11th Annual Population Health Innovations Summit

SDoH and Health Related Social Needs to Improve Outcomes for All

Speakers

Speaker 6

Aditya Tyagi

Founder

Scholars Researcher

Speaker 6

Allison Hess

Vice President Health Innovations

Speaker 6

Adrienne Mundorf, MPH,

Health Equity Director

Speaker 6

Amber Smits

Quality Revenue and Health Equity Supervisor

Speaker 6

Cesar Armendariz

EML, Senior Director, Community Health, Community Health Administration

Speaker 6

Craig W. Fisher

Director, Product Development & Growth Initiatives

Speaker 6

Deanna Grabill, RN, BSN, MA

Director Ambulatory Care Management and Population Health

Speaker 6

Dennis Hsieh, MD, JD

Chief Medical Officer

Speaker 6

DeLorean Ruffin

DrPH, MPH, Director of Population Health Management

Speaker 6

Ericka King-Betts, PhD

Director of Health Equity

Speaker 6

Erin Brigham-Gray

MPH, CPHQ, Senior Director, Quality & Population Health

Speaker 6

Jill Alessi

RN, BSN, MHA, Chief Executive Officer

Speaker 6

John Gorman

Founder and Chairman

Speaker 6

Kanita Bourne, LCSW, MPA,

Manager, Social & Community Services,

Speaker 6

Kate Tullio

MPH, MS, Director, Health Equity

Speaker 6

Kelly Nielsen

Director

Speaker 6

Keslie Crichton

Chief Sales Officer

Speaker 6

Lauryn M. Davin

MPH, Health Equity Specialist

Speaker 6

Lora Council, M.D., MPH, MCHM

Chief Medical Officer

Speaker 6

Mindi S. Knebel

Chief Executive Officer

Speaker 6

Mohamed Jalloh

Pharm D, BCPS, Health Equity Director

Speaker 6

Nancy Wongvipat Kalev

MPH, Senior Director, Systems of Care

Speaker 6

Navid Amini

Speaker 6

Nicki Venem

CPC, MSML, Director, Network Innovation

Speaker 6

Patricia Lyons Ph.D., LISW-S

Market Health Equity Program Director

Speaker 6

Pleasant A. Radford Jr

Health Equity Officer

Speaker 6

Robert Mundy

Money Follows the Person Demonstration - MAP Specialist Division of Long-Term Care Services

Speaker 6

Rosemond Sarpong Owens

MPH/CDM, Director- Racial & Health Equity,

Speaker 6

Salma Sparklin

MPH, Business Strategy and Transformation Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder

Speaker 6

Seiji Hayashi, MD, MPH,

Chief Medical Officer

Lead Medical Director, Government Programs

Speaker 6

Sierra McGaha,

Program Manager

Speaker 6

Stina Redford

Director, Payment Innovation

Speaker 6

Tammy Hendricks

MBA, Director of Health Equity & Outreach

Founder

Speaker 6

Tanikka C. Price

JD, EdD, Chief Education and Equity Officer

Speaker 6

Tara M. Davis

SVP/Chief Programs Officer

Speaker 6

Todd Graham

President

Speaker 6

Wendy Milligan

Vice President, Strategic Sales and Enablement

Speaker 6

Winnie Grim

Supplemental Benefits Manager

Speaker Details

Speaker 1

Aditya Tyagi

Founder

Connect2Health


Scholars Researcher

HonorHealth

Aditya Tyagi is a passionate advocate for health equity and a relentless innovator in addressing the social determinants of health. As the founder of Connect2Health, Aditya has led impactful initiatives to bridge gaps in healthcare access for homeless, uninsured, and diverse underserved communities, including those from low-income and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Connect2Health goes beyond providing access to essential medical, dental, and vision care. Through a holistic approach, the organization distributes life-saving products like hygiene kits, wound care supplies, and naloxone kits, helps conduct free preventative healthcare screenings, and offers educational webinars and seminars to empower communities with knowledge and resources. Since its inception, Connect2Health has served over 8,300 individuals across five countries, distributed 5,000 masks, and delivered 1,550 harm reduction kits, among many other efforts.

Under Aditya’s leadership, Connect2Health’s grassroots initiative, EquiPulse, in collaboration with Maricopa County Public Health, has been instrumental in advancing health equity. EquiPulse focuses on diabetes prevention within underserved Hispanic and Latino communities, addressing critical barriers to wellness through culturally tailored outreach and education.

