Recognized Medical Simulation Leaders 2025

*Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician (ABFM) with 14+ years clinical experience (based in Chicago, IL) *Named Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2024, 2025) *Medical Media Commentator seen on/in ABC 7, Fox 32, CBS 2, WGN 9, The Chicago Tribune , Chicago Sun Times, and Everyday Health; including a nationwide 25 interview satellite media tour (TV & radio, November 2025) *Premedical Student Mentor, Urban Bridges Medical Mentoring Program Dr. Rene is a board-certified Family Medicine physician and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (FAAFP) with 14+ years of clinical experience. She provides comprehensive primary care for Medicare-eligible patients at Oak Street Health's Avalon Park location in Chicago, specializing in chronic disease management, preventive care, healthcare equity, and access for underserved communities. After overcoming 50 medical school rejections, Dr. Rene graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed residency training at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicago. She developed the L.Y.M.I.T.S. Method—a framework for transforming limitations into your greatest strengths. She mentors aspiring physicians through the Urban Bridges Medical Mentoring Program. Dr. Rene has appeared as a medical expert on ABC 7, Fox 32, CBS 2, and WGN 9 Chicago and recently completed a 25-interview national satellite media tour. She is available for expert commentary on resilience in healthcare, medical education equity, resilience and overcoming failure, healthcare access for underserved populations, and diversity in medicine.

Dr. Jay Johannigman is a Cincinnati trauma and critical care surgeon who has returned home to serve the region that shaped his career. After 46 years in military medicine, he retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel in 2025 and is now focused on strengthening Cincinnati's emergency preparedness and injury care. For much of his career, Dr. Johannigman was a defining figure in Cincinnati medicine. As Trauma Medical Director and Chief of the Institute of Military Medicine at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, he helped build one of the region's most advanced trauma and acute care programs. He was also a founding leader of Cincinnati's C-STARS (Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills), one of the first military-civilian training partnerships in the country, where Air Force medical teams trained for deployment right here in the Queen City. Today, back in Cincinnati, his focus is local and forward-looking. He is developing a geriatric injury prevention program to reduce falls among older adults, a growing concern as the region's senior population climbs, and he is helping area hospitals and first responders plan for large-scale emergencies before they happen. His Cincinnati work is grounded in a rare depth of experience. Over seven combat deployments, Dr. Johannigman served as a Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) flight surgeon, trauma director, deputy commander, and director of clinical services in combat hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. He brought those hard-won lessons home, translating battlefield medicine into better care for civilian trauma patients. His service earned some of the military's most respected honors, including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Beyond Cincinnati, Dr. Johannigman remains active in national medicine. He serves as Chief Medical Officer at Knight Aerospace, where he helps design airborne medical evacuation systems, and as Professor of Surgery at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University. He has held national leadership roles including State Trauma Chair and Region Chief for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and he remains involved with the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP FCCM is a critical care and emergency physician, professor, and certified executive coach working at the intersection of healthcare leadership, clinician wellbeing, and innovation. With more than 20 years of experience in academic medicine, she serves as Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and practices clinically as an intensivist at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Dr. Emlet is the founder of Transforming Healthcare Coaching®, an executive coaching and leadership development firm supporting physicians, healthcare executives, and high-performing clinical teams in navigating complexity, stress, and organizational change. Her work is grounded in evidence-based leadership development, emotional intelligence, and the Energy Leadership Index (ELI), helping leaders strengthen decision-making, communication, and resilience in high-stakes environments. Through individual executive coaching and systemic team coaching, Dr. Emlet partners with organizations to build aligned, psychologically safe, high-trust teams capable of sustained performance and cultural transformation. Her expertise spans team dynamics, simulation-based education, and leadership under pressure—bringing a rare combination of frontline clinical credibility and strategic coaching insight. In addition to her work in healthcare leadership, Dr. Emlet is passionate about advising healthcare technology, AI, and startup teams seeking clinical expertise, market-informed perspective, and mission-aligned guidance. She supports innovators building solutions that meaningfully improve the lives of clinicians, patients, and care systems. Dr. Emlet is a proud Ambassador for the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation, a member of the International Coaching Federation, and host of the Transforming Healthcare Coaching Podcast. Her guiding belief is simple: healthcare transforms when leaders are supported to thrive—and when teams are empowered to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose.

