Speaker Bios

Chris Barten RN, BSN, works for the Iowa Department of Public Health, in Des Moines, Iowa, as a Healthcare Associated Infections Regional Nurse Clinician, since March 2021. He worked as an Infection Prevention and Control Officer at the Iowa Veterans Home for 17 years. He has been an APIC member since 2004. In July 2015, he became the Iowa District E APIC Consultant. He has done presentations for Central Iowa APIC, IADONA, INA, IHCA, Iowa Department of Public Health, Department of Inspections and Appeal, other healthcare organizations/local businesses, churches and schools regarding infection control and prevention, influenza, hand hygiene and scabies.

Katie Cownie is a partner with Dorsey & Whitney, LLP. She has been practicing in the health care transaction and regulation space for the last 25 years and assists skilled nursing facilities and other long-term care providers, hospitals, health systems, dental practices, home health agencies, mental health providers and other health care practitioners. Katie has experience representing clients in Certificate of Need related matters, in matters with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing and in matters with Iowa Medicaid. Additionally, her transactional practice spans contracting, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions.

Jessica Duncan, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, is a dedicated resource for individuals living with dementia and their families through her role at the Alzheimer’s Association. Her passion is deeply personal — shaped by her professional experience in clinical and memory care settings, home health care, and most significantly, by her role as a caregiver for her father, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at age 53 and recently passed away. A native of Southwest Iowa, Jessica now serves on the Iowa Chapter Leadership Team, where she leads the Association’s mission to deliver programs, engage volunteers in community education, coordinate support groups and oversee care navigation partnerships across the state.

Andy Edeburn is a nationally recognized health care advisor and thought leader with over 20 years of consulting experience in acute, post-acute and senior care services. He has advised nearly 250 organizations across 43 states on issues ranging from strategic planning and population health readiness to provider network development and market analysis. Andy is the founder of Elder Dynamics and previously held leadership roles at Premier, GE Healthcare Camden Group and Health Dimensions Group. He frequently speaks and writes on topics such as care continuum integration, health care reform and governance development, and has been featured in publications including HFM Magazine, Provider and Modern Healthcare. A contributing author for Pathways to a Successful Accountable Care Organization (Johns Hopkins University Press), Andy also serves on local and national nonprofit boards and advises capital finance and elder tech firms. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from South Dakota State University and lives outside Minneapolis with his family, where he enjoys gardening, beekeeping, kayaking, cooking and skiing.

Amanda Elliott is the PBJ Submission Supervisor and Special Projects Consultant at BCG Research, bringing over 18 years of experience in the skilled nursing industry. For the past eight years, she has specialized in Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) reporting, managing submissions for more than 75 skilled nursing facilities across Iowa. Known for her expertise in PBJ compliance, data accuracy and regulatory reporting, Amanda helps facilities stay audit-ready and up to date with CMS requirements. She is passionate about empowering providers through education, clarity and practical solutions in today’s complex regulatory landscape.

Vanessa Emm is a Certified Activity Consultant/Instructor/Educator by the National Certification Council of Activity Professionals (NCCAP); a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, along with being a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Montessori Dementia Care Professional through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP). Vanessa currently serves as the operations director for the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP). Vanessa has been in the long-term care field for the past 20 years. She currently works as an activity consultant, providing education and consultation services to facilities throughout northern Nevada, as well as a dementia and communication specialist for South Lyon Medical Center. Vanessa received her bachelor’s degree in gerontology from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with an emphasis in biology and additional training in research and grant writing.

Andrea Fairbanks is a CPA with over 25 years of experience, including 20 years in executive leadership within home care and hospice finance and operations. She has managed financial and performance reporting for multi-site, multi-state organizations and has expertise in GL and EMR software implementation. Andrea has played a key role in numerous post-acute transactions, including mergers and acquisitions. She provides consulting services to home care and hospice organizations, specializing in financial reporting, operational optimization and performance improvement. Andrea is also active in industry advocacy, serving with organizations like The National Alliance for Care at Home and the Home Care and Hospice Financial Managers Association.

