DIGITAL MOVES
Abraham Polanco is the Executive Director of CIO Services with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology, including nearly two decades dedicated to healthcare and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and an Executive MBA, both from the University of South Florida, as well as graduate certificates in Project Management and Executive Leadership from Cornell University.
Known for his ability to lead transformative IT initiatives, Abraham has a proven track record of implementing complex technology solutions that streamline operations, enhance the patient experience, reduce costs, and drive organizational success. His leadership in strategic IT service management (ITSM), particularly through ITIL-based frameworks, has helped multiple organizations achieve efficient, user-centered systems, always on time and under budget.
A frequent speaker at FQHC conferences and training events, Abraham brings a powerful blend of healthcare insight, operational expertise, and vision-driven leadership. At this year’s HCN Educational Conference, he will speak on “Strategic ITSM: Driving Change for Patient-Centered Healthcare,” aligning with the theme “Tactical Moves Connected by Purpose.” His session will offer both strategic perspective and actionable insights into how technology can truly serve the mission of patient-centered care.
GENERAL SESSION
Alejandro Romillo is President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Choice Network. He oversees the strategic direction and leads a team providing operational efficiencies, clinical innovations, technology solutions, and managed value-based care across the country. Romillo has held leadership roles at Community Health of South Dade and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Romillo uses his expertise and leadership strategies to implement cost effective and leading-edge technology solutions to reach the most vulnerable patient populations. His passion lies in community health, focusing on primary care integrated models supporting behavioral, oral, school-based health, and homeless health integration.
GENERAL SESSION
Mr. Hamilton is a master’s prepared Nurse Informaticist with 17 years of experience in both in-patient nursing care and outpatient community health as well as nursing administration. As the Chief Informatics Officer, Mr. Hamilton is responsible for developing clinical decision support and National Clinical Performance Measures and integrating them in to electronic health records. He is leading the organization’s efforts related to developing Health IT support for Meaningful Use, Patient Centered Medical Homes, and Care Coordination. Recently, Mr. Hamilton launched, designed, and led the development of an innovative Enterprise Data Warehouse program to support quality reporting, research, and care coordination. Prior to working for AllianceChicago, Mr. Hamilton was a Pediatric Critical Care nurse and a member of a large academic hospital Health IT team supporting the implementation of clinical information systems. He has also served as the Director of Patient Care Services for Howard Brown Health, a FQHC. Mr. Hamilton is the Past President of the Board of the Centricity Healthcare User Group (CHUG) and is also a member of several local, state, and national working groups related to Health IT and performance measurement. In addition, he is as an adjunct faculty at Loyola University School of Nursing and the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Nursing. Mr. Hamilton holds a BS in Nursing and MS in Nursing Business and Health Systems Administration with a focus on Nursing Informatics from the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Mr. Hamilton is a Fellow of the third class of the Health Innovators Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
DENTAL TACTICS LAB
Barry Ronk's adventure in dentistry began in 2007, the start of nearly twenty-years making the world safe for teeth! From sales roles at Patterson Dental to joining SprintRay seven years ago, Barry's journey has been driven by a genuine enthusiasm for serving patients and practitioners by advancing dental care. Today, as the Lead Clinical Trainer at SprintRay, where he manages the contract trainer team, he's found his bliss. Barry's diverse background in the industry, spanning from dental implants, cutting-edge dental technology, customer support, onboarding and training as well as operations, has only amplified his core passion: helping dental teams thrive in delivering efficient, patient-focused care. After all this time, Barry wholeheartedly believes he has the greatest job in the world.
DIGITAL MOVES
Carlos Perez is an accomplished IT executive with over 25 years of experience driving technology strategy and operational excellence across diverse industries. He currently serves as Sr. IT Director at Health Choice Network, delivering CIO-on-Demand services to multiple Federally Qualified Health Centers. Carlos specializes in ITSM, infrastructure leadership, cybersecurity, enterprise service management, and digital transformation. Throughout his career, he has successfully led large-scale IT initiatives, managed multi-site teams, and implemented industry-leading service delivery frameworks including ITIL and SOC compliance. He holds an MBA in Technology Management and is certified in ITIL v3, Lean Six Sigma, and various enterprise IT platforms.
