Health Plans & Government Officials

Christopher Draven
Senior Director of Payment Integrity Analytics & AI
HCSC

Christopher Draven
Senior Director of Payment Integrity Analytics & AI
HCSC
Christopher Draven is Senior Director of Payment Integrity Analytics & AI at HCSC where he leads a cross-functional team focused on delivering actionable insights and savings. He has over 25 years experience in healthcare, starting in direct patient care.

Crystal Son
Executive Director of Enterprise Data Analytics Solutions
HCSC

Crystal Son
Executive Director of Enterprise Data Analytics Solutions
HCSC
Crystal Son is an Executive Director of Enterprise Data Analytics Solutions at Healthcare Service Corporation (HCSC), the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States. HCSC provides access to care nationwide through Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas as well as through its broad portfolio of companies. Crystal has 20 years of experience in deriving intelligence from data and mobilizing teams to action.
At HCSC, she leads the Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships team, which leads key programs such as Payment Integrity, Responsible AI and AI Literacy and Workforce Readiness. She is passionate about real-world applications of data-driven insights, storytelling through data, and building high-performance teams.
Prior to joining HCSC in October 2022, Crystal held several roles at previous organizations, including delivery of data science advisory services, management of healthcare and government customer portfolios, and the development and launch of several new products. She began her career in data as an epidemiologist, first for the City of New York, then with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center but has called downtown Chicago home for the last 11 years.

Monique Pierce
Payment Solutions & Operations
Cohere Health

Monique Pierce
Payment Solutions & Operations
Cohere Health
Monique started her Payment Integrity career in COB at Oxford HealthPlans. After the merger with UnitedHealthcare, she led multiple teams and was responsible for creating innovative programs. Monique joined SCIO Health Analytics in 2014 and was responsible for system and process improvements before being promoted to VP of client engagement and business optimization In 2020, Monique joined start-up Devoted Health and created a full suite of programs from the ground up. Based on a passion for metrics and measuring performance, she centralized and standardized all programs reducing implementation time and maximizing savings. Today, Monique is driving opportunities to improve claim payment by designing and developing new prior auth and claim reconciliation products at Cohere Health.

Simi Binning
Responsible AI Lead
HCSC

Simi Binning
Responsible AI Lead
HCSC
Simi Binning is an accomplished healthcare professional with over a decade of experience in developing and executing successful strategies that drive business growth. Currently serving as a Responsible AI lead at HCSC, her focus is on AI governance and innovative problem solving.

Novelette Wallace, MPH, PMP, CSSBB
Head of Payment Integrity
Johns Hopkins Healthcare

Novelette Wallace, MPH, PMP, CSSBB
Head of Payment Integrity
Johns Hopkins Healthcare
Novelette Wallace is a distinguished Payment Integrity Leader with a rich background spanning over 30 years in the healthcare industry. Her extensive experience includes leadership roles within payment integrity, where she has played pivotal roles in both payment integrity vendor organizations and health plans. Throughout her career, Novelette has demonstrated a remarkable ability to build and lead Payment Integrity departments from their inception. Her expertise has been instrumental in establishing robust processes and strategies to identify and recover inaccuracies in claims, contributing significantly to cost of care savings for health plans year after year.
Novelette has held key leadership positions with industry-leading organizations, including Performant Corp, United Healthcare, and Aetna (previously Coventry). In each role, she has consistently delivered results by optimizing payment integrity processes and driving operational excellence. Currently serving as the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Payment Integrity for Johns Hopkins Health Plans, Novelette continues to bring her wealth of knowledge and leadership acumen to the forefront. Her dedication to achieving and surpassing cost of care savings goals exemplifies her commitment to advancing the financial health and efficiency of healthcare organizations.
With a proven track record of success and a comprehensive understanding of payment integrity within the healthcare landscape, Novelette Wallace stands as a respected leader in the industry, contributing significantly to the success of the organizations she serve

Josh Miller
Director, Payment Integrity
Prominence

Josh Miller
Director, Payment Integrity
Prominence

Stephanie Sjogren
Director, Coding and Provider Reimbursement
EmblemHealth/Connecticare

Stephanie Sjogren
Director, Coding and Provider Reimbursement
EmblemHealth/Connecticare
Stephanie Sjogren is a director of coding and provider reimbursement, working with payment integrity to ensure proper claims adjudication and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Prior to joining ConnectiCare/EmblemHealth, she performed provider audits and education at a women’s healthcare group. Sjogren has also worked with physicians and staff to integrate and use electronic health record systems effectively and to stay in compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ rules and regulations. Her areas of specialty are payment integrity, auditing, and clinical documentation improvement.

