National Healthcare South

William F. McKeon

President & CEO
Texas Medical Center

William “Bill” McKeon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Medical Center. He is responsible for driving strategic, operational and programmatic initiatives across the Texas Medical Center’s member institutions to enhance its leadership position in the life sciences. McKeon joined the Texas Medical Center in 2013 as executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief strategy officer. McKeon attended Roger Williams University on the Harold G. Way Scholarship for Leadership and Academic Excellence. He worked throughout his college years as a legal intern at Asquith, Merolla, Anderson, Ryan & Wiley – a prestigious law firm in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated with top honors with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies. He earned his master’s degree from University of San Francisco School of Management. McKeon began his professional career at Du Pont de Nemours. He initially led the implementation of large news publishing systems around the world and was later promoted to run marketing and business development. During his time at Du Pont, McKeon lived throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Sweden. His career shifted to health care when he was recruited to Stanford University Medical Center, where he initially led the Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiothoracic Surgery business. He was then promoted to Director of Market Development for all 17 business lines at Stanford. He then went to Raytel Medical Systems - the largest cardiac monitoring business in the United States. He served as Executive Director and digitized all businesses so that physicians could see patients’ EKGs online from anywhere in the world. At Raytel, he won the Computer World Smithsonian Award in Medicine. McKeon came to Houston to join U.S. Oncology, which provides cancer care for over 25 percent of the U.S. population. There, he served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Pharmaceutical Business Relations. During McKeon’s tenure, U.S. Oncology grew from $250 million to $1.4 billion, filed for IPO and was later acquired by the McKesson Corporation. McKeon then moved to Medtronic Inc., the largest medical device company in the world. He led Strategy and Emerging Technologies across all of the Medtronic businesses. His main focus was to define the digital strategy for all Medtronic medical devices so that they could connect to cellular devices. McKeon was then recruited to serve as President and CEO of Microport Inc. in Shanghai. He grew the business from $17 million to $157 million in two years. Additionally, he diversified the business from one line to four lines and prepared the company for IPO. Today, Microport is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. McKeon then moved to London to serve as President and CEO of Cellnovo, the first mobile diabetes management system in the world. He raised $10 million for its Series A round and $57 million for the Series B. Cellnovo is public on the European Exchange.

Sidney Sanders

SVP, Construction, Facilities Design, and Real Estate
Houston Methodist

id Sanders is the Senior Vice President for Construction/Facilities Design and Real Estate Management at Houston Methodist. He is also President and CEO of TMH Medical Office Buildings, a subsidiary of Houston Methodist. He is responsible for a $4 Billion capital construction program and campus master planning at all campuses. He oversees a multi-hundred million dollar real estate portfolio and a two million SF medical office building portfolio. In the last eight years he has overseen the construction and opening of 750 new beds. He chairs the Facility Council overseeing facility operations, capital renewal and expansion of seven hospital campuses, seven emergency care centers, imaging centers and numerous clinic centers. Houston Methodist has been named by ENR Texas-Louisiana as the 2015 Owner of the Year. He is a member of the Texas Medical Center Strategy and Operations Council. Prior to joining Methodist, Mr. Sanders served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for The University of Texas System where he was responsible for a $5.0 billion capital construction program for UT System. This included building major capital projects for M D Anderson Cancer Center, UT Medical Branch in Galveston, Southwest Medical Center in Dallas and The University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Sanders received a professional degree in Architecture from University of Texas at Austin in 1978, graduating w/ Honors and an MBA in Finance from University of Texas at Austin in 1990, graduating Beta Gamma Sigma. Mr. Sanders is the co-author of the book “Program Management 2.0” recently published by Construction Management Association of America, concerning concepts and strategies for managing building programs. From 2005 to 2013 Mr. Sanders assisted with the planning, design and construction of the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas.

