Advisory Board

Gil currently serves as the Chair Global Health and Purpose for FINN Partners. Considered among the most influential voices in healthcare, his experience in the industry spans decades. Gil has led four top agencies cited by PRovoke Media (The Holmes Report/Inside PR) as "Healthcare PR Agency of the Year" winners. He is Medika Life's Editor in Chief, host of the HealthcareNow Radio program "Health Unabashed," and a Top 10 digital/health influencer. He serves on several national industry and patient advocacy boards.

Gil has led agency teams that contributed to numerous global med/tech and biopharma blockbusters in cancer, diabetes, heart, respiratory, women's health and non-communicable and orphan disease therapies. His background in payer, provider, policy, pharma marketing and patient-advocacy communications enables him to integrate ideas that impact patient access to health innovation.

Jeff serves as the CEO of MacArthur Medical Center and a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist. A nationally recognized thought leader, speaker, writer, blogger and practicing physician, he is considered an expert in the use of social media to educate patients, using new and innovative technology to improve care outcomes and the patient experience.

Jeff serves as a consultant for Silicon Valley HealthTap, Inc. an interactive health 2.0 network employing mobile health technology to connect doctors with patients. He also serves as medical director for the FQHC Collins Clinic in Fort Worth and co-founded Medika Life .

Dr. Olugemo is a physician scientist and philanthropist who believes that purpose should drive the decisions and impact we all make in the world. Her life’s work is devoted to advancing global health and gender equity.

Kemi is active on numerous nonprofit boards, including developing and implementing the communication strategy for Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP), and founding a nonprofit organization to support indigent healthcare in West Africa (Zebulon Foundation, Inc.).

Over the past two decades, Dr. Olugemo has also been involved in healthcare policy, patient advocacy, community education initiatives, and developing life-changing medicines for people with rare and ultra-rare neurological diseases.

Kemi is Vice President, Global Clinical Development at Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology (ISCTM), Co-Chair of the COVID-19 ISCTM/ECNP Joint Working Group, and serves on the Physician Research Council (PRC) for Circuit Clinical and the Leadership Council of CNS Summit.

Hesham Hassaballa, MD, FCCP, FAASM is a practicing Intensivist with 17+ years of clinical practice. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Hassaballa is a Regional Medical Director for Sound Physicians’ Critical Care practice in the Midwest, where he leads and oversees clinical operations in multiple ICU programs. He is Medical Director of both Critical Care and Respiratory Therapy at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, IL. At Rush-Copley, Dr. Hassaballa chairs numerous hospital committees, is part of the Medical Staff Leadership, and has delivered solid improvements in process and outcome metrics, including: ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay of ICU patients, and mortality.

He’s an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Course Director for Rush University Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine for the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine for Drexel University. He serves as a peer reviewer for the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has presented research a number of times at national meetings, and he has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. Moreover, Dr. Hassaballa is a prolific writer, with articles appearing in newspapers and websites globally, and has published a medical thriller, "Code Blue."

Dr. Stecher is not only an accomplished OB/GYN with nearly a decade of experience, she is also a published writer, public speaker, and the co-founder of Patient Care Heroes. She is a fierce advocate for reproductive rights, healthcare access, mental healthcare access, and gender and racial equity.

As an OB/GYN she is experienced with all aspects of obstetrics and gynecology with a particular emphasis on infertility, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), weight loss, and infertility. In addition, she has a particular interest in adolescent health, menopause management, and minimally-invasive surgical procedures. She has been recognized for three years in a row as a MPLS/St. Paul Magazine Top Doctors Rising Star.

Dr. Heather Lau is a renowned physician-scientist and neuro-geneticist with a bio-psycho-social approach to medical care focused on the holistic care of the patient rather than specific aspects of a disease. As Executive Director of Global Clinical Development at Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Heather leads teams in developing therapies for pediatric patients with rare genetic diseases.

Dr Lau joined industry in 2021 after 10 years in academia where she was the Director of the Lysosomal Storage Disorders Program and the Associate director of Neurogenetics at NYU School of Medicine. She studied biology as an undergraduate at Cornell University, and holds a masters in biochemistry and molecular biology from New York Medical College. She obtained her medical degree from University of Rochester. She later trained in pediatrics at Montefiore Medical Center; and trained in neurology and neurogenetics at NYU School of Medicine.