POSITIONING FOR VALUE
Cassandra Meyer has been in the healthcare industry for almost 20 years, starting with a career in nursing. With a strong passion for population health and health care delivery for underserved populations, she has enjoyed serving at Health Choice Network (HCN) as a passionate advocate for EHR growth and development. Ms. Meyer currently serves as the Director, Community & Population Health Applications for HCN where she provides strategic direction for the organization's deployment of EHR solutions for population management, outcome improvement, value-based contracts, social determinants of health, regulatory/quality measures, grant programs, research, health equity, gaps in care, UDS data capture, UDS+ and reporting, etc.
Ms. Meyer is also leading many other strategic initiatives for Health Choice Network to support further integration of FQHCs in Epic’s robust medical community and governing bodies.
Cross-Functional Force
A member of FORVIS, Catherine provides specialized consulting services to CHCs receiving federal grant funding under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act).
She offers financially focused technical support to CHC management teams and helps clients strengthen financial departments through education, mentoring, and technical assistance. Her services include performing assessments of financial operations, clean-up work to assist in preparation for financial statement audits, and monthly financial statement reporting. Catherine also trains financial staff on generally accepted accounting principles and federal regulations related to grant funding and the development and review of policies and procedures.
Catherine is frequently involved with projects that assess CHC program compliance. She assists with the preparation of numerous types of federal reports and budget submissions as well as the review, analysis, and audits of 340B programs and contractual relationships. In addition, she provides training to help CHCs comply with federal regulations, including the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR §200) and §330 of the PHS Act.
DIGITAL MOVES
Christian Sevilla is the Cybersecurity Manager at Health Choice Network, with a background in healthcare security operations, compliance, and risk management. In his role, he supports the CISO department in leading key initiatives spanning security awareness training, incident response, vulnerability assessments, and the deployment of enterprise security technologies. His experience includes working within hospital systems and collaborating on healthcare technology initiatives in the private sector, where he has led efforts to modernize outdated platforms and streamline operational processes. Christian focuses on bridging technical solutions with operational needs to protect sensitive data and support organizational resilience.
DIGITAL MOVES
Dennis Owen currently serves as the Director of CISO Services for the Chief Information Security Office Team at Health Choice Network. With over 15 years of experience in the information technology field, 10 of which have been with Health Choice Network, Dennis brings a wealth of expertise to his role. He holds certifications across various disciplines of Information Technology, with a primary focus on cybersecurity and security awareness. His main objectives revolve around spreading security awareness through user education, mitigating security vulnerabilities to protect networks, and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of patient health information in compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
DIGITAL MOVES
With over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology, DeShawn Minnis specializes in Epic Systems applications, including MyChart, Bridges, Cadence, and Epic Ambulatory. Currently serving as an Epic Applications and Integrations Analyst at Health Choice Network, DeShawn has been instrumental in optimizing electronic health record (EHR) systems to enhance patient care and operational efficiency.
DeShawn's career trajectory showcases a commitment to both technical proficiency and clinical insight. Prior to his current role, he contributed to Proliance Surgeons as an IT Applications & NextGen Implementation Analyst and served as an EHR Analyst at Vitreoretinal Associates of Washington. His journey began as an Ophthalmic Technician/Photographer, where he gained firsthand experience in patient care and medical imaging.
Educationally, DeShawn holds a Medical Assistance Diploma and has studied at Everest College-Renton, equipping him with a diverse skill set that bridges healthcare and technology.
Based in Seattle, Washington, DeShawn is passionate about leveraging technology to improve healthcare delivery and is always open to connecting with professionals in the healthcare IT community.
DIGITAL TACTICS LAB
Farren G. Hurwitz serves as the Director of Strategic Partner Relations at Health Choice Network (HCN), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Doral, Florida. In this role, Hurwitz is responsible for cultivating and managing strategic partnerships that support HCN’s mission to enhance healthcare access and quality for underserved communities across the United States as well build business relations with new likeminded Health Centers. His efforts contribute to the organization's initiatives in integrating advanced health information technologies and improving operational efficiencies for member health centers. Farren also sits on the Board of Directors of HCN's Group Purchasing Organization, CommonWealth Purchasing Group in Boston, Massachusetts since 2013.
