U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Susan R. Kirsh, MD, MPH is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN).
Dr. Kirsh served in numerous roles during her 24-year career with the Veterans Health Administration. She practiced as an internist for many years at the Cleveland VAMC and has led initiatives in VA Central Office in the Primary Care Program Office with Patient Centered Medical Home and Shared Medical Appointments and in Specialty Care nationally implementing eConsults, SCAN-ECHO, Specialty Care Neighborhoods, and MiniResidencies. Since March 2015, Dr. Kirsh led access to care efforts such as implementation of the practice management program for outpatient care across VA, same day services, and direct scheduling for specialty care. In 2018, Dr. Kirsh became the Acting Executive Director for Access and led enterprise-wide efforts to improve access to care through telehealth and Clinical Contact Centers Modernization.
Dr. Kirsh received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Kirsh is certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine and received a Master of Public Health from Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Society of General Internal Medicine, Medical Group Management Association, and the American College of Physicians. Dr. Kirsh was a Faculty Scholar in the VA Quality Scholar Program in 2008 and holds a Professor of Medicine appointment at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and an Assistant Professor position at the Georgetown University School of Nursing.
DeepWell DTx
Co-Founder
DeepWell DTx
NeuFluent
Founder
Nextern
Ryan is a renowned expert and innovator in mental health, artificial intelligence, and surgical robotics with nearly 20 years of experience. Ryan is the co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a video game publisher and developer focused on creating medically therapeutic games with compelling gameplay. He has commercialized over 20 medical devices, including treatments for depression, hypertension, breast cancer survivors, women's health, chronic pain, and neurological conditions. Additionally, Ryan holds pivotal patents in medical AI and robotics and has achieved FDA clearance for breakthrough therapies.
Chief Customer Success Officer
EY
Edwina is Client Technology’s Chief Customer Success Officer. In this role, Edwina leads Product Management and Customer Success at EY which develops cutting edge technology products and platforms to support EY’s $45BN client services in audit, tax, strategy, transactions, and consulting. In addition to leading product teams with 6500 technologists and engineers, Edwina heads up 10 Customer Success Regional Technology Hubs across the US, EMEIA, China and Japan focused on delivering successful outcomes and experiences from technology for EY’s clients globally.
Edwina is leading the metaverse community for Client Technology, working across EY globally, joining the dots and making connections across this new paradigm for 3Dworlds, avatars, NFTs, DeFi, Web3.0, DAOs, gaming, headsets, ethics, sustainability, legal, tax, regulatory, cybersecurity and more.
Over the course of her career, Edwina has been a CIO, COO and CEO in financial services businesses and holds board positions on industry innovation organizations. She was formerly the GCSP for Xerox, a G360 account and the Global Consulting Markets and Business Development Leader.
Moffitt Cancer Center
Chief Business Officer
Moffitt Cancer Center
Xavier Avat is the chief business officer at Moffitt Cancer Center. He is responsible for leading the cancer center’s business development, entrepreneurship, and innovation strategies.
As CBO, Avat manages the growth and development of the center, focusing on creating sustainable strategies to diversify revenue streams, build business lines, nurture partnerships, and ultimately expand Moffitt’s portfolio and ability to impact lives. He provides strategic oversight and direction to ensure the overall success of the business and projects across the enterprise.
Prior to joining Moffitt, Avat spent nearly 30 years in marketing, operations, and business development, most recently serving as chief business officer at Capricor Therapeutics, a biotech company. Prior to that he served in various leadership roles at several life sciences and biotech companies, including Genentech and Gilead Sciences. Avat holds a Master of Business Administration degree from EDHEC Business School, as well as a Master of Science degree in bioengineering from Polytech Lille School of Engineering, both in France.
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.
Ringling College of Art & Design
Dr. Larry R. Thompson, president of Ringling College of Art and Design since July 1999,
champions the need for businesses to embrace creativity to thrive in the 21 st century global
economy. A lawyer and an educator, Thompson previously served as Special Assistant to the
President of The Ohio State University; CEO of Flint Cultural Center; and the founding
Executive Director of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Thompson is former Chair of
the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) and currently serves on its
Board; is the former Chair of the President’s Council of the Independent Colleges and
Universities of Florida (ICUF); and serves on the boards of many local arts and civic
organizations. Dr. Thompson has been the recipient of numerous academic and humanitarian
honors and awards for his service as a visionary leader and educator.
Nokia
Hilary Mine,
VP Strategy & Technology, Nokia CX
President, Digital Europe
Ms Mine leads Strategy & Technology for Nokia’s global sales and marketing organization. Ms Mine and her extended team of Customer CTOs and strategists ensure a strong voice of customer in Nokia’s technology strategy and vision to support the broader goal of helping Nokia’s customers realize their ambitions, while supporting Nokia with thought leadership, new market incubation, and customer success strategies. Also a member of Nokia Technology Council.
In addition, Ms Mine serves on the Executive Board of DIGITALEUROPE as President. Ms Mine has had a diverse career: managing sales and operations in 22 countries across Asia and Europe for Nokia; running three different global consulting businesses; CMO of Technicolor; and more.
She has been passionate about deriving value from technology and connecting the planet for several decades.
Sesame Workshop
Miles Ludwig
Vice-President, Digital Media
Sesame Workshop
Miles leads the team responsible for all of Sesame Workshop’s interactive products and services worldwide, as well as spearheading Sesame’s initiatives in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Previously, Miles was the Managing Director of R&D, and he led a Digital Media team that won two Emmys (2009/10), a Peabody (2010), and a BAFTA (2013). Prior to that he co-founded Kirt Gunn & Associates, a digital advertising agency that was acquired by Epoch Films in 2008, and also served as Creative Director of Elias Arts’ Sound Intelligence Group. Miles is listed as an inventor on several patents, serves as a mentor at the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University, and serves on the Technical Advisory Board of The New School. He was educated at Brown University and New York University.
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Giselle Ricur is a digital health specialist, who has advocated for the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) in healthcare for over 25 years. Firm believer that innovative opportunities -in education as well as in research- can enhance clinical outreach, both on a national and international scale; without compromising the core values of being able to “deliver compassionate, high quality health care.
Trained as a physician and Ophthalmologist in Argentina. Transitioned into the health informatics field in US-based Telemedicine programs (ECU, NC; UTMB, TX). She has an MBA in Strategic Direction (Polytechnic University of Catalonia, SP) and a MSc in Healthcare Management (Swiss Business School) and is undergoing PhD studies in Science & Technology (UNCU, ARG).
Founder and principle of the Zaldivar’s Telemedicine Program in the late 90’s, founder of the first international chapter of the American Telemedicine Association (ATALACC) in 2003, and former collaborator of the Distributed Medical Intelligence (DMI) group, the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Economic Council for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/UN), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB).
Postgraduate faculty of the Healthcare Administration School (Aconcagua University); the Telemedicine Diploma Course (Cuyo’s National University Medical School); Director and Faculty of the Digital Healthcare Management Specialization Course and its Executive Master’s Program at ADEN’s International Business School (affiliated to the George Washington University Business School, USA and ADEN’s University in Panama).
Fellow and long-standing member of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), its Ocular Telehealth and International SIGs (2000); Member of the Editorial Committees of the Telemedicine and e-Health Journal, Telemedicine and Telecare Journal, and the Latin American Telehealth Journal; Member of the ICT Task Force of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), Member of the of the ICT and Education Interest Group of the Argentine Council of Ophthalmology (CAO), and of its Telemedicine Committee.
