2025 Executive War College Agenda
Here is the 2025 Executive War College Agenda. As session topics and speakers are confirmed, they will be posted on this page. Watch this site regularly to catch all the new topics and speakers.
Last Early Bird Registration through 3/21/25: $1,795
We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

These are the speakers and the sessions that are confirmed to appear during the 2025 Executive War College. Specific days, times, and locations for each session will be announced in the future.
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Pursuing the Opportunities and Overcoming the Challenges for Clinical Labs, Genetic Testing Companies, and Anatomic Pathology Groups.
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Funding, Creating, and Operating the Nation’s first Diagnostic Center:
Elevating the Value of Laboratory Medicine to Improve Patient Care in a Financially-Sustainable Model

Michael Laposata
MD, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology,
Univ. of Texas Medical Branch,
Galveston, Texas
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Creating WOWS by embedding innovation as a strategy, leading to all things digital and the introduction AI

Sam Terese
CEO & President,
Alverno Laboratories,
Gary, IN
SESSION

Schedule TBD
The expert driven, patient specific interpretation of test results is finally operational

Michael Laposata
MD, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology,
Univ. of Texas Medical Branch,
Galveston, Texas
SESSION

Schedule TBD
2025 Payer Denial Impact Report: Unveiling the Latest Trends and Recommended Practices for Optimizing Clinical Lab, Hospital Outreach, and Pathology Claim Denials and Appeals

Diana Richard
AVP, National Accounts, Path/Rad/Health Systems,
XiFin, Inc.
San Diego, CA

Stephanie Sessions
YP, Revenue Cycle Operations,
XiFin, Inc.
San Diego, CA

Stephanie Denham
AVP,
RCM Systems and Analytics,
XiFin, Inc.
San Diego, CA
SESSION

Schedule TBD
From Surgery to Slide: Implementing a Lean-Based Histology System to Track, Automate, and Produce High Quality Slides In Support of Fully-Digital Pathology Labs

Michelle Bell
Service and Applications Manager, Milestone Medical Technologies, Austin, TX

Elia Rosetta
CEO,
Milestone Medical Technologies, Kalamazoo, MI

Vanessa Visioni
Vice President,
Milestone Medical Technologies, Sorisole, Italy
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Orchestrating Three Paths to Clinical Lab Success: Combining Staff Career Ladder and Productivity to Optimize Lab Performance to Support Value Based Care

Jennifer Fralick
Vice President, Anatomic Pathology & Clinical Laboratories
Stanford Health Care,
Menlo Park, CA
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Winning with Hospital Lab Outreach: Today’s Proven Ways to Increase Test Volume, Improve Patient Outcomes, and Generate More Revenue

Jane Hermansen
Director,
Outreach and Network Development,
Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, MN
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Bringing Blood Drawing Into the Automation Age: A First Look at the World’s First Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device Now in Clinical Use

Brian Joseph
CEO,
Vitestro, Inc.,
Utrecht, The Netherlands

Thijs van Holten
PhD,
Clinical Chemist,
St. Antonius Hospital,
Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
PANEL

Schedule TBD
Panel: Changes in Washington, DC: New Congress, New Administration, FDA, CMS, OIG, and More
Moderator: John Kolozsvary
Panelists: Susan Van Meter, Russell Ring, Zach Rothstein

John Kolozsvary
Chief Executive Officer,
Joint Venture Hospital Laboratories, Allen Park, MI

Susan Van Meter
President,
American Clinical Laboratory Association,
Washington, DC

Russell Ring
Vice President, Government Affairs,
Roche Diagnostics,
Washington, D.C.

Zach Rothstein
Executive Director of AdvaMedDx,
Washington, D.C.
PANEL

Schedule TBD
Opportunities for Anatomic Pathology Labs to Collaborate with Pharma, Biotech, CROs: What Has Value for All Parties, Structuring Relationships, Identifying Productive Business Models
Moderator: William Morice
Panelists: Jay White, Robert Feeney, Jennifer Quigley

William Morice
MD, PhD
CEO & President,
Mayo Collaborative Services-
Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
Rochester, Minnesota

Jennifer Quigley
Senior Director,
Precision Health & Partnerships BionTech,
Mainz, Germany