During her time at NYU, she ran an undiagnosed disease clinic to aid in the diagnosis and management of suspected inherited neurodegenerative diseases for both adult and pediatric patients. During her clinical tenure, she coordinated multidisciplinary care for her patients with neuronopathic and non-neuronopathic lysosomal storage disorders, including managing one of the largest Gaucher cohorts in the country. She has extensive experience in management of intravenous infusions of lysosomal enzyme replacement therapies. Her clinical research ranged phase I through IV clinical trials investigating a range of modalities including small molecule (chaperones and substrate reduction inhibitors), protein (enzyme)-based and both systemic and CNS directed gene therapy for a variety of lysosomal disorders. She was also involved in natural history studies of rare diseases to help with endpoint development and oversaw post-marketing disease monitoring programs and registries. In addition to her clinical research and patient care,

Dr Lau collaborates with patient foundations to foster disease awareness and early diagnosis. She has worked closely with her colleagues in pastoral care and palliative care to address end of life issues for her patients. She continues her academic career as adjunct assistant professor at Yale University in the Department of Internal Medicine.

Tom serves as Global Pharma Commercial Lead at Viz.ai, a leading healthcare AI disease detection and care coordination platform. Tom’s life work has been bridging medical services to patients who are underserved by healthcare systems.

Prior to Viz.ai, Tom served patients for 7 years as Chief Development Officer at Antidote.me and 12 years at Eli Lilly where Tom led innovation in the R&D organization.

The bulk of Tom’s pre-Lilly experience is in the developing world, where he lived and worked as a pharmacist for 10 years in Madagascar. Working in French and Malagasy, Tom helped grow a small faith-based non-profit organization, SALFA, to become the largest healthcare provider in the country, during which time he served as pharmaceutical production lead, information system lead, CFO and ultimately General Manager.

Digital Health business executive with over 20+ years modernizing the partnership value chain to accelerate business transformation outcomes in lifescience through strategic alliances. Global digital advisor working with C-Suite leaders to determine strategic collaborations by leveraging leading digital cloud platform, services, technology partners to accelerate drug/device development among lifescience stakeholders: Pharma, Biotech, MedTech, CROs.

Dr. Rizk is a well-known executive and change agent advocate to improve the patient experience powered by data and digital solutions across market leading organizations. She has forged trusted relationships to lead the charge to Collaborate-Innovate-Educate within the Digital Healthcare Industry.

Dr. Soojin (or “Soo”) Jun is a board-certified geriatric pharmacist in Illinois and Wisconsin. She is also a certified professional in patient safety and certified professional in healthcare quality, committed to patient safety and quality improvement. After losing her father to healthcare gaps, possibly from adverse medication events, she changed careers from a wedding videographer to a pharmacist.

Today, she specializes in medication therapy management and believes empathy in healthcare can make healing possible in any healthcare relationship. Dr. Jun was a fellow at Jewish Healthcare Foundation for their Activist and Death and Dying program and currently is a fellow at Patient Revolution, the nonprofit organization asking the world to consider kind and careful care, away from the industrialized approach in caring for patients, and a Luminary fellow at Doximity, a leading digital platform for medical professionals.

Dr. Livezey is a Board-Certified Neurologist with over 20 years of experience serving indigent populations in non-profit settings. She was a Senior Medical Officer at the United States Food & Drug Administration for over 6 years and has over a decade of experience in clinical trials and clinical research to improve access to drugs and devices for patients suffering from neurological diseases.

Dr. Livezey currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand, and is involved in several charitable organizations that support women and children that are victims of trafficking, violence, poverty, and unequal access to care. She also runs her own consulting business to support companies striving to improves lives of patients.

Dr. Ryan Paul is an accomplished infectious disease and pharmaceutical epidemiologist, known for his expertise in global public health and work within vulnerable and marginalized patient populations. With an unwavering commitment to improving healthcare systems around the world, he has built a career dedicated to driving immediate impact and positive change.

As the Founder and CEO of Holden Fitzgerald, Dr. Paul leads a global public health practice that specializes in health system reform and capacity building. Under his visionary leadership, Holden Fitzgerald has become a trusted partner for governments, organizations, and communities seeking to transform their health systems. Driven by a belief in the power of local communities, Dr. Paul and his team employ an innovative approach known as anchor strategy, which utilizes a place-based methodology to address complex health challenges and cultivate sustainable change.

