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HIMSS25 Exhibitor's Guide
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Gen. Paul M. Nakasone
Former Commander, U.S. Cyber Command & Former Director
A name synonymous with visionary leadership, retired four-star Army General Paul M. Nakasone is the longest-serving leader of the U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, and is regarded among an elite class of leaders whose strategic expertise at the nexus of cybersecurity, technology, and geopolitics has laid the groundwork for upholding our nation’s security in the modern age. General Nakasone’s career spans more than three decades of pivotal moments in modern warfare and digital defense and he draws upon his experiences constantly at the epicenter of conflict to share battle-tested lessons on transformational leadership, while also examining the challenges and opportunities organizations face in the ever-evolving tech and security landscape.
Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Nakasone is an engaging and dynamic speaker who leads audiences on a fascinating exploration into how our experiences today, paired with the advent of rapid and constant technological change, will shape the future — and what that means for how we approach the safety and security of our systems and society. Pointing to strategies that consistently led him and his teams to mission success in his own career, Nakasone shares recent examples of complex situations in which innovative ideas provided the catalyst for successful outcomes. As part of his talks, Nakasone emphasizes the skills that need to be sharpened in order to make a transformational impact as a leader, as well as the importance of purposefully recruiting, training, and retaining talent. He is of the belief that, ultimately, what shapes our future is fully dependent on the manner in which organizations invest leadership and talent.
From the crucible of the Pentagon on 9/11 and spearheading the response to the most significant intrusion into the Defense Department’s classified networks, to the Wars in Iraq in Afghanistan, Nakasone has served as one of the most influential problem-solvers at the center of cyber and information operations and dedicated his career to being a steadfast guardian of our national security interests. He was also part of the select group of leaders that conceptualized and built U.S. Cyber Command from the ground up, and subsequently led their most elite forces before rising to command the entire organization, as well as the NSA/Central Security Service. In addition to his standing as a career Army officer who climbed the ranks to lead elite units battling the world’s top cyber hackers, Nakasone is widely recognized as an agent of innovation who championed new approaches to solving multifaceted challenges in rapidly changing landscape of cyber threats. His persistent
approach to cyber defense against nation-state hackers has redefined the national and global security playbooks, while his emphasis on partnerships fostered a collaborative ecosystem transcending international, interagency, and private sector agencies. Under his stewardship, transparency became a cornerstone for his teams, elevating the confidence and trust of the American people in the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. He retired as Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, Director of the NSA, and Chief of the Central Security Service on February 1, 2024 — having served in those roles since May 2018.
General Nakasone’s remarkable service has been recognized with innumerable awards and decorations. Among them are the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Defense Meritorious Service Medal — to name a few. Described as “a transformational leader who strengthened our national security, bolstered our deterrence, and defended our democracy,” Nakasone remains a vocal advocate for defending the nation and securing the best possible future through people and partnerships.
Edward (Ed) Marx
CEO Marx Advisory
he youngest child of Holocaust survivors, Ed moved to the United States at age
10. At 16, he served as a medical clinic janitor where he discovered his healthcare
calling. Ed took successive positions as combat medic, anesthesia tech, strategic
planner and technology manager. He quickly learned how the convergence of
clinical, business and digital saved lives. His passion ignited, he jumped feet first
into technology and operations in the C-Suite of Cleveland Clinic, NYC Health &
Hospitals, Texas Health Resources and University Hospitals.
Intermixed, Ed served the supplier side as well. He was CEO for consulting firm
Divurgent, global CDO for Tech Mahindra Health & Life Sciences and CIO of the
Advisory Board. Concurrently, he served 15 years as an Army combat engineer
officer and combat medic. Today, Ed is focused on his own advisory practice.
Ed does a fair amount of speaking, writing and podcasting. He authored healthcare
bestsellers including “Voices of Innovation” and “Healthcare Digital
Transformation”. He is currently writing a book for Mayo Clinic on “Patient
Experience” and “Voices of Innovation – Payers”. His podcast “DGTL Voices” is
“Top 3%” globally. His Blog, CEO Unplugged, surpassed 1M views. Ed recently
started a YouTube channel to expand his audience.
Most importantly, Ed is husband to Simran who holds a Doctor of Nursing (DNP).
They love to dance and climb mountains. They have 5 grown children and 4
grandchildren. To stay fit, he is captain of TeamUSA Triathlon.