Speaker 1

Allison Hess

Vice President Health Innovations

Geisinger

Allison Hess is the Vice President of Health Innovations for Geisinger. She has been over 20 years of experience in healthcare and is responsible for the oversight and implementation of health services programming for Geisinger patients, GHP insured members and community members. She started her career in community health education/corporate wellness and has continued to expand to include innovative community-based population health initiatives driven by data analysis and clinical outcome measurements. Most recently her work has been in the social determinants of health with a focus on SDOH screenings, resources and innovative programs to address the social needs of Geisinger patients and members targeting food insecurity, health equity and quality/prevention initiatives. Ms. Hess has earned a Bachelor of science in Health Education and her MBA from Bloomsburg University. She has been the recipient of several awards focused in various areas of health including health equity, worksite wellness and innovative supply chain. She has also been recognized nationally for her work with the Fresh Food Farmacy program.

Speaker 1

Adrienne Mundorf, MPH

Health Equity Director

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio

Adrienne Mundorf is Health Equity Director for the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio. In this role, she leads the health equity strategy, including clinical and population health interventions to reduce health disparities and expand culturally and linguistically appropriate services, programs and partnerships that address social drivers of health, and community engagement to foster collaboration to improve community health.
Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Adrienne served as Vice President, Programs and Strategy at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland where she was instrumental in establishing a health equity grantmaking focus area and an integrated approach to advance a place-based two-generation initiative. Adrienne also worked at Tulane University, where she served in a dual role as senior program manager of the Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences Department and as policy and advocacy manager at the Tulane Prevention Research Center. There, she published research on evidence-based strategies to improve health; led a local food policy council to improve equitable access to healthy food; and supported grant-funded projects related to domestic and international healthy food access.
She holds a Master of Public Health from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kalamazoo College. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Malawi 2002-2005) where she began her career promoting social justice and addressing the social determinants of health. Adrienne is a cancer survivor and her personal experience navigating the healthcare system has fueled her passion for health equity.

Speaker 1

Amber Smits

Quality Revenue and Health Equity Supervisor

Network Health

Speaker 1

Cesar Armendariz

EML, Senior Director, Community Health, Community Health Administration

Inland Empire Health Plan

Cesar Armendariz serves as the Senior Director of Community Health at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). Armendariz’s innovative programs and community partnerships are addressing the Social Determinants of Health of the region, including food insecurity by organizing the largest fresh produce distribution network throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. He is leveraging existing and new partnerships with community partners, civic leaders, universities, and faith-based organizations, to build capacity and infrastructure to improve health outcomes and enhance the lives of members and the community-at-large. Understanding that the physical built environment is key to community wellbeing, a strategic initiative he devised is transforming the existing Community Resource Centers into large scale Community Wellness Centers that will anchor future collaborative, multi-sector Wellness Villages. Concurrently, Armendariz also serves on the boards of various community organizations, such as Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County, as well as being a founding board member of End Homelessness California, which operates Shower of Hope, California’s largest mobile shower provider for the homeless, and Hope Housing for Students, serving the housing needs of homeless college students.

Prior to joining IEHP, Armendariz was the Community Relations Executive at Adventist Health White Memorial (2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Recipient) in Los Angeles, California. In this role, he led the hospital’s Community Health Integration initiatives, oversaw its Community Wellbeing Council, Community Information Center, Community Garden, fostered strategic collaborations with key community stakeholders/partners, and launched numerous, innovative, health and educational initiatives. Previously, he served as the Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications and Community & Public Relations, where he oversaw the marketing and promotional efforts of the hospital and served as its public spokesperson.

Speaker 1

Craig W. Fisher

Director, Product Development & Growth Initiatives

Jefferson Health Plans

Craig Fisher is an enterprise product leader and current director at Jefferson Health Plans who oversees Medicare Advantage and Individual & Family plans as it relates to product strategy & design, implementation and management. Also, Craig manages and ushers strategic direction and execution to achieve the enterprises overarching targets and goals. Upon alignment and execution, provides leadership across both portfolios for all implementation and go to market efforts. Prior to joining Jefferson Health Plans, Craig managed the Cross Segment Product Strategy Team while also leading enterprise roadmap efforts at Highmark Health.  These programs and products aligned care journeys, member experiences with digital and non-digital solutions which created synergies to drive member satisfaction, better care outcomes, and an ROI on key benefits.  These roadmap workstreams spanned commercial fully insured, ASO, Federal ACA, and MA plans. During Craig’s time at Highmark, he held several leadership roles in Medicare product development and strategy in order to design and build market competitive products to achieve enterprise enrollment targets and support all aspects of CMS bid development and new contract filing. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Craig stays busy with his wife and two young children attending sporting events, golfing, and hosting cook outs with friends and family.