LaVone Arthur

Chief Innovation Officer
Baylor Scott & White

Dr. Elizabeth Ransom

EVP
Texas Health Resources

Elizabeth Ransom, M.D., FACS, was named executive vice president and North Zone clinical leader in June 2012. She and the zone operations leader are responsible for improving the health and well-being of the residents of Texas Health’s North Zone. They work in collaboration with clinical partners, communities, physicians and clinicians, to create healthier lives for North Texans. Their work enables Texas Health to enhance its continuum of care capabilities and evolve into a fully integrated health system, excelling in care coordination and population health management. Ransom is also Texas Health’s executive leading the academic affiliation with UT Southwestern Medical Center. Prior to her current role, Ransom served as the chief quality officer for Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth, where she was responsible for the quality improvement and safety program, in addition to oversight of Medical Staff Affairs, Pharmacy, Patient Safety and Risk Management, Laboratory Services, Case Management, and the Environment of Care. She also worked with Texas Health Research & Education Institute on a strategic feasibility assessment of the development of a coordinated graduate medical education initiative for Texas Health Resources. Ransom received her B.Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University in Montreal, and her M.D. from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. She completed her residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Henry Ford Hospital.

Nick Reddy

Chief Digital Officer & SVP
Baylor Scott & White

Nick Reddy is currently serving as the Chief Digital Officer and Senior Vice President of Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). After beginning his career at Scott & White Healthcare (S&W) as a management consultant, he was asked to join the Information Services (IS) Leadership team as the Senior Vice President of Investments. In October 2013, S&W completed a merger with Baylor Health Care System, allowing Nick to expand his role as SVP of the combined IS organization. Nick was recently asked to lead the digital innovation agenda for BSWH. Nick has a BBA from Texas A&M and he achieved his Executive MBA from Southern Methodist University in 2008 and received several certifications in Healthcare. Nick was awarded CIO Magazine’s One to Watch in 2014. In his role as a healthcare executive, Nick strives to lead industry transformation through his vision of transformation, the science of critical analysis, the art of communication, and the discipline of execution.

Gaurav Khadse

Assistant VP
Facilities Planning and Development, Texas Children's Hospital

Gaurav Khadse (GK) is a Registered Architect with 18 years’ experience in design and construction of healthcare facilities. Gaurav holds the position of Assistant Vice President, Facilities Planning and Development at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH). In his position, he leads the facilities project management, program management and planning team responsible for expansion of strategic facilities expansion projects, capital projects and renovations at Texas Children’s. His team is currently handling projects in various stages of design and construction with project costs over a billion dollars including the expansion of Texas Children’s new campus in Austin. Gaurav has an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters in Architecture from Texas A&M University with a specialization in Health Systems and Design. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in India. He is licensed in Texas and also a LEED accredited professional.

Wes Stewart

VP
UT Health

Dr. Carrie Byington

Dean
Texas A&M College of Medicine

Carrie L. Byington, MD, serves as Dean of the Texas A&M College of Medicine, Senior Vice President of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center and Vice Chancellor for Health Services at The Texas A&M University System. She is the first Mexican American female to hold the position of dean and senior vice president for an academic medical center in the United States. Dr. Byington joined Texas A&M in 2017 after a 21-year career at the University of Utah, where she was the H.A. and Edna Benning Presidential Professor of Pediatrics, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development in the School of Medicine, and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. A federally funded investigator with continuous support as principal or co-investigator totaling about $80 million since 1998, Dr. Byington’s research spans the translational spectrum from basic laboratory science to health services research and has focused primarily on bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens in children. Her scholarship led to the co-invention of FilmArray, a novel diagnostic platform for the identification of infectious pathogens and antimicrobial resistance with BioFire Diagnostics of Salt Lake City, later acquired by bioMérieux. The FilmArray is used in hospitals in the United States, Europe, and Asia and has changed the landscape for infectious diseases diagnostics and research. Her research background in translational science also led to the development of the Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science, a member of the National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award national consortium since 2008. A respected physician with a strong dedication to increasing access to care, Dr. Byington has devoted her career to providing excellent care to underserved women and children, particularly those living in poverty. She co-founded the South Main Clinic at the University of Utah, which serves the most at-risk populations in Salt Lake County including recent immigrants, refugees, pregnant teens, and children living in foster care. The clinic, which has won national awards for care delivery, also focuses on strengthening families by helping to address the social determinant of health including screening for violence, ensuring food and housing security, assisting with transportation and offering dental and legal services in a general medical clinic. To address literacy needs, Dr. Byington opened a library in the clinic in 1998. The children's library bearing her name became a county-supported public library in 2008. A nationally-renowned physician scientist, Dr. Byington has had numerous career accomplishments including awards from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Notably, she is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves as Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. She also served as Chair of the Infectious Diseases Advisory Group to the U.S. Olympic Committee and was tasked with protecting Team USA athletes and staff during the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Byington holds board certification and national recognition in both General Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Texas A&M University in 1985 and Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine in 1989, both with honors. She trained in pediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital and in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. With a return to her alma matter, Dr. Byington is determined to transform health care delivery in Texas in an effort to eliminate health disparities. Specifically, she is focused on three priority areas: improving rural population health through innovative care delivery, providing care to active duty military and veterans through education, research and service, and collaborating with the College of Engineering to develop and implement new technologies and innovations to support health care in the 21st century.