MASTERING THE BOARD
Gabriel S. Garcia has over 20 years of experience advising clients on health care transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, payor agreements, health tech equity financing, medical devices, and provider-pharmaceutical contracting. He is highly regarded for his expertise in counseling community clinics and federally qualified health centers on Medicare/Medi-Cal enrollment, health plan contracting, scope of practice, managed care networks, and provider-side billing and reimbursement matters. Mr. García also has extensive experience advising tax-exempt organizations, including charitable foundations and nonprofit trade associations, on corporate governance, compliance, and operational matters. He helps nonprofits navigate complex tax-exempt regulations, ensuring they maintain compliance while advancing their missions effectively. Before joining the Firm, Mr. García practiced in multiple Sacramento-based legal environments, including a boutique law firm he founded in 2023. In these roles, Mr. García specialized in corporate and health care law, with a clientele that encompassed emerging technology corporations, health centers, boards of directors, private equity funds, and charitable foundations. He also represented nonprofit trade organizations such as the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, CalPACE, and the United CORE Alliance. He frequently shares his legal insight on corporate and health care legal matters through conferences and with California media, including the Sacramento Business Journal, the California Primary Care Association, and the Theodore Tannenwald Jr. Foundation.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL FORCE
Jeff is a member of FORVIS and leader of the firmwide Community Health Centers Center of Excellence. He manages audit and cost report preparation services and provides consulting services in the areas of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, federal grant reporting and operational issues. Jeff also serves as a firmwide resource regarding federal audit guidelines and their application to community health centers.
His expertise is routinely called upon by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), state primary care associations and the Bureau of Primary Health Care for financial analysis of issues important to community health centers. He serves as a resource to state primary care organizations and state Medicaid programs on Medicaid prospective payment system issues and the cost report submission and settlement process specific to state Medicaid programs. He also provides training to individual health center management teams and boards of directors on financial management issues.
GENERAL SESSION
Jerry Carlson is a cybersecurity executive and entrepreneur with over 22 years of leadership experience at Microsoft and in multiple startup ventures. He has advised Fortune 500 companies, built Zero Trust and GenAI compliance strategies, and helped nonprofits strengthen their security posture.
He has assisted many small and large businesses in transitioning from an outdated best of breed model to a best-in-class integrated security platform, lowering their security expenses, enhancing their visibility, and ultimately decreasing risk.
POSITIONING FOR VALUE
Jillian is a highly experienced leader with more than 20 years in healthcare, bringing expertise across both clinical and technical settings. As a U.S. Air Force veteran and registered nurse, she has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing her knowledge and skills. Jillian earned her master's degree in Nursing with a specialization in Healthcare Leadership, further solidifying her dedication to driving positive change within the industry.
In her current role as the Director of Value Based Clinical Operations for Health Choice Network, Jillian collaborates with executive leadership to align clinical operations with long-term strategic business goals and foster strong partnerships with external stakeholders including payers, providers, and vendors to advance value-based care initiatives.
With a deep commitment to mentoring and staff development, Jillian leads collaborative, accountable, and high-performing cross-functional teams to optimize care delivery, streamline workflows, and enhance care coordination processes. Her strong communication skills, coupled with a deep understanding of clinical workflows, clinical quality metrics, EHR systems and data-driven decision-making makes Jillian a dynamic leader dedicated to improving healthcare delivery and organizational success.
GENERAL SESSION
A two-time graduate of the George Washington University, Joe Dunn has spent the last twenty years in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill and in a variety of government relations roles. Joe joined NACHC in January 2021 as Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Research from Cigna. Prior to this he was in senior positions with two offices in the federal delegation representing Connecticut. Joe began his work on behalf of the people of Connecticut in 2010 when he joined then Representative Chris Murphy as his Legislative Director. In 2012, when Congressman Murphy was elected to the Senate, Joe transitioned to being his Senior Policy Advisor. In that role, Joe oversaw all aspects of health policy and was the point person for Sen. Murphy’s Mental Health Reform Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in December 2016.
POSITIONING FOR VALUE
Joe Reilly is the Chief of Strategy at Health Choice Network. Joe has over 10 years of experience developing and implementing technology-based solutions to achieve business growth and strategic objectives. Joe is well adept to guide organizations through holistic evaluations of potential solutions, bridging the conversations between clinical, technical, and operational leaders. His areas of expertise include technology enablement, data management & interoperability, population health management, value-based care technology, public health, and performance management. Prior to joining HCN, Joe was the Chief Information Officer and General Manager, Performance Solutions for Canton & Company.
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GENERAL SESSION
Joey Resnick has served as CEO of Premier Community HealthCare since 2014. A board-certified healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience; he has led in both hospital systems and private practice. He holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tampa.
