2021 Conference Agenda

Brian Klepper, PhD is Principal of Worksite Health Advisors and a nationally prominent health care analyst and commentator. He writes and speaks extensively about the structural dynamics of the US health care cost crisis, primary care clinics, high performance health care and the management of full continuum clinical and financial risk.

With over 25 years of experience in healthcare planning and design, Jill helps clients maximize the strategic potential of their healthcare facilities. With a passion for evidence-based design, she presents research and case-studies focused on her clients’ bottom line. With expertise in Lean and continuous improvement philosophy, as well as her hands-on experience with Herman Miller’s Performance System, she facilitates conversations with clients on reducing waste through design, a core principle in Lean methodology. Over the last decade, Jill supported international work covering opportunities in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and South America. She is now back state-side supporting projects in Washington DC and New York.

Jill serves on the board for Women in Healthcare in Washington D.C. and the Advisory Board for Michigan State University’s Interior Design program. She holds a degree in Interior Design and an MBA.

Danielle Karavedas has been employed by the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation since 1998 and currently holds the position of Director in the Facilities Design and Construction department. After the successful completion of the 1.6 million square foot replacement hospital for The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2012, Danielle was appointed to lead the Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment and Activation (FFE&A) Service Center for Johns Hopkins Health System. She also leads the business development and operational functions for the department. She also serves on the national board of Women in Healthcare, a non-profit organization structured to support the development and well-being of women in the healthcare industry. Danielle consults regularly with a variety of department clinicians, administrators and managers to program their needs, develop their project plans, as well as create project synergy.

Danielle is passionate about influencing positive change and inspiring others to reach their full potential by recognizing their value and challenging the status quo. Danielle holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore, Merrick School of Business.

Ashley Schmidt is the President and Founder of the national non-profit professional organization, Women In Healthcare, Inc. In this capacity she oversees the startup and growth of chapters of the organization all over the country. Ashley believes in empowering woman and helping them to climb the corporate ladder. After spending nearly a decade serving on organizational boards and in the healthcare industry, Ashley knew there was a gap in education and mentorship offered to females in healthcare, and knew a platform needed to be developed to encourage and empower women to rise to the top

In addition to Women In Healthcare, Ashley also serves as an Associate and Director of Business Development at the architecture firm, SmithGroup. In this role she develops strategic business plans for the firm and implements client relations strategy for healthcare clients up and down the east coast.

Ashley has a certification in Evidence Based Design for Healthcare (EDAC) as well as a Certified Professional Service Marketer (CPSM) certification. Ashley has presented regionally at conference on topics such as developing a business development strategy and networking. Ashley was recently published in USA today, Women in Business Issue, regarding “Can Selfishness Break the Glass Ceiling”.

Ashley has a BA in Communications and Business from Loyola University in Baltimore and is pursuing her Masters in Healthcare Management at Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.

John Clay is a business and insurance consultant with over 25 years of experience. John creates a unique strategic approach for each of his clients so they can achieve their business goals to drive more revenue to the bottom line while also giving them a meaningful competitive advantage. He has built BetterSource Benefits to deliver valuable solutions that solve critical business and HR problems

John is co-author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller, BREAKING THROUGH THE STATUS QUO: How Innovative Companies Are Changing the Benefits Game to Help Their Client and Boost Their Bottom Line.

He is a member of National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) as well as a former regional vice president of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA-Kentucky). He is also a Charter member of the Association for Insurance Leadership and a member of University of Kentucky Alumni Association.

Nelson Griswold has been called “visionary” by Art Dammers of Anthem, “an authority on voluntary benefits and consultative selling” by Employee Benefit Adviser magazine and “a well-recognized industry thought leader” by Ron Leopold of MetLife.

Nelson has been honored by the Voluntary Benefits Association with their prestigious Industry Leadership Award, for his “professional accomplishments that drive the voluntary benefits industry forward.” A nationally-known agency reinvention and growth expert, he is the author of DO or DIE: Reinventing Your Benefits Agency for Post-Reform Success, the industry bestseller that has been hailed as the only comprehensive blueprint for agency leaders to reinvent their firm to survive and grow in the post-ACA era. As a practice management and agency growth consultant, Nelson works with leading agencies across the country to grow their top- and bottom-line revenue.

