Speakers

Howard J. Gershon, LFACHE

Author

<div>Howard Gershon, founding principal, New Heights Group, Santa Fe, N.M., has spent more than 35 years working with boards and senior managers on strategic planning, market research and organization, facility and program/service development initiatives. He has lead efforts to implement service lines for behavioral healthcare and other clinical areas. Mr. Gershon’s national client base has included nonprofit healthcare providers, state, local and federal government agencies and publicly held corporations. He has spoken at many national conferences and has served as the ACHE Regent for New Mexico.</div><div> </div><div>Mr. Gershon serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Behavioral Health Challenges, Strategies and Solutions: The Business Case for Meeting Community Needs</li></ul></div>

About Howard J. Gershon, LFACHE
Founding Principal
New Heights Group

Leslie S. Zun, MD

Speaker

<div>Leslie Zun is medical director, Lake County Health Department, Waukegan, Ill. He is also chairman/professor, department of emergency medicine, with a secondary appointment in the department of psychiatry, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science's Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Ill. He is chief editor of the textbook Behavioral Emergencies for Healthcare Providers and course director for the past nine years for the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry's Annual National Update on Behavioral Emergencies conference. Prior to his current role, Dr. Zun was past president of the AAEP and a board member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He has also presented his research and lectured on behavioral emergency topics both nationally and internationally.</div><div> </div><div>Dr. Zun serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Behavioral Health Challenges, Strategies and Solutions: The Business Case for Meeting Community Needs </li></ul></div>

Stephen M. Merz, FACHE

Speaker

<div></div><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></p><div id="pastingspan1"></div><div id="pastingspan1">Stephen M. Merz, FACHE, is COO of Sheppard Pratt Solutions, a division of Sheppard Pratt, one of the largest behavioral healthcare organizations in the nation. Stephen’s career spans nearly 30 years and includes roles as interim president/CEO and executive vice president, operations, Diamond Healthcare; president/CEO, Maine Behavioral Healthcare; and vice president/ executive director of behavioral health at Yale New Haven Hospital.</div><div> </div><div id="pastingspan1">Stephen’s work focuses on integrating behavioral healthcare into the overall healthcare system, including establishing alternatives to acute care settings, developing novel approaches for chronic conditions such as depression and ensuring behavioral healthcare services are financially strong.</div><div> </div><div id="pastingspan1">Stephen has served on national and regional boards, including the National Association of Behavioral Healthcare. He served as chair of the Behavioral Healthcare Councils of the Maine and Connecticut Hospital Associations, and served as Regent for Connecticut of ACHE. Stephen has a master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.</div><div> </div><div>Mr. Merz serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminar: </div><div><ul><li>Behavioral Health Challenges, Strategies and Solutions: The Business Case for Meeting Community Needs </li></ul></div><div></div><p style="0in;.0001pt"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;115%;"Times New Roman""></span></p>

Josh Luke, PhD, FACHE

Author

<strong>Josh D. Luke, PhD, FACHE,</strong> is founder of the National Readmission Prevention Collaborative and the National Bundled Payment Collaborative. He is a national thought leader and international speaker on the topics of care coordination, population health management, readmission prevention, and development of integrated post-acute care networks. He is a former hospital CEO, health system vice president, and nursing home administrator. Regarded as a futurist on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how it will shape the continuum of care, he has been described as an innovator, a forward thinker, and a strategist on teaching accountable care organizations, bundled-payment initiative programs, and hospital leaders how to position themselves for revenue growth in the transitional care and post-acute care sectors in a post-ACA model.<p> </p><p>He currently serves as executive faculty at the University of Southern California, Sol Price School of Public Policy. In 2013, he was named vice president of post-acute services for Torrance Memorial Health System. In that role, he designed a population management strategy (Total Wellness Torrance), working with the ACO, Bundled Payment and IPA teams. Total Wellness Torrance and its Post Acute Network received the 2013 Excellence in Programming award from California Association of Health Facilities. He has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and has served as a Lean Mentor.</p><div>Books published by Health Administration Press: </div><div> </div><div><em><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color:blue"><a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2284I">Readmission Prevention: Solutions Across the Provider Continuum</a><a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2284"> </a></span></span></u></em> </div>

