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Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards

Speakers and Presenters


Plenary Speaker


Bill Shore

Founder and Executive Chairman, No Kid Hungry and Share Our Strength

Billy Shore is the founder and executive chairman of No Kid Hungry and its parent organization, Share Our Strength. Since founding Share Our Strength in 1984 with his sister Debbie, Shore has led the organization in raising more than $600 million to fight hunger and poverty, and has won the support of national leaders in business, government, health and education, sports and entertainment.

Shore is also the chair of Community Wealth Partners, a Share Our Strength organization that helps leaders and communities solve social problems.

Before founding Share Our Strength, Shore served on the senatorial and presidential campaign staffs for former U.S. Senator Gary Hart and as chief of staff to former U.S. Senator Robert Kerrey. In 2014, congressional leaders appointed him to the National Commission on Hunger, a group tasked with finding innovative ways to end hunger in America.

In addition to his work with Share Our Strength, Shore is a leading voice in the national conversation on hunger and poverty. He is the author of four books focused on social change, including “Revolution of the Heart” (Riverhead Press, 1995), “The Cathedral Within” (Random House, 1999), “The Light of Conscience” (Random House, 2004) and most recently, “The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men” (Public Affairs, 2010). He also hosts Add Passion and Stir, a weekly podcast that brings together high-profile chefs and change-makers to talk about the central role food plays in social justice.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Shore earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC. He has been an adjunct professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and an advisor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. From 2001 to 2011, he served as a director of The Timberland Company.

Shore was named one of America’s Best Leaders by US News & World Report.



Presenters


Lynn M. Banaszak

Executive Director, Disruptive Health Technology Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

Banaszak is a respected health care innovation expert with national reach: guiding, mentoring and coaching professionals and start-up technology companies. She is a national innovation thought leader and advisor for events like the Louisville Innovation Summit, a coach for the AARP Innovation Competition, the SXSW Vegas and Impact Pediatric Health Pitch Competitions and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation Health Fellows Program. Lynn is the producer and co-host of the national podcast, Innovation Unleashed, which engages curious people who love discovering the “what’s next” in technology solutions to help all of us live better lives. Prior to her appointment at CMU, Lynn was Vice President and Chief Relationship Officer at the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, a biotechnology investment organization, where for nearly a decade, she worked with 400 start-up companies, helped deploy nearly $20M in direct investment in 75 companies leveraging over $900 million in additional capital to the region.


Amy Berman, RN, LHD, FAAN

Senior Program Officer, The John A. Hartford Foundation

Amy Berman leads the Foundation’s development and dissemination of innovative, cost-effective models of care that improve health outcomes for older adults. She is an appointed member of CMS’ Partnership for Patients Patient and Family Engagement Network and the HHS Aging Task Force for Healthy People 2020. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a member of Academy Health, Gerontological Society of America, American Geriatrics Society, and the honor society of nursing, Sigma Theta Tau. The recipient of many awards, Berman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from New York University College of Nursing, a Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Quinnipiac University School of Nursing, and a Geriatric Scholar Certificate from the Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers.


Lecia Brooks

Lecia J. Brooks

Outreach Director, Southern Poverty Law Center

Lecia Brooks leads the Southern Poverty Law Center’s outreach efforts on key initiatives and social justice issues. As outreach director, she frequently gives presentations around the country to promote tolerance and diversity. She also serves as director of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Ala., an interpretive center designed to provide visitors to the Civil Rights Memorial with a deeper understanding of the civil rights movement. She joined the SPLC staff in 2004 as director of Mix It Up at Lunch Day, a Teaching Tolerance program designed to help break down racial, cultural and social barriers in schools. Previously, she worked for 12 years in a number of capacities for the National Conference for Community and Justice in its Los Angeles office. She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University.

Mary Lou Brunell, RN, MSN

Executive Director, Florida Center for Nursing

As the Executive Director for the Florida Center for Nursing, Mary Lou Brunell established a national model of a nurse workforce data center that successfully collects, analyzes, and reports results for use in strategic planning, policy development, and evaluation of effectiveness.  Understanding that success is greatest when achieved through collaboration and partnership, Brunell co-leads the Florida Action Coalition with the Florida Blue Foundation who also funds the work of the Action Coalition.  Following a three-year project funded by CareerSource, Florida, she launched the Healthcare Workforce Research Initiative in January 2018.  Brunell completed her graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania.


