Derek is Vice President of Healthcare Contact Center Times, the nation’s leading source of information for healthcare contact and call center managers. HCCT discusses such crucial topics as strategically positioning your call center for maximum advantage in today’s competitive healthcare environment, operating your call center as your organization’s “front face” to the public, and effectively marketing your call center to external and internal audiences. With each issue we keep healthcare call and contact center professionals across the country up-to-date on the latest trends and current news. For nearly twenty years, Derek has also worked in planning the HCCT Annual Conference. Derek lives with his family in Roswell, Georgia. Outside of the office, Derek may often be found taking advantage of Georgia’s beautiful nature and outdoor activities. Derek is a golfer and proud Georgia Bulldog.

Malik Bahar is Assistant Vice President of Access Center & Loyalty for Virtua Health. Virtua
Health system is a 5 hospital health system, with more than 350 care locations, and 15,000
employees. With more than 250 employees, and 2.6 million patient interactions in 2025, Virtua
Health’s Access Center is the premier omni-channel contact center in Southern New Jersey.
Since 2018, Virtua Health Access Center has demonstrated industry leading consistency,
maintaining a 92% employee retention rate and top decile employee engagement scores.
Malik holds a master’s degree from Wilmington University, and a bachelor’s degree in business
administration from SNHU.

Liz Johnson is a seasoned healthcare operations leader, and the Vice President of the Patient Access Contact Center at Emory Healthcare. She oversees a team of more than 600 professionals, driving excellence in patient access and engagement across the system. With a strategic focus on innovation and accountability, Liz is currently leading Project EDGE, a multi-year transformation initiative to integrate Genesys with Epic and deploy Epic Cheers—creating a seamless, personalized experience for patients at every touchpoint.

Before joining Emory, Liz spent over a decade at Northwestern Medicine, where she held progressive leadership roles in Capacity Management, Quality & Training, and Contact Center Operations. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to operational excellence, data-driven performance, and building empowered, patient-centered teams.

Liz is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance healthcare delivery and is recognized for her ability to lead complex change initiatives that improve both patient and employee experiences.

Leslie Land serves as the Director of Training and Quality for Patient Access at Emory Healthcare, where she oversees training design, quality management, workflow optimization, and agent performance support across six diverse lines of business. Since beginning her career at Emory in 2016, Leslie has become a trusted leader known for building clear, efficient processes, strengthening agent readiness, and partnering closely with operational and clinical teams. With a background in Psychology, Leslie is passionate about creating simple, intuitive learning for adult learners and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Rachel Papka is the Chief Innovation Officer at Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging (SDMI), where she leads technology-driven transformation across 12 imaging centers. With deep expertise in health informatics and operational strategy, she champions initiatives that enhance patient access, streamline communication workflows, and elevate both patient and employee experience. Rachel is known for integrating innovation with empathy, ensuring advanced tools — including AI-enabled solutions — meaningfully improve how patients connect to care. Her work reflects a commitment to creating healthcare experiences that are efficient, human-centered, and future-ready

Tara Mahoney is the Vice President of Healthcare at Genesys. She is passionate about transforming care leveraging operational and technological innovation to meet the needs of patients, members and care teams.

She is recognized as an industry expert in patient access, patient-member experience, care coordination and virtual care. She has worked with Life Sciences, Health Systems and Health Insurance companies globally leveraging engagement technology across the care continuum can change outcomes.

As practice leader, she grew healthcare to be the largest vertical for Avaya in North America and for Genesys Cloud globally. Prior to finding her passion in healthcare, she consulted with large enterprises on technology adoption and was the GM for Avaya’s applications business and GM for Nortel’s contact center business.

Sarina Allen is the Senior Director of Vitalant’s National Customer Contact Center, where she leads one of the most mission critical CCaaS ecosystems in the industry—spanning inbound, outbound, digital, and social engagement nationwide. With more than 17 years of leadership, she has been the driving force behind continuous change and innovation, modernizing platforms, integrating AI, and delivering scalable, data-driven donor and customer experiences.

Her passion for AI is centered on creating practical solutions that ease the agent workload, reduce friction, and allow teams to focus on the conversations that matter most. Sarina combines deep operational expertise with a forward-looking vision, ensuring that technology and people work in harmony to elevate performance and customer satisfaction.