Nelson serves as Managing Director of the Agency Growth Mastermind Partnership, a national executive peer-exchange network for non-competing benefits agency owners who collaborate and cooperate to identify best practices and proven growth strategies to remain relevant, profitable, independent & growing.

Nelson is also a leading strategic consultant to carriers and other industry vendors on broker distribution & activation, voluntary benefits, and next-generation engagement & enrollment strategies. Nelson writes a monthly column for Employee Benefit Adviser magazine, has written for Benefits Selling, Producers eSource and other leading industry publications, and writes a blog for Zywave. He is an in-demand keynote speaker and presenter at industry conferences. He is a board member and serves on the executive committee of both the Workplace Benefits Association and the Voluntary Benefits Association

Michael’s fierce work ethic and relentless passion to provide the best healthcare benefits solutions for clients stems from his decades of manufacturing experience where he witnessed first-hand blue-collar workers’ benefits being drastically reduced (with the cost shifting back to the employees), and raises eaten up by increasing healthcare benefits. That’s when he decided he could no longer sit idly by, and instead became part of the movement to change the healthcare industry by introducing innovative tech solutions (currently side-stepped by most ‘status quo’ brokers) that streamlines processes, reduces time, and increases profitability. His mission is to wake up, educate, and improve the healthcare industry as a whole, one client at a time.

Trey Taylor understands what it means – and what it takes – to run a successful, sustainable, and growth-focused business. Before taking the helm of his family’s employee benefits agency, Trey worked as a business consultant with a venture capital firm, assessing investment opportunities and, once the investments were placed, assisting those businesses with their management and growth strategy.

As the CEO of Taylor Insurance Services, Trey is the third generation to run the agency. In this role, his primary responsibility is to set the guiding vision of the organization, recruit the best possible talent to fulfill that vision, and then assist those people in doing the best possible work they can perform while ensuring the financial resources necessary to achieve the firm’s goals.

Trey began his management career at Healtheon|WebMD where he participated in the largest private placement of equity in U.S. financial history. Trey then worked as a senior analyst for a venture capital firm in Atlanta before leaving to work in a corporate development role at EarthLink and AOL/Time Warner.

Trey is heavily involved in public service. In 2013, he was named one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40. Georgia Governor Bryan Kemp recently named Trey to the prestigious Georgians First Commission to “review state regulations, policies, and procedures to streamline government, remove inefficiencies, and secure Georgia’s place as the top state for small business in the country.”

He is the co-author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller, NextGeneration Healthcare: Proven Secrets of Managing the Healthcare Value Trend to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Costs.

Trey holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Emory University in Atlanta, a Juris Doctor degree in Tax and Corporate Transactions from Tulane University and has done post-graduate work at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Trey is licensed in Life and Health Insurance in Georgia and several other states.

As the Principal and Managing Partner of Axial Benefits Group, Mr. Rodgers brings his extensive background in health and welfare plans to Axial's clients.

He has been pioneering Healthcare Purchasing Coalitions since 2009 specializing in assisting medium and large corporations, many of whom have multi-state locations, with the development of effective health care programs. Specifically, he has designed, implemented and managed 5 successful healthcare purchasing coalitions helping hundreds of companies lower costs and stabilized renewals.

Prior to co-founding Axial Benefits Group, Mr. Rodgers founded its predecessor company, Atlantic Benefits, in 2003. He also founded The Staffing Exchange (TSE) in 2012, a successful healthcare purchasing coalition dedicated specifically to the Staffing industry. He has had over 22 years of experience and held senior consulting positions at Hays Companies, William Gallagher Associates, and Marsh & McLennan. Mr. Rodgers is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts School of Engineering. He is a former Massachusetts high school wrestling state champion and collegiate wrestler. He is an avid national speaker on the Affordable Care Act and has become known as one of the nation's experts on the topic of its compliance. He is the former Chairman of the Boston Board of Directors for the March of Dimes and has been involved with the development of corporate programs for the both Friends of Boston's Homeless charity and various local Habitat for Humanity Chapters. He lives in Concord, MA with his wife and family, where he is also a town meeting member.

