Speakers and Courses

Jay Drayer is CEO of CareFlash, a social networking service that enables people to support each other in unprecedented ways. Jay calls himself a "recovering CFO," whose evidence proves that positive transformation can be driven by tragic events. Previously the CFO of Sectorbase.com, a San Francisco-based company, Jay founded CareFlash as a result of having personally witnessed 9/11 after exiting the subway on his way to Wall Street. Jay then committed himself to reorient his life to “make a difference” and he conceived CareFlash.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc., which has been offering sales, marketing and customer service expertise to the health care industry since 1977. He writes a monthly column in HomeCare Magazine, serves on the HQAA Accreditation Review Committee, has published more than 200 articles on professional development issues, and continues to lecture extensively throughout the US. Louis' DSC Teleconference Series has presented more than 150 sessions for the health care industry since 2001. His new custom-branded newsletters are the only educational marketing product in the health care industry. Some of his most notable clients include: American Health Insurance Plans, where he is the author and consultant for all industry customer service programs; VGM, where he is educational advisrr; and a Brightree, where he is a consultant as they develop their new referral source management tool.

Curt McLees is compliance director for Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA). He manages HQAA's post-survey accreditation process, and oversees compliance and regulatory issues for HQAA. An advocate of quality improvement and compliance programs designed to improve and not burden HME businesses, Curt's post-survey responsibilities help suppliers apply the finishing touches on their accreditation journey. Curt has more than 27 years’ experience in HME operations, billing and regulatory experience, and has spent the last nine years focusing on HME compliance.

Merideth McDonald is vice president of VGM Technologies, the entity responsible for communication technology solutions for VGM. Before joining VGM 18 years ago, Merideth was with AT&T for 25 years. Much of her time at AT&T was spent developing solutions for customer communications, voice and data. She has worked with small business to large multi-national corporations. Merideth also worked in two of AT&T's largest call centers in Chicago and Atlanta. She managed sales groups and customer service representatives. She was also instrumental in the development of training materials for each center.

Asela M. Cuervo is a health care attorney practicing in Washington, D. C.  She has represented health care providers and payers, including HME providers, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and physicians on a variety of legal and business matters.  Her experience includes Medicare anti-kickback, reimbursement, and compliance with Medicare and other health laws and regulations such as HIPAA.  She is a member of the Provider Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC), a government committee providing guidance on the implementation of competitive bidding and accreditation for DMEPOS suppliers.

Ron Morelli, 55, of South Lyon, Mich., lost 192 pounds on season 7 of “The Biggest Loser,” weighing in at an initial 420 pounds. Since the live finale on May 12, 2009, he has maintained his weight since leaving the show.

Since keeping the weight off, he no longer has to take 14 pills a day. He believes that good sleep, enough exercise and the right foods make all the difference. 

Ron has logged more than 50,000 hours on his CPAP machines. Since losing the weight, his machine is on the lowest level it can go, and he believes that his CPAP is essential still for a good nights sleep.  

Ron enjoys talking to people about his Biggest Loser experience, losing weight through exercise and getting a good night’s sleep, thanks to his CPAP.  

Peggy Walker is billing and reimbursement adviser for U.S. Rehab/VGM. She assists VGM members with pre-pay review of rehab claims and other Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement issues and NSC re-enrollment processing. Peggy worked with the Region C DMERC as lead nurse in post-pay review, and assisted with development of coverage criteria for wheelchairs, CPMs and other medical policies. She is currently a member of Jurisdiction C Council, the Education A team leader for Jurisdiction C, member of the Rehab Council for AAH, and member of Region D NSC DAC and Region A POE. Peggy is very active with state associations, state Medicaids, manufacturers, and private pay insurances. She now offers community forums to educate referral sources about their responsibilities in documentation process.

Mary Schreck is U.S. marketing manager of the home respiratory group for the Phillips Respironics Home Respiratory Division. She has been with Respironics for 17 years in a variety of roles. Mary has bachelor's degree in marketing management from Penn State University.

Cara Bachenheimer is senior vice president of government relations at Invacare Corp.  She has a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Trinity College.  Before joining Invacare, she was with the law firm of Epstein, Becker & Green, where she represented health care clients in legal and regulatory matters arising under Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payment programs, as well as health care fraud issues.  Prior to that, Cara spent more than 10 years with national associations representing the HME industry, focusing on government relations.

John E. Gallagher is vice president of government relations for VGM Group, Inc. He oversees key government and regulatory affairs that pertain to the HME industry. John has traveled thousands of miles to educate both state associations and independent providers on regulatory and government issues.  Additionally, he works with independent providers and state associations to promote the HME industry, while advocating for beneficiaries’ access to quality care.  In 2008, John became a board member of the Fraud Eradication Advisory Team (FEAT), an advisory council of industry leaders who have shown a commitment to eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in the HME industry.

Asela M. Cuervo is a health care attorney practicing in Washington, D. C.  She has represented health care providers and payers, including HME providers, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and physicians on a variety of legal and business matters.  Her experience includes Medicare anti-kickback, reimbursement, and compliance with Medicare and other health laws and regulations such as HIPAA.  She is a member of the Provider Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC), a government committee providing guidance on the implementation of competitive bidding and accreditation for DMEPOS suppliers.

Jeffrey Leonard is the president of No Limits Communications, Inc., publishers of New Mobility Magazine, Disability Product Postcards, The Complete Product Guide for People with Disabilities, Spinal Network (the total wheelchair resource book), From There to Here, Kids on Wheels (a book for wheelchair-using kids and the important adults in their lives), Enabling Romance (a textbook discussing sexuality for people with disabilities), newmobility.com, disabilityphoto.com (a stock photo house of disability related images), and disabilitypostcards.com. He is on the board of directors of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, and consults for several disability-related associations, manufacturers and firms. He has been providing print and electronic media services, as well as product and market information to wheelchair users for more than 20 years.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc., which has been offering sales, marketing and customer service expertise to the health care industry since 1977. He writes a monthly column in HomeCare Magazine, serves on the HQAA Accreditation Review Committee, has published more than 200 articles on professional development issues, and continues to lecture extensively throughout the US. Louis' DSC Teleconference Series has presented more than 150 sessions for the health care industry since 2001. His new custom-branded newsletters are the only educational marketing product in the health care industry. Some of his most notable clients include: American Health Insurance Plans, where he is the author and consultant for all industry customer service programs; VGM, where he is educational advisrr; and a Brightree, where he is a consultant as they develop their new referral source management tool.

