University of Nebraska
Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., became the ninth president of the University of Nebraska System on July 1, 2024, following a national search by the Board of Regents.
As president, Gold leads a four-campus university system that enrolls nearly 50,000 students and employs 16,000 faculty and staff on campuses in Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney, plus academic divisions and research and extension centers across the state. He serves as chief spokesman and chief executive officer for the system, which operates on a $3 billion annual budget and includes a flagship Big Ten institution, a world-renowned academic health sciences center, Division I athletics programs, and preeminent institutes focused on water and agriculture, national security and defense, infectious disease and early childhood education.
He is a nationally recognized higher education and health care leader and advocate. He was the chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and board chair for the Nebraska Medicine Health System from 2014 to 2024. As UNMC’s chief operating officer, Dr. Gold was responsible for all aspects of campus leadership, program quality and operation—including 7 colleges, 37 institutes and centers, 5,429 faculty and staff and 4,700 health professions students.
In July 2021, Dr. Gold was named the Provost and Executive Vice President of the University of Nebraska System in addition to his ongoing UNMC/Nebraska Medicine responsibilities. In this role, he served as the chief academic officer of the University of Nebraska System and liaison to the Board of Regents for academic affairs. From May 2017 through June 2021, Dr. Gold served as the chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the state’s only public metropolitan university—a role he held concurrently with being UNMC’s chancellor.
He holds tenured faculty appointments in UNMC’s College of Medicine and in the College of Public Health, where his research interests in health care policy, population health and epidemiology are concentrated. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 350 national presentations, 40 books and chapters and engaged in over 300 invited professorships and keynote presentations.
Dr. Gold is a first-generation student; he graduated from the Cornell University College of Engineering with a bachelor’s degree in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. He earned his M.D. from the Weill Cornell College of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at The New York–Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He completed his cardiothoracic surgical fellowship training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, with additional training in pediatric cardiac surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital, both of the Harvard Medical School.
He has been certified by the American Board of Surgery and by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, specializing in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery. Dr. Gold is licensed in Nebraska, Ohio, New York and New Jersey.
Dr. Gold leads several key economic development boards for the State and the University System, including the Greater Omaha Chamber, University Tech Development Corp, the University Tech Transfer Corp, and UNeTech Corp.
His national leadership roles have included more than 50 national professional committees and more than 100 national organizations, volunteer boards, government and public health councils. He has worked extensively with national- and state-level elected and appointed governing and administrative bodies as an advisor and trusted resource in the areas of higher education, research and clinical care.
Dr. Gold has been married for more than forty years to a medical school classmate. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Cedars-Sinai Health System
Director of Health Services Research
Director, Master's Degree Program in Health Delivery Science
Cedars-Sinai
Professor of Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Professor of Public Health
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Dr. Brennan Spiegel is the Director of Health Services Research for Cedars-Sinai Health System and Professor of Medicine and Public Health at UCLA, where he teaches digital health science, health analytics and health economics.
Dr. Spiegel directs the Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), a multidisciplinary team that investigates how digital health technologies, including wearable biosensors, smartphone applications, virtual reality, and social media, can strengthen the patient-doctor bond, improve outcomes, and save money. CS-CORE unites clinicians, computer scientists, engineers, statisticians and health services researchers to invent, test, and implement digital innovations for the clinical trenches, always focusing on the value of technology to patient and their providers. His team developed the largest and most widely-documented medical virtual reality program in the world at Cedars-Sinai. He founded Virtual Medicine, the first international symposium dedicated to medical virtual reality (www.virtualmedicine.health), and is currently writing Virtual Healing, a book about therapeutic VR that will publish in 2020 through Basic Books, a leading science publisher.
Dr. Spiegel has published numerous best-selling medical textbooks, editorials, and more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He is listed in the Onalytica “Top 100 Influencer” lists for health technology, and is currently the highest ranked academic on this list at #13 in the world. His digital health research has been featured by major media outlets including Bloomberg, the Boston Herald, Forbes, CBS Evening News, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Mashable, NBC News, NPR, PBS, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, among many others. His virtual reality research won the 2017 People’s Voice Webby Award for best technology on the internet. See www.virtualmedicine.health/press for full media coverage.
Beyond his focus on digital health innovations, Dr. Spiegel conducts research across a wide range of healthcare topics. As a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Field Advisory Committee, Dr. Spiegel advises on how to conduct high quality clinical trials. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hearst Foundation, Veterans Administration and the California Initiative for the Advancement of Precision Medicine. Dr. Spiegel is Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Gastroenterology – a leading peer-reviewed medical journal. A prolific speaker, Dr. Spiegel is frequently invited to present on his areas of expertise at national and international events, most recently as a keynote speaker at the Consumer Electronics Show, Connected Health Conference, Health 2.0, Health Informatics Medical Society, Exponential Medicine, and the American Psychiatric Association. He practices clinical medicine and maintains an academic teaching practice at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
Advocate Health
Santosh Mohan leads the innovation ecosystem at Advocate Health, harnessing emerging technologies to build new ventures, drive strategic partnerships, and deliver impact. He previously served as the Vice President of Digital Innovation at Moffitt Cancer Center and co-founded CancerX, the nation's first oncology focused tech accelerator to boost innovation in cancer care.
Prior to Moffitt, Mohan served as the Managing Director of the Innovation Hub at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he led digital transformation through the use, development, evaluation and commercialization of innovative digital health solutions. His earlier work on advancing technology enabled innovation for providers and patients includes product development at Oracle Health (Cerner), platform partnerships at athenahealth, and management consulting at The Advisory Board Company and Stanford Health Care.
Mohan holds a master’s degree in clinical informatics from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics from Vellore Institute of Technology in India. He is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS) and a member of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA). He is a senior member and fellow of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Dean
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Mark S. Cohen, MD, FSSO, FACS, is Dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine - the world’s first engineering based medical school - at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Carle Health. He is also Professor of Surgery and Biomedical and Translational Sciences in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Professor of Bioengineering in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a member of the Cancer Center of Illinois and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at UIUC. Dean Cohen holds a B.S. degree in chemical engineering and M.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is a Fellow of the Society of Surgical Oncology. He has held several national leadership positions in surgical societies and is a founding member and program co-lead of the international Holomedicine Association and currently is Chair of the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education. Dean Cohen is a practicing Surgical Oncologist treating patients with advanced endocrine malignancies as well as melanomas. He has run an NIH R01-funded translational oncology laboratory for the last 15 years working on developing novel therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment and staging of advanced cancers as well as new programs in tissue engineering, AI and machine learning in health care decision-making, and use of extended reality technologies in teaching, skills development, and health-care delivery. He developed several educational programs in Innovation and entrepreneurship for medical students, residents, and faculty as well as co-founding five start-up companies to improve the care of surgical patients. He has mentored over 200 faculty, residents, and students on surgical innovation projects, advised numerous startups and delivered over 100 invited national and international talks, published over 120 original scientific articles, 13 book chapters, as well as a textbook on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in academic medicine.
