The following patient safety experts are unwavering champions for patient harm reduction, disease management and disaster preparedness. Representing various roles across hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies, they all share a common goal of keeping patients safe and satisfied.
Safety is the driving mission for these leaders, guiding them to constantly pioneer new approaches, refine healthcare processes and elevate safety standards.
Note: Becker’s Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of included leaders or associated healthcare providers. Leaders cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list.
Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.
Jason Adelman, MD. System Associate Chief Quality Officer for Patient Safety and Learning Health System Science at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York City). Dr. Adelman is a nationally recognized leader in patient safety and quality improvement, holding leadership roles at both NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He is associate dean for quality and patient safety, director of the Center for Patient Safety Science, program director of the patient safety and health services research fellowship, vice chair for quality and patient safety for the department of medicine, and associate professor of medicine. His validated “wrong-patient retract-and-reorder measure” has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum and informed national regulations and Joint Commission recommendations. A mentor and pioneer in health IT safety research, Dr. Adelman received the “John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety Award for Individual Lifetime Achievement”. He also earned the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality award for excellence in mentorship for developing future leaders in safety science. His contributions continue to shape national patient safety standards and evidence-based healthcare delivery.
Nicole Alerding, MSN, RN. Director of Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Officer at Roxborough Memorial Hospital (Philadelphia). With 16 years of experience at Roxborough Memorial Hospital, Ms. Alerding oversees patient safety and performance improvement initiatives. She coordinates and manages hospitalwide programs, ensuring ongoing survey readiness and overseeing quality measures, including core measures and patient satisfaction. By collaborating closely with administration, she facilitates the execution and communication of performance improvement activities across departments. Her contributions have led to multiple “A” ratings from The Leapfrog Group, underscoring her commitment to high-quality patient care. Renowned for her dependability and loyalty, Ms. Alerding is dedicated to providing the best possible care for patients.
Laura Arline, MD. Chief Quality Officer at BayCare Health System (Clearwater, Fla.). Dr. Arline leads patient safety, quality, analytics, documentation and infection control at BayCare Health System, a 16-hospital network. Her signature initiatives include systemwide implementation of tiered safety huddles and standardization of the “Good Catch” and “First Focus” programs to support BayCare’s zero harm commitment. She designed the zero harm graphic to make high-reliability principles accessible to front-line staff and doubled participation in the safety coach program to more than 450 coaches. Under Dr. Arline’s leadership, BayCare has consistently achieved top-tier culture of safety survey participation and integrated safety training into graduate medical education. She also co-chairs BayCare’s health equity council and serves on national advisory boards for Premier and Beterra. BayCare has earned national recognition from Healthgrades, Press Ganey, The Leapfrog Group and Fortune during her tenure.
Emily Avery. National Director of Environment of Care and Safety at Medxcel (Indianapolis). In her role, Ms. Avery oversees safety programs across 1,900 healthcare facilities, including over 130 hospitals, ensuring compliance with safety standards and promoting patient wellbeing. Ms. Avery’s career experience, spanning nearly three decades, has helped her cultivate expertise in emergency preparedness, risk assessment and regulatory compliance. She is renowned for developing and implementing safety strategies, including ligature risk reduction and fall prevention protocols. Ms. Avery also chairs the environment of care and emergency management hospital committee and has been instrumental in preparing facilities for crises such as Hurricane Irma and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Komal Bajaj, MD. Chief Quality Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and North Central Bronx. As chief quality officer for NYC Health + Hospitals’ Jacobi and North Central Bronx hospitals, Dr. Bajaj drives transformational change across a million-patient catchment area with initiatives grounded in safety culture, staff empowerment and equity. She merged quality operations across two major Bronx hospitals and implemented data-driven systems that doubled completed performance improvement projects over three years. Under her leadership, the hospitals achieved a 50% reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, a 15% increase in cancer screenings and over 90% screening for social determinants of health. Dr. Bajaj also brings innovation to the forefront, incorporating diagnostic safety into obstetrics and integrating sustainability into the safety agenda. These efforts have earned her national accolades, including recognition by the Lown Institute and appointment to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s national advisory council. Her leadership spans simulation science, climate-smart care and national policy advisement.
Lalit Bajaj, MD. Chief Quality Officer at Children’s Hospital Colorado (Aurora). Dr. Bajaj spearheads clinical quality, health equity and patient safety initiatives for Children’s Hospital Colorado, where he has unified key improvement domains under one strategic division. His leadership has reshaped quality as a collaborative, systemwide effort that integrates clinical effectiveness, analytics and the patient-family experience into coordinated outcomes-driven work. Dr. Bajaj’s contributions include founding a robust research program in the emergency department and establishing the pediatric care network to align community pediatrics with hospital quality priorities. A long-standing advocate for value-based care, he is working with payers to promote reimbursement tied to outcomes, reducing low-value care while improving safety and efficiency. He also serves on various national committees and has held multiple leadership roles in pediatric research and advocacy organizations.
Mahmoud Bakeer, MD. Assistant Vice President of Orlando (Fla.) Health and Chief Quality Officer for Orlando (Fla.) Health South Lake Hospital. Dr. Bakeer oversees the quality and safety of all hospital programs and services, ensuring high standards of patient care and compliance with regulatory requirements. Under his leadership, Orlando Health South Lake has received numerous accolades, including the U.S. News & World Report high performing hospital rating in maternity care for 2024 and 11 consecutive “A” hospital safety grades from The Leapfrog Group. He has played a pivotal role in developing critical care programs and structured quality departments across Orlando Health, significantly improving patient outcomes and hospital performance. Dr. Bakeer continues to practice as a critical care specialist, maintaining a direct connection to patient care.
Tom Bates, RN. Chief Quality Officer at Keck Medicine of USC (Los Angeles). Mr. Bates founded the Keck Medicine of USC Quality Institute and co-created the Keck Academy for Continuous Improvement, instilling a culture of excellence throughout the health system. Under his leadership, the system has achieved repeated CMS 5-star ratings, Leapfrog “A” grades, and Vizient “Top Performer” status. He is a Master trainer in TeamSTEPPS, an evidence-based teamwork system, and the just culture system of shared accountability. His leadership emphasizes staff empowerment and systems learning. Mr. Bates also serves on the editorial board of Management in Healthcare. He brings a background in both nursing and administration, having previously served as executive administrator for quality and outcomes and CNO at other Southern California institutions.
Sigall K. Bell, MD. Director of Patient Safety and Discovery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s OpenNotes (Boston). Dr. Bell is director of patient safety and discover at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s OpenNotes, a patient-facing information sharing platform. She is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has pioneered research in open notes and diagnostic safety, including the development of the “OurDX” diagnostic engagement tool. Dr. Bell has trained over 1,000 clinicians in disclosure practices and co-developed metrics to evaluate speaking-up climates in healthcare. Her research has earned national awards and shaped patient safety policy at Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Quality Forum and beyond. A sought-after mentor and speaker, she also co-directs The Transparency CoLAB, which fosters collaborations between Harvard and Stanford medical schools.
Leah Binder. President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group (Washington, D.C.). As president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, Ms. Binder serves as a voice for those calling for increased hospital safety and quality. Under her guidance, The Leapfrog Group launched the “Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade”, which assesses the safety of general hospitals nationwide and presents the information in an easily digestible format. She has also greatly improved the yearly “Leapfrog Hospital Survey”.
Joshua A. Bloomstone, MD. Chief Medical Officer at Envision Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Bloomstone provides strategic leadership for Envision Healthcare’s clinical care, ensuring multispecialty teams deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. He oversees the clinician wellness program, removes barriers to mental healthcare and advises on clinical research, innovation and value-based care initiatives. Dr. Bloomstone designed a clinical occurrence database interface and an automated perioperative outcomes eTool, significantly enhancing real-time quality and patient outcomes management. He played a pivotal role in Envision’s Covid-19 perioperative response and standardized perioperative practices across Banner Health, reducing post-surgical complications. His contributions to perioperative medicine, including work on noise reduction tools and goal-directed fluid therapy, have earned him global recognition and several prestigious awards.
Jeffrey Boord, MD. Chief Quality and Safety Officer at Parkview Health (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Dr. Boord has served as chief quality and safety officer at Parkview Health since 2015, where he leads efforts spanning quality management, workplace safety, infection prevention, accreditation and medical staff services across a 14-hospital system. He was instrumental in launching the “Speak Up” initiative within the system’s culture of safety program, resulting in a 62% increase in safety event reporting in its first year and more than doubling total reports systemwide by 2022. Under his leadership, the system’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration-recordable injury rate fell from 4.9 to 2.9 per 100 full time employees, with significant improvements in event response time and incident closure rates. Dr. Boord also implemented the “Great Catch” recognition program, reinforcing front-line engagement in safety improvement. His leadership contributed to 11 of the system’s Indiana hospitals earning “A” safety grades from Leapfrog in 2024, with notable advancements at newer hospitals. Dr. Boord also serves on the Indiana Hospital Association council on quality and patient safety and teaches at Indiana University School of Medicine.
Patrick Brennan, MD. Senior Vice President and CMO for University of Pennsylvania Health System, Penn Medicine (Philadelphia). Dr. Brennan oversees healthcare quality, patient safety, regulatory affairs and medical affairs across Penn Medicine’s seven hospitals and extensive outpatient network, which delivers millions of outpatient, emergency and home health visits annually. An expert in infectious diseases, he has served as chair of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices advisory committee, advising national health leaders on disease prevention and control. Dr. Brennan’s leadership extends to public health through his role on the inaugural board of health for the Delaware County Health Department and his appointment as official host city medical lead for “FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia”. His career has included leadership positions at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, where he advanced infection control and quality improvement initiatives. Under his guidance, Penn Medicine continues to achieve national recognition for its pioneering research, including CAR T cell therapy and Nobel Prize-winning mRNA vaccine technology.
Chandra Broadwater. System Director of Quality, Patient Safety and Transformation at UCI Health (Orange, Calif.). Ms. Broadwater leads quality and safety strategy across UCI Health’s five-hospital system, integrating academic and community care under a shared vision of high reliability and safety. She directs multidisciplinary teams spanning patient safety, clinical transformation and data analytics to implement evidence-based best practices systemwide. A former journalist turned healthcare quality leader, Ms. Broadwater applies her investigative mindset to drive transparency, accountability and continuous learning across departments. She is an active member of national healthcare organizations and has served as past president of UCLA’s Healthcare Policy and Management Alumni Association.
Kevin Bush Jr., EdD, DHSc. Enterprise Director of Shared Surgical Services at Emory Healthcare (Atlanta). Dr. Bush directs perioperative operations across Emory Healthcare’s 124 operating rooms and endoscopy and ancillary services. He has successfully led eight Joint Commission surveys and standardized clinical practices across diverse surgical environments. Dr. Bush is an expert in infection prevention, with published research on sterilization and high-level disinfection protocols. He has trained over 100 healthcare professionals in patient safety, healthcare leadership and policy. Dr. Bush also serves as an associate professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus and is a member of the Life University business advisory committee. He was named a “Thomas C. Dolan Diversity Scholar” by the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Stephanie Calcasola, MSN, RN. Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare. Ms. Calcasola leads systemwide quality and safety for Hartford HealthCare, where her strategic oversight has helped all seven hospitals achieve Leapfrog “A” grades for two consecutive years. She previously launched a multi-year strategy that resulted in a 39% reduction in serious safety events and a 40% drop in healthcare-associated infections. A national speaker and high reliability organization expert, she has embedded a safety mindset across the enterprise while mentoring the next generation of women in healthcare leadership. Many women gravitate towards her as a coach, mentor and sponsor.