Speaker 1

DeLorean Ruffin

DrPH, MPH, Director of Population Health Management

Partnership HealthPlan of California

Speaker 1

Deanna Grabill, RN, BSN, MA

Director Ambulatory Care Management and Population Health

Valleywise Health

Speaker 1

Dennis Hsieh, MD, JD

Chief Medical Officer

Central California Alliance for Health

Dennis Hsieh is the Chief Medical Officer at the Central California Alliance for Health (CCAH). CCAH is the single payor Medicaid Insurance Company for Santa Cruz, Monterey, Merced, Mariposa and San Benito Counties. He was Chief Medical Officer at Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) prior to coming to CCAH where he worked on many things including leading CCHP’s implementation of both Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. Previous to his work in managed care, Dennis was an assistant professor of emergency medicine and the Director for Social Medicine and Community Health for Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which is part of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. He focused on access to care and the social determinants of health (SDOH), including SDOH screening and interventions across clinical settings, hospital-based violence intervention programs, medical-legal community partnerships (MLCPs) and re-entry from jail. He is the former medical director the Whole Person Care Jail re-entry program.

Dennis has a special interest in addressing SDOH such as violence, food, housing, and financial strain to improve health. He co-founded the hospital-based violence intervention program at Harbor-UCLA and co- led the development of a trauma recovery center at Harbor-UCLA. Dennis is a founding member of the UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine’s Section on International and Domestic Health Equity (IdHEAL, www.idheal.org); ACEP’s Social Emergency Medicine Section and is the section’s immediate past chair; and SAEM’s Social Emergency Medicine and Population Health Interest Group. Dennis earned his A.B. in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard, J.D. from Yale and M.D. from UC San Francisco.

Speaker 1

Ericka King-Betts, PhD

Director of Health Equity

Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio

Dr. Ericka King-Betts joined Humana in 2021 as the Director of Health Equity Strategy for Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio, with over 20 years of experience leading organizational efforts, working across health care, academia, non-profit, and government sectors. Ericka has experience in strategic planning, business process improvement, cultural humility and implicit bias training, performance management, organizational development, research and analysis, leading health equity and DEI initiatives, quality improvement, public and media relations, and community outreach / engagement / investments. Ericka also served as a board member and former president of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, a governor-appointed commission serving all Ohioans.

At Humana, Ericka serves as a trusted thought partner with plan leadership, local communities, state agencies, and hundreds of internal and external partners to have an impact on health disparities at a population level by:

  • Overseeing the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of health equity efforts in the context of the population health initiatives;
  • Leading, at the Market level, health equity efforts focused on improving on each of the goals established utilizing standards as defined by the National Standards for Culturally Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health Care;
  • Informing decision-making around best payer practices related to disparity reductions;
  • Leading, developing & implementing strategic initiatives to support an organizational workforce / culture that is inclusive & respectful of the various backgrounds / cultures that are reflected in our members & communities we serve;
  • Ensuring that community reinvestment efforts addressed at improving health equity, reducing disparities, and improving cultural competence are designed collaboratively with other Ohio Department of Medicaid-contracted managed care entities to have a collective impact for the population and that lessons learned are incorporated into future decision-making.
Speaker 1

Erin Brigham-Gray

MPH, CPHQ, Senior Director, Quality & Population Health

CareSource

Erin Brigham-Gray is a seasoned leader in the health care industry with more than 20 years of extensive knowledge. For the past twelve years, her efforts have focused on managed care with exposure in both government and commercial products. Her expertise includes quality improvement, population health, and data analytics. She has been with CareSource over 13 years and currently serves as the Sr. Director of Population Health & Quality Improvement for the CareSource Ohio Market managing improvement strategies for over 1.4 million Medicaid lives and 50k Marketplace lives. She is recognized statewide for her work in designing measures of improvement to help eliminate health disparities. She has a passion to improve maternal, infant and child health outcome in the most vulnerable populations.
Erin is currently responsible for Accreditation (NCQA), Population Health, Quality Improvement and outreach for gaps in care. She collaborates with multiple stakeholders, both internal and external, to develop and monitor of value-based reimbursement contract and state-wide improvement activities. Erin also has experience in coordinating research design, implementation and evaluation both internal to CareSource and with Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine where she earned her Masters in Public Health. She is currently finishing her Doctor of Healthcare Administration at Franklin University while also serving as an Executive Board member of Health Impact Ohio, Ohio Partners for Cancer Control, and the Central Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Health Service Executives.

Speaker 1

Jill Alessi

RN, BSN, MHA, Chief Executive Officer

Mountain-Pacific Quality Health

Jill Alessi, RN, BSN, MHA, is CEO for Mountain Pacific, a nonprofit organization that strives to innovate solutions for better health and health care in communities across its region of service. Jill has an extensive background in health care and health care operations, including care coordination, utilization management, health service operations, chronic condition support and improving health outcomes and prioritizing quality health care. She is an accomplished leader with experience managing health service organizations across geographic regions and building effective teams by leveraging her clinical, business and compliance experience and expertise. Jill is a registered nurse who has worked as a clinical intensive care unit nurse, case manager, case reviewer and compliance specialist.