Michael Nowicki, EdD, LFACHE

Author

Michael Nowicki, EdD, FACHE, is a professor of health administration at Texas State University, where his teaching, research and service have been recognized with several university awards. <div> </div> <div id="pastingspan1"></div> <div id="pastingspan1">Prior to joining academe, Dr. Nowicki was director of process management in the Hospital Division of Humana for six years. Dr. Nowicki has also held a variety of administrative positions at Valley Medical Center, Fresno, Calif.; Hutzel Hospital, Detroit; Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; and Lubbock (Texas) Medical Center. Dr. Nowicki has provided training support to healthcare organizations such as University of California—San Diego, Defense Health Agency, Spectrum Health, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Cardinal Health, Kaiser Permanente, HCA, Baylor Healthcare System and Howard University Hospital.</div> <div> </div> <div id="pastingspan1"></div> <div id="pastingspan1">Dr. Nowicki is board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He served ACHE as Regent for Texas—Central & South, chair of the Book of the Year Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. He is also a co-founder and past president of the Central Texas Chapter—ACHE.</div> <div> </div> <div id="pastingspan1"></div> <div id="pastingspan1">He received his doctor of educational policy studies and evaluation from the University of Kentucky, his master of healthcare administration from The George Washington University and his bachelor of political science from Texas Tech University.</div> <div> </div> <div id="pastingspan1"></div> <div id="pastingspan1">Dr. Nowicki has written numerous articles on leadership in financial management and has presented financial management seminars to audiences worldwide and in the U.S.</div> <div></div> <p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; color:#231F20"></span></p> Dr. Nowicki serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars: <ul> <li>Fundamental Financial Skills for Healthcare Organization Success</li> <li>Healthcare Finance, Board of Governors Exam Review Course</li> </ul> <div> Dr. Nowicki also authored the following Health Administration Press publication:</div> <div> <ul> <li><em><a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2443I">Introduction to the Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations, Eighth Edition</a></em></li> </ul> </div>

About Michael Nowicki, EdD, LFACHE

Brian D. Wong, MD

Speaker

<div>Brian Wong is a physician, healthcare author, consultant and CEO of The Bedside Trust in Seattle. As an authority on improving the patient experience, safety and culture, leaders rely on Dr. Wong to take the guesswork out of building and maintaining a patient centered organization. To build performance capacity and deliver high-value care, organizations require a true cultural strategy. Dr. Wong applies comprehensive patient-accountable culture assessments, physician, leader and staff tools to align clinical teams and systems around what matters most to patients.</div><div> </div><div>Dr. Wong serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Culture: The Force Behind Strategy </li></ul></div>

Stacy D. Nelson, EdD

Speaker

<div>Stacy Nelson is president of Leadership Influence LLC. He is also part of the VitalSmarts faculty in Provo, Utah. Dr. Nelson delivers “Crucial Conversations,” “Crucial Accountability,” “Influencer,” “Getting Things Done” and “The Power of Habit” trainings to organizations across the globe. A recipient of the Zapara award for excellence in teaching, Dr. Nelson consistently receives accolades for his charismatic presentation style and highly effective training design. He is also considered an expert in the VitalSmarts research healthcare studies Silence Kills: The Seven Crucial Conversations for Healthcare and The Silent Treatment. Specializing in healthcare and leadership, Dr. Nelson helps individuals, teams and organizations increase organizational effectiveness, achieve bottom-line results and become measurably more vital.</div> <div> </div> <div>Dr. Nelson serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars: </div> <ul> <li>Managing Conflict, Accountability Conversations and Disputes</li> </ul>

Harjot Singh, MD

Speaker

<p>Harjot Singh, MD, is an advisor who creates programs that help leaders make their leadership work. He sees his work like how Yoda helped Luke in “Star Wars” discover his potential like a powerful Jedi warrior he would become, and not the farm boy he was or the starfighter he wanted to be. He is a practicing physician, chief of telepsychiatry service at Kingsview Behavioral Health and faculty at American College of Healthcare Executives. His work is informed by all three of those perspectives. Since 2016, he has coached and trained physicians and leaders on topics such as engagement, influence, productivity, turnover, burnout, public speaking and career advancement. He is a nationally recognized conference speaker, and he has written several articles for national publications and textbook chapters.</p> <p>Dr. Singh serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars: </p><ul> <li>Professional Burnout in Healthcare: Lead Your Organization to Wellness </li> </ul> <p> </p>

