Darrell J. Gaskin
Bio:
Darrell J. Gaskin, PhD is the William C. and Nancy F. Richardson Professor in Health Policy and Director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Gaskin is a health services researcher and public health economist. He is an internationally recognized expert in health and healthcare disparities. He seeks to identify and understand how contextual factors influence access to care, quality of care and health outcomes for minority, low socioeconomic status, and other vulnerable populations. His research develops and promulgates policies and practices that address the social determinants of health and promote equity in health and well-being. Dr. Gaskin is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He earned his Ph.D. in public health economics from the Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Emma Andrews
Vice President, Policy Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy, Pfizer
Dr. Emma Andrews LinkedIn
Bio:
Emma Andrews, Pharm.D. is Pfizer's Vice President, Policy, Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy. She and her team serve as the bridge between Pfizer's US commercial business and the policy environment, sitting at the intersection of policy, advocacy and health equity. Their focus is removing barriers to access so that Pfizer's medicines and vaccines get into the hands of all patients who need them. In addition, Emma works with internal and external stakeholders to advance patient focused programs across the enterprise and to deliver outcomes that matter to patients and those involved in their care.
Emma joined Pfizer in 1999 and has had multiple roles with increasing responsibility in Clinical Research, Operations, Strategic External Engagement and Medical Affairs. Her focus areas have spanned infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, malaria and she worked with multiple stakeholders to help improve HCP-Patient dialogue across multiple regions. Most recently, Emma was Pfizer’s Vice President, Global Patient Advocacy.
Emma completed her Doctor of Pharmacy, as well as her Bachelor of Pharmacy, at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science. She is motivated by Pfizer's common purpose: to bring breakthroughs to patients, regardless of where they are in the world. Her experience growing up in Uganda and Cote d'Ivoire, has shaped her commitment to reducing healthcare disparities, improving health literacy, and advancing health equity in all she does.
Heather Bagnall
Bio:
In 2018 candidate Heather Bagnall, a theatre maker, arts educator, non-profit administrator, Co-Founding Artistic Director, and award-winning playwright, made two campaign promises – to ensure District 33 became a relevant voice in Maryland, and to keep showing up for her constituents. Since her election Delegate Bagnall has served as Chair - AACo Delegation, Chair - Delegation Capital Budget and Public Health Subcommittees, Co-Chair - Crisis Bed Workgroup and the Self-Directed Services Workgroup, Legislative Liaison -Oral Health Task Force, the Commission on Public Health, the AHEAD model, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment workgroup, and the Statewide Steering Committee on Behavioral Health in Judiciary Settings, and is a member of Veteran’s Caucus, Latino Caucus, Transit Caucus. She served as 2 nd Vice President of the Women’s Caucus and was a Recipient of the Department of Defense Citation of Achievement, Census Champion, Legislator of the Year for American College of Emergency Physicians and Maryland State Dental Association, and Maryland Association of the Deaf Distinguished Service Award. In December 2025, Delegate Bagnall was appointed Chair of the House Health Committee. She continues to be a champion for public health, adolescent behavioral health care, civil rights and patient centered quality health care.
Kenneth Romero
Executive Director
Bio:
Kenneth Romero is the Executive Director of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), an affiliate of the Council of State Governments. Kenneth graduated from Boston University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. After completing his Juris Doctor at the University of Puerto Rico, he moved to Washington, DC to pursue a Master’s in International Business and Trade Law at American University. At the same time, he began his career in public service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working on trade policy. He later was appointed Director of Tourism for the City of San Juan. He also worked as Director of Issues and Public Affairs for the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico and later served as Legislative and Federal Affairs Counsel to four Secretaries of Transportation of Puerto Rico. Before joining NHCSL, Kenneth served as Executive Aide and Advisor to the Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives. He also served as Chairman of the Host Committee for the 53rd Annual Meeting and Policy Forum of CSG’s Eastern Regional Conference
Michael P. Cary, Jr.