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Dr. López-Ojeda is currently a Neuroscientist-Neuroanatomist and Assistant Director for Education, Research & Academic Affairs at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Salisbury, NC, where runs the Extended Reality Neuroanatomy Laboratory. Dr. López-Ojeda joined the VAMC, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC, VISN 6) in August 2020 from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in California, where he was founding faculty and head clinical anatomist. Prior to this involvement, he held a similar position at the University of Central Florida School of Medicine (UCF-COM) for nearly fourteen years. In addition to his academic and scholarly contributions, Dr. López-Ojeda has a robust imaging background from the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) in Florida, where he acted as Director of the Radiology and Imagining Services. Dr. López-Ojeda is a published author of multiple works in clinical anatomy, physiology, and neurosciences. His works include
scientific manuscripts, textbooks and laboratory manuals integrating basic and clinical sciences.
Some of his recent articles cover the metaverse technologies (e.g., virtual reality and extended
reality) in the context of medical education, medicine and clinical neuroscience and neuropsychiatry. He also serves as an editor and reviewer of reputable scientific platforms and
journals. He has presented scholarly and scientific works at many conferences, professional
forums, and medical schools (nationally and internationally). In addition, he holds faculty
appointments at Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSM) and Virginia College of Osteopathic
Medicine (VCOM), where teaches residents, medical and graduate students.
Sanford Health
Dave Newman, MD, is chief medical officer for virtual care at Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the country. A practicing endocrinologist and informaticist based in Fargo,
ND, Dr. Newman is passionate about health care disparities, especially zip code-based disparities.
An influential voice in the industry, Dr. Newman is regularly invited to contribute his clinical expertise, unique perspective and forward-looking insights on innovation in rural health care delivery. He has presented at high-profile national industry events including the Reuters Digital Health Summit, HIMSS AI in Healthcare Forum and the flagship ATA Nexus Conference among others. In 2023, Dr. Newman was featured in a STAT News documentary for his commitment to using technology to offset major obstacles to health care across the Dakotas, bringing care closer to home for his patients who live hundreds of miles away.
He received a B.S. from Drake University, an M.D. from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Hennepin County Medical Center and completed an Endocrinology Fellowship with the University of Minnesota.
In his spare time, Dr. Newman volunteers as a soccer coach for a Club and Olympic. Development Program and is an amateur DJ. He and his wife, Tracie Newman, MD, MPH, FAAP, have three children and reside in Fargo, ND.
Moffitt Cancer Center
Dr. Kosj Yamoah is Chair in the Department of Radiation Oncology with a secondary appointment in the Cancer Epidemiology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Yamoah’s clinical focus is genitourinary malignancies. He currently serves as the Section Head for Genitourinary Radiation Oncology and Director for Radiation Oncology Health Disparities Research. He is committed to increasing access and quality of care among the minority population, particularly men of African descent. His clinical expertise focuses on prostate cancer, prostate brachytherapy, intensity- modulation radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Dr. Yamoah received his MD degree from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and his PhD in Oncological Science from Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biological Sciences and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, also in New York, NY. Dr. Yamoah completed a Radiation Oncology residency at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, where he served as Chief Resident. He also completed a research fellowship in prostate cancer disparities and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Yamoah’s research focus is on the biologic factors that predispose African American men to higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality; to inform targeted treatment recommendations in the clinical setting. Dr. Yamoah directs a global laboratory geared toward pursuing translational research identifying gene-specific factors that contribute to aggressive disease and poor survival in men of African origin with prostate cancer. He is currently funded by the Department of Defense, American Cancer Society, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the National Institute of Health. He is also lead principal investigator for the department of Veterans Affairs-PCF award to develop Precision Oncology Centers of Excellence within the Bay Pines and James Haley VAs. Dr. Yamoah is a physician scientist who is highly demanded in the fast growing field of prostate cancer disparities research. He has won several awards and honors and is a respected member of the scientific community. He has had the opportunity to present research at national meetings and authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Melissa Bent, MD, is an attending physician in the Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center, and is assistant clinical professor of Orthopedics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Dr. Bent's clinical interests and experience include a non operative approach to general pediatric orthopedic conditions such as clubfoot, scoliosis, neuromuscular conditions, developmental hip dysplasia. Her research interests include medical education in musculoskeletal medicine and spina bifida/neuromuscular conditions.
She graduated from medical school from Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in Pediatrics at the University Of California San Francisco. She also completed a fellowship in Non Operative Pediatric Orthopedics at the University of Wisconsin Madison.
University of California San Francisco
As director of postgraduate education programs, I spearhead the creation and development of new educational programs, enhancing our educational initiatives and creating unparalleled opportunities for graduates in the field of drug discovery and development. My passion is anchored in transforming patient care, with a particular emphasis on harnessing the power of computational methods and approaches to advance these fields.
I also teach in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics (PSPG) and PharmD curriculums, and I serve as co-director of the Foundations course and leader of the Inquiry Immersion course.
Northwest Florida State College
Dr. Tanya Beauregard has been at Northwest Florida State College for more than a decade and is dedicated to nursing and education. Her journey is marked by a continuous pursuit of excellence and a deep commitment to the nursing profession. With a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) from Post University, specializing in Educational Leadership, she has demonstrated a profound dedication to advancing students’ knowledge and skills. Her education includes a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Angelo State University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hardin Simmons University. Her foundational knowledge of leadership began with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Abilene Christian University, providing her with a unique perspective on management and operational efficiency within healthcare settings.
Professionally, Dr. Beauregard has excelled as a registered nurse with almost two decades of leadership and management experience honing the ability to lead highly engaged teams and implement innovative process improvements which has consistently resulted in superior outcomes in both healthcare and the educational environment. Her skills in collaboration and relational leadership are particularly noteworthy, enabling her to inspire and work effectively with colleagues and students.
Looking to the future, Dr. Beauregard is poised to continue making significant contributions to the field of nursing education, helping to provide students with advanced tools and concepts that are crucial for shaping the future of nursing.
University of Michigan
Rishindra M. Reddy, M.D., M.B.A. is the José José Alvarez Endowed Research Professor in Thoracic Surgery. He was born and raised in Michigan. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Northwestern University and completed his general surgery residency at Washington University-Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. His spent two years during his residency, as a Clinical Research Fellow at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed his Thoracic Surgery residency at the University of Washington and was a visiting fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His academic interests include improving outcomes for patients with thoracic cancers, financial disparities in patient care, and resident and medical student education. He has held numerous leadership roles institutionally, regionally, and nationally. He is the former Surgery Clerkship Director and former Chair of the UM-Comprehensive Robotic Surgery Program. He currently serves as the Director for the Center for Surgical Innovation, the Associate Director for the Statewide General Thoracic Quality Collaborative through the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, now the Cardiovascular Center MPlan OR Director.