As author and co-author of telehealth peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters, she has been an invited lecturer throughout the Latin-American region, regarding real-time consultations, the physician/patient relationship in telemedicine, and how to implement ICT to extend patient outreach; as well as to how to apply disruptive technologies such as serious gaming and extended reality to medical teaching. Her expertise includes the design and
development of training content for innovative learning management systems that host digital teaching vehicles. Recently, she designed Bascom Palmer Eye institute’s virtual twin, and enabled the first ophthalmology-related classes for medical students in the Bascom Palmer Verse.
In recognition for her work and contributions in telehealth, she has received several awards: the Polycom Award for Scientific Merit in Telemedicine (2005), ATA’s Certificate of Appreciation for SIG/Chapter Leadership as Founder and Immediate Past Chair of the ATALACC (2007), as well as for Past Vice Chair and Chair of ATA’s International SIG (2012); the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Certificate of Appreciation for Contributions to the field of Teleophthalmology (2014). Inducted in June 2020 into the ATA’s College of Fellows, and in June of 2021 distinguished by the Argentinean Council of Ophthalmology for services and contributions to the field of Telemedicine and eHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS)
Haru Okuda, MD, FACEP, FSSH
Executive Director, Center of Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation
Associate Dean Emerging Healthcare and Educational Technologies
Associate Vice President Interprofessional Education & Practice
Professor, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida Health
Immediate Past President, Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Dr. Okuda is the Executive Director and CEO of USF Health’s Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS), Health Professions Conferencing Corporation (HPCC). In this role, he has oversight of an 90,000 ft 2 state of the art, advanced training facility, with the mission of creating and providing experiential learning that improves clinical skills and patient care in the community and around the globe. In addition to this role, Dr. Okuda also serves as USF Health’s Associate Vice President of the Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice focused on creating interprofessional learning opportunities from early healthcare training to clinical practice. He is Professor and Associate Dean at the Morsani College of Medicine and practices clinically at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa.
Previously, Dr. Okuda was the National Medical Director for the Simulation Learning Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) where he established national strategy and business plans for simulation-based programs at more than 150 U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ medical facilities. He was also the director of the Institute for Medical Simulation and Advanced Learning for the New York City Health and Hospitals, the largest public health system in the United States.
Dr. Okuda received his Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Brown University, his medical degree from New York Medical College, and his certificate in Healthcare Modeling and Simulation from the Naval Postgraduate School in California. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where he served as their Chief Resident, and then completed a clinical quality fellowship from the Greater New York Hospital Association. He is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and an inaugural fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy. He has also served as a chair or member of several medical and simulation committees; and is the Immediate-Past President for the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
He has co-authored numerous textbooks, peer reviewed publications, and textbook chapters. Known for his passion for teaching, innovation and business, Dr. Okuda received the 2017 Distinguished Educator Award by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Simulation Academy for the creation of the simulation-based training program SimWARS TM ; was named one of the top 25 Healthcare Leaders Under 40 by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2012; was selected as one of 40 Under 40 New York’s Rising Stars in Business by Crain’s NY Business Magazine in 2011; and was awarded the 2017 Healthcare and Medicine Leader of the Year by i4 Business Magazine. Dr. Okuda has spoken globally on healthcare simulation including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, China, India, Mexico, Spain and Canada.
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.
Radboud University Medical Center
Harry van Goor, MD, PhD, FRCS
Professor of Surgical Education
Digital Innovation Scientist
Past Interim Chair
Department of Primary and Community Care
Radboud University Medical Center
Harry van Goor, MD, PhD, FRCS is a Professor of Surgical Education, an digital innovation scientist, and past interim chair of the Department of Primary and Community Care of the Radboud university medical center. He has published over 400 peer reviewed papers and book chapters in a broad field of surgical care, medical device development and digital technology supported healthcare innovation. He is leading several technology tracks in the ‘fewer Bricks, more Bytes, different Behaviour’ (BBB) programme to improve care and wellbeing of patients, and healthcare workers in- and outside the hospital, including intuitive personalized wayfinding, continuous monitoring with wearable devices and predictive analytics, Ambient Intelligence in the hospital and at home, and Virtual Connected Care. He has chaired a European private-public program R4Heal, that develops and validates an integrated healing system. In this program several VRx projects are performed on acute and chronic pain management, Fit4Surgery and rehabilitation for various purposes in-hospital and @home. Harry van Goor led the team of in-hospital and hospital@home continuous monitoring of vital signs during the COVI19 crisis and the post- COVID VR@home rehabilitation program (COVRehab, COVR2Home). Harry is advisor of several (inter)national start-ups in digital health and of medical device companies and member of the program committee of European Healthcare Design congress in the UK. He has been awarded the Digital Healthcare Professional prize in 2022. He is a Frank Lloyd Wright connoisseur and is passionate about mid-century architecture.
Russell Shilling Consulting: Innovation and Impact
Russell Shilling, Ph.D., is an esteemed social impact innovator with a robust career dedicated to harnessing technology for enhancing education, training, and psychological health. His diverse background includes a distinguished tenure as a Navy Captain and Aerospace Experimental Psychologist. At the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), he led transformative AI and affective computing initiatives aimed at advancing psychological health, and pioneered novel approaches in STEM education through the integration of gaming and analytics.
Dr. Shilling's pioneering contributions began with the establishment of the first Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored research programs focused on the development and assessment of virtual reality tools for PTSD and pain management. His collaboration with Sesame Workshop resulted in award-winning programs supporting military children facing deployments, injuries, and loss.
Transitioning from military service, he served as Executive Director of STEM Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama Administration and as Chief Scientific Officer at the American Psychological Association. Currently, he provides strategic advisory services to the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL) at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and serves on the Medical and Science Advisory Committee at Autism Speaks.
A passionate advocate for establishing a DARPA-equivalent for education (ARPA-ED), Dr. Shilling continues to consult with startups and philanthropic organizations, applying innovative processes to research and development in education. His ongoing work in policy focuses on the intersection of AI and education technologies, underscoring his commitment to innovation and leadership in these fields.
University of British Columbia
I am a passionate clinical researcher with a background in Medicine, having graduated from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2020 as a general physician. During my academic journey, I developed a keen interest in the intricate workings of the brain and the nervous system. As a student, I actively engaged in various research projects exploring the nervous system's complexities. My contributions spanned across computational neuroscience, and clinical studies in neurology and neurosurgery, reflecting my commitment to understanding the multifaceted aspects of the human brain.
After graduation, my interests crystallized at the intersection of psychiatry and neurosciences. I embarked on a journey exploring mental health and substance use disorders, aiming to contribute meaningfully to these critical fields; specifically focused on dynamic novel interventions for mental health disorders in the context of computational psychiatry.
Since February 2022, I have had the privilege of working in Dr. Chakrabarty's lab at the University of British Columbia. Here, I am part of a comprehensive project involving a novel Virtual Reality (VR) cognitive remediation platform customized for cognitive deficits seen in people with major depressive disorder. This platform emerged from a collaborative R&D effort between UBC and the National Research Council, showcasing the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing mental health research.
In tandem with my primary role, I actively contribute to volunteer-based research with the ENIGMA ACRI and ISAM GEN group. Our focus centers on Cue Reactivity in Substance Use Disorders, where my dedication to understanding the nuances of these disorders drives my involvement.
I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to present my work remotely at IVRHA. My journey has been shaped by a commitment to advancing our understanding of psychiatric disorders, and the contribution to its interventions and I am excited to share my insights and contributions with the conference attendees.