Paul McCleary

SVP
Medistar Corporation

Paul McCleary (Senior Vice President – Business Development) – Mr. McCleary’s career spans 30 years in marketing and business development within the commercial development, design and construction industry, with a primary focus in healthcare since 2002. In 2015 he joined Medistar Corporation, a medical real estate development company based in Houston, Texas and active nationwide. As Senior Vice President – Business Development, he works with Medistar’s CEO, Monzer Hourani, on marketing, business development and special projects. A longtime member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Mr. McCleary earned a BA (1987) at the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA (1994) at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Dr. Will Daniel

Vice President & Chief Quality Officer
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Will Daniel, M.D., a leader in driving clinical improvement, quality measures, and measureable outcomes, as well as positive transformational changes, was named Vice President and Chief Quality Officer in November 2016. Most recently, Dr. Daniel was Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Missouri, a 10-hospital system that has won national recognition for quality. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, then earned his M.D. at UT Southwestern Medical School in 1990. After completing his residency at Washington University/Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, he returned to UT Southwestern for a cardiology fellowship. He also completed an advanced cardiovascular interventional fellowship at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. Dr. Daniel served as a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and as the Medical Director for Quality for the Mid America Heart Institute.

Dr. Paul Klotman

President, CEO and Executive Dean
Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Paul Klotman began serving as president and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine on Sept. 1, 2010. He received his B.S. degree in 1972 from the University of Michigan and his M.D. from Indiana University in 1976. He completed his medicine and nephrology training at Duke University Medical Center. He stayed at Duke as a faculty member, rising to the rank of associate professor of medicine before moving to the NIH in 1988, where he became chief of the molecular medicine section in the laboratory of developmental biology. In 1993, he became chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory in the NIDR/NIH. In 1994, he moved to Mount Sinai School of Medicine as the Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Professor of Medicine and the chief of the division of nephrology. In 2001, he was selected to be the chair of the Samuel Bronfman Department of Medicine of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The College's Board of Trustees named him as the school’s new president in July of 2010. Klotman's research has been a blend of both basic and clinical research in molecular virology and AIDS pathogenesis. He developed the first small animal model of HIV associated nephropathy using transgenic techniques. He is the author of more than 200 publications, and he has been a visiting professor and lecturer internationally in the field of HIV pathogenesis. He has been elected to both the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. He is on the editorial boards of journals both in the United States and in Europe, and he has served on and chaired numerous study sections including those from the NIH, the American Heart Association, the National Kidney Foundation, and the VA research service. In addition to his laboratory efforts, Klotman has been an active clinician, teacher and mentor. Students from his laboratory have won prestigious scientific competitions. He has trained more than 50 clinical fellows, postdoctoral fellows, and students in his laboratory since 1984, most of whom are independently funded. And, he was named Physician of the Year by Mount Sinai nurses. As the chair of medicine, he moved the department of medicine at Mount Sinai to a top tier academic program by expanding the faculty practice, increasing basic and clinical research revenues, developing new community projects and focusing on the educational mission. Klotman serves on the scientific advisory boards of biotech, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. He also serves on the board of several companies including those with interests in natural resources and conservation. At Baylor, he oversees the only private health science university in the Greater Southwest, with research funding of nearly $400 million. The medical school is ranked as one of the top 25 for research and one of the top ten for primary care by U.S. News & World Report. The School of Health Professions is among the best 15 in the nation and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is rated in the top five percent. In addition, the College is home to the first National School of Tropical Medicine in North America. The College is ranked first among all Texas colleges, universities and medical schools in federal funding for research and development, and is ranked second in federally funded research expenditures by the National Science Foundation.

