2024 Keynote Speakers
Sharon Delaney McCloud, CDE®
Emmy Award Winning Journalist, Breast Cancer Survivor and Bereaved Parent
As a breast cancer survivor and women’s health and business advocate, Sharon Delaney McCloud, CDE, moves audiences to action by encouraging their own efforts to manage their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Humor, inspiration and a practical playbook punctuate Sharon’s keynotes and workshops. She engages people with stories that require self-assessment and then ideas to contemplate long after the program ends.
Sharon spent 25 years as an Emmy Award-winning television journalist covering everything from NASA to politics to the Super Bowl at stations across the country. One of her favorite assignments was hosting Rex On Call, a monthly television show for UNC Health where education was the focus so people could equip themselves to make better decisions about their well-being. Six months after Sharon anchored a show about beating breast cancer, she was diagnosed herself and began the journey through chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and a year-long clinical trial.
Today, Sharon is a professional speaker and a partner and vice president of Professional Development at Walk West in Raleigh, North Carolina, where her passion is helping people harness the spoken word. What we say matters in business and life. From Fortune 100 boardrooms to the green room at Good Morning America to lecture halls of top-tier universities, Sharon is a trusted partner in developing people’s communication prowess.
Sharon has been featured in numerous publications, including Sheryl Sandburg’s Option B digital platform, Enterprising Women and is co-author of the book, Keep Going, Memoirs of Strength, Courage & Perseverance. She was selected for the Best of KNOW Book, recognizing top professional women from across North America featured in the KNOW Women network. A frequent podcast guest, Sharon also launched the Startup Stage Podcast as its first host.
Sharon is an active member of the National Speakers Association, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Women Entrepreneurs Inc. and the Inspiration Lab. She’s also a Certified Diversity Executive, a multi-certified Tilt 365 Consultant, a John Maxwell Speaker and Six Sigma Certified Green Belt. As a mom of three, Sharon considers that her most important role while riding this roller coaster we call life.
Nick Webb
Futurist
Nick Webb is a number one best-selling author and is one of the most popular Innovation, Healthcare, Future-trends, and Customer Experience Speakers in the world. Nick is the CEO of LeaderLogic, LLC a Management Consulting Firm that provides consulting services and training to the top brands in the world. Nick works shoulder-to-shoulder with boards of directors of multibillion-dollar companies to assist them in building future-ready organizations.
As a technologist, Nick has been awarded over 40 Patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office for a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including one of the world’s smallest medical implants and one of the first wearable technologies. Nick’s best-selling books include, What Customers Crave, The Innovation Mandate, What Customers Hate, Happy Work, Lucid Leadership and his number one bestselling book, The Healthcare Mandate. Nick has been awarded one of the Top 30 Business Experts for eight years in a row.
Nick has served as a Chief Innovation Officer and an Adjunct Professor at a top medical school. Nick was awarded his Doctorate of Humane Letters (hon.) for his contributions in healthcare.
Additionally, Nick is also the Producer and Host of the Award-winning Documentary Film, “The Healthcare Cure”. The film won the Sedona International Film Festival’s “Audience Choice Award”, Most Impactful Film.
2024 Speakers
Carmen Anderson, MS, CCC, SLP
Reimbursement & Market Access Consultant
Carmen is a Speech Language Pathologist with a great passion for improving payer relations and patient access to healthcare. Her knowledge base is unique, as it provides a clinician and industry perspective.
In her time as a clinician, she worked in skilled nursing facilities to treat patients with Parkinson’s, stroke, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, traumatic brain injuries and other conditions. When she moved into the DME and reimbursement space, she engaged with insurance companies across the United States to provide education and facilitate product coverage, favorably change medical policies, collaborate on securing and managing new contracts, and obtained multiple PDAC approvals.
Carmen is based out of Austin, Texas, and enjoys kickboxing, spending time outdoors and traveling everywhere from North Dakota to New Zealand.
Stefanos Boukovalas, MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Since joining the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Dr. Boukovalas has led the development of the Comprehensive Lymphedema Service and is co-chair of the TN Chapter of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network. His clinical interests include oncologic and trauma reconstruction, microsurgery, lymphedema surgery, general plastic and cosmetic surgery. His passions involve innovative and cutting-edge surgical techniques, including DIEP and PAP flaps for breast reconstruction, neurotized free flaps, head and neck reconstruction using virtual surgical planning (VSP), targeted muscle re-innervation (TMR), and lymphovenous bypass surgery using super-microsurgery techniques.
