2014 Forum Abstracts
Keynotes
Shared Values Shared Results
Dee Edington, PhD
Founder and Chairman of Edington Associates, LLC
Health management strategies in organizations have taken many routes over the past 40 years. Most
strategies were related to behavior change in individual stakeholders and positive Return on
Investment (ROI) for employers. The resulting savings (cost-avoidance) in healthcare, disability, and
time-away-from work served to decrease below-the-line costs. While most of us believe in the
intuitive nature of cost-avoidance, the results have been less than convincing. Value on Investment
(VOI) tends to focus on top-line revenue, including intangible returns and value over time. This
presentation will focus on how Shared Values Shared Results help drive top-line revenue over time
(VOI, including ROI) by encouraging meaningful work and lives of stakeholders and driving positive
organizations. Examples of positive deviance and outliers will be used and proposed as the norm of
the future. The new economy requires emergence of new ways of identifying and integrating the
intangible values in society.
Learning objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Articulate the intention and power of Shared Values Shared Results.
2. List three or more ways how wellness/well-being impacts top line VOI revenue for
Organizations.
3. List three or more ways how wellness/well-being impacts VOI revenue and quality of life for
Stakeholders.
About Our Speaker
Dee Edington, PhD, is the Founder and Chairman of Edington Associates, LLC. He is the Founder
and Professor of the University of Michigan Health Management Research Center and was the
Director of the Center until June 2011. Dee trained in mathematics, kinesiology, and biochemistry,
and his research focuses on the precursors of disease and vitality. His interest is in the relationships
between healthy lifestyles, vitality, and quality of life as they benefit both individuals and
organizations. He is specifically interested in how individual health management, worksite wellness
activities, and programs within organizations impact health care cost containment, productivity, and
human resource development. Dee is the author or co-author of over 800 articles, presentations, and
several books, including Zero Trends: Health as a Serious Economic Strategy. Dee brings nearly 40
years of expertise to Edington Associates and provides a creative learning environment to help
organizations move towards achieving a Champion Company Status. Dee received his B.S. and Ph.D.
degrees from Michigan State University and completed his M.S. at Florida State University. He did
post-doctoral work at the University of Toronto and taught at the University of Massachusetts before
coming to Michigan in 1976.
Using “Social” to Effectively Drive Engagement: Moving from Closed to Open
Nate Cobb, MD, Chief Medical Officer, MeYou Health
Traditional workplace engagement strategies for health and well-being interventions stress
interactions with employees' immediate peers, a model that sharply limits the scope of social support
and restricts positive collaborations with friends and family. This pattern has persisted even with
interventions and programs that are delivered digitally or online. Recent work on social network
science with regard to diffusion of interventions and social influence indicates that programs that are
“Open Social,” which allows a participant to interact with any of their real-world friends or family, can
improve engagement, drive efficacy and improve Return on Investment. This session will review the
application of open social approaches to program design using specific examples drawn both from
commercial products and academic research.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Recognize the limitations in standard, closed, social products.
2. Identify the elements of open programs that allow for greater social diffusion and enhanced
social influence
3. Recognize key social network metrics associated with successful social programs.
About Our Speaker
Nate Cobb, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer for MeYou Health. Nate cut his teeth as a programmer
writing health risk appraisal software for embedded systems to pay his way through college, moved
on to developing one of the first Health 2.0 systems during the dot.com boom (QuitNet), and
managed to pick up an MD on the side along with an internship, residency, fellowship, and few subspecialties to boot. Before joining MeYou Health, Nate was with Legacy's Schroeder Institute, where
he led a research team focused on novel interventions for smoking cessation. In addition to his work
at MeYou Health, Nate is a practicing critical care physician and holds an academic position at
Georgetown University Medical School.
Panels
The American Health Strategies Project: 4 Pillars in Developing an Effective Value Based
Health Strategy
Marcia Wright, PharmD, Senior Director, US Medical Affairs, Pfizer, Inc., Moderator
This session elaborates on two employers’ experiences in an innovative, data-driven, evidence-based,
collaborative approach to value-based benefits design and population health management called the
American Health Strategies Project. Pittsburgh employer, Giant Eagle implemented an aggressive
face-to-face smoking cessation program with over 411 participating employees and achieved a 67%
quit rate. The program used a dedicated pharmacist conducting intake sessions to establish
participants’ “readiness-to-quit scores,” resulting in a higher-than-average quit rate. To increase use
of preventive care, Dallas employer Energy Future Holdings took health care to its employees and
their families in remote rural locations via a mobile clinic. Over 40% of employees in the targeted
locations are using the mobile clinic, resulting in serious conditions and risk factors, such as
hypertension or high cholesterol, being identified and treated. This session will provide a review of
the lessons learned and best practices.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Effectively promote wellness and prevention, unlock the full value of your health benefits, and
manage health care costs through a comprehensive Value-Based Health Strategy model.
2. Understand how the model was deployed across five employer coalitions touching over 40
employers and hear how two employers implemented innovative interventions to achieve their
population health goals.
3. Recognize how Giant Eagle and Energy Future Holdings created successful programs,
increasing employee participation which resulted in improved employee health statistics.
About Our Panelists
Moderator: Marcia Wright, PharmD, is a Senior Director, Medical Affairs with Pfizer, Inc. She is
responsible for providing field-based medical support to employers on a national basis. Marcia joined
Pfizer in October 1999 and through 2005 served various positions responsible for coaching, training,
recruiting, mentoring, and evaluating advanced practice pharmacists in clinical education roles.
Additionally, she was responsible for project management, meeting planning, conducting business
analytics, strategic planning and coordinating activities within the region and nationally on a limited
basis. In March of 2008, Marcia became a National Employer Medical Outcomes Specialist with a
focus on the employer customer market. She provided support on a national basis to large
employers, coalitions and labor. She also served as the Pharmacy Director of the Kansas City
Collaborative and a national medical leader in the American Health Strategies Project.
Diane McClune, BSN, MBA, is the Director of Operations with Pittsburgh Business Group on Health
(PBGH). Diane began her career as Assistant Head Nurse at Beaver Valley Geriatric Center. She
pursued a career in Coronary Care and became Assistant Director of Nursing at Heritage Valley
Health System (HVHS). Her career evolved as the need to develop and manage the first
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program for HVHS. She continued to expand her experience by taking
on the position as Manager of Marketing for Heritage Valley BusinessCare, Occupational Medicine. For
over 7 years she was the Regional Director Marketing for the American Heart Association and
responsible for Western Pennsylvania. Over the past several years she has been with the Pittsburgh
Business Group on Health (PBGH) helping to increase membership by 12% consistently and bringing
innovative ideas and programs to employers including the American Health Strategies Project and the
PBGH Internship Program. Diane received her BSN from Pennsylvania State University and received
her MBA in Business Administration from Robert Morris University.
Marianne Fazen, PhD is the Executive Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health
(DFWBGH), a 135-member coalition of DFW area employers and healthcare organizations committed
to market-based healthcare reform. Marianne also serves as President and CEO of the Texas Business
Group on Health, a statewide coalition representing Texas employers in health benefits and
healthcare policy issues. Both employer-led coalitions advocate a value-driven approach to employee
health benefits and rapid transformation of local healthcare systems into high-quality, efficient,
accountable systems of care. Marianne currently serves on the Board of Governors of the National
Business Coalition on Health; as Immediate Past Chair of URAC, a national healthcare accreditation
organization; and on the Steering Committee and Board of the North Texas Accountable Healthcare
Partnership.
Christy McCandless, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist and Team Member Health and Wellness at
Giant Eagle, Inc. She specializes in corporate wellness and enterprise-wide clinical programming.
Christy accepted her present position at Giant Eagle, initially to develop and administer a
companywide comprehensive tobacco cessation program, obtaining advanced training from the Mayo
Clinic as a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) in preparation for the role. Christy continues
to manage the Giant Eagle tobacco cessation program while administering additional wellness
programs for Giant Eagle Team Members, including a Diabetes Mellitus program. Christy is also the
Giant Eagle project lead for special projects between Giant Eagle and Pfizer, Inc., (Ask, Advise, Refer)
and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy (Group Lifestyle Balance). She received her
Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010, and completed a combined
residency program with Duquesne University, Giant Eagle, and Pfizer in 2011.
Cyndie Ewert is the VP Total Rewards & HR Shared Services with Energy Future Holdings (EFH).
Cyndie is a seasoned HR and Benefits professional who has been involved in the management and
administration of Benefits and HR Shared Services since 1997. Cyndie joined Energy Future Holdings
in October of 2009. She is currently responsible for the strategic planning and administration of
compensation, benefits, payroll, and HR shared services for EFH and its subsidiary employees and
retirees (about 30,000 lives including dependents). Prior to joining EFH, Cyndie worked for Centex
Homes as VP of Benefits and HR Services. Cyndie is on the Board of the Dallas-Fort Worth Business
Group on Health.
HERO Research Panel
Ron Goetzel, PhD is the VP of Consulting & Applied Research for Truven Health Analytics and
Research Professor, Emory University
Each year, HERO facilitates a session that exposes Forum audience members to the latest research
and scientific evidence related to the impact of employee health management (EHM) programs on
health, medical costs, and productivity outcomes. The panel will report on the most recent and
compelling findings in the field of workplace health promotion and update us all on what is new, and
what still needs to be studied. Here a report on an analysis conducted with corporate medical
directors examining the ten-year stock performance of companies that have won the American
College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Corporate health Achievement Award,
compared to S&P 500 companies. Review how pooling data from 121 small businesses in Colorado
can facilitate an estimate of the potential return-on-investment (ROI) for health risk management
programs adopted by small businesses.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Cite three major studies conducted in the past 1-2 years that have significantly influenced the
EHM field.
2. Identify three major gaps in worksite research that need to be addressed in the near future.
3. Report three study designs that have attracted the attention of business leaders, researchers,
and policy makers outside the health promotion community.
About Our Panelists
Moderator: Ron Goetzel, PhD is the VP of Consulting & Applied Research for Truven Health
Analytics and Research Professor, Emory University. At Truven and Cornell, Ron is responsible for
leading research projects and consulting services focusing on the relationship between health and
well-being, and work related productivity. He is nationally recognized and widely published in the
areas of return-on-investment (ROI), data analysis, program evaluation, outcomes research, and
health and productivity measurement. Ron has served as Principal Investigator for projects supported
by Medicare, NHLBI, and CDC, as well as dozens of business organizations, including HERO. Ron was
previously with Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems. Ron is also President and CEO of The
Health Project, which is responsible for the C. Everett Koop National Health Awards. Since 1994, The
Health Project has been the premier organization that identifies and recognizes exemplar health
promotion programs. The Health Project is dedicated to improving Americans’ health and reducing
the need and demand for medical services through good health practices. He has a PhD and MA in
Applied Social Psychology from New York University.