Andrew Burkhardt

Dir., Facility Mgmt & Planning, Design & Construction
Catholic Health Initiatives

<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-burkhardt-581b7215/" target="_blank">Click Here</a></p>

Jill Pearsall

Former SVP, Facilities Planning; Dev. and Real Estate
Texas Children's Hospital

An architectural graduate of the University of Southern California, Jill spent the majority of her career in healthcare facility planning, the final 22 years at Texas Children’s Hospital guiding the development of over $2B of work and adding over 5M square feet. Jill is a licensed architect in Texas and California and holds a certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

Chris McKee

SVP, Strategy & Business Development
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Chris McKee is Senior Vice President for Strategy and Business Development at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. In this role, he leads the development of strategy, institutional business development, and innovation. Prior to this position, Chris played a leadership role in the management of MD Anderson’s administrative infrastructure. Chris chairs a number of institutional committees, leads numerous strategic projects, and represents MD Anderson on several community and UT System boards and committees. He joined MD Anderson as an administrative fellow in 2001 and has a Masters in Health Services Administration from the University of Kansas.

Carolyn Wolff Dorros

EVP
Wolff Companies

Carolyn Wolff Dorros is currently Executive Vice President of Wolff Companies, a real estate development company based in Houston, TX. She works on the oversight and management of the company’s financial asset portfolios as well as land development, strategic planning, marketing and communications. Ms. Dorros graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College in 1997 and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she earned honors in her second year. She has served as President of the Harvard Business School Club of Houston and as Chair of her class’s 10 and 15 year reunions. Prior to joining Wolff Companies, Ms. Dorros was the Administrative Director of Neurosciences at Stanford Medical Center, where she also served as Director of Business Development. She also worked at Medsite, Inc., as a Product Manager and as APM/CSC Healthcare as a Research Associate. Ms. Dorros serves on the Boards of Texas Children’s Hospital, St. John’s School, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, New Hope Housing and the West Houston Association. She is also the past Chair of Breakthrough Houston. Ms. Dorros and her husband, Chris, have a daughter and a son.

Michael Stroup

SVP Acquisitions
United Surgical Partners International

Davis Griffin

Principal
Trammell Crow Company

Davis Griffin serves as a Principal with Trammell Crow Company with a specific focus on healthcare development in central and south Texas. She is responsible for all aspects of the development process from identifying opportunities to contract negotiation, financing and leasing, and has significant experience with healthcare and higher education development projects, including medical office buildings and student housing. Beginning in 2006, Davis developed a healthcare focus and has partnered with such clients as the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, Princeton HealthCare System in Princeton, New Jersey, Main Line Health in suburban Philadelphia and Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in the development of all types of healthcare properties, both as a principal investor and on a fee basis, with the goal to help clients identify and execute real estate solutions to best deliver quality care to patients. Davis has also managed leasing of medical office space to physician tenants and developed a deep understanding of the importance, intricacies and complexities of physician relationships with healthcare systems. Prior to her healthcare focus, Davis joined TCC in 2002 as part of the Higher Education Services Group working with higher education institutions on the feasibility, financing and overall development of both academic and residential projects.

