Tajal Gahndhi, M.D. – Chief Safety and Transformation Officer, Press Ganey, former  Chief Clinical and Safety Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Dr. Gandhi is one of the leading voices for patient and caregiver safety. Her expertise is helping to advance the Zero Harm movement for Press Ganey clients across the continuum of care. In 2019, Dr. Gandhi was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine. She is a recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award, given in recognition of her contributions to understanding the epidemiology of medical errors in the outpatient setting and for developing prevention strategies. Dr. Gandhi has also been named as one of the “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” by Modern Healthcare magazine. She received her MD and MPH degrees from Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and trained at Duke University Medical Center. 

Vivian S. Lee, M.D., Ph.D. –  President, Health Platforms, Verily Life Sciences

Dr. Lee, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. is President of Health Platforms, Verily Life Sciences, an Alphabet company whose mission is to apply digital solutions that enable people enjoy healthier lives. A passionate champion of improving health in the U.S. and worldwide, she works closely with Verily’s clinical and engineering teams to develop products and platforms that support the successful transformation of health systems to value and advance the co-production of health with patients, their caregivers, and communities. A radiologist and healthcare executive who led the University of Utah health system, Lee also serves as a senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and is authoring a book about improving the American healthcare system. Dr. Lee received a D.Phil in medical engineering from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, earned her M.D. with honors from Harvard Medical School, and was valedictorian of her EMBA class at NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Jamie Orlikoff – President, Orlikoff and Associates

Jamie Orlikoff is president of Orlikoff & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in health care governance and leadership, strategy, quality, organizational development, and risk management. He is the Senior Consultant to the Center for Healthcare Governance, and is the National Advisor on Governance and Leadership to the American Hospital Association and Health Forum. He was named one of the 100 most powerful people in healthcare in the inaugural list by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Mr. Orlikoff has been involved in leadership, quality, and strategy issues for over twenty-five years. He has consulted with hospitals in six countries, and since 1985 has worked with hospital and system governing boards to strengthen their overall effectiveness and their oversight of strategy and quality. He has worked extensively on improving the relationships between boards, medical staffs, and management. He has written fifteen books and over 100 articles and has served on hospital, college, and civic boards. He currently serves as a member of the Virginia Mason Health System board in Seattle, WA, and is chair of their Governance Committee; and is on the board of Pitzer College in Claremont, CA.

Heather Meade and Brandon Eggleston – Ernst & Young

Ms. Meade is a principal in Ernst & Young’s Washington Council, where she guides health care companies, nonprofits, employers and stakeholders through the complex federal political and policy process. A former ERISA attorney, Congressional staffer and political campaign operative with over 15 years of experience, Heather brings strategic business, political and policy insights to clients. Using legislative and regulatory strategies, coalition building, data and policy development, communications and bipartisan advocacy, Heather helps clients create change on Capitol Hill.Heather is a frequent public speaker on Congress and health policy issues and is a member of the New York State and the District of Columbia Bars.

Mr. Eggleston is a partner in Ernst & Young’s Health & Wellness practice and has served a broad spectrum of clientele in the for-profit, not-for-profit and life sciences spaces, including multi-hospital national and regional systems, rural and community hospitals, health, casualty and captive insurance companies, emergency medical services companies, and biotechnology companies. He has extensive experience with health care accounting, mergers and acquisitions, tax-exempt bond financings, healthcare reimbursement, Uniform Guidance, and SEC financial and reporting matters and integrated audits. He serves as EY’s representative on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is active in the Valley of the Sun United Way, and is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Carey Lohrenz –  First female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy

Carey Lohrenz knows what it takes to win in one of the highest pressure, extreme environments imaginable: in the cockpit at Mach 2. As the first female F-14 Tomcat Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Navy, having flown missions worldwide as a combat-mission-ready United States Navy pilot, Lohrenz is used to working in fast moving, dynamic environments, where inconsistent execution can generate catastrophic results. The same challenges are found in our industry: markets change, customer needs evolve and if you do not adapt quickly your company is at risk. 

Ms. Lohrenz will share her fascinating experiences operating in one of the world's most challenging environments - an aircraft carrier. She is uniquely qualified in the fundamentals of winning under pressure, reducing errors and overcoming obstacles. Her mastery of these fundamentals will help us learn how to triumph in this high-risk, time-crunched world.