Seema Verma
Executive Vice President and General Manager
Oracle Health & Life Sciences
Seema Verma is the Executive Vice President and General Manager, Oracle Health and Life Sciences, where she has responsibility of Oracle’s EHR, (former Cerner), which is the largest EHR in the world, as well as clinical trials and the health insurance portfolio. She also is a Director on the Board of Lifestance, a public company focused on behaviorial health. In addition, she serves on the Board for USC’s Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. Before coming to Oracle, she served as a Senior Advisor to private equity firms TPG and Cressey & Co, serving on the Cressey Distinguished Executive Committee. She also served on the Board of Directors for Lumeris, Monogram, Wellsky, LYRIC, and ShiftKey. Additionally, she provided advisory services to a variety of early stage and large public health care companies, including national payers and technology companies focusing on strategy, value creation, and operations. Seema was the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the largest payer in the world, between 2017-2021. Confirmed by the Senate on a bi-partisan basis, she had one of the longest terms in modern CMS history. In this role, she oversaw a $1.4 trillion dollar budget and coverage for 145 million beneficiaries. She was responsible for federal policy and operations of Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance Exchanges, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), and all federal quality and safety regulations. In this role she developed and implemented the federal administration’s health care strategic plan across all programs to advance value-based care, innovation, interoperability, and price transparency while reducing drug prices, and regulations through her historic Patients over Paperwork initiative. CMS had numerous accomplishments during her tenure including delivering reduced premiums across Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, and individual insurance market as well as addressing the social determinants of health. Her pro-market policies advanced market competition, provided $35 insulin to seniors and advanced site neutral payments. Her leadership on the White House COVID Task Force led to the widespread adoption of telehealth, Hospital at Home, and no cost vaccines for the entire country. Prior to her role at CMS, she founded and sold a national consulting company and worked as a VP for Policy and Planning for a public hospital, public health department, and health system. In 2019, Seema was named as Modern Healthcare’s #1 Most Influential Person in Healthcare and was part of the Top 25 Women Leaders. Her healthcare articles have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Health Affairs, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek, CNN, USA Today , STAT, and others. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, and John’s Hopkins University School of Public Health.
Dr. Kaitlan Baston
Health Commisioner New Jersey Department of Health
Gabrielle (Gabby) Thomas
Olympic Track & Field Gold Medalist
Gabby Thomas is a top American sprinter renowned as a high achiever, both on and off the track. She sealed her status as an iconic Olympian after winning three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including gold in her signature event, the 200m. She earned two more golds in the 4×100 and 4×400 relays and was the first American track athlete to win three golds in the same Olympics since Allyson Felix.
She is the fourth fastest woman in history in the 200m, with a time of 21.60, which was earned in her breakout race at the 2021 Olympic Trials. In her debut Olympics in Tokyo, she came home with two medals, with a bronze in the 200m event and silver in the 4×100 relay.
Thomas is a graduate of Harvard University where she majored in neurobiology and went on to earn a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas. She works for the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic in Austin, TX that helps underserved communities, an area Thomas is passionate about. When not training or working, Thomas enjoys exploring her hometown of Austin and walking her pug, Rico.
Dr. Meong Hi Son
Chief Medical Information Officer Samsung Medical Center
Meong Hi son is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and currently holds the role of Chief Medical Information Officer at Samsung Medical Center, South Korea. Trained as a pediatrician specializing in pediatric hemato-oncology and pediatric emergency medicine, and despite having no initial background in IT, she has become a pioneering force in the digital transformation of healthcare services as a junior faculty member at Samsung Medical Center. During her early clinical career as a clinical fellow, Dr. Son spearheaded the migration of pediatric cancer treatment protocols and monitoring sheets from paper-based systems to electronic medical records (EMR). Not only did she initiate this critical transition, but she also played a key role in the actual implementation of EMRs, which became the driving force behind her involvement in the hospital’s digital transformation efforts. Dr. Son believes that healthcare services involve complex processes managed by a diverse group of professionals. She emphasizes that making even small changes in this field requires continuous reflection on what can be improved through technological advancements and tireless communication. She finds it particularly meaningful to encourage more healthcare workers, especially in resource-limited and change-resistant environments, to participate in the digital transformation journey. By sharing her personal experiences and impactful hospital stories with various audiences both within and outside the hospital, she aims to inspire others to join this essential movement towards improving healthcare through IT. Consequently, she played a pivotal role as an intermediary, facilitating communication and participation among various departments for the hospital to achieve Stage 7 in the four areas of maturity model (INFRAM, EMRAM,DIAM and AMAM).