Dina Alsaadouni, MBA, is a strategic healthcare operations leader, healthcare innovation researcher, and independent inventor with over a decade of experience in healthcare management, digital transformation, patient engagement, and quality improvement. She has held leadership roles across private healthcare organizations in Saudi Arabia, driving operational excellence, service optimization, and patient-centered care initiatives. Her work bridges healthcare operations with emerging technologies, focusing on digital health, artificial intelligence, clinical workflow optimization, healthcare quality, patient safety, and sustainable healthcare innovation. She is the inventor of multiple healthcare technologies, with patent applications filed through the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), reflecting her commitment to developing practical solutions for real-world healthcare challenges. Dina is also a published author and thought leader whose articles explore healthcare strategy, digital transformation, and medical innovation. Her research on patient engagement has been published in peer-reviewed literature, and her commentary has appeared in regional media discussing the future of healthcare innovation. She actively contributes to conversations on how technology, evidence-based management, and operational leadership can strengthen healthcare systems and support Saudi Vision 2030. Her professional interests include healthcare operations, digital health transformation, health informatics, healthcare quality, patient safety, AI in healthcare, innovation management, and healthcare policy.

I’m passionate about redefining what modern healthcare can look like. After graduating with my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Auckland, I wanted to combine clinical medicine with innovation, which led me to create Selfcaremen, a fast-growing men’s health platform now operating across New Zealand and Australia. My goal has always been to make preventative healthcare more accessible, engaging, and relevant for men, blending strong clinical standards with a fresh, modern approach.Alongside building Selfcaremen, I continue to invest heavily in my own training and development. I work as an Occupational Medicine Physician and RACP/AFOEM Registrar with Sonic Healthcare in Melbourne, where I’m undertaking specialist training with The Royal Australasian College of Physicians in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2025–2029). I’ve also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational and Environmental Medicine from the University of Otago and hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Women’s Health. This background allows me to bring a practical, well-rounded perspective to healthcare, sitting at the intersection of clinical work, workplace health, and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Pouyan Golshani is an interventional radiologist and entrepreneur working at the crossroads of healthcare, technology, and finance. He founded GigHz, the hub where he builds and advises across these domains; RadReport AI, an AI-driven radiology reporting engine that turns dictation into structured, clinically-sound reports; Repit.org, a national real-estate intelligence platform exposing ZIP-level trends, rent trajectories, and investability metrics; and Guide.MD, a physician-first directory designed to fix and control online identity without the usual pain. After nearly two decades in medicine and years of hands-on investing, he’s become a go-to voice for clinicians, founders, and investors who want clear, practical explanations of med-tech innovation, AI in healthcare, real-asset strategy, and tax-efficient decision-making. His work blends clinical judgment with a grounded business lens, giving people accurate, no-nonsense insight without oversimplifying anything. He routinely advises early-stage teams, physicians, and allocators on licensing, diligence, and deal structure — with an emphasis on transparency, strong incentives, and long-term value over hype. The goal is simple: help smart people make better decisions in a system that gets more complex every year.

Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli (“Dr Garbelli”) is a UK-based physician, healthcare strategist and MedTech advisor focused on assisting healthcare leaders and organisations adopt, navigate, and implement AI/robotics and healthcare automation safely, ethically and at scale. Working at the intersection of clinical practice, technology and executive decision-making, he supports boards, executive teams and MedTech leaders to turn innovation into measurable improvements in patient outcomes, workforce sustainability and operational performance. Dr Garbelli is the creator of the Healthcare Convergence Framework™ (HCF), a practical approach that helps organisations assess AI/Robotics readiness, align leadership priorities and design future-ready care pathways without disrupting frontline delivery. His work typically spans AI and robotics strategy, governance and risk management, clinical adoption and change leadership—ensuring that new technologies strengthen trust, accountability and safety in real-world conditions. As a keynote speaker and author, Dr Garbelli translates complex topics such as AI governance, clinical safety, ethics and system transformation into clear, actionable insights for senior audiences. He is the author of The Doctor’s Future and The Doctor’s Voice, and contributes thought leadership on how medicine is being reshaped by digital transformation and emerging technologies. Known for a pragmatic, clinician-led perspective, Dr Garbelli helps leaders navigate high-stakes decisions such as build-versus-buy, pilot design, evaluation and scaling across multiple sites. His mission is to purposefully transform the future of medicine—one organisation, strategy and physician at a time—with confidence.