Under his leadership, Premier now serves over 46,000 patients annually across Pasco and Hernando Counties, supported by more than 315 staff. Resnick is known for his open-door leadership, operational excellence, and strategic foresight in navigating change and healthcare system challenges.
He serves on the Board of Health Choice Network and the Executive Committee of FACHC. A native Texan, he lives in Tampa Bay with wife Erika.
DENTAL TACTICS LAB
John Cox's career in the dental industry spans four-decades where he has served as a senior executive working for leading companies including Ormco, Nobel Biocare, Henry Schein and SprintRay. John has dedicated his professional journey to advancing specialty dentistry—including orthodontics, implantology, and cutting-edge technologies such as CAD/CAM, intraoral scanning, 3D printing and AI Design. For the past five years, he has served as Chief Growth Officer at SprintRay, where he is responsible for leading the company’s commercial growth and strategic initiatives, helping to shape the future of digital dentistry through innovation and execution.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Joseph Kozon serves as the Director of Clinical Applications at Health Choice Network, overseeing the areas of Epic Clinical Documentation, Interoperability, Health Information Management, Patient Experience, and 3rd Party Integrations. Prior to joining HCN in 2021 as an Epic Applications Architect, Joe spent 15 years working with Healthcare Centers across the country implementing multiple EHR solutions. Joseph’s Epic certifications in EpicCare Ambulatory, Prelude, Bridges, MyChart, Gallery, and CRM along with multiple years of full life cycle EHR implementations in both analyst and leadership roles provide a wide range of knowledge and experience.
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DIGITAL MOVES
Dr. Katherine Chung-Bridges is Chief Community Research Officer at Health Choice Network (HCN). She is a Board Certified Family Physician and Health Disparities Researcher who earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard, her medical degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, and completed her Family Medicine Residency at Montefiore’s Residency Program in Social Medicine. Dr. Chung-Bridges earned a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology from UMDNJ-School of Public Health (SPH), while completing a National Research Service Award Primary Care Research Fellowship at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She has held multiple faculty appointments and has worked as a Family Physician at one of HCN’s founding FQHCs, Jessie Trice Community Health System. Dr. Chung-Bridges is the PI for an NIH-funded Community-Led Health Equity Structural Intervention (CHESI) focused on food insecurity, as well as a foundation-funded study assessing the effectiveness of a social determinants of health (SDOH) intervention at FQHCs. Her team provides Program Evaluation for multiple FQHC programs focused on increasing quality and access for underserved communities.
WORKFORCE POWER PLAY
Kevie has over 25 years of experience as a business partner, human resources practitioner, and strategic HR consultant. Kevie began her career as an HR practitioner and leader in various industries prior to becoming a consultant. Kevie joined Gallagher in 2008 and currently serves as a leader in Gallagher’s Talent Practice. She consults with clients to help them achieve organizational wellbeing by optimizing their people priorities and practices. Kevie works closely with other Gallagher colleagues to bring data driven solutions to organizations across a myriad of industries. Prior to her current regional role, Kevie managed an HR and Compensation Consulting Practice within Gallagher’s Nashville branch.
Kevie is an engaging national speaker on various strategic HR topics and provides strategic and practical guidance for heightening employers’ effectiveness in recruiting, retaining, and rewarding talent.
DIGITAL MOVES
Lisa Schwartz, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of ITSM Academy, leads and directs the strategy and operations of the company.
Lisa is a Certified Process Design Engineer (CPDE), Certified Agile Service Manager (CASM), Certified Agile Process Owner (CAPO), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), and a self-proclaimed process junkie. Lisa holds multiple certifications in Leadership, ITIL, Agile, ISO/IEC 20000 and MOF.
Since our inception in 2003, Lisa has ensured ITSM Academy is run on best practices principles, focusing on Continual Service Improvement – inside and outside of the training room.
Lisa’s enthusiasm for IT Service excellence has helped ITSM Academy grow and expand our capabilities to continue to exceed our client’s expectations.
MASTERING THE BOARD
Marcie H. Zakheim, a Partner at the firm, specializes in health care, particularly in the areas of federal grants, grant-related requirements and grants management related to the federal health center program. Health centers turn to Ms. Zakheim as a resource for knowing not only the letter of the law, but also the likely interpretation of requirements by federal policymakers, including the Health Resources and Services Administration.