Chris Godlewski is senior merchandiser for Gladson Interactive's Store Design Group in Lisle, IL. Chris joined Gladson in 2002, bringing more than 20 years of merchandising knowledge and experience to this design and merchandising firm that specializes in independent pharmacies and home health care stores. Prior to joining Gladson, Chris was a merchandising manager for a national grocery/drug store chain. Chris is the author of numerous articles on merchandising and conducts workshops for clients on effective merchandising strategy.

Robert Mayslak is a retail design consultant/merchandiser at Gladson Design Group, a design and merchandising firm for home health care stores and pharmacies. Bob joined Gladson in 1999. Prior to Gladson, Bob was co-manager for a national grocery/drug store chain, where he was responsible for weekly store resets as well as the development of promotional goods displays. His current focus is helping independent store owners effectively design their store along with incorporating product placement in merchandising to generate increased sales.

Wayne E. Stanfield is president and CEO of the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers, a home medical equipment industry consultant, a former air traffic controller, and has been involved in the HME industry for more than 21 years. During this period, Wayne served as the director of operations of a large independent HME operation in Virginia, and subsequently became a co-owner of two full service HME companies and two unit-dose pharmacies. He also manages a Virginia-based provider network with 63 locations in 11 states. Wayne is a former member of the Region B DMERC Council, and participated in the several NAMES Project Blueprint programs, as well as the NAMES Consensus Conference on HME held in Washington in 1993. He is a 20-year Air Force veteran, and the recipient of the Bronze Star for service in Vietnam.

Alan Morris is regulatory analyst with VGM Group, Inc. Alan's most recent projects have included educating providers on important legislative and regulatory issues. With an extensive background on DMEPOS Competitive Bidding (and the recent MIPPA legislation), oxygen regulations, surety bond issues, and PECOS, Alan has given many presentations and assisted hundreds of providers on compliance issues. He received a bachelor's degree in business from Ferris State University, and was previously employed as head golf professional for Overland Park Golf Club.

Elizabeth Cole is director of clinical rehab services for U.S. Rehab. She has been involved for the past 25 years in many aspects of the provision of assistive technology. As a physical therapist, Elizabeth practiced in neuro-rehabilitation and ran a seating and mobility clinic. She then joined a major DME manufacturer, working first in seating and mobility sales and later as director of education, responsible for development and instruction of education programs in seating and mobility prescription. She has also used her industry experiences as a consultant, providing clinical and reimbursement consulting for HME and assistive technology. She has been published in national industry journals, is a member of the RESNA Board of Directors, a Friend of NRRTS, and a member of the Clinician's Task Force.

Ann Eubank, OTR/L, ATP, MSSW, is clinical services manager for Permobil, Inc. She is also executive director of Users First Alliance, a consumer advocacy, Web-based organization. Ann has developed and presented educational programs nationally and internationally since 1995. She has held an adjunct faculty position at Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy, where she has been a thesis adviser in the doctoral program. Ann has been a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University's Bioengineering Program since 2006, and has been practicing in the seating and position field for more than15 years.

Clay Stribling is president of HC Comply. He previously worked for the Health Care Group of Brown & Fortunato, P.C., where he represented DME companies, pharmacies, hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers on compliance issues as well as legal matters.  During this time, Clay achieved recognition by obtaining Board Certification in Health Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  In addition, he has been certified in Health Care Compliance (CHC) since 2006.  In May of 2010, Clay formed HC Comply and now focuses on assisting suppliers with compliance program development, auditing, monitoring and training. Clay graduated with honors from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in 1999.

Adam Wing is vice president of International Business for AbleNet, Inc. For the last 13 years, he has provided guidance in the development, implementation, and delivery of special needs software, hardware, and educational tools in the assistive technology field. In his current position, Adam manages a reseller network of more than 500 distributors in more than 60 countries. Adam is president of the board of directors for the Alliance for Technology Access, a 20-year-old, non-profit organization dedicated to technology access for all.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc., which has been offering sales, marketing and customer service expertise to the health care industry since 1977. He writes a monthly column in HomeCare Magazine, serves on the HQAA Accreditation Review Committee, has published more than 200 articles on professional development issues, and continues to lecture extensively throughout the US. Louis' DSC Teleconference Series has presented more than 150 sessions for the health care industry since 2001. His new custom-branded newsletters are the only educational marketing product in the health care industry. Some of his most notable clients include: American Health Insurance Plans, where he is the author and consultant for all industry customer service programs; VGM, where he is educational advisrr; and a Brightree, where he is a consultant as they develop their new referral source management tool.

Warren G. Freeman, CFP ®, FFSI, helps lead all sales, marketing, and business development opportunities for VGM Insurance.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  He holds several insurance and financial field designations including his Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Fellow, Financial Services Institute (FFSI), and Fraternal Insurance Counselor (FIC).  Warren joined VGM in 2008, and before that, he held a variety of sales and marketing positions for a large national financial services company and for a regional insurance provider.

Troy Randall, CFP®, CLU®, CHFC®, REBC®, joined Principal in early 2004 after being a national cross sell manager for one of the largest banks in the country. He has been in the financial services industry for 22 years and in that time has been an agent, fee-based financial planner and business planning specialist.  He has multiple professional designations and works with firms to address business owners have with succession and estate planning. 

Vince Crew is founder and owner of REACH Development, and a long-time VGM consultant. He works with health care provider owners and executives throughout the U.S., and is the creator of The HME Power Management Success System, and author of four books, including his newest, “Everyday Ethics, Everlasting Consequences.” He is a resource for national print, TV, radio, and Internet media outlets, having been quoted in Entrepreneur Magazine, appeared on CNN, PBS, CNBC, and FOX Business. He is the FOX News radio ethics analyst, a regular contributor to TheStreet.com financial Web site, and syndicated columnist of Beyond the Bottom Line. Vince has produced The One Sheeter© monthly newsletter since 1997, and is a frequent contributor to a number of industry publications.