Speaker 1

John Gorman

Founder and Chairman

Nightingale Partners

John is the Founder and Chairman of Nightingale Partners, the first venture fund to invest in early- stage companies in the social determinants of health (SDOH) ecosystem, and which structures tailored interventions with health insurers, local government, and provider organizations. His work focuses on Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and Accountable Care Act strategy, governance, and health equity. 
John serves on the Board of Directors of Henry Ford Health System’s Health Alliance Plan in his birthplace of Detroit; on the Board of Edenbridge Health, a groundbreaking company in the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE); and on the Board of RoundTrip, an innovative Non- Emergent Medical Transport company. He serves on the Advisory Board for NationsBenefits, the nation's leading supplemental benefits provider, and on the Medicaid Advisory Board for Icario Health, a leading member engagement and communications firm.
John is the Founder and Former Chairman at Gorman Health Group (GHG). For 22 years he led the development of the industry's leading consulting practice and several entrepreneurial ventures in government health programs.
John speak at two dozen industry conferences each year, and am regularly quoted in the trade press and national media. I serve on the editorial advisory boards of several industry publications. Prior to founding Gorman Health Group in 1996, I was appointed by President Clinton as the first Assistant to the Director of Health Care Financing Administration’s (HCFA, now CMS) Office of Managed Care, where I provided day-to-day management, and served as the external liaison for the Medicare and Medicaid managed care programs. During the 1993 debate on national health care reform, I was chief lobbyist on health care financing issues for the National Association of Community Health Centers, an organization of Federally-funded primary care clinics for the medically underserved. My career in Washington began as Press Secretary and Staff Director for U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), then-Chairman of the Government Operations Committee.

Speaker 1

Kanita Bourne, LCSW, MPA,

Manager, Social & Community Services,

Inland Empire Health Plan

Kanita Bourne, LCSW is an accomplished health equity leader and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience in developing and managing culturally competent community health programs. As Manager of Social and Community Services at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Kanita spearheads innovative initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities, improving healthcare access, and addressing the social determinants of health in underserved populations. She has been instrumental in driving compliance efforts to ensure access, engagement, and equity in rural areas while fostering cross-functional collaborations that enhance community impact.
Kanita’s expertise lies in building and executing strategic health equity plans, managing complex projects, and driving compliance with industry standards to promote equitable care across diverse populations. She has successfully pioneered several community-based programs, including the establishment of maternal mental health services for underserved communities in Los Angeles County. Additionally, Kanita’s leadership extends to workforce development, training future social workers as an adjunct professor and leading clinical supervision for teams delivering behavioral health services.
A thought leader and speaker, Kanita is passionate about health equity, behavioral change, and community wellness. She holds a Master of Social Work from Loma Linda University, a Master of Public Administration from California State University Northridge, and multiple certifications in evidence-based therapeutic practices. Kanita is committed to advancing the mission of health equity through innovative, data-driven solutions that uplift vulnerable communities.

Speaker 1

Kate Tullio

MPH, MS, Director, Health Equity

CareSource

Kate has dedicated her career to improving the health of populations in Ohio. She is currently the Director of Health Equity for the Ohio market at CareSource, Ohio’s largest Medicaid Managed Care company. In her role, Kate oversees the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of health equity efforts into quality, clinical, and population health initiatives. She also partners to inform population health strategy and target quality improvement areas, including the design of clinical programs that improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities. She helps inform decision-making around best payer practices related to disparity reductions, including the provision of health equity and social determinant of health resources and research to leadership and programmatic areas. In her role she supports the CareSource mission by helping the most people possible.  Kate joined CareSource in June 2021. Prior to joining CareSource, She also has held positions at Cleveland Clinic, The James Cancer Center at Ohio State University and Ohio Department of Health investigating health disparities in cancer, diabetes, depression, and infectious disease. Kate also serves as the Co-Chair for the Ohio Partners for Cancer Control (OPCC), where she also helped initiate the OPCC Health Equity subgroup. An author of more than 50 scientific publications and frequent speaker at conferences and events, Kate earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from John Carroll University and master’s degrees in public health (epidemiology) and health information management from Ohio State University.  Kate resides in Cleveland with her husband, daughter, and dog. In her free time, she enjoys running, teaching fitness classes, traveling, and cooking.