Elizabeth Rubin, MD is a board-certified physician with advanced fellowship training in Medical Simulation, specializing in education, patient safety, and systems innovation. She currently practices at a Level I Trauma Center in Los Angeles, California, where she cares for critically ill and injured patients. She also serves on the clinical oversight team at The Embers Treatment, a drug & alcohol treatment center in Arizona. Dr. Rubin earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach and went on to pursue a fellowship in Medical Simulation at the University of Chicago / NorthShore University HealthSystem. Her professional interests include simulation-based education, quality improvement, patient safety, and developing innovative approaches to emergency medical training. Through her work, she strives to improve both clinician performance and patient outcomes in high-stakes, time-sensitive environments.

Board certified emergency physician with experience in a very busy community emergency medicine department, prior military officer with leadership experience, both domestically and deployed.

I am a board certified neurosurgeon with Neurosurgical Associates of San Antonio focused on diseases of the blood vessels of the brain and spine including brain aneurysms, strokes, Moya Maya and others. I have growing expertise in how artificial intelligence will impact medicine. I am particularly interested, as a surgeon, in where machine sensing, robotics and AI intersect. I am an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of the Incarnate Word and enjoy mentoring medical students. I serve as site or principal investigator on a number of clinical trials in the neuroendovascular space through both Methodist Research Institute and HCA’s national Research Institute. In such I serve on the Neurovascular Research Advisory Board for HCA Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in the country.

Brooke Skovira is a registered nurse and healthcare strategist with a decade of clinical and operational experience spanning women's health, newborn care, cardiology, and medical-surgical care. She specializes in bridging the gap between frontline clinical practice and the technology, business, and policy decisions shaping modern healthcare delivery. She has worked at top academic medical centers, including The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and has been featured as a webinar speaker by the American Heart Association Center for Health Technology and Innovation. Brooke is the co-founder of Shift Changes, a platform supporting nurses pursuing careers beyond the bedside. Areas of clinical and industry expertise include: -Women's health, cardiology, newborn care, and medical-surgical nursing -Clinical workflow and patient safety in digital health and AI adoption -Clinician trust, burnout, and technology adoption in hospital settings -Health system partnerships and go-to-market strategy for health tech companies -Nursing workforce trends and career transitions into tech and healthcare innovation

Mr. Ivo Dukic is a leading authority on the intersection of high-volume surgical excellence and digital health transformation. As a Consultant Urological Surgeon and the Deputy Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) at one of the UK’s largest NHS Trusts, he offers journalists a rare perspective that combines frontline clinical mastery with executive-level healthcare technology strategy. Key Areas of Expertise Digital Health & Informatics: Over a decade of experience as the Section Editor of the Digital Review for Urology News (since 2013). He is a specialist in the implementation of health tech within the NHS, clinical informatics, and the evolution of digital tools in specialty care. Surgical Innovation: A pioneer in minimally invasive endourology, specifically in the use of laser technology and "ultra-mini" PCNL for kidney stones. Future Tech in Healthcare: Expert commentary on emerging technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR) in clinical settings (as featured on ITV News) and the integration of advanced medical devices. Clinical Leadership: Former Educational Lead for Urology and the 2025-2026 West Midlands Urology Trainer of the Year, providing deep insights into medical education and workforce development. Media Experience Mr. Dukic is an accomplished communicator, comfortable translating complex surgical and technical data into compelling narratives for the public and the profession: Television: Featured on ITV News discussing the use of distraction VR during lithotripsy. Consumer Health: Expert contributor for BBC Good Food on dietary health and stone prevention. Trade Press: A decade-long track record of technical writing and editorial leadership regarding the "Digital Review" in urology.