Claire Brockbank is a Founder and Principal Partner at Segue Consulting. Cliare is a 25-year
veteran of the health care industry, with breadth and depth of perspective that can only come from
working across the spectrum of industry segments. Her clients include public and private sector
entities, employers, physician and hospital organizations, manufacturing organizations and a number
of technology firms with an interest in the health care sector. Claire has worked to bring disparate
stakeholders to the table to resolve issues relating to differing perceptions of health care
accountabilities. Claire effectively facilitated a long term effort with two public agencies in Colorado
along with a number of advocates and stakeholders in resolving Medicare funding issues causing
Colorado to be out of compliance with a federal waiver. Claire is the facilitator and subject matter
expert for efforts in several states that are bringing public and private sectors together to support
tobacco cessation, as well as the Colorado Prevention council which is seeking to bring public and
private health plans together to move beyond chronic disease management to encompass a culture
of prevention in Colorado. Claire received her undergraduate degree from Stanford and a her Masters
from Harvard.
Ray Fabius, MD is a global physician executive; Ray has served as a medical leader in academics,
private practice, managed care, the health insurance industry, e-Health, informatics and the
corporation-purchaser space. He most recently served as the Chief Medical Officer of Thomson
Reuters and Truven Health Analytics providing thought leadership, business strategy, sales,
marketing and client support as well as corporate health and wellness guidance. Previously, Ray
served as President and Chief Medical Officer of I-trax/CHD Meridian (AMEX: DMX). In this position
he directed research, quality management, clinical services, health informatics and new business
development. I-trax, was the leading provider of integrated on-site medical services, serving over 100
blue chip clients with a network of over 300 domestic clinics, at the time of its sale to
Walgreens. Ray also has served as the GE Global Medical Leader. In that role, he oversaw a
network of over 230 on-site medical clinics mostly associated with manufacturing sites in 29 countries
and Puerto Rico. His responsibilities there included occupational health compliance and surveillance,
travel medicine, emergency response, quality management, prevention, staff development, employee
productivity and global initiatives. While there he implemented a global clinical scorecard to track and
improve performance. He also serves on the facility of the American College of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine and on the facility of the Thomas Jefferson School of Population Health. Ray
is board certified in pediatrics and medical management and is a fellow of the American Academy of
Pediatrics. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical College (now part of the Drexel University).
Making the Case for Health Management: Occupational Health Perspective
Seth Serxner, Moderator
Physicians have always played an important role in maintaining the health and safety of employee
populations. However, lately those physicians are becoming embedded as a core strategy for health
benefits, human capital, safety and business strategy. This panel will explore how these doctors
make the case to broaden the health management value proposition from ROI to VOI with C-suite
colleagues as well as how they straddle the fence between Benefits and Human Resources or other
departments. Discussion topics will include what values are included in the VOI equation, how are
they positioning the value in the C Suite and what specific metrics are being considered that go
beyond cost containment.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Identify 3 metrics that are part of VOI
2. Describe how the perspectives of the Medical Director contributes to overall health
management strategy
3. Describe how a medical perspective contributes to the benefits team
About Our Panelists
Moderator: Seth Serxner, PhD, MPH is the Chief Health Officer and Sr VP of Population Health at
Optum Seth’s deep knowledge of behavior change, population health and measurement allow him to
visualize and deliver on program innovation. He has more than 25 years of experience in health and
productivity management. Before joining Optum Seth worked at Mercer’s Total Health Management
specialty, where he served as partner and senior consultant for nine years. During his tenure there
he established himself as a national expert on behavior change, program design and measurement.
Additionally he was VP of research at StayWell, where he established the industry-leading market
research program for developing and marketing consumer health materials and programs. He has
held academic positions with the University of Hawaii Medical School, the Cancer Research Center of
Hawaii and the University of California, Irvine. Seth earned a MPH from the University of California,
Los Angeles, his PhD from the University of California, Irvine.
Nina McIlree, MD, is the Sr. VP of Medical Management, for Zurich North America
Michael Rendel, MD, Medical Director, and Managing Director, Benefits, Human Capital
Management Division, Goldman, Sachs & Co. Michael is responsible for all health-related services for
the firm, including all onsite medical services, disability management, patient advocacy and the
Employee Assistance Program. He also serves as Medical Consultant for the firm in areas of crisis
management, pandemic planning, benefit plan design and occupational health. Michael has more
than 20 years of experience as a physician in both private practice and corporate medicine. He
served as Medical Director at Merrill Lynch from 2007 to 2009, leading all aspects of employee
medical and wellness care. Prior to his tenure as Medical Director, he was a consultant for the firm
for 17 years, helping to develop its medical clinic and travel medicine program, as well as formulating
policy in response to events such as SARS, the anthrax threat and avian influenza. Michael received a
bachelor’s degree from Brown University and an MD from the University of Maryland.
General Sessions
Today’s Workforce Needs Greater Emotional Resilience
Karen Lloyd, PhD
Sr. Director, Behavioral Health Strategy and Operations, HealthPartners
Emotional resilience is fundamental to health and is at the core of the Social Dimensions of Health,
yet it has not been sufficiently in-focus and in-scope for many of us. We know from research and
from our own personal lives that it is difficult to stay engaged and productive if emotional resilience is
low. When increasing demands at work are added to escalating personal and family demands, many
employees will resort to maladaptive coping techniques. These behaviors are the opposite of the very
things we espouse as a healthy lifestyle. Emotionally distressed people over eat, eat unhealthy foods,
avoid exercise, abuse alcohol, and withdraw from positive social activities. These behaviors may
provoke a spiral downward into clinical conditions such as depression, anxiety disorder, or substance
abuse. All the encouragement and programs we can offer to support a healthier lifestyle will have
little impact on employees who are stressed and distressed. The answer is to build employee
emotional resilience. HealthPartners’s “BeWell” approach highlights these issues, and this
presentation will provide an overview of evidence-informed methods and tools to address wellbeing
in the workplace.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of how changing workplace practices are demanding a more
emotionally resilient employee
2. Articulate the role that “Healthy Thinking” plays in improving emotional resilience and overall
health and wellbeing
3. Appreciate the interest level of employees and teams in learning easy and practical
approaches to building emotional resilience
About Our Speaker
Karen Lloyd, PhD, is the Sr. Director, Behavioral Health Strategy and Operations, at HealthPartners.
She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and is licensed to practice in several states. Earlier in her
career she held a variety of leadership roles in behavioral health care delivery. Currently she provides
HealthPartners with strategic and operational leadership for behavioral health disease and case
management and a variety of quality-improvement initiatives, including some for and with primary
care providers. Over the past three years, Karen has been pleased to have developed approaches to
increase emotional resilience among HealthPartners’s employees and wellbeing program participants.
C-Suite Perception Matters: Why Health Hasn’t Caught on in Corporate America
Jack Groppel, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Vice President, Applied Science and Performance Training,
Human Performance Institute
Jessica Grossmeier, Ph.D., MPH, Vice President, Research, StayWell Health Management
Nikki Hudsmith, MBA, Vice President, Consulting Services, Performance pH
Decades of research clearly connects employee health and productivity, yet a majority of C-suite
leaders do not consider health to be a key driver of worker performance and organizational business
results. Even business leaders who intuitively understand on a personal level that health influences
the ability to bring the best game to work feel clearer evidence is needed to understand how
population health management contributes to top-line and bottom-line business results. Is this a
packaging and communication problem, or do we need to consider alternative ways to measure the
connection? HERO formed the Health, Productivity, and Performance (HPP) Study Committee to
better understand C-suite leader views on the HPP connection. This panel session will share findings
from the HERO HPP Study Committee’s ongoing work including what business leaders believe about
the role of health in worker performance; what is known about the connection between health,
productivity, and performance; and how performance is measured in companies today. The session
will end with a facilitated discussion about the emerging findings of the HPP Study Committee and
implications for the industry.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. List 3 reasons why it is important for health promotion professionals to be able to articulate
the nature of the connection between health, productivity, and performance.
2. Summarize the HERO C-suite survey findings regarding the disconnect that exists at the CSuite level of organizations to the application of healthy behaviors to improving performance in
the workplace.
3. Describe how C-suite leaders differentiate between productivity and performance, and name at
least one specific example of how organizations measure these items in order to drive
organizational performance.
About Our Speakers
Jack Groppel, Ph.D., is the co-founder and Vice President of Applied Science and Performance
Training for the Human Performance Institute. Jack is an internationally recognized authority and
pioneer in the science of human performance and an expert in fitness and nutrition. Jack authored
The Corporate Athlete, a book on achieving the pinnacle of corporate performance, and co-authored
The Corporate Athlete Advantage. He developed the Corporate Athlete® concept for his training
program while serving as an associate professor of kinesiology and bioengineering at the University
of Illinois, helping both business executives and athletes increase performance levels. In 1992 he
combined his program with Dr. Jim Loehr to form the Human Performance Institute. In concurrence
with his Human Performance Institute duties, Jack is the National Spokesperson for the CEO Pledge
of the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity. Jack serves as co-chair of the HERO HPP
Study Committee.
Jessica Grossmeier, PhD, MPH, is the Vice President of Research for StayWell Health
Management. Jessica steers StayWell’s research agenda and produces landmark research and
reporting for the population health management industry. Her expertise and counsel guides the
success of some of the nation’s most sophisticated population health management programs.
Jessica’s team of research professionals defines best-practices for the industry and helps to
implement those practices for StayWell clients. She has over 20 years of experience in population
health management, worksite health promotion, and program evaluation and has published
numerous peer-reviewed, scientific research studies benefiting the field of health management.
Jessica serves as vice-chair of the HERO Research Studies Subcommittee and leads the research arm
of the HPP Study Committee. She also led the development of the productivity and performance
section of the CCA-HERO Program Measurement and Evaluation Guide. Jessica holds a doctor of
philosophy degree in public health from Walden University, a master of public health degree from the
University of Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of WisconsinEau Claire.
Nikki Hudsmith is the Vice President of Consulting Services for Performance pH. Nikki has spent the
majority of her career in the healthcare sector, working with WebMD and Healthways before helping
form Performance pH in 2011. With Healthways, Nikki worked with organizations to develop
measurable strategies to improve well-being at the organizational and individual levels. She also led
the research efforts for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which were primarily focused on the
role of organizational and cultural support on health outcomes. Nikki graduated from Tulane
University with a double major in finance and marketing and then went on to earn an MBA with a
focus on Healthcare Administration. Nikki leads the employer/employee needs arm of the HPP Study
Committee.