Michael Devine
Director Special Investigations Unit
L.A Care

Michael Devine
Director Special Investigations Unit
L.A Care

Jonique Dietzen
Payment Integrity Director
CareOregon

Jonique Dietzen
Payment Integrity Director
CareOregon
With over 18 years of experience in healthcare billing and finance, I am a certified professional coder dedicated to ensuring accurate claims and proper reimbursement for providers. Having worked extensively on the provider side in finance and revenue cycle, I bring wealth of knowledge to the table, particularly in processing and payment integrity.
Throughout my career, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of billing challenges from both perspectives. This unique insight drives my commitment to improving billing practices and advocating for provider education. I continue to leverage my expertise to enhance billing processes and support providers in navigating the complexities of healthcare finance.

Jordan Limperis
Data Scientist
LA Care

Jordan Limperis
Data Scientist
LA Care
Highly motivated Data Scientist with a strong background in healthcare data and systems. Experienced in Inpatient Hospital and Laboratory Epic Systems, where I applied data-driven insights to improve clinical and operational efficiency. Currently, I am pursuing my career at L.A. Care, focusing leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to analyze noisy data, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in healthcare operations, particularly in payment integrity.

Saikiran (Sai) Vodela, MPA, MS, PharmB
Advisor and Manager, HealthIT
L.A. Care Health Plan

Saikiran (Sai) Vodela, MPA, MS, PharmB
Advisor and Manager, HealthIT
L.A. Care Health Plan
Saikiran (Sai) Vodela is an Advisor and Manager of HealthIT at L.A. Care Health Plan, where he leads strategic efforts in Health Information Exchange (HIE), California’s Data Exchange Framework (DxF), and interoperability initiatives that support care coordination for Los Angeles County’s safety net population.
Sai previously spearheaded the implementation of a clinical data repository under the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi), a nationwide effort by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) aimed at improving healthcare delivery through data-driven transformation. The program achieved $196 million in cost avoidance for the health plan. Earlier in his career, he developed performance monitoring solutions for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Medicare providers at an electronic health record company.
He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Healthcare Management, a Master of Science (MS) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy (PharmB).

Mandi Heiple
Director of Payment Integrity
Medica

Mandi Heiple
Director of Payment Integrity
Medica

Rae A. McIntee, DDS, MD, MBA, FACS, CPE
Medical Director Clinical Solutions (Supporting Payment Integrity & SIU)
Louisiana Blue

Rae A. McIntee, DDS, MD, MBA, FACS, CPE
Medical Director Clinical Solutions (Supporting Payment Integrity & SIU)
Louisiana Blue
This stellar line-up will be discussing topics from payment integrity to revenue cycle management and everything in between.
Check them out below!

Bruce Lim
Bruce Lim serves as the Deputy Director, Audits and Investigations, for the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and is the designated Program Integrity Director for Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Mr. Lim is a certified public accountant (CPA) with over 32 years of audit and financial management experience in both the private and public sectors. Past employers include Kenneth Leventhal and Company, CPAs (Ernst & Young Kenneth Leventhal Real Estate Group), Packard Bell NEC, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Christopher Draven
Christopher Draven is Senior Director of Payment Integrity Analytics & AI at HCSC where he leads a cross-functional team focused on delivering actionable insights and savings. He has over 25 years experience in healthcare, starting in direct patient care.

Crystal Son
Crystal Son is an Executive Director of Enterprise Data Analytics Solutions at Healthcare Service Corporation (HCSC), the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States. HCSC provides access to care nationwide through Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas as well as through its broad portfolio of companies. Crystal has 20 years of experience in deriving intelligence from data and mobilizing teams to action.
At HCSC, she leads the Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships team, which leads key programs such as Payment Integrity, Responsible AI and AI Literacy and Workforce Readiness. She is passionate about real-world applications of data-driven insights, storytelling through data, and building high-performance teams.
Prior to joining HCSC in October 2022, Crystal held several roles at previous organizations, including delivery of data science advisory services, management of healthcare and government customer portfolios, and the development and launch of several new products. She began her career in data as an epidemiologist, first for the City of New York, then with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center but has called downtown Chicago home for the last 11 years.