Katie Frederick currently serves as a director of operations for Vetter Senior Living. She has spent the 25+ years of her career serving in the long-term care industry as an administrator. In 2020, she led her team at Heritage of Bel-Air in Norfolk, NE to achieve an AHCA Gold Quality Award. Katie’s passion includes creating sustainable systems and procedures to assist with continual evaluation and learning.

Adam Freed is a partner with Dorsey & Whitney, LLP. Adam represents a wide range of health care providers, including nursing facilities, assisted living programs, home health agencies, hospitals, physician groups and individual practitioners. For facilities undergoing changes of ownership, Adam advises clients on issues related to licensing, Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and credentialing with Medicaid managed care organizations and commercial insurers. Adam also advises clients regarding compliance with the State of Iowa’s Certificate of Need program and routinely appears before the State Health Facilities Council.

Andy Fuston, MPA, LNHA, has been an administrator for over 30 years. He has led both skilled nursing and assisted living campuses and has a true passion for coaching administrators. He has brought great success to small, rural facilities and led them to a path of quality improvement and sustainability. In his current role as director of operations for Vetter Senior Living, he specializes in maximizing returns and financial stewardship. He currently supports facilities in Nebraska, Missouri and Wyoming.

During his high school and college wrestling careers, Dan Gable compiled an unbelievable record of 181-1. He was undefeated in 64 high school matches while wrestling for West Waterloo High School and was 117-1 at Iowa State University. His only defeat came in the NCAA finals his senior year. Gable was a three-time Iowa high school state champion, a two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and three-time all-American and three-time Big Eight champion.

After college, Gable added a title at the 1971 World Championships in Sofia Bulgaria and won a Gold Medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich Germany without surrendering a single point. The Soviets came to the Olympics with only one goal in mind: to defeat Gable. They were unsuccessful.

Gable joined the University of Iowa coaching staff in 1972 as an assistant coach and took over the program in 1976.

As the University of Iowa’s all-time winningest coach from 1976 to 1997, Gable won 15 NCAA National Wrestling team titles while compiling a career record of 355-21-5. He coached 152 All-Americans, 45 National Champions, 106 Big Ten Champions and 12 Olympians, including four gold, one silver and three bronze medalists. The Hawkeyes won 25 consecutive Big Ten championships, 21 under Gable as head coach and four while he was an assistant coach and administrator.

The 1996-97 season added the final chapter to Gable’s storied career. He lead the team to their 24th consecutive Big Ten title and 17th NCAA title. Iowa shattered its own NCAA team points record, scoring 170 points during the three-day tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the UNI-Dome.

Gable retired from being a head coach after the 1997 season. He continues to promote the sport of wrestling and positive living through motivational speaking, being an advisor to The Dan Gable Wrestling Museum in Waterloo, Iowa and The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

In December of 2020, Dan Gable was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.

Dan has authored several books including New York Times best selling books, A Wrestling Life and A Wrestling Life 2, in addition to owning a top motivational video, Competitor Supreme. Dan Gable has also partnered with Silver Star Nutrition who has developed Gable Gold Nutrition. Single Speed Brewery in Waterloo, Iowa has also developed Gable Beer for the times to kick back!

Gable resides in Iowa City with his wife Kathy and has four daughters, four sons-in-law and 14 grandchildren.

Danny Goldberg helps organizations build cultures that retain top talent, drive engagement and stand the test of time. As a keynote speaker and workplace culture expert, he equips leaders to build resilient, future-ready teams by putting care at the core of how they lead. Danny built a multimillion-dollar business by 24, leading with care long before it became a leadership buzzword. After losing both of his parents to cancer by 25, the mission became personal. His Build with Care framework is now used by leaders across industries to foster psychological safety, meaningful connection and lasting loyalty.

