2025 Keynote Speaker
Hollye Jacobs, RN, MS, MSW
Women’s Health and Wellness Expert
Hollye Jacobs is a speaker, Registered Nurse, Certified Master Life Coach, child development specialist, and the best-selling author of The Silver Lining, A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer. Published by Simon and Schuster, the book quickly reached the New York Times, Washington Post and LA Times Bestseller lists.
Hollye is an expert in the field of women’s health and wellness, and has appeared on Good Morning America with Robin Roberts, Dr. Phil, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday (as a feature), and The Doctors—to name a few.
Hollye has extensive experience nationally as a speaker. She speaks on resilience, a family-centered approach to working with families facing life-threatening illnesses, bioethics, grief/bereavement, and her personal experience with breast cancer.
Her professional knowledge as a health practitioner and her personal experiences as a cancer patient and survivor present a powerful wisdom package. As a Certified Master Coach, Hollye specializes in helping people cultivate resilience in the face of life’s inevitable upheavals, from career change to illness, recovery, and everything in between. Hollye is in private practice, teaches and leads international retreats.
Hollye received her MS in Child Development from the Erikson Institute as well as her BSN and MSW from Loyola University Chicago. She completed the Palliative Care Program at Harvard University Medical School and a post-doctoral fellowship at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago. Hollye completed Level 1 Internal Family Systems therapy training. She taught at the City of Hope National Medical Center as well as at the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago.
As a new empty-nester, she lives with her husband, and amazing black lab in New York City and Harbor Springs, Michigan.
2025 Speakers
Carmen Anderson, MS, CCC, SLP
Reimbursement & Market Access Consultant
Carmen is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with a blend of clinical expertise, reimbursement knowledge, and durable medical equipment (DME) industry insight. Her hands-on clinical experience provides her with an understanding of the challenges patients face and the intricacies of delivering effective care. Carmen has engaged with medical device and insurance companies nationwide to provide education, facilitate product coverage, effect positive changes in medical policies, and collaborate to secure new contracts.
Over the past two years, Carmen has partnered with the U.S. Medical Compression Alliance (USMCA) to support the implementation of the Lymphedema Treatment Act. This effort involved advocating with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and their contractors to promote coding, coverage, and reimbursement for lymphedema compression products.
Carmen’s unique perspective and passion for bridging the gap between health care providers, payers, patients, and the industry continues to drive her towards obtaining quality interactions and outcomes for all stakeholders.
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.
Vincent Gardner, MD
Vein Specialist, The Vein Institute at Southern Surgical Arts
Vincent Gardner, MD, is devoted to advancing the modern treatment of venous disease, as well as offering his patients the most comprehensive, modern, and effective cosmetic procedures available. His 21-year career has provided him with a wealth of experience and expertise to offer his patients.
Dr. Gardner received his B.S. in Biology from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, and his M.D. from the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine in Mobile, Alabama, where he was a member of the AOA honor medical society. Dr. Gardner was awarded the Outstanding Resident in Surgery award during his Chief Resident Year in surgical training with Baptist Health Systems in Birmingham. Dr. Gardner is certified by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine.
Additionally, he is credentialed in ultrasound and is a Registered Surgeon in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI). Dr. Gardner serves on the faculty of SSAs’ American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery’s Fellowship Program, where he helps to train outstanding surgeons from around the country. He is also a board examiner for the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
After a career in general surgery, including laparoscopic, thoracic, bariatrics, and vascular procedures, Dr. Gardner began performing endovenous thermal ablations to benefit his vein patients in 2006. He joined the Alabama Vascular and Vein Center a year later, where he focused his efforts on using endovenous techniques to treat venous disorders. During this time, Dr. Gardner also performed cosmetic surgeries at Southern Surgical Arts while completing a fellowship in facial and cosmetic body surgery.
After his fellowship with SSA, Dr. Gardner relocated his practice to Chattanooga, TN, focusing on the treatment of venous disease and cosmetic surgery. He lives on Signal Mountain with his wife and two children. Dr. Gardner enjoys woodworking and college football and has traveled to Honduras for medical mission work.
Corinne Medina
Education Consultant, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC
Corinne provides outreach and education to the Noridian Healthcare Solutions Jurisdictions A and D states and concentrates her attention on Part B, specifically Durable Medical Equipment. Her Primary responsibilities include offering educational instruction and direction to the Medicare community.
Prior to joining Noridian, Corinne worked for a small DME supplier in Pennsylvania, which has fueled her passion for educating and supporting DME suppliers.
Kristie Tobias, MHA
Senior Vice President of People and Culture, Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate Firm
Kristie Tobias is the Senior Vice President of People and Culture for Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate Firm and the CEO and President of Fearless Existence, LLC. She is a Certified Change Management and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executive Leader, coach, national speaker and author with a background in Human Resources and Organizational Development. She has close to 20 years of people, consulting and leadership experience with a primary focus on healthcare organizations, utility-based organizations, small to mid-size businesses and not for profit organizations. She guides and coaches organizations on key focus areas prioritizing patient and customer experience, change management, leadership development and business optimization.
With a concentrated expertise in professional development and leadership alignment, she has upskilled thousands of employees and leaders to the next phase in their career journey. She excels at bridging communication and relationship gaps at all levels of leadership to create high-performing organizations of effective and proactive change competency, improved environments of inclusivity, high employee engagement, and reduced turnover results. She is an expert in assessing organizational operating models, identifying opportunities to align leaders in the right positions at the right times, and building programs that support succession planning and accelerated revenue growth.
As a national speaker and executive coach, Kristie has spent more than a decade sharing her struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and believes that everyone deserves to have a voice. She developed Fearless Existence, LLC, and the accompanying brands Fearlessly Made You and Fearlessly Made Leadership as a way to support and walk alongside those who don’t always feel as if their voices have been heard. Kristie also released her first book, podcast and streaming series all of the same name, Fearlessly Made You.
When Kristie is not inspiring others with her quick wit, charm and engaging attitude, she lives in Atlanta, GA. She has served on several non-profit boards, was a former advisor for the mayor in Pensacola, FL, and offers her services as a speaker and business advisor to several non-profits and small businesses. She is a self-proclaimed wine enthusiast, certified cycle instructor and mother to her dog Cooper.
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.