Michael E. Frisina, PhD

Author

<p>Michael E. Frisina, PhD, is founder/CEO of The Frisina Group LLC, Elgin, S.C., and The Center for Influential Leadership. He is an author, educator and consultant specializing in healthcare leadership and performance improvement. He is also an internationally known speaker and the author of <em>Influential Leadership: Change Your Behavior, Change Your Organization, Change Health Care. </em>Dr. Frisina was previously assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and assistant professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. He has held administration positions in both military and civilian healthcare systems at various levels of increasing responsibility.</p> <p>Dr. Frisina serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</p> <ul> <li>Behavior Smarts: Increasing Healthcare Leadership Performance</li> <li>Leading for Success: Creating a Committed Workforce</li> <li>Professional Burnout in Healthcare: Lead Your Organization to Wellness</li> <li>Leading from Your Upper Brain - A Neuroscience Approach to Driving Performance<br /> </li> </ul> <p> Dr. Frisina has also authored the following Health Administration Press publications:</p> <p><a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2451I"> <em>Leading With Your Upper Brain: How to Create the Behaviors That Unlock Performance Excellence</em> </a></p> <p><a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2275I"><em>Influential Leadership: Change Your Behavior, Change Your Organization, Change Health Care</em></a></p>

John M. Harris

Author

<p><strong></strong></p> <p>John Harris is a managing director with VMG Health, a leading healthcare consulting firm for business performance. His work focuses on strategy, physician engagement, value-based care, governance as well as partnerships, mergers and acquisitions. He advises health systems and hospitals, physician groups, clinically integrated networks, accountable care organizations, health plans and others. </p> <p>Harris serves as faculty for ACHE seminars including Physician Strategy for Hospitals: How to Align Independents, Fix Employment, Beat Disruptors, Succeed in Value, Ensure Access and Grow; Hospitals and Health Systems of the Future: Transforming to Thrive; and Strategic Planning: From Formulation to Action. Mr. Harris has also co-authored <a href="https://www.ache.org/learning-center/publications/books/2337I" target="_blank"><em>Healthcare Strategic Planning, Fifth Edition</em></a>, a Health Administration Press publication. </p>

Meredith C. Inniger, FACHE

Author

<div>Meredith Inniger is a manager with Veralon Partners Inc., in Philadelphia, a national healthcare consulting firm with expertise in strategy, mergers and transactions, clinical transformation and network integration and valuation. Ms. Inniger brings over 10 years of experience in academic and community health system operations to provide focused and actionable strategies for her clients. She advises healthcare leaders on strategic planning for service lines and ambulatory care, with an additional emphasis on strategies for population health. She holds a master’s degree in health administration and a bachelor’s degree, both from The Ohio State University.</div><div> </div><div>Ms. Inniger serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Advanced Strategic Planning to Transform Your Organization </li></ul></div>

About Meredith C. Inniger, FACHE
Principal
VMG Health

Nick A. Fabrizio, PhD, LFACHE

Speaker

<div></div> <p>Nick A. Fabrizio is the founder of Fabrizio, DeLine & Grant Consulting Group LLC in Liverpool, N.Y. He is also on the faculty of Cornell University, Ithica, N.Y., in the Sloan Program in Health Administration where he has served as the executive in residence. He developed the Healthcare Certificate Program for eCornell.</p> <p>With over 25 years of experience as a strategist, executive and negotiator, Dr. Fabrizio lectures, consults, mediates and advises healthcare organizations and boards. His work focuses on physician-hospital alignment strategies, advising investor-owned and for-profit multihospital systems, and physician-owned medical groups. He also assists in the development of strong working relationships in the face of increasing competition and diverging interests, and consults with boards on a range of strategic and organizational concerns.</p> <p>Dr. Fabrizio has also authored numerous publications, book chapters, and two books, including “Goals into Gold: Strategic Planning for Healthcare Professionals,” and “Integrated Delivery Systems: Ensuring Successful Physician-Hospital Partnerships.”</p><div> Dr. Fabrizio serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminar:</div><div><ul><li>Creating Successful Physician Integration and Engagement Strategies for Long Term Success </li></ul></div>