University of Southern California
Chief Science Officer
Cognitive Leap Solutions
Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer
Virtual Psychedelics
Director of Medical Virtual Reality, Institute for Creative Technologies
Research Professor and Scientist
University of Southern California
Albert “Skip” Rizzo is a clinical psychologist and Director of Medical Virtual Reality at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies. He is also a Research Professor with the USC Dept. of Psychiatry and at the USC Davis School of Gerontology. Over the last 20 years, Rizzo has conducted research on the design, development and evaluation of Virtual Reality systems targeting the areas of clinical assessment, treatment and rehabilitation across the domains of psychological, cognitive and motor functioning in both healthy and clinical populations. This work has focused on PTSD, TBI, Autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and other clinical conditions. In spite of the diversity of these clinical R&D areas, the common thread that drives all of his work with digital technologies involves the study of how interactive and immersive Virtual Reality simulations can be usefully applied to address human healthcare needs beyond what is possible with traditional 20th Century tools and methods. In his spare time, he plays rugby, listens to music, rides his motorcycle and thinks about new ways that VR can have a positive impact on clinical care by dragging the field of psychology, kickin’ and screamin’ into the 21st Century.
Mayo Clinic
Dr. Aman Anand is a Board-Certified Senior Radiation Physicist and the Director of the Mixed Reality Oncology Lab at Mayo Clinic. Trained at U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (UTMDACC), Dr. Anand played a key role in commissioning proton centers both at UTMDACC and Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where he also helped establish advanced clinical care practices.
Currently, he leads pioneering initiatives that blend virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance clinical workflows and patient experiences. His flagship project, HopeSphere, which virtually transports patients into treatment units to connect with loved ones, has gained widespread interest across RadOnc
department that he now wishes to expand to other units such as but not limited to: end-of-life care, infusion centers, and ambulatory services. Recognized with several competitive awards, Dr. Anand’s innovative work is now receiving institutional support. His expertise extends to haptics, digital twins, and machine learning, where his contributions continue to shape the future of oncology care.
Weill Cornell Medical College
Professor, Director of Virtual Reality Lab and Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress
Weill Cornell Medical College
Dr. JoAnn Difede is currently serving as Principal Investigator of a Department of Defense clinical trial contract entitled, “Enhancing Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Virtual Reality and Imaginal Exposure with a Cognitive Enhancer,” which is investigating how the use of virtual reality may help accelerate recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder among our nation’s service members. She has served as Principal Investigator of several NIH-funded treatment studies concerning the development of innovative treatments for PTSD following various traumas including burns, terrorism, and natural disasters. Dr. Difede has been a consultant on several grants in which her role was to develop a manualized treatment protocol and to train and supervise the clinicians who deliver this treatment, including two Office of Naval Research grants: “Use of Virtual Reality War Fighter scenarios with Returning Gulf War and Afghanistan Combatants experiencing symptoms of Acute Stress Response and PTSD” and “The ViRTICo-BP Trial: Virtual Reality Therapy and Imaging in Combat Veterans with Blast Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” headed by Colonel Michael Roy, M.D. She currently serves as a consultant on an Army Research Office grant: “SimCoach: Promoting Healthcare Outreach and Advocacy with Virtual Humans” led by Albert “Skip” Rizzo, Ph.D., and for a USAMRMC grant: “Comparing Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy to Prolonged Exposure in the treatment of soldiers with PTSD” headed by Colonels Gregory Gahm, Ph.D., and Gregory Reger, Ph.D., which tests virtual reality enhanced exposure therapy for the treatment of PTSD in U.S. military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Additionally, Dr. Difede and the Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress have been awarded a Welcome Back Veterans grant from the McCormick Foundation that allows the Program to offer a range of free mental health services to service members and military families. Dr. Difede previously established a program at Weill Cornell to screen and treat thousands of civilians and disaster workers following the WTC attacks; a program that continues to serve the community today.
Dr. Difede has served as a scientific peer reviewer for the NIH and the Department of Defense, among others. She is currently serving terms as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Traumatic Stress and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the American Anxiety Disorders Association.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Simulation and Assistant Professor, Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Dr. Boyers’ professional interest is to ensure that healthcare professionals (at all levels of training) are highly prepared to provide the safest possible patient care. This interest includes paying close attention to the well-being of healthcare professionals – and how they learn to work efficiently and effectively in healthcare teams.
Concerned with the escalating number of avoidable deaths due to medical error, Dr. Boyers’ focus is upon transforming the education of healthcare professionals through the adoption of modeling and simulation. She has provided national and global leadership in the concept of creating interprofessional simulation centers. This includes the design, staffing and operations of these centers as well as studying the return on investment. Her professional goals are to advance interprofessional collaboration and see healthcare move towards a competency-based model of training.
Having served in medical education leadership positions at the University of North Carolina, The Ohio State University, OhioHealth and the University of Toledo, Dr. Boyers is currently leading efforts at The University of Nebraska Medical Center to “improve human performance and effectiveness in healthcare.” This involves creating the Davis Global Center in Omaha, NE. This 5-level facility houses an interprofessional simulation center that incorporates a replicated healthcare system – from home to hospital and back - where the transfer of patients and “hand-offs” can be practiced. The Davis Global Center also houses multiple modeling and simulation modalities including XReality, and holographic technologies, thereby embracing modeling, simulation and visualization to stimulate new methods of teaching, learning and conducting research and development.
A lifelong medical educator with significant experience in designing and operating medical simulation centers, Dr. Boyers is well-published and speaks nationally and internationally about transforming the education of healthcare professionals. She enjoys collaborating with other high reliability organizations, including the military, to help identify best training practices related to improving quality, safety, and lowering costs of healthcare. In 2020, Pam was nominated to the National Simulation Center Hall of Fame and has received numerous leadership awards for her contributions to health professions education.
Dr. Boyers previously served for many years as one of the public members for the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and is an active member of the National Training Simulation Association (NTSA): Patient Safety Workgroup.
Baycrest Health Sciences
Researcher, scientist, educator & clinician combining health science technology and data-driven decision-making to drive tomorrow’s clinical innovation.
I work on knowledge translation among health care professionals and use simulation, virtual reality, and game-based learning to improve clinical care and resource utilization
Regent University
Experienced in working with youth and families as a program coordinator, youth pastor, and family therapist. Skilled in Communication, Volunteer Management, Public Speaking, Organizational Leadership, and Pastoral Care. Strong education, including Master by Research focused in Attachment Theory and Homiletics from The University of Edinburgh.
