NORTHWEST SUMMIT TO REIMAGINE AI IN NURSING & HEALTH CARE

Dr. Susan Alexander is professor and director of the Nursing Informatics Specialty Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing, with expertise spanning nursing informatics, health data science, and population health outcomes, and is certified as an adult health nurse practitioner.

Dr. Alexander is a nationally recognized leader in leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics to advance clinical decision-making and improve healthcare delivery. She has authored more than 70 publications, including editor of Applied Clinical Informatics for Nurses now in its third edition. She has served as Editor- of CIN Plus: Computers, Informatics, Nursing since 2016.

Her research emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to integrate clinical nursing expertise with computational sciences, environmental monitoring, and health policy to address complex health challenges and promote health equity. Dr. Alexander is a co-chair of the Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science Policy & Advocacy Workgroup and was recognized as an Alliance of Nursing Informatics Emerging Leader (2022-2024). She is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association and the American Nursing Informatics Association. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing nursing’s role in AI-driven healthcare transformation.

Kenrick D. Cato, PhD, RN, is a Professor of Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania and a Nurse Scientist for Pediatric Data & Analytics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Cato’s research integrates machine learning, clinical decision support, and human-systems design to improve patient outcomes and clinician experience. Amongst his numerous research projects, he is fondest of the CONCERN Early Warning System, which he co-leads.  Dr. Cato has held several leadership positions in the American Medical Informatics Association, including board member, co-chair of a few conferences, chair of the Nursing Informatics working group, and convening member of AMIA’s 25X5 Task Force to Reduce Documentation Burden. He is also a recipient of AMIA’s  2023 Leadership Award and a 2024 co-recipient of the Donald A.B. Lindberg Award for Innovation in Informatics.

Dr. George Demiris is the Mary Alice Bennett University Professor in the School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine, and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. He explores innovative ways to utilize technology and support patients and their families in various settings, including home and hospice care. He also focuses on designing and evaluating personal health systems that produce patient-generated data including “smart home” solutions for aging, and on understanding the potential of digitally augmented residential settings to support independence and quality of life for community-dwelling older adults. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics, the Gerontological Society of America and the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics. He is the Director of the Penn Artificial Intelligence Collaboratory for Healthy Aging (PennAITech) and Co-Director of the Penn Community Collaboratory for Co-Creation (Penn4C).

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrara is a Professor at Columbia University School of Nursing and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice. He is the founder of AI + Nurse Academy, an online platform building AI literacy among nurses worldwide.

Dr. Ferrara led advocacy efforts that contributed to passage of the 2022 New York Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act, expanding full practice authority statewide. He is the immediate past President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the National Academies of Practice.

His work focuses on responsible AI integration in nursing education, workforce modernization, and expanding access to primary care.

Dr. Perry Gee holds a PhD in Nursing Science and Health Care Leadership from the University of California, Davis, a master’s degree in clinical informatics from the University of Utah, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Montana State University. He is board certified as an Advanced Nurse Executive. 

Dr. Gee serves as the Nurse Scientist and Director of Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice at Intermountain Health, where he leads system wide initiatives that advance nursing science, strengthen professional practice, and improve patient outcomes. He holds academic appointments with both Intermountain Health and the University of Utah. 

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a Fellow of the Western Academy of Nurses, and he is the co founder of the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Scientist Collaborative.

Justin Gill, DNP, APRN, RN, FNP-C is President of the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), the first person of color to hold the role and one of the youngest presidents in the organization’s history. While serving as President of WSNA, he continues to practice clinically as an urgent care nurse practitioner in Everett, Washington. 

A member of WSNA and the American Nurses Association (ANA) since graduating from nursing school in 2012, Dr. Gill has served in multiple leadership roles, including on WSNA’s Legislative & Health Policy Council and Board of Directors. He is a nationally recognized health policy advocate who believes nurses are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful reform in healthcare. His work focuses on strengthening the nursing workforce, advancing evidence-based policy, and addressing complex challenges facing the healthcare system — including misinformation, public health instability, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in clinical practice. 

In 2014, Dr. Gill received the ANA Nurse Advocate Award alongside U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he appeared on MSNBC, NBC News, and CBS News, providing frontline clinical insight and commentary on the impact of national policy decisions on patients and healthcare workers. As WSNA President, Dr. Gill continues to focus on the voice of nurses in critical health policy conversations at the state and national levels. 

Dr. Gill earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Yale University, with a focus on health policy and leadership. He completed his Family Nurse Practitioner training and Master of Science in Nursing at Georgetown University and received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington Bothell. He has held faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Washington State University.