About Nick A. Fabrizio, PhD, LFACHE
Managing Owner
Fabrizio, DeLine & Grant Consulting Group LLC

Tom Whalen, MD, FACHE(R)

Speaker

<div>Thomas Whalen is CMO, Lehigh Valley Health Network, in Allentown, Pa. Dr. Whalen became chairman of the department of surgery at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pa., in September 2006 after 17 years on the faculty of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He assumed the CMO position at LVHN in April 2011. He retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve in February 2001 after 28 years as a commissioned officer in the medical corps of the regular and Navy reserve.</div><div> </div><div>Dr. Whalen serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Creating Successful Physician Integration and Engagement Strategies for Long-Term Success </li></ul></div>

Read more about Tom Whalen, MD, FACHE(R)

About Tom Whalen, MD, FACHE(R)

Mark J. Bittle, DrPH, FACHE

<div>Mark Bittle is director of the master of health administration program and responsible for the leadership and management curricula for the MHA, MPH and DrPH degree programs at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He teaches graduate courses in healthcare financing, leadership and management and operations and strategy. Prior to joining the full-time faculty, Dr. Bittle held senior executive positions in both academic and community health systems throughout most of his 20-plus year career.</div><div> </div><div>Dr. Bittle serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</div><div><ul><li>Health Systems as Stewards of Health: Socially Responsible and Strategic Collaboration </li></ul></div>

About Mark J. Bittle, DrPH, FACHE
Senior Scientist & Program Director
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
624 N Broadway - Hampton Hse Rm 539
Baltimore, MD 21205
Email: mbittle1@jhu.edu
Phone: (410) 877-2603

Jon Burroughs, MD, JD, FACHE

Author

<p>Jon Burroughs, MD, JD, FACHE is president/CEO of The Burroughs Healthcare Consulting Network, Inc., Glen, New Hampshire, which provides best-practice training and solutions to healthcare systems throughout the United States and beyond. His work focuses on how healthcare systems can adopt best practices and avoid systems failures which can result in loss of public confidence and market share. He works with executive teams, governing boards, medical staff and clinical leadership. He also works with legal counsel to ensure compliance and avoidance of unnecessary risk by demonstrating how leadership can be aligned to achieve exceptional results. Dr. Burroughs serves on the national faculties of both ACHE, where he has been consistently rated as a top speaker, author, educator and facilitator for the past twenty-five years. </p>

About Jon Burroughs, MD, JD, FACHE
President & CEO
The Burroughs Healthcare Consulting Network, Inc

Richard J. Priore, ScD, FACHE

Speaker

<div></div><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Richard Priore</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">, ScD, FACHE,</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> is president/CEO, Excelsior HealthCare Group, St. Paul, Minn. Excelsior is an outcomes-driven healthcare management consulting firm specializing in the assessment, execution and speed of measurable results in improving organizational performance. Dr. Priore is also a Distinguished Service Professor at St. Paul's University of St. Thomas, also in St. Paul, teaching graduate economics and management courses. He has served as the CEO for several investor-owned hospitals and as a hospital turnaround expert and managing director for the Hunter Group.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Dr. Priore serves as faculty for the following ACHE seminars:</span></p> <ul style="0in" type="disc"> <li><span style="font-size: 18px;">Breakthrough Physician Alignment: Creating a Win-Win for Optimizing Organizational Performance</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Integrating Quality and Cost in a Pay-for-Value Era </span></li><li><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Direct Contracting with Employer Groups: What Healthcare Leaders Should Know</span></li><li><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Making the Business Case for Quality<br /></span></li></ul>

About Richard J. Priore, ScD, FACHE
Associate Professor
Tulane University - - New Orleans, LA