"HOW TO DO IT" Workshops"
Covidien: Engaging Employees and Improving Health Outcomes Using Virtual Reward,
Gaming, and Social Media
Janet Nardo
Global Director of Wellness, Covidien
Kevin Quirk, MS, GCC
With 38,000 employees across 70 countries, Medical Device and Supplies manufacturer Covidien
faced numerous challenges when re-evaluating its healthcare strategy in 2010. Unsustainable medical
cost trends, lack of accountability, costly health-risk data, and low engagement in wellness/disease
management programs all pointed to the critical need for a new strategy as well as a commitment by
the company to build a culture of health. Paramount to this was an increased investment in health
and well-being resources and initiatives, with senior leadership support, which would help integrate it
into Covidien’s business strategy, improve employee recruitment and retention, and reduce
healthcare cost trends. Covidien found a program in the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) that was
globally accessible, inclusive to manufacturing employees, administratively turn-key, scientifically
validated, fun, and used cutting-edge technology to engage employees. The GCC offers a 12-month
behavior change program which leverages an interactive online/mobile platform, social support,
virtual reward, and friendly competition to build confidence in employees and empower them to take
accountability for their own health. In year one, 7,000 Covidien employees participated in the GCC
across 55 countries. At the conclusion of the event, 72% of employees achieved a daily step count
over 10,000, and 62% of employees reported losing weight. Significant reductions in stress, both at
home and at work, were reported along with significant increases in awareness and confidence. Best
of all, 70% of participating employees reported more awareness of Covidien’s commitment to their
health and well-being.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the importance of “Fun” in behavior change programs.
2. Understand the interplay between Virtual Reward and Financial Reward, and understand how
to build intrinsic motivation for sustainable behavior change.
3. Understand how to engage a global, diverse employee population with one consistent
program.
About Our Speakers
Janet Nardo is the Global Director of Wellness for Covidien. Janet partners with Executive
Management to analyze current health management programs and services while developing the 5Year Strategy toward improving health outcomes for 38,000 employees in 70 different countries.
From assessment and planning, to P&L and C-suite reporting, she has influenced and guided efforts
yielding positive impacts on health and productivity outcomes. In a career spanning more than 25
years, Janet has pioneered and championed the employer market’s efforts to help companies get
healthy. She spent 17 years with Johnson & Johnson’s awarding winning Live for Life Wellness
program in Operations Management. She led contract negotiations, budget management, staff
development, ROI reporting, culture of health assessments and business development. Under her
leadership, Johnson & Johnson received unprecedented customer satisfaction scores of 98% and
25% improvement in overall profitability. Janet has a BS in Health and Phys. Ed from Seton Hall
University and a MS in Human Movement from AT Still University.
Kevin Quirk, MS is the USA Director for GCC, Kevin has overseen the significant growth of its
Account Management operations across US locations in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and
Seattle. During this time, the US team has grown by 73% and participating employees from US
clients have grown by 90%. Over 10 years, the GCC has transformed the culture of thousands of the
world’s leading organizations and changed the lives of over a million employees across 158 countries,
taking employees on a journey that dramatically and permanently improves their relationship with
exercise and nutrition and instills in them a new sense of self-belief, personal responsibility and
resilience. Kevin holds an MS in Health Promotion Management from American University and a BS in
Sociology from Boston College
Moog, Inc.: Developing Wellness Program Metrics…What’s on Your Dashboard?
Calvin Schadt
Manager Health & Wellness, Moog, Inc.
Discussion and debate abound regarding the measurement of a wellness program’s success, as
“success” is often subjective. Each organization or program should clearly define its own
understanding of success and find a way to measure it in a meaningful and actionable manner. What
data is available? What metrics can you reasonably expect to impact? What are the goals and
objectives of the wellness program? Are these goals and objective easily measured? Using
collaborative and iterative processes, senior leaders, benefits managers, benefits consultants,
wellness vendors, health plan sponsors, and EAP providers can impact the development of metrics.
Through periodic review by stakeholders, a company can create a dynamic and flexible plan of action
through use of goal-oriented and multiyear objectives using easy-to-understand dashboards. A well
designed and periodically refined plan will guide a program’s future and serve as a measure of an
organization’s defined success.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Identify metrics that are specific, relevant and meaningful to an organization.
2. List characteristics of an informative, easy to read, and action oriented metric dashboard.
3. Analyze an organization’s metrics to drive health-promotion program changes and outcomes.
About Our Speaker
Calvin Schadt is the Manager of Health and Wellness at Moog, Inc. Cal, a Registered Nurse and a
certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist with more than 30 years’ experience in the health and
wellness field, is responsible for the design, measurement and service delivery of inHealth, Moog’s
branded health-promotion program. The inHealth program has contributed to a 2.6% reduction in
medical cost trend (8.3% benchmark, 5.7% actual) and a 4.7% reduction in pharmacy cost trend
(7% benchmark, 2.3% actual) in 2012. Moog, designer and manufacturer of motion control devices
and systems for aerospace, industrial, and medical applications, is headquartered in the Buffalo NY
area and has approximately 6,000 US employees in multiple locations.
University of Louisville: Leadership Support for Health Promotion & Employee Health and
Work Behaviors
Patricia Benson, Director of the University of Louisville’s award winning health management Program,
Get Healthy Now
Jennifer W. Hoert, PhD, President, Present Moment Health
The University of Louisville has an award-winning wellness program, Get Healthy Now, which has
shifted its focus from Return on Investment (ROI) to Value on Investment (VOI). Seven critical
components have led to Get Healthy Now’s success, and this workshop will focus on leadership
engagement. Is there a relationship between leadership engagement and employee participation in
wellness activities? A recent survey of employees’ perceptions of leadership support for health
promotion found that employees who rated leadership support for health promotion as high also
rated their participation in wellness activities as high. The survey also explored employee health
behavior change and work behaviors and attitudes. The survey outcomes provide evidence that
supports the important role of leadership support for health promotion in the VOI equation.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the leadership engagement strategies implemented at the University of Louisville.
2. Understand the role of employees’ perceptions of leadership support for health promotion in
employee participation in wellness activities, successful health behavior change, and employee
work attitudes and behaviors.
3. Formulate two ideas, based upon the information shared, that can be implemented in your
workplace to increase employees’ perceptions of leadership support for health promotion.
About Our Speakers
Patricia Benson is the Director of the University of Louisville’s award winning health management
Program, Get Healthy Now. The health management program is an integral part of a comprehensive
benefit package offered to University employees. This successful initiative was implemented under
Patricia’s leadership in 2005 as a healthcare-cost containment strategy and has received local, state,
and national recognition as a highly effective health management model. Prestigious recognitions
secured through Patricia’s efforts include, the National and Southern Region Award of Excellence in
HR Practices from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPAHR); American Heart Association Platinum Start! “fit-friendly” recognition; Business First Healthiest
Employer of Louisville Award and The “Mayors Healthy Hometown Worksite Wellness Veteran Award.
Jennifer W. Hoert, PhD, is the President of Present Moment Health, a consulting firm specializing
in coaching and training for the purpose of creating effective cultures of well-being. She serves as the
Wellness Co-Chair on the KY SHRM State Council since 2013. Jennifer has diverse experience in
human resource development, non-profit management, and health coaching. She received a Master
of Education degree in Human Resource Education from the University of Louisville and a BA in
Spanish and International Studies from the University of Evansville. She received her PhD in Human
Resources and Organizational Development with an emphasis on Leadership and Organizational
Development from the University of Louisville.
Prudential Financial: Creating Supportive Environments: Identifying and Addressing
Racial Disparities
K. Andrew Crighton, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Prudential Financial
Racial and ethnic disparities in health have been well established in the general U.S. population.
Despite their known existence, employers rarely consider the impact of these disparities among their
own workers and often fail to address these disparities in employee health-management programs.
Prudential Financial understands the importance of reducing health disparities to achieve better
population health. Since 2006, Prudential has been collecting health-disparity trend data by gender,
race/ethnicity, age, and job levels in several areas. The company works with its partners to decrease
disparities for its workers and dependents. The audience will learn how Prudential uses information to
inform its strategy and how it applies findings from a research study conducted by Prudential in
partnership with Truven Health Analytics. This study examined the extent to which disease
prevalence is more pronounced within certain racial and ethnic employee groups in large
corporations, contributing data to the Truven Health Analytic MarketScan Database. Participants will
learn how Prudential uses these and similar data to design programs and increase awareness of
health disparities in the quest for better population health.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
About Our Speakers
K. Andrew Crighton, MD is the Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Prudential Financial. His
responsibilities in this role include global health and safety. He also provides leadership for
Prudential’s medical clinics, fitness facilities, Employee Assistance Program, and Work Life and
Accommodation programs. Andrew is a past Chair of the Health Enhancement Research Organization
(HERO). As a former Chair of the NJ Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, he championed
regionalization efforts to combine with five other chapters to form the Northeast Region in 2010. He
currently serves on the national board of the Arthritis Foundation and is Chair for the Northeast
Region. A charter board member of the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition, Andrew is a member of
the American College of Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American College of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and American Academy of Insurance
Ron Goetzel, PhD is the VP of Consulting & Applied Research for Truven Health Analytics and
Research Professor, Emory University. At Truven and Cornell, Ron is responsible for leading research
projects and consulting services focusing on the relationship between health and well-being, and
work related productivity. He is nationally recognized and widely published in the areas of return-oninvestment (ROI), data analysis, program evaluation, outcomes research, and health and productivity
measurement. Ron has served as Principal Investigator for projects supported by Medicare, NHLBI,
and CDC, as well as dozens of business organizations, including HERO. Ron was previously with
Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems. Ron is also President and CEO of The Health Project, which
is responsible for the C. Everett Koop National Health Awards. Since 1994, The Health Project has
been the premier organization that identifies and recognizes exemplar health promotion
programs. The Health Project is dedicated to improving Americans’ health and reducing the need
and demand for medical services through good health practices. He has a PhD and MA in Applied
Social Psychology from New York University.
Chick-Fil-A: CARE Enables Change – 4 Actions to Improve the Health and Morale of Your
Company
Elizabeth David Dixon
Wellness Manager, Chick-Fil-A
Many companies feel the pressure of increasing health care costs and decreasing employee morale.