Wayne van Halem formed his own Atlanta-based consulting firm, WVH Consulting, LLC, in 2006. His practice provides counsel and leadership on issues related to audits, investigations, medical reviews, appeals, compliance, enrollment, billing and education. He is a resource for health care providers, government agencies, contractors, legal counsel, law enforcement, and journalists. He has worked as a fraud analyst, Medicare fraud information specialist, and senior investigator. He was named an accredited health care fraud investigator by the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, and a certified fraud examiner by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He also served as the statutory appeals manager for DME appeals nationally.

Christina Throndson is VGM Forbin's Search Engine Optimization/Search Engine Marketing specialist, assisting Web site customers with using key word phrase search to improve the volume and quality of traffic to their site through search engines. She has earned prestigious designations from both Google and Yahoo, establishing her expertise as a search engine specialist. Prior to joining Forbin, Christina was a patient care coordinator for VGM HOMELINK.

Jeremy Kauten is general manager of VGM Forbin, the Web design and technology consulting division of the VGM Group. His responsibilities include managing the sales division, the Web programming and design team, and the day-to-day business operations of Forbin. Jeremy has developed a reputation for delivering effective solutions to HME businesses seeking to enhance their presence on the Web. He is a frequent speaker on topics relating to optimizing search engine rankings and consumer use of the Internet for medical-related purposes.

Donna Ploof is senior solutions consultant with Trusted Employees in Minnetonka, Minn. She specializes in due diligence background reporting, and regularly speaks about permissible purpose, due diligence, proper selection of searches and drug testing. Donna is a member of SHRM and a board member of Human Resource Professionals of Minnesota (HRP-MN).

Mike Mallaro is chief financial officer of VGM Group, Inc. He has executive responsibilities for all financial, tax, information technology and employee benefit matters for VGM, as well as responsibility for five VGM operational divisions: VGM Forbin, VGM Technologies, vgm creative, Strategic Media, Ltd.,  and Strategic Imaging. He is a frequent speaker on HME industry topics, including financial analysis, benchmarking, the Internet and trends for the future. Previously, he was CFO for Gordman’s, a retail chain, where he was part of a turnaround executive team. Mike spent the first 12 years of his career as a CPA with Deloitte & Touche, where his clients ranged from start-ups to Fortune 100 businesses. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he holds the CPA and CMA designations.

Mark Higley is vice president of Development of VGM Group, Inc., with responsibilities including corporate business development, market research and industry analysis. His current projects include analysis of governmental, regulatory and compliance issues affecting the DMEPOS industry, including national competitive bidding, accreditation, health care reform, oxygen benefits, and other recent provider issues (HITECH/HIPPA updates, clarification policies, quality and supplier standards, OIG, fraud and abuse concerns, etc.). Mark sits on the AAHomecare Regulatory Committee, and is a frequent speaker at HME industry events. He received his master's of business administration in marketing research from the University of Iowa, and earned undergraduate degrees in Finance and Economics. Prior to joining VGM in 1998, Mark held a variety of executive positions with the Arena Football League, Chicago, and as a financial analyst with Deere & Company, Moline.

Mindy Casterton-Humpal has been a part of the VGM team for six years. She joined VGM with education and experience in human services, and has worked in the residential setting with adults with disabilities as well as the senior population. Mindy spent five years with VGM’s HOMELINK division, starting out as a patient care coordinator, then working in the marketing department and finally managing the workers' compensation team. Mindy has been involved with the HME provider online lead generation program since its inception and believes it is a valuable educational resource for the aging in place movement and a source of new business for VGM Members.

Bill Stelzer, retired general manager of Green Bay Home Medical Equipment, is home modifications coach and HME consultant to Accessible Home Improvement of America (AHIA), VGM Group’s newest division. During his 11 years as GM, Green Bay Home Medical Equipment increased net sales from $1.5 million to $6 million, while decreasing Medicare/Medicaid/insurance contracting billings from more than 90 percent to less than 50 percent of Green Bay’s business. Bill received a bachelor’s degree from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wis., a Master of Coaching Certification through the Healthcare Partnership, and a character education teacher/trainer certification through the Josephson Institute. He is a licensed respiratory care practitioner, a certified cardiac exercise technologist, and previously was a registered cardiac/vascular ultrasound technologist.

Jim Karl, CEAC, CAPS, GC, BS, is co-owner of All In One Accessibility, Marietta, Ga. He has more than 20 years of hands-on experience in construction and accessible renovations. He has been published in the Journal of Life Care Planning and New Edition of Life Care Planning Handbook. His company services the Southeast and consults throughout the continental U.S. Jim serves on the Disability Action Committee, which deals with issues affecting new home building and legislative action to increase awareness for a zero-step entrance and accessible bathrooms on the main level. He has conducted seminars at the Post Polio Association Conference, Atlanta Alliances of Developmental Disabilities and Medicaid Case Manager Training Programs, and has been a featured speaker at International Life Care Planning Symposium.

Sarah Hanna is vice president of ECS Billing & Consulting, Inc., and is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant on HME reimbursement. Sarah has worked in the billing industry for more than 19 years, and has conducted numerous training seminars and personal client consultations on proper billing protocols, Medicare coverage guidelines, and billing office procedures for effective accounts receivable collections. Sarah is a VGM consultant, and is a member of HomeCare Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. She has written articles for HME News and HomeCare Magazine on reimbursement, and has been a presenter for AAHomecare and various state and regional conferences, including Medtrade.

Jim Greatorex is president of Black Bear Medical, which services Maine and New Hampshire. Jim has 29 years experience in the HME industry. He is a member of AA Homecare, and a member of the board of directors of NEMED after serving as the organization’s president. In addition to providing complex rehab products, HME and supplies, Jim’s company also runs a robust retail operation that averages more than $1 million in annual sales.

Suzanne Elkins is post acute care-home care channel director for Hill-Rom, Inc. She has more than 22 years of sales, marketing and merchandising experience. Suzanne has built successful business units across the ownership continuum: as a manufacturer rep, portfolio manager, merchandising manager, sales manager, sales director, small business owner, and consultant and professor. She has grown sales to $10 million and more in less than three years several times by diversifying product offerings and services.