On the academic side, Dr. Boukovalas has a strong interest in research, surgical education and contributing to scientific societies. He is involved in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery. He also has participated in several national scientific committees and served as a member of task forces contributing to guideline development and patient care quality improvement. His research is focused on clinical outcomes, healthcare disparities and guideline development. Dr. Boukovalas has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles along with five individual book chapters and presented research in multiple regional, national and international conferences. He has earned several prestigious research and teaching awards, including the Resident Alpha Omega Alpha, Outstanding Plastic Surgery Resident and the ASRM Outstanding Paper Awards.
Dr. Boukovalas was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He earned his medical degree at the University of Athens School of Medicine. After completing his Plastic Surgery Residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, he moved onto a fellowship in Microsurgery and Complex Reconstruction at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Matthew Gruskin, MBA, BOCO, BOCPD, CDME
Chief Operating Officer, Board of Certification/Accreditation
Matt Gruskin leads the direction, strategy, policies and day-to-day operations of the business accreditation and professional certification programs at Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC). With a focus on credentialing program standards and the delivery of excellent customer service, Matt enjoys sharing his experience and expertise with audiences as both a speaker and an author. Prior to joining BOC, he spent 10 years in clinical practice, specializing in orthotics and prosthetics. Matt holds an MBA in healthcare from Florida International University, a post-graduate certificate in O&P from the University of Hartford and a post-graduate certificate from the International School of Pedorthics.
Linda-Anne Kahn, CIDESCO HHP CLT-LANA, NCTMB, CMT
Integrative Health Coach
Linda-Anne Kahn is an Internationally trained Dr. Vodder’s Lymphedema Therapist, Clinical Aromatherapist, Board- Certified Massage therapist and Integrative Health Coach with more than 35 years of experience.
She is the founder and director of Lymphatic Therapy Services in San Diego and president of Beauty Kliniek Aromatherapy Day Spa and Wellness Center. She also is a co-author of the United States “Standard of Care for Lipedema” and the Lymphedema and Lipedema Nutrition Guide.
Linda-Anne is a regular presenter at national and international aromatherapy and lymphatic conferences, as well as for Juzo Academy.
Ruth Reese
DMEPOS Education Representative, Noridian Healthcare Solutions
Ruth has worked in the DME industry for more than 23 years, holding a variety of positions with Interwest Home Medical, Praxair Healthcare Services, Amerita Specialty Infusion Services and the University of Utah Home Infusion Pharmacy. During her time with these companies, she has held positions as a reimbursement specialist, accounts receivable specialist and a reimbursement supervisor.
Ruth is supervisor of operations over DME Provider Outreach and Education for all states under Noridian Healthcare Solutions contract jurisdictions. As a DME POE supervisor, Ruth is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the DME Provider Outreach and Education team, ensuring that the Noridian supplier community receives current and accurate education of billing, coding, and coverage guidelines to ensure correct claim submission resulting in proper Medicare DME payments.
Jodi Winicour, PT, CMT, CLT-LANA
Course Instructor, Physical Therapist, Klose Training and Consulting
Jodi Winicour graduated from Indiana University’s Physical Therapy program in 1993 and received her massage therapy certification in 1997 from Michigan’s Health Enrichment Center. Initially practicing general orthopedic physical therapy at Community Hospital East’s Outpatient Physical Therapy Department in Indianapolis, Indiana, she began specializing in the treatment of cancer patients in 1998 and lectured for the Physical Therapy Department of Indiana University.
Jodi was certified as an MLD/CDT Therapist by Klose Norton Training & Consulting in 1998. She received her CLT-LANA Certification in October, 2001.
In 2000, Jodi joined Cedars Sinai Medical Center where she worked to develop and expand the oncology and lymphedema program in Los Angeles for seven years. Since 2007, she has treated patients with lymphedema, cancer-related dysfunction, and orthopedic issues at Longmont United Hospital in Longmont, Colorado.
In addition to her work as a full-time clinician, Jodi has served as a class instructor for Klose Training & Consulting’s Lymphedema Therapy Certification course since 2000. She is also the author and instructor for one of Klose Training’s most successful continuing education courses, “Breast Cancer Rehabilitation.”
Jodi has taught and presented at courses and conferences across the United States and in Europe on the topics of lymphedema and breast cancer rehabilitation.
Belinda Yandell
Provider Relations Senior Analyst, CGS Provider Outreach and Education
Belinda began her career with CGS Administrators, the DME MAC for Jurisdictions B and C, in 2013 in Medical Review, but quickly found her true calling with the Provider Outreach and Education team. As a Senior Analyst, she is dedicated to helping suppliers understand Medicare policy and achieve compliance. In addition to regular webinars and workshops, Belinda collaborates with other MACs, supplier associations and tradeshows to provide education to the DMEPOS supplier community.
Belinda also is the Community Coach for Georgia and Tennessee, acting as the primary contact for suppliers in those states. Before coming to CGS Administrators, she worked with TennCare, Tennessee’s state Medicaid program.