Unfortunately, adding a wellness program to solve these problems will only be effective if done
carefully. How can you be sure your investment in your employees is going to be effective? What is
the secret to truly creating positive change in a corporate culture? Learn to apply the 4 actions
necessary to start and to grow a successful corporate wellness program.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the 4 actions required to improve the health and morale of your company.
2. Identify which of the 4 areas of action need time and attention at your company.
3. Understand how Chick-Fil-A Wellness has applied these principles.
About Our Speaker
Elizabeth David Dixon is the Wellness Manager for Chick-Fil-A. Hired in 2004 to create a wellness
program for the Chick-Fil-A Corporate Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, she focuses on the
intersection of health and maximizing energy. The Wellness Center, having grown to a staff of 10,
has exceeded industry standards with over 50% active participation. Since 2004, Chick-Fil-A has been
recognized annually as the Most Fit Company in Atlanta. Previously, Elizabeth founded the Atlanta
Wellness Professionals, which is a network of wellness staff representing over 35 companies. She
then went on to create the Atlanta Challenge with nine major Atlanta companies engaged in a
wellness competition. Successful results allowed the impetus to launch the US City Challenge,
providing the opportunity for major corporations across the U.S. to compete within their own cities.
Elizabeth graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Exercise Science.
Northwestern Mutual: “Test and Apply” - Using Data to Make Incremental Changes and
Positive Improvements
Deb Yahnke
Employee Benefits Consultant, Northwestern Mutual
Missy Jaeger, MS, WebMD
It’s easy to get lost in the immeasurable volume of data available these days—we've all heard of
analysis paralysis. But not having established goals and utilizing data to define your next move for
your health and wellness programs can prove destructive. Northwestern Mutual has taken a “test and
apply” philosophy and used it to drive positive health improvements in their organization. The
company created a unique wellness scorecard to share results with senior leadership, define gaps
and understand opportunities. When it comes to Employee Health, they focus on data, using it to
help guide their program strategy. If something isn’t working as expected, they analyze the data to
identify what is driving the challenge and determine the updated path of their initiative. While they
focus on the data, Northwestern Mutual is no stranger to the usual wellness program challenges of
ensuring senior leadership support and creating a culture of health. This session will discuss the
Northwestern Mutual program as a whole, their challenges and successes as well as what they have
done to let data lead the way.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Describe the value of establishing health goals and objectives and measuring to those metrics.
2. List common challenges and barriers to achieving health management goals.
3. Share strategies for using data to drive program success as well as guide strategy.
About Our Speakers
Deb Yahnke is the Employee Benefits Consultant with Northwestern Mutual, working on the Total
Rewards team. Her responsibilities include strategy and planning for the company’s home office
healthcare and wellness programs. During her three years with the company, her responsibilities
included the design and implementation of the wellness and rewards program administered by
WebMD. Deb has over 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Northwestern Mutual she
spent 16 years as a health and welfare consultant for a major consulting firm. She has also spent a
portion of her career in the insurance industry working for a health insurer and HMO before she
moved to consulting. Her experience includes health and wellness plan design, program
management, vendor selection and program measurement. Deb has a BS in communications from
the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
Missy Jaeger, MS is a Senior Director, Employer Market Strategy at WebMD. Missy has over 20
years of experience in the health and human performance industry and brings her experience to
influence the WHS employer market strategy. She evaluates current and emerging trends that
influence the health management space, impact product choices, and offer opportunities to evolve
our solutions to support employer objectives. She applies her experience as a Principal in the Total
Health Management consulting practice for a large benefits consulting firm, and her hands-on
experience as a health and productivity consultant for two Fortune 20 companies, to bring the client
perspective to our strategy.
Geisinger Health System – Culture of Health and Wellness
Diane S. Harlow, MEd
Assistant Director of Geisinger Wellness, Geisinger Health System
This workshop will introduce the Culture of Health and Wellness approach used at Geisinger and will
identify current and future strategies with healthcare reform. This will show the new economics of
healthcare benefits design, rapid system growth, strategy, and collaboration with Occupational
Health/Employee Health and will give the initial results of key pilot programs and Return on
Investment (ROI). We will review the current and future 5-year strategic plan that includes the steps
of development, implementation and initial ROI of an award winning Wellness program. The program
includes traditional and non-traditional programming to meet the needs of the over 20,000
employees, along with spouses and domestic partners and includes a benefit-based population-health
strategy that is now entering year 3 with an overall participation rate of over 70% . The integration
with the Occupational Health program and employee health services has allowed for unique
partnerships and pilots that include a low back pain strategy, health care worker fatigue,
telemedicine/telehealth, health and wellness coaching referrals at new hire screening processes, and
a robust analytics dashboard. Additional integration within HR includes employee satisfaction,
recruitment, trending data, and benefits design to meet regulatory guidelines.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the integration of the Culture of Health and Wellness and the current strategic
plan.
2. Understand the developing department integration with Employee Health, Occupational Health
and Wellness.
3. Identify two current pilot programs discussed that could be applied to other organizations.
About Our Speaker
Diane S. Harlow, MEd, is the Assistant Director of Geisinger Wellness for Geisinger Health System.
With more than 20 years of health promotion experience, Diane initiated the wellness program for
Geisinger in 2006. Diane has assisted in the implementation and expansion of a culture of corporate
health and wellness that includes extensive internal collaborations, a benefits population health
strategy, and targeted programming to meet the needs of an expanding health system of more than
20,000 employees. She holds a BS in dietetics, an MS in education and additional advanced
certificates in project management and corporate wellness.
Giant Eagle: Assertive Smoking Cessation Program-Yields Results
Christy McCandless, PharmD,
Clinical Pharmacist, Team Member Health and Wellness, Giant Eagle, Inc.
Giant Eagle, a multi-state full service grocery and pharmacy with over 200 locations, participated in
the Pittsburgh Health Strategy Project (PghHSP), launched by the Pittsburgh Business Group on
Health in 2010. The multi-year initiative, based off of the Kansas City Collaborative—a proven success
built from a three-year project with employers from analysis through implementation—included
eleven employers who engaged in a data-driven collaborative process to identify workforce health
priorities, implement targeted interventions, and measure results. During this workshop, Giant Eagle
will discuss how they identified smoking as a high-risk area and implemented a unique smoking
cessation program to impact health outcomes and organizational savings. They will share how they
became “Best in Class” in all four Guiding Principles: Stronger Health Management Team, Actionable
Data, Healthier and More Productive Employees, and Higher Value for Health. The uniqueness and
success of the program hinges on the intake session that evaluates the employees’ readiness to quit
smoking and ultimate success of the employee, resulting in a 67% quit rate. Developing smoking
cessation policies, a smoke-free campus, an on-site comprehensive smoking cessation program, and
improved data resulted in a 77% increase in biometric screenings and 35% increase in health risk
assessment (HRA) yielding essential data to track positive outcomes.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. List key components of the American Health Strategies Project(AHSP); and how they were
“building blocks” for the employer’s strategy for a smoking cessation program in a retail
setting
2. Understand the barriers for forming a health management team, data identification and
collection, supporting a healthier workforce, and greater value for health care dollars and how
barriers were overcome
3. Summarize how the employer individualized the program for smoking cessation and to fit their
culture and evaluated the value-with a focus on how the AHSP has helped them strategize for
the future; and became “Best in Class” in 3 of the 4 Pillars
About Our Speaker
Christy McCandless, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist and Team Member Health and Wellness at
Giant Eagle, Inc. She specializes in corporate wellness and enterprise-wide clinical programming.
Christy accepted her present position at Giant Eagle, initially to develop and administer a
companywide comprehensive tobacco cessation program, obtaining advanced training from the Mayo
Clinic as a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) in preparation for the role. Christy continues
to manage the Giant Eagle tobacco cessation program while administering additional wellness
programs for Giant Eagle Team Members, including a Diabetes Mellitus program. Christy is also the
Giant Eagle project lead for special projects between Giant Eagle and Pfizer, Inc., (Ask, Advise, Refer)
and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy (Group Lifestyle Balance). She received her
Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010, and completed a combined
residency program with Duquesne University, Giant Eagle, and Pfizer in 2011.
Addressing the Hidden Healthcare Costs of Depression
Aimee Peters, Chief Clinical Officer
Julie Donahue, VP, Business Development
Understanding the interplay of behavioral health and medical health and exploring strategies that can
truly help individuals get healthy, stay healthy, and reduce overall health care costs is the key to
sustained cost reduction and improved productivity. Where behavioral health and medical health
converge lies the hidden cost of health care. Creating a comprehensive approach to find, engage,
treat, and optimize outcomes in the highest-cost, highest-risk medical populations will be the key to
reducing overall healthcare expenditures. This workshop will address AbilTo's comprehensive
approach to optimizing health outcomes for the highest-cost medical populations and will include the
use of advanced analytics to identify the highest risk, highest cost medical populations with the
greatest propensity to change; engaging patients through proactive outreach, personalized, support
and integrated care management, regardless of location; ensuring effective, quality treatment
through structured, quality-controlled programs; and achieving meaningful, measurable outcomes for
the patient, employer and payer by improving mental health, improving productivity, and reducing
overall medical costs.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the interplay between behavioral health and medical health, including the impact
of depression on health outcomes, productivity, and healthcare costs.
2. Understand how advanced analytics can be used to identify the highest risk, highest cost
medical populations with the greatest propensity to change.
3. Understand how achieving measurable improvement in mental health translates into
meaningful outcomes for the patient, employer, and payer with improved mental health,
medical health, productivity, and cost of care.
About Our Speakers
Aimee Peters is the Chief Clinical Officer for AbilTo. She is responsible for the hiring, training, and
supervision of new therapists and coaches, as well as collaborating on the ongoing development of
clinical and organizational protocols. Aimee earned her MS in clinical social work from Columbia
University and holds a post-graduate degree from the Ackerman Institute for the Family, a training
institute for family and couple therapy.
Julie Donahue is the VP of Business Development for AbilTo. Over the course of her career, Julie
worked extensively with insurance companies at the intersection of business and technology strategy
and business model transformation. Most recently, she spent 12 years at IBM, where she held a
number of senior roles in IBM’s financial, global strategy, security and health care service areas in the
U.S., Mexico, China and Canada. Julie was selected as an inaugural member of the IBM Industry
Academy, a body that recognizes the contributions and industry expertise of the top 50 industry
leaders in the company who have exceptional eminence. Julie received a BS in Economics from
University of Pennsylvania.
