LVBCH's 45th Anniversary Conference

SHRM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS

LVBCH is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

Receive 4.5 SHRM PDCs for attending the morning and afternoon sessions of this event and completing the satisfaction survey following the event!

AGENDA

7:30 a.m. - Registration, Networking & Exhibit Hall

-----------------Breakfast Sponsored by BSI

8:30 a.m. - Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:00 a.m. - KEYNOTE PRESENTATION - Momentum: Accelerate Your Performance without the Burnout

----------------- Suneel Gupta

10:00 a.m. - Networking Break & Exhibit Hall

----------------- Meet & Greet Opportunity with Suneel Gupta

10:30 a.m. - Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4): The Value of Health Care Transparency

----------------- Barry Buckingham, Executive Director

10:45 a.m. - Women's Health & Fertility with Progyny

----------------- Andrea Stelk, VP, Commercial Solutions, Progyny

11:10 a.m. - Virtual Respiratory Care with Health Care Originals

----------------- Sharon Samjitsingh, CEO, Health Care Originals

----------------- Jennifer Chambers, Chief Medical Officer, Health Care Originals

11:35 a.m. - Advocacy & Navigation with Health Advocate

----------------- Suzanne Starker, Senior Business Development Executive, Health Advocate

12:00 p.m. - Networking & Exhibit Hall

----------------- Presentation of Annual Charitable Organizations

----------------- Lunch Sponsored by Marsh McLennan Agency

1:00 p.m. - 2025 State of the Healthcare Industry

----------------- Daniel Kuzmanovich, Managing Director and Expert Partner, Advisory Board

2:00 p.m. - GLP-1 Benefit Design: Impact on Employee Health

----------------- Presentation: Clinical and Economic Impact of Obesity

----------------- -----Niki Patel, Medical Accounts Director, Novo Nordisk

----------------- Panel Discussion

---------------------- Moderator: Paul Dempsey, Director National Accounts, Novo Nordisk

----------------- -----Mark Mincy, R.Ph., Executive Vice President, US Rx-Care

---------------------- Mark Jacobson, D.O., Senior Medical Director, Capital Blue Cross

---------------------- Paul Lacombe, Senior Director of Clinical Services, Express Scripts by Evernorth

----------------- -----Hilary Weismantel, Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacists Manager, St. Luke's University Health Network

---------------------- Eileen Zielinski, Director - Benefits, PPL

PRESENTATIONS

KEYNOTE - MOMENTUM: ACCELERATE YOUR PERFORMANCE WITHOUT THE BURNOUT

More than ever before, people are struggling to find meaning in their work. In this talk, Suneel Gupta helps people reset, reignite, and re-engage through a timeless practice called Dharma. Simply put, Dharma brings “who you are” and “what you do” into alignment. When we’re not aligned, we become exhausted, depleted, and burned out. When we are aligned, we feel creative, energized, and lit up. We’re able to produce our best work and lead ourselves and others effectively, experiencing true joy along the way. Suneel first learned the practice of Dharma from his grandfather on a porch in New Delhi. Years later, when he was lost and exhausted — struggling to find a sense of meaning in his own work — he returned to the playbook his ancestors left behind and related it to today’s fast-paced, changing world of work.

We can’t create more time – but we can elevate our energy. Understanding that is the first step to increasing our capacity – personally and professionally – to build momentum and keep up with daily demands without succumbing to exhaustion. “People who fall short of their goals rarely run out of time or talent – they run out of energy,” says Suneel Gupta. As founding CEO of RISE (now part of Amazon), Suneel helped thousands overcome challenges with physical and mental health. Now, he’s committed to bringing a sustainable solution to the energy crisis at work. Grounded in his exclusive teachings at Harvard Medical School as well as over a decade of studying the work habits of extraordinary leaders, Suneel delivers insights about the “why” and “how-to’s” of strategic energy management – showing people practical ways to unleash momentum crucial to performance, innovation, collaboration, and overall well-being.

Suneel shares deeply personal stories of how he found a path back to purpose and joy – and how others have done the same. By the end, you’ll be inspired with actionable tools to re-engage in your work and life with a renewed sense of vigor and meaning.

PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CARE COST CONTAINMENT COUNCIL (PHC4): THE VALUE OF HEALTH CARE TRANSPARENCY

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4), established by the Legislature in 1986, is an independent state council charged with collecting, analyzing and publicly reporting information and data that can be used to improve the quality and restrain the cost of health care by fostering competition in the health care marketplace. Our mission is to empower Pennsylvanians to make informed health care decisions. We accomplish this through transparency, providing access to data, research, analysis, and reporting focused on the cost, utilization, and quality of health care delivery. 