At the same time, Ms. Zakheim utilizes her experience to advocate at the federal level for greater legal and policy flexibility to support the health center program and promote innovation in service delivery. Ms. Zakheim counsels the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and provides technical assistance services and advice to various health care providers (including health centers) and provider-based consortia, national and state associations, and public agencies across the country.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Margarita Ollet, RN, BSN, MBA, is the Chief Operating Officer of Health Choice Network, Inc. (HCN) and Health Choice Network of Florida (HCNFL) and Chief Executive Officer of Health Choice Care (HCC). Ollet has more than 25 years of experience in South Florida’s dynamic health care arena. Her extensive and diverse background both as a health care executive and a registered nurse gives her a unique perspective in addressing the health care challenges faced by the neediest members of the communities served by HCN’s member centers. Ollet joined Health Choice Network in 1996 after serving as Vice President of Managed Care for Jessie Trice Community Health Center. Prior to assuming this position, she worked in similar positions at Management Utilization Review Associates and Jackson Memorial Hospital Health Plan, having launched her clinical nursing career by serving as a Clinical Registered Nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
DIGITAL MOVES
Maylee is Chief Information Officer for Health Choice Network, a successful nation-wide collaboration among health centers, health center-controlled networks and partners. By providing key business services, strategic initiatives and the latest in health information technology, participants can improve patient outcomes through increased efficiencies and more accessible care. She joined the organization in January of 2018 and is responsible for all HCN Health IT strategies that deliver excellent patient care and improve outcomes through technology innovation for all member centers across the country. She also serves as the Organization’s HIPAA Security Officer. In prior roles, she has delivered cutting edge BI solutions, Mobile applications for both patients and care teams to include global telehealth solutions, patient and customer engagement, and has led projects implementing ERP and enterprise business applications that span across multiple countries.
WORKFORCE POWER PLAY
Melanie Thomas manages the team responsible for Epic training at Health Choice Network. With a strong background in instructional design, project management, and blended learning solutions, she brings extensive expertise in classroom management, virtual facilitation, knowledge management, and learning management systems. Melanie plays a key role in the success of training initiatives within the healthcare IT sector. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Criminal Justice from Indiana University.
POSITIONING FOR VALUE
Meredith Marsh serves as the Chief of Value Based Services for Health Choice Network (HCN) in which she provides direct oversight of the Network’s value-based contracting, data analytics, clinical quality and credentialing services used to manage over 200,000 covered patient lives. Marsh has dedicated the last 20 years serving South Florida’s healthcare and nonprofit sectors. She joined Health Choice Network in 2011 under the South Florida Regional Extension Center and later transitioned to the role of Executive Director for HCN’s two Accountable Care Organizations, Health Choice Care, formed in 2014, and Health Choice Community Partners (HCCP), formed in 2023, both Medicare Shared Savings Program’s by HCN’s member centers and partners. Prior to joining HCN, Marsh specialized in health care compliance and coding in the private physician market. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Central Florida and is certified in Health Care Quality & Management (CHCQM).
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Michael Bivins serves as the Director of RCM Optimization at HCN, where he is responsible for driving performance improvements across the revenue cycle in collaboration with internal teams and partner health centers. With over 10 years of specialized experience in revenue cycle management and five years of hands-on Epic experience, Michael is certified in Epic Cogito, which reinforces his commitment to leveraging data and analytics to guide operational decisions. He partners closely with senior leadership to design and implement optimized workflows, develop standardized operating procedures (SOPs), and ensure alignment with organizational goals. Michael is passionate about using strategic insight and process improvement to create scalable, sustainable solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce administrative burden, and increase revenue integrity across the network.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Nick Reschke is the Executive Director of Revenue Cycle Operations at Health Choice Network (HCN), where he provides strategic and operational leadership for the organization’s Revenue Cycle Solutions (RCS) division. With nearly 14 years of progressive experience in healthcare revenue cycle management—including four years at HCN—Nick has a proven track record of delivering results through innovation, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.
Most recently under his leadership, RCS centers have achieved a 29% reduction in Days in AR, accelerating cash flow and enhancing financial performance across member health centers. He has also led initiatives that resulted in a 13%+ increase in fee-for-service revenue, including the successful acquisition of Medicare Wrap contracts, execution of payer reprocessing projects, and the launch of targeted, revenue-generating activities.