PhD, RN, FAAN
Bio:
Michael P. Cary, Jr., PhD, RN, FAAN, is a tenured Associate Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing. His work examines how clinical, social, and healthcare-system factors affect recovery, healthcare use, and health outcomes among older adults and underserved populations. Dr. Cary’s research has two complementary arms. The first develops and evaluates AI-enabled clinical decision-support tools that help care teams identify older adults at risk for poor recovery, improve discharge planning, and support successful transitions back to the community. The second identifies and mitigates bias in clinical AI tools to reduce the risk of inaccurate or unequal recommendations that may harm specific patient groups. Together, these areas advance the benefits of clinical AI while addressing its potential risks. As Director of H.U.M.A.I.N.E.™—Human-Centered Use of Multidisciplinary Artificial Intelligence for Next-Gen Education and Research—Dr. Cary leads interdisciplinary efforts to prepare nurses and health system leaders to evaluate and govern AI responsibly. He also contributes to Duke Health’s Algorithm-Based Clinical Decision Support program, supporting the evaluation and monitoring of clinical algorithms. Through this work, he is helping shape national and global approaches to digital health policy, AI accountability, and patient protection.
Mike McDermott
Chief Global Supply and Quality Officer, Executive Vice President, Pfizer
Bio:
As Chief Global Supply and Quality Officer, Executive Vice President, Mike McDermott leads Pfizer’s internal and external manufacturing and supply chain activities.
Mike and the Pfizer Global Supply (PGS) team ensure uninterrupted supply for Pfizer’s entire product portfolio. This includes hundreds of medicines and vaccines provided to more than 185 countries worldwide. The PGS network, which includes more than 30 global manufacturing sites and approximately 30,000 colleagues, also works with more than 300 contract manufacturers to produce 50 billion doses of medicines and vaccines each year.
Mike has more than 30 years of industry experience, having joined Pfizer in 1989, by way of Wyeth, after starting as a Project Engineer in Pearl River, New York. He has held many roles, including Plant Manager and Operational Vice President of multiple divisions, including Consumer Healthcare, Biotechnology and Supply Chain, as well as roles in Finance and Marketing.
A passionate advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mike has enacted impactful changes to increase diversity within PGS and is the Executive Sponsor of Pfizer’s Women’s Resource Group, the company’s largest Colleague Resource Group.
Mike, his wife Katie and their five daughters – of whom he is incredibly proud – are committed to community engagement and social action. An active volunteer himself, Mike was a Board Member for People to People, a non-profit organization which helps under-served communities, for 10 years.
Mike holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), where he has been an adjunct professor. He was named an NJIT Distinguished Alumnus and is the recipient of the 2023 Newark College of Engineering Outstanding Alumnus Award.
Mike serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Manufacturers and is a member of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Forum.
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee
Bio:
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is a senior fellow in Governance Studies, the director of the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) and co-editor of the TechTank blog and podcast at the Brookings Institution, which is a global think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. She is also the founder of the AI Equity Lab, which focuses on convening experts from government, civil society, academia, and industry to develop purposeful, pragmatic, and inclusive solutions and policies. Dr. Turner Lee's research encompasses equitable access to technology across the U.S. and abroad. Her portfolio also includes leading research and public policy work focused on the identification and mitigation of online biases in artificial intelligence systems. She is the author of the book, Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass (Brookings Press, 2024), and has appeared throughout various news media, testified before Congress and international global governance bodies, and written extensively on tech and telecom issues. She has been recognized for her distinguished career contributions by the American Sociological Association, Washingtonian Magazine, the Alliance for Women in Media, and Rainbow PUSH Coalition, among others. She has her B.A. from Colgate University, and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University.
Gustavo Rivera
Bio:
State Senator Gustavo Rivera represents the 33rd District in the Northwest Bronx. Throughout his legislative career, he has passed more than 70 bills into law, protecting civil rights and addressing health inequities in our communities. In 2018, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins appointed Senator Rivera as the Chair of the Senate Health Committee. He has since passed several measures to eradicate medical debt from our state, expand health coverage for older, undocumented New Yorkers, and extend coverage for new mothers for a full year after giving birth. Senator Rivera is the main sponsor of the “New York Health Act," which would establish a universal, single payer health care system in New York. He also sponsors the bill to establish and regulate Overdose Prevention Centers to help New Yorkers struggling with substance abuse.
