SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES 

Sidney Welch, JD 
Bradley Arant, Boult & Cummings LLP

Jack Bierig, ArentFox Schiff LLP

Jack Bierig, JD has extensive experience in the general representation of associations, antitrust counseling, health care regulatory issues, copyright, trademark and trade secret matters, and FDA regulation. He has represented numerous clients in government antitrust and health fraud investigations, in actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, in private antitrust litigation, and in copyright, trademark, and trade secret cases. Some of the nation’s leading professional associations turn to Jack for his counsel, including the American Medical Association, American Dental Association, American Osteopathic Association, National Association of REALTORS®, Federation of State Medical Boards, American Board of Medical Specialties, American Academy of Periodontology, American Association of Endodontists, American Health Information Management Association, College of American Pathologists, and Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®. He also advises several medical and dental certifying boards, such as the American Board of Dermatology, American Board of Emergency Medicine, and American Board of Periodontology. He also represents a number of accreditation organizations, including the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, ARC-PA, and CoARC.  

Shari Covington, JD 
California Medical Association

Ms. Covington’s work at CMA has spanned protecting California physicians in courts through Amicus briefs, editing and authoring chapters in the California Physician’s Legal Handbook (CPLH), listening to and advising on Medical Staff concerns, and much more. She is also a Sacramento County Bar Association Board member where she serves her fellow attorneys in the greater Sacramento area. 

Todd Askew,  
American Medical Association (ARC)

Jonathan K. Henderson, JD, Polsinelli PC

Jonathan K. Henderson, JD has committed more than 20 years of his practice to corporate law and mergers and acquisitions with 14 of those years primarily dedicated to advising health care industry providers and investors. The majority of his practice is focused on advising buyers and sellers of middle-market health care services companies, most of which have business operations with multiple locations in multiple states, on their business formation and structuring, merger and acquisition, divestiture, joint venture and other complex commercial transactions and related transactional regulatory activities. Jon also frequently oversees his firm’s role as primary outside counsel in many of the client relationships. Religious health care organizations or private equity investors are involved in the majority of his projects. Over the last half dozen years, Jon has also been a student of disruptive innovation in health care services and applies those theories in conceptualizing and supporting our clients in designing and implementing new or evolving care delivery models.  

Larissa Marshall, 
Polsinelli PC

Larissa Marshall is the Director of Practice Innovation at Polsinelli, where she leads firmwide efforts to transform legal service delivery through technology, process, and people. With a background in Chemical Engineering, she brings a process-driven, strategic approach to solving complex challenges faced by attorneys and clients. Over the past 12 years, Larissa has been at the forefront of legal technology and innovation, implementing tools and systems that work for attorneys and driving adoption through accessibility and impact. She designed and launched Polsinelli’s Innovation Department in 2024, overseeing AI initiatives, technology strategy, and process improvement across the firm’s 1,200+ attorneys. Under her leadership, the firm has developed a comprehensive AI strategy, assessed more than 30 tools, and implemented transformative solutions. Larissa also established the firmwide Innovation Committee, equipping attorneys with methodologies like Design Thinking, Lean Six Sigma, and Smart Collaboration to build a culture of innovation. Recently named ALM’s “Innovator of the Year,” Larissa continues to shape how innovation is embedded into the practice of law.

Diomedes Tsitouras JD, MPA, American Association of University Professors Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey

Diomedes Tsitouras JD, MPA is Executive Director of the American Association of University Professors - Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey, a labor union of 1500 faculty at Rutgers and Rowan Universities who teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, scientists, and health professionals. Before that, he was Executive Director of American Association of University Professors-University of Connecticut Health Center chapter. His work on behalf of both unions brought more multi-year appointments, higher minimum pay standards, better access to childcare/parental leave, and less gender based inequity As a lawyer, Mr. Tsitouras he has advocated for individuals from different backgrounds including immigrants, crime victims, and law enforcement officers to name a few examples. In January 2020, Mr. Tsitouras was appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as a Commissioner to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. In this capacity, he renders fair and impartial decisions on appeals made to the Commission. Mr. Tsitouras holds degrees in labor relations and public administration from Cornell University, as we as juris doctor degree from Indian University.