Dr. Ken Grubbs is the Chief Nursing Executive and Executive Vice President for Accreditation and Certification Operations for Joint Commission. In this role, he has executive leadership for the accreditation and certification of more than 23,000 healthcare organizations and programs, all activities related to surveys, eligibility and application processes, customer account management, and federal deeming compliance requirements. Dr. Grubbs also administers accreditation and certification policy development, surveyor education and development, survey technology, and the ongoing development and refinement of the accreditation process. 

Dr. Grubbs has extensive work experience in healthcare accreditation. Previously, he served as Vice President of Regulatory and Accreditation Services for HCA Healthcare. In this role, he supported all HCA Healthcare facilities by providing leadership for clinical regulatory compliance and continual survey readiness for foundational quality and safety. By developing clinical performance improvement, quality management, and risk mitigation programs, he helped lead HCA Healthcare to benchmark clinical performance in numerous areas. Earlier at HCA, Dr. Grubbs served as Director of Quality Standards and as a Patient Safety Specialist for Emergency Services. He also served at the National Patient Safety Foundation as the Assistant Vice President of programs. During his time at the National Patient Safety Foundation, he was responsible for leading the development of patient safety tools and resources. He also completed the American Hospital Association/National Patient Safety Foundation’s Comprehensive Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship. 

Dr. Grubbs began his career in healthcare as an emergency department nurse in Tennessee and has held various leadership positions with a primary focus in emergency services and medical-surgical intensive care services. He served on the Quality and Safety Advisory Council of the Emergency Nurses Association and the Lantern Award Selection Committee for multiple years. He also served on multiple liaison councils for Joint Commission. 

Dr. Grubbs received his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and his Master of Business Administration from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Michelle James, RN, BSN, MM, MBA is Senior Vice President for Quality, Patient Safety, Clinical Risk and Chief Nursing Executive for PeaceHealth. Michelle is an experienced nurse executive, well respected across disciplines as a collaborative partner and a steadfast advocate for quality, safety and compassion in delivering the very best healthcare. With more than 35 years of experience in healthcare, Michelle is focused on accelerating nursing excellence, quality, patient and caregiver safety. Her nursing journey includes a diverse portfolio of clinical roles – from nursing homes to critical care units, from critical access hospitals to quaternary care referral centers. Michelle has her bachelor’s degree in nursing and her master’s degrees in management and business administration.

Merry-Ann Keane, MSN, RNC, FACHE is the Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Beach Health, a community-owned rural healthcare system serving South Pacific County, Washington. With more than 32 years of experience in healthcare, Keane is a seasoned executive leader with deep clinical roots and a strong commitment to advancing rural health. 

Her career began as a nurse in British Columbia and progressed through roles including clinical instructor, nurse educator, nurse manager, health services manager, and senior healthcare administrator.  

Keane holds a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership from the University of British Columbia and specialty certifications in Neonatal and Perinatal Nursing. She currently serves as chair of the Washington State Hospital Association Rural Hospital Committee and sits on numerous boards. 

A sought-after presenter and prolific author, Jennifer S. Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, serves as the 38th president of the American Nurses Association. In this national leadership role, Dr. Mensik Kennedy boldly advocates for the nation’s 5.5 million RNs. In 2025 and for the third consecutive year, she was named by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. 

Dr. Mensik Kennedy’s insights about and experience involving key nursing issues have informed her public appearances and writing. Her books include Lead, Drive, and Thrive in the System, 2nd edition, and The Nurse Manager’s Guide to Innovative Staffing, 3rd edition. She co-authored Lead like a Nurse, A Nurse’s Step-By-Step Guide to Transitioning to the Professional Nurse Role, and The Power of Ten, 2nd edition, and contributed a chapter to The Career Handoff: A Healthcare Leader’s Guide to Knowledge & Wisdom Transfer across Generations. 

Prior to her presidency, Dr. Mensik Kennedy held key leadership positions within the nursing profession, including serving the American Nurses Association as Treasurer, Second Vice President, and Director-at-Large. She also served as President of the Arizona Nurses Association from 2007 to 2010. Additionally, Dr. Mensik Kennedy held the role of governor of nursing practice for the Western Institute of Nursing in 2010-2014. 

Dr. Mensik Kennedy earned a PhD from the University of Arizona College of Nursing with a focus on health systems and a minor in public administration from the Eller College of Management. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a BSN from Washington State University. Dr. Mensik Kennedy also earned an ADN from Wenatchee Valley College-North. She is an assistant clinical professor at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing. Dr. Mensik Kennedy was inducted in 2014 as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She has been recognized as Alumna of the Year by both University of Arizona College of Nursing and Washington State University College of Nursing.

Keri graduated from Wesleyan University in 1994 with a BA in Sociology.  She then earned her BSN from the University of Washington in 2000 and went on to complete her Master of Health Administration also from the University of Washington in 2006.  