Helen Liu, Pharm.D.
Helen Liu, PharmD, brings 29 years of diverse pharmacy experience, blending clinical expertise, operational efficiency, technological innovation, and management across various healthcare settings.
Over the past four years, Helen has successfully led pharmacy operations at ATRIO Health Plans (Medicare), achieving significant milestones in PA/ST, FWA, MTM programs, resulting in over $4.5M in savings. She’s conducted formulary analyses to support actuary Medicare annual bid submissions, including IRA and M3P programs, collaborated with partners and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) to identify cost-saving opportunities through formulary alternatives, biosimilars, and rebate strategies, and partnered in the RFP PBM selection process and resolved complex pharmacy-related issues through cross-departmental collaboration.
Before ATRIO, Helen spent seven years at Kaiser Permanente, where she served as Regional Assistant Director to implement hospitals Drug Use Management Program. Her efforts led to over $20 million in savings through inventory management, drug cost-saving initiatives, and the standardization of clinical content/practice guidelines.

Edgar Dominguez
Healthcare Operations expert with 20+ years of healthcare payer experience including 12+ years in Claims Administration with multiple fortune 200 companies. I’m currently focused on implementing payment integrity initiatives aimed at cost avoidance by the use of data analytics. I am a firm believer that data science is the wave of the future and will afford the healthcare industry with boundless opportunities to mitigate waste and reduce overall healthcare costs.

Jordan Limperis
Highly motivated Data Scientist with a strong background in healthcare data and systems. Experienced in Inpatient Hospital and Laboratory Epic Systems, where I applied data-driven insights to improve clinical and operational efficiency. Currently, I am pursuing my career at L.A. Care, focusing leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to analyze noisy data, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in healthcare operations, particularly in payment integrity.

Kelly Bennett, JD, CFE, AHFI
Kelly Bennett graduated from the University of Tampa and Florida State University College of Law. She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1997 and is a Certified Fraud Examiner and an Accredited Health Care Fraud Investigator. She has worked at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration since 2001 and has served in several roles, including as a Senior Attorney within the Medicaid Division of the Office of the General Counsel, the Assistant Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Medicaid Program Integrity, the Agency’s Medicaid
Fraud Liaison, and is currently the Chief of Medicaid Program Integrity, where she has served since July of 2014. She is currently the President for the National Association for Medicaid Program Integrity and is an active participant in training and collaboration initiatives with the National Health Care Antifraud Association.

Monique Pierce
Monique started her Payment Integrity career in COB at Oxford HealthPlans. After the merger with UnitedHealthcare, she led multiple teams and was responsible for creating innovative programs. Monique joined SCIO Health Analytics in 2014 and was responsible for system and process improvements before being promoted to VP of client engagement and business optimization In 2020, Monique joined start-up Devoted Health and created a full suite of programs from the ground up. Based on a passion for metrics and measuring performance, she centralized and standardized all programs reducing implementation time and maximizing savings. Today, Monique is driving opportunities to improve claim payment by designing and developing new prior auth and claim reconciliation products at Cohere Health.

Dr Priscilla Alfaro, MD, FAAP, CPC, CPMA, COC, CIC, CFE
Dr. Priscilla Alfaro is a seasoned healthcare professional with extensive experience in executive medical management, fraud prevention, and healthcare analytics. A certified medical coder, fraud examiner, and auditor, she has a proven track record of improving healthcare efficiency and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse across various roles and affiliations, including the Texas HHS and Anthem.

Simi Binning
Simi Binning is an accomplished healthcare professional with over a decade of experience in developing and executing successful strategies that drive business growth. Currently serving as a Responsible AI lead at HCSC, her focus is on AI governance and innovative problem solving.

Cynthia Johnson

Andrew Zurick

Becky Peters

Betye Ochoa

Ebrahim Barkoudah

Edward Thomas

Frank Shipp
Frank E. Shipp currently serves as Executive Director of the Johns Hopkins Clinical Alliance, the clinically integrated network of Johns Hopkins Medicine. The network includes over 3,000 providers, consisting of both employed and independent practices.
Frank transitioned to value-based care after 25 years of hospital-based operations experience in both community and academic health systems. During the past nine years, Frank has held executive positions in a Payor-Provider Organization in NYC and has built a highly successful CIN over a five-year period in Northern New Jersey. Frank speaks regular at national healthcare conferences regarding value-based care strategies and tactics.
Frank completed his MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a trained Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma from Villanova University.

Garland Goins Jr

Jill Sell-Kruse

Lisa Meredith

Paul LePage

Paul Schmitz

Richelle Marting

Sandy Giangreco Brown

Willie Brown

Catherine Pesek Bird

Howard Kung

Ismet Sharich