Speaker 1

Kelly Nielsen

Director

Omaha Pathways Community HUB

Kelly Nielsen is the Director of the Omaha Pathways Community HUB, an initiative of the Omaha Community Foundation, driving innovative cross sector collaboration to build the first Pathways HUB in Omaha with the goal of improved community access to social, medical and behavioral resources and positive impact on health disparities. Ms. Nielsen earned a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA; a Master’s of applied behavior analysis at George State University; and a Master’s of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Nielsen is currently pursuing a Doctor of Public Health degree at the University of Nebraska College of Public Health with a concentration in Advocacy and Policy. Prior to her current role, Ms. Nielsen was the Division Vice President of Strategy and Healthy Communities for the Midwest Division of CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest not-profit healthcare systems in the country with over 1,000 care sites across 21 states. The Midwest division, covered over 24 communities across Nebraska, Southwest Iowa, N. Dakota and Minnesota. In that role she applied her background in public health and strategic planning to align and drive the organization’s effort to solve for patient, community and business need in order to meet the mission of addressing social justice and creating healthier communities. Across her career, Ms. Nielsen has worked to translate research and evidence-based programs into practice as well as contribute to the broader field of clinical and public health interventions. A specific focus of her work over the years has been to build, align, and grow programs and services to address the health-related social needs of patients and community members - touching areas of violence prevention, food insecurity, housing stability and maternal health equity. She also helped launch the first Community Health Worker program within CHI Health which is operating and expanding today. In her role at the Omaha Pathways HUB, she leads a network of partners to implement a holistic, sustainable model of community-based care coordination and create alignment between health care, health plans and community-based organizations to more effectively and efficiently address community needs. The HUB aims to address disparities in birth outcomes and demonstrate a sustainable model for future growth and impact.

Speaker 1

Keslie Crichton

Chief Sales Officer

Benelynk

Keslie brings a long history of strong execution and delivery for integrated solutions across risk adjustment, quality performance and eligibility and enrollment solutions in both Medicare and Medicaid. At BeneLynk, Keslie is responsible for driving enterprise growth and innovative partnerships to improve outreach strategies and health outcomes for our client’s members. Keslie works closely with BeneLynk’s product team to offer differentiated services and capabilities to maintain its market leader position.  Keslie has worked in managed care for over 25 years with a focus on SDoH solutions that improve members lives but also provide a return on investment for our clients. Keslie's passion lies in working on strategies that put members at the center while ensuring we deliver accurate risk-adjusted revenue, quality performance, and member retention.  Prior to joining BeneLynk, Keslie served as Vice President, Sales, and Account Management at Change Healthcare (formerly Altegra Health/Social Service Coordinators). Keslie holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Regis University and worked toward her MBA and Masters in Healthcare Administration at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.

Speaker 1

Lauryn M. Davin

MPH, Health Equity Specialist

UCare

Lauryn Davin is an experienced public health professional with a demonstrated history in healthcare, education, and research. She is currently a Health Equity Specialist at UCare, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With expertise in collaboration, innovative thinking, community engagement, and qualitative research, Lauryn is dedicated to advancing health equity and engaging communities and health plan members in meaningful ways - including actively promoting health access and well-being through initiatives that empower underserved populations and foster inclusive dialogue. Lauryn holds a Master's Degree in Public Health from St. Catherine University. When not at work, she enjoys time spent with family and friends, live music, distance running, hiking, and reading.

Speaker 1

Lora Council, M.D., MPH, MCHM

Chief Medical Officer

Fallon Health

Lora Council, M.D., MPH, MHCM, is Fallon Health’s Chief Medical Officer. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring the quality and cost-effectiveness of Fallon Health’s care services, overseeing activities and operations within the Care Services Department, and fostering strong relationships with provider partners. 
Dr. Council joined Fallon Health in November 2023 as Vice President and Senior Medical Director for Quality and Population Health. With nearly 15 years of experience in strategic leadership roles in primary care, quality, and population health, she serves as a critical bridge between the organization’s quality initiatives and clinical work, giving special attention to efforts focused on closing the gaps in health care disparities. 
Prior to joining Fallon Health, Dr. Council worked at Yuvo Health, service FQHCs in value-based care, as its Chief Population Health Officer and Chief Medical Officer, and at Cambridge Health Alliance, where she held several leadership roles, including Vice President of Primary Care and Senior Medical Director. She is a faculty affiliate with the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. 
Board certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. She earned her medical degree from UMass Chan Medical School, her master’s degree in public health from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, and her master’s degree in Health Care Management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Speaker 1

Mindi S. Knebel

Chief Executive Officer

KaizenHealth

Mindi Knebel is the Founder & CEO of Kaizen Health, as well as Chair of the company’s Board of Directors. A startup junkie who is passionate about social entrepreneurship, Mindi has worked across several industries and has seen companies from inception through successful exit.

Mindi was on the founding team at MATTER, a healthcare technology incubator formed through a public-private partnership in the city of Chicago. Prior to her time at MATTER, she led sales operations, accounting/finance, human resources and corporate development initiatives for growth stage companies in service, veterinary, and technology industries.

Mindi holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s in business from Colorado Technical University. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, yoga, reading and is an avid Packers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks fan.