Dr. Bruce Dorr is boarded in Obstetrics and Gynecology and subspecialty boarded in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery as well as fully certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine. He also serves as senior medical advisor for Biote. For the last two decades he has directed his practice towards a functional medicine practice of hormone health and wellness and became IFM certified in 2025. Dr. Dorr joined Littleton GYN & Wellness in 1997. He enjoys using his teaching skills in the private practice setting to educate his patients about various aspects of their health. He is a member of the American Urogynecology Society, the Menopause Society and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. As a Platinum Educator and Key Opinion Leader, he’s delivered over 70 national physician training programs and led physician training for major clinical trials, including Mirena Phase III, the Yaz PMDD and acne studies, and the IoGen molecular iodine trial. Dr. Dorr has held several leadership roles at Littleton Adventist Hospital, including Chairman of the OB/GYN Department and founder/co-chair of the Robotics Committee. He served as a Da Vinci Surgical Proctor and Educator and currently holds a role as an InMode Key Opinion Leader and Faculty Speaker. He has also been honored to hold an appointment as Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Denver Health Medical Center/University of Colorado School of Medicine. He has worked as a locum tenens physician across underserved areas throughout the country and with the Indian Health Service in Chinle, Arizona, and led surgical Mission trips with Centura Global Health Initiatives in Nepal and Peru. Dr. Dorr held several positions at AdventHealth Hospital including Chairman of the OB/GYN Department, Director of Pelvic Floor Services, Chairman of the Peer Review Committee and member of the Credentialing Committee. He was also a reviewer for the Colorado Medical Board.

Nihit Gurram works at the intersection of clinical practice and applied AI. A health-informatics graduate student with a medical-school background, he founded Mosaic Health Solutions to build clinical decision support that catches medication-related risk in older adults before it causes harm. His approach centers on transparent, explainable systems that keep clinicians in control rather than replacing their judgment. He brings together formal informatics training, hands-on product development, and a long-term commitment to improving how aging populations are cared for. The throughline of his work is patient safety made practical, grounded in clinical reality, with a goal of democratizing healthcare access.

Specialties: Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery

Dr. Fortuna is an Assistant Professor of Community and Family Medicine and Co-Founder of the Patient Innovation Lab. As an international volunteer collaborative of patients, community health workers, peer support specialists, caregivers, policymakers and payer systems, the Collaborative uses community-based participatory research to facilitate the development, evaluation, and implementation of tools to develop a workforce of lay providers with lived experience expertise to support similar others through peer support and evidence-based practices. Dr. Fortuna’s research has been funded by the National Institute for Mental Health and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). As a former Chair of the Patient Engagement National Advisory Council to PCORI, Dr. Fortuna had the opportunity to shape strategies that amplify patient voices in healthcare research, ensuring that outcomes are patient-centered and impactful. Currently, Dr. Fortuna serves on the National Advisory Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Standing Committee on Primary Care and Achieving Whole Health. This role allows her to contribute to advancing comprehensive healthcare solutions that integrate physical, mental, and social health for vulnerable populations. Dr. Fortuna also serves as a Standing Committee Member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Smartphone App Advisory Panel, the World Health Organization’s Committee on Intervention Development for People with Psychosis, and the American Psychological Association’s Digital Health Panel. In these roles, she provides strategic input on evaluating, endorsing, and integrating digital health technologies into behavioral health care. Dr. Fortuna has more than 130 peer-reviewed publications co-authored with patient partners in journals such as Journal of the American Medical Association-Open Network and the Lancet. Her work has been featured in national media outlets such as Forbes, Newsweek, and Fox Business. Dr. Fortuna is a former Health and Aging Policy Fellow and an American Political Science Congressional Fellow. In her policy work, her efforts have focused on shaping primary care and technology policies that address the needs of populations who face early mortality and may not have the chance to live into older adulthood.

I am the Founder and CEO of RCR|HUB, a U.S.-based platform that connects healthcare organizations with their Revenue Cycle partners (vendors) through education, awareness, and collaboration in healthcare revenue cycle management. I have more than 20 years of experience in healthcare marketing and technology, with a particular focus on Revenue Cycle Management strategies, AI-powered visibility, SEO/GEO, vendor positioning, automation, and the adoption of healthcare technology. Through my work with RCR|HUB, I provide solutions to help your organization improve discoverability, industry awareness, and connectivity.