Dr. Dharmendra Verma

President
Health and Wellness Solutions PA

Karen Bryant

Group VP
CHRISTUS Health

Jason Signor

Founder and Managing Partner
Big Sky Medical Real Estate Funds

Jason is the Founder and Managing Partner of Big Sky Medical Real Estate Funds. He has spent his career exclusively in the healthcare real estate industry and is a well-established thought leader in the medical office and senior living sectors. Jason began his career as a civil engineer designing hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduate school, he ventured into medical office development and found his niche organizing physicians into real estate partnerships. Since then, he has developed or acquired over six million square feet of healthcare real estate in 19 states valued in excess of $1.6 billion. Jason prides himself on his hands-on approach and his deep understanding of the underlying drivers of value. Prior to starting Big Sky, Jason founded Caddis Partners, LLC in early 2008 and was its CEO, largest shareholder, and sole managing partner from its inception until May of 2020. During his tenure, Jason grew Caddis from a small boutique developer to one of the largest Healthcare Real Estate platforms in the United States with over 60 professionals spread amongst its four offices. Modern Healthcare consistently ranked Caddis one of the top ten Healthcare Real Estate developers in the United States by annual deal volume. In 2016, Jason was voted by a panel of his peers the national Healthcare Real Estate Executive of the Year by Healthcare Real Estate Insights and was awarded Most Admired CEO for North Texas from the Dallas Business Journal in 2019. Jason serves on several boards including the Folsom Institute at SMU, Texas A&M Mays Business School Real Estate Advisory Board, and The Real Estate Council (TREC). He is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and Ernst and Young named him as a finalist for the EY 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Jason currently serves alongside his wife, Jean, as co-chair of Highland Park Education Foundation’s annual fundraising campaign (Mad for Plaid). He is the past Chairman for the Texas Business Hall of Fame and is a past President of the Dad’s Club for University Park Elementary School. Through his work with Habitat for Humanity, Jason became passionate about housing and education for those in need. He dedicates his time and financial support to affordable housing and scholarships to deserving students. Jason graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University, where he served as president of his class, graduated with honors, and was the recipient of the Cox School of Business Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Raised in the Texas Hill Country, he enjoys ranching, fly fishing and spending time with his wife, two children, and three dogs.

Robert Miller

President
Earthwise Environmental

An industrial water treatment expert, Robert Miller is the founder, owner, and President of Earthwise Environmental. Robert Miller is a Certified Water Technologist (CWT) who has over 30 years of onsite experience with HVAC and water systems for mission critical facilities. As a CWT, Robert Miller is a recognized authority on Legionella testing, management, and control methods. Forward-thinking in the water treatment industry, Robert Miller started Earthwise in 1995 to go beyond the business model of hazardous chemical manufacturing and sales. Earthwise is a full water solutions partner for data centers, hospitals, universities, manufacturers, and food & beverage companies with onsite maintenance needs. Robert Miller created the Earthwise Standard of Care to guarantee quality technical service and encourage continuous improvement for customer facilities nationwide. Robert Miller is a member of the Association of Water Technologies (AWT), the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Engineering (ASHRAE), and Cooling Technology Institute (CTI).

Kevin Riddleberger

Chief Strategy Officer
DispatchHealth

With nearly 20 years of clinical and management experience in the healthcare industry, Kevin Riddleberger has a tremendous passion for redefining healthcare delivery through technology, process, and quality improvement. Prior to his current role as co-founder and chief strategy officer at DispatchHealth, he was the head of clinical solutions and strategy at iTriage, an industry-leading consumer mobile health app company. Kevin has been a board-certified physician assistant for 15 years and has served time as a clinical preceptor for area physician assistant students, a member of hospital quality improvement committees, and president of the Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants. In addition to his work at DispatchHealth, Kevin is an active advisor in Colorado’s local healthcare start-up community, providing both business and clinical expertise. He also serves on the board of trustees at 9Health Fair and Project Angel Heart. Kevin received an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration from the University of Colorado at Denver, a master of science degree from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, IL and his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