Greg Pepe, JD, Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, PC

Gregory J. Pepe heads the Healthcare Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution & Mediation and Corporate & Business Transactions practice areas. His experience in the healthcare market, its accompanying regulatory constructs and related business matters, spans decades and provides his clients the understanding necessary to navigate the changing healthcare landscape.

Healthcare issues that Attorney Pepe often addresses include how providers can successfully negotiate new market ventures and grow their business strategically while operating within policies and legal regulations. Attorney Pepe has extensive experience in addressing the myriad of business issues facing healthcare providers, and skillfully provides counsel and solutions for his entrepreneurial clients. The business issues that doctors, lab companies, and other healthcare providers face are extremely complex. Attorney Pepe works with clients to establish business relationships such as partnership agreements, corporation agreements, noncompetition agreements, compensation arrangements, and provider contracts. The agreements and contracts are crafted to provide the legal structure for the entity to operate effectively, and constructed with the objective of avoiding future disputes.

There are numerous types of disputes that might arise within the healthcare industry; between providers and payers, doctors and hospitals, senior and junior doctors, and partnerships. Within the arena of dispute resolution and mediation Attorney Pepe assumes the patient/provider perspective and works as an advocate for the patient or provider. Attorney Pepe has been an advisor to a number of state medical societies, including the Connecticut State Medical Society, regarding physician practice management issues within the context of organized medicine and initiation of litigation by medical societies against managed care companies. Attorney Pepe also represents numerous physician groups, including large integrated practices, IPAs, PHOs, and others involved in healthcare law issues.  

Thomas Conley, JD, Saul Ewing, LLP

Thomas Conley concentrates his practice in transactional health care law, business matters, and regulatory compliance. With more than 40 years of experience advising clients in the health care industry and other professional fields, he provides counsel on issues including structuring and governance, contracting, licensing, compliance plans, and reimbursement. He often serves as general counsel to medical groups, professional societies, and health care organizations.

Mr. Conley is a Past President of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys and is active in the Illinois State Bar Association’s Health Care Section Council and Legislation Committee, as well as the Chicago Bar Association’s Health Care and Hospital Law Committee. He also serves on the American Society of Medical Association Counsel’s Continuing Education Committee.

He is outside General Counsel for the Illinois Educational Facilities Authority and was previously appointed Executive Director of the Authority, during which time he oversaw the issuance of $4 billion in tax-exempt revenue bonds for educational and cultural institutions throughout Illinois. Mr. Conley has also served as a Health Care Ombudsman under appointment by the United States Trustee for the Northern District of Illinois.

Leonard Nelson, JD American Medical Association (Litigation Center)

Leonard Nelson is an attorney in the American Medical Association Office of General Counsel. His duties include service as the Director of the Litigation Center of the American Medical Association and the State Medical Societies.

Mr. Nelson has spoken to and written for many legal organizations and medical societies about health law issues and his work at the Litigation Center. He has also taught in three law schools and had several scholarly articles published on legal subjects. He is a former chairman of the Health Care Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association and is a former President of the American Society of Medical Association Counsel.

Mr. Nelson graduated from Dartmouth College, and he received a masters degree in physics from the University of Illinois. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School. 

Mark Bonanno, JD, MPH
Oregon Medical Association

Mark Bonanno, JD, MPH is General Counsel and Vice President of Health Policy for the Oregon Medical Association. Prior to serving as in-house counsel, he enjoyed twenty years of private practice as an advocate for health care professionals and brought with him a dedicated interest in health care policy. In 2000, Mr. Bonanno founded the law firm Healthlawoffice.com to specialize in problem solving and regulatory guidance for health care companies and individual health care professionals. He remains of counsel to the firm.