OramaVR
Dr. George Papagiannakis, co-founder and CEO of ORamaVR is a computer scientist specialised in computer graphics systems, extended reality algorithms and geometric computational models. ORamaVR (www.oramavr.com) is a Swiss deep-tech startup that aims to accelerate the world’s transition to medical VR training by offering an IT platform (MAGES-SDK) enabling the mass production of high fidelity medical Virtual Reality Simulations. These simulations are then been used by hospitals, medical device companies, medical schools and medical training centres to train and assess their medical professionals.
His academic credentials include serving as Professor of Computer Graphics at the Computer Science department of the University of Crete, Greece, as Affiliated Research Fellow at the Human Computer Interaction Laboratory of the Institute of Computer Science in the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece, where he
leads the CG Group and as visiting Prof of CS at the University of Geneva. He has more than 100
publications in the field, and he is a member of CGS (Board Member), IEEE, Eurographics, ACM and SIGGRAPH professional societies. In 2011 he was awarded a Marie-Curie Intra-European Fellowship for Career Development from the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency.
He was conference chair of the Computer Graphics International 2016 Conference, in cooperation with CGS, ACM, ACM SIGGRAPH and Eurographics Associations. In 2017 he published a Springer-Nature book on Mixed Reality and Gamification which achieved more than 77.000 downloads so far. His pioneering research has attracted more than 2M EUR external funding at FORTH-ICS and more than 5.5M external R&D funding at ORamaVR.
University of Manitoba
Kimberly Workum
Senior Instructor
College of Nursing
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba
Kimberly Workum is a nursing educator and leader in the field of simulation and VR/AR/XR technology. As the Director of Digital Strategies and Senior Instructor at the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of nursing education.
Kimberly's credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Charles Sturt University, an Adult Education Diploma from Red River Community College, and a Master of Education from Charles Sturt University. She is also certified as a Canadian Certified Nurse Educator and is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator.
Kimberly has held various positions at the University of Manitoba, including Director of Skills, Director of Simulation Centre, and is currently the Director of Digital Strategies and CCA Centre. She and her team launched a successful Virtual Reality (VR) program in the College of Nursing's high-volume undergraduate program, where students have spent over 1000 hours in VR this year. She has also incorporated VR/AR/XR technology into other programs within the College of Nursing and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. Recently launching a high stakes nursing competency assessment conducted in VR.
This Centre is based in Manilla Philippines for foreign-trained nurses moving to Manitoba to access. Kimberly is an active member of several nursing, simulation, and XR organizations. Her dedication to nursing education has earned her numerous awards, including the Association of Regulated Nurses Award of Excellence in Nursing Administration, the Outstanding Nursing Unit, Program, or Interprofessional Team Award for Simulation, and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences CPD Educator of the Year.
With her expertise in simulation and VR/AR/XR technology, Kimberly is paving the way for innovative and immersive learning in healthcare education and training.
Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine
Dr. Albert Chi
Associate Professor of Surgery
Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Portland, Oregon
Medical Director, Targeted Muscle Reinnervation Program
Department of Surgery Portland, Oregon
Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine
Dr. Chi came to OHSU in 2016 from Johns Hopkins where he served as Medical Director of the Targeted Muscle Reinnervation Program and Medical Director of the Physician Assistant Surgical Residency Program since 2010. Dr. Chi has served as a Commander in the US Navy Reserve. Dr. Chi received his medical degree from the University of Arizona in 2003 and completed its residency program in 2008. His fellowship training was at the University of Maryland’s R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Prior to medical school, Dr. Chi completed both an undergraduate and graduate program in biomedical engineering at Arizona State University, which focused on neuromechanical control. His current research is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with traumatic injuries with an emphasis on motor control. One such effort involves using virtual reality for upper and lower extremity rehabilitation for individuals with nerve injury.
University of California, Berkeley
Haripriya Sathyanarayanan
Ph.D. Candidate
Building Science & Sustainability
University of California, Berkeley
Haripriya Sathyanarayanan is a Ph.D. Candidate in Architecture (Building Science & Sustainability)with a Designated Emphasis in New Media at the University of California, Berkeley. With a background in architecture, sustainable design consultancy and teaching, her research focuses on evidence-based design (EBD) and enhancing the patient experience in pediatric patient rooms. Haripriya employs an interdisciplinary approach, utilizing collaborative design processes, immersive technology, and biofeedback for patient engagement in design. As a PhD Intern at the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), she further enriches her expertise in the field of Building Simulation & Design and is involved in projects addressing DEI in residential energy codes.
With a Master of Science (Building Science) and a Bachelor of Architecture, Haripriya has received prestigious awards for her exceptional research efforts and alo serves as a Professional Development Liaison and mentor, actively supporting her fellow students. Haripriya's accomplishments include receiving the Regents Fellowship from UC Berkeley, prestigious awards for her ongoing dissertation and certifications such as EDAC, LEED AP (BD+C), and WELL AP, demonstrating her commitment to sustainable and human-centered design approaches.
GameDriver
Rob is a QA veteran and CEO of GameDriver. Prior to co-founding his current company, he specialized in helping enterprise companies in designing and implementing quality augmentation strategies aligning with digital transformation initiatives, including pioneering automated testing on mobile applications.
Today, he combines his interests in emerging technology, QA automation and augmentation, and video gaming to advocate for structured and robust testing practices equally in entertainment and industrial XR applications.
Moffitt Cancer Center
Emery Bergey is a Clinical Nurse Specialist supporting Ambulatory Services and the RN Navigation program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. She received her Masters’ of Science in Nursing Education from Chamberlain University, and a Post-Masters’ Certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing from Loyola University Chicago. She holds certifications in oncology, holistic nursing, and a specialty certificate in radiation oncology. Prior to joining Moffitt, she worked as a Lead RN Case Manager at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, and discovered her passion in caring for patients undergoing radiotherapy. She was recently selected as a National Innovation Fellow through The Ohio State University College of Nursing, and serves as a National Advisory Board member for the Coalition for Nurse Well-
Being. At Moffitt, her work focuses on developing innovative programs to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes. She is dedicated to exploring the benefits of Virtual Reality in
managing treatment-related symptoms, and finds joy in empowering patients of all ages with unique opportunities to engage with technology. Outside of work, she is a licensed skydiver, nature enthusiast, and dedicated dog mom.
Waya Health
President
Waya Health
Dr. Morgan is a board-certified anesthesiologist, and the founder and President at Waya® Health. Dr. Morgan’s interest in extended reality started shortly after completing his residency in 2015. Seeing the vast potential for extended reality in healthcare, he and his team began building systems that pioneer extended reality technologies for patient-centered applications. Waya® is a healthcare technology company composed of practicing physicians and software developers focused on creating assessments, diagnostics and therapeutic solutions to help patients. Dr. Morgan conceived and contributed to the development of the Waya® Health platform – an immersive system designed for the safe and effective implementation of patient-centric virtual and augmented reality applications. Waya® Health has become a company with national reach, used by healthcare institutions across the United States.
Dr. Morgan completed medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY and completed his residency in anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. While at the Cleveland Clinic, he designed, developed, and patented a system for the collection and the environmentally friendly destruction of controlled substance waste. He is currently the perioperative medical director at Watauga Medical Center in Boone North Carolina. He has created educational programs to guide healthcare providers through the process of starting their own immersive care programs and has also advanced educational efforts for residents focused on the use of extended reality.
Arizona State University
Bola Akinrolabu
Program Manager
XRts Initiative
Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center
Arizona State University
Bola Akinrolabu is the Program Manager for the XRts Initiative at the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, Arizona State University. Prior to joining ASU, Bola worked as a Research Assistant at De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom, where he is also currently completing his PhD at the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD). As a researcher, both on his own PhD project and other university projects. Bola's work focuses on the intersections of Restrictive and Carceral Spaces, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Immersive and XR Technologies.