Gordon Soderlund

EVP, Strategic Relationships
Flagship Healthcare Trust

Mr. Soderlund is Executive Vice President of Strategic Relationships for Flagship Healthcare Properties and focuses his efforts on leading and overseeing the development and growth of strategic, profitable new business as well as developing and enhancing key client relationships. Gordon brings over 17 years of medical real estate industry experience and has extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry's trends and challenges. Previously, he served in a variety of capacities that include finance, investment, asset management, business development and client relations. Gordon has been a speaker and moderator at various industry conferences including the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Institute of Architects, Becker’s Hospital CEO Roundtable, Interface Healthcare Real Estate, RealShare Healthcare Real Estate and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He also served four years as co-chair of the prestigious BOMA International Medical Office Buildings and Healthcare Facilities conference during which it exhibited exponential growth. AFFILIATIONS, ACCREDITATIONS, AND INTERESTS  Steering Committee Member, BOMA International Medical Office Building and Healthcare Facilities Conference  American College of Healthcare Executives Member  Healthcare Financial Management Association Member  Six Sigma Greenbelt Certified  Recipient of the BOMA International 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award for leadership EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Eastern Illinois University Certified Public Accountant FUN FACT I’m an honorary Canadian, having lived and worked in Toronto for two years.

Preston Hodges

Vice President
McCarthy Building Companies

Preston joined McCarthy Building Companies in 2013 and is currently Vice President for the Houston Division of McCarthy Building Companies. Leveraging his expertise, Preston focuses on maintaining and growing McCarthy’s healthcare, research and higher education presence in the Houston area as well as other key markets. Preston is a member of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Houston, AGC Construction Futures Committee, American Society of Healthcare Engineers, American Hospital Association, has served on the AGC Construction Leadership Council Board, and is currently serving as a board member on the Champions for Children Texas Children’s Cancer Center Board. Furthermore, his passion for the community has led to his involvement with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Texas Children’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science from Texas A&M University. In addition, Preston is a designated Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) and holds a Healthcare Construction Certificate.

Brendon Buckley

Healthcare Technology Director
Johnson Controls

Brendon F Buckley is a Healthcare systems subject matter expert focused on leveraging technology to improve the delivery of care and operational efficiency. His involvement spans throughout the project starting from the very early stages such as the planning, design & bidding through to commissioning and testing of the Healthcare systems. Brendon is also a key contributor to the JCI’s patented “Navigator” process and has successfully utilized it on numerous successful projects. His experience in technology integration and related IT systems is extensive. Brendon is proficient in HL7, DICOM, SQL Databases, .NET, Webservices and has worked with numerous EMR, PACS systems including GE, Siemens, Cerner, Epic and Meditech. He also has experience working with integration platforms including Intelligent Insites, Connexall, Cloverleaf, Openlink, and Mirth. Brendon also specializes in Internal IT Infrastructure, Wireless Network Technology and Open Network Environments. His current responsibilities include developing offerings that help Johnson Controls’ Healthcare clients reduce costs; improve both patient care and satisfaction.

Justin Brasell

EMD
Transwestern

Justin serves as Executive Managing Director of Transwestern’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Advisory Services Group and leads the Houston Healthcare & Life Sciences Brokerage Team. With 12 dedicated professionals, the Team leases over 6 million square feet of clinical & lab space, more than any other local firm, and has transacted over 2,000 lease and building sales in the last 5 years. The team specializes in agency leasing, tenant representation, investment services and strategic account management. Justin has been with Transwestern since 2007 and specializes in providing real estate solutions within this niche space to investors, developers, end users and VC firms. His expertise in leasing, investment services, development, construction and asset management, allows him to apply a holistic lens to any real estate opportunity, resulting in optimal outcomes for Transwestern clients.

Alex Morales

Structural Steel Specialist
American Institute of Steel Construction

Alex is a design professional whose work and collaboration across the AEC industry span several years. Exploration, curiosity, and due diligence have been essential in his commitment to perpetually improve as a designer. Prior to his roles in construction project management, his career began in practicing traditional architecture, where he worked in industrial, commercial, mixed-use, civic, and institutional real estate projects. He believes that architecture lifts the human spirit and is a champion of goals that lead to knowledge diversification, consensus-building, and effective strategies that result in profitable, healthy projects. Bridging the worlds of architecture and construction led him to develop passion and build knowledge in steel design and construction. He is happy to share this passion to derive viable design options in steel with his community of project stakeholders to best position for the delivery of healthy projects. His accomplishments in his profession have garnered several industry awards, including recent recognition by Engineering News-Record 2022 Top 20 Under 40 Texas & Louisiana, The American Institute of Architects Houston Presidential Citation, and the Building Design & Construction 2021 40 Under 40 Award. As a firm believer of the “it takes a village” adage, Alex has championed the development of career mentorship programs in his industry, including within the teams and firms with whom he has been a part. He is an alumnus of Texas A&M's College of Architecture and currently serves as Associate Director on AIA Houston's Board of Directors as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Building Enclosure Council Houston.