Keri has worked at UW Medicine for over 26 years. She started her career as a nurse in the ICU at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) Montlake and worked clinically as an ICU nurse for many years, both as a preceptor and as a charge nurse. She was promoted to Nurse Manager of the ICU in 2006 and then subsequently moved through progressive leadership roles including as the Assistant Administrator for Critical Care. In this role, she was instrumental in growing and expanding the ICUs at Montlake; leading efforts to improve patient safety and handoffs; as well as starting Schwartz Rounds and working with others across UW Medicine to start a Peer Support Program.  

In 2019, Keri moved to the NW Campus of UWMC to become the Associate Chief Nursing Officer for UWMC and the onsite Nurse Executive for the NW Campus. In that role, Keri helped lead the NW Campus both through integration with UWMC and the COVID Pandemic. She was instrumental in helping start the first drive through COVID testing center in the nation as well as serving as the campus Incident Commander. In addition, Keri worked tirelessly to stabilize staffing, to support the teams and to improve quality outcomes. 

In 2022, Keri joined the Harborview Medical Center team as the Chief Nursing Officer and in her time there has worked to stabilize the workforce, bringing vacancy and turnover rates as well as traveler utilization down to pre-pandemic levels. Keri has also worked with her team to drive improvements in quality metrics and patient throughput. When she’s not at work, Keri keeps busy with family, including parents, husband and twins (aged 19), as well as two dogs. She loves to garden, walk, bike and travel.

Renee Rassilyer-Bomers is the Chief Nursing Officer for Providence Swedish North Division, bringing with her 23 years of experience in healthcare. 

Renee holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Seattle University, where she also serves as an Associate Teaching Professor and advisory board member.  

Beyond her academic and professional achievements, Renee actively engages in collaborative initiatives with the healthcare community. She is a valued member of the Clinical Placement Northwest (CPNW) collaborative, serves as an advisory board member for the SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW Multi-Employer Training Fund, and provides insights as a member of Seattle University College of Nursing Advisory Board. Renee is also a member of the UW Bothell Healthcare Advisory Committee. 

In recognition of her exceptional contributions during the pandemic, particularly her leadership in managing the largest civilian coordinated vaccination center at Lumen Field, Renee was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022. She recently attained her Leadership Executive MBA, graduating this past June.  

Renee Rassilyer-Bomers is a passionate advocate for nursing excellence, and a driving force in shaping the future of healthcare through her multifaceted contributions and leadership endeavors.

Ryan J. Shaw, PhD, RN, FAAN is the Chief Nurse Innovation Officer of Duke University Health System and a Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, NC. In his role at Duke Health, Dr. Shaw identifies opportunities to leverage technology and evidence-based practices to empower nurses as change makers, addressing healthcare delivery challenges, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing efficiency. In his faculty role, he leads research teams focused on digital transformation in healthcare, while also mentoring students to become the next generation of health scientists and clinicians.

Tom Lawry is an internationally recognized leader in artificial intelligence, health innovation, and the future of human longevity. He advises governments, health systems, and global companies across Europe, the Middle East, Asia–Pacific, and North America on responsible AI adoption and the transformation of care delivery.

Tom is the Managing Director of Second Century Tech and formerly served as Microsoft’s National Director for AI in Health & Life Sciences, as well as Director of Worldwide Health and Director of Organizational Performance for the company’s first health incubator. His career also includes senior roles with GE Healthcare, founding two venture-backed health-tech companies, and serving as a health-system executive and board member.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Tom brings nearly two decades of hands-on experience implementing AI at scale. He translates complex technologies into clear, strategic insights for senior audiences—bridging the worlds of clinical practice, data governance, policy, and executive leadership.

His work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, CEO Magazine, Inside Precision Medicine, CNET, and the South China Morning Post. He has been named one of the 2025 Global Top 20 AI Voices to Follow, and a Harris Poll of JP Morgan Healthcare Conference attendees recognized him as a leading figure driving meaningful change in health and medicine.

Tom is the best-selling author of Hacking Healthcare, AI in Health, and the newly released Health Care Nation – The Future Is Calling and It’s Better Than You Think.

Selected International Keynotes:

• UBS “AI & the Future of Health Tech” Five City Tour – Australia
• APACMed – Singapore
• Royal College of Physicians of Ireland – Dublin
• American Medical Association – Chicago
• Viatris Global Leadership – Istanbul
• American Optometry Association – Nashville

Speaking Topics:

• The AI Leadership Imperative – Creating Value at Scale
• The future of AI in health, life sciences & longevity
• Ethical, responsible and practical AI adoption
• Workforce transformation in an AI-enabled world

Contact:

• www.tomlawry.com
• tomlawry@secondcentury.tech
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomlawry

“Tom has led several standing-room-only mainstage sessions at our events. He has a unique ability to communicate the idiosyncrasies of AI’s role in healthcare, with a visionary’s perspective for what’s possible. We look forward to continuing to learn from and be inspired by him!” — Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, American Telemedicine Association

Dr. Dan Weberg is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing as well as an expert in, healthcare innovation, leadership and human-centered design. He has extensive clinical experience in emergency departments, acute in-patient hospital settings and academia.  Dan has also consulted across several organizations to support strategy and innovation ecosystems to improve healthcare. 