Robert Feeney
PhD,
Director, Account Solutions Personalized & Precision Medicine, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.,
East Hanover, New Jersey

Jay White
PhD, MPH
Sr. Director,
Precision Medicine & Diagnostics
Eli Lilly and Company,
Indianapolis, IN
SESSION

Schedule TBD
State of Market Adoption for Digital Pathology By Largest Lab Organizations in the United States

Lisa-Jean Clifford
COO & Chief Strategy Officer,
Gestalt,
Spokane, WA

Chandra Holback
Director Business Development,
Clinical Optum Enterprise Imaging, Eden Prairie, MN
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Successful Hospital Laboratory Outreach Program Launches from a Standing Start and on a Budget by Exceeding Physicians’ Expectations and Delivering Clinical Value

Angela Vetch
MPH, DLM,
Director, Laboratory Services,
Kootenai Health,
Coeur d’Alene, ID
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Achieving “One Organization, One Application”: Using a Single, Front-End IT Platform to Eliminate All Paper, Unlock Savings, while Boosting Productivity, and enhancing employee and patient Satisfaction

Sonny Varadan
Chief Information Officer,
Sonora Quest Laboratories
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Anatomic Pathology’s New Specialist Business Model: Aligning Services that Deliver Value to Referring Physicians, Payers, and Subspecialist Pathologists Seeking More Independence

Tiffani Milles
MD,
Pathologist,
Goldfinch Laboratory,
Des Moines, Iowa
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Combining Lean & 100% Digital Pathology to Produce Faster, More Accurate Diagnoses with Increased Productivity of Staff & Pathologists: Transforming anatomic pathology delivery in the UK NHS

David Clark
MD,
Consultant Haematopathologist, Clinical Lead for Digital Pathology, Nottingham University Hospitals
NHS Trust,
Nottingham, England, UK

Paul Chenery
Head of Quality, Training & Strategic Improvement Improvement within Pathology,
Nottingham University Hospital
NHS Trust,
Nottingham, England, UK
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Effective Ways to Meet Today’s Lab Staff Recruiting and Retention Challenge: Educating High Schoolers, Leveraging Social Media, Career Paths in the Lab, plus Some Secrets

Mike Baron
Executive Director of Clinical Laboratory Operations,
Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories
Milwaukee, WI
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Anatomic Pathology’s New Specialist Business Model: Aligning Services that Deliver Value to Referring Physicians, Payers, and Subspecialist Pathologists Seeking More Independence

Jared Abbott
MD, PhD,
Pathologist and Founding Owner,
Goldfinch Laboratory,
Urbandale, IA
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Achieving Successful CLIA Inspections in 52 Health System Labs in 14 days: Using the Power of Informatics, Teamwork, and Collaboration to Create a New Inspection Paradigm

Jen Umscheid
Senior Director, Quality, Innovation, & Performance Excellence,
Sonora Quest Laboratories/Laboratory Sciences of Arizona,
Tempe, AZ
PANEL

Schedule TBD
Optimizing Revenue & Reducing Costs Through Interoperability and RCM Collaboration
Moderator: Greg Stein
Panelists: Aaron Liston, Adrian Brown

Gregory Stein
Founder, CEO,
Shadowbox, Inc.,
Carlsbad, CA

Aaron Liston
CEO,
AIMA Business and Medical,
Cary, NC

Adrian Brown
RCM Billing Manager,
Providers’ Choice Laboratories,
Houston, TX
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Transforming the Patient’s Clinical Laboratory Experience: Novel Specimen Collection Solution Now Offered in Retail Pharmacies also Gives Labs a Unique Way to Add Value, Build Test Referrals

Eric Olson
Founder,
Babson Diagnostics,
Austin, TX
WORKSHOP

Schedule TBD
Third-Day Workshop: Lean for Lab Leaders: Proven Ways to Swiftly Slash While Boosting Productivity and Improving Staff Retention

Katja Lehmann
Director Lead Practice,
Lean Focus, LLC.,
Scottsdale, AZ
WORKSHOP

Schedule TBD
Third-Day Workshop: What’s Changing in CLIA Compliance and Inspections: Essentials for Lab Quality Officers and CLIA Lab Directors
Chair & Moderator: Nora Hess