2025 STATE OF THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

The healthcare industry is in a period of recalibration. Organizations are revisiting how they prioritize topline growth relative to their ability to secure sustainable margins, pivoting their business strategies accordingly - and altering the traditional power dynamics and relationships within the industry. 

To navigate this strategic environment, it is critical for leaders to sort structural forces from the temporary. The chaos of an election year, coverage churn, and procedure volume fluctuations distract from deeper structural shifts in the fragmented policy environment, tightened payment updates, and unsustainable utilization trends 

Key Learning Areas: The Future of Hospital Services - Regional hospital systems are navigating a fragile legacy business model and must chart a future strategy that is realistic for their local demand trajectory, competition, and capabilities. Care Delivery Network Design - Purchasers, plans, and providers alike are re-evaluating their approach to network design and participation. Many look to fragment their networks to cull their worst performing partners, while some are redoubling efforts to build networks through targeted, selective partnerships. Drug Revenue Competition - Private and public purchasers alike are pushing for novel solutions to rein in ballooning drug spending. These pressures put pharmacy stakeholders on a collision course as they try to retain revenue streams. Healthcare Data as a Strategic Asset - Heightening concerns about the role of AI in healthcare and industry cybersecurity interdependencies will require all organizations to proactively prepare if they hope to realize the potential of big data. 

GLP-1 Benefit Design: Impact on Employee Health

Niki Patel, PharmD, from Novo Nordisk will present the 2025 Employer Update on the Clinical and Economic Impact of Obesity. This presentation includes the latest clinical and real-world economic data around obesity care and the impact on employers and health benefits and will also provide an update on the following: GLP1s and the pipeline, translating weight loss into health outcomes, and cardiovascular outcomes.

Paul Dempsey from Novo Nordisk will then moderate a multi-stakeholder panel providing employer, consultant, insurer, PBM, and healthcare perspectives. The panel will react to the clinical update and provide insights into obesity as a disease state versus a risk factor, assessing the value of obesity care, recommendations on expanding obesity benefits, and the role of various stakeholders in managing employers' needs related to obesity coverage.

SPEAKERS

KEYNOTE -

SUNEEL GUPTA

As the founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company, Suneel Gupta helped thousands of people build better habits for life and work. Now as a bestselling author and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel has taken his mission one step further – helping people reset, reignite, and find meaning in their work by bolstering emotional resilience and engagement. Suneel asks, “How can an organization excel on the outside if its people are exhausted on the inside?”

Grit and hustle are simply not a long-term answer to dealing with nonstop change and stress. Suneel offers leaders and teams a better way to work; one that results in sustainable innovation, productivity, and fulfillment. He arms people with science-based habits that will avoid burnout, boost energy, and improve their professional and personal lives. Suneel is a business survivor and the author of the international bestselling book Backable (2020). That book is rooted in his inner journey from twice-failed entrepreneur to becoming a leader behind two IPOs and being named “The New Face of Innovation” by the New York Stock Exchange. The book reveals the mindset shifts and hidden habits of people who are extraordinary at pushing new ideas forward.

His transformative book Everyday Dharma (2023) codifies Suneel’s mission to help people reset, reignite, and re-engage through a timeless practice called Dharma. Simply put, Dharma brings “who you are” and “what you do” into alignment. When we’re aligned, we’re able to produce our best work and lead ourselves and others effectively, experiencing true joy along the way. As visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School, Suneel researches and teaches the interconnection between inner well-being and outer leadership. He is also emissary for Gross National Happiness between the United States and the Kingdom of Bhutan. As CEO of RISE Suneel helped thousands of people establish a way to personalize their physical and mental health journey while connecting with certified nutritionists and trainers at an affordable price. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then First Lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed company One Medical Group. In 2022, with its acquisition of One Medical Group, RISE is now part of Amazon. Suneel is the host of Business Class, a 2023 Webby Award-winning docuseries created by American Express (streaming on Amazon Prime), where he showcases entrepreneurs and business visionaries who embody struggle and resilience. He is joined on the show by guests like Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, former monk Jay Shetty, and Martha Stewart. He has partnered with The Second City comedy theater to teach students and executives how to innovate "on-your-feet'' during times of rapid change. Suneel has also personally backed ventures including Impossible Foods, Airbnb, 23andMe, and SpaceX. He was one of the very first investors in CALM, which now helps millions of people achieve a greater sense of work/life balance. When a reporter once asked Suneel about his purpose, his response was to “find good people, and inspire them to do what inspires them.”