Nick is passionate about transforming revenue cycle operations through automation and strategic process improvement. His focus on reducing manual workload has enabled teams to redirect their efforts toward high-impact, revenue-driving activities. His work not only improves bottom-line results but also supports long-term sustainability and scalability for community health centers.
DIGITAL MOVES
Mr. Oscar E Perez is the Chief Application & Innovation Officer at Health Choice Network in South Florida. Mr. Perez has been in Healthcare IT for over 25 years. He has a proven record of achievement in strategic planning and digital transformation. Known for developing and building high performing teams that enable technology throughout the entire organization, Mr. Perez is accomplished in addressing business and clinical critical issues, utilizing technology and innovative approaches while managing costs and reducing risks. He’s worked at various healthcare systems including academic medical centers like the University of Miami Healthcare System and large public healthcare systems like Jackson Memorial. Most recently he was Vice President of IT at Memorial Healthcare System, a 6-hospital public healthcare system that includes Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital in Broward County, Florida. Mr. Perez received a bachelor’s in management information systems (MIS) from FIU and a master’s in healthcare business administration (MBA) from the University of Miami. He also serves on the board for South Florida HIMSS and is a member of CHIME and NACHC.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Dr. Torres holds a Doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership Effectiveness, a Master's degree in I/O Psychology and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She maintains a part-time appointment as an Adjunct Faculty Professor at Broward College and is also a certified John Maxwell professional speaker, coach, and trainer. In addition to her career endeavors, Dr. Torres has a passion for giving back to the HR community through volunteerism, connection, and collaboration across HR professionals. She is the current President of HR Association of Broward County, a SHRM affiliated organization that serves over 400 members across a county of 1,500 HR professionals. She has also served in numerous board positions and advisory roles, including HOPE South Florida, Inc., Florida International University School of Public Health, University of Miami School of Public Health, and the American Heart Association.
GENERAL SESSION
Dr. Heiss is a stress expert dedicated to transforming our fears into fuel we can use through her Fear(less) Stress Formula. Her research has been designated “transformative” by the National Science Foundation.
As a 2x author (Springboard, and Instinct), founder and CEO of the leadership 360-review mobile application, icueity, and highly sought-after professional speaker, Rebecca has found her calling in helping others recognize the power of using stress as a springboard to reach our highest performance, purpose and passion.
A former educator, Dr. Heiss spent much of her earlier career in the classroom at both the high school and college levels and was recruited to be a founding member of an innovative charter school with a focus on entrepreneurial thinking and impact-based learning. Today she shares her Fear(less) Stress Formula to transform fear to fuel from stages around the world as a full-time speaker and facilitator of her Fearless Masterclass. She continues her research on how we can turn trauma into Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) rather than PTSD.
Rebecca’s “fear(less)” message inspires hope and actionable insights to train our brains to work for us, rather than against us in times of change and uncertainty. With surprising humor and palpable energy, no matter if Dr. Heiss is delivering virtually or on stage, she wins over her audiences with interactive, inspiring, and timely takeaways.
When she’s not on a stage, she is happiest when hiking or surfing with her two spoiled rotten dogs Guinness and Murphy.
WORKFORCE POWER PLAY
Ricardo Gomez is a seasoned healthcare professional with over 28 years of experience and a proven track record of leadership and strategic execution. His expertise spans population health, quality improvement, health information technology, and shared services management. Holding both an Epic Security certification and a Provider maintenance badge, Ricardo previously served for five years as the Director of Population Health and Quality and now leads as the Director of Shared Services. In this role, he oversees the Epic Training team, Epic Security and Provisioning, and Legacy Support (including Sage 300, Dentrix, Intergy EHR, Credible BEHR, and Salesforce). He is also responsible for managing the organization's helpdesk. Previously, as the Senior Director of Business Intelligence and Health Solutions at Health Choice Network, Inc., Ricardo managed Business Intelligence, Implementations, and Clinical Operations, playing a pivotal role in Meaningful Use attestation for numerous providers. He also served as Director of Clinical Informatics and Managed Care, where he spearheaded the development of key performance metrics. Ricardo holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor in Health Services Administration from Florida International University.