Cheryl Camacho. Director of Simulation and Outreach Education at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio). Ms. Camacho leads Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s simulation and outreach education program, leveraging her role to directly impact patient safety. Her leadership has helped expand the program’s reach by over 120% in learners and 190% in events. She integrated simulation into hospitalwide quality and safety strategies, including interventions that reduced central line-associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection and unplanned extubations. Under her leadership, the hospital earned Society for Simulation in Healthcare accreditation in teaching/education and systems integration. She has helped launch new surgical programs and supported openings of major facilities through simulation-based planning. Nationally, she serves as vice chair of the SSH directors section and mentors through the Children’s Hospital Association simulation program.
Claire Campbell. Director of System Patient Safety at Ochsner Health (New Orleans). Ms. Campbell serves as director of system patient safety at Ochsner Health, where she develops and scales transformative safety tools like the apparent cause analysis system and action plan curriculum. Ms. Campbell has established the just culture steering committee and embedded safety training into enterprisewide leadership development. Her influence spans across departments and campuses, guiding regional associate vice presidents, directors and clinicians to collaboratively drive safety performance. Ms. Campbell’s work with root cause and failure modes analyses has contributed to the creation of scalable solutions and proactive protocols, including innovations in telemedicine safety oversight. She was instrumental in founding the system patient safety triage team to address high-risk patterns and systemic barriers to improvement. Through this multi-tiered leadership and systems thinking, she has helped Ochsner maintain its Leapfrog “A” Safety Grade and top U.S. News & World Report rankings across facilities for over a decade.
Corey Champeau. Executive Director of Quality, Safety and Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. Ms. Champeau leads systemwide patient safety, infection prevention and quality strategy for Yale New Haven Health, overseeing clinical and operational excellence across hospital and ambulatory settings. Drawing on her clinical background in neonatal care, she has spent nearly two decades advancing safety culture and high reliability principles in major academic health systems. In her role, Ms. Champeau fosters daily engagement in safety through education, transparent data sharing and the empowerment of frontline leaders. Her efforts have contributed to national rankings for Yale New Haven Hospital in 11 specialties and accolades from Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and Vizient. She also represents the system in communications with CMS and performance measurement systems, all while serving in several national safety leadership roles. Ms. Champeau is certified in healthcare quality and safety and a fellow of the Greater New York Hospital Association.
Philip Chang, MD. System Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Quality Officer at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). Dr. Chang works closely with CommonSpirit’s chief medical and nursing officers, as well as physician enterprise, quality and safety leaders, aiming to advance quality initiatives and improve patient outcomes across the health system. He oversees physician and advanced practice provider wellness, engagement and credentialing. Dr. Chang brings extensive leadership experience, most recently serving as senior vice president and chief medical and quality officer for Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System, where he guided quality improvement and patient safety programs for three years.
Emily Chapman, MD. President and CEO for Children’s Minnesota (Minneapolis). Dr. Chapman was promoted to president and CEO of Children’s Minnesota in July 2025. Prior to assuming her new role, she was the system’s CMO and vice president of medical affairs, overseeing quality, safety, education and research at Children’s Minnesota. Prior to that role, Dr. Chapman was a pediatric hospitalist in the Children’s Hospital medicine program, which she guided for six years as it developed and expanded. She speaks locally and regionally about clinical care, cognitive error, leadership and program development.
Amy Cotton, DNP. Senior Vice President of Quality and Safety at RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.). Dr. Cotton leads systemwide quality and patient safety initiatives for RWJBarnabas Health, overseeing strategy, regulatory compliance and high-reliability programming across New Jersey’s largest academic health system. She is a driving force behind the “Safety Together” initiative, which promotes a culture of zero harm and operational excellence across acute and outpatient settings. Her strategic vision has led to the standardization of best practices and improvements in infection prevention, accreditation readiness and clinical outcomes. A member of the American Academy of Nursing’s acute care quality expert panel, Dr. Cotton also brings decades of experience from leadership roles at Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network and Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. Her career achievements include year-over-year performance gains in patient experience and quality metrics across diverse care settings.
Samantha Crandall, PhD. Director of Patient Safety, Quality and Clinical Performance Improvement at Suburban Hospital (Bethesda, Md.). Dr. Crandall leads safety event management and harm reduction initiatives at Suburban Hospital while also contributing to Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine’s broader safety practices. She implemented a systemwide event management workflow, as well as an early disclosure and apology model to support patients after adverse events. Dr. Crandall also co-developed the National Capitol Region’s high reliability curriculum, training over 3,900 professionals. Additionally, she oversees a thriving safety coach program. Her efforts have improved all 16 patient safety domains in the hospital’s culture survey and increased voluntary reporting. A thought leader and national speaker, Dr. Crandall is also a principal staff member of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality.
Cara Cruz. Director of Risk and Quality and Patient Safety and Infection Control Officer at Carson Valley Health (Gardnerville, Nev.). Ms. Cruz oversees five departments at Carson Valley Health, including patient advocacy, compliance, infection control and clinical analysts. Over her 11-year tenure, she has grown the risk and quality program from a one-person team to a robust department. She leads several key initiatives such as the medication safety committee, ethics committee and readmissions focus group. She has also led the adaptation of root cause analysis and actions methodology specifically for a critical access hospital. Her antimicrobial stewardship program earned national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognition as one of only 12 critical access hospitals meeting all best practice elements. She also implemented a readmission reduction program that improved the hospital’s CMS star rating from 2 to 4 stars between 2022 and 2024. A recognized leader statewide, Ms. Cruz was named a “Healthcare Educator Hero” by Nevada Business Magazine in 2022.
Cynthia Cuddy, RN. Senior Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety, Clinical and Academic Affairs at Westchester Medical Center Health Network (Valhalla, N.Y.). Ms. Cuddy provides senior executive vision, direction, leadership and administration for all programs related to quality and patient safety initiatives at Westchester. She leads the continuing development of quality infrastructure and ensures that resources are leveraged to maximize support of the network’s 1,700-bed healthcare system, which features nine hospitals on seven campuses. Ms. Cuddy engages clinical and operational stakeholders in a tertiary, quaternary care facility, where more than 50% of patients are transferred from outside hospitals. She also leads proactive patient safety initiatives to create high reliability hospitals, standardized practices, increase staff and physician engagement in safety culture, and reduce patient safety events, hospital acquired conditions and unsafe processes. Under her direction, frontline nursing and medical staff started directly engaging together in documenting and standardizing evidenced-based best practices to approach the complex care required for patients.
Krista Curell, JD, RN. Executive Vice President and System COO at UChicago Medicine. As executive vice president and COO, Ms. Curell is managing initiatives that will improve patient safety, such as an effort to reduce patient length of stay. She launched a comprehensive clinical documentation improvement program, which resulted in enhanced revenue and performance on quality rankings. She also developed a clinical performance tracking system, allowing physicians to measure compliance across numerous metrics. Ms. Curell’s leadership, especially during the pandemic, has shaped the structures, policies and procedures that will be applied to patient safety in crisis situations and beyond.
Shannon Davila. Executive Director of Total Systems Safety at ECRI (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.). Ms. Davila leads one of the nation’s largest patient safety organizations and pioneered ECRI’s total systems safety program to reduce harm and improve workforce wellbeing. She played a key role in national efforts such as the CMS patient safety structural measure and expanded ECRI’s database to over 7 million safety events. In 2024, she led a falls prevention collaborative involving 40 hospitals and spearheaded ECRI’s focus on preventing medical gaslighting. A published expert and frequent speaker, Ms. Davila sits on numerous professional advisory committees and also created the “Salute” program to better care for veterans. Her work has been recognized by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the White House and industry publications.
Renee Demski. Executive Vice President of Quality, Patient Safety and Performance Excellence for Rochester (N.Y.) Regional Health. Ms. Demski oversees the Quality and Safety Institute, patient experience and performance excellence initiative across Rochester Regional’s hospitals and care delivery sites. Since joining the organization in 2023, she has developed a leadership and governance model for patient safety and quality, and has created and deployed an operating management system to integrate and align patient safety and quality principles to achieve high-quality care. She leads the organization’s focus on eliminating preventable harm, improving patient outcomes and experience, and improving operational efficiency. Under her leadership, the hospital-acquired infection rate dropped by more than 50% systemwide from 2022-23. Ms. Demski is a skilled executive with over 35 years of experience at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Health System, where she held various leadership positions, including vice president of quality. She has been a national and international consultant in high-reliability safety and quality processes and performance.
Ihab Dorotta, MD. Chief of Quality and Patient Safety for Loma Linda (Calif.) University Health. Dr. Dorotta leads Loma Linda University Health’s quality and safety programs, directing a team that follows protocols to minimize errors and improve outcomes. Appointed chief of quality and patient safety in 2017, his focus on root cause analysis and staff engagement has significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections. Dr. Dorotta’s emphasis on infection reduction methods and risk monitoring has resulted in the system’s hospitals achieving and maintaining top safety grades from The Leapfrog Group and receiving multiple Leapfrog Top Children’s Hospital awards. His use of staff education, process improvement, and high-tech tools has further reduced readmissions and patient complications. Dr. Dorotta is also the system’s chief of clinical operations and director of critical care services.
Lisa Esolen, MD. Executive Vice President, Chief Quality Officer at Guthrie (Sayre, Pa.). Dr. Esolen has helped develop Guthrie into a national leader in safety, quality and patient experience. To do so, she has defined next generation patient journeys, created transformational playbooks for quality and safety, improved clinical operations efficiency and developed a platform model for policies and procedures. In doing so, she has been able to create a unified, standardized process across the health system. Her efforts have led to consistent reductions in hospital-acquired infections, bringing them to historically low levels.
Rollin J. “Terry” Fairbanks, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Quality and Safety Officer for MedStar Health (Columbia, Md.). Dr. Fairbanks is a nationally renowned safety scientist who leads quality, safety and infection prevention for MedStar Health, bringing systems thinking and human factors engineering into real-world healthcare operations. As founding director of the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, he has secured over $40 million in safety research funding and produced work that transformed EHR usability and medical device design globally. Under his leadership, the system achieved record-high quality performance, while innovations in event response and hazard identification set national benchmarks. His early work in emergency medical services and emergency pharmacy laid the groundwork for national safety programs, and his publications have received more than 4,300 citations. A fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and leader in multiple national safety organizations, Dr. Fairbanks has presented at global conferences and advised international health ministries.
Mohamad Fakih, MD. Senior Vice President for Quality and Safety and Chief Quality Officer for Ascension (St. Louis). As Ascension’s chief quality officer, Dr. Fakih directs quality and safety initiatives across more than 100 hospitals and 34 senior living facilities. He led the “Recognize & Rescue” campaign, a systemwide effort that improved risk-adjusted mortality by 20% and significantly reduced healthcare-associated infections. His work also includes advancing health equity through chronic disease management, resulting in the elimination of racial disparities in diabetes control. Dr. Fakih’s focus on antimicrobial stewardship, sepsis management and diagnostic stewardship has led to improved patient outcomes and substantial financial savings. With over 80 peer-reviewed publications and a faculty appointment at Wayne State University, Dr. Fakih aims to elevate standards and outcomes across one of the country’s largest nonprofit health systems.
Baruch Fertel, MD. Vice President of Quality and Safety at NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). Dr. Fertel directs enterprisewide quality and safety initiatives at NewYork-Presbyterian, helping the health system maintain top-tier national performance. Under his leadership, the system has earned consistent CMS 5-star ratings, Leapfrog “A” safety grades and high Vizient rankings. He has strengthened collaboration between NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia Doctors, driving cultural alignment on safety throughout the three New York City-based organizations. Dr. Fertel’s leadership has fostered deeper clinician engagement and advanced the system’s high-reliability goals. With his guidance, NYP-Weill Cornell received the Vizient “Rising Star” award.