SenseGlove
Gijs den Butter is the co-founder of and chief product officer at SenseGlove, a Dutch company developing and commercializing the SenseGlove Nova. A wearable force and vibro tactile feedback glove that enables life like interactions in XR. And helps companies to create realistic controls for tele-robotic solutions.Gijs holds its master’s in design engineering from the Delft University of technology. Gijs is specialized in human computer interaction and entrepreneurship. Prior to founding SenseGlove Gijs worked as UX designer and consultant.
Coleman College of Health Sciences
Mohamad Mukhles Tlass is currently serving as Vice President of Instruction and Student Services at Coleman College for Health Sciences, Houston Community College. Before the Vice President Role, Mohamad was the Director of the Workforce Quality and Development, Curriculum and Learning Initiatives Department. Before this role, Mohamad served as Assistant Dean of Health Sciences, Therapeutic Departments at Tarrant County College. Mohamad oversees seven health science programs that include Anesthesia Technology, Central Sterile Processing, Health Information Technology, Medical Assistant, Ophthalmic Technician, Physical Therapy Assistant, and Surgical Technology, and two continuing education programs – Pharmacy Technician and Medical Coder. Before Tarrant County College, Mohamad worked at Houston Community College where he held multiple roles as a faculty member, administrator, district-level administrator, and college administrator. Mohamad’s path in higher education started as a part-time lab coordinator in the Pharmacy Technician program, the same program he graduated from in 2003.
Mohamad strongly believes in the importance of higher education, precisely in health science programs. Mohamad continues to advocate for the support of allied health programs as they are considered essential in the healthcare field, providing critical healthcare services, possessing specialized skills, supporting other healthcare professionals, and contributing to improved patient outcomes and quality of care.
Mohamad holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from the American College of Education (2024). Additionally, he holds a Master’s in Pharmacy from the University of Medicine Sofia in Bulgaria (1999) and a Master’s in Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University (2014). He is also a certified and registered pharmacy technician. In addition, Mohamad is a certified aseptic techniques & sterile product preparation instructor from Austin Community College. In 2016, Mohamad was the recipient of the Houston Community College Teaching Excellence Award. In 2017, he was the recipient of the NISOD Excellence Award, and in 2018 Mohamad was the recipient of the Houston Community College Judy Hayman Student Engagement Innovation Award.
Auburn University
Kimberly B. Garza, PharmD, MBA, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Health Outcomes Research and Policy at the Harrison College of Pharmacy. She is also the Graduate Program Officer for her department and holds a position as a Faculty Fellow in the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at Auburn University. Dr. Garza’s primary research involves the application of behavioral theory to study preventive health behaviors and behaviors to minimize progression of disease, including medication adherence, diet, and physical activity. Specifically, she uses incentive systems and immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and haptic devices, to influence health behavior and perception of risk and severity of chronic disease. She also applies these technologies in the classroom to promote the development of empathy among student pharmacists for patients with chronic conditions. She collaborates with investigators from computer science, mechanical engineering, medicine, education, kinesiology, nursing, and psychology to study health behaviors related to heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, immunization, and prescription drug abuse. Her secondary research focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). She conducts educational research in the following areas: deliberate practice, empathy-building activities, curricular development, professional identity formation, peer coaching, and mentoring.
Dr. Garza's research collaborations also include community partners such as East Alabama Medical Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Yale Medicine, and Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Garza is active in several national and international professional organizations, serving as past chair of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Research and Graduate Affairs Committee and past chair of the AACP Graduate Education Special Interest Group.
Regent University
Dr. Olya Zaporozhets is a professor in the School of Psychology & Counseling at Regent University. Having been an international student herself, Zaporozhetes has a passion for the international community. Through first-hand experience, she has not only made friends with students across the globe, but also has learned about the need in counseling training in many places of the world.
Zaporozhets has diverse clinical experiences, including drug and alcohol treatment as well as having facilitated sexual offender groups and conducted crises work in Ohio. During her internship at a partial hospitalization program, she worked with children, adolescents and their families in the environment of daily crises. She has trained Christian leaders in mental health counseling in Europe and Asia. As a native of Ukraine, Zaporozhets finds conducting a unique cross-cultural supervision project in Ukraine, where Regent counseling students train and supervise local Christian counseling students in their practice, especially rewarding.
Kaiser University
Dr. Tammie Hyde
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Envision Healthcare
Clinical Facilitator
Keiser University
Medical Lead
Studio Bahia
Dr. Tammie Hyde is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist dedicated to advancing the field of anesthesiology through innovative research, education, and clinical practice. She obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in anesthesia from Barry University, where she investigated the patient experience of virtual reality for procedural anxiety. Her findings were presented at the International Convention of Psychological Science 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.
In her role as the Medical Lead at Studio Bahia, Dr. Hyde collaborates on virtual reality productions for training, therapy, and education, aligning with her research interests in using virtual reality to alleviate procedural pain and anxiety. Currently Dr. Hyde serves as the principal investigator for research examining the potential of virtual reality to mitigate patient anxiety and pain during peripheral nerve block placement.
Dr. Hyde's passion for education extends to her role at Keiser University in Naples, FL, where she currently serves as a Clinical Facilitator and Capstone Chair for nurse anesthesia residents. In this capacity, she guides students through their capstone projects, providing invaluable mentorship and expert insights.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Dr. Michael Chia is an emergency physician renowned for his expertise in acute and emergency care. A passionate advocate for medical education, Dr. Chia plays a pivotal role in training healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and paramedics. He has been at the forefront of pioneering simulation based education, driving initiatives at both the departmental and hospital-wide levels, as well as across the broader healthcare cluster.
Dr. Chia is also deeply committed to innovation, constantly exploring new technologies and methodologies to elevate the quality of teaching and patient care. His dedication to improving healthcare delivery through cutting-edge solutions
underscores his reputation as a leader in both clinical practice and medical education.