Dr. Sunnie Giles is President of Quantum Leadership Group. She is the author of The New Science of Radical Innovation (2018). She catalyzes leaders to produce radical innovation and redefine the game as individuals and organizations. She is a TEDx speaker on radical innovation.

She is an advisor at the Stanford Business School Institute of Innovation in Developing Economies. Her recent research on global leadership for innovation has been published by Harvard Business Review. She is a regular contributor on Forbes, and has been published on INC., World Financial Review, the Leadership Network, Training Industry, the Korea Times, and Management Matters Network.

Dr. Sunnie received her MBA degree from the University of Chicago Booth school of Business and a PhD in systemic psychology from Brigham Young University.

Marilyn earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Nevada (Reno), and taught high school for one year, an experience that sent her promptly back to school to complete the Accounting/Finance program at Montana State University (Billings). She then became a Certified Public Accountant, and followed that with the CMA, CGMA, and CFM designations.

Upon earning her CPA, Marilyn turned immediately to the business world and held financial management positions for a utility company, gold mining company and a public accounting firm. In 2001, she narrowed her focus to health care financial management, becoming Controller for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. In 2007, Marilyn became the CFO for EBMS, a regional TPA focusing on self-funded plans.

In late 2014, Marilyn became the Administrator of the State of Montana Employee Group Health Plan, when actuarial projections showed health plan reserves would be -$9 million by December 2017. Marilyn and her team implemented Reference Based Contracting with all the Montana hospitals; negotiated a transparent pass-through pharmacy benefit; and managed vendors for improved performance. In December 2017, plan reserves were at $112 million.

In July 2018, Marilyn left the state plan and took over as Special Projects Coordinator for State Insurance Commissioner, with the goal of peeling back the cloak of secrecy covering the never-ending, inexplicable costs of prescription pharmaceuticals. To date legislation and lawsuits have followed her research and data analysis with more to come.

David Contorno is Founder of E Powered Benefits. As a native of New York, David began his career in the insurance industry at the age of 14, and has since become a leading expert in the realm of employee benefits over the last 21 years. The Hilb Group continues to grow organically by ensuring all management is handled locally, providing top notch solutions and supports, and through strategic acquisitions.

Among his many accolades, David received a Broker Spotlight in 2004 and was recognized as an outstanding Broker of Service in 2005 through 2014 by Blue Cross Blue Shield. He has continually received the Echelon Award by United Healthcare since 2003, reserved for the top 1% of agents nationally, and was a 2015 "40 Under 40" Award Winner presented by Charlotte Business Journal. Most recently, David was Benefits Selling Magazine's 2015 Broker of the Year and, in March 2016, Forbes deemed him "One of America's Most Innovative Benefits Leaders."

David is a member of the Board of Directors for both the Charlotte Association of Health Underwriters and Healthreach Community Clinic. He served on the NC Insurance Commissioners Life and Health Agent Advisory Committee, as well as participated in the Technical Advisory Group that helped with the Market Reforms required under the Affordable Care Act in North Carolina. He is a long-time member of the Lake Norman and South Iredell Chambers of Commerce as well as the National, North Carolina, New York and Long Island Associations of Health Underwriters. David contributes to numerous publications, including Forbes, Benefits Selling Magazine, Business Leader Magazine and Insurance Thought Leadership.

David is committed to giving back to his community and actively participates in the membership drive for the United Way, assisting the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and supporting The Dove House Child Advocacy Center. When he is not working, he enjoys boating, traveling, and being with his wife, Heather, and their two children, Hannah and Ethan.

Scott has over 34 years of employee benefits experience. Scott’s background includes the development prescription benefit management (PBM) solutions; provider network evaluation and valuation, and negotiation; product development and underwriting.

Scott was the Executive Vice President of a TPA with over $2.8B in assets under management. Scott has also started and operationalized a Third-Party-Administrator (TPA) and a PBM platform from scratch. Scott has worked in the arena of alternative funding for the majority of his career. Scott’s current role within USI Insurance Services is focused on support of PBM and Managed Care/Provider Excess national practices that transcends to self-insured plan sponsors. In addition, the Healthcare Operational Risk Consulting team has evolved multiple solution combinations and expertise in the Reference Based Reimbursement arena.