Danny’s work is grounded in firsthand leadership experience, a decade of research and conversations with hundreds of leaders across sectors. His message is clear: when people feel genuinely cared for, everything changes —engagement, retention and performance.

Angie Gray is the founder of High Performance Nursing and creator of The Nurse Leadership Mastery Program. She is a keynote speaker, certified coach and nurse leader with over 34 years experience in health care. She has built her career on advocating for nurses, developing emotionally intelligent leaders and transforming workplace cultures from the inside out.

Known for her ability to blend heart with strategy, Angie’s workshops, trainings and keynotes are highly transformative, empowering audiences to leave energized and equipped to lead with more clarity and connection. Her talks are real, relatable and grounded in decades of health care leadership experience. Angie tackles tough topics with grace to help organizations create positive outcomes and measurable results for stake-holders, employees and patients. Angie’s keynotes and workshops are designed for health care organizations, professionals, decision makers, nurse leaders and aspiring nurse leaders. She loves speaking with and training live audiences and has been featured on stages around the country and live television, including co-hosting The Future of Nursing segments on the Dr. Oz Show.

Stacy Hejda is Director of Business Development with Healthcare of Iowa, formerly known as Assisted Living Partners. She has over 20 years of experience working with assisted living programs. Stacy serves on the ICAL Board as Vice Chair. She has been active on the ICAL Payment for Services and Quality Committees. She represented Iowa as a NCAL 2013-2014 Future Leaders of America and currently serves on the NCAL Board. She received her Assisted Living Management certification in 2002.

Angela Huff is a registered nurse with over 35 years of experience, including 25 years in executive leadership within home health, hospice and software development in the post-acute space. She has global expertise in community care, having worked in the UK, Finland, Canada and Australia. Angela specializes in operations improvement, compliance assessments, audits and appeals related to home health and hospice documentation, as well as mergers and acquisitions. She is active in advocacy through organizations like The Alliance for Care at Home and the HHFMA Workgroup and has presented at national conferences. Prior to her post-acute career, Angela held management roles in acute care and was a Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse and Certified Registered Nurse Infusionist.

Tasha Janssen is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and the vice president of operations at Curana Health, where she oversees health care operations across the Midwest. She holds an associate degree in nursing from Ellsworth Community College and a master’s degree from Graceland University. With experience in hospice, senior living and post-acute care, Tasha is dedicated to compassionate, patient-centered care. She is an active member of the Iowa Nurse Practitioner Society and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, serving on multiple committees. Tasha is passionate about improving care quality in skilled nursing and senior living communities. At Curana Health, she combines her clinical and operational expertise to lead initiatives that enhance health care outcomes.

Ann Kendell is a seasoned attorney with over 25 years of experience in employment and commercial litigation, counseling and corporate law. She began her career as a litigator before serving as general counsel for the largest privately owned printing company in the U.S., giving her a deep understanding of balancing legal strategy with business needs. Ann has represented clients across a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, agribusiness, IT, retail and finance, and has served as a mediator and third-party workplace investigator. She defends employers in litigation and administrative hearings involving discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour issues and more. In addition to litigation, Ann provides day-to-day employment counseling, drafts contracts and agreements, supports mass lay-offs and RIFs and delivers HR audits and workplace training. Her in-house experience further equips her to advise on commercial transactions, business growth strategies and real estate matters.

Erika Kramer is a dedicated health care leader with a strong background in education, sales and wellness services. She earned her business degree from the University of Northern Iowa in May 2006 and later received her Nursing Home Administrator License from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in 2016. Erika began her career at Martin Bros. in the medical supplies division, serving as director of education. In 2015, she transitioned into the role of market developer, where she focused on expanding health care sales and delivering educational presentations across Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. In 2022, Erika joined United Scripts as director of Iowa sales, where she led business development initiatives and created educational and marketing content for the long-term care pharmacy market. Since December 2023, Erika has served as the senior director of wellness services at Western Home Communities. In this role, she oversees five Thrivera service lines —Therapy, At Home, Salon, Wellness and Lifestyles — as well as the Fortified Life program, supporting holistic wellness and quality of life for community members.