University of Georgia
I have 24 years of experience in Higher Education including community colleges, private institutions, engineering institutions, and comprehensive liberal arts research universities. My experiences span traditional student affairs work in residence life, student activities, conduct, orientation, enrollment management, and first-year programs. My academic affairs experience includes curriculum and assessment of academic programs, strategic planning, accreditation, pharmacy education, dance, teaching at all degree program levels, and research. I have developed a national reputation through my presentations, publications, and consulting in student affairs and pharmacy education. I have most recently worked with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank, and Knowledge E to help colleges in Egypt transform their pharmacy education and training of pharmacists. I am known as a renaissance man for the diverse ways I contribute to the success of students and the University of Georgia https://news.uga.edu/assistant-dean-delivers-encore-performances/. I am a firm believer that university educators don't simply serve students through their instruction in their discipline, but by demonstrating serving students in all phases of their life. I maintain a teaching load in Dance, Pharmacy Education, and Higher Education while serving as a senior administrator in the College of Pharmacy. I also Co-Direct the UGA Ballroom Performance Group, a pre-professional dance company at UGA, and choreograph musical theatre productions regionally for other colleges, high schools, and community theatres. I am first a foremost an innovator who believes in connecting people from diverse backgrounds to create new and better ideas. To that end, I teach and train students, faculty, and staff about social and power constructs that create barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Reykjavik University
Paolo Gargiulo is a full Professor at - Reykjavik University. He studied at TU Wien and finished his PhD in 2009. Paolo interests and expertise are mostly in: Medical Image processing, Neuroengineering, 3-D printing and Medical technologies. He developed a national scale 3D-Printing service to support surgical planning with a significant impact on the Icelandic health care system and currently developing VR/AR based educational platform for education and training.
Paolo Gargiulo is the founder and the director of the Institute of Biomedical and Neural Engineering . He has published 100 papers in peer reviewed international journals, several chapters in academic books and presented his work in many international conferences and workshops. Paolo Gargiulo is the co-founder of startup company called Heilalabs which aim is to study brain aging and develop new predictive evaluation metrics for neurodegenerative desease.
Aalto University
Marjaana Siivola is a usability engineer (Master and Licentiate of Science (Tech)), a teacher, an elearning specialist, and a childbirth professional. She is an Advanced Certified Birth Doula (DONA) and Lamaze-certified childbirth educator who transformed childbirth education by combining her passion for good usability, online learning and family wellbeing into online childbirth education well before COVID-19. In her latest PhD research, she developed a VR childbirth education program to add experiential learning to childbirth education. Users were an integral part of her research, and parents and midwives provided valuable insights into the program's design.
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Anne Lord Bailey is Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Lab (“Strat Lab”) and Immersive Technology Lead for VHA. Dr. Bailey began as a pharmacy practitioner for Western North Carolina VA Healthcare System (WNCVAHCS) in Asheville, NC, focused on Hepatitis C and innovative care models. In 2017, she began the Innovation Program at WNCVAHCS. In 2021, Dr. Bailey became VHA’s lead for Immersive Technology and then the first Executive Director of Strat Lab in 2023. She has worked with experts and thought leaders in government, academia, and industry, while co-leading the expansion of the VHA Extended Reality (XR) Network from the founding five facilities to over 170, engaging more than 2,900 VA employees, and helping guide implementation of immersive technology use at scale for more than 40 indications. In 2022, Dr. Bailey was awarded International Virtual Reality in Healthcare Association’s Hero Award for dedication to the growth of immersive technology in healthcare, G2Xchange Change Agent Award, and the Service to the Citizen Award. In 2023, she was named a Top 12 Finalist for the Service to America Medal People’s Choice Award and Washington Pinnacles Executive of the Year. In 2024, she became a Washington Pinnacles Healthcare Executives to Watch.
HouseCall VR
Co-Founder
HouseCall VR
Podiatrist
Brandywine Podiatry
Dr. Ciavarelli is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), ABMSP board certified in Primary Podiatric Care. She specializes in the field of primary podiatry, with a focus on preventative, orthopedic, and dermatologic care. Her clinical experiences ranges from community care in private practice to facility-based care.
Dr. Ciavarelli is the co-founder of HouseCall VR, an early-stage startup creating immersive patient educational content with the aim to create a universal language between patients and doctors.
Dr. Ciavarelli is committed to the medical profession, her patients, and the greater community. She currently has the honor to serve her professional and local community through various director and leadership positions in the government and non-profit sectors.
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine
Raised in San Diego, California, Dr. Godzik attended the University of California, Berkeley for his undergraduate studies in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He pursued both his medical degree and master's degree in statistics and clinical study design at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
He then completed his 7-year neurosurgical residency at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona under the tutelage of Dr. Michael Lawton and Dr. Juan Uribe. During his time at the Barrow, he completed a year-long combined orthopedic and neurosurgical fellowship in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery with the San Diego Spine Foundation with Dr. Greg Mundis and Dr. Robert Eastlack.
Dr. Godzik's research interests revolve around improving clinical outcomes, particularly in regards to understanding the how to preserve the natural biomechanics of the spine and how to best use technology to maximize outcomes and bridge the existing gaps in healthcare.
He enjoys the outdoors and is an avid hiker, skier, and stand up paddle boarder.
XR4EUROPE
As Managing Director of XR4Europe, Michael Barngrover leads a pan-European industry association to support and advance XR innovation in Europe. In addition to its matchmaking, research, and thought leadership activities, XR4Europe participates in several EU-funded projects: XR4HUMAN, OPENVERSE, and VR HEALTH CHAMPIONS, through which XR4Europe plays an active role engaging European stakeholders in the EU's strategic initiative for Virtual Worlds and Web 4.0.
The VR Health Champions project is a three-year initiative co-funded by the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) instrument under the European Regional Development Fund. Its primary goal is to reduce market barriers for healthcare Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications in less developed European regions. By strengthening the value chains of five flagship SMEs—Lightspace, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills, and Virtuleap—the project aims to advance their Technology Readiness Levels from TRL 6 to TRL 9, facilitating market readiness. XR4Europe plays an important role in the project's cascade funding mechanism to support SMEs in the healthcare XR sector, providing financial resources to advance the development and market readiness of innovative VR and AR applications.
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
I am currently working as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine (division of Surgery) and as an Assistant Director of Pre Hospital and Emergency Training Division of The Gordon Center for Medical Education & Research. Previously I was an Instructor of Emergency Medicine and Research Scientist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha. I have completed a medical simulation fellowship training offered by the American College of Surgeons at the OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
I have graduated from the ACEP teaching fellowship and the ALiEM faculty incubator program in 2018. I am also a faculty member for the Medutopia (a global emergency medicine faculty development course) and the co-founder and vice-president of MedEdGuru (a non-profit organization to promote emergency medicine globally).
My areas of interest are healthcare simulation, medical education, simulation outcomes research and emergency medicine leadership & faculty development.
Veterans Health Administration
Amber Brown is the lead project manager in the Strategic Initiatives Lab within VHA’s Digital Health Office (DHO). She has spent nearly 20 years working in mental health. She worked in community mental health for 10 years before obtaining her Masters in Social Work in 2011. She immediately joined the Western North Carolina VA Healthcare System in Asheville, NC as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and spent the next 8 years working in the Social Work Department directly serving Veterans. She briefly served as the facility Public Affairs Officer before transitioning into process improvement and project management as the facility Systems Redesign Coordinator. Amber is a certified Prosci Change Management Practitioner and Lean Black Belt. She lives outside of Asheville, NC, with her husband and two sons, and on weekends enjoys game nights, baking, and exploring the beautiful mountains!