Jane Bunch is CEO and founder of Jane’s Healthcare Consulting, Inc., Marietta, Ga. With more than 29 years’ experience in the HME and pharmacy industries, Jane provides educational seminars, training, corporate compliance plans, educational publications, and assists with fraud and abuse cases. She has been involved with competitive bidding projects since 1999, and offers advice on streamlining, bidding and networking for providers affected by the bidding process. Jane is widely published, and is a frequent speaker at industry trade shows, state association meetings and other health care industry events. She is a VGM consultant, and serves on the Region C Advisory Council, the editorial advisory board for HomeCare Magazine, and the HME Expo Educational Committee.

Bryan Hines is a senior implementation manager for Brightree LLC. Prior to this role, he was director of reimbursement for Texas Home Medical in Houston. With more than 17 years’ experience in the HME industry, Bryan has served many roles as a software provider, HME provider, and consultant. He has been involved in provider acquisition integration, operational performance analysis, as well as inventory and financial auditing.

Jana Macon is vice president of Strategic Services for Brightree. She has 15 years’ experience in directing and managing many operational aspects of software development, implementation, and support.  At Brightree, Jana is charged with championing the success of all customers, beginning with the implementation and data conversion. Prior to joining Brightree, Jana was director of Customer Services at IQ Software where she led a team that managed all post-sales consulting, implementation, and training. She also worked for Precision Software in roles as a quality assurance analyst, customer support manager, and training and implementation manager. Jana graduated in 1992 from Christopher Newport University with BSIS, Bachelors of Computer Science - Information Science.

Neil Caesar is president of the Health Law Center, a national law firm for the health care industry in Greenville, S.C. He is also on the board of directors and corporate counsel for the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers. For 27 years, Neil has served the consulting and legal needs of HME and home health agencies; medical practices; inpatient, outpatient and freestanding facilities; networks and alliances; and other health providers. He has written or edited five treatises on regulatory compliance, including the Home Care Compliance Answer Book and the Medicare Compliance Answer Book. He has contributed to more than 600 articles in national publications, and has spoken at many national conferences. Neil received his J.D. from the University of Virginia. He attended Washington University in St. Louis as a Mylonas Scholar, where he received his B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.

Ty Bello is a registered corporate coach with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches, and president and founder of Team@Work. With more than 20 years of experience in HME and the medical industries, Ty is an inspirational leader who is passionate about serving and cultivating leaders in and outside of the business arena. He has been a featured writer in several trade journals, and is a sought-after speaker. Ty is passionate about working with HME providers and taking the business and its teams to the next level of success.

Mary Ellen Conway is a nurse health care consultant with more than 25 years’ expertise in management throughout the health care continuum. As president of Capital Healthcare Group, LLC, Mary Ellen is known for her special expertise in operations and regulatory issues in home health, hospice, medical equipment and accreditation. She has been qualified as a legal expert in home health, and has served on the faculty of both Georgetown University and Catholic University's Schools of Nursing. Mary Ellen is a nationally recognized health care speaker and author.

Anne M. Obarski, is a professional speaker and author who works closely with retail organizations. Anne has been the executive director of Merchandise Concepts since 1984. Anne is a former buyer for the May Co. department stores (now under the Macy's name), college retail instructor, and co-author and author of four books on customer service. She is a member of the National Speakers Association.

Rob Bell began teaching his customer service and communication and leadership skills programs early in his tenure as the personnel development/education and training director for Dick's Supermarkets, Inc. Drawing on more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles, customer service, and training, Rob makes his presentations simple, clear and FUN. He is a member of the National Speakers Association, and has been speaking professionally since 1995.

Bob Shellenberger, LRCP, is owner and vice president of operations for Qualicare Home Medical. Bob has more than 25 years’ experience in the HME industry, and has served in various management positions with both regional and national HME companies.  A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in health-related professions and respiratory care, he has had various acute care positions in respiratory care for 15 years, including technical director of cardiopulmonary services at Forbes Regional Health System. He is a contributing writer for the Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care Home Care Procedure Manual and the Western Pennsylvania Hospital Council Quality Assurance Manual for Respiratory Care. Bob has served in various elected positions for  the Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care, including president and delegate to the AARC.

John Durkee is vice president of sales, North America, for medSage Technologies. He entered the HME industry as an independent manufacturers’ representative, developing sales-related programs that combined product/services with business opportunities. He has developed regional and national sales organizations for companies in the HME industry. In 1996, John created and introduced the industry's first Web-based bulletin boards for provider communication.

Bob Messenger, BS, RRT, CPFT, is respiratory clinical education specialist for Invacare Corp.  His more than 30 years’ experience includes acute care as well as operational and ownership experiences in both home care and sleep diagnostics. Bob has been published in trade and professional journals, and has lectured on a variety of respiratory and sleep-related topics. He is a part-time faculty member of the Respiratory Care Program at Cuyahoga Community College in Parma, Ohio.

Jennifer Myers, CEAC, CAPS, founded Home Modification Solutions in 2006.  A culmination of her combined experience in the medical field, mortgage industry, remodeling and HME industry, Home Modification Solutions emerged as, what Jennifer describes, “her life’s work” at a time when aging loved ones were under the care of rehab and long-term care facilities because of inadequate home access and care. As accessibility consultant, her experience includes financing needs analysis, problem solving for access-related issues, and strategic planning for future and long-term goals, among others. She earned her associate degree at Valencia Community College, and went on to major in education at the University of Central Florida.  She later completed requirements to obtain certifications both in Aging in Place through the National Association of Home Builders and Environmental Access Consulting through U.S. Rehab.

Amy Blackmore is associate publisher of several magazines for No Limits Communications: New Mobility Magazine, Disability Product Postcards and The Complete Product Guide for People with Disabilities and Spinal Network (the total wheelchair resource book). Amy works daily with manufacturers and distributors of disability-related equipment, helping them communicate with the consumer, and advising them on their marketing strategies. Amy also works very closely with countless disability organizations, marketing to their membership lists. In addition, she launched the consumer Independence Expo shows for the United Spinal Association, one of the world's leading associations for people with spinal cord injuries.

Jeffrey Leonard is the president of No Limits Communications, Inc., publishers of New Mobility Magazine, Disability Product Postcards, The Complete Product Guide for People with Disabilities, Spinal Network (the total wheelchair resource book), From There to Here, Kids on Wheels (a book for wheelchair-using kids and the important adults in their lives), Enabling Romance (a textbook discussing sexuality for people with disabilities), newmobility.com, disabilityphoto.com (a stock photo house of disability related images), and disabilitypostcards.com. He is on the board of directors of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, and consults for several disability-related associations, manufacturers and firms. He has been providing print and electronic media services, as well as product and market information to wheelchair users for more than 20 years.