Tejal Gandhi, MD. Chief Safety and Transformation Officer at Press Ganey (South Bend, IN). Dr. Gandhi leads Press Ganey’s integration of patient safety, experience and workforce engagement through cutting-edge tools like the “High-Reliability Platform” and the “Patient Safety Organization”. She helped embed an equity lens into all Press Ganey offerings, enabling clients to identify disparities in care and make measurable improvements. Her 2024 paper, published by the National Institutes of Health, emphasized the importance of addressing bias in safety reporting. A nationally recognized leader, Dr. Gandhi has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and serves on key national committees. She previously led the National Patient Safety Foundation and held roles at Harvard Medical School, Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Partners HealthCare, among others. She is currently a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Crystal Garcia, BSN. Vice President of Specialty Services Quality and Safety at Valleywise Health (Phoenix). Ms. Garcia leads quality and patient safety efforts across Valleywise Health’s high-acuity system, including a level 1 trauma center, burn center, psychiatric hospitals and community clinics. She played a pivotal role in the system earning its first-ever Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of “A,” a milestone for a public safety-net hospital. Ms. Garcia oversees quality strategy across inpatient, behavioral health and ambulatory settings, managing initiatives like the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, Vizient platform integration and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection reduction. Under her leadership, the patient safety program expanded from one to three full time employees, and an outpatient surgical center was launched with full quality oversight. Her strategic and regulatory foresight supports readiness for CMS and state surveys while aligning safety metrics with executive leadership. Ms. Garcia also completed a fellowship with America’s Essential Hospitals, with a project centering on patient safety.
Brett Glotzbecker, MD. Vice President of System Quality for University Hospitals (Cleveland) and CMO at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Dr. Glotzbecker serves in dual leadership roles as vice president for system quality at University Hospitals and as chief medical officer for UH Cleveland Medical Center, overseeing safety, quality strategy and clinical innovation. Her leadership led to the implementation of a three-step systemwide plan to prevent gas line misconnection and the launch of a diagnostics clinic for using AI navigation tools for timely follow-up on incidentalomas. She also co-chairs the workplace violence team, and helped institute behavioral emergency response teams and de-escalation training for all caregivers. Dr. Glotzbecker developed fractal management systems for clinical dyads to proactively address unit-level safety concerns, leading to process changes and harm reduction in critical care areas. She previously served as faculty at Harvard Medical School and Case Western Reserve University, and has held quality leadership roles at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Her work has helped UH earn multiple national recognitions, including Leapfrog honors and U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospital” rankings.
Jeff Giullian, MD. CMO at DaVita (Denver). Dr. Giullian leads DaVita’s clinical strategy for kidney care, advancing quality, safety and value-based outcomes across the continuum of chronic kidney disease management. He has overseen the expansion of patient-centered tools like “Kidney Smart” and “DaVita Care Connect”, as well as the development of a tech-enabled chronic kidney disease EHR to support early diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Giullian’s leadership has driven a decline in hospitalizations and increased adoption of home dialysis, while also empowering physicians through the “OneView” platform and the Institute of Nephrology’s continuing medical education courses. He helped launch MedSleuth’s “BREEZE Transplant” platform to improve transplant readiness and co-led a national educational initiative with the American Diabetes Association. He is actively involved with the Renal Physicians Association and has supported curriculum development for first-generation healthcare students in Colorado.
Darlene Gondrella. Vice President of Quality and Service Excellence at West Jefferson Medical Center (Marrero, La.). Ms. Gondrella, the vice president of quality service excellence for West Jefferson Medical Center, provides clinical expertise in case management, patient safety, social services, performance improvement and accreditation. She integrates performance improvement and quality assurance with infection control activities and develops policies to guide service provision. Ms. Gondrella is actively involved in daily operations, enhancing employee and patient satisfaction through participation in staff meetings and rounds. She leads the hospital’s “E.X.T.R.A.” initiative, aiming for a cultural change to position the hospital as a top 5-star choice in the region. This initiative includes a service excellence council and teams that implement best practices. She also encourages staff engagement through the “DO IT” projects, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and transparent communication of patient satisfaction survey results.
Carmen Gonzalez, MD. Chief Patient Safety Officer for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). Dr. Gonzalez leads MD Anderson’s patient safety efforts through risk assessment, forging partnerships and creating processes to achieve zero preventable harm. She also serves as a professor in the department of emergency medicine. Her work as chief patient safety officer includes supporting providers and clinical departments, providing oversight of key safety data, engaging key stakeholders and developing processes for improvement. She developed an educational curriculum where there is ongoing training, continued growth and recruitment, and access to training and the tools necessary to support MD Anderson’s core value of safety.
Jeremy Goodman, MD. Vice President and System Quality Officer of Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla). Dr. Goodman supports and implements plans for continued quality and clinical excellence, overseeing effectiveness of clinical management, patient safety and performance improvement. He helps develop and strengthen clinical and physician collaboration across the health system to ensure effective clinical integration. A highly accomplished physician executive, he brings to his role a significant background in process improvement and clinical care design. Dr. Goodman plays a vital role in ensuring clinical excellence across the six-hospital health system, promoting healthcare equity through quality and safety standards. He continues to build the structure and infrastructure necessary to transition quality programs to advanced operations via both staff and organizational redesign. His leadership has helped Baptist Health achieve an “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group, as well as accolades in safety for its Wolfson Children’s Hospital and other honors. A Life Quest Organ Recovery Service advisory board member, he has previously served as CMO at Pheonix-based Banner University Medical Center and Banner Estrella Medical Center, fellowship director and associate professor of surgery at University of Alabama at Birmingham, and more.
Angela Green, PhD, RN. Vice President of Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins Health System (Baltimore). Dr. Green leads patient safety, quality and clinical analytics for Johns Hopkins Medicine, where she has reimagined event management systems to embed high-reliability principles across the continuum of care. She has spearheaded redesigns of root cause analysis processes, developed comprehensive communication and resolution programs, and implemented standardized frameworks for event response and risk prioritization. Her impact extends nationally as a key leader in the Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety Network and as a board member for the Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement. Dr. Green also serves as principal faculty at the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, where she advances system learning and operational excellence. Her work has helped Johns Hopkins Health System earn repeated recognitions from Leapfrog and U.S. News & World Report, thanks to her ability to translate systemic strategy into front-line improvement.
Linda Groah, MSN, RN. Executive Director and CEO of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (Denver). Ms. Groah has helmed the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses since 2007. The organization aims to uphold patient and staff safety in perioperative nursing care utilizing evidence-based guidelines, continuing education and clinical practice resources. Ms. Groah is a veteran perioperative nursing executive, previously serving as COO of Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco and nurse executive for Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Francisco. Ms. Groah also was director of nursing OR-PACU-Surgery Center at the University of California San Francisco Hospitals and Clinics and operating room director at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon.
Kiran Gupta, MD. Vice President and Associate Chief Quality Officer at Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). Dr. Gupta plays a central leadership role in systemwide clinical quality and patient safety at Sutter Health, serving over 3.5 million patients across Northern California. Her efforts have strengthened the system’s already high-performing safety culture, with 16 of 20 hospitals earning “A” grades from Leapfrog in 2024. She champions transparency and data-informed improvements, fostering accountability through rigorous metric design and implementation of best practices across facilities. A national thought leader, Dr. Gupta is co-author of the widely used textbook Understanding Patient Safety and an active contributor to both peer-reviewed research and editorial boards. She advances workforce wellbeing through policies that address staff support during adverse events, promoting retention and psychological safety.
Donna Hahn, MSN, RN. Vice President of the Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Division at Geisinger (Danville, Pa.). Ms. Hahn sets the strategic vision for Geisinger’s quality, patient safety, risk, infection prevention and patient experience programs. She is accountable for the implementation and outcomes of these programs across the system and its network of outpatient clinics. Ms. Hahn leveraged an unconventional risk arrangement with a national vendor to optimize quality improvement, enhancing the typical hospital value-based purchasing program. Together, they created a mutually beneficial risk-share partnership that aligns incentives, reduces waste, ensures a cost-efficient relationship and improves patient outcomes. As part of the partnership development, Geisinger moved from a reactive model to continuous process improvement, leveraging vendor relationships through transparent communication aimed at improving patient outcomes. Unique partnerships, combined with a multidisciplinary approach to patient safety, have reduced hospital-acquired infections and central-line associated bloodstream infection rates, resulting in improvements in Leapfrog hospital safety grades and the system’s overall culture of safety.
Stephanie Hall, MD. Chief Medical Officer for Keck Hospital at USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital (Los Angeles). In her role as chief medical officer, Dr. Hall oversees clinical initiatives and ensures the delivery of safe, high-quality care. Her leadership has been instrumental in achieving notable recognitions, including Keck Hospital’s first-ever 5-star CMS quality rating and multiple Vizient top performer Awards. Under her direction, USC Norris Cancer Hospital has consistently earned Leapfrog’s Top Teaching Hospital designation. Dr. Hall’s strategic oversight also led to significant financial achievements, securing $5.9 million through CMS programs and enhancing compliance with sepsis and quality improvement initiatives. Recognized as a Top Women Leader in Healthcare and Women of Influence by The Los Angeles Business Journal, Dr. Hall’s career has included impactful roles in emergency medicine, faculty positions, and leadership at LAC +USC Medical Center.
Laura Haubner, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Dr. Haubner drives quality improvement and clinical safety at Tampa General, where she integrates evidence-based protocols, data-driven insights and interprofessional collaboration to enhance care outcomes. A long-time neonatologist, she continues to serve patients while shaping hospitalwide strategies for performance improvement, risk mitigation and patient-centered culture. Dr. Haubner has led initiatives to reduce medical errors, expand simulation-based training and align strategic planning with Tampa General’s mission to serve the broader Florida community. She holds leadership roles with the Vizient Chief Quality Officer Network and local healthcare advisory boards, where she supports regional quality transformation. Her work has helped Tampa General earn top rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other publications.
John Heaton, MD. President and Chief Medical Officer at LCMC Health (New Orleans). A passionate advocate for patient safety and the quality of care delivery systems, Dr. Heaton manages a variety of clinical and operational areas at LCMC. He is a longstanding clinical faculty member at both LSU and Tulane medical schools and is also a staunch supporter of Children’s Hospital and the entire LCMC Health family. He works to uphold the hospital’s reputation as the top site for pediatric clinical education in Louisiana. Prior to assuming his system-level leadership role, he was senior vice president and chief medical officer for Children’s Hospital. He first joined the medical staff at Children’s Hospital in 2000 as the director of anesthesiology.
Nicole Hedderich, RN. Associate Vice President of Quality and Risk Management at Calvert Health System (Prince Frederick, Md.). Ms. Hedderich oversees comprehensive performance improvement programs, ensuring patient safety, infection prevention and compliance with regulatory standards. Under her leadership, Calvert Health System improved its Leapfrog rating from a “C” to a “B” and consistently achieved 4-star ratings with CMS. Ms. Hedderich was named “Employee of the Year” by the Healthcare Council for the National Capital Area in 2020 for her exceptional service. She also successfully implemented a daily leadership safety huddle, enhancing communication and safety protocols across the organization.