Regent University
Jennifer is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with nine years of experience, specializing in trauma-focused therapy for first responders and military families. Currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, she has a strong interest in counselor advocacy, counselor development, multicultural awareness, neuropsychology of trauma, EMDR, and technology-assisted therapy. Outside of her professional life, she is married with three children, and she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with our pets, friends, and family.
IterationZero
Principal Consultant
IterationZero LLC
Laura Kusumoto is a proven executive leader, skilled in the disciplines of technology innovation. Her expertise is seeing beyond hype and harnessing the business value that emerging and disruptive technologies can bring to work. Applying experiences from working for Meta, Deloitte, Disney, Kaiser Permanente, LEGO and more, her passion is helping organizations identify the best problems to target with innovative solutions, and driving towards their successful piloting and implementation. Her work has paved the way for first-mover products such as AI chatbots in health care, immersive avatar-based training, VR for employee well-being, and beyond.
In 2023, Laura formed IterationZero LLC as a boutique consultancy offering innovation services that enable emerging technologies for the benefit of business and everyday work within the enterprise. Laura serves on the Board Executive Committee for the Virtual Worlds Society, and on the Advisory Board for XR Women.
Valkyrie Industries
Ivan Isakov, CTO and co-founder at Valkyrie Industries. After 8 years working in academia (UCL & Imperial College London) on nanoelectronics, he co-founded Valkyrie Industries to bring haptic technology to industries and consumers. For the last 7 years in the company, he has been developing a variety of haptic products, including suits, gloves and armbands, and has created multiple VR experiences in creative, industrial, and healthcare fields. He has pioneered muscle haptics, the immersive use of neuromuscular stimulation for fitness and recovery. He is an international speaker, educator and a creative coder.
Beast Media Group
Russell Naftal is an award-winning entertainment industry leader, and mixed reality pioneer. As
the Co-Managing Partner of Beast Media Group and its subsidiary VRWERX, he has been at the
forefront of delivering groundbreaking immersive entertainment experiences to a global
audience. With over two decades of experience in Television, Digital distribution, and video
games, Russell has established himself as an industry leader in content creation, video game
development, TV and Fim, technology innovations, immersive world-building, distribution,
location-based entertainment, and branded content.
As a co-managing partner of VRWERX, He wrote and directed the "Paranormal Activity: The Lost
Soul" VR game for Console and PC, which went on to become a global horror game sensation.
He also co-developed “LookTrax” a proprietary in-engine tracking technology designed for all
mixed reality devices. Russell's impressive portfolio also includes producing the first-ever
feature-length live-action virtual reality film, “JESUS VR: The Story of Christ," which premiered
at the prestigious 73rd Venice Film Festival. More recently, Russell and his business partner
developed a one of a kind mixed reality experience for CHOP (Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia) to be used as an exclusive experience for engaging new and current donors.
Russell's experience as an executive in some of the largest production and distribution
companies in the world is unparalleled. He served as the Head of the Digital group at Endemol
USA, where he co-created the Cannes Lion award-winning branded series, "MLB Fan Cave" for
Major League Baseball as well as Kobe Bryant's "Dream Makers," and the "XARM Event Series"
for Machinima. Russell also established a $25 million film fund for the development of original
content for multiplatform distribution.
As SVP of Development and Programming at RipeDigital, Russell was at the forefront of digital
distribution, producing and programming thousands of hours of original digital content for
Cable VOD, broadband, and mobile distribution. He also made RipeDigital one of the first MCN's
on YouTube by programming its three network channels.
Prior to this, Russell was at Peter Gubers Mandalay Entertainment, where he created and
produced several award-winning series, such as "GoForIt TV," a game show which ran for three
seasons on ABC Family, the action sports feature documentary "Joe Kid on a Stingray," Warner
Brothers award-winning wrestling video series "WCW," and Peter Guber's "Shoot Out Online,"
one of the first-ever digital series for Yahoo.
Early in his career, Russell founded FuelNetworks, a digital distribution company that was ahead
of its time in the unique implementation of video on demand, with supporting partners such as
Sun Micro Systems, Oracle, Exodus, and Excite at Home. Russell also has a passion for
motorsports, particularly drifting, where he ran his own racing league and winning team,
Lateral G Racing in partnership with Dodge Motorsports. His Lateral G Racing team is
documented as the first USA Drift champion.
In addition to his entertainment career, Russell is an advisor for the "Infinity Festival
Hollywood" a tech and entertainment crossover event series, and he is also an advisor and
shareholder of the patented social media platform, "PollPals."
doxy.me
Triton combines behavior science and video games to fight loneliness and despair. He received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida, where he studied Behavior Analysis for health, co-founded the telehealth-focused Behavioral Health and Technology Research Clinic, and collaborated on research using VR to humanize experiences in the intensive care unit. He publishes peer-reviewed research on telehealth and supports the evidence-based focus of doxy.me solutions at doxy.me. He is currently co-leading development of Doxy.me VR for immersive telehealth, in collaboration with Lucid Reality Labs and with grant funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. As Science Lead at doxy.me, he partners with researchers and developers on grant-funded projects for doxy.me’s mission to make telehealth for everyone.
VNTANA
Ashley Crowder is a pioneer in 3D, digital twins and spatial computing technology, a trusted and influential business executive, and speaker with expertise in launching scalable 3D content and mixed reality platforms with companies like Meta, Wolverine Worldwide, and Astec Industries. As the CEO and Co-founder of VNTANA, Ashley leverages her engineering background, and leads the overall direction and technology development to shape the future of commerce by making it easy to create a 3D version of every product in the world.
Crowder has 14 patents on 3D graphics and hologram technology and is a member of the Khronos Group to help create standards in 3D technology. She was named one of the inaugural members of the AWE Hall of Fame for making immense contributions to shape the metaverse. She was also named one of USC’s leading Engineering CEOs, won the Patrick Soon Innovation Award and AIS Lumiere Award. She has been featured in Meta’s “What is the Metaverse” course on Coursera, Vogue Business, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, and Retail Touchpoints. Her passion for educating brands and creators on the core values of Web3, has been instrumental in helping to move the metaverse industry forward.
Veterans Health Administration
Deputy Director, Clinical Tech Innovation
VA Immersive Program Manager
Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Caitlin Rawlins has been a Nurse since 2011 and with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 2017. In her first year of VA practice, she initiated the first positive distraction-focused virtual reality program for pain and anxiety management in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Ms. Rawlins then co-led the development of the VHA Extended Reality Network and played an integral role in the creation of the VA Immersive Program. She now continues to aid in leading VHA innovation and immersive technology utilization as Director of Clinical Tech Innovation, co-lead of the VHA Extended Reality (XR) Network, Immersive Collaborations lead, and active member of the E3 Alliance and E3 Operations Workgroup in the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning. Since, 2017, she has directly supported the expansion of XR technology use from just a few sites to over 90% of VA Healthcare Systems and XR network engagement to more than 2,900 VA employees, including working as program manager, leading national pilots, facilitating data collection, and the development of healthcare integration resources in close collaboration with various VA program offices.