Erika Williams is the ombudsman for the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC). A native of Denmark, South Carolina, Erika is responsible for all aspects of educating the DMEPOS supplier community.  She is not new to working with diverse publics to achieve educational or training goals.  Before joining the NSC, Erika managed the community outreach efforts at United Way, and was employed as a provider relations representative for the South Carolina Medicaid program.  Erika is also a weekend DJ at a local radio station in South Carolina.

Max Garner is a provider relations senior analyst with CIGNA Government Services. Max was the congressional liaison for CGS Region D and Jurisdiction C prior to joining the DME MAC Provider Outreach and Education team.  His nine years of Medicare experience spans claim processing, customer service, and Part B Provider Enrollment/Credentialing.

Jim Hardiman is an outreach specialist with NHIC, Corp., Jurisdiction A Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DME MAC). NHIC processes Medicare claims for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) for beneficiaries residing in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington D.C.  Jim has more than 15 years experience with the DMEPOS Medicare line of business, including his current position with the Outreach and Education Team. Jim has come to NHIC from the previous DMERC contractor, HealthNow NY Inc.  Some of the areas he worked in include Technical Services and Reconsideration/Hearings.

Elizabeth Cole is director of clinical rehab services for U.S. Rehab. She has been involved for the past 25 years in many aspects of the provision of assistive technology. As a physical therapist, Elizabeth practiced in neuro-rehabilitation and ran a seating and mobility clinic. She then joined a major DME manufacturer, working first in seating and mobility sales and later as director of education, responsible for development and instruction of education programs in seating and mobility prescription. She has also used her industry experiences as a consultant, providing clinical and reimbursement consulting for HME and assistive technology. She has been published in national industry journals, is a member of the RESNA Board of Directors, a Friend of NRRTS, and a member of the Clinician's Task Force.

Heather Trumm, BSN, RN, CWOCN, is VGM's director of wound care and bariatrics. She joined VGM in June of 2006, and travels throughout the country to educate about the various aspects of wound care and bariatrics. Heather earned her bachelor of science-nursing degree from Waterloo's Allen College. Throughout her career, Heather has practiced nursing in a variety of settings, including medical/surgical, home health, community health, and health promotion. Heather is a member of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Society and a committee member for the wound, ostomy, and continence certification board. Prior to VGM, she worked in marketing and sales with major pharmaceutical companies.

Bob Messenger, BS, RRT, CPFT, is respiratory clinical education specialist for Invacare Corp.  His more than 30 years’ experience includes acute care as well as operational and ownership experiences in both home care and sleep diagnostics. Bob has been published in trade and professional journals, and has lectured on a variety of respiratory and sleep-related topics. He is a part-time faculty member of the Respiratory Care Program at Cuyahoga Community College in Parma, Ohio.

Alan Morris is regulatory analyst with VGM Group, Inc. Alan's most recent projects have included educating providers on important legislative and regulatory issues. With an extensive background on DMEPOS Competitive Bidding (and the recent MIPPA legislation), oxygen regulations, surety bond issues, and PECOS, Alan has given many presentations and assisted hundreds of providers on compliance issues. He received a bachelor's degree in business from Ferris State University, and was previously employed as head golf professional for Overland Park Golf Club.

Sarah Hanna is vice president of ECS Billing & Consulting, Inc., and is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant on HME reimbursement. Sarah has worked in the billing industry for more than 19 years, and has conducted numerous training seminars and personal client consultations on proper billing protocols, Medicare coverage guidelines, and billing office procedures for effective accounts receivable collections. Sarah is a VGM consultant, and is a member of HomeCare Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board. She has written articles for HME News and HomeCare Magazine on reimbursement, and has been a presenter for AAHomecare and various state and regional conferences, including Medtrade.

Rick Driver is the vice president of medical sales for P.W. Minor. Rick is a certified pedorthist with 30 years of experience in orthopedic footwear retail and wholesale. 

Alan Johnson is national account manager of medical sales for P.W. Minor. With 30 years of experience in the therapeutic and wellness footwear industry. Alan is also a frequent lecturer for the Oklahoma State Certified Pedorthic Program.

Brian Rourke is national sales manager for PDG: Product Design Group. Brian has worked in the DME industry for 25 years, serving in many positions such as education manager for Genus Medical/Tarsys, technical education manager for LaBac Systems and western regional manager for Snug Seat

Joseph S. Lewarski, BS, RRT, FAARC, is vice president of Invacare Corp.’s Respiratory Products Group. He has worked in health care for more than 24 years. He is a registered respiratory therapist, a Fellow of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), and the past recipient of the American Respiratory Care Foundation Award for Excellence in Home Respiratory Care. He is vice president of external affairs and board member for the AARC, chairman of the HME/RT Council and a board member of  AAHomecare.

Peggy Walker is billing and reimbursement adviser for U.S. Rehab/VGM. She assists VGM members with pre-pay review of rehab claims and other Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement issues and NSC re-enrollment processing. Peggy worked with the Region C DMERC as lead nurse in post-pay review, and assisted with development of coverage criteria for wheelchairs, CPMs and other medical policies. She is currently a member of Jurisdiction C Council, the Education A team leader for Jurisdiction C, member of the Rehab Council for AAH, and member of Region D NSC DAC and Region A POE. Peggy is very active with state associations, state Medicaids, manufacturers, and private pay insurances. She now offers community forums to educate referral sources about their responsibilities in documentation process.

Michael Babinec, OTR/L, ABDA, ATP, is product manager for power wheelchair electronics and seating and positioning products for Invacare Corp. He is a RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Practitioner, and Senior Disability Analyst/Diplomate on the American Board of Disability Analysts.  A licensed occupational therapist with nearly 30 years of experience, Michael’s clinical experience includes working in hospital settings with patients with a large variety of disabilities.