Kathy Helak, MSN, RN. Assistant Vice President for Patient Safety at Inova (Falls Church, Va.). Ms. Helak brings over 25 years of patient safety expertise to her leadership at Inova, where she has helped shape the health system’s “Safe@Inova” safety culture. She developed a systemwide training curriculum on safety leadership and launched the “CARE” peer support network to support emotional resilience among healthcare teams. Ms. Helak advanced the system’s “safety II” approach to event management, emphasizing human-centered reviews and frontline engagement. Her efforts have supported system hospitals in earning Leapfrog “A” grades, CMS 5-star ratings and recognition as top hospitals in the state. She is a frequent speaker for Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, and co-authored a national article on safety II principles. Ms. Helak is also a Master TeamSTEPPS trainer and fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Patricia C. Henwood, MD. Executive Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Jefferson Health (Philadelphia). As executive vice president and chief quality officer at Jefferson Health, Dr. Henwood leads safety strategy for one of the nation’s largest academic health systems, now encompassing 32 hospitals following a major merger. Under her leadership, the “OnPoint” program has driven a 25% annual reduction in sepsis mortality, saving nearly 700 lives and $30 million. She also spearheads the award-winning “Great Catch” initiative, which incentivizes staff to report safety issues early and has led to tangible interventions, such as an FDA recall of defective IV needles. Between 2021 and 2024, the percentage of reported incidents with no patient impact rose from 30% to 50%, reflecting a systemwide shift toward preemptive safety. Dr. Henwood, through her nonprofit PURE, has developed lasting clinical ultrasound programs in resource-limited countries across Africa. Her prolific research and teaching spans more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and numerous global health partnerships.
Debra J. Honey, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO at Covenant Health (Knoxville, Tenn.). Ms. Honey oversees nursing, safety and quality across Covenant Health’s nine acute-care hospitals and extensive outpatient services. Since joining in 2017, she has fostered a culture of patient safety and transparency, leading to all facilities earning “A” grades from Leapfrog in both 2024 reporting cycles. She has expanded education and innovation initiatives such as the “patient safety challenge” and a systemwide telehealth program. Ms. Honey also supports clinical leadership development through national certification prep and university partnerships. Her leadership contributed to the system’s recognition by Newsweek, Forbes and other publications, along with reductions in infection rates and patient falls. She holds fellowships in nursing and healthcare leadership, and has previously served in top executive roles across multiple states.
William Isenberg, MD, PhD. Vice President and Chief Medical and Quality Officer for Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). Dr. Isenberg is vice president and chief medical and quality officer for Sutter Health, where he works to prioritize the safety of patients and communities across the system’s network. He is a key leader and partners with physician, nursing and operational leaders across the network’s hospitals. Through his leadership, the system has applied safe care error prevention tools to help all staff, whether clinical or supportive, reduce harm to patients and one another by encouraging a culture where they can speak up when they have concerns or perceive errors.
Jennifer Jacobson, RN, BSN. Vice President of Clinical Operations and Quality at Compass Surgical Partners (Raleigh, N.C.). Ms. Jacobson is an accomplished patient safety expert who brings a wealth of clinical knowledge to the Compass Surgical Partners team. She leads the development and implementation of patient safety initiatives at ASCs, ensuring compliance with federal, state and accreditation guidelines. Her responsibilities include setting patient safety benchmarks based on national data and overseeing clinical quality and patient safety guidance for all stakeholders, including center administrators, physicians and health system leaders. She is a key member of the due diligence team for acquisitions, assessing ASCs and developing integration plans to uphold the organization’s high standards for patient-centered care. She also works closely with vendors to ensure their products and services reduce risks within the ASCs. Her professional accomplishments and day-to-day tasks, coupled with her ability to analyze data, communicate best practices and engage stakeholders in patient safety goals make her a key contributor to patient safety at Compass Surgical Partners.
Mark Jarrett, MD. Senior Vice President and Senior Health Advisor for Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). In his role as senior health advisor, Dr. Jarrett oversees the quality and safety at all Northwell sites of care. In his previous role as chief quality officer and deputy CMO of Northwell Health, he oversaw care quality and patient safety initiatives. Under his leadership, Northwell piloted the use of black-box technology in its operating rooms to collect more information during surgeries. Dr. Jarrett’s research experience has led to the publishing of his findings on the immune response in systemic lupus erythematosus, quality and cybersecurity in healthcare.
Che Jordan, DHA. President and CEO at Ebony House (Phoenix). Dr. Jordan leads Ebony House, focusing on substance use recovery and holistic mental health for underserved populations. Since his appointment as CEO in 2022, client satisfaction has remained above 90% for two consecutive years. His innovative vision has earned Ebony House and himself various awards, including the 2024 “Global Recognition Award” and the 2025 Nobel Business Award for “Outstanding Chief Executive Officer”. Dr. Jordan has also been featured by Business Insider, The Silicon Review and other publications for his contributions to behavioral healthcare.
Leslie Jurecko, MD. Senior Vice President of Patient Safety and Loss Prevention and CMO at MCIC Vermont (New York City). Dr. Jurecko provides strategic oversight of patient safety and risk management efforts across premier academic medical centers insured by MCIC Vermont. She guides collaborative safety initiatives with institutions such as Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health, The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Weill Cornell in New York City, aligning loss prevention strategies with clinical improvement. A seasoned executive with both clinical and business expertise, Dr. Jurecko is known for building high-performing teams and embedding psychological safety into organizational culture. She has led transformative gains in reducing healthcare-associated infections, sepsis mortality and improving value-based care outcomes. Additional leadership roles include service as core faculty for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, where she teaches a chief quality officer course.
Nicole Justice. Vice President of Patient Safety, Risk and Insurance at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Ms. Justice oversees all aspects of patient safety and compliance at Tampa General, aligning strategic safety initiatives across the organization and integrating private practice and academic providers. She ensures patient care adheres to all applicable health and hospital laws and regulations, fostering a lasting culture of safety. Ms. Justice played a crucial role in Tampa General’s qualification as a Collaborative Reliability Organization and increased safety event reporting by over 25% within two years. She collaborates with Tampa General’s USF academic partner, the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, to enhance resident physician engagement in safety programs.
Allen Kachalia, MD, JD. Senior Vice President of Patient Safety at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Quality and Director of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore). Dr. Kachalia is a national pioneer in patient safety and medical liability reform, overseeing clinical quality and education initiatives across the Johns Hopkins system while continuing his clinical practice as a hospitalist. He led the implementation of communication and resolution programs at both Johns Hopkins and Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He also authored landmark research demonstrating how transparent responses to medical error reduce liability costs. His scholarship was foundational to the creation of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality “CANDOR Toolkit”, and he continues to shape the national conversation around ethical medical error response, most recently through a 2024 New England Journal of Medicine article. At Johns Hopkins, he drives innovation in quality and safety science while mentoring future leaders in his role as professor and attending physician. Under his leadership, the Armstrong Institute has helped the system earn national accolades, including multiple Leapfrog Group honors.
Samrina Kahlon, MD. Patient Safety Officer for NYC Health + Hospital/ Metropolitan (New York City). Dr. Kahlon leads the vision, strategy and implementation of patient safety activities across her hospital. She is key in mentoring and sponsoring patient safety projects, preparing an annual patient safety plan and reviewing national patient safety goals as well as incidents within the hospital. During her tenure, she developed a training program for staff physicians to improve patient safety and quality of care. She is also the editor-in-chief of Urban Medicine Journal of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.
Eileen Kasda, DrPH. Vice President of Patient Safety at SafeTower, Inc. (Baltimore). Dr. Kasda leads strategic development and innovation in patient safety technology at SafeTower, where she designed “Hero”, an AI-powered safety event reporting platform transforming how health systems gather, analyze and act on safety data. She also developed “Harmony”, a pioneering tool that incorporates patient complaints into safety analytics, placing patient voices at the center of safety efforts. Dr. Kasda’s work has significantly increased physician engagement, transparency and proactive safety decision-making within client health systems. As founder of the Healthcare Event Reporting Collaborative, she fosters nationwide collaboration to advance analytics and safety innovation. Dr. Kasda is a recognized national speaker and Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins faculty member, and her groundbreaking work has earned awards from ECRI and the Maryland Patient Safety Center.
Heather Khan, RN. System Vice President of Acute Care Quality at Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.). Ms. Khan is responsible for overseeing acute care quality, clinical risk management, patient safety and regulatory readiness across Endeavor Health’s system. Her leadership has helped improve hospital performance metrics and drive clinical excellence initiatives across multiple service lines. She brings a strong foundation in operational improvement and patient-centered care to Endeavor’s evolving safety strategies. Ms. Khan has also supported the system’s hospitals in earning Magnet designations, Leapfrog Group recognitions, and top employer awards from Forbes and Gartner. She brings over 25 years of experience, including previous leadership roles at Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health, Chicago-based Humboldt Park Health and Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health, where she led quality transformation efforts. Ms. Khan holds certifications in change management, risk management and patient safety, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in nursing.
Kelly Ragan Kelleher, MD. Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer and Associate CMO at Phoenix Children’s. Dr. Kelleher leads Phoenix Children’s quality and safety team and has helped the organization earn national rankings and its lowest serious safety event rate to date. A board-certified pediatric hospitalist, she spearheaded the “WATCHER” predictive algorithm system, identifying at-risk patients early and preventing ICU emergencies. She has championed innovative technologies like AI-driven malnutrition detection tools and electronic signage for real-time care alerts. Dr. Kelleher also advanced unique initiatives including clinical nurse attending roles and sepsis huddle campaigns to elevate care standards. Her leadership has fostered a “safety II” culture and earned recognition from U.S. News & World Report, Solutions for Patient Safety and other national organizations. She is deeply involved in clinical education, committee leadership and quality collaborations across Arizona and the nation.
Kate Kellogg, MD. Vice President of Patient Safety and Infection Prevention for MedStar Health (Columbia, Md.). Dr. Kellogg serves as vice president of patient safety and infection prevention at MedStar Health, where she oversees strategic safety efforts across 10 hospitals and 300 outpatient sites. Under her leadership, the system implemented its high reliability organization “2.0” initiative systemwide, while safety reporting increased more than fourfold, a key marker of an improved safety culture. She also led the infection prevention response during the Covid-19 pandemic, coordinating policy, contact tracing, supply chain and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting with exceptional effectiveness. A national thought leader, Dr. Kellogg’s research has influenced tools such as Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s “CANDOR” toolkit, and she has been awarded over $4.7 million in safety science grants. Her work has been featured by The Leapfrog Group as a model of ethical harm event response and earned the “Robert Wears Safety Award” for 2023.
Sandra Kemmerly, MD. System Medical Director of Hospital Quality at Ochsner Health (New Orleans). In addition to her administrative role as system medical director of hospital quality at Ochsner Health, Dr. Kemmerly actively serves as an infectious disease physician at Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans and as physician chair of the system antimicrobial stewardship subcommittee. She is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases, and is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. She has been part of Ochsner Health since 1988 and has held leadership roles such as president of the medical staff executive committee at Ochsner Medical Center. Dr. Kemmerly played a crucial role in Ochsner Health’s Covid-19 pandemic response and has led various multidisciplinary quality and safety initiatives. In 2022, she co-authored a book on optimizing hospital safety and quality grades. Thanks to her many contributions to the field, she was named a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2009 and received the Louisiana Chapter Laureate Award in 2011.