Conversage
Maryann Sullivan is President of ConverSage, a startup that is harnessing AI to safely revolutionize the way individuals access mental health care. In her career, Maryann has successfully launched several new businesses that have grown to serve thousands of corporate customers. Her success is derived from both her strategic leadership and the innovative use of technology. Maryann is uniquely qualified to drive the application of AI in the world of mental health given her degrees in theoretical mathematics from Dartmouth College, her Masters in operations research from the Sloan School at MIT and her years of experience growing and operating businesses.
hypnoVR
HypnoVR is the leading Digital Therapy in Pain & Anxiety Management, used in over 500 hospitals and clinics in 10 countries. Prior to founding HypnoVR Nicolas has spent 20 years in the technology and digital industry, both in product management and business development functions.
Since 2015 Nicolas is a co-owner of Culture Dot Digital and Ozango, 2 companies enabling cultural institutions to embrace the digital revolution by building products and services that help them reach current and new audiences.
In 2014 Nicolas joined PayPal as Senior Director of Products, EMEA, in charge of leading and developing PayPal's product strategy for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Before joining PayPal, Nicolas spent 5 years at Microsoft where he grew the digital media presence of MSN in France and was also one of the founders of youmag, a mobile content service, sold to FIMALAC at the end of 2013.
Nicolas is a graduate from EDHEC Business School in France and holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Passionate Public Relations and content strategist, focused on empowering creatives through community and business engagement. A driven producer with experience in program design and development, marketing and branding. Energetic and reliable team member with a knack for collaborating, building strong relationships and problem-solving. Skilled in digital media platforms including content creation, data visualization and reporting, as well as creative programming including photography and videography. Dedicated and organized self-starter who is always ready for a challenge.
James A Haley VA Hospital
Jamie Kaplan is a Recreation Therapist at the James A Haley VA Hospital. Jamie has a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Therapy from the University of Florida and a Master’s Degree in Special Education and Assistive Technology from Bowling Green State University. He has been a therapist for over 26 years, 17 at the VA. He currently runs the virtual reality and adaptive video gaming programs for physical medicine and rehab as well as the spinal cord injury unit. He is considered a subject matter expert in both virtual reality and adaptive gaming within the VA system and serves on the VA Field Advisory Board for Assistive Technology.
Xennial Digital
Xennial Digital is Douglas’ third startup. The company focuses on building Virtual and Augmented Reality enterprise solutions and platforms for both academic and corporate organizations, with a strong focus in the healthcare industry.
Douglas’ vision is to create a comprehensive Virtual Reality medical campus to train professionals in all areas of medicine, from nurses to first responders to healthcare technicians. Through its collaboration with the University of Miami School of Medicine, Xennial Digital has begun building simulation training labs for nurses and first responders.
Douglas is an Executive Member of Singularity University Miami.
Liberty University
Jonathan is an EMDR-trained therapist in private practice. He spent two decades in software development before becoming a licensed clinical mental health counselor. He treats trauma among the military and law enforcement communities and is working towards a PhD.
Regent University
Josh is a licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York and Pennsylvania and a PhD student in Counselor Education and Supervision at Regent University, with a background in UX Design. He founded his group practice in 2017 to create a compassionate, creative, and multi-disciplinary counseling center. Specializing in trauma and ADHD counseling, Josh also supervises clinicians in Ukraine as they support clients experiencing wartime trauma. His research interests focus on using virtual reality (VR) as a therapeutic tool in counseling, blending technology and mental health innovation. A natural problem solver and dreamer, Josh is devoted to his family as a husband and father to three adopted children. In his free time, he enjoys football, supporting his children’s hobbies, and working out. His therapeutic approach reflects his commitment to fostering resilience, connection, and personal growth.
Ringling College of Art & Design
Department Head
Virtual Reality Development
Ringling College of Art and Design
At Ringling College of Art and Design, Martin Murphy is the Drs. Joel and Gail Morganroth endowed Department Head of the Virtual Reality Development major. His experience in computer graphics spans over thirty years, with a sustained focus on real-time applications. He has been a product designer and producer for interactive media for a variety of clients. In addition to his current leadership role, he has served as Worldwide Director of Art for major games publisher. He has also collaborated as part of a leadership team at a game studio. Among his many accomplishments, he has contributed to the creation of visual effects for feature films at Warner Brothers Digital Studio, broadcast graphics packages for the likes of CBS, FOX and CNN, theme parks attractions at Walt Disney World, and the creation of more than twenty video games for Activision, Midway Games, and SEGA. More recently, he has put his skills and experience to virtual worlds and immersive media. Martin has nearly 16 years of experience teaching in Higher Education. He was an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago first, then a full time instructor at Ringling College, and he earned a Master's of Education at USF with a concentration in Instructional Technology and Simulation. Marty also serves as a competition judge for career and technology student organizations for high schools and middle schools across the state of Florida and Nationally.
Moffitt Cancer Center
Dr. Sarah Hoffe is the Section Head of GI Radiation Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center and joined the faculty in 2006. She is a Senior Member at Moffitt and Professor in the University Of South Florida Morsani College Of Medicine’s Department of Oncologic Sciences. Dr. Hoffe’s research and clinical interests include cancers of the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, bile duct, rectum, colon, anus, as well as neuroendocrine cancers. She has experience with advanced radiation therapy techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), three dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), radioembolization, and image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) using endoscopically implanted fiducial markers. At Moffitt, she works closely with her multidisciplinary colleagues including GI surgeons, medical oncologists, gastroenterologists, radiologists and pathologists to develop new treatments for patients with GI cancers. She is very interested in 4D PET/CT imaging and works with the PET/CT committee at Moffitt In addition to GI cancers and radiation oncology, Dr. Hoffe is also interested in the integration of novel patient engagement technologies that will improve the patient experience, such as piloting novel virtual reality tools. After completing her undergraduate studies at Brown University, Dr. Hoffe received her MD degree from the University of Vermont. She then completed a transitional year internship at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville followed by residency in radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Hoffe devotes a significant portion of her time to the promotion of medical education. Nationally, she is the Director of eContouring at ASTRO, is on the advisory board for the Contemporary Radiation Oncology Journal, and is a contributor to the Up to Date Online educational site, having co-authored the section on bone metastases. She serves on the ASTRO Education Committee and the HIMSS connected patient committee. Locally, she is on the Editorial Board of Cancer Control Journal and is active at the USF Morsani College of Medicine where she is a coach for the SELECT program and the leadership competency co-director. In 2009, Dr. Hoffe was the first radiation oncologist at Moffitt to be selected as the Physician of the Year.