Jane Bunch is CEO and founder of Jane’s Healthcare Consulting, Inc., Marietta, Ga. With more than 29 years’ experience in the HME and pharmacy industries, Jane provides educational seminars, training, corporate compliance plans, educational publications, and assists with fraud and abuse cases. She has been involved with competitive bidding projects since 1999, and offers advice on streamlining, bidding and networking for providers affected by the bidding process. Jane is widely published, and is a frequent speaker at industry trade shows, state association meetings and other health care industry events. She is a VGM consultant, and serves on the Region C Advisory Council, the editorial advisory board for HomeCare Magazine, and the HME Expo Educational Committee.

Amy Meyer is a pediatric and standing specialist for Permobil, Inc., and is an active member of RESNA and APTA. She worked for Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the past, where she was involved in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Amy was also the lead therapist in the Wheelchair Clinic, a position that included evaluation for equipment as well as power mobility training for young children. She has presented lectures both nationally and internationally.

Peggy Walker is billing and reimbursement adviser for U.S. Rehab/VGM. She assists VGM members with pre-pay review of rehab claims and other Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement issues and NSC re-enrollment processing. Peggy worked with the Region C DMERC as lead nurse in post-pay review, and assisted with development of coverage criteria for wheelchairs, CPMs and other medical policies. She is currently a member of Jurisdiction C Council, the Education A team leader for Jurisdiction C, member of the Rehab Council for AAH, and member of Region D NSC DAC and Region A POE. Peggy is very active with state associations, state Medicaids, manufacturers, and private pay insurances. She now offers community forums to educate referral sources about their responsibilities in documentation process.

Jennifer Myers, CEAC, CAPS, founded Home Modification Solutions in 2006.  A culmination of her combined experience in the medical field, mortgage industry, remodeling and HME industry, Home Modification Solutions emerged as, what Jennifer describes, “her life’s work” at a time when aging loved ones were under the care of rehab and long-term care facilities because of inadequate home access and care. As accessibility consultant, her experience includes financing needs analysis, problem solving for access-related issues, and strategic planning for future and long-term goals, among others. She earned her associate degree at Valencia Community College, and went on to major in education at the University of Central Florida.  She later completed requirements to obtain certifications both in Aging in Place through the National Association of Home Builders and Environmental Access Consulting through U.S. Rehab.

Jackie Dzugen is manager of home modifications for VGM Homelink. She has worked in the medical field since 1985, and in the workers’ comp arena since 1992, specializing in special rehab equipment, home modifications, catastrophic injuries, orthotics and prosthetics, and nursing. She has been performing home modifications and assessment for five years. She is certified by the CEU Institute to provide CEUs to adjusters and case managers.

Jane Bunch is CEO and founder of Jane’s Healthcare Consulting, Inc., Marietta, Ga. With more than 29 years’ experience in the HME and pharmacy industries, Jane provides educational seminars, training, corporate compliance plans, educational publications, and assists with fraud and abuse cases. She has been involved with competitive bidding projects since 1999, and offers advice on streamlining, bidding and networking for providers affected by the bidding process. Jane is widely published, and is a frequent speaker at industry trade shows, state association meetings and other health care industry events. She is a VGM consultant, and serves on the Region C Advisory Council, the editorial advisory board for HomeCare Magazine, and the HME Expo Educational Committee.

Beth Kofsky, MHSA, CEAC, CAPS, is executive director of Housing and Assistive Technology, Inc. (“HAT”). She has more than 20,000 hours of experience conducting residential and commercial housing inspections, completing bid specification and reports, providing CAD drawings, coordinating the client and construction contracts, and providing regular inspections and monitoring of progress. Prior to joining HAT, Beth was assistant director of the Stein Gerontological Institute, a subsidiary of the Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged, where she managed the Housing and Assistive Technology Division. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, and her master’s degree from Florida International University.

Meredith Kerrigan, CBHT, is an injury prevention specialist for BHM Medical. She has experience in training nurses and physiotherapy and occupational therapists in the proper use of injury prevention systems, achieving a zero injury rating in several organizations. Meredith has traveled across North America, developing new dealers and assisting with the sourcing of leads, closing of sales and implementing training programs for clients. She has worked with therapists to successfully design custom slings for clients with complex challenges.

Gerry Dickerson, ATP, CRTS is director of rehab technology for Medstar Surgical, based in the New York City area. A 30-year veteran of the HME/complex rehabilitation industry, he is a frequent presenter at national conferences on the provider side of seating and wheeled mobility, power mobility, funding and advocacy. He is a two-term past treasurer and NRRTS registrant since 1993. In 2007, Gerry was awarded the RTS of the Year by NRRTS. A long-time member of RESNA, he and was part of the original committee involved in the credentialing program. Gerry also chaired RESNA's PSG-1, the specialty group for suppliers and manufacturers. He is vice-chair of the Professional Standards Board (PSB), the part of RESNA responsible for the oversight of the entire credentialing program. In June of 2008, he was made a RESNA Fellow, one of the highest honors given to individual members for their contributions to the field of assistive technology.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc., which has been offering sales, marketing and customer service expertise to the health care industry since 1977. He writes a monthly column in HomeCare Magazine, serves on the HQAA Accreditation Review Committee, has published more than 200 articles on professional development issues, and continues to lecture extensively throughout the US. Louis' DSC Teleconference Series has presented more than 150 sessions for the health care industry since 2001. His new custom-branded newsletters are the only educational marketing product in the health care industry. Some of his most notable clients include: American Health Insurance Plans, where he is the author and consultant for all industry customer service programs; VGM, where he is educational advisrr; and a Brightree, where he is a consultant as they develop their new referral source management tool.

TBA

Robert Wagner is the former owner of Wagner Medical Supply, and now owns HME GPS, a Master Agent for On-Board Communications. Robert founded Wagner Medical in 2001 and HME GPS in 2006 after a 28 year career in corporate America. During his corporate tenure, Robert was National Account Manager for Highway Master Corp, a Dallas based company providing GPS data & voice solutions to the long haul trucking industry. He also held sales management & operations positions in the transportation divisions of BP Oil & Ryder Systems.

Mariah Cameron is the Sales & Marketing Manager for BioMedical Life Systems Inc.  Mariah has been in the electrotherapy and medical device industry for 10 years. 

Tom Cesar has been president of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. since 1991. Tom has a B.S. degree from California State University at Los Angeles and received his M.A. degree in public management from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He has 29 years’ experience working in health care administration. Prior to ACHC, Tom was a unit manager at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Mass., and executive director of rehabilitation services for  Wake County in Raleigh, N.C.