Raed M. Khoury. Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety, Research and Clinical Value at Valley Children’s Healthcare (Madera, Calif.). Mr. Khoury leads organizationwide efforts at Valley Children’s Healthcare to advance quality, safety, clinical value and research outcomes across one of California’s largest pediatric systems. As patient safety officer, he created a multi-faceted structure to reduce low-value care, increase workflow efficiency and implement high-impact cost savings that totaled $7 million in two years. He directs six specialized teams that target areas like evidence-based medicine, pharmacy cost optimization and EHR improvements. Mr. Khoury is a regional champion for California’s Solutions for Patient Safety and serves on The Leapfrog Group’s hospital advisory committee. His leadership has helped the organization earn Leapfrog’s “Top Children’s Hospital” designation and statewide recognition for excellence in performance and innovation. Mr. Khoury’s executive experience spans decades and includes time spent with Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and Walnut Creek, Calif.-based John Muir Health.
Kimi Kobayashi, MD. CMO and Chief Quality Officer at UMass Memorial Medical Center (Worcester). Dr. Kobayashi leads quality and safety strategy at UMass Memorial Medical Center, where he has driven transformational improvements in patient care, operational efficiency and national benchmarking performance. Under his leadership, the organization improved its CMS star rating from 1 to 4 stars and advanced from the bottom to top decile in Patient Safety and Adverse Events Composite metrics among academic medical centers. Dr. Kobayashi’s team received national recognition at the Vizient summit for implementing best practices in patient safety and grievance resolution. He is also a vocal advocate for workplace violence prevention and health equity, helping develop institutional policies that prioritize safety for patients and caregivers. His leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic earned him the local “Healthcare Hero” award, recognizing his outreach and protocol development efforts. Dr. Kobayashi serves on the Vizient Quality Executive Network steering committee and brings a systems-level focus to clinical improvement.
Sunita Koshy-Nesbitt, MD. Chief Medical and Quality Officer at Texas Health Physicians Group and Chief Quality Officer for the Hospital Channel at Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Dr. Koshy-Nesbitt serves in a dual leadership role overseeing clinical quality and safety across both Texas Health hospitals and the physician group. She leads strategic initiatives to improve quality outcomes, reduce hospital-acquired conditions, and ensure regulatory readiness across multiple hospital sites and affiliated facilities. Under her leadership, the system achieved top-decile mortality performance and national top-quartile central line bloodstream infection reductions in 2024. Dr. Koshy-Nesbitt also serves as executive sponsor for systemwide quality initiatives focused on infection prevention, readmissions and performance in CMS value-based programs. She is a nationally engaged leader, serving on committees for the American Heart Association, Premier, and other boards related to virtual care and health system oversight.
M. Suzanne Kraemer, MD. Chief Quality Officer at Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Dr. Kraemer leads Carilion Clinic’s systemwide clinical advancement and patient safety efforts, combining operational excellence with frontline engagement to drive measurable quality outcomes. Under her leadership, Carilion Clinic launched a mortality review program that reduced system mortality rates by over 50% in under two years and dramatically cut healthcare-associated infections through real-time escalation huddles. She also implemented “Target Zero Harm”, a digital platform recognizing employee contributions to patient safety, and established physician-appointed quality directors in most departments. Dr. Kraemer brings over 25 years of experience, including prior roles as chief of staff and residency director, with a demonstrated ability to mobilize clinicians and drive accountability. Her work has earned Carilion Clinic regional and national accolades, including recognition as a “Quest for Quality” finalist by the American Hospital and consistent Leapfrog “A” grades. Dr. Kraemer is also a clinical professor at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Alice M. Krumm, DNP, RN. Director of Partner Engagement and Faculty for Vanderbilt Health (Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Krumm is a nationally recognized healthcare leader with over 30 years of experience advancing patient safety, professional accountability and perioperative excellence. As a faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Vanderbilt Health’s Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, Dr. Krumm helps organizations implement evidence-based strategies to build high-performing teams and foster a culture of safety, support and respect. She has played a pivotal role in systemwide safety initiatives, including the development of a comprehensive safety program at Columbus-based The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the implementation of perioperative safety huddles across Vanderbilt’s adult hospitals. Her work on peer feedback models, including the “coworker observation reporting system” for nursing programs, has informed national guidelines and been featured in Association of periOperative Registered Nurses’ revised standards for team communication. A member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s clinical learning environment review operative and procedural sub-protocol advisory group, Dr. Krumm shapes national conversations around safety, professionalism and team-based care.
Jared Kutzin. President of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (Washington, D.C.). Mr. Kutzin leads the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, a global organization with over 5,400 members dedicated to improving patient safety through simulation-based education and research. A two-time national fellow in patient safety and clinical quality, he bridges disciplines to enhance collaboration and innovation. Mr. Kutzin is a recognized advocate for simulation’s role in improving outcomes, with a focus on breaking down silos across healthcare professions. He frequently presents at national forums such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the National Patient Safety Foundation. His work has helped shape patient safety education and practices worldwide. Mr. Kutzin also serves as training and education chair for the New York State Emergency Medical Services Council and sits on the New York State Board of Nursing.
Hakim Lakhani. Senior Director of Health Systems Transformation for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston). Mr. Lakhani joined Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016 to establish its health systems improvement program, aiming to advance patient safety, quality and efficiency. In 2024, Mr. Lakhani assumed the role of senior director of health systems transformation, leading efforts to redesign and improve care delivery using systems engineering, system safety, human factors, computer simulation modeling and continuous process improvement. He also oversees the patient-reported data program, which helps capture the patient voice to inform care and enhance outcomes. Mr. Lakhani is an active member of Dana-Farber’s quality and patient safety leadership team, and he recently led a series of innovative clinical scenario simulations in mocked-up patient rooms, informing the design of Dana-Farber’s proposed future cancer hospital. The simulations were instrumental in identifying critical design enhancements to improve patient and staff safety, workflow efficiency and the overall healing environment.
Christopher Landrigan, MD. Chief of the General Pediatrics Division at Boston Children’s Hospital. At Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Landrigan has driven major improvements in patient care through pioneering research and innovative programs. Dr. Landrigan is also co-founder and executive council member of I-PASS, a communication improvement program that has significantly reduced medical errors. He also co-founded the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute to scale its implementation nationwide. His groundbreaking studies on medical errors and resident-physician work hours have led to national changes in healthcare standards, reducing resident physician extended shifts by 95%. Dr. Landrigan has authored over 200 publications and received numerous awards for his contributions to patient safety, research and education. He is also a William Berenberg professor of pediatrics and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Michael Lane, MD. Senior Vice President, Chief Quality and Safety Officer, and Associate CMO at Parkland Health (Dallas). Dr. Lane leads safety, clinical risk and workforce wellbeing programs at Parkland Health, where he implemented high reliability training for over 17,000 employees. Under his leadership, the system reduced its serious safety event rate by 49% and significantly improved its safety culture scores. He spearheaded enhancements in causal analysis processes and contributed to reductions in central line-associated bloodstream infection and hospital mortality. Dr. Lane chairs the Texas Hospital Association’s quality and safety committee and serves on the CMS-aligned pre-rulemaking measure review recommendations committee. He is also a faculty member at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in the infectious diseases division, as well as the O’Donnell School of Public Health.
Diego Lara, MD. Chief Quality and Safety Officer at Ochsner Children’s Hospital (New Orleans). Dr. Lara leads all quality and safety initiatives at Ochsner Children’s Hospital, where he fosters a strong culture of improvement through multidisciplinary engagement and systems-based change. He directs daily safety huddles, chairs the quality committee, and ensures alignment of clinical practices across specialties and the expanding Gulf South network. Dr. Lara launched a hospitalwide safety culture training that was so impactful it was adopted by adult care teams as well. He also co-directs the fetal diagnosis and care program, bringing specialized expertise in pediatric cardiology and fetal care. Under his leadership, the hospital has maintained top rankings in U.S. News & World Report across multiple specialties and received Newsweek’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” recognition for 2025.
Jodi Larson, MD. Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Larson oversees quality, safety, patient experience and risk management programs at Boston Medical Center, helping the system earn four consecutive “A” safety grades from The Leapfrog Group. She introduced a daily safety huddle that has resolved thousands of operational issues, greatly enhancing patient outcomes. In 2024, she was named the system’s inaugural chair for quality and patient safety, helping to advance data-driven care improvements. Dr. Larson serves on the “CARe” advisory board and is an assistant professor at Boston University’s School of Medicine. She is also a practicing hospitalist at Boston Medical Center.
Donald J. Lefkowits, MD. Executive Medical Director at MDReview (Lakewood, Colo.). Dr. Lefkowits leads MDReview, a Hardenbergh company, providing peer review and clinical quality solutions with a strong focus on patient safety and clinician education. He aims to empower providers through communication and teamwork training, and has spearheaded safety initiatives that improved patient flow and outcomes. He brings more than 40 years of medical leadership experience to his role, including decades in emergency medicine at Denver-based Rose Medical Center, where he directed trauma protocols and throughput strategies. He has chaired credentialing and peer review committees and is a former president of the Colorado Medical Board, where he influenced state-level safety policy. He was honored as a top emergency physician by 5280 Magazine in 2008.
Fameka Leonard. Deputy Chief Quality Management at Birmingham (Ala.) Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Ms. Leonard serves as deputy chief of quality management, leading accreditation, risk management, external peer review and patient safety initiatives to ensure high-quality and cost-effective care. She recently took on the role after over two decades at UAB Hospital, also in Birmingham, where she launched a service line quality variance process that led to measurable safety gains and evolved into an accountable care team structure. Under her leadership, the UAB Hospital achieved a 35% decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 8% reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infection and a 9% increase in hand hygiene compliance. Ms. Leonard also introduced a “patient first” program, fostering a transparent culture of safety and improving voluntary event reporting by 27%. Her work led to a 31% reduction in serious safety events and earned national and state recognition for UAB Hopsital. She continues to advocate for quality care and safety as an active member of the National Association of Health Services Executives.
Elsie Lindgren. Vice President of Patient Safety and High Reliability at Advocate Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Ms. Lindgren oversees both proactive and reactive strategies to ensure safe, reliable patient care across Advocate Health, leading high reliability initiatives that emphasize cultural change and system redesign to reduce human error. She directs investigations into medical errors and near misses, collaborating with multiple departments to ensure lessons are learned, future incidents are prevented, and the psychological wellbeing of team members is supported. Under her leadership, the organization has implemented a standardized safety management framework, resulting in significant reductions in serious preventable harm and insurance expenses. Ms. Lindgren’s work extends to national collaborations, integrating simulation into patient safety programs, advancing automation to detect diagnostic errors, and partnering with the FDA on recall processes. She previously served as a clinic administrator for orthopedic hospital outpatient clinics and remains active in national presentations on patient safety and high reliability.
Amy Lu, MD. Chief Quality Officer at UCSF Health (San Francisco). Dr. Lu oversees quality, patient safety and regulatory strategy across UCSF Health’s inpatient, ambulatory and network settings. She leads a proactive culture of safety and high reliability, with programs addressing clinical effectiveness, infection prevention, health equity and data transparency. Since she assumed her role in 2021, UCSF Health has earned a CMS 5-star rating, consistent Leapfrog “A” grades and top-10 Vizient rankings. Dr. Lu is a national thought leader, serving as deputy editor of the Joint Commission Journal and core faculty with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement chief quality officer program. She has redesigned patient safety event processes, led enterprisewide surveys, and mentored staff in systems improvement and analytics.
Josh Lumbley, MD. Chief Quality Officer at NorthStar Anesthesia (Irving, Texas and Washington D.C.). As national chief quality officer, Dr. Lumbley is responsible for ensuring that NorthStar Anesthesia delivers best-in-class quality outcomes for its patients, nationwide. Under Dr. Lumbley’s leadership, 96% of NorthStar’s clinical sites received an “Exceptional Performance Payment Adjustment” score under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2020. He combines a passion for lifelong learning, data-driven decision making and strategic leadership to improve clinical performance and elevate physician wellness at NorthStar.