In his current role at ASU MIX, Bola leads Immersive Technology related projects, including facilitating collaboration between faculty, staff and fellows from the MIX Center, ASU Gammage, ASU California Center, and the School of Arts, Media and Engineering to develop and evaluate component programs of the XRts initative, including the XRts Fellowship Program, and workbased learning experiences.
Think Next
Agathe Acchiardo
Health Futurist
Think Next
Agathe Acchiardo is a health futurist based in London. At Think Next, the consultancy she founded, she tracks trends that will shape the future of health and advise clients on how to take the most of the emerging opportunities. VR and AR have been on her radar for several years now – from the first use cases to the recent regulatory successes. In her last patient study, the Patient Trendscoping study, she investigates the interest of the public for VR-based interventions in the context of healthcare.
MAGIC Health Insurance Solutions
Employers manage every aspect of their business; except one – the cost of their health insurance plan. They spend several months every year in the arduous search for the lowest price. But when the process is over and the dust has settled, no one is happy. The employer still sees an increase in this large expense item; even after making plan changes that cause a continued erosion in their employees’ benefits.
I try to bring a little common sense into this very frustrating process.
It’s as simple as the 80/20 Rule. Administrative costs make up twenty percent of the overall cost of a health insurance plan. The other eighty percent is associated with the cost of the claims. I teach employers how to manage the eighty percent.
Instead of being in the dark about why their rates are increasing, I show employers exactly what is behind the cost of their plan. With this foundation of knowledge I show them how to create strategies to help stabilize their long-term costs. The employer finally learns how to properly manage this expense, which helps keep their costs down. If I have done my job properly, employees will continue to receive the same or similar level of benefits without it costing them more.
It is a win-win for everyone!
Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS)
Dr. Shannon Bailey
Senior Human Factors Scientist
Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS)
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Education
Morsani College of Medicine
Dr. Shannon Bailey earned her Ph.D. in Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology and has over 10 years of experience designing and testing training simulations and educational games. This research resulted in novel training products that transitioned to medical and military customers.
Dr. Bailey's research examines effective instructional techniques using immersive technology (XR, AR, VR, MR), adaptive training, and natural user interfaces. This research was published in peer-reviewed journals such as Medical Education, Simulation in Healthcare, and Human Factors, as well as co-authored book chapters and award-winning conference proceedings papers on training effectiveness. Dr. Bailey received the 2016 RADM Lewis Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education award.
ResInnova Laboratories
President and CEO
ResInnova Laboratories
Dr. Hardwick is a thought leader in the field of infection prevention in the healthcare environment of care and is an expert in antimicrobial surface technologies. He has 20 years of academic research experience at Georgetown University where he completed his PhD in Cell Biology, and at Johns Hopkins University, where he completed 2 postdoctoral fellowships, one in the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the second in the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute.
Dr. Hardwick is widely published and very active in numerous standards organizations including AATCC, ASHRAE, and ASTM International. He contributed significantly to two, soon-to-be published germicidal UV (GUV) standards from ANSI/HSI and ASHRAE.
Persistent Technology
Anju Bhargava, Ph.D. has her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Washington State
University and her Bachelor of Arts from Whitman College. She has been a licensed psychologist since 2014. She brings extensive experience in clinical psychology, including specialized experience in telepsychological health, behavioral health tools and technology, and operational psychology. She has a track record of successful project leadership spanning the private and military sector.
Ohio State University Medical Center
Nicholas E. Kman, MD, FACEP is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC).
He is board certified in Emergency Medicine. He completed his medical degree at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and his residency at Wake Forest University where he served as Chief Resident. He currently serves as the Med 4 Academic Program Director at the OSU College of Medicine. Dr. Kman is a Past President of Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine (CDEM) and serves as the SAEM Education Research Interest Group Chair. Dr. Kman’s clinical interest is in Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness. He serves as the Medical Manager for Ohio Task Force 1, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue. In 2017, he spent 12 days in Houston for Hurricane Harvey with FEMA and Ohio Task Force 1.
Charley Bear Productions
Angela Cohen
Producing Director & Writer
the glowmedia project
Producer, Director, Writer, Actress, Consultant
Charley Bear Productions Inc.
Line ProducerLine Producer
Smudge Films Limited
Angela Cohen is a multi-talented, award winning actress and filmmaker who serves up an enigmatic blend of humor, heart, and intrigue. Her films have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, qualified for the Oscars, and her work as an actress includes legends Al Pacino and Ann Dowd. She holds a degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral biology from Emory University and synergizes her skill sets in virtual reality. Angela was selected by Google to direct a mind bending VR piece in their inaugural JUMPSTART initiative. Notably, Angela is the producing director of GlowMedia films, a non-profit dedicated to boosting teen mental health literacy. She also recently directed a digital limited series in collaboration with the Lyme Disease Association.
Angela’s witty comedy "Drive Thru Confessionals" premiered on Elizabeth Banks' WHOHAHA and her touching short documentary "Unimaginable" premiered at the Oscar Qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival, leaving audiences captivated and inspired. Her haunting short narrative, "There Can Be Light," world premiered at the Oscar qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival, had its US Premiere at the renowned Breckenridge Film Festival, and was executive produced by Marci Wiseman, former president of Blumhouse Television. Angela founded Charley Bear Productions, driven by a vision to create a shift in perspective, igniting social change through female-fronted stories. When she's not busy making movies, Angela can be found bustin’ a move with her 2 rescue dogs, Charley and Lucky, and mentoring young women in STEM education.
Desert Regional Medical Center
Dr. Grant Nelson
Emergency Ultrasound Director
Clinical Ultrasound Fellowship Director
Core Faculty for the Emergency Medicine Residency
Desert Regional Medical Center
Grant Nelson is a board-certified emergency physician, fellowship trained in emergency and critical care ultrasound. He currently serves as Emergency Ultrasound Director, Clinical Ultrasound Fellowship Director, and core faculty for the emergency medicine residency at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA. During his time at DRMC Dr. Nelson has received multiple awards and recognition for his creative and engaging teaching methods. An experienced game and web developer, he has channeled his passion to teach into the creation of novel projects including a science-fiction first-person exploration game based on learning bedside echocardiography and a grant-funded virtual reality emergency room treasure hunt orientation. Over the past four years Dr. Nelson has been exploring various approaches to simulate and improve ultrasound education including creation of an integrated web+VR ultrasound curriculum platform. Currently he is working closely with University of Minnesota’s Division of Cardiac Anesthesiology and The Visible Heart Lab to develop transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography simulators using anatomically-accurate heart models capable of teaching advanced techniques and principles. Emphasizing performance for standalone headsets, gamified feedback loops, assistive techniques, eye-tracking, and real-time multiplayer with voice chat, Dr. Nelson envisions a comprehensive longitudinal ultrasound education available for anyone, no matter where they are.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Megan Jiao is a current Medical Research Scholar at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a medical student at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). She received her Bachelor of Science at Duke University and has a background in applying emerging digital technologies, particularly serious games, to clinical and public health contexts. She is currently conducting clinical research at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) utilizing virtual reality-based, gamified cognitive training for children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and examining user-avatar alignment in a dynamic VR environment for health education.