Annette Lee, RN, MS, is a nationally recognized home health expert with over 30 years of experience, including 10 years working directly with the CMS Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). As the founder of Provider Insights, she specializes in helping home health and hospice providers navigate Medicare regulations, OASIS requirements and survey processes. Annette is known for translating complex regulatory language into practical guidance, enabling agencies to stay compliant while maintaining a strong focus on patient care.

Rob Leffler is the vice president of clinical services for Synchrony Pharmacy, a long-term care pharmacy that serves over 30,000 residents in 15 states. Rob graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Butler University and since that time has spent the majority of his career in long-term care as a consultant pharmacist, running pharmacies and leading clinical teams in the care of residents. As a pharmacist, he has participated as an educator for many organizations at their live meetings and through webinars. He is a proud member of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

Carolyn Lopez, MSN, BSN, RN, CAHIMS, is a highly experienced Registered Nurse, Nursing Informaticist and Clinical Consultant with decades of progressive nursing experience, including nearly 20 years in direct patient care and over a decade in health care technology. Her clinical background spans critical care, telemetry, med/surg, labor and delivery and long-term care, equipping her with a comprehensive understanding of patient and provider needs across the care continuum. Carolyn has led EHR optimization and clinical workflow initiatives across a five-hospital system and is an Epic Credentialed Trainer who has trained over 16,000 health care professionals. Over the past seven years, she has served as a Clinical SME specializing in clinical communication platforms, workflow analysis, AI-powered documentation and virtual nursing. A recognized thought leader, Carolyn has presented nationally at Epic UGM, ANIA and the Virginia Nurses Association, and her excellence has earned numerous awards, including the Inova Nursing Excellence Awards and finalist recognition for the VNA/VNF Nursing Excellence Award in Informatics. Her insights on digital health and nursing innovation have reached tens of thousands on LinkedIn, fueling key conversations about the future of health care.

Molly J. Mackey is an author, speaker and trainer who helps leaders grow by intentionally connecting leadership and learning — believing that Better Leaders = Better Lives™. She is the founder and chief learning officer of the LEAdeRNship Institute and brings over 19 years of business and speaking experience to her work. Molly holds an MBA from the University of Iowa and is a Certified Professional of Talent Development (CPTD) through the Association of Talent Development. She partners with human service organizations, health care systems and hospital associations nationwide to deliver impactful leadership training. Molly lives in Jesup, Iowa, with her partner and four children.

Megan Moritz is an experienced employment attorney who helps businesses navigate the complexities of the modern workplace so they can stay focused on their operations. With a strategic approach, she advises and defends employers on matters including wage and hour compliance, restrictive covenants, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA, ADA and other nuanced medical and leave-related issues. Megan also drafts handbooks, policies and employment agreements, conducts HR audits and investigations and represents clients in litigation and administrative proceedings. Her background includes more than 15 years in private practice and time as in-house counsel and HR director for a multi-state employer. She regularly delivers internal training for supervisors, executives and boards on evolving workplace topics, from FLSA and drug testing to respectful workplace culture and DEI initiatives.

Kristine Martinez, BSN, RN, RAC-CTA, began her nursing career in acute care, gaining 20 years of experience in oncology, orthopedics and ICU settings. In 2010, she transitioned to long-term care, taking on dual roles as MDS coordinator and director of nursing at a 60-bed SNF/LTC facility focused on culture change and person-centered care. During this time, she also taught CNA classes at a local community college, integrating real-world applications of culture change into the curriculum. Kristine developed expertise in Quality Measures, case mix and reimbursement, care planning and navigating the survey process — skills she now applies in her current role with MDS Consultants, where she serves as assistant director of education and manages system operations.