BARRY BUCKIINGHAM

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CARE COST CONTAINMENT COUNCIL

Barry D. Buckingham has served as Executive Director of PHC4 since September 2021. Buckingham brings a broad-based health care background to the position. His experience includes leadership positions in hospitals, physician-owned practices, clinically integrated networks, and accrediting agencies. Buckingham’s background also includes administrative positions with a commercial health insurer and a Blues plan, and he served as the Chief Medical Economist for Pennsylvania Medicaid. Buckingham’s education includes a B.S. in Business Administration from Lebanon Valley College and a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) with a health care emphasis from Pennsylvania State University. His mission since joining PHC4 has been increasing the impact of the organization on the health and well-being of the citizens of Pennsylvania.

ANDREA STELK

VP, COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS

PROGYNY

Andrea has built her career at the intersection of clinical practice and program strategy, with a strong focus on advancing Women's Health. She began as a Registered Nurse and Clinical Educator, specializing in Labor & Delivery, OB/GYN, High-Risk Obstetrics, and GYN Surgery, spending over a decade in patient care. Her clinical expertise laid the foundation for her transition into the medical technology and benefits industry, where she focuses on program development, launching innovative solutions, and supporting new business initiatives. As VP of Commercial Solutions at Progyny, she provides clinical expertise across interdisciplinary teams, guiding strategy and innovation within Progyny's solutions portfolio.

SHARON SAMJITSINGH

CEO

HEALTH CARE ORIGINALS

Sharon has had asthma all her life and leads a team of people at Health Care Originals (HCO) dedicated to ensuring that people with chronic respiratory disease can live unencumbered by their condition, bringing peace of mind for them and their loved ones, while ensuring that those who pay for their care pay less. Sharon has more than 25 years’ experience of successful commercialization of innovative technologies in manufacturing, sustainability and healthcare. She is an inventor with more than 12 patents in 2 different fields.

To date, she has deployed 3 novel technologies in 3 different fields in 3 different countries, in areas where others have failed, but the technologies she championed have succeeded. Those technologies worked, scaled, and were profitable. She holds an MS from the University of Rochester, jointly issues by the Hajim School of Engineering and the Simon School; and a B.Sc. from the University of The West Indies, Faculty of Engineering. Sharon was named TechRochester’s Technology Woman of the Year in 2020, and was named one of the Top 100 in Fem Tech and Health Tech in 2019 by Women of Wearables. She was recently honored, along with others like Jane Goodall, by being included in the Names Dress (www.namesdress.com), a 3D-printed conceptual art piece that celebrates and brings awareness to the accomplishments of women in STEAM fields. The dress is made up of over 300 names of current and historic women in STEAM fields and was on display in Florence, Italy at the Ferragamo Museum’s Sustainable Thinking exhibition from April 12, 2019 through March 8, 2020. She has been Chairperson at the World Conference Forum’s Population Health Management Conference. She has also spoken at Wearable Technologies Conferences.

JENNIFER CHAMBERS, M.D.

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

HEALTH CARE ORIGINALS

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DANIEL KUZMANOVICH

MANAGING DIRECTOR & EXPERT PARTNER

ADVISORY BOARD

Daniel is an expert partner and national speaker with Advisory Board. He leads and presents research on diverse topics including value-based care, physician alignment, and industry trends to leaders from across the healthcare industry. Daniel also leads Advisory Board's team of expert presenters and facilitators. Daniel graduated from Emory University with BAs in history and classical civilizations and a minor in predictive health. Daniel is passionate about how technology influences the practice of medicine—and the Green Bay Packers.

PAUL DEMPSEY

DIRECTOR NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

NOVO NORDISK

Paul serves as the National Account Director for employers & employee benefit consultants at Novo Nordisk, a leader in Diabetes, Obesity, and Rare Disease pharmaceutical solutions. He is part of the Market Access team focusing on the development of benefits to address clinical obesity supporting public and self-insured employers.  He is committed to providing resources and pathways for employers that provide access to care for patients with obesity and reduce bias and stigma associated with excess weight.  