Melissa Matherne, BSN, RN. Director of Patient Safety and Quality at West Jefferson Medical Center (Marrero, La.). As director of patient safety and quality at West Jefferson Medical Center, Ms. Matherne is passionate about stimulating sustained improvements in patient outcomes. She ensures that solutions are consistently monitored to ensure success. She helped to significantly reduce hospital acquired infections from 2019 to 2022, implemented daily huddles to promote discussion, and has championed participation in employee engagement surveys and safety culture surveys.
Tim McDonald, MD, JD. Chief Patient Safety and Risk Officer at RLDatix (Chicago). Dr. McDonald brings more than three decades of experience in clinical care, law and patient safety to his role as chief patient safety and risk officer at RLDatix, where he leads solutions that integrate technology and culture change for harm prevention. An anesthesiologist and licensed attorney, Dr. McDonald is widely recognized for his work in transparency, disclosure and the “CANDOR” toolkit. His advocacy for compassionate honesty has helped more than 800 hospitals implement culturally responsive pedagogy frameworks that reduce safety events and improve staff wellbeing. He has also advanced RLDatix’s software to support peer support programs, improve emotional resilience and track safety culture. Dr. McDonald is a national thought leader and TEDx speaker who has received awards including the Medically Induced Trauma Support Services “Hope Award” and the American College of Medical Quality “Founders’ Award”. He also teaches at Loyola University and advises leading malpractice insurers and health systems.
Patricia McGaffigan. Senior Advisor of Safety and President of the Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (Boston). Ms. McGaffigan serves as a national leader in advancing systemic safety initiatives and workforce wellbeing. As co-chair of the national steering committee for patient safety, she played a key role in shaping the CMS patient safety structural measure and aligning it with the National Action Plan. Under her leadership, the number of certified professionals in patient safety grew to 7,500 across 36 countries, and she launched the certified professional in human factors in health care program in 2025. She also led the organization’s Lucian Leape Institute report on AI and patient safety, which has had wide national reach. Her board service and advisory roles span American Nurses Credentialing Center, American Nurses Association, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Planetree.
Jordan Messler, MD. Chief Medical Officer at Glytec (Boston). Dr. Messler is responsible for spearheading continuous improvement initiatives for Glytec’s clinical strategy and product development while supporting the delivery, customer, quality and regulatory teams to ensure ethical and safe glycemic management best practices. He has given many national and regional talks on the history of hospitals, teamwork in the hospital, engaging hospitalists in quality improvement and more.
Chantel Moffett. Director of Patient Safety and Quality at New Orleans East Hospital. Ms. Moffett is responsible for New Orleans East Hospital’s quality and performance improvement program by ensuring compliance with existing regulations, standards, policies and procedures. Despite assuming her role under an unexpected transition in leadership, she led the organization’s quality efforts with confidence and poise, which ultimately resulted in successful CMS and The Joint Commission surveys.
Christy Moody, MSN, RN. CNO of Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center (Hartsville, S.C.). Ms. Moody first joined Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in 2003 as an ICU staff nurse. She later served as director of ICU. In 2016, she assumed the role of CNO for the medical center. In 2024, she received the “Drive to Zero Harm Leadership Award” from the South Carolina Hospital Association for her dedication to patient safety.
Satyanarayana Reddy Mukkera, MD. Assistant Vice President of Orlando (Fla.) Health and Chief Medical Officer at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. Dr. Mukkera leads safety and quality initiatives for Orlando Health’s flagship hospital, including its level 1 trauma center, with a focus on reducing mortality and hospital-acquired complications. Previously chief quality officer across several Orlando Health facilities, he brings deep clinical and operational experience to this role. Under his leadership, the hospital achieved a seventh consecutive “A” Leapfrog safety grade and earned high performance rankings from U.S. News & World Report. In 2023 alone, over 100 additional lives were saved compared to the prior year, and hospital-acquired infections like central line bloodstream infection and catheter-associated urinary tract infection were reduced to top-decile performance levels. Dr. Mukkera also holds academic appointments and is board certified in internal medicine, critical care medicine and neurocritical care.
Brenda Nance, DNP, RN. Vice President of Quality Attainment at Saint Francis Health System (Tulsa, Okla.). Dr. Nance is in charge of all quality initiatives for Saint Francis Health System, which includes flagship Saint Francis Hospital, an additional urban hospital, rural hospitals, a children’s hospital, and a freestanding psychiatric clinic and hospital. She is responsible for patient safety and accreditation, safety event analysis, infection control and prevention, patient experience, clinical quality data and physician peer review. She is also passionate about health equity, helping Saint Francis become one of the first hospitals nationally to join a health and human services initiative to reduce perinatal mortality. The system is an early adopter of “Team Birth” and four years after starting the program, Saint Francis was recognized for its improved Black maternal health and low C-section rates. During Dr. Nance’s tenure, Saint Francis Hospital has increased performance from a “C” to an “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group.
Bela Nand, MD. Regional CMO at Advent Health Mid-America Region. Dr. Nand was appointed regional CMO for the Mid-America Region of AdventHealth in the summer of 2025, where she now serves as the primary CMO for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and also supports AdventHealth Ottawa and other regional initiatives. In this role, she leads efforts in clinical quality, patient safety and physician engagement across multiple hospitals, building on her previous success as CMO at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale and La Grange. Known for her collaborative leadership, Dr. Nand has launched impactful programs such as just objective peer review, enhanced safety event reporting systems and dyad clinical leadership models, which have contributed to CMS 4- and 5-star ratings, Leapfrog “A” grades and Magnet designations. Under her guidance, key outcomes such as length of stay, sepsis mortality and operating room first-case starts have significantly improved. Dr. Nand brings a deep commitment to high reliability and whole-person care, aligning clinical and administrative teams while promoting psychological safety throughout the organization. She is board certified in internal medicine and hospice/palliative medicine.
David Nash, MD. Founding Dean Emeritus of the Jefferson College of Population Health (Philadelphia). Dr. Nash is internationally recognized for his efforts in physician leadership development, care quality improvement and public accountability for outcomes. An internist by training, he is a principal faculty member for quality-of-care programming with the American Association for Physician Leadership. Dr. Nash has also authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles, edited 25 books and is currently the editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Medical Quality and Population Health Management.
Ursula Nawab, MD. Vice President and Chief Patient Safety and Quality Officer at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Dr. Nawab oversees safety and quality initiatives at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, where she directs proactive and reactive strategies to reduce harm, enhance systems of care and implement evidence-based practices. She leads zero harm efforts in collaboration with nursing teams, driving down hospital-acquired infections and fostering a culture of safety across clinical operations. Dr. Nawab has made significant advances in diagnostic safety, incorporating frontline feedback and human-centered design to create more reliable workflows in pediatrics. Her work supports a psychologically safe environment for staff while improving patient outcomes. She also spearheads a program dedicated to eliminating healthcare disparities, ensuring equitable care for all patients. Prior to her current role, Dr. Nawab held patient safety leadership positions at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Lori Paine, DrPH. Vice President and Patient Safety Officer at Rochester (N.Y.) Regional Health. In her current role, Dr. Paine oversees strategic and tactical patient safety initiatives. Known for her leadership and public speaking, she has inspired patient safety professionals worldwide and consulted on topics such as strategic planning, human factors, and safety culture improvement. Dr. Paine also teaches at the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She has published scholarly articles, contributed to healthcare policy, and serves on expert panels for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Quality Forum. Her doctoral work advanced patient safety by triangulating safety culture, employee engagement, and patient satisfaction data to identify high-risk areas. Previously, Dr. Paine served as the senior director of patient safety at Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, contributing over 30 years to the institution.
Arun Patel. Chief Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Dr. Patel is the chief patient safety and clinical risk officer for Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where he oversees safety across four hospitals and 25 ambulatory centers serving over 500,000 patients annually. Under his leadership, Los Angeles General Medical Center moved from a Leapfrog “D” rating to a sustained “A,” a turnaround achieved in under two years. Across the system, he implemented just culture and “CANDOR” programs, shifting a decades-old punitive environment into one that encourages transparency and frontline empowerment. This cultural shift has led to an 85% drop in malpractice claims and costs, and widespread improvements in error reporting and response. Dr. Patel personally leads systemwide training and oversees the response process for just culture interpretations, embedding accountability and fairness into organizational DNA.
Laura Paxton. Founder and CEO at Rpharmy (Austin, Texas). Ms. Paxton is the founder and CEO of Rpharmy, a healthcare technology company advancing medication safety through innovative software as a service solutions. After experiencing a personal loss due to a preventable medication error, she designed “Formweb”, a cloud-based formulary and communication hub, which streamlines critical safety data for pharmacists, nurses and clinicians. Under Ms. Paxton’s leadership, Formweb has integrated with major EHRs and helped healthcare systems reduce medication errors and identify cost-saving opportunities. She has pioneered features addressing key safety and financial challenges, including alerts for drug recalls, shortages and high-cost medications. Ms. Paxton also launched Rpharmy’s safety first blog and other educational initiatives, establishing herself as a thought leader in the field. Her work has earned national recognition, including a 2024 Premier “Innovators Award” and multiple “Stevie Awards” for her contributions to patient safety and leadership.
Leo J. Penzi, MD. Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of North American Partners in Anesthesia (Melville, N.Y.). As executive vice president and chief medical officer of NAPA, Dr. Penzi has advanced patient safety and quality improvement across a network of hospitals, ASCs, and office-based client relationships. Since taking on his current role in 2020, Dr. Penzi has driven clinical excellence and nurtured a collaborative, safety-focused culture among anesthesia providers. He oversees rigorous quality improvement, compliance and risk management initiatives, ensuring high standards of care for approximately two million patients annually. Dr. Penzi spearheaded the creation of the NAPA Patient Safety Institute, which has developed innovative tools and protocols, earning national recognition such as the “John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality” award.
Jonathan Perlin, MD, PhD. President and CEO of The Joint Commission (Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.). In 2022, Dr. Perlin became the president and CEO of The Joint Commission. Since his appointment, he has led the organization in its mission of improving the safety and quality of care offered to patients. Dr. Perlin has been recognized with the “John Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety” for using AI to detect sepsis early and save 8,000 lives. He has also been published for preventing hospital acquired infections, reducing pre-term deliveries, and using health informatics for improving safety and quality.
Becky Pomrenke, MSN, RN. Director of Patient Safety at USA Health (Mobile, Ala.). Ms. Pomrenke leads patient safety strategy across USA Health’s academic health system, where she oversees operations at three hospitals including the region’s only level 1 trauma center and level 3 NICU. She spearheaded the “Safety Starts with Me” initiative, a transformative systemwide education program that has trained over 7,700 staff and increased safety reporting by more than 400% in four years. Her leadership has also driven a 73% reduction in serious safety events, earning USA Health the Press Ganey “Human Experience Achievement Award” for 2024. Ms. Pomrenke has built interdisciplinary partnerships and launched a safety coach program, while embedding a fair and just culture policy that prioritizes psychological safety. She also mentors medical residents and collaborates with Press Ganey on customized strategies for harm mitigation.
