ACHE WFC Fast Forward to the Future Symposium

Thursday, April 30, 2026

This 9-hour, instructor-led symposium will provide expert insight into a range of topics related to the future of healthcare. The panels will cover topics including how advanced analytics can improve care quality, safety, and cost, how consumer expectations are reshaping access and experience, how organizations rebuild public trust through transparent communication and stronger safety practices after errors, and how effective change leadership overcomes resistance to sustain major transformation. Attendees are welcome to ask questions and interact with panelists. Attendees will receive 6 hours of in-person ACHE credit and will have 4 hours to network with other healthcare professionals.

7:00-7:45 AM Check-in & Networking

7:45-8:25 AM Keynote Speaker

8:30-10:00 AM Panel #1: The Role of Data and Advanced Analytics in Transforming Healthcare (1.5 In-person Education Credit)

10:00-10:30 AM Networking

10:30-12:00 PM Panel #2: Meeting the Needs of Today’s Healthcare Consumer (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

12:00 -1:00 PM Networking Buffet Lunch

1:00-2:30 PM Panel #3: Rebuilding Public Trust Following Hospital Clinical and Managerial Errors (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

2:30-3:00 PM Networking

3:00-4:30 PM Panel #4: Successfully Leading Change in Healthcare Organizations (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

4:30-6:30 PM Networking Reception – Cash bar will be available

Keynote Speaker - Phil Dingle

HealthEdge Investment Partners | Managing Partner, TGH Immediate Past Board & Governance Chair

As Managing Partner of HealthEdge Investment Partners, Phil is responsible for deal origination, overseeing due diligence and transaction execution, portfolio management and value creation, fundraising and investor relations, and overall management of the firm. Phil’s background as an experienced and successful healthcare operator allows him to add unique insights in the areas of senior-level talent management and recruiting, enhancing portfolio company operational efficiencies and team accountability, and board construction and governance. Before co-founding the firm, Phil served as CEO and Chairman of publicly-traded PlanVista Corporation (formerly HealthPlan Services Corporation, a NYSE business). Upon his appointment as the Company’s senior-most executive, Phil inherited a highly leveraged, severely underperforming business, and during his tenure, he successfully executed an extensive strategic, financial, and operational turnaround of the Company, culminating with its sale in 2004. During his tenure at HPS/PlanVista, he also held roles as Chief Counsel, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. Prior to HPS/PlanVista, he was a lawyer. Phil is a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Tampa General Hospital, a multi-billion-dollar academic medical center and hospital system with over 100 facilities throughout the State of Florida, most recently having completed a three- year term as Board Chair. Outside of work, Phil focuses on his faith and family with wife Kim and twins Ashley and Lauren.

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Panel #1 - "The Role of Data and Advanced Analytics in Transforming Healthcare" (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

This program will focus on the role that data and advanced analytics play today and the potential role they will play in the future to impact operations, patient care, quality, safety, engagement & wellness, and healthcare costs.

Troy Quast, PhD

University of South Florida College of Public Health | Professor of Health Economics

Dr. Quast is an economist who received his doctorate in Economics from the University of Florida and his master’s degree in economics from the University of Texas. His research interests include the impact of economic conditions on health status, Medicaid policy, and the impact of natural disasters on health status and the utilization of health services. He has been awarded research funding by the National Institutes of Health to examine the treatment of children displaced after Hurricane Katrina and has an interest in using large data sets for analysis of population health issues.

Saad Alam, PhD

AdventHealth | Director of Data Science and AI

Dr. Saad Alam is the corporate Director of Data Science and AI at AdventHealth, a leading faith-based health care system with 50-plus hospital campuses in Florida and across the U.S. He has been with the company for 10 years, starting as a Data Scientist in 2015. He holds a PhD in Economics, with a focus on health economics and industrial organization. Before joining AdventHealth, he was a professor of economics at the University of St Thomas, where he conducted research on health care quality and cost, microfinance banking, and improving access to health care for the underprivileged. He also served as the Principal Economist at the Antitrust Division of the Texas office of Attorney General, where he analyzed the competitive effects of hospital mergers, ACOs, and pharmaceutical cases, using economic and predictive modeling and econometric/statistical analysis. As the corporate Director of Data Science and AI, Dr. Alam leads a team of data scientists and AI engineers who develop and deploy AI/ML solutions for various domains within AdventHealth, such as finance, human resources, risk management, revenue cycle management, and operations. He is also involved in an enterprise initiative responsible for designing and supervising the AI Readiness of enterprise data, AI governance, and ML infrastructure for the organization, ensuring reliability, accuracy, security, and ethical, legal, and regulatory compliance of AI/ML applications