POSITIONING FOR VALUE
Rick Friedfeld, CPA, CGMA is Chief Financial Officer at Health Choice Network. Prior to HCN, Friedfeld was the C.F.O and V.P. of Finance for both a behavioral health medical practice and a national pharmacy. He was the President and Managing Director of a public accounting and healthcare consulting firm. Friedfeld is a published author in M.D. News, Medical Business, Florida Healthcare Report, Today's Family Health and other journals. He was a founding member of the CPA Healthcare Network and Affiliated Healthcare Advisors. Currently, Friedfeld serves on the Health Care Industry and the Not-for-Profit Committees for the Florida Institute of CPAs.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Dr. Collazo serves as Epic Physician Champion at Health Choice Network (HCN). He has been a part of the HCN team since November 2021. In this role, Dr. Collazo provides clinical analysis, research, and coordination of clinical topics relevant to Epic EHR implementation. Previously, Dr Collazo served as Assistant Medical Director and subsequently Chief Medical Officer and Assistant Executive Director for Camillus Health Concern from 1993 – 2011. During this time, he developed continuity clinics for disease management, developed a comprehensive oral health and behavioral health program, as well as a continuous quality management program. From 2011 to 2021, Dr. Collazo served as clinical lead in Baptist Health of South Florida’s Medical group, specializing in diabetes management and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Collazo is a graduate of the University of Miami (BS, BA), Nova Southeastern-College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and completed a general internal medicine residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital/ University of Miami School of Medicine where he also subsequently served as Chief Medical Resident and clinical faculty.
DIGITAL MOVES
Dr. Sandro Martinez earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2008 and has over 20 years of expertise in Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. He currently serves as the Director of Business Intelligence at Health Choice Network (HCN), where he has led the department since May 2021. Under his leadership, HCN has successfully advanced multiple data-driven initiatives, including the implementation of the Epic EHR system. Dr. Martinez has played a key role in developing data exchange frameworks and analytics strategies that have significantly enhanced healthcare delivery and operational efficiency across the organization.
GENERAL SESSION
Sherry Hoback is the President and CEO of Tampa Family Health Centers, Inc. (TFHC), leaders in integrated healthcare. Hoback provides strategic leadership that drives the development and implementation of state-of-the-art ambulatory healthcare. She is also responsible for advancing TFHC’s innovation models focused on improving patient outcomes and delivery mechanisms. As a leader she embraces collaboration and encourages transparency amongst all facets of the organization. She is an advocate for TFHC and the Hillsborough County community. Her remarkable leadership and determined efforts in addressing and raising awareness about issues in healthcare in the Tampa community have resulted in better services, new programs, practices, additional resources and a greater understanding of Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health. Hoback is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), a 2018 recipient of the Carlow Laureate Award, 2019 award recipient of Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Businesswomen of the year, a 2022 Top 100 Businesswomen in Florida honoree and most recently featured in Extraordinary Women in Business: Sun Coast editions of: Fortune ,(Most Powerful Women), Forbes, (Self Made Women) and Entrepreneur magazines.
DIGITAL MOVES
Stephanie Smith is an Application Analyst, Healthy Planet at Health Choice Network, where she leads initiatives focused on care coordination and quality improvement across community health centers. With 12 years of experience in healthcare IT and operations, Stephanie has implemented three innovative Epic Super User programs focused on population health, clinical quality reporting, and Cogito reporting to ensure regulatory compliance and quality improvement excellence.
She is passionate about bridging the gap between clinical workflows in Epic and how those translate to patient outcomes that spotlight health center impact. Ms. Smith has a bachelor’s in health services administration from Florida International University, is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green belt, and is an NCQA PCMH Certified Content Expert. She also received her Epic Ambulatory certification in June 2023, Best Practices Advisories Badge in April 2024, and Compass Rose & Healthy Planet Clinical Build and Analytics certifications in April 2025.
WORKFORCE POWER PLAY
Stephen Lytle is a forward-thinking HR executive and recognized strategist at the intersection of technology, workforce development, and organizational transformation. With over 20 years of leadership experience across healthcare, retail, and technology, he currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of People & Culture at Evara Health, where he drives culture enhancement, workforce planning, and talent optimization—resulting in reduced turnover, elevated employee engagement, and strengthened employer branding.
Stephen’s influence reaches far beyond his corporate role. As Principal Consultant at 813HR, he advises organizations on HR strategy, operations, and the integration of emerging technologies. A nationally respected voice on the future of work, he has led conversations on AI in the workplace and HR innovation at conferences across the country. His leadership includes past service on the Board of the HR Association of Broward County and strategic roles at Walmart and Target, where he spearheaded talent acquisition, culture transformation, and leadership development.