Vacheria Keys
Bio:
Vacheria Keys is a national leader in the community health center space and a recognized expert in health policy, executive strategy, and regulatory affairs. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc., she drives organizational strategy, operational excellence, and mission-aligned growth to expand high-quality, equitable primary care across the region. Prior to her chief executive role, Vacheria served as Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), where she positioned herself as a premier leader on federal and state health policy. In this role, she spearheaded national strategy and led advocacy efforts across critical issues, including the 340B and pharmacy landscape, Medicaid, Medicare, value-based care, behavioral health, rural health, and social drivers of health. Her ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and build coalition strength with key Congressional and Administrative leadership has made her a pivotal voice in national health equity initiatives. A licensed attorney, Vacheria’s career also includes key regulatory and legal roles with the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the National Women’s Law Center. She is a proud double HBCU graduate, holding a B.A. in Economics from Spelman College and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law.
Eric Griggs
Vice Chair, 100 Black Men of America Health & Wellness Committee, STEMNOLA
Bio:
Dr. Eric Griggs, affectionately known as "Doc Griggs," is a dynamic physician, community leader, and health educator with a deep passion for preventive health and wellness. As the Chief Health Officer of the Global Institute of Integrated Health, Dr. Griggs is committed to bridging health gaps globally through education, advocacy, and direct community engagement. He also serves as the Community Medicine Director and Associate Vice President of Community Health Affairs at Access Health Louisiana, where he leads impactful community health initiatives.
Doc Griggs' influence extends beyond traditional medicine. He has been a fixture at major events like the Bayou Classic and Essence Festival for over a decade, using his platform to educate and empower individuals on the importance of health screenings, fitness, and disease prevention. His notable accomplishments include authoring the children's book series The Adventures of Jamiale and Poppy - I Said I'm Gonna Be a Doctor and creating engaging health content through his podcast and animated videos on noisefilter.com.
In 2014, the Louisiana Senate and the New Orleans City Council both recognized Dr. Griggs as a Health and Wellness Ambassador, honoring his relentless dedication to public health. His upcoming venture, the 'Doc Griggs Corner' webinar series, continues his mission of making health education accessible, with interactive sessions on nutrition, exercise, mental health, and more. Doc Griggs teaches millions of people each year through his tegular media appearances locally, nationally and internationally on television, radio, animations, webinars, lectures., social media and community engagement.With a vision of "Get Checked. Get Fit. Get Moving!," Dr. Griggs remains a leading advocate for building healthier communities locally and globally."
Dr. Sheldon D. Fields
President & CEO, National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
Bio:
Dr. Fields is Research Professor and inaugural Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing at Penn State University. He is also founder and CEO of “The S.D.F Group, LLC”, which is a health innovation consultant company. He has over 30 years of experience in the health sector as an educator, researcher, clinician, administrator, consultant, health policy specialist, and entrepreneur / business owner. Dr. Fields is a well-known and respected HIV/AIDS prevention research scientist with a significant focus on young men of color. He is an Advanced AIDS Certified Registered Nurse and a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. He worked for over a decade as a primary care provider in a federally qualified health center with historically underserved disenfranchised populations. He is a lifetime member of the National Black Nurses Association, Inc., (NBNA) and currently serves as the organization’s 14th National President. He was the first ever male Registered Nurse selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellowship Program in which he served as a policy adviser to then Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) on the Senate HELP committee during the historic healthcare reform debates and passage of the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Fields is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the National Academies of Practice, and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing. He is the former dean of the Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, as well as the former dean of the school of Health Professions at New York Institute of Technology. He has held other academic and administrative positions at Binghamton University, University of Rochester, Florida International University, and Long Island University-Brooklyn. Dr. Fields received his Ph.D., in Nursing Science from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.S., in Family Nursing and B.S., in Nursing from Binghamton University. He completed his post-doctoral work in the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California San Francisco.