She holds a master’s degree in business leadership and an AI certification from Johns Hopkins University. Known as a powerhouse in transforming contact center technology and strategy, Sarina continues to push boundaries, shaping the future of customer engagement while inspiring teams to achieve excellence at scale.

Gina Gibson is a visionary leader with more than 25 years of experience driving transformation at the intersection of technology and customer experience. As CEO of Think Forward, she guides organizations through complex CCaaS, UCaaS, CRM, WFM, Analytics, Security, and Hardware initiatives, ensuring people and processes remain at the center of change. As a technology advisor and “Tech Matchmaker,” Gina helps enterprises cut through the noise of competing vendors by simplifying complex evaluations, identifying best-fit solutions, and guiding organizations through the purchasing process with confidence. She is also the host of The Tech Matchmaker podcast, a published author, and a certified PMP. Beyond business, Gina serves as Chairwoman of Dress for Success Arizona, advancing women’s empowerment. Her strategic insight and lived experience make her a trusted voice for enterprise leaders navigating innovation.

With over 30 years of proven leadership across healthcare, ministry, and business, Darlene brings a unique blend of strategic vision, operational excellence, and inspirational leadership. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, along with a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), for the work she does in Bhubaneswar, India. As a national and international speaker, she empowers diverse audiences with messages of purpose, resilience, and financial empowerment.

As a published author, Pastor, and Certified Christian Life Coach, she is passionate about equipping others to lead with integrity and impact. As a Healthcare Leader and Wealth Strategist, she helps individuals and organizations thrive, spiritually, professionally, and financially. She has a passion for seeing people free spiritually and practically. She teaches courses in leadership and finances and has seen impact across various sectors by reigniting their love for leadership.

Stacy Neill is the director of digital optimization and effectiveness at OSF OnCall. She began her OSF HealthCare career in 2016 in a leadership role as a director of the quality team. Prior to this she served as manager of clinical information systems at BJC HealthCare for 10 years. Stacy is a registered health information administrator and project management professional who has a master’s in health administration and a Bachelor of Science in health information management.

In this role, Stacy oversees the education, digital optimization and business operations team. She is responsible for planning, implementing and managing data strategy, clinical and technical education, customer service and process improvement efforts for OSF OnCall operations. She leads identification of resources, process improvements, software and data analysis to drive efficiency within operations.

Under her leadership, the digital optimization and effectiveness team supports the unified contact center, enhances workflows and technology through data, education, patient satisfaction and optimization. They embed best practices, drive efficiencies and deliver impactful services that create better patient experiences.

Derek is Vice President of Healthcare Contact Center Times, the nation’s leading source of information for healthcare contact and call center managers. HCCT discusses such crucial topics as strategically positioning your call center for maximum advantage in today’s competitive healthcare environment, operating your call center as your organization’s “front face” to the public, and effectively marketing your call center to external and internal audiences. With each issue we keep healthcare call and contact center professionals across the country up-to-date on the latest trends and current news. For nearly twenty years, Derek has also worked in planning the HCCT Annual Conference. Derek lives with his family in Roswell, Georgia. Outside of the office, Derek may often be found taking advantage of Georgia’s beautiful nature and outdoor activities. Derek is a golfer and proud Georgia Bulldog.

Chanel Holder, MBA, is the Associate Director of Operations for Penn Medicine’s Patient Engagement Center, overseeing a team of more than 250 employees in a large high volume call center with over 500 employees. With a decade of experience in healthcare operations and leadership development, she has led transformative initiatives including leadership onboarding, peer mentoring, digital transformation, and the rollout of Penn Medicine’s first incentive program for patient access staff. Chanel is also an adjunct professor of business administration, blending academic insight with real-world experience to cultivate engaged teams and performance-driven cultures.

Sadie Elisseou, MD is a leading physician and subject matter expert in trauma-informed care. She teaches clinical healthcare professionals how to provide top-quality care to patients who have lived through trauma. She also consults for companies and organizations that wish to cultivate wellness and help team members optimally engage through stressful times.

Jeannie Spagna brings over two decades of experience in the contact center industry, with a proven ability to create environments where both people and processes thrive. Her career spans multiple sectors, rooted in retail and more recently focused on the healthcare industry.

Known for her collaborative leadership and dedication to continuous improvement, Jeannie excels at building strong, motivated teams and driving operational efficiency. She is passionate about mentoring emerging talent, optimizing workflows, and implementing strategies that enhance productivity while maintaining exceptional service standards.