Gilmer Valdes, PhD, DABR

OncoBrain | CEO and Founder

Dr. Valdes is CEO of OncoBrain Inc., building an oncology-wide clinical reasoning and treatment-planning system to help care teams reliably craft optimal, guideline- concordant, patient-specific plans, incorporate patient preferences, and operationalize execution (testing, referrals, authorizations, scheduling, logistics) so the plan actually reaches the patient. He previously served as Vice Chair of Machine Learning and Director of Clinical AI at Moffitt Cancer Center and led the translation of ML research into deployed clinical workflows and helped build a clinician-facing clinical AI platform (BlueScrubs) that informed OncoBrain’s approach—grounded in transparency, safety guardrails, measurable endpoints, and real-world integration. Dr. Valdes holds a PhD in Medical Physics (UCLA) and completed a fellowship + clinical residency training in Therapeutic Medical Physics (University of Pennsylvania), with faculty experience at UCSF and AI research training through an NIH K08 across UCSF–UC Berkeley–Stanford. His research has advanced expert-augmented learning and interpretable additive/boosted modeling approaches (e.g., MediBoost, Conditional Super Learner, Representational Gradient Boosting, additive tree families). Dr. Valdes has received multiple awards, including federal grant support, and I’m the PI on two awarded patents.

Kristopher Bryant (Moderator)

Lee Health | System Director of Strategic Growth and Planning

Kristopher Bryant currently serves at Lee Health, where he leads the system’s expansion and service line planning initiatives. He believes that healthcare is people-powered and data-driven, and leverages data to scope, inform, and monitor the strategic planning process. He has 10 years of experience in the industry, working in a variety of academic, for-profit, and non-profit roles.

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Program 2 - "Meeting the Needs of Today’s Healthcare Consumer" (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

Many consumers today are taking greater control of their purchasing power and healthcare decisions and are demanding excellence in service. The challenge is how to give them the best service in a meaningful and economic way.

Lara Klick

Klick Advisors | Founder and President

Lara Klick is a nationally recognized human experience executive and the founder of Klick Advisors, a consulting and advisory firm specializing in patient experience strategy, customer relationship strategies, and trust‑centered organizational transformation. With more than 25 years of system‑level leadership, Lara now partners with healthcare organizations across the country through consulting engagements, executive coaching, keynote speaking, and custom retreat facilitation designed to strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and elevate the human experience of care. A sought‑after national speaker, Lara has presented for Becker’s, Press Ganey, The Beryl Institute, The Opal Group, ACHE, and other leading industry forums. Becker’s Healthcare has repeatedly named her one of the “Healthcare CXOs to Know,” recognizing her sustained impact and strategic leadership.

Darcy Allen, BSN, MBA

Lee Health | Chief of Operations & Nurse Executive and Patient Experience Executive Lead

Darcy Allen currently serves Lee Health as the Chief Nurse & Operations Executive at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida. Before joining Lee Health, she held the role of Chief Nursing Officer and AVP at Inova Fairfax in the Washington, D.C. metro area, and previously served in multiple leadership positions with Kaiser Permanente in California. She holds a BSN as well as an MBA with a specialization in Healthcare Management from Northeastern University. Clinically, Darcy’s background is rooted in critical care and emergency services. Her professional passion centers on clinical transformation, program development, and the execution and long-term sustainability of strategic initiatives that elevate both patient care and team member experience. Darcy has also served as a national speaker on Fall Prevention and Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) prevention. Her accomplishments include:

Daisy Foundation National Nurse Leader Award (2016) & PRC National Patient Experience Leadership Award (2022)

Peter Taylor

Sarasota Memorial Hospital | Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer

Peter Taylor was named chief strategy and business development officer in December of 2024, overseeing new business initiatives, strategic planning, marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, and content development for the health system. Previously, he had served as Sarasota Memorial’s vice president of Strategy and Business Development since 2007. Before joining Sarasota Memorial, Peter served in marketing leadership roles for a number of well-known industry leaders, including General Motors and McCann-Erickson Advertising. He graduated from Rhodes University in South Africa with degrees in Economics and Psychology.