I am the Chief Medical Officer at Boomerang Health Care, a state of the art multidisciplinary specialty group offering interventional, surgical and rehabilitative care through its 25 clinics in California. I also serve as the Medical Director at Le Reve: Regen, a leader in cutting edge restorative and regenerative solutions for Spine, Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal conditions. In the academic world, I have served as a Clinical Faculty at Stanford University for more than 20 years and have established myself as a world leader in cutting edge innovative therapeutic solutions. I completed her Anesthesiology residency from Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Fellowship in Pain Medicine from the University of California, Davis. I am board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine by American Board of Anesthesiology, in Interventional Pain by American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians and in Regenerative Medicine by American Board of Regenerative Medicine. I sit on the Editorial board of the journal, Pain Physician and serve on the board of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Latin American Pain Society, California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery, California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and Scilex (Nasdaq: SCLX). I am humbled to receive the Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Achievement Awards and other accolades. I have devoted my entire career to the field of Interventional spine and Regenerative medicine and have contributed via several peer reviewed journal articles, visionary editorials, and book chapters. My book, “Essentials of Regenerative Medicine” is first in its right illustrating latest interventional biologic techniques for spine and musculoskeletal injuries. I have also authored several National Guidelines including the ones on Opioids, Interventional Spine Epidural procedures, Facet joints, and the first ever on the Safe and Effective use of Biologics in Lumbar spine. I have completed the first prospective, multicenter, randomized placebo controlled trial demonstrating efficacy of platelet rich plasma and bone marrow concentrate in patients with back pain related to disc injury/degeneration. I consider myself an authority on global health care trends including digital health, technology innovations and applied biologics. Let’s connect and work together to make healthcare better, faster, and more effective – www.annunavani.com.

Dr. Manthan Tripathi is a medical professional, healthcare writer, and digital health educator based in India, with a clinical foundation from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University, Lucknow. He combines frontline medical training with over 3,000 published articles across patient education, preventive medicine, medical technology, and AI in healthcare, making him one of India's most prolific evidence-based health communicators. His work has appeared on platforms including Medicircle, HospitalSuggest, HealthVoice, DocVo, Dr. Malpani and IVF Matters, and is recognized for translating complex clinical concepts into accurate, reader-friendly content that helps patients make genuinely informed decisions. His healthcare and education content has generated over 55 million cumulative views across digital platforms. Dr. Tripathi brings a perspective that is rare among health sources: deep India-specific clinical knowledge, including India's disease burden, government health schemes, Indian drug brand names, and regional dietary patterns; context that generic Western health content consistently misses. He is the founder of drmanthan.com, an evidence-based health information and clinical tools platform built specifically for Indian patients, families, and medical students. He has also worked as a Subject Matter Expert with Physics Wallah and Chegg India, contributing academic content for competitive medical examinations including NEET. His areas of expertise include internal medicine, thyroid and metabolic disorders, diabetes, preventive health, and India-specific patient education. Journalists covering Indian healthcare, global health disparities, patient literacy, medical misinformation, or AI in medicine will find in Dr. Tripathi a source who speaks with both clinical accuracy and genuine public communication experience.

I build infrastructure for emerging technology transitions—and have been doing it for 20 years. Many know me for my work in digital health, where I spent two decades helping the industry understand how technology shapes behavior and decision-making. That work taught me something: every major platform shift creates new vulnerabilities and opportunities, and the companies that thrive are the ones who see them early. Today I'm focused on the agentic era—where AI systems operate autonomously and require fundamentally new approaches to security, commerce, and trust. WHAT I'VE SHIPPED Co-author of the #1 bestselling book ePatient 2015: 15 Surprising Trends Changing Healthcare (featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, and other publications). Co-founder of the FemAging Project, a global initiative driving women's health innovation. Creator of Femalytics, an AI-powered intelligence platform. Author of two FemAging Index studies, including one sponsored by AARP. Founder of Enspektos, LLC (est. 2005), which has evolved through Web 2.0, mobile, and ML eras—always at the intersection of emerging tech and real-world application. WHAT I'M BUILDING NOW AI Security Guard (aisecurityguard.io) is a multi-faceted platform for securing autonomous AI, combining protection APIs, product tooling, education, and original research on the agentic future.