2024 Annual Meeting

 Meg is passionate about driving change with industry stakeholders to improve health care. Prior to joining the recently launched Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), she was the Vice President of Digital Health Innovations & Strategy at the American Medical Association (AMA) where she developed and led a roadmap of national initiatives with collaborators. This included leading partnerships and innovation strategies, such as the inaugural AMA Healthier Nation Innovation Challenge, the establishment of the AMA Interaction Studio at MATTER, the development of Xcertia digital health guidelines, the creation of the AMA Physician Innovation Network that enables entrepreneurs and physicians to collaborate on the development of new solutions, the AMA Digital Health Implementation Playbook series, Digital Health national research, The AMA Telehealth Immersion Program, and a Return on Health value framework for digital health. Her background includes participation on the Advisory Board for MATTER, MassChallenge HealthTech, MedTech Color FDA Collaborative Community, Together.Health, Node Health Global Advisory Board, the Editorial Review Board of The Telehealth and Medicine Today Journal and as a past TEDMed Research Scholar. She was named a Rising Star: 104 Healthcare Leaders to Know by Beckers Hospital Review and has published articles in Health Affairs, Harvard Business Review and Nature Digital Medicine and frequently participates at national conferences and events. In her role at PHTI, she focuses on providing rigorous, evidence-based evaluations of innovation healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs. This includes convening and leading a Purchaser Advisory Council made of up of leading health plans, employers, and health systems, as well as the Digital Health Collaborative, a group of leading healthcare and consumer organizations focused on raising the bar for digital health technologies. 

 First and foremost, John Nosta is a thinker entrenched in the world of technology, science, medicine, and innovation. As the founder of NOSTALAB, a globally recognized innovation think tank, he embodies an inspired vision of transformation that resonates across industries and intellectual spheres. 

Unwilling to accept the status quo, John's contrarian perspective focuses sharply on the future. A leading voice in the convergence of technology and humanity, he defines, dissects, and deliberates global trends in technology. Ranked among the leading global influencers in innovation and technology, he has been honored with titles ranging from “most admired” to “top disruptor” in various fields including technology, AI, innovation, life sciences and the pharmaceutical industry. 

John's prowess as a speaker has earned him popularity across the globe, where he presents vibrant and insightful perspectives on the future of innovation. His focus on guiding companies, NGOs, and governments through the dynamics of exponential change is complemented by his keen understanding of the diffusion of innovation into complex systems, particularly in technology, AI, and LLMs. 

His writing contributions are frequent and influential, with over 500 articles published in Fortune, Forbes, Psychology Today, Bloomberg, and prestigious peer-reviewed journals like The American Journal of Physiology, Circulation, and The American Journal of Hematology. In 2018, John's intellectual contributions were honored with a Ph.D., honoris causa, from various international institutions, and a diploma of honor from the Bolivian government for advancing health technology. Nosta has also published several AI-related perspectives and frameworks that are now frequently cited in academic research. His work has been translated in over 15 languages. 

 His associations with renowned entities like World Health Organization, Roche Advisory Council, Google Health Advisory Board, and ARK Invest further solidify his influence and credibility in the scientific, technology and investment communities. 

John's career is built on the “science of innovation,” a harmonious blend of strategy and creativity that generates market inflection points. Recognized for translating complex medical and scientific concepts into accessible material, his communicative talent bridges gaps between consumers, clinicians, and scientists. 

Earlier in his career, John co-authored significant research in cardiovascular physiology, focusing on cell volume regulation, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. His professional acumen extends into his business background. He has held key positions at major agencies like Ogilvy CommonHealth, including roles such as Chief Creative Officer, Chief Strategic Officer, and Unit President. 

John Nosta's career paints a rich tapestry of intellectual curiosity, disruptive thinking, and innovative leadership. His important influence on technology, medicine, and creative strategy continues to shape and guide the future, placing him at the forefront of global thought and innovation. His multifaceted career encapsulates a tireless pursuit of knowledge and creativity that transcends traditional boundaries, establishing him as a true luminary in his field. 

Sharon Phares, PhD, MPH, is the Associate Director for Research at the Center for Biomedical System Design (CBSD) at Tufts Medicine and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She directs CBSD’s research strategy and oversees all quantitative and qualitative research activities. 