Laurie Croft, RYT, CHCC, LMT

Owner, Wholistic Journey

Croft is a Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Licensed Massage Therapist and a member of Yoga Alliance. She teaches private one-to-one lessons and corporate and studio group classes, leading yoga retreats around the world. Utilizing a Vinyasa Flow sequence (coordinating breath to postures) and taking time to explain each pose makes it safe and fun for newbies and seasoned yogis alike.


Vanessa Echols

Mistress of Ceremonies, Sapphire Awards Dinner and Program

Vanessa Echols has been a member of the Eyewitness News team since 1992 and currently anchors Eyewitness News at Noon and 4 p.m. on Channel 9, in Orlando, Florida. She was born in Auburn, Ala., and graduated from the in-state rival school, The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Her start in broadcasting was at a country music radio station in Tuscaloosa. She was worked at television stations in Georgia and Tennessee.

Echols is involved in the central Florida community. A frequent speaker at churches and schools and involved with several community service organizations. She is on the Board of the Orlando Serve Foundation, which hosts one of the largest service events for homeless families in Florida, and on the Board of UNCF/The College Fund. In addition, she is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and volunteer with The Foundation for Foster Children.

After she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2004, Echols made it her mission to educate women, men and families about the importance of early detection of cancer and coping with cancer treatments. In 2007, she founded Compassionate Hands and Hearts Breast Cancer Outreach to help local patients and families. She also was the MC for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Orlando.

 

Jayne Evans

Jayne is a game-changing, marketing and communications specialist with accomplishments in a diverse set of environments, from entrepreneurial to global corporations in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Her successful career includes time as an SVP at BBDO and as a
Managing Partner, EVP at Young & Rubicam. Leading one of Y&R's most significant accounts, Jayne led communications and media agencies in 36 countries. By fostering cross-border collaboration, her teams helped build billion-dollar brands for their client.

A particular point of professional pride is the innovation and introduction of Crystal Light to Go. Jayne’s knowledge of production, consumer behavior, and regulatory trends identified the opportunity, and her unrelenting passion persuaded the client to test the idea. Ultimately the product revolutionized the soft drink industry.


 

Patrick “Pat” Geraghty

Chief Executive Officer, GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation

Pat Geraghty is CEO of GuideWell, a $16 billion, not-for-profit health solutions organization that is parent to a family of companies focused on transforming health care. It comprises the leading health insurance company in Florida; a consumer engagement and marketing firm; a health care delivery company; a provider of administrative services to federal and state health care programs; and a population health management company. GuideWell serves 16 million people across 29 states, including more than 5 million individuals in Florida.

A dynamic speaker, Geraghty is considered an expert voice on a range of health care topics including health care reform in the U.S., next-generation payment strategies, innovation in health care and the benefits of wellness and prevention programming. He is also frequently sought after for his insights on important health care policy matters in Washington, D.C. and Tallahassee, Fla.

Geraghty serves as a chair of the Florida Council of 100 and is a member of the board for the National Institute of Health Care Management, the Oliver Wyman Innovation Center Advisory Board, Pardee Rand Graduate School, America’s Health Insurance Plans and Tampa Electric Co.

In 2016, he became a member of the Health Governors Community of the World Economic Forum, the international organization for public private cooperation, and a trustee for its Global Challenge Initiative on The Future of Health.
 

Kristina Gray-Akpa, MSW

Program Director, Grantmakers In Health

Gray-Akpa is a Program Director at Grantmakers In Health (GIH), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. She oversees GIH’s health equity program, which works to educate, advise, and foster collaboration among health funders working to eliminate health disparities and address the social determinants of health. Previously, she was a program analyst with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, where she helped build a national network of public health officials taking collective action against health inequity. She also served as a consultant to the CDC Addressing Gender Inequities in Health and Safety project. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College and earned her masters of social work from the University of Maryland.

Aron Halfin, MD

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, New Directions Behavioral Health

As chief medical officer, Halfin drives New Directions’ member-centric mission, working to ensure that all clinical program development and services improve the delivery of member care. In his role, he leads the clinical teams and provides oversight of the company’s medical and psychiatric services, as well as quality management. Prior to joining New Directions in 2016, Halfin served as vice president and national medical, clinical and operations director of Behavioral Health Services for Anthem Wellpoint. His 30 years of experience in health care also includes leadership positions at Centene Corporation and Magellan Health Services, as well as 11 years in private practice. After earning his medical degree from the University of Costa Rica, School of Medicine, he completed his residency in psychiatry from Columbia University College of Physician and Surgeons in New York, and his research fellowship in psychopharmacology from New York University. 