Nora Hess
MBA, MT (ASCP), PMP,
Senior Consultant,
Hc1,
Sarasota, FL

Kathy Nucifora
MPH, MLS (ASCP),
Chief Operating Officer,
COLA Inc.,
Columbia, MD

Denise Driscoll
MS, MT(ASCP)SBB,
Vice President,
Laboratory Accreditation Programs,
College of American Pathologists,
Northfield, IL

Danielle Tangorre
Esq.,
Partner,
Robinson+Cole,
Albany, NY

Lindsay Strotman
PhD,
Laboratory Director,
Lighthouse Lab Services,
Louisville, KY

Silka Clark
MLS,
Healthcare Consultant
hc1 + Accumen,
Aurora, CO

Melany Williams
MBA, MLS(ASCP), Director,
Laboratory SME, Mission Development and Organization Engagement,
The Joint Commission,
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
WORKSHOP

Schedule TBD
Third-Day Workshop: Whole Genome Sequencing and Genetic Testing for Community Hospitals
Chair & Moderator: Honey Reddi

Honey Reddi
PhD,
SVP and Medical Director,
Belay Diagnostics,
Chicago, IL

Brian Coe
CEO,
Belay Diagnostics,
Chicago, IL

Julie Hirschorn
PhD, HCLD,
Systems Director of
Molecular Microbiology,
Geisinger Health, Danville, PA

Annie Scrimenti
Director,
Public Policy & Advocacy,
Association for Molecular Pathology,
Rockville, MD

Shashi Shetty
PhD,
Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory Center for Human Genetics Laboratory University Hospitals
Health System,
Cleveland, Ohio
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Cyberattack! Lessons from Our Labs Response to Ransomware Shutdown of Academic Medical Center

Christina Wojewoda
Director, Clinical Microbiology, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vermont
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Using Simple, Off-the-Shelf Digital Tools to Speed Processing of Lab Claims, Reduce Manual Touches, Increase Clean Claims, and Generate More and Faster Reimbursement

Rick VanNess
Co-Founder, Wuscott LLC.,
Albuquerque, NM

Orus Guerra
CEO,
Southwest Labs,
Albuquerque, NM
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Lab Testing Close to Where Patients Live and Work: How Our Lab Supports Urgent Care Clinics Tied to Freestanding Emergency Rooms

Kathleen David
MT,
Associate Director,
Near Patient Testing,
TriCore Reference Laboratories,
Albuquerque, NM
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Automating Hemostasis Testing in Two Academic Center Labs To Achieve Faster TAT, Boost Staff Productivity, and Improve Auto-Validation Rates

Ryan Mize
DCLS, MHA,
Medical Director,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Medical Director,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
Cambridge, MA.
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Pathology’s Hottest Job Market in 25 Years: Making Your Practice Competitive in Younger Pathologists in Today’s Recruiting Landscape

Jen Barna
MD,
Santé Consulting,
St. Louis, MO
SESSION

Schedule TBD
Challenges and Best Practices in Anatomic Pathology Charging: Connecting Beaker and EPIC EHR to Automate Data Collection to Improve Coding, Billing and Collections

Zak Keir
Senior Analyst,
Honeydew Consulting,
Houston, TX

Lily Sandler
Senior Beaker Consultant,
Honeydew Consulting,
Houston, TX

Marshall Brett
Senior Lab Systems Analyst,
Wellstar Health,
Atlanta,GA
BENEFACTOR SESSION