Melissa Bishop-Murphy, JD
Pfizer Senior Director, State Government Relations
Bio:
Melissa is Senior Director of National Government Relations and Multicultural Affairs for Pfizer, Inc. Melissa has twenty-eight years of lobbying and alliance development experience on the state and federal levels.
Melissa currently lobbies in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Melissa works nationally to build multicultural coalitions to advocate for greater access to healthcare and pharmaceuticals. She co-chairs Pfizer’s Multicultural Health Equity Collective, “MHEC”. The MHEC is a cooperative of Pfizer colleagues and US-based organizations focused on achieving health equity across ethnic groups and other underrepresented communities facing significant health disparities.
Prior to joining Pfizer in 1998, Melissa worked as General Counsel for the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance, a multi-billion-dollar Medicaid agency. As General Counsel, she concentrated on health care regulation and compliance, program evaluation, and the financing of various health care delivery systems for Medicaid recipients.
An alumnus of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Melissa received her B.A. degree in English/Pre-Law, summa cum laude. She received her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. and her MBA from the University of Georgia. Melissa serves on the Board of Trustees of Stillman College.
Some awards/honors Melissa has received include:
- 2022 Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) Rising Star
- 2021 Pfizer Global Inclusive Leader Award
- 2021 NOBEL Corporate Champion Award
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners’ Certificate for Outstanding Service and Lasting Contribution
- 2018 – Honorary Member, National Black Nurses Association – one of only two people to ever receive this honor
- 2014 Corporate Leadership Award – National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
- 2011 – Named one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Attorney, Women Looking Ahead Magazine
- Georgia State Medical Association Award – 2018
Melissa is committed to health care for all and is proud of her service to the public. According to Melissa, “Riches and wealth are short- term; only through service do we find significance for the long term.”
Shonta Chambers
Executive Vice President Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement, Patient Advocate Foundation
Bio:
Shonta Chambers is a seasoned non-profit executive and public health professional whose career spans more than 25 years of experience in chronic disease prevention, health promotion, community engagement, and women’s health. As Executive Vice President-Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement for the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), she is responsible for the development and execution of the Foundation’s national strategy to address health equity, with a specific focus on persons with chronic and complex health conditions residing in low-income communities with high disease morbidity and premature mortality. This includes establishing benchmarks to measure progress and impact. Shonta specifically drives program initiatives that respond to unaddressed social determinants of health and the social need gaps caused by them. As the staff lead for PAF's health equity work promoting person-centered care, she engages strategically with community stakeholders aligning with all facets where people seek assistance, to mitigate barriers to health care.
Shonta also serves as the Principal Investigator for the SelfMade Health Network, one of eight national networks supported by CDC-RFA-DP23-0015: CDC’s National Networks Driving Action: Preventing Tobacco-and Cancer-Related Health Disparities by Building Equitable Communities. She provides leadership in implementing and evaluating evidence-based strategies to advance the prevention of commercial tobacco use and promote early detection of cancer among populations with low socio-economic characteristics with the overall goal of decreasing related disparities.
Juliet Choi
Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum President & CEO
Bio:
Juliet K. Choi is the president and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), a national health justice organization which influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
She is an accomplished cross-sector leader and coalition builder who specializes in change management, system reform and stakeholder relations, particularly in the areas of immigration, civil rights, healthcare and disaster relief.
A senior executive, she served in the Obama administration as the former chief of staff and senior advisor of two federal agencies: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to her political appointments, she led disaster relief operations and strategic partnerships at the American Red Cross. She previously worked at the Partnership for Public Service, Asian American Justice Center, Mental Health America, and a Fortune 500 corporation.
The proud daughter of South Korean immigrants, Juliet is humbled to serve on the board of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission on Data Modernization.
Juliet received her J.D. from University of Maryland School of Law and clerked for the Hon. Dennis M. Sweeney (ret.) of the Circuit Court for Howard County, Maryland. She received her B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.