Gina Rowland, MSN, RN, ONC (Moderator)

BayCare Health System | Director, Orthopedic Institute

Gina Rowland serves as the Director of the BayCare Orthopedic Institute, bringing over 14 years of experience in patient care and leadership. She began her career at BayCare as a nursing assistant and has since advanced through various roles, demonstrating a deep commitment to excellence in orthopedic care. For the past six years, Gina has led initiatives within the Orthopedic Institute to enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency. She holds a master’s degree in nursing leadership and administration and is passionate about advancing clinical practice and fostering collaborative healthcare teams.

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Program 3 - "Rebuilding Public Trust Following Hospital Clinical and Managerial Errors" (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

This panel explores how growing public transparency—from media coverage to performance ratings—has reshaped accountability in healthcare organizations. Examining how hospital leaders respond to unexpected errors through community engagement, strategic communication, and strengthened safety initiatives, it highlights practical strategies for rebuilding trust and sustaining market credibility.

Ann Marie Swindler, BSN, JD, CPHRM

BayCare Health Systems | Vice President & Chief Risk Officer

Ann Marie Swindler is Vice President /Chief Risk Officer of BayCare Health System, a not-for-profit health system serving communities in West Central Florida, including Tampa Bay. Ms. Swindler oversees Clinical Risk Management, Claims and Litigation Management, and Insurance. She joined BayCare in 2024 with nearly 30 years of experience, including 20 years focusing on health care risk services. Ms. Swindler is dedicated to supporting excellent outcomes for patients, families, team members, visitors, and volunteers. She considers collaboration the most important tool in the risk services toolbox and is committed to making BayCare the best place to work, receive, and provide care as it continues its mission to improve the health of all it serves.

John M. Hollingsworth, MD, MS

University of Florida College of Medicine | Chief Quality Officer & Professor of Urology

John M. Hollingsworth, MD, MS, is a urologist and tenured Professor of Surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He currently serves as Chief Quality Officer for UF Health. In this role, he is the senior executive responsible for advancing clinical quality, patient safety, patient experience, and regulatory performance across a statewide academic health system that employs more than 30,000 faculty and staff, provides care to over 4 million patients annually, and operates 12 hospitals and hundreds of physician practices and outpatient facilities located in Northeast, North Central, and Central Florida.

Dr. Hollingsworth assumed his system-level role after serving as Chief Quality Officer for UF Health Shands Hospital, a quaternary academic medical center in Gainesville, and for UF Health Physicians, a 1,000-physician multispecialty group practice (2024–2025). Before joining UF Health, he led clinical excellence initiatives at Endeavor Health, serving as Chief for Acute Care Quality and Patient Safety for Evanston, Skokie, Glenbrook, and Highland Park Hospitals (2022-2024). In addition to his executive leadership, Dr. Hollingsworth is an internationally recognized health services researcher with more than a decade of continuous federal funding and over 190 peer-reviewed publications. His work has fundamentally reshaped approaches to kidney stone management, advanced methods for studying physician-patient-sharing networks, informed the design of delivery system reforms such as Accountable Care Organizations, and contributed to national policy discussions on strategies to strengthen hospital performance.

Justin Olsen, MD, MHA, FACHE

Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital | Chief Operating Officer

Justin Olsen is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. As COO, he oversees operational areas across the organization and supports a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. He has the privilege of leading the planning and design for the new $330-million Johns Hopkins All Children’s Wesley Chapel campus, as well as leading a robust ambulatory care network spanning the west coast of Florida, various Institutes, Departments, and services. Olsen’s more than 20 years of experience in health care operations includes a decade of proven success in process improvement, strategic growth, and optimizing business operations in pediatric academic medical centers. Prior to Johns Hopkins All Children’s, Olsen was the operations executive at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, and CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital. Olsen holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Saint Louis University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Sociology from the University of Utah. He is licensed as an attorney in Texas and California, is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and has served on numerous boards, government committees, and community organizations.

Diana Baptiste, DNP, RN, FPCNA, FAAN, FRCN (Moderator)

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing | Associate Professor

Dr. Diana Baptiste is an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing. A registered nurse for more than 25 years, Diana Baptiste specializes in cardiovascular care and prevention. Her sustained scholarship focuses on cardiovascular health across the care continuum for underserved populations, grounded in responding to social justice issues influencing health outcomes. Her work in identifying cardiovascular disease risks among Black populations has been nationally recognized through the American Heart Association EPIǀLifestyle council. She has published peer-reviewed papers in areas of cardiovascular disease, nursing education, diversity, and cultural humility. Dr. Baptiste is a certified nurse educator whose teaching is grounded in evidence-based instructional methods with a strong commitment to health equity in practice, research, and academic service. She is an exemplary integrated scholar who is committed to transforming patient care as well as supporting nurses of the future. Dr. Baptiste demonstrates influential leadership in her position as a director of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom, and a board member of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

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Program 4 - "Successfully Leading Change in Healthcare Organizations" (1.5 In-Person Education Credit)

For change to truly be effective, a leader must know how to effectively communicate the benefits, minimize the barriers, and describe the processes. Learn from your peers as they share approaches that were successful and those that impeded the change process.