Mr. Bonanno received his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School and his graduate degree in public health from Boston University. He served as an adjunct professor of health law in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University for twelve years, and served terms as chair of the health law section of the Oregon State Bar and the Multnomah Bar Association group insurance committee. In 2014, he completed a three-year tenure as Chair of the 2,400-member Fraud and Abuse Practice Group of the American Health Law Association. In that year, he was honored to receive the AHLA’s Patricia Meador Leadership Award. In 2015, Mark was appointed to the AHLA Board of Directors and reappointed for a second term in 2018. In 2022, he was elected to serve as Treasurer for the American Society of Medical Association Counsel and now serves as President-Elect. He is licensed in the District of Columbia and Oregon. 

Jamie Ostroff, JD California Medical Association

Jamie Ostroff is California Medical Association’s Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, overseeing CMA’s Center for Legal Affairs. Mr. Ostroff leads CMA in defending the rights of physicians in the courts, the legislature, and before regulatory agencies. He also helps CMA navigate the politics and policy of complex health care issues before federal and state regulators and to drive the public interest mission of the association and its physician members. As General Counsel, Mr. Ostroff provides legal counsel to CMA’s Board of Trustees, CMA’s subsidiaries, and the executive management team.

Mr. Ostroff manages the Legal Center’s efforts to educate members on issues impacting the practice of medicine through legal publications, educational webinars, and presentations. Mr. Ostroff is a frequent presenter on legal, policy and business issues impacting the health care industry at state and national conferences.

Prior to joining CMA, Mr. Ostroff served as the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer of Hill Physicians Medical Group, the largest independent physician association in Northern California. Before his position with Hill Physicians Medical Group, Mr. Ostroff was Associate General Counsel at Blue Shield of California. Mr. Ostroff graduated summa cum laude from Southwestern University School of Law and, while in law school, served as an intern for the Honorable Harry Pregerson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Molly Reese, JD 
AMA Advocacy Resource Center

Matthew M. Lavin, JD 
Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP 

Matt has successfully resolved countless reimbursement disputes with commercial payors such as Aetna, Anthem, AmeriHealth, Ambetter, Beacon, Centene, HealthNet, Humana, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, HealthNet, Magellan, and many Blue Cross Blue Shield entities and Blue Card Network plans. Matt is experienced in handling suits against “cost-containment” vendors, like MultiPlan, that egregiously underprice the value of out-of-network claims.

Lauren Bailey, JD  
Louisiana State Medical Society

Ashton DeLong, Esq., 
MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society

Thomas R. Hoffman, JD, CAE,  American College of Radiology 

Thomas R. Hoffman, JD, CAE is General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Governance and Member Services, with the American College of Radiology in Reston, Virginia. He oversees legal, governance and membership matters for the College. Mr. Hoffman advises ACR Board members, the CEO, members and staff on corporate, governance and health care issues. He currently serves as principal staff to ACR’s Bylaws, Ethics and Governance Committees.

Mr. Hoffman is a Certified Association Executive of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He served as Chair of the ASAE Legal Section Council and chaired and served on the ASAE Annual Association Law Symposium (Washington, DC) Planning Committee. Mr. Hoffman served for over 10 years as a faculty member at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, teaching health care law and politics and policy to undergraduates. 

Gene Ransom, III, JD  The Maryland State Medical Society

Gene M. Ransom III is the current CEO of MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society. He is a life-long resident of Queen Anne's County, and former President of the County Commission. Gene was elected to the Queen Anne's County Commission in November 2002 and was the only incumbent County Commissioner re-elected in the 2006 election. Ransom graduated cum laude from The University of Maryland with honors in economics, and the University of Baltimore School of Law.