An Iowa native who grew up in Bondurant and attended Luther College in Decorah, Chris Norton suffered a severe spinal cord injury in 2010 that left him with a 3% chance of ever moving below the neck. Defying medical expectations, he walked at his college graduation and wedding, inspiring over 400 million people worldwide.

Chris is the author of two books: The Seven Longest Yards, co-written with his wife Emily, and The Power of Faith, co-authored with his father. His inspiring journey is the focus of the award-winning documentary, 7 Yards. Chris’s impact extends into his work as the founder of the Chris Norton Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with spinal cord and neuromuscular disabilities.

Barbara is an inspirational speaker, author, educator and management consultant with over 30 years of experience leading innovation in person-centered care. A trusted expert in the adult care community, she helps providers meet not only the physical but also the emotional and psychosocial needs of their residents. Barbara has developed and implemented training programs that enhance care for individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, mental illness or brain injury, while also promoting cultural empathy, regulatory compliance and organizational development. Certified as a Master Trainer for the OASIS dementia care program, Barbara combines her background in health care administration with her talents as a musician and artist to connect creatively with cognitively diminished individuals. She is the author of Why is Grandma Screaming
and Toward Better Behavior: Yours, Mine and Everyone Else’s, both widely used in care facilities across North America. Based in New York City, Barbara also volunteers to support family caregivers and organizes therapeutic arts and wellness programming for seniors in her community.

Amy Stewart is the chief nursing officer for AAPACN. Formerly, she was a legal nurse consultant for the law firm Hall Prangle in Chicago. She has over 25 years of experience in the post-acute health care industry, with expertise in the areas of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI), clinical reimbursement, quality and regulatory change. Prior to joining Hall Prangle, Amy was the division director of reimbursement for 18 skilled nursing facilities in the Chicagoland area, part of a larger hospital system that participated in CMS innovative payment models. Previous roles include director of nursing, pharmacy quality consultant, wound care consultant and MDS coordinator.

Jessica Stucin, RN, BSN, LHNA, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, QCP, is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience, primarily focused on long-term care. Her background includes roles such as clinical staff nurse, charge nurse, assistant director of nursing, director of nursing and MDS coordinator. She joined the MDS Consultants team in 2022, bringing expertise in MDS, care planning, the survey process,
Quality Measures, risk management, utilization review, clinical reimbursement and case mix. Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2020, completed Ohio’s Core of Knowledge program and holds a Nursing Home Administrator License. She is also certified through the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) and serves as a Master Trainer for the Resident Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CT) certification program.

Jeff Whitehorn, LFACHE, ACC, is an executive coach, author, speaker and former hospital CEO who draws on 25 years of leadership experience to help others unlock their full potential. A certified coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Jeff founded Whitehorn Coaching and Consulting in 2018 after retiring from HCA Healthcare. He now shares real-world stories and transformative leadership insights with audiences across the country, inspiring them to grow through practical advice and lived experience. He is also the author of Leadership Treasure: 25 Bits of Gold Discovered From 25 Years as a CEO.

Jo Ellen Whitney, shareholder at Dentons Davis Brown Law Firm, is a nationally recognized expert in employment and health law, known for her practical advice and engaging presentation style. She counsels employers, HR professionals and health care administrators on a wide range of issues, including privacy compliance, contract development, regulatory matters and workplace concerns such as discrimination and harassment. With extensive experience representing clients before administrative agencies and in court, Jo Ellen also specializes in health law topics like HIPAA, medical staffing, licensure and patient consent. A frequent speaker and author, she regularly presents at industry events and is the author of the Iowa Guide to Medical Records, offering training and guidance to health care and HR professionals on legal compliance and best practices.

Andrew Wismer, MBA, LNHA, is a director of operations for Vetter Senior Living, based in Elkhorn, NE. He has served as administrator in both a small, rural facility as well as a large, urban facility and helped lead his teams to improved quality and outcomes. He currently supports operations across the state of Nebraska and serves on the board of the Nebraska Health Care Association.