Schedule TBD
TELCOR
Benefactor: How to Overcome Common Barriers to Reimbursement
Low collections are often attributed to two major challenges: flawed software that limits collections potential, and difficulties in finding skilled professionals or competent billing services. Addressing these barriers requires a strategic approach tailored to the unique needs of your laboratory.
For years, technology has lagged behind the growing complexities imposed by payers. Billing teams remain reliant on manual processes and outdated tools to manage prior authorizations, missing information, denials, and appeals. Deciding on the right software is critical but can be overwhelming. Should you opt for a cost-effective practice management system that may lack specialized functionality? Should you invest heavily in a robust solution with long-term ROI potential? Or should you consider an “out-of-the-box” solution that meets current needs but may lack scalability as your lab grows or regulations evolve?
Simultaneously, building a high-performing billing team has become increasingly difficult. The pandemic reshaped workforce dynamics and finding experienced revenue cycle professionals can feel like an uphill battle. While outsourcing billing operations to another country might seem like a quick fix, this approach often introduces new risks, including potential compliance challenges, data security concerns, and diminished control over operations. To succeed, leaders must adopt innovative approaches to recruitment—prioritizing skills, adaptability, and cultural fit over traditional criteria. This is equally crucial when vetting external billing services.
In this session, we’ll explore how to align your laboratory’s reimbursement strategy with the right technology and talent to maximize collections and streamline operations.
Key Takeaways:
- Strategically assess your lab’s billing needs to identify software solutions that meet operational, financial, and regulatory demands.
- Compare software options of practice management systems, enterprise solutions, and customizable platforms—to find the best fit for your organization’s maturity and growth trajectory.
- Reimagine workforce strategies by evaluating innovative recruitment practices and selecting billing partners who align with your lab’s goals.
- Understand the risks of offshore outsourcing and why keeping billing operations local ensures compliance, security, and greater operational control.

Darla Wanitschke
Vice President,
Customer Success,
TELCOR,
Lincoln, NE

Rick Roark
Consultant
WORKSHOP

Tuesday, 1:30 PM
Laboratory & Pathology Merger and Acquisition Workshop
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM
Panel—Business and Marketing Strategies for Laboratories in Changing Times
Chair: Elizabeth Sullivan
Panelists: Brad Bostic, Mike Armstrong, Julie Ramage

Elizabeth Sullivan
Chair,
Healthcare Practice Group,
McDonald Hopkins,
Cleveland, Ohio

Brad Bostic
President and CEO,
hc1 + Accumen,
Indianapolis, Indiana

Julie Ramage
Principal,
Harbor Precision Genomics Consulting,
Gig Harbor, WA

Mike Armstrong
Chief Operating Officer,
Pacific Rim Pathology,
San Diego, Calif
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM
Panel—Behind the Curtain: Buyers Share What Drives Lab Valuations
Chair: Emily Johnson
Panelists: Patrick Walsh, Jim Billington, John Erwin

Emily Johnson
title,
Company,
City, State

Patrick Walsh
Managing Director,
Ziegler,
Nashville, Tennesse

Jim Billington
Chief Executive Officer,
Versant Diagnostics,
Grapevine, Texas

John Erwin
Partner,
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton,
Raleigh, NC
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Panel—Current Market for Hospital Lab Outreach Transactions: Structuring the Deal and Management Service Arrangements
Chair: Cristal Contini
Panelists: Noel Maring, Melissa Butterworth, Laura Davis

Cristal Contini
Chair,
M&A Practice Group,
McDonald Hopkins,
Cleveland, Ohio

Noel Maring
Executive Director,
Health Systems, Labcorp,
Burlington, NC

Melissa Butterworth
President,
Advanced Strategic Partners,
Sunny Isles Beach, FL

Laura Davis
3:45 PM – 4:35 PM
Panel—Lab Valuation Trends: Factors That Drive High Values and Multiples in Acquisitions of Independent Labs, Genetic Labs, and Pathology Groups
Chair: Rick Cooper
Panelists: Chris Jahnle, Anil Asnani, Corey Roberts

Rick Cooper
Partner,
Advanced Strategic Partners,
Cleveland, Ohio

Chris Jahnle
Managing Director,
Haverford Healthcare Advisors,
Paoli, PA

Anil Asnani
Senior VP,
Strategy & Corporate Development,
Labcorp,
Burlington, NC

Cory Roberts
MD,
President,
Sonic Healthcare USA,
Austin, Texas
2025 Post-Conference Workshops
Thursday, May 1, 2025
WORKSHOP 1

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Whole Genome Sequencing and Genetic Testing for Community Hospitals – Companion Diagnostics in Lab–Pharma Relationships
WORKSHOP 2

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Breaking Pathology’s Glass Slide Updated! Ways to Build Revenue with Digital Pathology, Whole Slide Images, AI Diagnostic Tools, and More
WORKSHOP 3

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Lean for Lab Leaders: Proven Ways to Swiftly Slash Costs While Boosting Productivity and Improving Staff Retention
WORKSHOP 4

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
What’s Changing in CLIA Compliance and Inspections: Essentials for Lab Quality Officers and CLIA Lab Directors