Scott has held officer-level positions within Blues plans and TPAs as Vice President of Sales and Marketing; Vice President of Underwriting; and President. Scott has also served as a trustee for both union and non-union health and welfare and pension plans.

Scott frequently shares his consulting expertise speaking at national events hosted by organizations such as the International Foundation of Employee Benefits; Health and Welfare Plan Management Conference; Western Pension and Benefits Council; and the Self-Insurance Institute of America.

Scott has authored and co-authored articles on various topics over his career.

Scott earned his B.S. in both Business Administration and Economics from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He holds Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Registered Health Underwriter (RHU) designations.

Steven Hall is a Founder, Owner, and the Finance Director of Babymoon Inn where he provides strategic direction and manages the birth center’s finances and accounting. In addition to his role at Babymoon Inn, Mr. Hall is a Managing Director of Maternity Care Solutions, LLC, a consulting, development, and management company specializing in birth centers and midwifery care.

Prior to his current roles, Mr. Hall spent much of his career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF). He was a Managing Consultant with Navigant Consulting, an international consulting firm, a Director with FTI Consulting in Phoenix, a Vice President with BVA Group in Dallas, and an auditor with KPMG, a Big 4 accounting firm. Mr. Hall graduated with a BBA in accounting from Baylor University and an MBA in strategy and finance from Southern Methodist University.

Mr. Hall serves on the Finance, Government Affairs, Industry Relations, and Risk Management Committees of the American Association of Birth Center (AABC), and previously served as Treasurer and Executive Member of the AABC Board of Directors.

Mr. Hall’s experience has included contracting and credentialing for birth centers and OB/GYN practices, development and management of birth centers, as well as performance improvement consulting for birth centers. He has also provided assistance to numerous other clients with regard to the determination of economic damages, the valuation of businesses, transaction advisory services (such as fairness and solvency opinions), and interim management and bankruptcy/restructuring advisory.

Brian Klepper, PhD is Principal of Worksite Health Advisors and a nationally prominent health care analyst and commentator. He writes and speaks extensively about the structural dynamics of the US health care cost crisis, primary care clinics, high performance health care and the management of full continuum clinical and financial risk.

Lee Lewis is a leader on Gallagher’s Innovation Advisory Group, a mission-driven practice devoted to improving the cost, quality and design of American healthcare. Lee advises several health startups working to solve meaningful healthcare problems.

His consulting practice has a track record of breakthroughs. It leads the effort to bring sophisticated health plan audits to private employers. It pioneered specialty drug direct purchasing without using a PBM. His team led a grassroots effort to identify all independent freestanding Emergency Rooms in Texas. The innovation lab developed the first HSA compliant model for back and joint pain prevention, and is piloting first-ever ultra-high value virtual networks in 2019 in two major U.S. cities. His current and past clients include American Airlines, Comcast NBC Universal, Albertson’s Grocery Stores, Home Depot, Abbot Laboratories and dozens of other large and jumbo employers. Lee is a Rhodes Scholar Nominee. He graduated Second in his Class, Magna cum Laude with University Honors in Accounting from Brigham Young University.

We are an intentionally small “concierge” consulting firm offering a unique approach to benefits management for a select group of clients. Mitigate Partners and BenefitStrategies provide Risk Management, Cost Containment and Employee Benefits Consulting services. We have chosen collaboration over competition and maintain healthy relationships with a cadre’ of like-minded consultants and resources throughout the United States. Being open to and encouraging the ideas of others allows us to remain on the cutting edge of thinking in our area of expertise, rather than developing the myopic view of the world that so often occurs in single source benefit brokerage shops.

By serving as a Fiduciary and Steward of our client’s health plan dollars, and focusing on how to reduce the cost of healthcare (rather than the cost of insurance), we operate more as Population Health Managers rather than as “Brokers”, allowing our team to specialize in Cost Containment and Risk Mitigation strategies that result in dramatic reductions in the overall health plan spending of our clients. Our more than 100 years of combined experience in benefit planning, allows us to offer our clients improved cash flow, “employer friendly health plans” and lower cost trends over time.