Dr. Ryan’s extensive research and fieldwork have earned him recognition as a leading expert in infectious diseases and pharmaceutical epidemiology. His thorough understanding of disease transmission dynamics, coupled with his expertise in analyzing drug utilization patterns, enables him to make informed decisions and develop evidence-based interventions that have a lasting impact on public health.

Throughout his career, Dr. Ryan has actively collaborated with governmental agencies, international organizations, and local communities to implement effective public health policies and strategies. His collaborative and inclusive approach has not only fostered partnerships but also empowered communities to take charge of their health outcomes.

Dr. Ryan Paul's dedication to global public health is exemplary, and his work has undoubtedly shaped the trajectory of healthcare systems worldwide. Through his leadership and passion, he continues to drive impactful change, leaving a lasting positive legacy in the field of public health.

Sharon is the co-founder and CEO of a FemTech startup aiming to bring better health outcomes to women in an accessible and affordable manner. Benefiting from a rich health and innovation background she actively promotes the Israeli FemTech ecosystem- creating awareness, organizing events , securing investments and more.

She offers over 15 years of experience in the health and innovation world., and holds a masters degree in Political Science and Government for the Bar-Ilan University in Tel-Aviv.

Parents who have heard of the bestseller “What to Expect When your Expecting” as a go-to text have a powerful friend in India. Dr. Smita Bisen is an engaging educator, coach, health and wellness speaker, and presenter based in Mumbai, India and is the founder of UniShakti. She addresses expectant parents, new mothers, support staff, and birth professionals with captivating and inspiring approaches to creating thriving families and relationships.

Dr. Bisen has presented various research papers at national and international conferences. To extend her passion for teaching, she trains not-for-profit “Asha” clinics – run by government associations – staffed with doctors, nurses and volunteers on parenting skills to ensure that people in India’s most challenged neighborhoods have access to medical care for their newborns and toddlers.

Dr. Patricia A. Farrell is a published author of multiple self-help books and videos, a licensed psychologist, former WebMD psychologist expert/consultant, former medical consultant for Social Security Disability Determinations, psychiatric researcher at Mt. Sinai Medical Center (NYC) and an educator who has taught on the college as well as graduate and post- graduate levels, and is a top health writer for Medium.com publications.

Dr. Farrell’s is a consultant to pharmaceutical firms, writes continuing education modules for mental healthcare professionals, has contributed to USMLE medical school prep courses, writes daily tweets (@drpatfarrell), has a YouTube channel with helpful tips on multiple topics and is a biographee in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Women.

A member of The American Psychological Association as well as the SAG-AFTRA union, Dr. Farrell is a former board member of the NJ Board of Psychological Examiners, a former psychiatry preceptor at UMDNJ and a former board of directors’ member of Bergen Pines Hospital.

Jyothi is a scientist and drug developer whose passion lies in developing novel therapies and enhancing access to these therapies for patients living with diseases with high unmet need. After a 7-year career in academic research that encompassed a PhD in Human Genetics and post-doctoral experience in immunology, the desire to be directly involved in developing therapies for patients with serious unmet medical needs fueled her transition to clinical research.

Over the years, Jyothi has held positions of increasing responsibility from supporting clinical trials in cardiovascular disease at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, to serving as the lead Clinical Scientist on clinical trials in rare diseases at several biotechnology companies. Today, she leads multiple studies on Thyroid Eye Disease (a rare, debilitating autoimmune disease) at Viridian Therapeutics, and is committed to developing best-in-class therapies that serve this patient community.

Jyothi has been involved in various community health and education programs in India through non-profit organizations like End Poverty and public service programs such as National Service Scheme. Driven by the belief that the right to health is a fundamental human right, she is dedicated to working towards addressing global healthcare inequalities so that every individual has access to the health services they need, improving health education and building sustainable health systems.

Shazia Ahmad is a clinical trial engagement expert and rare disease advocacy professional. She earned a B.S. in physiology and neurobiology from the University of Maryland and has 20+ years of experience in the therapeutic development industry. Shazia is a seasoned thought leader in the rare disease space with a passion for ensuring the patient journey and diagnostic experience is implemented in every program she develops.

She is committed to improving healthcare, successful implementation of clinical research projects with a special interest in rare and orphan indications, neuroscience, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory and women’s health. In her current role as Senior Director, Head of Patient & Physician Services at UBC,

Shazia has also served as a study coordinator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While at the NIH, she coordinated intramural clinical trials across the various institutes, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Her work included direct parent/patient family interaction across various indications.