Gerry Dickerson, ATP, CRTS is director of rehab technology for Medstar Surgical, based in the New York City area. A 30-year veteran of the HME/complex rehabilitation industry, he is a frequent presenter at national conferences on the provider side of seating and wheeled mobility, power mobility, funding and advocacy. He is a two-term past treasurer and NRRTS registrant since 1993. In 2007, Gerry was awarded the RTS of the Year by NRRTS. A long-time member of RESNA, he and was part of the original committee involved in the credentialing program. Gerry also chaired RESNA's PSG-1, the specialty group for suppliers and manufacturers. He is vice-chair of the Professional Standards Board (PSB), the part of RESNA responsible for the oversight of the entire credentialing program. In June of 2008, he was made a RESNA Fellow, one of the highest honors given to individual members for their contributions to the field of assistive technology.

Jim Black is marketing manager for seating, custom manual and top end products, and is a 20-plus year veteran of the wheelchair and seating industry.  Jim was hurt in automobile accident in 1982 and suffered a torn aorta, which caused his paralysis.  He took an active role early in his rehabilitation process and used sports as a motivational outlet for his recovery.  This resulted in a very successful wheelchair sports career, which included making three Paralympic teams. Jim was instrumental in the development of sports product designs to better his sports career, which started him into the world of wheelchairs.

Lois Brown, MPT, ATP, is rehab education specialist for Invacare Corp., and has been a physical therapist for 17 years, 15 of them as a rehab therapist, outpatient supervisor, and wheelchair clinic specialist. Prior to joining Invacare, Lois was supervisor at Moss Rehab Outpatient Clinic, where she established a successful wheelchair seating clinic. She has extensive experience working with clients with brain injuries, other neuromuscular injuries, developmental disabilities and pressure ulcer issues. Lois is an active member of RESNA and the APTA.

Rob Bell began teaching his customer service and communication and leadership skills programs early in his tenure as the personnel development/education and training director for Dick's Supermarkets, Inc. Drawing on more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles, customer service, and training, Rob makes his presentations simple, clear and FUN. He is a member of the National Speakers Association, and has been speaking professionally since 1995.

Michael Sperduti is the founder of Emerge, and has gained national recognition over the past 23 years for his expertise in building world-class businesses and revitalizing underperforming firms. Before founding Emerge, Michael created significant shareholder wealth as the owner and/or operator of 14 different manufacturing and distributing businesses. In 2000, he was recruited to lead Mediq ACS through a high-profile Chapter 11 reorganization. By 2003, the company had survived bankruptcy and restored its credibility; it was eventually sold to Invacare Corporation. Michael, who studied communications at Gannon University, is a motivational speaker, a sales trainer and a consultant, who has counseled companies such as GE, TYCO, Johnson & Johnson, Baxter, HME News and the Adelphi MBA program.

Liz Beaulieu is the editor of HME News. She has covered the HME industry for six years. Prior to joining HME News, she covered the security and IT industries and worked for The York County Coast Star, a weekly newspaper in Kennebunk, Maine. She graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor's degree in journalism and the University of New Hampshire with a master's degree in non-fiction writing.

Jim V. Munson, B.S. Ed., is district manager for The ROHO Group, and works in the sales and education department with Ti Lite Wheelchairs. Jim has been with ROHO since 1998, working with hundreds of end users and rehabilitation providers, helping to develop solutions for all types of pressure management and seating issues. Jim has been a T-10 survivor since 1984. After attending Wright State University on a wheelchair basketball scholarship, Jim spent five years as a public school teacher. He is a certified mono ski instructor, and has competed and instructed in both downhill and Nordic skiing.

Tom Hartmann is vice president of North American sales for The ROHO Group. He has been an employee of The ROHO Group for almost 32 years, and has been repair manager, customer service manager, director of marketing and sales, and for 15 years, director of international sales. Tom is well-versed in seating and positioning, cushion and bed support surface products, pressure mapping and clinical justification for product selection in all categories. He has extensive experience in providing education and product in-services to clinicians, providers and students.

Jason Multanen, CAPS, is the national dealer sales manager for Best Bath Systems Inc., an industry leader in safe bathing products. For the past three years, Jason has become a specialist and advocate for aging in place concepts with a particular focus on bathing solutions.

Kit Shellhouse is director of operations for ECS Billing and Consulting Inc. Kit has more than 15 years experience in business and operations management, and has conducted numerous training and software Webinars and personal client consultations on business operations and medical documentation process development. Kit has a B.A. in administrative business management and a master's degree in business management.

Mike Sedlak is group product manager for Invacare Corp., and concentrates on beds, patient transport and therapeutic support surfaces. He has been with Invacare for six years, and initiated the development of the current line of Invacare therapeutic support surfaces. Mike has held various marketing positions. He has a BBA in marketing from Cleveland State University, and an MBA from John Carroll University.

James Cocuzza is a sales specialist for Invacare Corp., and concentrates on therapeutic support surfaces. With more than 20 years’ experience, he is well-versed in the business aspects as well as the delivery and setup, administrative and clinical features and benefits.

Jim V. Munson, B.S. Ed., is district manager for The ROHO Group, and works in the sales and education department with Ti Lite Wheelchairs. Jim has been with ROHO since 1998, working with hundreds of end users and rehabilitation providers, helping to develop solutions for all types of pressure management and seating issues. Jim has been a T-10 survivor since 1984. After attending Wright State University on a wheelchair basketball scholarship, Jim spent five years as a public school teacher. He is a certified mono ski instructor, and has competed and instructed in both downhill and Nordic skiing.

Tricia Henley, MPT, ATP, is clinical applications manager for The ROHO Group, presenting CEU programs to therapists and HME providers regarding seating, positioning and pressure imaging. Tricia specialized in spinal cord injury rehabilitation at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation in Dallas, Texas, after graduating from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. While working at Baylor, she focused on prescription and training of custom wheelchairs and seating for newly injured clients in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. She also worked as the outpatient wheelchair seating clinic specialist. Tricia is an active member of APTA and RESNA.