Sharon Phares is an accomplished health researcher and author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, as well as book chapters and white papers on a variety of healthcare topics. Her research focuses on the economics of biomedical innovation, access to healthcare, utilization and payment for medications, the healthcare payment ecosystem, and the impact of medicines on health and productivity. She has a passion for patient access to care balanced with payment design that supports a sustainable healthcare system. 

Previously, Dr. Phares has had a number of roles including Chief Scientific Officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), Senior Vice President of Research and Education at the Pharmaceutical Benefit Management Institute, Director of Analytic Consulting at Pharmaceutical Strategies Group (PSG), an EPIC company, Vice President of Research & Advanced Analytics at Express Scripts, as well as senior positions in research and analytics at Laboratory Corporation of America and Walgreens. 

Dr. Phares holds both a PhD and a Master of Science in sociology from North Carolina State University, a Master of Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbus State University. She also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Sharon was named as one of the top 100 Women Leaders in STEM and has considerable expertise in survey design, prescription drug benefit design and evaluation, health outcomes, employee health, wellness, and productivity, developing epidemiologic and population-based models of healthcare costs and utilization, behavioral economics, research methods, predictive modeling, and program evaluation. 

 Kelly launched Little Hercules Foundation on January 1, 2013, after her youngest son, Jackson, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of five. After desperately searching for a treatment for her son only to find none, Kelly decided to leave her career and invest all her time and energy fighting Duchenne. As President of Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly focuses on health policy and its impact on the daily lives of those living with rare diseases. In 2021, Kelly was appointed to Ohio’s Rare Disease Advisory Council by Governor Dewine. 

Prior to Little Hercules Foundation, Kelly served the State of Ohio for over 20 years in various capacities, the most recent being in insurance regulation. She is married with 3 children, 2 grandchildren, 2 rescue dogs, and 2 goats. Kelly lives in Dublin, Ohio, and is a lifelong Buckeye. 

 Dr. Sherry Yun Wang is an Assistant Professor at Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP). She began her academic journey with a foundation in Geospatial Science from Washington University in St. Louis, an exploration of Data Science at Monash University, and completed comprehensive Ph.D. training in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR). 

Since joining Chapman in May 2021, Dr. Wang has established and led the "Patient Safety Lab," a research initiative driven by her profound interests in health services research and pharmacoepidemiology, with a special focus on substance use and chronic disease management. She is particularly passionate about exploring the ethical implications of AI and machine learning in healthcare, dedicating her efforts to developing responsible AI solutions that promote equitable and fair access to healthcare resources, especially for individuals struggling with addiction. 

Dr. Wang's current research focuses on investigating algorithmic bias within clinical decision support (CDS) tools, including ML-powered CDS tools for opioid prescribing. Her notable presentations include "Examining Bias in the NarxCare Score: Unveiling Disparities in AI/ML Features for Opioid Prescribing Decisions" at ISPOR 2024 and the recent publication "Predicting Suicidal and Self-Injurious Events in a Correctional Setting Using AI Algorithms on Unstructured Medical Notes and Structured Data" reflects her ongoing efforts to address critical issues and promote fairness and transparency in healthcare AI. 

Her contributions are evident through peer-reviewed publications in esteemed journals such as JAMA, Lancet, Clinical Infectious Disease, International Journal of Cardiology, Pharmacogenomics Journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Pain Reports, and Neuroepidemiology. Dr. Wang's research findings have garnered attention in ISPOR News Across Asia, Physician Weekly, and the COVID newsletter by the Washington State Department of Health. She received the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) New Investigator Award in 2022 and is an awardee of the McGovern Foundation's McGovern Training Program in Trusted AI. 

 Tricha Shivas joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) in December of 2020 as the Chief of Staff and Strategy. Tricha has 20 years of non-profit leadership experience dedicated to improving the lives of those with complex chronic illness and rare diseases. Throughout her career, she has built comprehensive patient engagement and awareness programming, developed robust diversity, inclusion, and equity programming, worked with the NIH, FDA, academic researchers, and industry to expand therapeutic pipelines and to increase patient centricity in drug development. Tricha has played a pivotal role in FSR’s Ignore No More Campaign focused on awareness and increased clinical trial diversity. 

Tricha received her bachelors in American Studies from Albright College and her Masters of Bioethics from University of Pennsylvania. She currently serves on Drexel University’s Health Administration Department Advisory Council is on Global Skin’s Rare Disease Steering Committee and past co-chair the NIAMS Coalition.