This page was last updated 03/13/2025

Plenary and Special Session Speakers


Lola Adepoju Headshot
Committee Member, Member

Omolola "Lola" Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Research Director - Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute, University of Houston

Dr. Omolola E. Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H., is a health services researcher and clinical professor at the Tilman J.... Read Bio

Aaron Carroll Headshot
Author, Board Member, Member, Presenter, Staff

Aaron E. Carroll, M.D., M.S.

President and CEO - AcademyHealth

Dr. Aaron E. Carroll is President & CEO of AcademyHealth. A nationally recognized thought leader, science comm... Read Bio

Lilia_cervantes_headshot
Presenter

Lilia Cervantes, M.D.

Professor, Department of Medicine and Director, Immigrant Research - University of Colorado School of Medicine

Dr. Lilia Cervantes is a professor in the Department of Medicine and the Director of Immigrant Research at the... Read Bio

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Presenter

Nathan T. Chomilo, M.D., FAAP

Medical Director, Medicaid & MinnesotaCare - Minnesota Department of Human Services

Dr. Nathan T. Chomilo’s work has centered on the impact early childhood intervention and healthcare access hav... Read Bio

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Presenter

Grace Cordovano, BCPA, Ph.D.

CEO and Board Certified Patient Advocate - Enlightening Results

Upon recognizing significant unmet needs and challenges in patients' experiences throughout their cancer diagn... Read Bio

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Presenter, Researcher

Brooke Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D.

Commissioner - Minnesota Department of Health

Dr. Brooke Cunningham was appointed in January 2023 as commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Health. Read Bio

Cheryl Damberg

Cheryl Damberg, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Distinguished Chair and Principal Senior Researcher - RAND Corporation AcademyHealth Board Past Chair

Cheryl Damberg is the Distinguished Chair in Health Care Payment Policy and Principal Senior Researcher at the... Read Bio

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Presenter

Rev. Linda Davis

Pastor - Boynton Chapel Methodist Church-Houston

Rev. Linda Davis has over twenty-five years of experience as an Assistant Legal Administrator in Labor and Emp... Read Bio

Jennifer_Edwards_headshot
Committee Member, Member

Jennifer Edwards, Dr.P.H., M.H.S.

Vice President, Strategy Solutions - IPRO

Jennifer Edwards, Dr.P.H., M.H.S., is Vice President of IPRO’s Strategy Solutions Department and director of t... Read Bio

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Presenter

Mark Friedberg, M.D., M.P.P.

Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement & Improvement - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Mark Friedberg, M.D., M.P.P., is Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement & Improvement at Blue Cross Bl... Read Bio

Risha_Gidwani_headshot
Committee Member

Risha Gidwani, Dr.P.H.

Associate Professor, Division of Health Care Policy and Research - University of Colorado School of Medicine

Risha Gidwani, Dr.P.H., is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Divi... Read Bio

Rachel_Hardeman_headshot
Co-Chairs, Committee Member, Member, Presenter

Rachel Hardeman, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Blue Cross Endowed Professor in Health and Racial Equity - University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Dr. Rachel R. Hardeman is a tenured Professor in the Division of Health Policy & Management at the University ... Read Bio

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Presenter

Cara V. James, Ph.D.

President and CEO - Grantmakers In Health (GIH)

Cara V. James is President and CEO at Grantmakers In Health (GIH). Read Bio

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Presenter

Christopher Longhurst, M.D., M.S.

Chief Medical Officer and Chief Digital Officer - UC San Diego Health

Christopher Longhurst, M.D., M.S., is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at UC Sa... Read Bio

Marianne_McPherson_headshot
Committee Member, Presenter

Marianne McPherson, Ph.D., M.S.

Senior Director - ORS Impact

Marianne McPherson, Ph.D., M.S., is dedicated to working to advance well-being, thriving, and justice for peop... Read Bio

Menachemi headshot
Board Member, Committee Member, Member

Nir Menachemi, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Dean & Professor, Fairbanks Endowed Chair - Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health

Dr. Nir Menachemi is the Dean, Fairbanks Endowed Chair, and Professor at the Indiana University (IU) Richard M... Read Bio

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Presenter

Fatima N. Mirza, M.D., M.P.H.

Chief Resident, Department of Dermatology - Brown University Health

Fatima N. Mirza, M.D., M.P.H., serves as Chief Resident in the Department of Dermatology at Brown University H... Read Bio

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Presenter

Sarah Moyer, M.P.H., M.D.

Chief Medical Officer Humana Healthy Horizons of Kentucky

Sarah Moyer is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Humana Healthy Horizons in Kentucky, Humana’s Kentucky Medi... Read Bio

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Presenter

Kris Rhodes, M.P.H.

Director, Office of American Indian Health and Interim Assistant Commissioner, Health Equity Bureau - Minnesota Department of Health

Kris Rhodes serves as the Director of the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) Office of American Indian Hea... Read Bio

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Presenter

Alina Salganicoff, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President and Director, Women’s Health Policy - KFF

Alina Salganicoff is a senior vice president and the director of Women’s Health Policy at KFF (formerly the Ka... Read Bio

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Committee Member, Presenter

Daniel Yang, M.D.

Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies - Kaiser Permanente

Daniel Yang, M.D., is vice president of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies for Kaiser Perm... Read Bio