After spending the last 6 years searching for the best in class High Performance Healthcare Solutions to address the runaway costs for our clients’ health plan spend, Carl created and is trademarking FairCo$t, a health plan design he pioneered by seamlessly integrating these solutions on one platform to significantly reduce his clients’ health plan spend. Having spent the past 6 years deeply engaged in research also makes us sought after speakers and authors as well.

During this 6 year journey, Carl was selected as one of the first group of 30 forward-leaning Benefits Advisors in the U.S. to participate as a Charter Member in the Health Rosetta Certification Program for Benefits Advisors. The Health Rosetta is a blueprint of best practices for intelligently purchasing health benefits that’s been sourced from the most forward leaning benefits purchasers of all types around the country. The certification program helps ensure we stay at the forefront of cutting edge ideas in the market to better serve his clients. The Health Rosetta’s creator, Dave Chase, recently published a book that I think you’ll find valuable that also mentions him, The CEO’s Guide to Restoring the American Dream: How to Deliver World Class Health Care to Your Employees at Half the Cost.

Carl has successfully networked with other trusted partners/vendors such as insurance companies, PBM’s, TPA’s, health care destinations, employee benefit communication companies, and onsite clinics. To the delight of his clients, he has a proven track record of bringing comprehensive High Performance Healthcare Solutions to businesses regarding healthcare costs, benefit design, improved medical outcomes, and improved employee communications. Carl is an employer advocate and provides easily understood solutions and encouragement to employers.

Carl is a native of Macon, Georgia, moved to Atlanta in 1989, and resides there with his wife, Missy and their three children, Mary May (19), Hattie (15), and Carl III (18). He enjoys children’s activities (coached 43 of his children’s teams), fly fishing, golfing, hiking, and hunting.

RE Sutton & Associates, a division of Brown & Brown of Indiana, LLC

As an independent broker/consultant, Richard works with a variety of small and large employers and specializes in working with school systems, libraries and other public employers. Richard is a graduate of Ball State University where he majored in Public Relations and Political Science. While at Ball State, Richard was active as President of his Fraternity and President of the Student Center Governing Board.

Prior to founding RE Sutton & Associates, LLC in July, 2001, Richard was a partner at the firm of D.B. Englehart & Associates. Before his consultant work, Richard worked ten years at Blue Cross/Blue Shield and The Acordia Companies, where he received numerous awards for new sales and service to existing clients.

RE Sutton & Associates was named as one of the Top 25 Largest Indianapolis-Area Independent Insurance Agencies/Brokerage firms by the Indianapolis Business Journal for five years. In 2008, RE Sutton & Associates merged with Brown & Brown of Indiana creating the Largest Indianapolis-Area Independent Insurance Agency in the Indianapolis area and the firm has remained at the top of that list.

Richard contributed to a book series “Inside the Minds: Employee Benefit Best Practices”. The book, written by leading executives across the country, is an authoritative perspective on key strategies for offering secure, affordable coverage, while continuing to attract, retain and award employees. Richard’s chapter is entitled: “A Transparent Effort for Servicing Clients in the Employee Benefits Industry.

Richard is a graduate of Leadership Hendricks County. Through that program he was instrumental in instituting the Summer Lunch Bunch for Kids in Brownsburg. This program brings lunch, activities and entertainment to the children of Brownsburg during the summer months. Richard serves on the advisory board for several insurance and health related corporations.

Richard was included in the 2011 Indianapolis Business Journal list “Who’s Who in Health Care and Benefits.” This list includes administrators, benefits experts, insurance executives, and doctors doing groundbreaking work, attorneys, CPAs and policymakers.

David A. Shore is a leading authority on innovation and managing change initiatives to gain competitive advantage.  Throughout his career he has worked to combine research, teaching, consulting and writing to build constructive links between theory and practice.