Fight or Flight: How Stress Impacts Your Workforce – and What You Can Do About It
Jeff Rubin, EdD
Vice President of Behavioral Operations for Accolade
We know stress impacts our health and productivity, but employers are often at wit’s end trying to
identify ways to address employees’ stress levels in today’s 24/7 society. This workshop will share
innovative approaches applied to stress by bringing mental health into the “big picture” and will use
role playing and interactive group sessions to engage participants in real-time exercises. The session
will focus on experiences and insights gained from working with employees of large employers, as
well as data the company has gathered based upon those interactions.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Strategically help employees manage stress and decrease its effects on their health and the
company’s productivity
2. Understand the physical and emotional impacts of stress and how these affect the ability to
make good decisions.
3. Think more holistically about how to connect employees to the mental health benefits offered
to lower stress, build resiliency, improve quality of life, and ultimately improve productivity and
lower costs.
About Our Speaker
Jeff Rubin, EdD, is the Vice President of Behavioral Operations for Accolade, an innovative
consumer services company dedicated to helping people get the right care while improving their
healthcare experience and lowering costs for large employers and payers. Jeff guides the company in
how best to engage and influence clients. His basic philosophy—that health stems from mental and
physical wellbeing supported by social factors—is core to Accolade’s holistic approach to healthcare.
Prior to joining Accolade, Jeff was vice president of Clinical Operations for CIGNA Behavioral Health
for 15 years and, earlier, chief psychologist at Manhattan Psychiatric Center. Jeff also has maintained
a private practice in psychotherapy since 1983. Jeff holds a doctorate in education, as well as a
master of arts and master of science, all from Columbia University. He completed post-doctoral
training in Organizational Development and Consultation through a joint program of William Alanson
White Institute and Wharton.
The “Reasonable Alternative” Standard: Has it nullified the power of outcomes-based
incentives?
Jim Pshock
CEO of Bravo Wellness
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Wellness regulations for outcomes-based incentives answered many
questions for the industry concerning financial limits, reasonable alternatives, and required
components of a wellness program. However, plans may implement certain components which are
open to interpretation and carry varying degrees of risk. If the alternative for an incentive is simply
the completion of a coaching program, some question why it was offered as an outcomes-based
design in the first place. Yet if the alternative was an improvement goal such as 5% weight loss,
some feel the compliance risk is too high to enforce the requirement. What do the regulations really
say? Where do attorneys seem to all agree, and where does there continue to be room for
interpretation? How are employers adjusting incentive designs and wellness programs? Is there any
evidence that it’s working and contributing to the overall value on investment?
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand key elements of the ACA regulations that changed the way many administer the
“reasonable alternative” requirement within outcomes-based programs.
2. Evaluate the pros and cons and financial implications of various types of outcomes-based goals
and alternatives that can be offered.
3. Articulate results from various case studies that suggest common denominators among the
program designs reporting the most significant health improvements.
About Our Speaker
Jim Pshock is the Founder and CEO of Bravo Wellness, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Jim’s career spans
over 25 years leading operations, information technology, compliance, and client services for
insurance companies and third-party administrators. Jim founded Bravo in 2008 to provide
consulting, administrative support and a vendor-agnostic platform to enable the simple administration
of wellness incentives and now serves hundreds of employers, insurance companies, and wellnesssolution providers.
Wellness, Social Media/Technology and Compliance
Truth Fisher, Employment Law Attorney, Advisors Law Group, LLP
Fred Goldstein, Founder and President, Accountable Health, LLC; Chair of the Board, Population
Health Alliance
Glen Nebel, Health & Welfare Employee Benefits Attorney, Advisors Law Group, LLP
Health Care Reform has raised the stakes. Employers are looking to control their medical benefits
spending with population management and wellness programs. The rapid pace of m-health (mobile
health) technology development has far outpaced the law. Attendees will hear firsthand about the
“Dark Side” of m-health that few discuss. Interact with industry experts about the burgeoning use of
social media in wellness and health management programs. Hear real life examples of the unique
legal and compliance challenges brought on by the meteoric rise of technology clashing with the
realities of the law as well as the objectives of the Affordable Care Act.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the unique employment law challenges concerning access and use of electronically
stored medical information.
2. Understand compliance issues for wellness programs that operate within group health plans.
3. Understand how social media is impacting wellness and health management programs in
today’s internet-based society.
About Our Speakers
Truth Fisher is an Employment Law Attorney with Advisors Law Group, LLP. Truth has established
herself as a source for current and future legal precedent in highly complex and contentious
employment law cases due to her consistent delivery of victories for national and global clients. Her
employment law practice includes defending corporations and management in claims ranging from
wage and hour violations to wrongful terminations, retaliation, and other alleged workplace
misconduct.
Truth also counsels employers on issues of pre and post-employment practices, leaves of absence
laws, social media, compensation and benefits, and development and implementation of employee
handbooks and policies. Ms. Fisher's was selected as a Secondee in London, England to one of
Lloyd’s syndicates. In this position, she evaluated high-risk fraud claims, conducted risk analysis
models, and advised on industry targets and trends in employment law. Truth received her BA in
Political Science from UCLA and a JD and MBA from the University of San Diego.
Fred Goldstein is the Founder and President of Accountable Health, LLC, and he serves as the Chair
of the Board and Interim Executive Director of the Population Health Alliance. He has over 25 years
of senior management experience in the healthcare industry encompassing Population Health,
Disease Management and Wellness, HMO, hospital and physician group operations, strategic
planning, mHealth, marketing, product development, network development, and government affairs.
Fred serves on the Editorial Board of the Population Health Management journal. He received a BA in
Zoology from U.C. Berkeley and an MS in Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San
Antonio Texas.
Glen Nebel is a Health & Welfare Employee Benefits Attorney with Advisors Law Group, LLP. Glen
has over 20 years of experience with a particular emphasis on health and welfare plan matters such
as Health Care Reform, ERISA, COBRA, compliance reviews, cafeteria plans, summary plan
descriptions, HIPAA, and qualified medical child support orders. He has served in the capacity as an
employee benefits consulting attorney and in-house counsel for small to large employers. Glen is also
a published author and a member of the New Jersey and Georgia Bars.
Eating Well to Work Well: Innovating How to Assess Nutrition Risks and Change
Behaviors
Rosie Gonzalez, MS, RD, LD
Manager of Nutrition and Health Sciences for HealthFitness
Proper nutrition is the lifeblood of a healthy workforce. By choosing a healthy diet, employees can
reduce risks for developing obesity and chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. In addition,
proper nutrition can help a workforce stay productive. Yet, as more employers seek shorter health
assessments, how can employers ensure they ask the right questions to effectively gage an
individual’s pattern of eating? Review findings from user-cognitive testing and a joint university-based
research project—representing a range of ages, gender, literacy, and ethnicities—that shares best
practices with how to ask nutrition questions in a health assessment to ensure accurate information is
collected. Discuss details around a behavioral approach that can be applied to a health assessment to
identify “right-sized” next steps for each participant based upon missing or existing behaviors and
motivation level to change behavior.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Identify current challenges in population health with measuring and changing nutrition
behaviors.
2. Understand best practices for effectively measuring eating patterns in a worksite environment.
3. Identify behavior change strategies to help participants improve their eating behaviors.
About Our Speaker
Rosie Gonzalez, MS, RD, LD, is the Manager of Nutrition and Health Sciences for HealthFitness.
She has more than 20 years of experience working in health management and brings expertise in the
integration of health assessments, health and wellness digital messaging, and behavior change
theories to shape behavior through an employee wellness platform. She has played a key role in the
development of innovative health and nutrition engagement tools, products, and online wellness
messaging that serve more than 200 HealthFitness clients. She has served on the Employee Health
Management Organizational Support Group, a joint workgroup for the HERO-CCA Program
Measurement and Evaluation Guide.
Key Insights from the 5th Annual Health Management in the Workplace Study to Help
Encourage Health Ownership and Advance an Employer’s Health and Wellness Programs.
Beena Thomas
Vice President, Health and Wellness Solutions, Optum
Find out how your health management programs compare to those of employers nationwide who
were surveyed by Optum for its fifth annual Health Management in the Workplace study. The study
reveals the strategies and programs used most frequently by large, medium and small employers and
how those employers evaluate the programs to measure both effectiveness and value. Learn which
incentives, environmental and programmatic tactics employers say are the most effective in achieving
their goals for population health and wellness. Participants will learn about innovative approaches to
sustain a culture of health and wellbeing, use of multi-modality approach to drive engagement, and
how employers are evaluating program success.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand tracking insights comparing 2010-2013 data related to penetration of health
management programs, program administration, strategic indicators, and success metrics.
2. Compare and contrast health management practices and programs at large, medium and small
companies.
3. Explain how key trends are impacting wellness strategy.
About the Speaker
Beena Thomas is the Vice President for Health and Wellness Solutions at Optum. Beena’s specialty
areas include developing innovative engagement strategies to support a culture of health and
enhancing Optum’s wellness portfolio to meet the evolving needs of employers and the market. She
is responsible for leading the go-to-market strategies for wellness and provides consulting expertise
to various clients to drive strategy in the marketplace. Prior to joining Optum, Beena held various
roles in the healthcare technology sector and the health insurance industry.
Manatee County: Engagement Through Carrots, Sticks & Progressive Programming
Natalie Johnson, MS
Manager of Health & Lifestyle Programs, Manatee YourChoice Health Plan
The Manatee YourChoice Health Plan is the self-funded medical plan for six County Government
Agencies in Bradenton, Florida. The plan has 3500 employees and covers approximately 6900 lives.
Their Wellness Programs were implemented in 2005 through dramatic changes in health plan design,
which created accountability, evidence-based preventative care, and progressive incentives. In 2006
the Center for Health & Lifestyle Management was created. It included a unique, integrated approach
offering onsite services such as the YourChoice Fitness Center, Chronic Care Management, Advocacy,
Coaching, Health Education, and a multitude of options in Individualized Fitness, Nutrition, Pharmacy,
and Behavioral Health. This integrated approach has created savings and clinical outcomes such as a
97% participation in the health risk assessment (HRA), labs, and Wellness Exams; a 4% negative
trend in medical and Rx claims; a 9.5% reduction in chronic care spending; a 22% Reduction
inpatient hospitalization; an 11% Reduction Emergency Room (plan paid) with a 32% Reduction in
overall depression claims; a reduction to 11% Tobacco Users (well below national average); a
reduction of diabetes hospitalizations from $500 to $70K and holding stable; and Pharmacy Advocate
patient and plan savings. We will cover Plan Design, Incentives (participatory and outcome-based),
the integrated approach to wellness, and wellness program design with outcomes.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand how plan design can engage employees in preventative care and evidence-based
recommendations.
2. Understand the details of several participatory and outcome-based wellness programs that
have contributed to a negative trend.