Throughout her career, Jeannie has been guided by a belief in bringing out the best in others—ensuring every team member feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. Her work reflects a commitment to excellence, innovation, and making a positive impact on both employees and the customers they serve.

Kevin Henrikson is the co-founder of Pretty Good AI, a voice-first clinic intelligence platform transforming how healthcare practices operate. A veteran startup builder and engineering leader, Kevin previously led teams at Microsoft and Instacart and co-founded Acompli, acquired by Microsoft and relaunched globally as Outlook for iOS and Android. He now applies that same product and systems mindset to healthcare, helping providers reclaim time, reduce burnout, and deliver frictionless patient access through trusted AI automation.

Valerie Daugherty is the Director of Patient Access for Collaborative Health Partners, a leading healthcare organization dedicated to improving the health of the communities it serves through accessible, innovative, and patient-centered care. With 20 years of experience in the healthcare field, Valerie has led primary care, immediate care, occupational health, direct primary care and specialty teams, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and a solutions-based approach. Valerie is passionate about implementing efficient, patient-centered systems that improve access, enhance the patient experience, and support team member satisfaction.

Judy Mushlitz is the Scheduling Director for a 16-hospital health system in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She has been with the organization 23 years and has assisted with the growth of the organization from what started as a community hospital for nearby steelworkers to a health network that encompasses the oldest school of nursing in the country to the area’s first medical school and soon to open Health Sciences University.

Tara Calixto is the Scheduling Manager for a 16- hospital health system in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  She has been with the organization 10 years and has assisted with the growth of the organization from what started as a community hospital for nearby steelworkers to a health network that encompasses the oldest school of nursing in the country to the area’s first medical school and soon to open Health Sciences University.

Judy Mushlitz

Director, St. Luke’s University Health Network

Judy Mushlitz

Director, St. Luke’s University Health Network

Heather Myers is Senior Enterprise Sales Director at Spok, Inc., where she partners with healthcare organizations to improve clinical communication and patient outcomes. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology, Heather has driven initiatives in secure messaging, workflow optimization, and patient safety. Her career spans positions at leading companies in mobile communications, contact centers, and critical alert systems. She holds a Master of Science in Management from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill.

Scott Spangenberg is Senior Manager of IT Service Management and Paging Services at Emory Healthcare, where he drives operational efficiency and reliability across critical communication systems. With over a decade in healthcare IT, he specializes in ITIL-based frameworks, incident and problem management, and technology adoption to support patient care. Scott holds ITIL, HDI Support Center Management, and Six Sigma certifications, reflecting his commitment to service excellence. Passionate about bridging technology and patient outcomes, he partners with clinical and administrative teams to deliver solutions that improve access, responsiveness, and reliability in high-stakes environments.

Pat Michael is the Director of Patient Contact Services at Nebraska Medicine, where he leads three integrated contact center operations supporting more than 2.5 million patient interactions annually. With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare operations, performance management, global call center leadership, and patient access transformation, Pat is widely recognized for building high-performing teams and delivering measurable improvements in patient experience, employee engagement, and operational efficiency. Prior to his healthcare career, he ran numerous contact centers, and served as a Navy Air Traffic Controller in Operation Desert Fox and Operation Restore Hope Somalia. Pat lives in Omaha, Nebraska, is married with a 16-year-old daughter, and is an avid Nebraska sports fan.

Matt Kurtz is the Manager of the Ambulatory Contact Center at Nebraska Medicine, where he has led operations for the past eight years. A lifelong Omaha native, he brings over 25 years of prior call center experience to the role, specifically in patient satisfaction research and Medicaid transportation. Before his corporate career, Matt served four years in the U.S. Army. When he isn’t focused on patient access and team leadership, he enjoys life in Omaha with his wife, Sue, and their daughter, Marissa.

Bio coming soon

Mitch Holdwick is a results-driven marketing professional specializing in healthcare strategy and consumer engagement. In his role at Trinity Health’s Michigan region, Mitch led innovative initiatives that repositioned the marketing function from cost-center to strategic growth engine — including a campaign that accelerated patient conversion timelines and clearly demonstrated ROI.

With a deep understanding of the evolving healthcare consumer and the digital tools needed to reach them, he’s spoken on topics such as precision marketing, omni-channel campaigns and nurturing the consumer journey across systems.