Currently, Dan serves as the Executive Director of Nursing Workforce Development and Innovation at Kaiser Permanente, where he returned in May 2023.  He supports the growth of over 800 new graduate nurses across all 8 markets of KP, develops workforce strategy, and supports the career and professional growth of over 70,000 nurses and leaders. 

He served as the Vice President for Transformation Services at Ascension, supporting 60,000 nurses and 140+ facilities in modernizing nursing technology, developing new care models, and measuring innovation outcomes.   

Previously he was Head of Clinical Innovation for Trusted Health, the staffing platform for the healthcare industry, where he helped drive product strategy and worked to change the conversation around innovation in the healthcare workforce. 

Dan spent seven years at Kaiser Permanente, where he held executive roles in nursing innovation, research, and technology strategy across eight markets and 40 hospitals. He was also part of the founding faculty for the new Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. 

Dan is on the faculty at The Ohio State University College of Nursing and multiple innovation fellowship programs. He previously taught on nursing innovation and leadership at Arizona State University. He is on the editorial board for Nursing Administration Quarterly and has authored two dozen peer-reviewed articles and two textbooks, including Evidence Based Innovation Leadership for Health Professions and Leadership in Nursing Practice. 

Dan earned his Bachelors in Nursing, and was in the first cohort to graduate from the Masters in Healthcare Innovation program at ASU, as well as the first-ever graduate of the PhD in Healthcare Innovation Leadership program at ASU. Dan serves on several advisory boards, including the American Nurses Association Innovation Advisory Board. His clinical background is in Emergency and Trauma nursing at level 1 trauma centers in California and Arizona. 

Darcy is the Senior Vice President for Clinical Excellence at the Washington State Hospital Association where she leads and supports collective hospital leader actions to improve care at the policy and operational level for all who are served in our state’s hospital medical systems. Prior to WSHA, she was the Patient Care Administrator and Chief Nursing Officer at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and the Co-Director of the UW Medicine Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Safety and Quality. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow Alumnus. She currently serves, by appointment of the Washington State Governor, on the Robert Bree Collaborative, the Crisis Response Improvement Strategies Committee, the Hospital Staffing Committee Advisory Committee, and the Performance Measures Coordinating Council. She has been a sponsor, leader or member of multiple national, state and local quality, safety and policy initiatives.

Alison Bradywood is the Executive Director for the Washington State Board of Nursing and a community health nurse at heart. She came into nursing by way of working in indigenous public health in the Peace Corps Panama and has carried this commitment to working across communities throughout her professional career. 

Her experience spans acute care, academia, long-term care, and community health settings. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University and her master’s in public health and in nursing leadership from the University of Washington. Alison’s areas of expertise include system improvement, quality, leadership development, nursing practice, education, and workforce development.  

Alison worked at Virginia Mason Medical Center for 19 years, first as a nurse technician and eventually as the Chief Nursing Officer. She has published several peer-reviewed articles on hospital quality, social determinants of health, and COVID-19 interventions. She continues to volunteer locally supporting underserved communities and abroad to support the development of healthcare delivery systems and nursing practice in low- and middle-income countries.

Nancy Wiederhold, DNP, RN, CMSRN is the Clinical Nurse Researcher and Magnet Program Director for University of Washington Medical Center’s Montlake and Northwest campuses, where she leads system-wide efforts to advance nursing excellence, evidence-based practice, and nursing research across inpatient and ambulatory settings. With more than 25 years at UW Medical Center, Nancy brings deep institutional knowledge, clinical credibility, and a passion for building cultures of inquiry, innovation, and professional growth. 

Nancy earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nursing Leadership from Boise State University, completing a capstone focused on compassion-based interventions to support nurse manager well-being. She also holds a Master of Nursing in Leadership and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington. Prior to her current role, Nancy served as Nurse Manager of a high-acuity complex medical-surgical unit, where she was known for cultivating highly engaged teams and advancing shared governance. 

In addition to her clinical and research leadership, Nancy serves on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Organization of Nurse Leaders (NWONL), where she is actively engaged in advancing leadership development, mentorship, and professional connection across the region. She has a special interest in nurse perception and readiness for artificial intelligence technologies and their integration into clinical practice. Nancy is deeply committed to authentic leadership, professional empowerment, and advancing nursing practice to improve patient, staff, and organizational outcomes.