Chris Wadley

Executive Managing Director
JLL

Chris Wadley is Executive Managing Director at JLL Houston and leads the office’s Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Higher Education groups for the Gulf Coast. Chris oversees the growth of the practices, including real estate transaction management, analytics, and construction management for hospitals, healthcare providers, life sciences companies, and academic institutions. Leveraging his knowledge of the intricacies of these specialized real estate types, Chris provides his clients with skillful expertise in guiding them through all facets of any real estate transaction.

Dichelle Burrus

Project Executive - Business Unit Leadership Team.
DPR Construction

Dichelle Burrus, Senior Project Manager Dichelle has 12-years of healthcare and life science building experience and serves as Senior Project Manager for DPR Construction’s projects in Houston. She has vast experience in overseeing completion of over 2 million square feet of healthcare and life science projects, valued at over $428 million. She has a proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with a reputation of detailed, goal-focused decision making. Dichelle is skilled in pre-construction services, team building, and operational management with a track record of high-quality projects delivered on time resulting in exemplary customer satisfaction. Additionally, Dichelle has served as an Owner’s Representative and is accomplished in construction phase services. Her previous experience as a Sr. Project Manager for MD Anderson Cancer Center gives her a unique perspective when bidding and managing projects as she can better understand and identify Owner’s issues and pain points on projects and provide solutions that work best for the project team and the facility. Dichelle is active in several community organizations including National Association of Women in Construction and The Construction Owners Association of America. Dichelle holds a Bachelor of Science in both Architectural and Civil Engineering from The University of Missouri-Rolla.

Ashley Strickland

VP, Healthcare Real Estate Services
New Quest Properties

Ashley serves as Vice President of NewQuest’s Healthcare Real Estate division specializing in medical sector development and tenant representation. NewQuest is a full service commercial real estate company that brokers, develops, and manages a wide variety of uses, of which 1.6 million square feet has been exclusively dedicated to medical use. Leading this division, Ashley’s focus is not only to expand NewQuest’s medical portfolio but also to represent and assist healthcare providers, developers, and investors to identify and implement the best real estate solution for their needs. Throughout her career, Ashley has negotiated over 7 million square feet in real estate transactions in Texas and Louisiana. Working on behalf of both the landlord and tenant, she has executed deals in a variety of projects including retail, mixed-use centers, office pavilions, and master planned campuses. As healthcare has moved into the neighborhood, similar projects have become the preferred choice for providing care, and Ashley has represented a number of healthcare tenants on their site selections as they strive to be closer to their patients. A few of these tenants include: Memorial Hermann, Hospital Corporation of America, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Village Family Practice, and Texas Children’s Urgent Care.  Given her well-rounded leasing and development background, Ashley brings a unique perspective towards her clients’ successes, focusing on the importance and need for additional services, co- tenants, and surrounding amenities. From individual lease transactions to ground up development, collectively Ashley’s teams’ skillsets include: regional market knowledge, site selection, feasibility analysis, engineering and infrastructure design, strategic planning, and lease advisory services. Ashley received a Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance from Southern Methodist University. She currently serves on the board of several development councils and is an active committee member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Randy Edwards

Principal in Charge
Stantec

Randy has more than 37 years of experience providing high-level project delivery and project leadership with Higher Education and Healthcare clients. His national and international experience affords him a global perspective on the marketplace and provides strategic project planning services offering clients a forward-looking, inclusive approach to project development and design. His background includes significant experience with top tanked global firms. He provides strategic direction to lead and motivate teams to perform according to the client’s objectives. His career has been focused on the human environment which involves creative expression by re-imagining and re-shaping the human environment to enhance its aesthetic and functional dimensions, health, cultural significance, and social relevance.