He is also Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science Business Engagement on Obesity Solutions Innovation Collaborative. His goal is to deliver access for clinical obesity solutions through benefit design that impact the direct and indirect health costs for employers. Paul holds a BS in Management from Canisius College and has been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years. He has led sales, training, and market access teams for both retail and specialty pharmacy channels with the last 8+ years focused on employer solutions for metabolic health.

MARK MINCY

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

US RX-CARE

Mark is a 4th generation pharmacist that started his career at Walgreens as a pharmacist in South Florida. Mark’s experiences with Walgreens included becoming a Pharmacy Manager, managing a Staff Model pharmacy for the 1st Medicare Advantage plan that later was acquired by Humana and District Pharmacy Supervisor.

Mark moved to Walgreens Health Care Plus which evolved into Walgreens Health Initiatives (WHI), in Sales and ended his career with WHI as the Vice President of Managed Care Sales and Service, which processed 38% of all Part D claims in 2006. Mark then began a career in consulting for health plans and large employer groups with focus on PBM contracting, PBM oversight, Specialty Pharmacy Strategy and CMS regulatory compliance. Mark provided consulting services to organizations including J&J, State of Wisconsin, Topco, MCS, Amerigroup and Centene. Mark joined US-Rx Care in 2018 as Executive Vice President and has been a part of business development, account services and product strategy.

MARK JACOBSON, D.O.

SENIOR MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CLIENT ANALYTICS

CAPITAL BLUE CROSS

Mark Jacobson, D.O., is the Senior Medical Director of Client Analytics at Capital Blue

Cross, where he brings extensive experience in population health, value-based care, and

medical leadership to his role. Mark Jacobson, D.O., is the Senior Medical Director of Client Analytics at Capital Blue Cross, where he brings extensive experience in population health, value-based care, and medical leadership to his role. Since rejoining Capital Blue Cross in December 2024, he has worked closely with client groups to develop personalized, data-driven strategies that improve the health of their workforce and optimize their healthcare costs. Dr. Jacobson’s expertise is particularly focused on managing populations with chronic conditions and maximizing the impact of health and wellness initiatives within organizations.

Prior to Capital Blue Cross, Dr. Jacobson held senior leadership positions for several decades at health plans, health systems, and accountable care organizations in the commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid sectors. He has also served as an Adjunct Associate

Professor of Public Health Services at Penn State College of Medicine for more than a decade. Dr. Jacobson holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in Internal Medicine. His academic journey also includes a B.S. in Biology from Albright College and an M.S. in Biology/Gerontology from Drexel University. Outside of his professional roles, Dr. Jacobson has been actively involved in various community health initiatives and has received several awards for his volunteer efforts, including the Volunteer of the Year Award from the American Heart Association’s Lebanon Division.

PAUL LACOMBE

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL SERVICES

EXPRESS SCRIPTS BY EVERNORTH

Paul joined Express Scripts in 1998 as a Clinical Account Executive. Since then, he has managed and coordinated clinical pharmacy service for a wide variety of clients, including employer groups, government coalitions, and managed care plans.

Paul has also developed expertise in specialty pharmacy and Medicare Part D plans. Prior to joining Express Scripts, he served as pharmacy director for MedPartners/Talbert Medical and managing pharmacist at FHP, where he was responsible for the start-up of the first staff model pharmacy in the Nevada region. Paul is also a licensed pharmacist in the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada.

HILARY WEISMANTEL

AMBULATORY CLINICAL PHARMACISTS MANAGER

ST. LUKE'S UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK

Hilary Weismantel, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM is the ambulatory clinical pharmacists manager and embedded ambulatory clinical pharmacist in multiple primary care offices at St. Luke’s University Health Network. In her current role, she manages chronic disease states (including type 2 diabetes and obesity) according to collaborative practice agreements, answers medication-related questions from patients and medical staff as well as expand ambulatory pharmacy services within the network. She also works collaboratively with other departments to improve quality measure outcomes. 

EILEEN ZIELINSKI

DIRECTOR - BENEFITS

PPL

Eileen Zielinski joined PPL in 2008 as a Benefits Administrator and was promoted to a variety of leadership roles and is currently serving as the Director of Benefits since 2021. Eileen has spent over 26 years of her career in Benefits. In her current role she oversees health/ welfare and retirement programs for over 11,000 employees and retirees across the PPL family of utilities in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Rhode Island. She has served as the LVBCH Board Chair and Past Chair. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and earned a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation. 

THANK YOU SPONSORS

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Alera Group | Bayer | Capital Rx | HRAdministrators | Johnson & Johnson | Marsh McLennan Agency

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