 

Kelly James

Director, Florida Blue Center for Health Policy, Florida Blue

James leads a team in the review and analysis of health care topics and related regulations to identify policy and operational impacts. He has been engaged in Florida Blue’s efforts to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since the law was passed in March 2010. He participates in industry workgroups to provide input on the impacts of health care reform provisions to regulatory agencies. James represents Florida Blue through participation in external events to provide relevant information on health policy topics to various audiences. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Florida. He is also certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Bob Kodzis

Creative Catalyst, Flight of Ideas

Bob is a funny and inspired keynote speaker, life coach, and a master meeting facilitator who has found ways to make meetings more fun, creative and productive. In all of these capacities, Bob has great fun working with audiences, boards, executives and organizations all over the US…from the tiniest nonprofits to Wal-Mart Corporation and NASA. He is a passionate advocate for the arts and is an award winning visual artist and a regular performer, teacher and emcee at Orlando’s SAK Comedy Lab. He is also a talented graphic facilitator who can draw people’s ideas as they emerge. Bob is also a philanthropist who has donated his services to more than 200 worthy causes since opening Flight of Ideas in 1999. He has been recognized for these contributions and awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for community service.

Scott McClelland, PharmD, RPh, CHIE

Vice President, Commercial and Specialty Pharmacy, Florida Blue

McClelland is responsible for leading the pharmacy unit as well as the oversight and development of the clinical and operational strategy for the traditional, specialty and medical pharmacy areas, to ensure members have access to clinically sound and affordable pharmacy benefits and programs. He has over 20 years of experience as a clinical pharmacist specializing in critical care hospital based medicine and pharmacy benefit management. He is a member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP); America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP); American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP); and has served as adjunct professor to several university systems. McClelland received his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from the University of Georgia. In addition, he completed an ASHP Pharmacy Practice Residency, received his Health Information Certification from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and was certified as a health insurance executive through America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) leadership program.


Coleman Pratt, MD

Florida Medical Director, PopHealthCare

Coleman Pratt is a Family Physician whose career has focused on vulnerable populations in the arena of community health and care for medically complex, socially vulnerable seniors.  He is currently the Florida Medical Director for PopHealthCare, an organization that delivers care to high utilizing patients with a focus on improving care, patient satisfaction, quality of life, and unnecessary utilization of health care resources, by offering comprehensive, collaborative, patient centered, coordinated primary care to these patients in their homes. 


Leonard Rappa, PharmD, BCPP

Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist, Professor, Pharmacy Practice, Psychiatry
Florida A&M University, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Rappa is a tenured professor who began his academic career with Florida A&M University, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1998. Currently, he provides staff education via in-services, continuing education, answering individual medication questions, and physician-ordered Psychopharmacology Consultations on patients (e.g., pain management, treatment-resistance cases, and difficult patients). He also conducts bi-weekly meetings with pharmacy students, medical students, residents, and other students to discuss medication-related issues, conducts in-services, Drug Use Evaluations, outcomes research and survey research with the purpose of improving patient care and expanding clinical knowledge. His research is concentrated on substance abuse. In 2017, he was awarded his seventh FAMU COPPS Teacher of the Year for the Miami/Davie Instructional Site campus (the seventh such award). He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree (with honors) in 1995 from Nova Southeastern University.


Robin C. Safley

Executive Director, Feeding Florida

Safely is raising awareness of hunger in Florida, acquiring food and financial donations, and working with state legislators to garner additional support to end hunger. As a community leader in maintaining state-wide nutrition and wellness programs, Safley has over 15 years of experience in promoting health within the education realm and over 20 years of experience implementing legislative development on behalf of various government organizations.Previously the Director for the Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness under Commissioner Adam Putnam, Safley integrated Child Nutrition Programs from the Florida Department of Education and The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services merging the Food Distribution into a new Division dedicated to enhance the National School Lunch Program, the Summer Food Program and the Florida food system. As a graduate of Florida State University, Safley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the FSU College of Law. 


Peggy B. Sapp

President & CEO, Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership; President, National Family Partnership

Sapp founded Informed Families with the mission to help kids grow up safe, healthy and drug free. She has served on the Advisory Councils of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the Florida Governor’s Office of Drug Control. She received the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2004 National Visionary Leader Award, was chosen as the 2007 Citizen of the Year by Miami-Dade Medical Association and received a Concern Award from the Health Foundation of South Florida. As the volunteer President of the National Family Partnership, Sapp worked to develop Red Ribbon Week ® into an annual national event and campaign that is a major force in raising awareness and mobilizing communities in the fight against drugs. In 2008, she developed the Lock Your Meds® campaign, a response to the prescription drug abuse epidemic. She attended the University of Maryland, is an honors graduate of Barry University, and received a certificate from Harvard Business School in Non Profit Strategic Planning.