Speaker 1

Mohamed Jalloh

Pharm D, BCPS, Health Equity Director

Partnership HealthPlan of California

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Nancy Wongvipat Kalev

MPH, Senior Director, Systems of Care

Health Net, LLC

Nancy Wongvipat Kalev is the Senior Director of Systems of Care at Health Net responsible for organizational strategy and program design for adult and children’s systems of care, addressing social drivers of health (SDOH) and health equity, and workforce development. She was formerly the Director of Health Education and Cultural and Linguistic Services at Health Net responsible for programs focused on community health, language services, health literacy, cultural competency, SDOH and health equity, including addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Nancy holds a Master of Public Health degree in community health sciences and a bachelor's degree in psychobiology from UCLA. She has over 20 years of experience in health care management, program development, implementation and evaluation. Prior to Health Net, Nancy was manager for prevention programs at AIDS Project Los Angeles; evaluation consultant for the Long Beach health department’s Housing and Urban Development-funded Healthy Homes Initiative; research associate with UCLA Fielding School of Public Health focused on community research projects in women’s health; and research associate with UCLA School of Medicine in breast and ovarian cancer research. Nancy was previously a board member with ETR, a behavioral health non-profit devoted to providing science-based programs and services, driven by its mission toward health equity for youth and families. She was born in Thailand, moved to Los Angeles at the age of six, and lives with her partner, three children, and dog Zoe.

Speaker 1

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Navid Amini resides in Minnesota and has been in healthcare for 15+ years. He has served patients from the bedside as well as operations roles within payer and provider organizations. Navid has led a $100M+portfolio of clinical programs/projects impacting growth and strategy within AI, SDOH, claims, data, innovation & provider/patient engagement. Additionally, Navid spent over a decade serving with the Mayo Clinic Medical Examiner's Office. Having managed thousands of medicolegal death investigations, he has gained unique insights into the relationship between SDOH and mortality/quality of life.

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Nicki Venem

CPC, MSML, Director, Network Innovation

Independent Doctors of Idaho

Nicki Venem has worked in the Healthcare Industry for over 25 years.  Nicki holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University. She also holds a Professional Coding Certification with the American Academy of Professional Coders. Nicki spent her first 20 years in healthcare with the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group working as a biller/coder, Clinic Manager and then Director of Urgent Care Services in Boise, Idaho.  She then transitioned into the payer side of healthcare working for Blue Cros of Idaho for six years in the Value Based Care space helping providers find opportunities to lower the cost of high-quality care across the State of Idaho.  She is currently serving as the Director of Innovation for the largest Independent Physician Association (IPA) in Idaho,  continuing her work in the Value Based Care space, while also helping providers who are currently employed by the large healthcare systems, transition to Independent Practice successfully.

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Patricia Lyons Ph.D., LISW-S

Market Health Equity Program Director

AmeriHealth Caritas of Ohio

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Pleasant A. Radford Jr

Health Equity Officer

UCare

Pleasant Radford, Jr. joined UCare in 2020 in the inaugural role of Health Equity Officer.  In his role, he develops, oversees and implements an organization-wide health equity program that promotes and advances health equity for all members and communities. 
Radford has more than 15 years driving systemic transformation through health equity innovation in the healthcare, nonprofit, and academic sectors.  He has proven leadership spanning evaluation, training, programming, policy and advocacy realms - all grounded in trust- based community relationships - to identify and reduce inequities in healthcare.  Prior to UCare, he led the evaluation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Prevention's multi- million dollar portfolio of healthy eating, physical activity and commercial tobacco prevention. At UnitedHealth Group, Radford spent four years as a consultant to streamline medical insurance products, increase customer retention and strengthen brand recognition among Medicaid and Medicare members. Previously, he conducted community engagement research at the University of Chicago, advocated for Chicago Public School pregnant and parenting youth students at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua.

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Robert Mundy

Money Follows the Person Demonstration - MAP Specialist Division of Long-Term Care Services

Maryland Department of Health (MDH)

Rob Mundy is a Health Policy Analyst with the Maryland Department of Health. Previously, he was a case manager and trauma therapist for community health programs. He has served refugees, children in foster care, people leaving radicalized hate movements, and trafficking survivors. At his current role with Maryland's Money Follows the Person program Rob addresses structural obstacles to Medicaid care access. He also supports caregivers and helpers of all kinds to be sustainable in their work.