Yale University
Dr. Clíona Kelly
Postdoctorate Associate
Yale University
Co-Founder
Black in Neuro
Clíona is a Postdoctorate Associate at Yale University. Her PhD combined neuroscience and computer science to investigate social interaction with a particular focus on eye gaze. She utilised two growing technologies, virtual reality and neuroimaging (EEG) to successfully tap into the underlying neural mechanisms of social interaction in a naturalistic environment. Currently, in her postdoctoral research, she will be using the same tools but applying them to an understudied and underfunded area, the maternal brain.
Understanding these changes during a pivotal life event is crucial and differences in how mothers may interact with their newborns based on their experiences is central to Clíona’s interests.
In addition to her research, Clíona has co-founded Black In Neuro, a non-profit (501c3) organisation that aims to support, highlight and encourage current and aspiring Black neuroscientists around the world. She helped grow this group from its inception to boasting 34 thousand social media followers, over a thousand active members and a presence in over 61 countries. Clíona has personally contributed to Journal of Neuroscience, Spectrum News, and British Neuroscience Association articles which explain aspects of the movement. This advocacy lends itself to her research as all too often Black people are missing from reported data and we see these absences manifest in accepted practices, for example, the exclusion of certain hair textures from EEG research. Clíona continues to advocate for better understanding and practices within the neurosciences.
Persistent Technology
Annaliese Schultz, M.A. has her Master of Arts in Art Therapy from The George Washington University and her Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California. Her experience lies in research regarding social and emotional neurodevelopment, and her graduate work on art therapy treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been integral in the development of Reflect XR.
XRenegades
Tess McKinney serves as the visionary leader behind XRenegades, a subsidiary of Firework Media Studio, LLC. Renowned as an industry-leading consulting studio, XRenegades specializes in Immersive Virtual, Augmented & Mixed Reality (XR), 360 Degree Tour Design, Technology Training, and VR/AR/XR Reselling, particularly tailored for the education and healthcare sectors. With an impressive two-decade tenure in the technology industry and a fervor for innovation, Tess has established herself as an expert in the field of immersive technology.
Her LinkedIn profile, available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessmckinney/, showcases a rich tapestry of connections that span industry leaders, innovators, and thought leaders in XR/VR/AR/AI, healthcare, and education. Tess leverages this extensive network to stay abreast of the latest trends, developments, and collaborative opportunities in these rapidly evolving domains. She is helping XR/AR/VR/AI businesses promote themselves through her vast connections. Tess has also pioneered a groundbreaking platform that meticulously lists VR/AR/XR companies in the healthcare industry. This platform streamlines the process for educational institutions and businesses to explore and adopt these cutting-edge technologies, accessible at XRenegades' website: https://xrenegades.com/arvrxr-healthcare-companies-list.
XRenegades boasts a track record of successfully guiding colleges and universities in the implementation of optimal immersive technologies for their students. Tess has collaborated with prestigious institutions such as The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Brazosport College, and the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Nursing. Currently, she is actively involved in building XR simulation labs and implementing XR solutions for students and
faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Nursing and College of Dentistry.
Furthermore, XRenegades plays a pivotal role in connecting educators with leading companies in the immersive technology field, fostering partnerships with notable entities like VictoryXR, SimX VR, UP360, VRPatients, ArborXR, Cleanbox Technologies, MACE Virtual Labs, Merge, Bodyswaps-VR Soft Skills Training, Darley, Xennial Digital, Reulay, PixoXR, HTC, AscentXR, MAI-Bodymaps, InceptionXR, Healthysimulation.com, Kaleidoscope XR, Near-Life, CurioXR, PsyTech VR, VR-Lab, Facilitate, Learning Time VR, among others. Tess is also spearheading the development of an active shooter situational learning VR application for K-12+, scheduled for completion in Spring 2024 with the assistance of students from the University Of Nebraska at Lincoln Senior Design called XRSurvive.
Presently, Tess is engaging in consulting agreements with companies in the XR/AR/VR/AI industries, providing expertise and support for the training and implementation of innovative projects within the healthcare and education sectors.
Previously, Tess served as a full-time Instructional Technologist for the University of Nebraska Medical Center Global Center for Health Security. During her tenure, she demonstrated unwavering dedication to developing XR education and remote consultation services for small and rural healthcare facilities, aiding them in advancing their knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control Services in Sterile Processing. Tess recently concluded this role, leaving behind
a legacy of impactful contributions in the realm of instructional technology for healthcare education.
Having contributed to the creation of commercialized virtual reality simulations (Rollover Ranch, Heart Health Escape Room, Nurse’s Escape) with a team from the University of Nebraska Medical Center- College of Nursing-Lincoln which are available on the XRenegades website.
Tess McKinney is actively involved in various professional groups, holding roles such as Committee Co-Chair for VRARA Healthcare, Board Member of Nebraska Distance Learning Association, Leader of "The Cool Kids Table," Co- Leader/Outreach Coordinator for University of Nebraska: NeVRNER group, and Webmaster/Member with the College and Community Service Organization- Southeast Community College Chapter. Additionally, she serves as an Adjunct Technology Faculty at Southeast Community College-Nebraska.
For more information, visit XRenegades' website: https://xrenegades.com/
At XRenegades, technology evolves, and so do we. Hire a Renegade!
Cancer Researcher
Brian Gonzalez is a cancer researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center. He uses digital tools to improve quality of life in cancer survivors, focusing on minority and underserved populations.
XR Association
Stephanie Montgomery serves as the XR Association’s Senior Vice President of Research and Best Practices. XRA’s mission is to promote the responsible development and thoughtful advancement of XR that fosters positive societal outcomes. Ms. Montgomery manages the implementation of XRA’s research agenda, development of its catalog of industry-leading best practices and guides its Health and Inclusion committees. She previously served the ICT industry as the Vice President, Technology and Standards at the Telecommunications Industry Association running their standards development organization. While there she launched new programs in the areas of smart cities and intelligent transportation systems. She is the proud owner of three VR headsets, an occasional gamer and recipient of the American National Standards Institute’s prestigious Meritorious Service Award.
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Jarrod Reisweber
Assistant Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University
Clinical Psychologist
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Jarrod Reisweber, Psy.D., Ed.S., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has authored or co-authored six books about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/or Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He received his graduate training at The College of William and Mary and James Madison University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania under the direct supervision of Aaron T. Beck, M.D. Dr. Reisweber worked with Dr. Beck in directing a research project investigating the impact of Cognitive Therapy on patients with substance abuse disorders, as a clinician utilizing Cognitive Therapy to treat individuals with schizophrenia, and while co-authoring multiple articles and the book Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents in School Settings. Dr. Reisweber has also co-authored many book chapters and developed the psychological perspective Transcendent Self Theory which was featured in his book Psychology of Religion: From a Transcendent Self Theory Perspective. He has trained clinicians worldwide in a variety of settings and authored numerous psychological interventions.
Augment Therapy, Inc.
Lindsay Watson PT, MPT
CEO and Co-Founder
Augment Therapy, Inc.
Lindsay Watson PT, MPT is the CEO and Co-Founder of Augment Therapy, Inc. a digital health company that uses augmented reality experiences, as well as virtual care enabled features to engage people of all ages and abilities in therapeutic exercise. The company is on a mission to positively impact the healthcare industry through accessible, cutting-edge technology that transforms exercise into an enjoyable experience. Lindsay’s passion to drive change in the rehab and healthcare industries is due to her 20 plus years working as a physical therapist focused largely on pediatrics. As a tech founder, she was named one of Cleveland’s Notable Women of Technology, and Cleveland.com’s HomeGrown Hero in the category of Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. She has led Augment Therapy to win many awards including national recognition from Unity in 2022 as a “Unity for Humanity Grant Winner,” GCP’s “Most Promising Startup,” in 2020, and a “Company to Watch,” by Inc Magazine. Augment Therapy has also participated in multiple tech accelerators nationwide, and was even mentioned in Forbes magazine. She is an active member of the APTA and resides in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with her husband and 3 children.