3. Recognize the importance of using an integrated approach to create savings and clinical
outcomes.
About the Speaker
Natalie Johnson, MS, is the Manager of Health & Lifestyle Programs for the Manatee YourChoice
Health Plan in Bradenton, Florida. She is a 28-year veteran in the field of Health and Wellness, and
she currently oversees the Wellness programming and implementation. Natalie is also a Performance
Coach for the world-renowned Human Performance Institute in Orlando, Florida, where she facilitates
the “Corporate Athlete” Program to Executives nation-wide. She is a Certified Wellness Coach, Sports
Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer, and Group Exercise Instructor. Natalie has been featured in a variety of
media outlets including FitTV, Body by Jake, Shape Magazine, and Prevention. As an experienced
Corporate Trainer, Natalie is dedicated to helping companies increase employee engagement,
productivity and overall performance in both their professional and personal lives.
Innovator Workshops
Value on Investment – The Kaiser Permanente Value Summary Report
David Schweppe
National Vice President, Customer Analytics and Reporting, for Kaiser Permanente
The Value Summary Report helps employer customers gain greater insight into the value that
integrated care delivers on their healthcare dollar by estimating the cost savings, cost avoidance, and
productivity gains attributable to integrated-care services and superior health outcomes. This session
will present the Value Summary report and discuss the organization’s creative journey to develop this
unique tool. This workshop will share insights from the organization’s continuous pursuit to evolve
the report, to bring more and better examples of how integrated-care services directly benefit
customers’ businesses. Learn how the Customer Analytics & Reporting team evaluates potential new
metrics for inclusion in the report and how they partner with subject matter experts from across the
nation to craft the highest-quality measures. Hear from Kaiser Permanente customers and HERO
employer members who will reflect on how their organizations have put to use the valuable
information within the Value Summary report.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
About Our Speaker
David Schweppe is the National Vice President, Customer Analytics and Reporting, for Kaiser
Permanente. He leads the building and maintaining of industry-leading customer reporting and
analytic capability across the Kaiser Permanente organization. In this capacity, David leads the
assessment of Kaiser Permanente’s position in Customer Reporting and Value Demonstration to
determine the current and future information needs of Kaiser Permanente customers. He also is
responsible for developing the strategy and building the infrastructure to ensure Kaiser Permanente is
the industry leader in analytics and reporting. David joined Kaiser Permanente in 1993. Previously, he
was Director of Analytics in Quality Operations with The Permanente Medical Group, and with Kaiser
Permanente IT as the Director, Clinical Data Solutions. In the last six years, David has led the release
of a number of new information products, such as Kaiser Permanente’s Partnership in Health Reports,
Information Consulting Services, and research & development services to enhance the organization’s
reporting capabilities. David has a master’s degree in public health from California State University at
San Jose and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in genetics from UC Davis.
Employee Experience and Why Your Current Approach to Workplace Wellness Is Doomed
to Failure
David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA
American Psychological Association
Creating a healthy, high-performing organization requires more than simply offering wellness
activities or desirable benefits. Done well, healthy workplace principles become ingrained in the very
norms, values, and beliefs that are part of an organization’s culture. In the face of skyrocketing
healthcare costs and other business challenges, employers are desperately searching for a silver
bullet that will solve their problems. While employers experiment with incentives, penalties,
gamification, and other tactics, employees are struggling to manage the challenges they face, as
their broader needs go unmet. This session will use results of the American Psychological
Association’s (APA) survey of the U.S. workforce to explore what employees really think about their
employers’ programs and policies, as well as the factors associated with employee engagement, wellbeing, and performance.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Describe employees’ biggest complaints about work.
2. List the five types of workplace practices that foster a healthy workplace.
3. Discuss the key factors associated with best-practice programs in both workplace health
promotion and organizational effectiveness.
About Our Speaker
David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, is the Assistant Executive Director for Organizational Excellence at
the American Psychological Association. David he oversees all activities related to APA’s Center for
Organizational Excellence, which works to enhance the functioning of individuals, groups,
organizations, and communities through the application of psychology to a broad range of workplace
issues. David has provided research, consultation, and training services to government agencies,
corporations, medical schools, and universities in the areas of workplace health and productivity,
public health, prevention, and healthcare finance and has experience in management, marketing, and
consumer research. He is currently on the Board of Directors of The Health Project / C. Everett Koop
National Health Awards and is a member of the external advisory board for the Mayo Clinic Center for
Social Media. David received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology and his MBA in Health and Medical
Services Administration from Widener University, where he completed concentrations in
organizational and forensic psychology.
Behavior Change interventions: What Works!
Michael Mulvihill
CEO of ORCAS
This presentation will discuss the proliferation of mobile health apps and interventions with a focus
on trends, challenges and the future. This session will break down the mobile movement into
straightforward ways of understanding what's out there and how it applies to employee health
management. Key considerations discussed will include the evidence we have about what works,
understanding a self-management approach with coaching, how employees will get engaged, and
how we can integrate apps/interventions into current efforts.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Identify key considerations for developing a proactive strategy to compete in the rapidly
evolving digital health movement.
2. Understand the current state of scientific evidence behind Health 2.0 mobile apps and
interventions.
3. Analyze critical components of employee engagement and sustained behavior change.
About Our Speaker
Michael Mulvihill is the CEO of ORCAS, an R&D company focused on the creation of mobile selfmanagement interventions to improve emotional and physical well-being. He has 25 years of
experience as a successful C-suite executive in the wellness and behavioral health industry. Michael
was the founder and past President and CEO at Leade Health, a pioneer of health coaching, founded
in 1990 and sold to Ceridian in 2006.
Driving Positive Clinical and Financial Outcomes through Accountability Measures in
Benefit Design
Janet Calhoun
Vice President of Client Strategy at Best Doctors
According to a national survey, more than 80% of mid- to large-sized employers offer incentives to
spur employees to action, but beyond that initial engagement, incentives often fall short of
generating desired quality of care and the financial outcomes expected. Employers often invest
significantly in targeted programs, communications, and incentives for wellness programs without
fully considering the other end of the health continuum that year after year continue to impact
business performance. By partnering with leading employers, Best Doctors has found that financial
accountability, when properly placed, can create significant positive clinical quality outcomes to
improve productivity and reduce healthcare cost. By having an in-depth clinical review with clinicaldecision support for specific high-cost conditions, such as musculoskeletal elective surgery, we are
able to demonstrate an increase in the rate of avoided surgeries and dollars saved. Through optimal
incentives or disincentives, Best Doctors creates a sustainable model that improves quality outcomes
and reduces healthcare spending.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the personal loss and financial cost of unnecessary surgeries and steps to take to
introduce a clinical-quality review and decision-support process appropriate for your
organization.
2. Understand how incentives/disincentives can drive engagement and near-term healthcare
quality and financial outcomes when applied to benefit design changes that focus on
avoidance of unnecessary surgeries, like musculoskeletal and bariatric.
3. Hear employer results that demonstrate the value of integration and communication of these
programs within wellness and clinical-support venues.
About Our Speaker
Janet Calhoun is the Vice President of Client Strategy at Best Doctors. In this role she oversees the
accounts and clinical integration teams globally, partnering with clients to introduce new and
innovative strategies to meet their evolving needs. She joined Best Doctors in 2012 as the Vice
President of Client Strategy, a position in which she has executive oversight for Best Doctors clients
in the US and internationally. She is responsible for identifying strategic partnership opportunities
that align with corporate goals. Janet has spent her career pursuing her passion of helping
companies impact the health and wellness of the constituents they service. Prior to coming to Best
Doctors, Janet held roles in hospital, large employer and health enhancement supplier
environments. As a member of the executive team at a Texas-based hospital system she helped
develop and implement programs that expanded healthcare and wellness services to small employers
and municipalities. Janet has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Auburn University, a MA from
Auburn University with emphasis in Human Performance Studies, and completed additional
postgraduate studies at the University of Alabama.
Culture & Engagement: Understanding the Relationship
Jennifer Flynn, MS
Strategy Consultant, Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions
Creating a culture of health (COH) is a common, but often challenging, goal for organizations striving
to improve the health of their populations. This session will define a COH and what it means for a
company to truly support the health and wellbeing of its employees. We will explore culture and how
it impacts overall engagement in our programs and across the organization. This session will provide
a comprehensive understanding of culture audit tools available in the marketplace today and the
value of these tools when designing a COH strategy. In addition, key research and case studies will
be reviewed so participants have a clear understanding of what is being done within the field and
what approaches are supported by evidence. Culture and engagement truly work in tandem and
should not be addressed in silos. This session will help attendees to understand both constructs and
how they can approach each within their organization. The format of this session will be interactive,
inviting participants to identify appropriate culture change strategies to drive engagement based
upon realistic scenarios.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the relationship between culture and engagement.
2. Identify key strategies that support a healthy culture within an organization.
3. Identify the various culture audit tools available to assess and measure elements of a healthy
culture.
4. Describe key research findings and case studies that support building a culture of health within
your company.
About Our Speaker
Jennifer Flynn, MS, is the Strategy Consultant for Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. In this
role, she consults with key clients on key health management issues including organizational support,
culture, engagement, incentive design, communication strategies, and data management initiatives.
In addition to working with clients, Jennifer serves on the data advisory board for the Population
Health Alliance representing Mayo Clinic as a core data contributor in research efforts. She is an
active member of the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Think Tank and has
facilitated the organizational support domain work on the CCA/HERO Measurement Guide initiative.
She has served as a core member of the HERO Scorecard V4 development team and sits on various
other workgroup initiatives focused on organizational support, culture and engagement. Jennifer
joined the Mayo Clinic team in 1998, and has a MS in health fitness management from American
University in Washington, DC, and a BA in psychology from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She
is currently pursuing her PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Capella University.
Health Coaching as a Stepping Stone to Employee Wellness Engagement
Jane Ruppert
Vice President of Health Services, Interactive Health
In the journey to creating meaningful employee engagement in health and wellness, health coaching
can be a stepping stone that leads to other wellness activities. To be a stepping stone, coaching
should incorporate timely outreach to connect with employees when they first learn of risks; a
personalized approach based upon risks, readiness to change and a one-on-one relationship;
knowledge and use of all aspects of the wellness program to earn incentives, teaching aspects of the
program an employee might not otherwise know; collaboration between coach and employee to
develop a personal plan of action that includes company-sponsored wellness incentives; and
incorporating multiple modes of technological engagement.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Develop an incentive program and wellness program strategy that incorporate health
coaching.