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Rosemond Sarpong Owens

MPH/CDM, Director- Racial & Health Equity

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota

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Salma Sparklin

MPH, Business Strategy and Transformation Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Salma Sparklin is a public health professional who is passionate about improving access to quality care for behavioral health and substance use disorder. She currently leads business strategy and transformation in this specialty at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Her career has spanned value-based care, population health analytics, and change management. Salma holds a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Seiji Hayashi, MD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer

CareFirst Community Health Plan - Maryland

Lead Medical Director, Government Programs

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Dr. Hayashi is Interim Chief Medical Officer for the Community Health Plan of DC and the Lead Medical Director for Government Programs at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield that serves 3.5 million individuals and groups in Maryland and the Washington metropolitan area. Dr. Hayashi was a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s committee that published the seminal report, “Transforming Health Care to Create Whole Health: Strategies to Assess, Scale, and Spread the Whole Person Approach to Health.” Dr. Hayashi is board certified family physician and is an experienced leader in primary care, quality improvement, and health policy at the local and national levels. Prior to CareFirst, he spearheaded health services integration and transformation at two area federally qualified health centers. Hayashi's national health policy experience comes from his role as Chief Medical Officer for the Bureau of Primary Health Care at the Health Resources and Services Administration. He started his career at Georgetown University and at George Washington University teaching public health and conducting health policy research. Hayashi has received a number of awards and honors, including the Samuel U. Rodgers, MD Achievement Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers. Dr. Hayashi graduated with honors in Studio Art from Vassar College, received his M.D. with Alpha Omega Alpha distinction from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency training at the University of California San Francisco. He received his M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health while a fellow with the Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship

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Sierra McGaha

Program Manager

African American Male Wellness Agency National Center for Urban Solutions

My name is Sierra McGaha, and I serve as the Program Manager for U Got This (Diabetes Awareness) at the African American Male Wellness Agency. My passion lies in community health and advocacy, and I am deeply committed to ensuring that individuals have access to the education, resources, and support they need to take control of their health.
Growing up in Youngstown, I’ve always been drawn to service and giving back to my community. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand how diabetes disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities, and that reality has fueled my mission to change the narrative. I believe that access to healthcare should never be a privilege—it should be a right. That’s why I pour my heart into this work, making sure U Got This is not just a program but a movement rooted in love, accountability, and empowerment.
In my role, I focus on meeting people where they are, breaking down barriers to care, and ensuring that no one feels alone on their health journey. Whether it’s organizing outreach events, building relationships with community partners, or simply being a listening ear, I find purpose in every moment.
Outside of work, I enjoy being a mother/best friend to my two daughters, shopping and self- care, and I’m always looking for new ways to connect with and uplift those around me. My goal is simple: to leave a lasting impact on the lives I touch and to continue the fight for better health outcomes in our community.

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Stina Redford,

Director, Payment Innovation

Blue Cross of Idaho

Stina Redford, Director- Payment Innovation- Blue Cross of Idaho Stina has been with Blue Cross of Idaho since 2006, where she has served in various roles working with providers on fee-for-service contracts, alternative payment models, and new value-based program designs. She currently leads Blue Cross’ provider value-based payment team, and their efforts to shift from a fee-for-service provider payment model to value-based payments. He and her team work with provider partners to ensure members have easy access to top-quality care at an affordable price.

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Tammy Hendricks

MBA, Director of Health Equity & Outreach

Access Health CT


Founder

Hendricks Consulting and Company

Tammy Hendricks is an accomplished leader in health equity, outreach, and business development with a passion for improving access to care for underserved populations. As the Director of Health Equity and Outreach at Access Health CT, Tammy has led impactful initiatives that have contributed to one of the nation’s lowest uninsured rates, earning her the prestigious Community Legacy Leader Award.
In addition to her work in health equity, Tammy is the founder and CEO of Hendricks Consulting, a marketing firm dedicated to empowering organizations to create meaningful community outreach programs. She is launching a training program designed to enhance the skills of Outreach and Community Health Workers, helping them drive greater impact in addressing social determinants of health.
Tammy’s expertise in building partnerships and developing innovative solutions has made her a recognized thought leader in advancing health equity and empowering community-based organizations to improve care outcomes. Her work combines strategic vision, community engagement, and data-driven approaches to create sustainable change.

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Tanikka C. Price

JD, EdD, Chief Education and Equity Officer

Health Impact Ohio

Dr. Tanikka Price uses her training as a lawyer, her passion as a motivational speaker and the knowledge she gained during her doctoral training at Northcentral University to develop curriculum to educate and train others in caring for and taking responsibility for their own health and healing. She is currently the Chief Education and Equity Officer at the Health Impact Ohio. For over a decade, in addition to being a Family Law Attorney, she has developed and taught learning topics for pregnant women and Community Health Workers in At-risk communities in Columbus, Ohio. She was inspired to educate following the birth of her premature twins. She uses narrative and trauma-informed care to meet people where they are and empower them to change. She engages through several interactive workshops including “Love Letters,” “Writing to Heal” and “Narrative Repair.” Dr. Price is a mother of six and “Mimi” to three grandchildren. She earned a Doctorate in Education in May of 2021, researching the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on African American women’s educational attainment at Northcentral University. She also has an American Culture degree from Vassar College and a law degree from Capital University Law School. She is a member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, The Columbus Bar Association and The Ohio Bar.