Somos
Peter Lund
CEO of Somos
Partner at SuperGenius Studio
Peter Lund co-founded Somos in 2019 to merge the realms of healthcare and immersive gaming. His passion for catalyzing human agency drives the company's mission to build patient care pathways within immersive gaming spaces.
Peter believes that therapy should be as captivating as it is healing. Combining the best game design with validated therapies, Somos uses proprietary methods for embodiment, neural entrainment, and novel control modalities to turn treatment into a hero’s journey of progress and
empowerment.
Somos believes the best digital therapeutics are built by joint teams of world class game developers and scientists. Somos is supported by funding through the Henry M. Jackson foundation in collaboration with institutions including Walter Reed, the Uniformed Services University, and the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University.
Before founding Somos, Peter spent a decade as COO at SuperGenius Studio, playing an instrumental role in building acclaimed AAA games across various platforms, including console, PC and AR/VR. Peter has served as Chair of the Oregon Games Organization, Clackamas Workforce Partnership, Clackamas Economic Development Commission, and as a member of the Portland Small Business Advisory Council.
Peter is dedicated to forging a world where rehab is not only a regimen but an adventure, designed to meet diverse needs and making healthcare journeys effective, available and enjoyable for humans across the globe.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH)
Chris Goode
Advanced Image Processing Specialist
Research MRI Technologist/CRA
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
I am an advanced image processing specialist with experience in image processing and segmentation techniques. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in medical radiography from Baptist Health Sciences University, and later pursued my master of business administration in healthcare management from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN. My clinical and research interests focus on 3D virtual reality modeling for surgical planning.
Arizona State University
Sarah Bassett
Co-Director
Resilient Visions Co-Lab
Arizona State University
Co-Founder and Director of Urbanism
People's Culture
Sarah Bassett, Professor of Practice and co-director of the Resilient Visions Co-Lab at ASU, specializes in disaster recovery. She uniquely incorporates her cancer survivorship experience into her work, emphasizing health, adaptation, and resilience in communities dealing with the chronic stresses and acute shocks of climate change, technological determinism, and rapid urbanization. Bassett’s work employs storytelling for policy advocacy using media and technology to create place-based change. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, archived in the MIT Co-Creation Docubase, and published with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She serves on the board for the American Planning Association Technology Division and is the co-founder of Peoples Culture.
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jeff Porter
Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jeff Porter is an accomplished Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) at Brooks Rehabilitation, where he also serves as an educator and Data Analyst. Since 2019, he has played a key role in integrating technology with patient care, notably through his partnership with VEERA Medical. Jeff has been central to creating virtual rehabilitation games that balance user-friendliness for clinicians and therapeutic impact for patients. His work leverages artificial intelligence to enhance both patient engagement and clinician efficiency. Additionally, Jeff's role as a part-time CARF surveyor complements his work, bringing a deep understanding of performance improvement to the development of these innovative therapeutic tools. His unique combination of clinical expertise, educational involvement, and tech savvy makes him a notable figure in advancing rehabilitative therapy and technology.
Invincikids
Andre’ Bollaert
Executive Director
Invincikids
With over 25 years of grassroots experience in non-profit program development and organizational growth, Andre' has dedicated his career to fostering equity within underprivileged communities. His expertise spans diverse sectors, including Immersive Technology for Pediatric Populations, Early Childhood Development, Resource Conservation, and Historic Preservation to create Affordable Housing.
At the core of Andre's approach is a commitment to grassroots engagement. He champions the idea that genuine organizational success arises from the collaboration of cohesive teams comprising donors, advocates, constituents, organizational partners, staff, and board members. By prioritizing the needs of underserved and resource-limited groups, Andre' works tirelessly to create a lasting impact in the communities he serves. His focus extends beyond mere organizational achievements to the tangible improvement of the lives of those he seeks to empower.
Ringling College of Art & Design
Ana Carolina Pereira
Professor
Ringling College of Art and Design
Ana Carolina Pereira is a professor at the Ringling College of Art and Design, specializing in the VR and Game Art majors. With a background in both academia and industry, she has contributed to 21 shipped serious VR titles for companies such as Mastercard and the Air Force, engaging in diverse projects spanning enterprise, education, medical, military, and marketing. Committed to practical education, Ana Carolina integrates real-world professional practices into her teaching, aiming to prepare students for success in the VR industry. Her instructional focus includes tech art, level design, programming, 3D art, and other related subjects. Additionally, she serves as an online educator, teaching 3D sculpture globally for Maxon.
Child's Play
Travis Eriksen
Executive Director
Child's Play
With over a decade of working in the primary/secondary education field, Travis Eriksen has been the Executive Director of Child's Play since 2017. With a Master’s Degree focused in Education from Oregon State University, he has helped Child's Play move toward not only giving games and tech away but also to become a teaching resource in how to use games as an intentional part of therapy.
Ohio State University Medical Center
Dr. Salhi conducted his MD and PhD training at The Ohio State University Medical Center (OSUMC) with an emphasis in cardiac physiology. He completed his residency training in emergency medicine at is a current EMS Fellow at OSUMC. There he functions as assistant medical direction for several urban and suburban fire-based and third-service EMS agencies. His current research focus is in disaster medicine and emergency preparedness, with a focus on utilization of virtual reality for simulation of mass casualty events to train healthcare professionals. Dr. Salhi also functions as a clinical fellow at the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians currently investigating workforce studies and education research.
FundamentalVR
Maayan Wenderow
VP of Marketing, FundamentalVR
Maayan Wenderow is a Marketing executive experienced in medical device and med-tech marketing with a proven track record in launching medical products. Ms. Wenderow started her career in Telecom and transitioned to HealthCare to pursue her passion in bringing new technologies to market to advance patient care and democratize healthcare. Before joining FundamentalVR as a Vice President of Marketing she served in various lead marketing roles. Most recently she was the global marketing lead for hemodynamic monitoring at Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) following the successful acquisition of Cheetah Medical.
She holds a BA and MA, Magna Cum Laude, in Educational Administration from University of Haifa.
Arizona State University
Nicholas Pilarski
Associate Professor
University of Arizona
Co-Founder
People's Culture
Nicholas Pilarski, recognized as one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Cinema, is an award-winning filmmaker whose co-created interactive media address historic poverty, environmental concerns, and trauma. He creates art that emerges from the communities it depicts, contesting conventional boundaries of subject/author, teacher/student, and spectator/producer. Co-director of the RV-CoLab at ASU, Pilarski's work, celebrated by the MIT Co-Creation Studio, is archived in The Smithsonian's permanent collection, featured in The New York Time and Engadget and has discussed the emergence of XR in global venus. He has advised the Center for Court Innovation and NYC's Office of Technology and Innovation, advocating for community storytelling and XR to promote upward mobility and equity. He is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University in XR Technology and co-director of the Resilient Visions Co-Lab.
Veterans Health Administration
Chief Innovation Officer
Veterans Health Administration
Palliative Care Consultant
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Co-Founder
Cake
Physician
Care Dimensions (formerly Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston)
Instructor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Haipeng (Mark) Zhang D.O. is the Medical Director of the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub, as well as of Digital Health Implementation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Zhang also holds the position of Associate Program Director of the Clinical Informatics and Innovation Fellowship at Partners Healthcare and a Palliative Care consultant at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Zhang completed an Internal Medicine residency and a chief year at Allegheny General Hospital. He is a graduate of the Harvard Interprofessional Palliative Care Fellowship, the first graduate of the Clinical Informatics and Innovation fellowship at Partners Healthcare, and completed a Masters Medical Science in Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School.
