Session 1 – AI and Health Equity
Presenter
Maia Hightower, MD, MPH, MBA, CEO, Equality AI
Dr. Hightower is the CEO and Founder of Equality AI and former EVP and chief Digital Transformation Officer at the University of Chicago Medicine. She is a leading voice in the intersection of health care, AI, digital transformation, and health equity. She is a champion for responsible AI, ensuring that the digital future of health care is equitable and just. Equality AI provides AI quality assurance and compliance software for health care. She is a 4-time C-suite physician executive with fifteen years of executive leadership spanning healthcare IT, medical affairs, and population health across four academic medical centers, clinically integrated networks, and health care technology companies. She is an internationally sought-after speaker on responsible AI and digital health equity for academic, government, consumer, and industry audiences. Dr. Hightower received her BA at Cornell University, MD, and MPH, from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, followed by residencies in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. She also holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
Session 2 – AI and Workforce
Presenter
Brian Norris, MBA, RN, FHIMSS, Vice President & Managing Director, MedeAnalytics
Brian has more than 25 years of experience in health care, 20 of those years as an RN and 15+ years in analytics, value-based care, and product development. Before MedeAnalytics, he was the Vice President and Chief Nursing Informatics officer at Indiana University Health, where he successfully launched Google’s Healthcare data engine, a first-of-its-kind system in the health care industry. He has worked at several of the largest health care and consulting institutions, including Lutheran Health Network, Triad Hospitals, Inc., Deloitte, Catholic Health Initiatives, Aledade, and Marathon Health. In addition, he’s won three national innovation data and software development challenges. Brian has an Associate’s degree in Science and Nursing from Purdue University, a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Indiana University, and a Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in healthcare management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Session 3 – AI and Cybersecurity
Presenter
Barbara Wickoren, Offensive Security Advisor, White Oak Security
Session 4 – AI and Patient Experience
Presenters
Edward W. Marx, MS, CEO, Marx Advisory
The youngest child of Holocaust survivors, Ed moved to the United States at age 10. At 16, he served as a medical clinic janitor where he discovered his healthcare calling. Ed took successive positions as a combat medic, anesthesia tech, strategic planner, and technology manager. He quickly learned how the convergence of clinical, business, and digital saved lives. His passion ignited, he jumped feet first into technology and operations in the C-Suite of Cleveland Clinic, NYC Health & Hospitals, Texas Health Resources and University Hospitals. Intermixed, Ed also served the supplier side. He was CEO of the consulting firm Divurgent, global CDO for Tech Mahindra Health & Life Sciences, and CIO of the Advisory Board. Concurrently, he served 15 years as an Army combat engineer officer and combat medic. Today, Ed is focused on his own advisory practice. Ed does a fair amount of speaking, writing, and podcasting. He authored health care bestsellers, including “Voices of Innovation” and “Healthcare Digital Transformation.” His Blog, CEO Unplugged, has surpassed one million views. Ed recently started a YouTube channel to expand his audience. Most importantly, Ed is husband to Simran, who holds a Doctor of Nursing (DNP). They love to dance and climb mountains. They have five grown children and four grandchildren. To stay fit, he is captain of TeamUSA Triathlon.
Cris Ross, MBA, CIO, Mayo Clinic
Cris Ross is the Chief Information Officer of Mayo Clinic. Before joining Mayo Clinic in 2012, he held business and technology leadership roles with Surescripts, CVS Health/MinuteClinic, and UnitedHealth Group. Before entering the healthcare industry in 2003, he was a tech entrepreneur, finance manager, and Congressional aide. He was voted Healthcare CIO of the Year in 2022 by Inspire CIO/ORBIE. A two-time cancer survivor, he writes and speaks about improving the patient experience. He has served on advisory boards for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Veterans’ Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other industry groups. He is past chair of the Board of HIMSS and currently serves on the CaringBridge and Minnesota Opera boards. He has degrees from the University of Minnesota and Yale University.