2. Understand how coaching can amplify engagement in the overall wellness program.
3. Review engagement metrics and outcomes data to demonstrate value of a coaching program.
About the Speaker
Jane Ruppert is the Vice President of Health Services at Interactive Health. She oversees all health
coaching and health education programming. Jane has grown the coaching services during her
tenure by 80%, expanding programming that has been implemented nationally and is proven to be
effective in improving health outcomes. Since 2006, she has focused on employee wellness and
prevention. Jane specializes in developing, implementing and managing health coaching programs
with an emphasis on diabetes, cardiac risk reduction, and weight management.
Jane is a frequent guest speaker on a variety of wellness topics for many corporate sites and national
organizations. She is involved in many organizations including the Health Enhancement Research
Organization, American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the American Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics. Jane is passionate about developing wellness programs to spark excitement in each
individual by inspiring and educating them to make healthy, realistic lifestyle changes that are
sustainable. Jane is a Registered Licensed Dietitian with a certification in Diabetes Education and
health coach training through Wellcoaches Corporation. She holds a bachelor of science in foods and
nutrition from the University of Illinois.
Leadership and Culture Development is THE Health Intervention
Nancy Spangler, PhD, Consultant, Partnership for Workplace Mental Health
Lexie Dendrinellis, BS, CHPD, Well-being Leader, Barry-Wehmiller
Tammy Green, MPH, CHES, Director of Well-being, Providence Health & Services
Candice Gwin, MS, Employee Wellness Program Manager, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics
Innovation in health management programs is terrific, but no single program can begin to be
effective without actively engaged and trustworthy leaders. When leaders turn human ethics and
values into actual policies, practices, and norms, stress is reduced, and a healthy resilient culture
develops, one supporting both health and effective work toward the organization’s common purpose.
Trust and social bonding that develops in healthy and high-performing cultures affects stress, mood,
motivation, and physiology. Hear how leadership and culture shaping at three organizations is
empowering people to care for their own health while they touch the lives of others. These
employers are taking bold steps in building healthy people, thriving organizations, and vital
communities. Learn about related tools available to employers at no cost through the Partnership for
Workplace Mental Health.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Describe how focusing on ethical, values-based leadership development supports cultures of
health and high performance.
2. Identify systemic effects of trust and social bonding on outputs such as individual physiology
and organizational effectiveness.
3. Analyze how four factors of leadership and culture development may be operating in their own
organizations.
About Our Speakers
Nancy Spangler, PhD, is a Consultant at the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health. She has
developed workplace health strategies for 30 years with clients including employers, managed-care
organizations, benefits consultants, pharmaceutical companies, professional organizations, and
governmental agencies. She has worked with the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health since 2006
to promote innovative and effective approaches to addressing workplace mental health.
Lexie Dendrinellis, BS, CHPD, is the Wellbeing Leader for Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc., a
capital equipment manufacturing company operating in 65 locations worldwide. In her role, she
develops strategies for advancing healthful living and ensures partner resources are available to
assist associates in accomplishing their goals. Most recently, she led a group of associates to develop
a vision of wellbeing to serve as the guide and definition of healthful living at Barry-Wehmiller. She
works alongside a network of wellbeing champions to inspire, educate, and engage associates and
family members to live a thriving life. Currently, Lexie serves on three Health Enhancement Research
Organization committees: Leadership, Awards, and Membership. She is the chair of the St. Louis
Business Health Coalition Wellness Roundtable and participates in local community events to promote
healthful living.
Tammy Green, MPH, CHES, is the Director of Well-being for Providence Health & Services. Tammy
has spent her career developing innovative approaches to population health management, using a
unique combination of public and private-sector perspectives and experience. She currently works to
develop a long-term strategy toward improving the health and well-being of over 65,000 employees,
as well as their families. Tammy oversees and provides leadership to a range of employee well-being
services including health incentive design and implementation and integration of personal well-being
tenets into organizational strategy and development.
Candice Gwin, MS, is the Employee Wellness Program Manager at Children’s Mercy Hospital and
Clinics. Candice has more than 28 years of experience developing and promoting employee wellness
programs. She has been the Employee Wellness Program Manager since May, 2008, where her role is
to strategize, plan, and implement the Take CARE Wellness Program. Her goal is to help Children’s
Mercy Hospital employees maintain and/or improve their health, learn more about living healthier
lifestyles, and motivate them to do so.
Smart Phones: Smart Habits
Dean Hovey
President and CEO, Digifit, Inc.
The integration of mobile devices, sensor technology, individualized health content, novel incentives,
and social networks helps people develop healthy habits. Mobile technology has created a paradigm
shift in employee engagement, and digital communication empowers people and companies in a new
way. The E-Employee has emerged, which means both electronic and empowered. With over 7 billion
mobile devices on the planet today, the field of corporate wellness is favorably positioned to leverage
the plethora of innovative technology. This is a ripe opportunity for employers. We will demonstrate
the newest mobile technology designed to engage employees in a corporate wellness program and
inspire them to adopt new health behaviors. Attendees will walk through the Digifit Health platform
and learn of the successful outcomes of Moms in Motion, a partnering movement that uses mobile
technology to lead new mothers through a series of health and fitness activities based upon
individual goals and values. Through engagement templates, Health Risk Assessment (HRA)
questions, videos, tutorials, and social media, A Health’s time-based experience design can be
customized to a company and personalized to an employee. Because the comprehensive Digifit
ecosystem allows for API integration with multiple devices and mobile apps, individuals and
companies can simultaneously use apps and activity trackers they may already enjoy, enriching the
user’s experience.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand how plan design can engage employees in preventative care and evidence-based
recommendations.
2. Understand the details of several participatory and outcome-based wellness programs that
have contributed to a negative trend.
3. Understand a unique integrated approach that has created savings and clinical outcomes.
About Our Speaker
Dean Hovey is the President and CEO of Digifit, Inc. Dean has started numerous high-tech
companies over the past 30 years from his base in Silicon Valley. He is known in the valley for his
creativity, product design acumen, and customer insight, having co-founded IDEO, and for his early
work designing the mouse for Apple Computer. Dean’s roles span senior executive positions in public
companies, as a Venture Capital General Partner, and CEO/founder/entrepreneur. He has served as
CEO of Digifit, Inc., since 2011. Dean received his BS/MS in General Engineering, Product Design
from Stanford University.
Designing Sustainable Behavior-Change with Habit Design
Michael Kim, CEO/Founder, Kairos Labs
Maria Elena Lara, PhD, Principal Scientist, Kairos Labs
Designing productivity and performance support tools that truly change employee behavior over the
long-term and make a lasting, sustainable impact on corporate wellness, culture, and organizational
learning has been a best-kept secret. Instead of relying on motivational approaches that try to
increase willpower, winning behavior-change solutions train employees to practice small, positive,
sustainable, daily habits that become routinized. Presented publicly for the first time, this session will
introduce new research that identifies the best practices of over 500 companies and organizations
which have deployed and tested successful behavior-change technologies. Habit Design.org is the
largest national research co-operative of more than 10,000 researchers who crowdsource best
practices and technologies for sustainable behavior change in organizations through the technique of
Open Science. With case studies, we'll cover the building blocks of successful behavior-change
training that improves performance in small yet significant steps such as how to create a productivity
and performance support system that ensures behavior change is sustained and enjoyable and how
to translate complex behaviors and training regimens into Habit Designs that have high probability of
becoming a permanent part of a student's daily routine. Some key technologies which will be covered
are "SoLoMo" (Social, Location-Based Mobile), Behavior-Change Gaming, Peer Coaching, Open
Science, and Big Data.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Apply clinically tested, evidence-based, cognitive behavioral psychology technologies and
techniques for sustainable, daily habits.
2. Understand the key technological underpinnings of winning behavior-change systems,
including Mobile, Behavior-Change Gaming, Peer Coaching, Location-Based Services, and Big
Data.
3. Understand innovative Fortune 100 case studies that apply Habit Design & Behavior-Change
Gaming methodologies that drive key corporate-performance indicators.
About Our Speakers
Michael Kim is the CEO/Founder of Kairos Labs, sponsors of the Habit Design research cooperative.
Michael has been recognized by The New York Times, TEDMED, the BBC, the Washington Post, ABC
News, Stanford, USC, and many others as "an authority in mobile behavior-change and BehaviorChange Gaming," a new gaming genre he coined and initiated. Michael has held several senior
technology executive roles, including as an executive with Xbox Live, reporting into the CEO of
Microsoft; Technology Policy Advisor to the White House; and Research Assistant to the former Chief
Scientist of IBM. He has helped launch innovations such as Twitter for mobile, Nike+, Xbox Live,
Xbox Kinect, and Facebook's developer platform. His Bachelors and Masters degrees are from Yale
and Harvard Universities respectively.
Maria Elena Lara, PhD, is the Principal Scientist for Kairos Labs. She is a Yale and University of
Washington trained and certified clinical psychologist with over 20 years of research and clinical
expertise in the fields of behavioral psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and organizational
psychology. She and her colleagues led the largest clinical psychology practice in Western
Washington serving a broad range of corporate Wellness clients such as Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon,
and many others. Her Bachelors and Ph.D. degrees are from Yale and SUNY Stony Brook
respectively, with clinical residency at the University of Washington.
Human Resources Personnel at a Crossroads: Cost Center Managers or Strategic Business
Investment Partners?
Bruce Sherman, MD, FCCP, FACOEM
Medical Director, Employers Health Coalition
Rising healthcare costs have prompted employers to take a fresh look at their health benefits
offerings. For progressive organizations, workforce health and well-being have become a focus for
organizational alignment, with the goal of leveraging these human capital- asset investments to
measurably enhance workforce performance, thereby creating business bottom-line value. The
objective of this session is to provide attendees with ideas for implementing a value-based approach
to health benefits selection and implementation, with the goal of a healthier and higher performing
workforce. In this interactive session, we’ll discuss measurement and organizational policies and
practices, and we will collaborate to develop actionable ideas for potential application to sessionattendee work settings. Healthcare reform is prompting major employer-benefits strategy changes.
Ensure that your company has a clear understanding of the business implications.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the business value that business investments in health and well-being can
generate.
2. Identify existing organizational measures and metrics that can be used to demonstrate the
value of human capital management.
3. Assess existing human resources policies and their role in impacting workforce performance
for employees and business unit managers.