Throughout his career, Mark has held an interest in leveraging technology to improve clinical medicine. He is the founder and co-creator of Palliative Care Fast Facts for iOS and Android mobile applications. This application is one of the most widely used mobile reference applications in palliative care in the world. He is the co-founder of Cake, a venture backed company focused on advance care planning.
He also founded and was the first president of AMIA Clinical Informatics Fellows (ACIF), the national organization for clinical informatics fellows.
Healium
CEO
Healium
Sarah Hill is a 12-time mid-America Emmy award-winning former TV journalist who developed Healium for herself as well as the millions of others who want to self-heal their anxiety for better sleep and human performance. As the CEO of Healium, Hill has 25 years of experience building unique media franchises. She has 5 patents for biometrically-powered media, her company's mental fitness products are clinically validated in 5 peer-reviewed journals, and her immersive experiences have been viewed more than 7 million times. Hill is a former interactive TV news journalist for the NBC, ABC, & CBS affiliates in Columbia, Missouri. A national Edward R. Murrow, NAB Service to America, National Sigma Delta Chi, and award-winning TV reporter, she spent decades covering the world’s trauma in Sri Lanka, Zambia, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Congo. Healium's roots are in virtual travel for Veterans. In 2015, Hill’s team built a program called “Honor Everywhere”, which uses virtual reality and augmented reality to allow aging Veterans the opportunity to virtually visit their WWII, Vietnam, Korea, & Women’s Memorials. Hill is married with two grown children, three if you count her husband. She likes to run, do hot yoga, and visit the world's historical sites.
Boston Children's Hospital
Simulation Engineering Project Manager
Boston Children's Hospital
Jeffrey Jacobson, Ph.D., brings 30 years of experience in research, engineering, and applications of VR, AR, and XR technology. As the XR Lead at Immersive Design Systems at Boston Children’s Hospital, he develops new training solutions and is building our new XR service line. With a doctorate in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, Jeff is a cognitive engineer, expert on how people process information. He was one of the first researchers to use game technology for VR, conduct empirical studies of learning in VR, and use AR in museums and educational theater. He consulted for years in museums, architecture, transportation, and health care. His writings are cited over 1500 times in the scientific literature.
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Anne Lord Bailey is Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Lab (“Strat Lab”) and Immersive Technology Lead for VHA’s Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (HIL). Dr. Bailey started her health care career 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, and in 2020, she joined the HIL team. In 2021, Dr. Bailey became HIL’s lead for Immersive Technology and became the first Executive Director of the newly formed 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 2,300 VA employees, and helping guide the 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.
MyndVR
Vice President of Market Development, Jessica Benson entered the world of virtual reality (VR) while establishing a grant-funded program delivering VR to patients and their families. The initiative’s mission was to help relieve pain and stress associated with medical treatment and hospital stays. Benson knew that virtual experiences would provide significant relief for users and was inspired to launch Immersive Cure - a VR startup focusing on Veterans, hospice, and palliative care organizations.
Since then, Jessica successfully exited Immersive Cure and has become a spokesperson for virtual reality and its applications for the elderly market. She has appeared in Crain’s, Modern Healthcare, Akron Legal News, TechOhio, Voice of America, and has been profiled on ABC, Spectrum 1 News, and a variety of radio stations and podcasts. Jessica has also spoken on panels for The University of Akron’s National Science Foundation I-Corps Cohort and Global Silicon Valley Startup Bootcamp.
Santa Clara University
Director of the Brain and Memory Care Lab
Santa Clara University
Dr. Julia A. Scott is director of the Brain and Memory Care Lab at Santa Clara University. The research program partners with external stakeholders--companies, clinicians, community organizations--to co-design healthcare innovation projects for numerous disciplines, from public health to engineering. The primary technologies engaged are in non-invasive brain sensing and stimulation in application to cognitive decline or impairment and neurobehavioral conditions. Successful integration of EEG derived signals into virtual reality (VR) experiences has seeded ongoing development of VR biofeedback applications that enhance the sense of presence and train self-regulatory skills.
Julia Scott, PhD received her training in neuroscience at University of California campuses (Davis, San Diego, and San Francisco). She has published widely on normal and abnormal neurodevelopment as well as brain aging in the characterization of longitudinal change models and neuroimaging markers. She has taught a range of courses in Biology and Bioengineering, including physiology, neural engineering and medical imaging.
Reach
Member Board of Directors
Preeclampsia Foundation
Member Board of Directors
AHIMA Foundation
Chief Executive Officer
RTL Innovation
President
REACH
With over 20 years of dedication, Fran Ayalasomayajula, executive healthcare strategist and technologist, serves the interests of populations around the world to improve the quality of healthcare, increase access to healthcare, and obtain higher rates of health literacy and patient engagement.
As the President of Reach Healthcare, Fran leads with vision strategies and innovations designed to advance and deliver improved clinical outcomes and better population health. Prior to Reach, Fran was the Head of Digital Health Strategy, Worldwide at HP and has worked for PAHO - WHO, CDC, BMS, and UHG among others.
Fran is the recipient of national awards for motivational and collaborative leadership including the National Campaign for Tolerance. She is a member of the Wall of Tolerance, the United Nations Association, and multiple global organizations on population health.
She is a renowned international public speaker and writer. The author of several publications on technology-enabled population health management solutions, including best practices for the successful adoption of virtual reality in the clinical setting. An acclaimed thought leader, Fran engages and inspires audiences through storytelling from the front lines of public health and "How To" presentations sharing approaches to applied innovation and technology-enabled methodologies.
National Institutes of Health
Head, Health Communication and Behavior Unit
Director, Immersive Simulation Program
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Associate Investigator and Director of Virtual Reality Lab
National Institutes of Health / National Human Genome Research Institute
Dr. Susan Persky is an associate investigator and unit head within the Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH) where she directs the Immersive Simulation Program (ISP). She earned her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she studied at the Research Center for Virtual Environments and Behavior. In 2006 she founded the ISP, an immersive technology-based experimental research facility at the NIH Clinical Center. Dr. Persky splits her effort between providing leadership for the ISP and conducting programmatic research on clinical and public health translation of emerging genomics technologies. She has written and presented extensively on methodology, applications, and evaluation of immersive technology in healthcare and behavioral science contexts. Dr. Persky has presented this work in venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Nixon Gwilt Law
Partner
Nixon Gwilt Law
Kaitlyn O’Connor, Esq. is Senior Counsel at Nixon Gwilt Law. An energetic and relationship-focused healthcare innovation attorney, Kaitlyn provides practical and strategic legal advice with a focus on business implications and what is best for the client's business. She excels at creative problem-solving and balancing risk in "grey" areas for her clients.
Kaitlyn’s experience and areas of practice include digital health, telehealth, veterinary telemedicine (aka, TelePet), direct-to-consumer digital health business models, remote care management, virtual first delivery models, global privacy and security, teledentistry, fraud and abuse, and HIPAA privacy/security. She provides legal, regulatory, and business guidance to healthcare providers across the spectrum of care, as well as early-stage companies and vendors serving the healthcare industry. Kaitlyn specializes in remote patient monitoring (RPM) and leads NGL’s RPM practice alongside Managing Partner Carrie Nixon. Kaitlyn particularly enjoys working with innovative RPM vendors to implement practical business solutions and accelerate growth in this rapidly expanding industry.