Shore has been on the faculty of Harvard University for more than two decades. He is also Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Change at Tianjin University of Finance and Economics (China) and Adjunct Professor of Organizational Development and Change at the School of Business, University of Monterrey (Mexico).  Shore is a faculty member of The Governance Institute and Executive-in-Residence at Enable East (United Kingdom).  He has held visiting professorships including in Amsterdam, Santiago, and Shanghai and consulted on six continents.  Shore offers executive education seminars and facilitates strategic planning and guided implementation retreats.  He has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses and workshops across multiple industries.

Previously, Shore spent two decades at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he served as associate dean.  He founded and directed the School's flagship programs:  Forces of Change; The Trust Initiative; and the Certificate Program on Launching and Leading Successful Change Initiatives.

He has served on and chaired numerous boards and committees, and currently is a founding member of McKinsey & Company's External Implementation Advisory Board which has a primary focus on operationalizing strategy for transformational change.   He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Marshfield Clinic Health System, as well as several editorial boards.  Among his honors is the Doctorate Fellow from the Academy of Multi-Skills (United Kingdom).  Along with innovation and change, Shore's body of work focuses on creating higher performing organizations including building and rebuilding trust; reimaging and reengineering meetings; and, strategic marketing and branding.

His most recent books include Launching and Leading Successful Change Initiatives in Health Care Organizations: (Jossey-Bass, 2014); Forces of Change:  New Strategies for the Evolving Health Care Marketplace (Jossey-Bass, 2012); and High Stakes:  The Critical Role of Stakeholders in Health Care, with E. Kupferberg (Oxford University Press, 2011).  He has also written a book on trust and edited a second.

Professor Shore has been recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Trust by Trust Across America – Trust Around the World.   He is also a multiple recipient of Harvard's Letter of Commendation for Distinguished Teaching Performance, including in 2017 and 2018; and was chosen to deliver a 2015 and 2016 Harvard Lecture That Lasts (Harvard's version of a TED Talk) and a TEDx Talk. 

Never known to simply :admire the problem," beyond intellectually stimulating, Shore provides executable advice, inspiring leaders and organizations to gain a unique and adaptable competitive advantage.

Susan Dentzer is one of the nation's most respected health and health policy thought leaders and a frequent speaker and commentator on television and radio, including PBS and NPR, and an author of commentaries and analyses in print publications such as Modern Healthcare, the Annals of Internal Medicine, and the New England Journal of Medicine and NEJM Catalyst. She is also the editor and lead author of the book Health Care Without Walls: A Roadmap for Reinventing U.S. Health Care, available on Amazon.com.

She is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, the Washington, DC-based arm of Duke University that focuses on health system transformation, biopharmaceutical policy, and other key health policy issues. At the Center, she focuses on research and thought leadership for modernizing the health care system through the use of greater virtual care and a reconfigured health care work force; improving health and health care in rural areas; anticipating a future of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other dementias; and other topics.

From 2016 to January 2019, Dentzer was President and Chief Executive Officer of NEHI, the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization composed of more than 80 stakeholder organizations from across all key sectors of health and health care. From 2013 to 2016, she was senior policy adviser to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropy focused on health and health care in the United States, and before that, was the editor-in-chief of the policy journal Health Affairs. From 1998 to 2008, she was the on-air Health Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour. Dentzer also wrote and hosted the 2015 PBS documentary, Reinventing American Healthcare, focusing on innovations pioneered by Geisinger Health System and spread across the nation.

Dentzer is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) and also serves on the Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice of the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering. She is also an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations; a fellow of the National Academy of Social Insurance; and a fellow of the Hastings Center, a nonpartisan bioethics research institute. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Rescue Committee, a leading global humanitarian organization; a member of the board of directors of Research!America, which advocates on behalf of biomedical and health-related research; and is a member of the board of directors of the Public Health Institute, a nonprofit organization addressing public health issues and solutions nationwide. From 2011 to 2017 she was public member of the Board of Directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties, which assists 24 medical specialty boards in the ongoing evaluation and certification of physicians. She also is a member of the RAND Health Board of Advisors, and serves on the global public policy advisory committee for Roche, the international biopharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland.

Dentzer graduated from Dartmouth, is a trustee emerita of the college, and chaired the Dartmouth Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2004. She has served as a member of the Board of Advisors of Dartmouth Medical School for more than two decades. Dentzer holds an honorary master’s degree from Dartmouth and an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Muskingum University. She and her husband have three grown children.