Stanford University
Conference Co-Chair
Behavioral Neuroscientist
Stanford University
Walter Greenleaf is a neuroscientist and a medical technology developer working at Stanford University. With over three decades of research and development experience, Walter is considered a leading authority in the field of digital medicine and medical virtual reality technology.
Research Focus:
Walter’s current research focus is on developing computer supported clinical products, with a specific emphasis on applying virtual reality and digital health technology to address difficult problems in behavioral and physical medicine such as Post-traumatic Stress, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, Addictions, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
His early research was on age-related changes in the neuroendocrine system and the effects on human behavior.
Academic Positions:
Walter is currently a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s MediaX Program, a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, and the Director of Technology Strategy at the University of Colorado National Mental Health Innovation Center. He previously served as the Director of the Mind Division, Stanford Center on Longevity, where his focus was on age-related changes in cognition.
Medical Product Development:
Walter has designed and developed numerous clinical systems over the last thirty-five years, including products in the fields of: surgical simulation, 3D medical visualization, telerehabilitation, clinical informatics, clinical decision support, point-of-care clinical data collection, ergonomic evaluation technology, automatic sleep-staging systems, psychophysiological assessment, and simulation-assisted rehabilitation technologies, as well as digital eHealth products for behavioral medicine.
Academic Leadership:
Walter is the Co-founder and Board Chair for the International Virtual Reality Health Association (IVRHA).
He helped establish the California State University Center for Disability Solutions and the International Society of Virtual Rehabilitation (ISVR). Walter is a scientific advisor and grant reviewer for the U.S. Public Health Service, National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), NASA, and the U.S. Department of Education (DoED). He has served as the Principal Investigator for research projects funded by the NIH and by NASA.
Corporate Management:
Walter founded and served as CEO for Greenleaf Medical Systems, a medical product development company; InWorld Solutions, a company specializing in the therapeutic use of virtual worlds for behavioral health care; and Virtually Better, a company that develops virtual environments for the treatment of phobias, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. Walter was the founding Chief Science Officer for Pear Therapeutics.
Academic Journals:
Walter is an Associate Editor for three academic journals: JMIR Mental Health, the Journal of Virtual Reality in Medicine, and Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Current Board Positions:
Walter serves on the Board of Directors for Brainstorm: The Stanford Laboratory for Brain Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship; for Cognitive Leap, a company that develops mental health solutions for children; and for Sine Wave, the developer of Sine Space, a multi-user online Unity 3D-based virtual world platform. He is currently the technology and neuroscience advisor to several early-stage medical product companies.
Walter earned a Doctorate in Neuro and Bio-Behavioral Sciences from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he was awarded a NIMH Graduate Fellowship.
IVRHA
Executive Director
IVRHA (International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association)
Professor
Champlain College
Professor
West Virginia University
Founder
VRVoice, The Social Media Monthly and The Startup Monthly Websites/Magazines
Council Member
AWE (Augmented World Expo) Advisory Council
Founder
Share The Cheer
In 2009, Robert started Cool Blue Media by organizing the first social media conference on the east coast of the United States, leading to the publication of the text book, "The Big Book of Social Media Case Studies, Stories and Perspectives" and shortly thereafter the only printed magazine covering social media, The Social Media Monthly. In May 2016, he launched VRVoice.co, a content vertical exploring virtual reality in the enterprise. In 2017, Robert started the largest annual conference on virtual reality and healthcare with events taking place both in the US and Europe.
Prior to 2009, Robert was the Senior Director of Global Strategy and Development of IT at Conservation International (CI). Robert joined CI in 2000 to take responsibility for connecting all of CI’s forty field offices to the Internet with broadband connectivity. During his 10 year tenure, he built an international staff of 25 IT professionals.
Robert has over ten years of additional work experience as a systems and sales engineer with various companies including CMGI, Hughes Network Systems, ioWave and Raytheon. Robert has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University, a master’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Johns Hopkins University, and is ABD at George Mason University.
Dr. Walter Greenleaf
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Brennan Spiegel
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
MaryAnn Sullivan
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Ashley Crowder
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Jamie Kaplan
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Russell Naftal
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Laura Kusumoto
Co-Presented with Dr. Walter Greenleaf
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Santosh Mohan
Co-Presented with Patrick Cantwell
Location: Ringling Auditorium
KEYNOTE - Dr. Jeffrey Gold
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. David Newman
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Jason Kang
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Aman Anand
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Dr. Rishindra Reddy
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Nicolas Schaettel
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Dr. Meaghan Adams
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Michael Fulford
Co-Presenting with Dr. Joanne Chun
Co-Presenting with Dr. Kimberly Garza
Co-Presenting with Dr. Linda Ciavarelli
Location: Will Smith Gallery A
Dr. Tanya Beauregard
Co-Presented with Douglas Fajardo
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. JoAnn Difede
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Kosj Yamoah
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Jakub Godzik
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Tammie Hyde
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Marjaana Siivola
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Melissa Bent
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Ivan Isakov
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Dr. Paolo Gargiulo
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Triton Ong
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Dr. Mohamad Tlass
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Pamela Boyers
Co-Presenting with Dr. Asit Misra
Co-Presenting with Michael Hollins
Location: Will Smith Gallery A
Michael Barngrover
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Gijs den Butter
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Mark Cohen
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Kyle Lincoln
Co-Presenting with Dr. Skip Rizzo
Co-Presenting with Dr. Olya Zaporozhets
Co-Presenting with Joshua Nickels
Co-Presenting with Jennifer Brea
Co-Presenting with Jonathan Wayne Smith
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Dr. Anne Lord Bailey
Co-Presenting with Laura Kusumoto
Co-Presenting with Caitlyn Rawlins
Co-Presenting with Amber Brown
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: Exhibition Hall
Dr. Anne Lord Bailey
Co-Presenting with Laura Kusumoto
Co-Presenting with Caitlyn Rawlins
Co-Presenting with Amber Brown
Location: Ringling Auditorium
Location: To Be Announced
Dr. Michael Chia Yih Chong – “Team Resuscitation Training Using High Fidelity Mannikin vs Virtual Reality Simulation: Comparing Medical Students’ vs Doctors’ Experience”
Dr. Wilfredo Dr. López-Ojeda – “Insights on Instructional Immersive Experiences: Designing Extended Reality Mental Health Learning Modules for Patient Education”
NOTE: If you are having trouble finding a hotel, please reach out to us on the messenger in the corner.