As a speaker, Mitch blends real-world results with actionable take-aways, helping audiences see how marketing can drive both improved patient outcomes and organizational performance.

Kayla Fiddes is the Digital Care Manager of RN Triage at OSF OnCall. She began her nursing career in 2014 at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois at OSF HealthCare, where she worked on an inpatient pediatric unit as a bedside nurse and Primary Charge Nurse before transitioning to the outpatient Pediatric Surgery Clinic.
In 2022, Kayla joined OSF OnCall as Supervisor of RN Triage, and in 2024, she stepped into her current role as Manager of RN Triage. Today, she leads initiatives that use digital health innovations to improve patient care, clinical outcomes, and efficiency.
Kayla completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing.

Jake Light serves as the Manager of the Non-Clinical Contact Center team at OSF OnCall. He began his career at OSF as a Ministry PI Specialist, contributing to a variety of projects and innovative process-improvement solutions. He later transitioned into the role of Strategic Program Manager, collaborating with leaders across the organization to advance key strategic initiatives.
In 2023, Jake joined OSF OnCall as the Manager of the Contact Center, where he focuses on enhancing patient satisfaction, improving operational efficiency, and expanding access for those we serve.
Jake holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Robert Morris University.

Jacqueline Pilon has served SUNY Upstate Medical University for 25 years in a variety of roles. She currently manages Upstate Connect, a 25-person call center that functions as both a hospital switchboard and a medical answering service. Her team plays a vital role in patient care coordination and also dispatches medical emergencies across two hospital campuses, ensuring rapid response and continuity in critical situations.

Celebrating a decade of stewardship with Amtelco, Kelly Swenson brings a people-first perspective to the evolving world of healthcare technology and communication. Her experience spans healthcare IT implementation, team leadership, and building trusted client relationships and strategic partnerships with health systems across the country. Through her work with Amtelco’s integrated contact center solutions, Kelly has helped organizations improve communication workflows, operational efficiency, and staff engagement.
As a speaker, Kelly draws from real-world experience leading teams, guiding complex implementations, and collaborating with healthcare leaders. Join her in exploring how trust, authenticity, and human connection can transform both employee experience and patient outcomes.

For nearly five years, Steve Smith has served as the Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Contact Center & Access at Inova Health System in Northern Virginia. Inova, a five-hospital integrated health system, was recently recognized as the 2025 Press Gainey Health System of the Year—a testament to committed excellence in healthcare. Before joining Inova, Steve held leadership roles across several well-known organizations outside the healthcare sector, including the Walt Disney Co, Under Armour, and Total Wine & More. These experiences provided him with a diverse perspective on operational excellence and customer service. At Inova, one of his notable achievements was leading the integration of Hyro AI with NICE CXone (cloud-based phone system) and Epic Cheers CRM. This initiative was designed to improve patient access and elevate the overall experience for everyone who relies on Inova’s services. A key priority for Steve in his current role is maintaining daily communication and collaboration with both Operational and Technical partners. This ongoing teamwork is vital as Inova pursues innovative ways to enhance access through automation, always keeping the patient experience at the forefront in a friendly and supportive manner.

Brennan Stratton is the VP Enterprise Sales for Hyro, partnering with leading health systems to improve patient access and reduce complexity across the patient journey through responsible AI and automation. Prior to joining Hyro, Brennan has spent the past 16+ years in healthcare IT and digital health, including sales and account management leadership roles at WebMD Ignite, Elsevier, and McKesson

Jason Mercer – Pottinger (JMP)  is an internationally recognized customer contact center executive.  Specializing in Healthcare and direct to patient services. 

Jason has been with Vantive for the last 19 years and with the last 12 being based out of their Global headquarters in Deerfield Illinois. 

Jason is the Senior Director for the Americas Customer Care organization. His team provides support to both Customer and Patients across the region who are utilizing our dialysis solutions for both in-center and at home dialysis. 

Martin Quinn serves as the Director of the Appointment Scheduling Contact Center at Maimonides Health, overseeing scheduling for 25 clinical areas, as well as the ED and inpatient discharge outreach initiatives. He champions technology to bridge the gap between patient expectations and healthcare services, facing unique challenges along the way. Martin’s leadership philosophy is built on continuous learning and empowering his team to deliver exceptional patient experiences.