A lifelong learner, Stephen holds degrees from the University of South Florida and Purdue University. His work has earned him accolades such as the “40 Under 40” by Tampa Business Journal and the “Excellence in HR Award” from South Florida Business & Wealth.
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DENTAL TACTICS LAB
Dr. Steven Pine is the Chief Dental Officer at Hawai’i Island Community Health Center, the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in Hawai’i. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Delaware and his dental degree from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, where he also completed an oral surgery clerkship. Dr. Pine completed a general practice residency at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he participated in the Craniofacial Cleft Clinic and the Head and Neck Tumor Board. After working in private practice, Dr. Pine transitioned to community care, where he has led the design and opening of multiple dental locations. He has presented nationally on topics such as employee retention (2021 NNOHA Annual Conference), health center mergers using a strengths-based approach (2022 and 2023 NACHC Financial and Operations Management Conference), dental-medical integration at Epic's UGM conference and digital dentistry at NYU Langone's Faculty Development Conference. Dr. Pine pioneered the integration of lab-based CAD/CAM technology into clinical workflows and is passionate about advancing dental technology in FQHCs. He also serves on Epic Health Record's Wisdom Steering Board and the Hawai'i State Dental Board.
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WORKFORCE POWER PLAY
As a partner director for the human insights and human capital management (HCM) strategy consultant group for UKG Incorporated, Teresa Smith advises business leaders and their leadership teams on how to better maximize people-centric strategies to achieve long-term success. With deep expertise in change management process and business innovation, Smith is an advocate for the unmatched value of an empowered workforce, and helps organizations more effectively attract prospective employees, engage existing employees, and holistically develop and manage an exceptional employee experience. Smith has dedicated the majority of her career to exploring the impact of HR, payroll and workforce management on the workforce. From small businesses to global operations, she is adept to diagnosing customer needs, delivering effective solutions, and collaborating with senior leaders to achieve improved business outcomes. For over 20 years, Smith led workforce management and HCM initiatives at a technology vendor, working closely with sales and management teams to develop critical business strategies for both domestic and global customers. Prior to that, she served as IT Director at a large hospital and IT support and management functions for the Department of Defense. Smith has earned her SHRM –PMQ, Data Science Certification, Six Sigma, as well as Workforce Management certification, HR Professional certification, Fundamentals of Payroll Processing certification and Corporate Visions certification. Outside the office, Smith is passionate about helping others become the best versions of themselves that they can be and volunteers frequently to support those in need. She currently serves her local community both as a volunteer care counselor, supporting individuals through marriage, and grief and women through PTSD, and as a team leader, helping to restore homes of those in need. With a family tree full of service members, Smith also devotes her time to raising funds for military relief.
CLINICAL PLAYBOOK
Dr. Timothy Long currently serves as Chief Clinical Officer at Health Choice Network. He has served in this role since 2018. Dr. Long coordinates and promotes clinical leadership, advancing quality health outcomes through guidance and leadership on the optimal implementation and use of Health Information Technology. He employs a collaborative leadership approach that empowers clinicians and health centers to address challenges, promote best practices, and create clinical initiatives that result in practice transformation, quality improvement and clinical collaboration. He actively promotes the use of Health Information Technology; real time use of the EMR with patient engagement and the consistent use of national guidelines as basis for clinical decision support. Dr. Long is a strong supporter of patient engagement through technology, advancement of Patient Centered Medical Home, Care Coordination, and promotion of preventive healthcare for the underserved.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL FORCE
Tim Weldon has an industry track record distinguished by 30+ years of corporate development and change management accomplishments. Tim brings exceptional insight and experience to his role at Health Choice Network. A leader with a passion for helping health centers create the fastest path to sustainable growth and sustainability, Tim blends his deep industry knowledge with strong financial and operational acumen to develop strategies that result in measurable improvements.
GENERAL SESSION
Dr. Lewis is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician with Fellowship training in Geriatrics. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati College Medicine.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL FORCE
Zaida Naranjo is the Director of Business Applications at Epic, bringing more than two decades of healthcare experience with a strong focus on revenue cycle management and operational excellence. Throughout her career, she has led transformative initiatives that enhance system efficiency, streamline workflows, and improve organizational performance.
Zaida is passionate about bridging technology and operations to deliver meaningful impact across the healthcare continuum. Her leadership style centers on collaboration, innovation, and empowering teams to drive sustainable improvements.
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