Sarah Sheffield, MBA

Lee Health | Program Director, Project Process Integration

Sarah Sheffield, MBA, is a healthcare transformational leader with 25+ years of healthcare experience leading complex, systemwide change initiatives. She has directed operational activation for more than $1.2B in capital expansions, safely relocated Lee Health's regional Level Il trauma program, and launched innovative care models, including Hospital at Home, with measurable gains in access, efficiency, and patient experience. Known for turning organizational strategy into coordinated, zero-harm execution, Sarah brings deep expertise in change management, workforce readiness, and high-reliability transformation across a large, multifaceted health system. Sarah turns strategy into disciplined execution; aligning people, process, and performance to drive sustainable transformation and long-term, mission-centered growth.

Osman Abbasi, DO, MS

Vituity | Divisional Vice President of Operations, Emergency Medicine Physician

Osman Z. Abbasi, DO, MS, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and Divisional Vice President of Operations at Vituity, where he leads seven Regional Directors overseeing more than 80 emergency departments nationwide and partners with major health systems to drive operational excellence, quality outcomes, and patient experience improvements. He previously served as Regional Director of Operations and System Medical Director at Union Health, leading large-scale implementations and achieving measurable performance gains, including a 50% reduction in time-to-provider. Dr. Abbasi is active in academic medicine and mentorship, is a published author, holds dual degrees in Computer Engineering, earned his DO from Rowan University, and completed his Emergency Medicine residency as Chief Resident at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Edward Rafalski, PhD, MPH, FACHE

Denver Health | Chief Strategy Officer

Edward Rafalski, Ph.D., MPH, FACHE, currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Denver Health, is an accomplished healthcare executive with demonstrated acumen and strength to lead large multi-disciplinary projects, in both staff and line capacity, in complex and competitive organizational environments, including urban, suburban, and academic health systems. Offering more than 30 years of combined strategic planning, marketing, digital/e-commerce, social media, community relations, business development, public relations, contact center, real estate, managed care, group purchasing, and emergency department / pediatric product line management experience, Dr. Rafalski is respected as a creative, data-driven, transformational leader, entrepreneurial-minded, and innovative. He is known as a direct yet diplomatic thought leader who instills confidence, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking amongst peers and direct reports, driving the achievement of goals. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in public policy studies, Dr. Rafalski received a master’s degree in public health from Yale University School of Medicine. He received his Ph.D. in public health sciences from the Division of Health Policy and Administration at the University of Illinois, School of Public Health, where he taught as Clinical Assistant Professor. His health services research and teaching interests include: the effects of market economics on health care services, quantitative methods, managerial epidemiology, health disparities, marketing, and strategic management. Dr. Rafalski is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Six Sigma Black Belt, member of the 2014 TNCPE Board of Examiners trained in the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, a certified site visitor for Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and member of the University of South Florida College of Public Health & Master Health Administration Advisory Board where he is also on faculty and teaches strategic innovation.

Krisiten Vogl, PT, DPT, MBA (Moderator)

BayCare Health Systems | Vice President Clinical Institutes

Kristen Vogl, Vice President of Clinical Institutes, serves at BayCare Health System, collaborating with the CEO Cabinet and clinical leaders to advance strategic, financial, and administrative objectives for BayCare’s Clinical Institutes and Care Transformation team. Her primary responsibilities include identifying best practices and leveraging data-driven insights to enhance care quality and minimize variation in clinical services. Kristen also oversees BayCare’s initiatives related to the development of Clinical Institutes and Comprehensive Care Centers, facilitating the expansion of the health system’s influence across acute, post-acute, and ambulatory care settings. Previously, Kristen held the position of Senior Vice President of Operations at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, where she directed both Musculoskeletal and Post-Acute service lines and fostered collaboration across additional service lines.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Mahaffey Theater Foundation, Inc., 400 1st Street South, St. Petersburg, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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