Frances Horner, President of VoC Consulting Group, guides organizations in reaching their goals through insightful data analysis and effective customer journey strategies. She has advised healthcare leaders—including Maimonides Health, Mount Sinai Medical Center, University Hospitals, Jefferson Health, and Luminis Health. As a well-respected thought leader, she is dedicated to creating and executing truly exceptional patient experiences.

Bob leads the MD MatchUp team and is focused on helping healthcare networks acquire new consumers, retain current patients, grow service line volumes and drive downstream revenue through better patient+provider relationships. His previous experience includes working for marketing communications agencies in Kansas City, Cleveland and Omaha. Bob has built a wealth of experience driving strategy for consumer campaigns with numerous health systems across the country. Previous conference speaking experience includes HITMC, SHSMD, HIMSS, HCIC and more.

Matt McCahill is the Regional Director of Digital Marketing for the Central Region at CommonSpirit Health, bringing 25 years of experience to the role. He holds a BFA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and an MFA from Bellevue University. His expertise guides CommonSpirit Health’s digital marketing strategies across a significant geographic area, including Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nevada, and Arizona. Matt has a passion for the online patient experience and improving the functionality that patients want and need.

I’m the CEO and co-founder at Keona Health. I am a software developer by training, and my background is in machine learning, natural language processing and of course all things AI.

I was born in Myanmar, formally known as Burma. When I was growing up, the country went through a full out revolution and a lot of young people got killed. I was very fortunate to get out of the country and come to America to pursue my childhood dream. I am truly grateful to work with my amazing team here at Keona Health because we love our mission to improve patient care by streamlining the staff experience at your call center. We believe that your call center is a very first place you create a meaningful relationship with your patients and our healthcare CRM is at the core of this relationship building. That is the reason why we have built our Agentic AI from the ground up with our CRM as a primary source of intelligence. We have been around for 15 years positively impacting more than 20 million patient lives.

I am a native of Iowa with extensive experience in healthcare operations and revenue cycle optimization. I currently serve as VP of Operations and Revenue Cycle Opitmization at Southeast Medical Group.  Previously, I’ve served as the Chief Operations Officer for clinics under MSO. My responsibilities have included overseeing organizational operations, developing policies and procedures, shaping organizational strategy and marketing, managing human resources, and ensuring a strong leadership presence. I have collaborated closely with both boards of directors and executive teams to deliver a wide range of specialized management functions crucial for efficient operations in an evolving healthcare landscape. I am passionate about driving positive change and am dedicated to contributing to the continued success and growth of the organizations I serve.

Derek is Vice President of Healthcare Contact Center Times, the nation’s leading source of information for healthcare contact and call center managers. HCCT discusses such crucial topics as strategically positioning your call center for maximum advantage in today’s competitive healthcare environment, operating your call center as your organization’s “front face” to the public, and effectively marketing your call center to external and internal audiences. With each issue we keep healthcare call and contact center professionals across the country up-to-date on the latest trends and current news. For nearly twenty years, Derek has also worked in planning the HCCT Annual Conference. Derek lives with his family in Roswell, Georgia. Outside of the office, Derek may often be found taking advantage of Georgia’s beautiful nature and outdoor activities. Derek is a golfer and proud Georgia Bulldog.

Cassie Crary is an experienced healthcare leader at Mayo Clinic with more than 19 years of progressive leadership across patient access, clinical operations, laboratory services and pathology, research, and international appointment coordination. As a Manager in the Office of Access Management, she supports multiple scheduling supervisors. She specializes in workflow optimization, scheduling redesign, and cross-functional team development—consistently driving improvements in accuracy, turnaround times, and patient experience. A dedicated mentor and educator, Cassie holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration and serves with the academic rank of Instructor in Healthcare Administration. She has presented nationally, contributes to enterprise committees, and actively volunteers across the organization.

Missy Bowman is an accomplished healthcare leader with over 24 years of experience in health care and clinical operations management at Mayo Clinic. As Manager in the Office of Access Management, Missy supports multiple scheduling supervisors and leads initiatives to improve patient access, staff engagement, and operational efficiency. Missy is recognized for her collaborative leadership, change management expertise, and commitment to quality improvement. She has presented nationally and internationally, served on enterprise committees, and contributed to peer-reviewed publications. Missy holds a Bachelor of Science degree and currently completing her Master of Business Administration.