Shazia is dedicated to various patient-focused organizations, which is reflective in her work at the HPV Cancer Alliance as a Board Advisor. Shazia’s desire to improve healthcare drives her efforts to develop solutions that are both accessible and inclusive. Her passion for the diverse people of the rare disease community continues to drive her work though the implementation of patient advocacy initiatives.

Dynamic pharmacist and medication expert leveraging a strategic mindset and medication expertise to ensure understanding of safety and scientific information to healthcare providers (HCPs), key opinion leaders (KOLs) and patients. Passionate about helping others improve their quality of life through health and wellness, focusing on preventative medicine, personalized medicine and telemedicine.

Danielle has experience in legal and regulatory compliance, business development, retail pharmacy management, hospital pharmacy, surgery center consulting and Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing. Hyperemesis Gravidarum treatment expert and advocate! www.HGPharmacist.com @HG Pharmacist

Todd Eury started the Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN) in March of 2009, the pharma industries leading podcast platform. Todd is the CEO of the Pharmacy Publishing Network, the parent publication of the Pharmacy Podcast Network. With the editorial, C.E. education support, and evidence-based podcasting divisions, Todd directs the leading audio publication in the Pharmacy Industry.

A Pittsburgh native Todd is from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and started the first podcast about the profession of Pharmacy in 2009. Today, it’s the global leader in podcasting about the business and profession of the pharmacist. Todd is also active in other health related sectors and is a member of the Board of Directors for The Endometrial Cancer Foundation.

With podcasts about career development, politics, and running a privately owned community pharmacy, PPN has over 40 different channels with over 100,000 listeners. Todd has built strategic publishing services and support for our national pharmacy associations, including: American Pharmacists Association (APhA), National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP), The Pennsylvanian Pharmacists Association (PPA), the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP).

With over 15 years of experience in patient care, Grace Delerme is a devoted and empathetic healthcare professional. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mercer University's Georgia Baptist College of Nursing and has since worked extensively in various specialties of critical care.

For 12 years, Grace served as a bedside nurse, taking on the responsibilities of mentorship, preceptorship, and leadership. Additionally, she pursued a Master of Science degree with a focus on Family Nurse Practitioner at Walden University in Minnesota. As a patient provider, Grace has been treating patients of all ages at a private Dermatology practice in Georgia, where she has also developed nursing protocols to ensure the highest standards of patient safety and care.

Passionate about patient-centered care, Grace collaborates with fellow healthcare professionals to deliver optimal care. She is a certified national practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and stays up-to-date with the constantly changing healthcare industry through continuing education.

Karie is a life-long learner focused on patient-centric, innovative healthcare with experience in acute care. Having earned both a bachelor of science in Family and Consumer Science, and a master of science in Health a promotion from the University of Central Arkansas, her extensive knowledge base is focused on social determinants of health and patient education.

She’s currently obtaining post-graduate education through the University of Minnesota. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Karie strives to educate patients, so that informed decisions can be made, and quality of life can improve. Karie draws inspiration from her family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, sports, and quality time with loved ones

Teresita is a physician Liaison for MacArthur Medical Center in Irving, Dallas. She has years of experience dealing with public relations, marketing and the media surrounding daily practice life She brings a diverse range of skills to our advertising and fund raising arm, ensuring our organization's mission objectives are clearly and accurately represented, while providing invaluable input to our projects.

Bianca is a Lawyer & Philosopher working on the boundaries of human and machine exploration in fields of medicine, science and digital health. Her current work explores the role of law, philosophy, and ethics (digital health law) in the making of The Digital Health Revolution.

Bianca's vision is to help build a world where telemedicine enables access to healthcare no matter where you live, where the mainstream use of wearables predicts disease before human suffering, and the use of personalized medicine improves health outcomes. She is considered a leading thinker on the future of digital health and the law, recognized globally for her thought leadership in the field. Her ideas attract the biggest minds and companies in digital health.

Her works include: The Digital Health Revolution: Structural Elements & Logical Methods, The Eight Pillars of the Digital Health Revolution, and The Digital Health School of Thought. These works explore the processes, pillars, and methods upon which digital health laws and societies are built, constrained, transformed and revolutionized.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma of Professional Legal Practice, Master of Laws (Medical Law & Telemedicine). She is admitted as a Lawyer & Officer of the Supreme Court of Victoria. She is a Juris Doctor and Law Lecturer, and over the past decade has taught over 20 different University law subjects to students.