Michael Posencheg, MD. Chief Quality and Safety Officer of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Posencheg leads teams within Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Healthcare Quality and Analytics, partnering with clinical and operational teams throughout the organization to continuously evaluate and improve care results. The center is advancing work to measure and improve clinical outcomes for acute and chronic childhood conditions, including the development of an operating model that utilizes clinical pathways, decision support and data analytics to efficiently get evidence to practice. The center held a recent multi-hospital collaborative to expand work on diagnostic excellence and are incorporating the investigation of health disparities in all of their quality initiatives in partnership with CHOP’s Center for Health Equity. Under Dr. Posencheg’s leadership, CHOP implements the “Breakthrough to Zero” program, with an overall goal of building system resilience that can absorb human error. Dr. Posencheg has roles supporting national efforts in pediatric quality and patient safety, including representing the quality and safety sessions on the Pediatric Academic Society planning committee and serving on the contract faculty for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Jeffrey Pothof, MD. Chief Quality Officer at UW Health (Madison, Wis.). Dr. Pothof leads systemwide efforts to improve safety, reduce harm, and enhance patient experience across UW Health’s seven hospitals and 80 clinics. He implemented the “Health Event Reporting Online” system and launched innovative peer review and root cause analysis programs. His public health communications during Covid-19 reached over 1.9 billion global viewers, reinforcing trust in science and vaccines. He co-developed the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System – Root Cause Analysis 2 model to address system issues behind medical errors, improving reliability. Under his leadership, UW Health has been ranked Wisconsin’s No. 1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report for 13 consecutive years. Dr. Pothof is also a flight physician, educator, and the recipient of numerous national awards for leadership in emergency medicine and patient safety.
Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD. Chief Quality and Clinical Transformation Officer at University Hospital (Cleveland). Dr. Pronovost is tasked with fostering the ideation and implementation of new protocols that will enhance value of care, developing new frameworks for population health management for 1 million patients seen by University Hospitals, and managing the hospital’s ACO. He has successfully integrated an analytic platform that centralizes claims, medical records and scheduling data for clinician use. This system reduced the annual cost of care for Medicare patients by 30% over three years. He also contributed to the creation of a life-saving intervention that reduces central line-associated bloodstream infections, decreasing infections by 80% across the nation. Ultimately, Dr. Pronovost’s mission is to lead the system’s “zero harm” mission.
Heidi Raines. Founder and CEO at Performance Health Partners (New Orleans). Ms. Raines is the founder and CEO of Performance Health Partners, where she leads the development of advanced patient safety technologies and drives the company’s national growth. Under her leadership, the company has earned consecutive “Best in KLAS” honors and maintains a 97% client retention rate. Ms. Raines is a recognized thought leader who authored the bestselling book Shared Voices, advocating for proactive, systemwide safety strategies. She began her career in rural healthcare settings and now influences national safety conversations through partnerships with regulators, providers and investors. Ms. Raines also promotes inclusion in health IT, leading a company with 83% female employees and mentoring future healthcare leaders. She holds a faculty role at Tulane University and previously chaired the Women Healthcare Executive Network.
Kelly Randall, PhD. Vice President of Patient Safety and Regulatory Services for Ascension (St. Louis). Dr. Randall leads patient safety for Ascension’s extensive national health system, directing initiatives such as tiered huddles, standardized event reporting and safety coaching. She has driven widespread adoption of high-reliability practices, resulting in improved safety culture and significant reductions in patient safety events across the system. A national speaker and educator, Dr. Randall served as keynote at the 2025 Institute for Healthcare Improvement patient safety congress and co-authored its refreshed National Action Plan self-assessment. She has advanced shared learning by helping design Ascension’s national learning management network, which drives continuous improvement across markets and facilities. Dr. Randall brings deep experience in social work and regulatory services.
Nicolas Restrepo, MD. Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer at Valley Health System (Winchester, Va.). Dr. Restrepo leads patient safety strategy for Valley Health’s six-hospital system, building on more than two decades of clinical and medical staff leadership. He has implemented systemwide safety protocols and helped achieve recognitions such as the Leapfrog “Top Hospital Award” and Magnet status for Winchester Medical Center. As co-founder of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition, Dr. Restrepo has also expanded patient safety into the community, addressing opioid addiction through a public health lens. He champions the use of the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment model, coupled with the integration of evidence-based practices systemwide. Dr. Restrepo was awarded the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association “Senior Leader Quality & Patient Safety Award” in 2019 for his visionary leadership.
Jonathan Rogg, MD. Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of Operations at Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Rogg leads quality, safety and clinical operations at Houston Methodist, managing over 50 staff and overseeing care for more than 8,000 employees and 3,500 physicians. He implemented a unit-based teams model that enhanced collaboration and resulted in improved patient outcomes, including lower fall and pressure injury rates. Dr. Rogg also rolled out a systemwide, secure communication platform for physicians, increasing clinical efficiency and satisfaction. A trained emergency physician, continues to practice clinically as well. Under his leadership, the hospital achieved its highest Vizient ranking to date and continued its No. 1 ranking in Texas according to U.S. News & World Report. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as vice chair at UT Health Houston.
Samantha Ruokis. Vice President of Clinical Performance Excellence at University of Chicago Medicine. Ms. Ruokis directs quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance and risk management efforts across UChicago Medicine’s academic health system. A trained industrial engineer, she has championed systemwide clinical pathways and performance initiatives that reduce variation and elevate patient care. Her emphasis on just culture and high-reliability systems has led to a 20% year-over-year increase in event reporting and a nearly 80% identified reporter rate. Ms. Ruokis has advanced operational excellence and team engagement since joining UChicago in 2014, progressing from quality program manager to her current role. Her leadership contributed to UChicago Medicine’s sustained Leapfrog “A” grade streak and national recognitions from the American Hospital Association and Vizient.
Becca Rutledge. Manager of Patient Safety and Transformation at UCI Health (Orange, Calif.). Ms. Rutledge leads patient safety initiatives at UCI Health, where she established the organization’s first serious safety event rate and transformed causal analysis and safety review processes. She designed and implemented a high-reliability training framework for leaders and staff, creating a shared language around risk escalation and safety improvement. Her efforts have deeply embedded safety principles into daily practice, making reliability a core cultural value across the health system. Ms. Rutledge’s infrastructure development and training initiatives have empowered teams to take proactive action and enhanced cross-functional learning. She is a member of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and American Society of Quality.
Jacqueline Saito, MD. Chief Quality and Safety Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Children’s National Hospital (Washington, D.C.). Dr. Saito leads enterprisewide safety, quality, infection control and regulatory initiatives, all while continuing to practice as a pediatric surgeon. She has implemented an organizational action plan to improve safety culture and address systemic barriers to optimal care. Nationally, she chairs the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program–Pediatric and co-leads the Children’s Hospital’s Solution for Patient Safety colorectal surgical site infection initiative. Dr. Saito also contributed to the development of pediatric surgery standards and facilitated collaborative efforts to reduce surgical complications. During her tenure Children’s National Hospital has consistently ranked on the U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll”. Her previous roles included executive leadership at St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare and academic positions at Washington University School of Medicine.
Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD. President and CEO of ECRI (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.). Dr. Schabacker leads ECRI, a global nonprofit advancing healthcare safety through data-driven insights, human factors engineering and medical technology evaluations. Under his direction, ECRI has expanded its reach to more than 70 countries and led acquisitions of key safety organizations like Institute for Safe Medication Practices and The Just Culture Company. He emphasizes independent, evidence-based recommendations and has been a frequent expert voice in national media and healthcare forums. In 2024, he was selected by the White House to speak at the Patient Safety Forum. Dr. Schabacker draws on prior experience as a clinician and executive in industry and humanitarian medicine, including work in post-apartheid South Africa.
Jennifer Schwehm. Vice President of Patient Safety and Quality at LCMC Health (New Orleans). Ms. Schwehm brings nearly two decades of progressive leadership in patient safety and healthcare quality, driving high-reliability practices across LCMC Health. Previously assistant vice president of quality and patient safety, she has also held long-standing leadership roles at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, where she built foundational patient safety infrastructure over a 15-year tenure. She is known for her strong operational acumen in infection control, clinical outcomes, risk management and performance improvement. Ms. Schwehm’s influence is rooted in her ability to lead through complexity, whether in accreditation readiness, research or culture building.
Edward Seferian, MD. Vice President of Patient Safety and Quality, and Chief Quality Officer at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Dr. Seferian leads patient safety, quality and infection control efforts at Johns Hopkins, and holds a professorship in anesthesiology and critical care medicine. He has led groundbreaking initiatives in incident reporting and goal-concordant care and contributed to the CMS patient safety structural measure. Previously, at Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai, he implemented a 100% mortality review process and championed a transparent harm report. He also served in key roles at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic and holds an National Institutes of Health grant focused on enhancing frontline safety reporting. Dr. Seferian was appointed to the federal partnership for quality management pre-rulemaking measure review clinician committee recommendation group meeting in 2024 and is a nationally recognized voice in quality leadership.
Mike Seim, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at WellSpan Health (York, Pa.). Dr. Seim leads quality, patient safety, infection control, performance improvement and risk management for WellSpan Health, where he has implemented major initiatives such as lean management systems and real-time problem solving for zero harm. His leadership contributed to a 45% reduction in serious safety events and a 97% increase in patient safety event reporting within two years. Dr. Seim championed workplace violence prevention by implementing “Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression” assessments in the EHR and training thousands in de-escalation techniques. Under his guidance, WellSpan became the first health system in Pennsylvania to receive health equity accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. In 2024, WellSpan earned the American Hospital Association “Quest for Quality” prize and had two hospitals ranked among Healthgrades’ “Best Hospitals” for overall clinical performance. Prior to joining WellSpan, Dr. Seim held quality and emergency medicine leadership roles at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minn.
Tyler Seto, MD. System Vice President of Quality and Analytics at City of Hope (Duarte, Calif.). Dr. Seto leads quality improvement and analytics strategy for City of Hope, ensuring that cancer patients across the system receive the safest, highest-value care possible. His leadership was critical during the Covid-19 pandemic, where he developed comprehensive testing and safety protocols for staff and patients while also informing the broader community. Dr. Seto brings a dual background in internal medicine and medical informatics, allowing him to bridge clinical insight with data-driven performance improvements. He previously led quality oversight for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Dr. Seto teaches management and organization as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. His work has helped earn City of Hope top-five rankings in oncology by U.S. News & World Report and prestigious awards from Press Ganey.
Ghazala Sharieff, MD. Corporate Executive Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Operations Officer of Acute Care at Scripps Health (San Diego). Dr. Sharieff oversees acute care operations across all Scripps Health hospitals, leading efforts in patient safety, supply chain, IT and emergency management. She launched “sprint teams” to address specific safety and quality issues across the system, which led to significant reductions in infections and falls between 2022 and 2024. She also oversees the system’s opioid stewardship program, a model recognized statewide for decreasing high-dose opioid prescriptions and expanding addiction treatment resources. Her “6 Rs” strategic initiative helped reduce patient length of stay by 3.2% while enhancing care efficiency.
Peter Silver, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Dr. Silver leads quality improvement and patient safety strategies across Northwell Health, ensuring the system continually raises the bar on safety standards, clinical processes and patient wellbeing. A 35-year veteran of the health system’s pediatrics department, he most recently served as medical director of Cohen Children’s Medical Center. In his current role, Dr. Silver guides the system’s response to public health crises and serves as a key member of the system’s clinical advisory group. Dr. Silver has spearheaded Joint Commission–sponsored quality initiatives and led national collaboratives through the Children’s Hospital Association to improve sepsis recognition and eliminate central line–associated bloodstream infections. His contributions to quality improvement have been recognized with the United Hospital Fund’s “Excellence in Healthcare” award. He is a fellow in the American College of Critical Care Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics.