After graduating magna cum laude from Syracuse University, Kaitlyn attended William & Mary Law School, where she served as a member of the Business Law Review. She is a member of the Connected Health Initiative (CHI), Co-chair of the Health & Life Sciences Affinity Group for the National Association of Women Lawyers ("NAWL"), member of the Reproductive Justice Working Group with the Law Firm Anti-racism Alliance ("LFAA"), member of the American Telemedicine Association, and serves as a Mentor for Jumpstart Foundry, an investment group focused on healthcare technology. Kaitlyn also provides mentorship for startups participating in the MassChallenge HealthTech, KidsX, and Leap Venture Studio accelerators.
Kaitlyn is based in Nixon Gwilt Law’s Richmond office and lives in Richmond with her dog Milly.
Cleanbox Technology
CEO, Co-Founder
Cleanbox Technology
Women's Committee Member
Healthcare Committee Member
Enterprise Committee Member
Safety & Security Committee Member
VR AR Association
Advisory Board Member
International Virtual Reality Healthcare Association
Advisory Board Member
AIXR HR Healthcare Advisory Panel
Co-Founder
Reality Dept
Amy Hedrick is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Cleanbox Technology. Her strategy for building a thriving business by solving a real-world problem, and her vision for creating a global impact brand with reach across multiple industries, has grown the company from an idea to a multi-million-dollar global business in two short years. Hedrick brought investment into Cleanbox, and her execution of the company’s vision has established Cleanbox as a brand trusted by its many Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 clients.
Hedrick is a thought leader in the applications of immersive technology as industry disruptors and brings innovation ideas and product functionality to Cleanbox’s smart tech hygiene product lines. She has led multiple teams from project inception and funding, to planning and execution, proving herself an effective leader in multiple industries over the past decade.
Immediately prior to funding and incorporating Cleanbox in 2018, Hedrick served as Manager of Content and Digital Media for the think tank division of Li and Fung, a leading global consumer goods sourcing and manufacturing company based in Hong Kong. Her expertise includes conducting bespoke research and C-level reports within technology, retail, and cross-genre applications. Hedrick was one of four writers for the Fung Business Intelligence Center (FBIC). It was this immersion that inspired the business idea that would eventually lead to Cleanbox.
Hedrick spent her early career working with international aid organizations, managing multiple teams of 50-150 healthcare, construction, and emergency intervention professionals, and overseeing direct-aid projects in addition to fundraising in both the profit and non-profit sectors. In addition, she worked in the film industry raising funds, managing budgets for content creation and production.
Hedrick currently serves on various VR and AR Association committees including; Women’s, Healthcare, Enterprise, Safety & Security as well as the Advisory Board for the International Virtual Reality Healthcare Association, and recently contributed to a book “VR and Healthcare”, a compilation of thought leaders in XR, published by Robert Fine.
Hedrick has been named Analytics Insight Magazine’s “The 10 Most Impactful Women in Technology 2020.”
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 as a nurse for over 10 Caitlin Rawlins has been in the nursing profession for over twelve years, 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). She now aids in leading VHA innovation and immersive technology utilization as Deputy Director of Clinical Tech Innovation, co-lead of the VHA Extended Reality (XR) Network, and Program Manager for VA Immersive in the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning. She has directly supported the expansion of XR technology use from one facility to over 90% of VA Healthcare Systems and XR network engagement to more than 2,300 VA employees, including developing pilots, programs, and healthcare integration resources. Ms. Rawlins has been awarded the 2019 ANCC Pathway Award, 2022 G2Xchange Disruptive Tech Program Award, 2022 IVRHA Hero Award, and, along with other OHIL Immersive Tech team members, was a recipient of the 2022 Service to the Citizen Award, 2023 ACT-IAC Innovation Impact Award, 2023 FORUM Health IT Innovation Award, 2023 Modern Healthcare Top 10 Innovator Organization, and a 2023 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals® Finalist for contributions to VA’s implementation of XR and development of the VHA XR Network.
VEERA Medical
Paesol Veerakitti
CEO
VEERA Medical
Reach Cloud
Paesol Veerakitti serves as the founder and CEO of VEERA Medical and REACH. His journey, rooted in a Master’s in Electrical Engineering, reflects a commitment to using AI and XR for enhancing healthcare. Veerakitti's work, particularly in VR for physical therapy, stems from a deep-seated desire to improve patient care. In his book, 'The Multidimensional Revolution,' he shares insights on the potential of technology to make a meaningful difference in lives, underscoring his dedication to practical, patient-centered solutions.
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.
Cancer 101
Sarah Krüg is the CEO of Cancer101, a patient advocacy organization. She is also president-elect of the Society for Participatory Medicine, a patient/provider member-driven organization whose mission is to enable collaborative partnerships between patients and healthcare professionals. As well, Sarah serves as research chair and board member of the Cancer Patient Education Network and on the CPEN Health Literacy Committee. She previously held the position of global education director in the Medical Education Group at Pfizer, where she established the Global Investigator Initiated Research Program. Prior to joining Pfizer, Sarah spearheaded the development of the Pediatric Disease Management clinical pathways and conducted clinical research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
ViewMind Inc.
With over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, Mark Edwards serves as the CEO and co-founder of ViewMind, a company focused on developing ocular digital biomarkers to measure cognition. ViewMind’s technology delivers unprecedented accuracy to measure fine grain changes in cognition due to digital therapeutics, pharmacological treatments and neuromodulation leading to better patient outcomes.
Prior to founding ViewMind, Edwards held CEO positions within various private and public company divisions, contributing significantly to the growth and establishment of five global market-leading companies and products across software, AI, mobile, SaaS, and multimedia sectors. Edwards holds a 1st Class BSc Hons in Computer Science and Electronic Engineering from the University of Birmingham.
Charley Bear Productions
Thomas Shields brings a wealth of expertise, enhancing the team's credibility through a distinguished background in strategic business development, customer success, and healthcare tech sales. With a proven track record, Thomas has successfully taken similar products and services to market in his previous roles.
As the former Director of Customer Success at AppliedVR, Inc., a leading healthcare virtual reality company, Thomas played a crucial role in driving sales and developing customer relationship programs. His strategic approach and leadership contributed to the successful market entry of healthcare virtual reality solutions. Thomas not only shaped the sales strategy for entering new healthcare markets but also pushed the founder's vision, contributing to effective messaging for diverse audiences, including hospital C-suite executives, internal sales teams, and investors.
His experience extends to building key relationships with prestigious healthcare organizations such as New York University Langone, RWJ-Barnabas Health, and INOVA Health System, showcasing an ability to navigate and succeed in the healthcare market. His role involved building analytics and revenue tracking systems, focusing on optimizing the customer journey for B2B subscription services, reflecting his commitment to measurable success.
Before his work at AppliedVR, Thomas served as a Hospital Administrator at Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health in Jersey City, NJ, specializing in new projects. His strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 corporations in the Greater New York Metropolitan area significantly increased customer volume year over year. Notably, Thomas developed a concierge medicine program that contributed to a $2.5 million net revenue increase in its first year, demonstrating his ability to bring innovative healthcare solutions to market successfully.
Thomas's foundational background as a Firefighter, Paramedic, and Instructor at the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department further attests to his diverse experience. His leadership roles in responding to critical situations, coupled with his emergency medical instructor position at the fire academy, highlight his capability to manage complex operations and his extensive knowledge in medical education such as CPR.
Thomas’s extensive background in taking healthcare solutions to market as well as his strategic approach, leadership skills, and proven success in similar ventures, position him as a valuable asset to the team's efforts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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