Susan Dentzer is one of the nation's most respected health and health policy thought leaders and a frequent speaker and commentator on television and radio, including PBS and NPR, and an author of commentaries and analyses in print publications such as Modern Healthcare, the Annals of Internal Medicine, and the New England Journal of Medicine and NEJM Catalyst. She is also the editor and lead author of the book Health Care Without Walls: A Roadmap for Reinventing U.S. Health Care, available on Amazon.com.

She is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, the Washington, DC-based arm of Duke University that focuses on health system transformation, biopharmaceutical policy, and other key health policy issues. At the Center, she focuses on research and thought leadership for modernizing the health care system through the use of greater virtual care and a reconfigured health care work force; improving health and health care in rural areas; anticipating a future of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other dementias; and other topics.

From 2016 to January 2019, Dentzer was President and Chief Executive Officer of NEHI, the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization composed of more than 80 stakeholder organizations from across all key sectors of health and health care. From 2013 to 2016, she was senior policy adviser to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropy focused on health and health care in the United States, and before that, was the editor-in-chief of the policy journal Health Affairs. From 1998 to 2008, she was the on-air Health Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour. Dentzer also wrote and hosted the 2015 PBS documentary, Reinventing American Healthcare, focusing on innovations pioneered by Geisinger Health System and spread across the nation.

Dentzer is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) and also serves on the Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice of the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering. She is also an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations; a fellow of the National Academy of Social Insurance; and a fellow of the Hastings Center, a nonpartisan bioethics research institute. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Rescue Committee, a leading global humanitarian organization; a member of the board of directors of Research!America, which advocates on behalf of biomedical and health-related research; and is a member of the board of directors of the Public Health Institute, a nonprofit organization addressing public health issues and solutions nationwide. From 2011 to 2017 she was public member of the Board of Directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties, which assists 24 medical specialty boards in the ongoing evaluation and certification of physicians. She also is a member of the RAND Health Board of Advisors, and serves on the global public policy advisory committee for Roche, the international biopharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland.

Dentzer graduated from Dartmouth, is a trustee emerita of the college, and chaired the Dartmouth Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2004. She has served as a member of the Board of Advisors of Dartmouth Medical School for more than two decades. Dentzer holds an honorary master’s degree from Dartmouth and an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Muskingum University. She and her husband have three grown children.

Christian Moreno is an expert in designing health plans with fully integrated wellness solutions for employers. With more than 20 years of specialized industry experience, he delivers a message designed to help employers manage the demand side of healthcare spend within their organization and ultimately lower costs.

Dynamic and compelling as a speaker, Christian shares his knowledge related to health care financing/payer mix and employer sponsored health plans; promoting understanding for audiences with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of expertise. He speaks frequently to human resource and financial executives about innovative and creative ways to manage healthcare costs. With the explosion of complex catastrophic claims and specialty Rx spend for employers; Christian’s background and expertise has become particularly relevant.

In 2006, Christian co-founded Health at Work Wellness Actuaries LLC, a consulting company specializing in actuarially based consulting. Following the 2007 purchase of Health at Work Wellness Actuaries by Cooper Aerobics Center, Christian served as vice president, executive director and practice leader of Cooper Benefits. In his role, he developed the business model for innovative brokerage wellness consulting for Cooper Aerobics Center’s entrance into group employee benefits consulting; and led the practice until 2011.

Early in his career, Christian gained international experience working with NMG Consultants and Actuaries in South Africa and Southeast Asia where he implemented consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) and wellness solutions for employers well before the launch of similar insurance models in the United States. Christian went on to implement some of the first CDHPs in the United States while working with Destiny Health (now The Vitality Group). Together, these positions laid the foundation for the consulting methodology Christian employs today.

Christian has served on several charitable Board positions including Junior Achievement (2015 – 2018) and the KBIC Foundation (benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy & Baylor Cancer Center). He has raised over $50,000 for these organizations over the last several years – and is passionate about their causes. Christian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania. He lives in Richardson TX with his Wife Elizabeth and their three children: Savannah, William and Lucas.