Jen Simmons, BSN, RN. Director of Nursing Quality for University of Utah Health (Salt Lake City). As director of nursing quality at University of Utah Health, Ms. Simmons leads initiatives that elevate evidence-based nursing practices and drive exceptional patient outcomes. She established the ambulatory quality and safety council and revitalized the inpatient safety council, boosting nurse engagement in safety culture across the continuum of care. Ms. Simmons has directly influenced policy modernization efforts, aligning countless protocols with current best practices to ensure safety consistency systemwide. Her collaboration across departments, spanning infection prevention, accreditation and ancillary services, has helped synchronize safety goals at every operational level. She reviews every incident report daily, identifying improvement opportunities and accelerating resolutions in real time.
Jo-el Sprecher. Patient Experience and Safety Director at Mary Greeley Medical Center (Ames, Iowa). Ms. Sprecher assists senior leadership in the development and operationalization of strategic plans as they relate to patient safety and experience. She is charged with leading patient rounding efforts, internal auditing processes and goal setting. Her work has led to the implementation of a new patient entertainment and engagement system, digital rounding platform, remote nursing and digital patient outreach program, safety rounding and leadership rounding. Among other organizations, Ms. Sprecher is a member of the Quality and Patient Safety Council.
Jimmy Stout. Director of Clinical Operations for TriVent Healthcare at University of Alabama at Birmingham (Ala.) Hospital. Mr. Stout is a healthcare leader with over 20 years of experience, specializing in patient safety and care optimization. He leads an interdisciplinary team at TriVent Healthcare to improve health outcomes for patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation, achieving significant contract renewals at UAB Hospital. Previously, as manager of nursing informatics at UAB Hospital, he enhanced patient care through initiatives like perioperative process improvement and IV infusion pump implementation. His dedication to patient safety is demonstrated by his active participation in the UAB patient safety committee and leadership in nursing documentation and order set development. Recognized with awards such as the ACHE of Alabama “Regent’s Award for Clinical Leadership Excellence”, Mr. Stout is passionate about improving healthcare delivery and coordinating across diverse teams to drive impactful change.
Juanita Stroud. Vice President of Safety and Medical Staff Services for Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Ms. Stroud is vice president for safety at Atrium Health. She is responsible for patient safety across the continuum of health services offered by Atrium, such as acute, ambulatory and continuing care. She also oversees the system’s two patient safety organizations which focus on the improvement of patient care and safety by collecting and operationalizing data to identify opportunities for improvement and to share best practices. With her 20 years of experience, she developed a comprehensive view of safety that draws connections across all of Atrium Health’s programs and revolves around establishing procedures that make Atrium’s facilities the safest they can be.
Kumar Subramaniam. President and CEO at Safetower (Baltimore). Mr. Subramaniam leads Safetower, a patient safety software company spun out of Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he oversees the development of data-driven solutions that go beyond event reporting to proactively uncover risk. He brings a rich background in healthcare innovation, having held leadership roles at Humana, ShareCare Healthways and Care Innovations. Mr. Subramaniam previously led the innovation and ventures division of Johns Hopkins Healthcare, driving the commercialization of health IT tools. His leadership at Safetower has transformed how organizations track patterns, resolve risk and enhance safety accountability. He is a board member at Illustra Health, Johns Hopkin’s cloud-based population health technology suite, and remains a recognized voice in the advancement of patient safety analytics.
Kristen Tefft. Vice President of Quality at Oceans Healthcare (Plano, Texas). Ms. Tefft leads Oceans Healthcare’s quality improvement efforts across 48 behavioral health facilities. Her strategic leadership has driven exceptional patient outcomes, including a 70–75% reduction in anxiety symptom severity. She has championed a systemwide root cause analysis framework that brings together interdisciplinary teams to evaluate incidents and apply corrective action. As chair of the patient safety committee, Ms. Tefft ensures that safety insights from frontline teams inform organizational policy, resulting in readmission rates below national benchmarks. She is committed to workforce development, mentoring clinicians and advancing quality education throughout the behavioral health field. She also holds committee leadership roles with the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers and The Joint Commission.
Christopher Thomas, MD. Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (Baton Rouge, La.). Dr. Thomas leads quality strategy for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System’s 10-hospital system, where he has implemented cutting-edge, evidence-based programs that have achieved dramatic improvements in sepsis outcomes and overall patient safety. He pioneered the first FDA-approved “IntelliSep” sepsis diagnostic integration into emergency departments, which reduced sepsis-related mortality by 40% and shortened average length of stay. His innovations include a novel safety scoring system, the expansion of near-miss reporting by 135%, and the elevation of patient mobility as a system goal. Dr. Thomas’s leadership has garnered awards such as the 2025 Vizient “Brilliance Award” and multiple Leapfrog “A” designations. He also chairs the Catholic Health Association clinical quality affinity group and serves on the New Orleans-based LSU Health Sciences Center advisory council.
Rafael Torres, MD. Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer for White Plains (N.Y.) Hospital. Dr. Torres, chief quality and patient safety officer at White Plains Hospital, oversees the quality of care for the hospital and its ambulatory practices. The hospital serves as the tertiary hub for advanced care in the New York City-based Montefiore Health System. Dr. Torres leads a team focused on performance improvement, ensuring top regional patient care. His initiatives, including the WPH Cares acute care transition team, optimize patient outcomes post-hospitalization through resources like remote monitoring and same-day access. Under his leadership, the hospital received its 10th consecutive “A” hospital safety grade from Leapfrog, and top honors for patient safety and experience from Healthgrades. In 2023, White Plains Hospital earned a 5-star rating for quality from CMS, the only hospital in the area to achieve this.
Sara Toomey, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Safety and Quality Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Toomey leads Boston Children’s enterprisewide strategy for patient safety, staff experience and quality improvement while continuing her pioneering pediatric health services research. She has developed nationally recognized pediatric quality measures and serves as managing director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/CMS-funded center of excellence for pediatric quality measurement. Dr. Toomey was instrumental in creating the pediatric Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and leads studies on racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric care experiences. Her work focuses on measuring and improving outcomes, ensuring that patient and family voices are central to quality initiatives. A practicing physician and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Toomey combines clinical insight with leadership in quality advancement. Her institution has been named Newsweek’s No. 1 world’s best specialized hospital and regularly receives top rankings in U.S. News & World Report.
Lisbeth Votruba, RN. Chief Clinical Officer at AvaSure (Belmont, Mich.). Ms. Votruba has significantly advanced patient safety through virtual technology at AvaSure. She has driven the company’s growth, providing safer environments for patients and achieving hundreds of millions of live monitoring hours. Ms. Votruba pioneered video monitoring for fall-risk patients and has authored several research articles on virtual care’s benefits. She created eLearning modules for clinicians and hosted numerous national webinars to promote patient safety. Her leadership at AvaSure continues to revolutionize patient safety and care delivery.
Sandeep Wadhwa, MD. Global Chief Medical Officer at Solventum (St. Paul, Minn.). Dr. Wadhwa oversees patient safety, payment and quality strategies at Solventum, helping healthcare systems and governments globally reduce avoidable harm and advance value-based care. He led the development of the Solventum “Ambulatory Potentially Preventable Complications” system, now used in U.S. News & World Report rankings to measure outpatient procedural safety. Board certified in internal medicine and geriatrics, he also serves as an associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado and volunteers at its seniors clinic. Dr. Wadhwa previously served as Colorado’s state Medicaid director and held leadership roles at Solera Health, Noridian and McKesson. He also contributes nationally through his board service at Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia Health, the nonprofit Reinvestment Fund, and data and mapping tool Policy Map. Throughout his career, he has been deeply committed to improving care for vulnerable and underserved populations.
Heidi Wald, MD. Chief Quality Officer for Denver Health. Dr. Wald is a board-certified geriatrician and physician leader, using her role as chief quality officer to advance safe and reliable healthcare through cultural transformation and system design. She also serves as visiting associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado. Previously, Dr. Wald was chief quality and safety officer at Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health, leading initiatives to improve quality, patient safety, patient experience and equity outcomes across 32 hospitals. Dr. Wald has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed articles on patient safety and quality of care for older adults in hospitals and nursing homes.
Brook Watts, MD. Chief Quality Officer for University of Michigan Health (Ann Arbor). Dr. Watts leads the safety and quality initiatives that support Michigan Medicine’s journey to become a highly reliable organization. She champions the implementation of safety coaches across the organization who model high reliability skills for team members. Dr. Watts also leads the patient harm composite measure, a helpful tool for identifying patient safety improvement areas. She has over 20 years of involvement in quality work and has held a variety of leadership positions, including the role of senior vice president for quality and chief medical officer for community and public health at the MetroHealth System in Cleveland. Additionally, Dr. Watts is a member of the editorial board for the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
Anne Weekley, RN. Vice President of Quality and Patient Experience at University of Maryland–Charles Regional Medical Center (La Plata). Ms. Weekley oversees quality, safety and patient experience for UM Charles Regional, where she has helped the hospital advance from a CMS 3-star to a 4-star rating and earn “A” grades from Leapfrog for both 2024 reporting periods. Her efforts have led to the hospital’s receipt of the 2025 Healthgrades “Patient Safety Excellence Award” and Health.com’s “Innovative Hospital Award” for the mobility rounds and reports program. A former labor and delivery nurse, Ms. Weekley brings clinical insight to her role, driving performance improvement initiatives and fostering a culture of high reliability. She also launched the hospital’s patient family advisory council, helping to bridge patient perspectives with system-level improvements. Under her guidance, the hospital earned honors in stroke, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care from organizations including the American Hospital Association and U.S. News & World Report.
Myka Whitman, BSN, RN. Lead Senior Patient Safety and Risk Solutions Consultant for MedPro Group (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Ms. Whitman serves as the lead senior patient safety and risk solutions consultant for MedPro Group, overseeing strategy across the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Puerto Rico regions. With nearly two decades of experience, she builds robust risk mitigation programs, conducts systemwide risk assessments, and mentors rising professionals in safety science and human factors. Her leadership has catalyzed impactful changes at major institutions like Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and the University of Miami Health System, where her programs helped increase event reporting by 46% and dramatically improved culture and safety outcomes. Ms. Whitman was instrumental in developing national curricula on reliability and safety and spearheaded “I-PASS” handoff framework adoption to reduce communication errors. She also led an award-winning performance improvement initiative for neutropenic patients and contributes regularly to American Society for Healthcare Risk Management and Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management and Patient Safety advisory boards.
Paige Wickner, MD. Vice President of Enterprise Patient Safety at CVS Health (Woonsocket, R.I.). Dr. Wickner leads enterprisewide patient safety at CVS Health, partnering across patient care businesses to deliver safe, high-quality care. She also directs the system’s Patient Safety Organization, guiding event response, proactive safety solutions, and innovative structures to reduce errors and improve outcomes. Prior to joining CVS Health, she held multiple leadership roles at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, including head of the division of allergy and clinical immunology quality and safety and medical director in the department of quality and safety. A practicing allergist and immunologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, she also serves as a part-time assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wickner has operationalized and published quality improvement initiatives focused on drug allergy, antibiotic stewardship and Covid-19 vaccination.
Janice Yanez. Director of Patient Safety at Nicklaus Children’s Health System (Miami). Ms. Yanez leads the patient safety agenda for Nicklaus Children’s Health System, where she developed and launched the “Safety for All” framework to embed harm prevention across patient, staff and visitor experiences. Her leadership helped drive measurable reductions in preventable safety events and healthcare-associated infections while increasing systemwide collaboration and standardization. With her support in key initiatives, the organization earned consecutive Leapfrog “Top Hospital” awards from 2022 to 2024 for outstanding safety performance. Survey results under her tenure show that 84% of families are likely to recommend the hospital, thanks in large part to her commitment to high-quality, family-centered care. Ms. Yanez was also honored with the Solutions for Patient Safety “Todd Conklin Award” for excellence in safety leadership and innovation.