The youngest child of Holocaust survivors, Ed moved to the United States at age 10. At 16, he served as a medical clinic janitor where he discovered his healthcare calling. Ed took successive positions as combat medic, anesthesia tech, strategic planner and technology manager. He quickly learned how the convergence of clinical, business and digital saved lives. His passion ignited, he jumped feet first into technology and operations in the C-Suite of Cleveland Clinic, NYC Health & Hospitals, Texas Health Resources and University Hospitals. 

Intermixed, Ed served the supplier side as well. He was CEO for consulting firm Divurgent, global CDO for Tech Mahindra Health & Life Sciences and CIO of the Advisory Board. Concurrently, he served 15 years as an Army combat engineer officer and combat medic. Today, Ed is focused on his own advisory practice.

Ed does a fair amount of speaking, writing and podcasting. He authored healthcare bestsellers including “Voices of Innovation” and “Healthcare Digital Transformation”. He is currently writing a book for Mayo Clinic on “Patient Experience” and “Voices of Innovation – Payers”. His podcast “DGTL Voices” is “Top 3%” globally. His Blog, CEO Unplugged, surpassed 1M views. Ed recently started a YouTube channel to expand his audience.

Most importantly, Ed is husband to Simran who holds a Doctor of Nursing (DNP). They love to dance and climb mountains. They have 5 grown children and 4 grandchildren. To stay fit, he is captain of TeamUSA Triathlon.

For more career information you can find me:

Twitter https://twitter.com/marxtango

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardmarx/

Website https://www.marxadvisory.com/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGWmQaZ_rfAUcTqHER4EzmQ

Daniel Fell has over thirty years of healthcare marketing and advertising experience working with some of the largest healthcare brands in the country. Nationally recognized for his writing and speaking on topics ranging from healthcare ratings and rankings to digital health strategies to AI, Danny’s articles have appeared in HealthLeaders, Modern Healthcare, Strategic Health Care Marketing and the Journal of Healthcare Management among others. He is the co-author of A Marketer’s Guide to Market Research and a member of the editorial advisory board of eHealthcare Strategy and Trends. In 2012, Dany was honored as the first recipient of the John A. Eudes Vision & Excellence Award for his contributions to digital marketing and thought leadership.

Scott Merritt is a Patient Experience Architect with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare operations, contact center strategy, and emerging technologies. As a U.S. Navy veteran, he brings a mission-driven approach to healthcare transformation, grounded in reliability, accountability, and measurable execution. At CDW, Scott focuses on modernizing patient access through cloud contact centers, digital front doors, and deep integration with clinical and administrative systems. His recent work centers on Agentic AI in healthcare, designing intelligent, goal-oriented systems that can autonomously handle routine patient interactions, support staff decision-making, and reduce operational friction while maintaining compliance and trust. Scott is passionate about moving beyond AI hype to deliver responsible, scalable innovation that improves both patient experience and organizational performance.

With a focus on digital health and life sciences, Kat works closely with innovative providers in shaping the future of healthcare. Her unique knowledge, rooted in a diverse range of professional experiences, encompasses extensive research on models of care delivery, data privacy issues and barriers to care access. She is a dedicated advocate for disability rights and healthcare advocacy.

Kat’s practice includes a particular focus on telehealth initiatives, where she demonstrates specific proficiency in advising clients in the remote patient monitoring and chronic care management space. Her comprehensive approach is informed by evaluating cutting-edge SaaS programs that leverage technology to monitor patient health remotely. She regularly counsels clients on implementing new technologies in compliance with existing regulatory and privacy considerations.

In addition to her private sector experiences, Kat has gained valuable insights in the state and federal government sectors through externships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission and a high-growth biotech startup. Her exposure includes navigating the dynamic landscapes of government policies and emerging biotech ventures.

Derek is Vice President of Healthcare Contact Center Times, the nation’s leading source of information for healthcare contact and call center managers. HCCT discusses such crucial topics as strategically positioning your call center for maximum advantage in today’s competitive healthcare environment, operating your call center as your organization’s “front face” to the public, and effectively marketing your call center to external and internal audiences. With each issue we keep healthcare call and contact center professionals across the country up-to-date on the latest trends and current news. For nearly twenty years, Derek has also worked in planning the HCCT Annual Conference. Derek lives with his family in Roswell, Georgia. Outside of the office, Derek may often be found taking advantage of Georgia’s beautiful nature and outdoor activities. Derek is a golfer and proud Georgia Bulldog.