Elana Schrader, MD

Chief Medical Officer, GuideWell/Florida Blue

In her role as Chief Medical Officer, Schrader has accountability for population health, complex care, pharmacy, and quality management. Since joining Florida Blue, Schrader has served in a number of transformational clinical and non-clinical leadership roles.  Schrader is a current member of the WeCare Board of Directors, the Dean’s Council of the University of North Florida Brooks College of Health and the University of North Florida Foundation Board. She was named as an honoree for the 2016 Jacksonville Business Journal Women of Influence and a 2017 Woman with Heart by Volunteers in Medicine. Schrader holds a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College of Columbia University, medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and trained in internal medicine at The New York Hospital of Cornell Medical College and Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Columbia Presbyterian College of Medicine, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

 

Robert Simes

Senior Director, Advanced Analytics, Florida Blue

Simes leads three analytics teams including data science, Medicare & STARS, and Employer Analytics.  Each team is focused on helping the business develop solutions through use of data to help the members of Florida Blue achieve optimal health outcomes.  He has been with Florida Blue for nine years with a focus on turning data into actionable information.  Prior to joining Florida Blue, Robert was the Director of Clinical Analytics and Reporting for Anthem National Accounts with a focus on Disease Management, Care Management, and Complex Case Management. He has received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s Degree in Business from Appalachian State University.  


Iris I. Simmons

CEO & Founder, Genesi Group, Inc.

Simmons has more than 12 years of experience as a business development leader and fundraising expert in both for-profit and the not-for-profit arenas. She has led the strategic design, development and delivery of multi-dimensional cross-functional solutions to both short term and long term projects, thereby, bringing visionary and innovative strategies with a proven track record of accomplishments in major signature events, diversity and inclusion initiatives, program designs, institutional and community engagement relations. Her company is a strategic planning consulting agency specializing in Philanthropic and Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives/Campaigns, with a holistic focus on Brand Growth/Development, Experiential Marketing, Diversity and Inclusion and Community Collaborative Partnerships for various organizations in the private and public sectors. She currently serves on the AFP International Development Committee as well as the AFP Board, Be the Cause Campaign Chair - First Coast Chapter.


Lisa Simon, DMD

Fellow in Oral Health and Medicine Integration, Harvard School of Dental Medicine/Harvard Medical School

Simon is a dentist, medical student, and Fellow in Oral Health and Medicine Integration at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. After graduating magna cum laude from Yale University in 2010, she received her dental degree with honors in global and community health from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 2014. In 2015, she joined the faculty after completing a community health center-based dental residency. Simon has been honored with numerous awards for her dedication to the underserved, including from American Association of Public Health, the American Association of Women Dentists, and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. Her writing and research about the separation of dentistry and medicine have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, and American Journal of Public Health. To further reunite oral health and medicine, Simon joined the class of 2020 at Harvard Medical School. In addition to being a full-time medical student, she continues to practice as a dentist at Boston’s jail


Susan B. Towler, APR

Vice President, Florida Blue Foundation

Towler is vice president of the Florida Blue Foundation, established in 2001 as the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue. She is also executive director of corporate social responsibility for Florida Blue and has responsibility for the company’s philanthropic strategy. She is actively involved in the philanthropic and social responsibility sector. She led the Community Engagement Task Force for Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams’ Strategic Initiative and serves on the board of directors for several nonprofits including the Florida Philanthropic Network as past-chair, the Florida Chamber Foundation and the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. She is also a graduate of Leadership Florida and served as its 2012-13 chair. Towler holds a Bachelor of Science in public relations from the University of Florida.

Kelli T. Wells, MD

Statewide Medical Director, Florida Department of Health 

Kelli T. Wells, MD is the Statewide Medical Director for the Florida Department of Health. She has also served as the Deputy Secretary for Health and the Director for the Florida Department of Health in Duval County. Known for her passionate patient advocacy and compassionate leadership, she is committed to advancing the agency toward meeting its mission to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in the state of Florida.

Dr. Wells is a graduate of Florida A&M University and the University of Florida, College of Medicine.  She completed a Family Practice Residency at St. Vincent’s hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.