests in health services research and pharmacoepidemiology, with a special focus on substance use and chronic disease management. She is particularly passionate about exploring the ethical implications of AI and machine learning in healthcare, dedicating her efforts to developing responsible AI solutions that promote equitable and fair access to healthcare resources, especially for individuals struggling with addiction.
Dr. Wang's current research focuses on investigating algorithmic bias within clinical decision support (CDS) tools, including ML-powered CDS tools for opioid prescribing. Her notable presentations include "Examining Bias in the NarxCare Score: Unveiling Disparities in AI/ML Features for Opioid Prescribing Decisions" at ISPOR 2024 and the recent publication "Predicting Suicidal and Self-Injurious Events in a Correctional Setting Using AI Algorithms on Unstructured Medical Notes and Structured Data" reflects her ongoing efforts to address critical issues and promote fairness and transparency in healthcare AI.
Her contributions are evident through peer-reviewed publications in esteemed journals such as JAMA, Lancet, Clinical Infectious Disease, International Journal of Cardiology, Pharmacogenomics Journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Pain Reports, and Neuroepidemiology. Dr. Wang's research findings have garnered attention in ISPOR News Across Asia, Physician Weekly, and the COVID newsletter by the Washington State Department of Health. She received the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) New Investigator Award in 2022 and is an awardee of the McGovern Foundation's McGovern Training Program in Trusted AI.