As MedChi executive Ransom works to implement MedChi’s mission as an advocate for physicians, patients, and the public health of Maryland. MedChi is the largest physician organization in Maryland. MedChi is a leader in transformation and pro-physician value-based care work under Ransom’s leadership. He has played a key role in the development and implementation of both the Episode Quality Improvement Program and the Maryland Primary Care Program. During his tenure MedChi membership has increased and MedChi developed new lines of business benefiting physicians and the society.

Jennifer Brown, JD, 
Advocacy Group, AMA

Jennifer Brown currently serves as the Director of Health Disparities and Engagement within the Advocacy Group of the AMA. In this capacity she provides leadership and direction for the Advocacy Group to support the continued development and implementation of the AMA’s advocacy work focusing on improving health outcomes for underserved and rural communities.

Prior to this role, Jennifer served as Senior Washington Counsel for the AMA. In that capacity she advanced the AMA’s legislative and regulatory agenda through drafting advocacy materials related to a variety of health care topics such as maternal mortality and morbidity, social determinants of health, immigration, graduate medical education, student loan programs, and prior authorization. Prior to joining the AMA, Jennifer served as Senior Director of Government Relations for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Before working for ADEA, she served as Regulatory Counsel at Stateside Associates. There she tracked state regulatory activity and provided counsel to health care clients. Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University and a law degree from Tulane University Law School. 

Annalia Michelman is a Senior Legislative Attorney in the American Medical Association (AMA) Advocacy Resource Center. In the Advocacy Resource Center, she works with state and specialty medical associations on state legislative and regulatory issues, specializing in Medicaid, public health and safety, healthcare disparities and state budget issues. Prior to joining the AMA, Annalia was a Health Policy Specialist with the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health in Washington, DC where she focused on Medicaid and behavioral health programs. Previously, Annalia worked on state legislative, congressional, and gubernatorial campaigns in Virginia as a political fundraiser. Annalia earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from James Madison University and a master’s degree in public policy and law degree from Georgetown University.

Sarah N. Smeriglio, JD, Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, PC

Sarah N. Smeriglio is a member of the firm’s Healthcare Law and Professional Malpractice & Insurance Defense practice groups. While in law school, she joined the firm as a legal extern assisting in the firm’s healthcare practice.

In 2020, Sarah graduated from Quinnipiac University in the three + three law program and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences, magna cum laude. Upon entering Law School, Sarah received an International Policy Award Scholarship based in part on her undergraduate studies in the Mandarin Chinese language. She earned her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Sarah assists in the representation of health care providers and their practices in a variety of matters including the sale and purchase of physician practices, guidance on Anti-kickback, STARK law, HIPAA, the corporate practice of medicine, contract disputes, and Medicaid and Medicare laws. Sarah has experience drafting motions and qui tam actions, conducting discovery, reviewing contracts, and analyzing and drafting case analysis for insurance companies. In her spare time, she enjoys playing golf and figure skating.

Sarah is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and American Society of Medical Association Counsel. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut. 

 Jeff Howell, JD, Missouri State Medical Association

Jeff Howell is the Executive Vice President of the Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA).  MSMA is Missouri’s largest professional physician organization.  Mr. Howell previously served as the Director of Government Relations for MSMA, directing physician advocacy and lobbying activities in the Missouri Capitol for over fifteen years.  Mr. Howell is licensed in Missouri and Indiana.  He previously practiced as a criminal defense attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. 

Patrick Sheehan, JD
Whatley Kallas, LLP

Patrick Sheehan heads the Whatley Kallas office in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Sheehan’s practice focuses on complex litigation involving health care law and consumer protection issues. Mr. Sheehan’s health care practice focuses on the representation of health care providers, such as health care systems, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physicians, in litigation and arbitration against health insurers involving reimbursement disputes, coverage issues, and antitrust matters. Mr. Sheehan’s consumer protection practice concentrates on issues related to health insurance, other types of insurance, data breach and privacy litigation, and other issues implicating consumer protection law. 

Kai Sternstein, JD, American Medical Association (ARC)

Charlotte Tsui, JD, California Medical Association