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Tara M. Davis

SVP/Chief Programs Officer

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

Tara Davis joined the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CPFB) in 2007. Before her current role as Senior Vice President, Chief Programs Officer, Tara began her Food Bank career planning and executing special events. She was instrumental in several website redesigns and laying the foundation for digital engagement. Tara then managed the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Outreach Program and was responsible for promoting the SNAP Helpline and building and maintaining community and agency relationships.  
As the Senior Vice President, Chief Programs Officer, Tara directs a staff of 40 employees and oversees 11 primary Food Bank functions: Agency Services, SNAP Outreach, Youth Programs, Senior Programs, Health Innovations, Nutrition Education, Fresh Express, MilitaryShare, Retail Donations, Customer Service, and Northern Dauphin Food Pantry. She assures that the team is providing exemplary support services to a network of more than 1,100 member agencies and other program partners of CPFB. Tara is responsible for implementation, ongoing management, and strategic growth for CPFB Programs which includes development, implementation, review and assessment of all programmatic outreach initiatives, and collaboration throughout a 27-county service territory. She also oversees agency membership policies, procedures, and guidelines relative to the distribution of donated, purchased, and government food products as promulgated by federal and state authorities.
Tara has more than 25 years of experience in non-profit program development, marketing, and communications. She is a graduate of Central Penn College. Tara currently serves as the Board President of Tri-County Community Action and is a member of Tri-County Community Action’s Governance Committee, Fund Development Committee, and Planning and Evaluation Committee. She also serves on her local Winslett HOA Architectural Review Committee, Pennsylvania Hunger Action Coalition, United Way of the Capital Region Basic Needs Focused Care Council, and Dasher Employe Assistant Fund Committee. She resides in Harrisburg, PA with her husband, Chris, and two children, Evan, and Gianna. Tara enjoys being an active volunteer in her community through her children’s schools and their sports.

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Todd Graham

President

Highmark Health Options Delaware

Todd Graham is a highly accomplished and results-oriented healthcare executive with more than 25 years’ experience driving profitability and implementing impactful change within the healthcare insurance industry. Todd’s expertise spans commercial insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, with a proven track record of success in leadership, financial management, and strategic planning. As plan President and CEO of Highmark Health Options in Wilmington, Del., Todd manages a $1.5 billion Medicaid plan, overseeing operations and leading a team of senior executives. His accomplishments in this role include successfully transitioning services in-house, redesigning the C-suite and implementing a new Total Cost of Care agreement resulting in reduced costs and improved quality. Prior to his current role, Todd served as Vice President of Finance at Health Partners Plans, where he developed key performance indicators that significantly improved organizational focus and saved millions. Throughout his career, Todd has consistently demonstrated an ability to build high-performing teams, navigate complex regulatory environments and deliver significant cost savings. He's a strategic thinker with a knack for clear communication across the enterprise who’s skilled at developing and implementing innovative financial models. His commitment to the healthcare community extends beyond his professional roles. Todd currently serves as Treasurer of the Delaware Center for Health Innovation and holds memberships in several key industry organizations. Todd graduated from Thomas Edison State College with a degree in Accounting

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Wendy Milligan

Vice President, Strategic Sales and Enablement

ProgenyHealth, LLC

As Vice President of Strategic Sales and Enablement at ProgenyHealth, Wendy is responsible for driving strategic and tactical growth and partnerships. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in growth, account management, stakeholder and strategy development, operations, and product innovation in diverse areas of healthcare such as population health, behavioral health, telehealth, and maternal and infant health as her foundation to drive growth. She has helped to launch several strategic partnerships in the payor and employer space across her career. She has worked for national and regional health plans as well as various point solution organizations.

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Winnie Grim

Supplemental Benefits Manager

Zing Health

Winnie Grim is a seasoned Healthcare Professional with a knack for achieving tangible results. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Winnie has mastered the art of driving revenue growth, optimizing operations to cut costs, and flawlessly implementing change management strategies. Winnie excels in leading diverse teams and delivering outstanding outcomes and is well-versed in healthcare, CMS, and business savvy. Her expertise spans utilization, population health, clinical operations, care management, value-based care, and analytics. With a focus on relationship management and strategic support, Winnie is a valued leader at Zing Health, where she manages the supplemental benefits. Her collaboration with the Product and Growth teams is paving the way for a promising future for the Medicare Advantage Supplemental program at Zing Health. Winnie currently resides in Virginia. She received her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from James Madison University and her master’s in healthcare administration from The University of Maryland.