Michael L. Sanderson is president of RemitDATA, Inc. He leads the company in managing and expanding the current client base, and in developing new markets and partners. Prior to joining RemitDATA, Michael was executive vice president of sales and marketing for ChartONE, which recently sold Healthport, one of the top 25 largest HIT companies. He was also executive vice president and officer of QuadraMed, and held a variety of sales and marketing positions for other health care companies, such as Baxter Hospital Supply, Steris Corporation (AMSCO) and National Data Corporation (NDC Health).

Neil Caesar is president of the Health Law Center, a national law firm for the health care industry in Greenville, S.C. He is also on the board of directors and corporate counsel for the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers. For 27 years, Neil has served the consulting and legal needs of HME and home health agencies; medical practices; inpatient, outpatient and freestanding facilities; networks and alliances; and other health providers. He has written or edited five treatises on regulatory compliance, including the Home Care Compliance Answer Book and the Medicare Compliance Answer Book. He has contributed to more than 600 articles in national publications, and has spoken at many national conferences. Neil received his J.D. from the University of Virginia. He attended Washington University in St. Louis as a Mylonas Scholar, where he received his B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.

Cara Bachenheimer is senior vice president of government relations at Invacare Corp.  She has a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Trinity College.  Before joining Invacare, she was with the law firm of Epstein, Becker & Green, where she represented health care clients in legal and regulatory matters arising under Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payment programs, as well as health care fraud issues.  Prior to that, Cara spent more than 10 years with national associations representing the HME industry, focusing on government relations.

Jeremy Kauten is general manager of VGM Forbin, the Web design and technology consulting division of the VGM Group. His responsibilities include managing the sales division, the Web programming and design team, and the day-to-day business operations of Forbin. Jeremy has developed a reputation for delivering effective solutions to HME businesses seeking to enhance their presence on the Web. He is a frequent speaker on topics relating to optimizing search engine rankings and consumer use of the Internet for medical-related purposes.

Lenny Hurst is with VGM Forbin’s Web site Sales and Search Engine Marketing division. Prior to joining VGM, Lenny held a software sales position with RemitDATA. A graduate of Abilene Christian University, Lenny worked for Verio, Inc., an Internet service provider, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.

Ty Bello is a registered corporate coach with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches, and president and founder of Team@Work. With more than 20 years of experience in HME and the medical industries, Ty is an inspirational leader who is passionate about serving and cultivating leaders in and outside of the business arena. He has been a featured writer in several trade journals, and is a sought-after speaker. Ty is passionate about working with HME providers and taking the business and its teams to the next level of success.

Bradford Peterson is vice president of sales and education for Motion Concepts. He joined the Motion team in April 2003. During more than 14 years in the rehab industry, he has been a clinician, provider, and manufacturer's representative, and most recently,  the director of education for Quantum Rehab. He has lectured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada at seminars and symposiums, including RESNA, Medtrade, International Seating Symposium and the Canadian Seating and Mobility Conference. Brad has also been published in several trade publications.

Laurie Scott is marketing manager for patient interface products at Philips Respironics, where she is responsible for launching and promoting mask-related products, programs and service solutions for the home care market. Her current focus is in the area of OSA supply replacement, assisting home care providers to incorporate best practices into their supply replacement initiatives via an expanding set of Respironics program, collateral and service offerings. In 2008, Laurie launched SupplyDirect, a service allowing home care providers to drop ship OSA replacement supplies directly to patients.

Julie Jackson is director of rehab product management for Invacare Corp., with responsibility for powered mobility products and seating and positioning products.  She has been with Invacare for six years, and in 2006, led the company’s power team through the transition to the new Medicare power wheelchair codes. Julie coordinated successful marketing programs for Invacare, including two clinician's summits and the Invacare Rehab Van, now on the road for its second year.  In 2007, Julie was recognized as Invacare's Product Manager of the Year.

Lois Brown, MPT, ATP, is rehab education specialist for Invacare Corp., and has been a physical therapist for 17 years, 15 of them as a rehab therapist, outpatient supervisor, and wheelchair clinic specialist. Prior to joining Invacare, Lois was supervisor at Moss Rehab Outpatient Clinic, where she established a successful wheelchair seating clinic. She has extensive experience working with clients with brain injuries, other neuromuscular injuries, developmental disabilities and pressure ulcer issues. Lois is an active member of RESNA and the APTA.

Mary Avenanti is a copywriter and coordinator for VGM’s Off The Shelf Marketing Program. She authored the Know Your Options guide, and is responsible for the research and development of new OTS products. Mary is a Texas native, and has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Houston and an associate of arts degree in graphic communications from Hawkeye Community College. She joined VGM four years ago after spending many years as a freelance journalist and photographer. In her free time, she exercises the left side of her brain by teaching mathematics at the local community college.

Greg A. Packer is vice president of U.S. Rehab, VGM Group Inc.'s alliance for high-tech rehab providers. His background, which includes sales management for Pride Mobility Products Corp. and Biocore Medical Technologies, Inc., provides him with an understanding of both the sales and product areas of rehabilitation technology. He also served three terms in the Kansas House of Representatives, so is familiar with the regulatory and governmental issues facing the rehab/HME industries. A graduate of Iowa State University, Greg received his master of business administration degree from Baker University.

Vince Crew is founder and owner of REACH Development, and a long-time VGM consultant. He works with health care provider owners and executives throughout the U.S., and is the creator of The HME Power Management Success System, and author of four books, including his newest, “Everyday Ethics, Everlasting Consequences.” He is a resource for national print, TV, radio, and Internet media outlets, having been quoted in Entrepreneur Magazine, appeared on CNN, PBS, CNBC, and FOX Business. He is the FOX News radio ethics analyst, a regular contributor to TheStreet.com financial Web site, and syndicated columnist of Beyond the Bottom Line. Vince has produced The One Sheeter© monthly newsletter since 1997, and is a frequent contributor to a number of industry publications.

Wayne van Halem formed his own Atlanta-based consulting firm, WVH Consulting, LLC, in 2006. His practice provides counsel and leadership on issues related to audits, investigations, medical reviews, appeals, compliance, enrollment, billing and education. He is a resource for health care providers, government agencies, contractors, legal counsel, law enforcement, and journalists. He has worked as a fraud analyst, Medicare fraud information specialist, and senior investigator. He was named an accredited health care fraud investigator by the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, and a certified fraud examiner by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He also served as the statutory appeals manager for DME appeals nationally.