About Our Speaker
Bruce Sherman, MD, FCCP, FACOEM, is the Medical Director with the Ohio-based Employers
Health Coalition, where he brings health management and value-based purchasing strategies to
organization’s member employers. He also serves as the consulting Corporate Medical Director for
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. In this role, he supports the development of integrated, value-based health,
productivity, and performance-management strategies for the organization's associates and family
members in the U.S. Bruce has particular interests in the areas of the business value of health and
innovative employer approaches to healthcare delivery. Bruce serves as co-chair of the Employer
Advisory Council at the National Committee for Quality Assurance, and represents Employers Health
Coalition on the leadership Board of the Integrated Benefits Institute. He co-chairs the Value on
Investment committee for the Population Health Alliance, responsible for developing a model for
quantifying the business value of employer investments in workforce health and well-being. A
member of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, Bruce is involved with the organization’s
Center for Employer and Purchaser Engagement. Bruce frequently speaks at national venues, where
he has presented workforce-health-management strategies to diverse audiences, and has published
numerous related articles. Bruce is board-certified in internal medicine and is a long-standing
member of the clinical faculty at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He received his
MD from New York University School of Medicine, his MA from Harvard University, and his bachelor’s
degree from Brown University.
Creating a Health Engagement & Behavior Change Hub: The New Paradigm in Health &
Wellness
Eric Zimmerman, Chief Marketing Officer, RedBrick Health
Understanding what works and what doesn’t when designing for behavior can drastically improve
engagement levels and influence new habits in an effective health and wellness program. However,
as accountability shifts to consumers through consumer-directed and defined contribution plans,
solely focusing on lifestyle behaviors is no longer enough. Forward-leaning organizations recognize
the need to expand the realm of traditional health and wellness to include an integrated array of
consumer-support services, onsite resources and condition-specific programs. In this session, learn
how the use of an engagement hub that applies the same behavior change principles proven to help
consumers embrace healthy lifestyle choices can also drive desired consumer habits in these and
other complementary services. The result? Employers accelerate their Return on Investment and
consumers make wiser choices, save money, and get the care they need.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
About Our Speaker
Eric Zimmerman is the Chief Marketing Officer at RedBrick Health. Eric leads product strategy, market
development, and the content and behavior design lab at RedBrick Health. Eric brings over two
decades of experience designing and commercializing innovative technology solutions that empower
consumers to take a more active role in their health and that drive better health outcomes. Prior to
joining RedBrick, Eric served as chief innovation officer and general manager for international
business development at pharmacy care management leader Mirixa, Senior Vice President of
Marketing at healthcare connectivity leader RelayHealth, and held leadership positions at StayWell,
and early EHR leader MedicaLogic. Eric began his career at US Corporate Health Management, later
acquired by Johnson & Johnson, where he helped build one of the nation’s earliest and most
successful comprehensive corporate health management companies. Eric earned a Masters in Public
Health with emphasis in behavioral science at UCLA, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Physical Activity/Physical Fitness Assessment in Screening and Health Promotion
Laurie Whitsel, PhD, Director of Policy Research, American Heart Association
Ross Arena, PhD, PT, FAHA, Professor and Head, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied
Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
Jack Groppel, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Vice President, Applied Science and Performance Training,
Human Performance Institute
This panel presentation will address the importance of assessing physical activity/physical fitness in
the workplace as a measure of cardiovascular health and an opportunity to tailor programming within
worksite wellness programs to promote physical activity throughout the day. The panel will discuss
screening recommendations for physical activity/physical fitness and the current available assessment
tools. Also highlighted will be the potential role of new mobile health technologies to track
longitudinal physical activity intensity, duration, and frequency. The presentation will outline
opportunities for policy, environment, and systems change to promote physical activity with
innovative examples. The importance of leadership and role modeling from the C-suite will be
highlighted with case studies from the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity’s CEO Pledge.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Identify current tools and resources to assess employee physical activity and physical fitness
and summarize important guidance around health screening for these measures.
2. Understand the emerging role of mobile health technology to track physical activity duration,
frequency and intensity.
3. Gather examples of environment, systems, and policy change to encourage physical activity
and reduce sedentary time for employee health promotion.
About Our Speakers
Laurie Whitsel, PhD is the Director of Policy Research for the American Heart Association. She
helps translate science into policy at a national level in the areas of cardiovascular disease and stroke
prevention and health promotion. She has written numerous published papers, including several on
comprehensive worksite wellness and the use of financial incentives tied to health care plans. She
represents the AHA at national meetings and conferences and with several national partners and
speaks at national and regional conferences on policy topics related to nutrition, physical activity, and
obesity prevention. She is the immediate past President of the National Coalition for Promoting
Physical Activity (NCPPA) and is a HERO Board Member. She is on the expert panel for the Alliance
for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, she is a sector co-leader for implementation of
the National Physical Activity Plan, she participated on a national healthy restaurant initiative with the
Rand Corporation, and she has served as a reviewer for the Preventing Chronic Disease Journal, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Policies and Programs Study and the
CDC’s School Health Guidelines to Promote Lifelong Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Among
Young People. She is a member of the AHA’s National Scientific Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity,
and Metabolism.
Ross Arena, PhD, PT, FAHA, is the Professor and Head of the Department of Physical Therapy at
the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ross received his
Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth
University in 1997. While practicing in acute care and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, he began his
doctoral work at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University. Ross received his
Ph.D. in physiology/physical therapy in 2001. Ross is a fellow and active member of the American
Heart Association, American College of Sports Medicine and American Association of Cardiovascular
and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. His research interests involve studying the clinical value of exercise
testing and training in patients diagnosed with cardiopulmonary disease/dysfunction..
Jack Groppel, PhD, is the co-founder and Vice President of Applied Science and Performance
Training for the Human Performance Institute. Jack is an internationally recognized authority and
pioneer in the science of human performance and an expert in fitness and nutrition. Jack authored
The Corporate Athlete, a book on achieving the pinnacle of corporate performance, and co-authored
The Corporate Athlete Advantage. He developed the Corporate Athlete® concept for his training
program while serving as an associate professor of kinesiology and bioengineering at the University
of Illinois, helping both business executives and athletes increase performance levels. In 1992 he
combined his program with Dr. Jim Loehr to form the Human Performance Institute. In concurrence
with his Human Performance Institute duties, Jack is the National Spokesperson for the CEO Pledge
of the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity. Jack serves as co-chair of the HERO HPP
Study Committee.
FedStrive: Quantifying the Value of a Comprehensive Worksite Wellness Program
Through Data-Driven Results
Janae Price, MPH., Associate Director of Performance Improvement and Quality, Office of Policy,
Analysis, and Quality, Federal Occupational Health
Kristen Felicione, MH, CPH, Public Health Analyst, Office of Policy, Analysis, and Quality, Federal
Occupational Health
This session will provide an overview of the importance, use, and promotion of a standardized health
appraisal (HA) and health-related outcomes of the FedStrive program, the Health & Human Services
(HHS) pilot program launched by Federal Occupational Health in 2010. This comprehensive wellnessand health-promotion program transcends traditional offerings by integrating services to inform
individuals of their risks and facilitate population-based surveillance. FedStrive is built on an array of
integrated service options that tie risk identification to risk maintenance and reduction through use of
a standardized HA. Employee satisfaction and success stories are common themes throughout ongoing marketing campaigns and senior leadership engagement to further demonstrate value. Return
on Investment modeling is conducted to further demonstrate the impact on productivity savings and
to project future savings per level of investment.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
About Our Speakers
Janae Price, MPH, is the Associate Director of Performance Improvement and Quality for the Office
of Policy, Analysis, and Quality with Federal Occupational Health (FOH). Janae has experience with
program evaluation, data analysis, and quality healthcare measures. Prior to coming to FOH, Janae
was a FDA field investigator in Biologics and before that she was the staff epidemiologist for the
Indian Health Service (IHS). While at IHS, Janae provided data analysis and dashboard metrics for
quality healthcare measures for the entire agency. She also provided direct epidemiologic
consultation to the California IHS, worked on special projects, and is a graduate of the 2007 IHS
Injury Prevention Fellowship class. Prior to coming into the U.S. Public Health Service, Janae served
eight years of active duty in the US Air Force where she served as a clinical and research laboratory
technician in cellular immunology and molecular biology. Janae has four scientific publications and
numerous conference posters/presentations. Janae is very passionate about worksite wellness and
health promotion and has served in a related capacity, usually as a collateral duty, throughout her
career. She is grateful to be able to turn this passion into a professional career. Janae has a Masters
of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology.
Kristen Felicione, MH, CPH, is a Public Health Analyst for the Office of Policy, Analysis, and Quality
is with Federal Occupational Health (FOH). Kristen has experience in data analysis, program
evaluation, and health promotion. Prior to coming to FOH, Kristen was the Assistant Health Promotion
Coordinator at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She also acted as an intern for
Hepatitis Foundation International, improving program evaluation and collecting data. Kristen’s
passion for public health and philanthropy took her abroad to Ghana; first as a Fellow with
Community Water Solutions, then as Fellowship Leader, managing 36 student and young
professionals. Kristen also completed one year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Auburn, New York. She is
happy to be in a position where she can produce health data to advise and drive programming.
Kristen has a Masters of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology and is Certified in Public Health (CPH).
The Value Cascade: Employee Health Management Performance Reporting Best Practices
Michael Connor, PhD
Senior Vice President of Health Intelligence at Alere Health
Employee health management (EHM) is a critical component of leading employers’ efforts to improve
employee health, increase employee worksite engagement and productivity, and control healthcare
costs. Measurement and reporting are crucial to the success of EHM, yet many employers feel current
reports fall short. Best practices for addressing these gaps have been identified through market-need
assessment and employer pilot testing. Our review found EHM performance reports need to provide
high-level clarity through a value-summary cascade which includes program engagement, health
impact, utilization, financial savings, and program satisfaction. Compelling reports also require
performance-assessment measurement on trend, as well as targets or benchmarks, along with
pertinent next steps regarding areas of improvement.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:



Define key metrics within each of the Value Summary domains.
Determine the need for target and benchmark adjustments for appropriate comparisons.
Apply performance monitoring to identify improvement opportunities.
About Our Speaker
Michael Connor, PhD, is the Senior Vice President of Health Intelligence at Alere Health, where he
leads analytical support for Alere program effectiveness and population studies. Michael participates
in a number of industry activities, including the Care Continuum Alliance Quality & Research
workgroup, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the HERO/CCA measurement initiative steering
committee. He has 32 years of experience in health care analytics and research, focusing on outcome
measurement, provider performance, illness burden scores, episode development, and health care
cost trend analysis. Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Grove City
College in Pennsylvania and earned an MBA from the University of North Dakota. Michael earned his
master’s degree in Public Health in Biostatistics as well as a doctorate of Public Health in Biostatistics
with emphasis in Health Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.