Dr. Seung-woo Park
President
Samsung Medical Center
Dr. Seung-woo Park, the President of Samsung Medical Center, is a respected specialist in cardiovascular diseases, particularly in areas such as heart valve disorders and myocardial infarction. He also plays a significant role in the hospital’s efforts towards digitalization. Dr. Park currently serves as the 12th President of Samsung Medical Center, leading the realization of an advanced intelligent hospital focused on severe and complex medical conditions. After graduating from Seoul National University College of Medicine, Dr. Park joined Samsung Medical Center as a founding member in 1994. Throughout his career, he has held key positions within the hospital, including Chief of the Information Strategy Office, Chief of Quality Improvement, and Chief of Strategic Planning. In 2002, he spent two years at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, where he gained advanced knowledge in cardiac treatment, which he brought back to Korea. He has also served as the Chairman of the Korean Society of Echocardiography from 2016 to 2018 and is highly regarded as an authority in the field of cardiology, with publications in renowned medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine in November 2019. Dr. Park’s contributions extend beyond his medical achievements, as he has also been recognized for his efforts in hospital digitalization and innovation in the healthcare process. He introduced electronic medical records (EMR) and achieved a “paperless hospital,” receiving the Samsung Information Innovation Award in 2009. He led the a “Dr. Smart” application development project, which allows healthcare professionals to use personal smart devices for medical purposes, and received the Minister of Knowledge Economy Award in 2010. In 2010, he opened the first electronic medical referral system in Korea and implemented various smartphone mobile support systems for patients and hospital staff, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Isabelle Kumar
Former News Anchor, Presenter
Isabelle is a former prime time news anchor and journalist with more than 20 years experience, she now moderates and MCs at leading forums and summits around the globe. Isabelle was the lead anchor for Euronews-NBC. She also criss-crossed the planet interviewing heads of state and government, CEOs and celebrities generating some 3 million views on YouTube. Isabelle has moderated at high level and large scale events throughout her career, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum and the European Commission. Now, this is her principal activity and works with corporates, international organisations and NGOs on subjects ranging from humanitarian, health, inclusion, economics, geopolitics, climate, sustainability, education and tech. Today her clients include the
European Commission, the U.N., The Consumer Goods Forum, Proctor and Gamble, LEAP and Saatchi and Saatchi. She has been MC for award ceremonies for the UN, EU and chaired closed door discussions including with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European leaders.
Her interviews include presidents and prime ministers from Russia, Iran, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Portugal as well as the heads of the UN and the European Commission. She has spoken to the King of Jordan, the Prince and Princess of Monaco, interviewed Richard Branson, Andrea Bocelli, Mike Tyson and Karl Lagerfeld to name but a few. Before heading to Euronews, Isabelle worked for CNN, APTN and Reuters. Isabelle is bilingual in French and English and holds British and German nationality. She is a disability activist, the President of a charity helping people with autism and does pro bono work with the charity Lake Aid helping unaccompanied minors, asylum seekers and homeless families in Annecy, France.
Client feedback shows appreciation for Isabelle’s friendly, thorough and dynamic style of presentation.
Simone Biles
Athlete & Advocate
Simone Biles is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. The most decorated gymnast in history with 41 medals across World Championships and the Olympic Games, Biles holds the most World Championship medals (30) and gold medals (23) in gymnastics history. A three-time Olympian, her 11 Olympic medals and seven Olympic gold medals are the most by a U.S. gymnast. The three-time Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, she has earned the rare distinction of having five skills named in her honor – The Biles – in the beam, floor (two), and vault (two) disciplines.
Biles’s extraordinary accomplishments have received widespread recognition, including the youngest recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Ebony Power 100, People’s Women Changing the World, USA Today’s 100 Women of the Century, and CNN Heroes, among others. Her autobiography, Courage to Soar, was a New York Times bestseller and developed into an award-winning TV special on Lifetime while her Snap Originals series, Daring Simone Biles, received an NAACP Image Award. An ambassador for Friends of the Children, Biles utilizes her platform to help advocate for change and support initiatives that provide education and assistance for children and young adults associated with adoption, foster care, and overall wellness.
