About Us
Mission
Project Santa Fe Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit, is a coalition of laboratory leaders, coming together to create a disruptive value paradigm and explore alternative business models that expand the role of diagnostic services in the future healthcare ecosystem.
Vision
We will leverage laboratory medicine and pathology domain knowledge to establish the standards and evidence for Clinical Lab 2.0. We will facilitate diverse partner collaborations in order guide policies, transfer the knowledge and accelerate the Clinical Lab 2.0 movement across the industry.
Board of Directors
Click image to read each Board Member bio.
Khosrow R. Shotorbani, MBA, MT(ASCP)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / PRESIDENT, CEO, PROJECT SANTA FE FOUNDATION; FOUNDER, CEO, LAB 2.0 STRATEGIC SERVICES
Khosrow Shotorbani is the CEO and founder of the Lab 2.0 Strategic Services, LLC. He is a member of Project Santa Fe Clinical Laboratory 2.0 industry advocate. As the former President and Chief Executive Officer at TriCore Reference Laboratories, Mr. Shotorbani oversaw the corporate direction and strategy of TriCore, focusing on leadership and innovation, as well as operations, growth, and the financial health of the company. He led TriCore’s initiatives based on the premise to improve health outcomes and lower costs by utilization of laboratory data.
Mr. Shotorbani was instrumental in the creation of Project Santa Fe—a recently launched initiative with like-minded executives—helping to forge new frontiers that will define future economic valuation and placement of diagnostic services. Before joining TriCore in 2014, Mr. Shotorbani served as Senior Vice President and Director of Business Development/Business Innovations at ARUP. He joined ARUP in 1984 as a medical technologist and while at ARUP advanced to positions with progressive responsibility over his 30-year tenure.
Khosrow R. Shotorbani, MBA, MT(ASCP)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PSFF; FOUNDER, CEO, LAB 2.0 STRATEGIC SERVICES
Khosrow Shotorbani is the CEO and founder of the Lab 2.0 Strategic Services, LLC. He is a member of Project Santa Fe Clinical Laboratory 2.0 industry advocate. As the former President and Chief Executive Officer at TriCore Reference Laboratories, Mr. Shotorbani oversaw the corporate direction and strategy of TriCore, focusing on leadership and innovation, as well as operations, growth, and the financial health of the company. He led TriCore’s initiatives based on the premise to improve health outcomes and lower costs by utilization of laboratory data.
Mr. Shotorbani was instrumental in the creation of Project Santa Fe—a recently launched initiative with like-minded executives—helping to forge new frontiers that will define future economic valuation and placement of diagnostic services. Before joining TriCore in 2014, Mr. Shotorbani served as Senior Vice President and Director of Business Development/Business Innovations at ARUP. He joined ARUP in 1984 as a medical technologist and while at ARUP advanced to positions with progressive responsibility over his 30-year tenure.
President, and CEO
Project Santa Fe Foundation
Founder, CEO
Lab 2.0 Strategic Services
James M. Crawford, MD, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR OF THE BOARD, PSFF; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR VP LABORATORY SERVICES, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. James Crawford is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. And Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services for the Northwell Health System.
Jim received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College (1976) and his MD and PhD degrees from Duke University (1982). After interning in Pathology at Duke University medical Center (1982 – 1983), he trained as an Anatomic Pathology resident at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (1983 – 1987), including a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology and training in 1989 at Royal free Hospital in London as a Liver Pathology Research Fellow.
From 1988 – 1996 he was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, rising to the rank of the Associate Professor and Directory of the Program in Gastrointestinal Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine. He then moved to the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, FL, where for 9 years he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine. He also served 8 years as President of the Faculty Practice Association and as Chair of the College’s Executive Fiscal Advisory Committee. Dr. Crawford is well known as a Liver Pathologist and for his research in hepatobiliary pathophysiology. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of Laboratory Investigation, Chair of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), President of the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC), and Chair of the Board of Directors of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) “PathPAC” Political Action Committee. He currently is the founding editor of the new APC journal Academic Pathology.
Through both the Association of Pathology Chairs and the College of American Pathologists, Dr. Crawford has been heavily involved in advocacy for healthcare. In recent years, he has taken a leading role in advocating for the specialty of Pathology to be part of the next era of “patient-centered” healthcare, particularly with regards to Health Information Technology and the Patient-Centered Medicine Home. That includes being a founding member of Project Santa Fe, which is advancing the concept of Clinical Laboratory 20., as an evidence-based foundation for the value statements of laboratory services in the next era of American health-care.
James M. Crawford, MD, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR OF THE BOARD, PSFF; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR VP LABORATORY SERVICES, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. James Crawford is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. And Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services for the Northwell Health System.
Jim received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College (1976) and his MD and PhD degrees from Duke University (1982). After interning in Pathology at Duke University medical Center (1982 – 1983), he trained as an Anatomic Pathology resident at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (1983 – 1987), including a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology and training in 1989 at Royal free Hospital in London as a Liver Pathology Research Fellow.
From 1988 – 1996 he was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, rising to the rank of the Associate Professor and Directory of the Program in Gastrointestinal Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine. He then moved to the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, FL, where for 9 years he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine. He also served 8 years as President of the Faculty Practice Association and as Chair of the College’s Executive Fiscal Advisory Committee. Dr. Crawford is well known as a Liver Pathologist and for his research in hepatobiliary pathophysiology. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of Laboratory Investigation, Chair of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), President of the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC), and Chair of the Board of Directors of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) “PathPAC” Political Action Committee. He currently is the founding editor of the new APC journal Academic Pathology.
Through both the Association of Pathology Chairs and the College of American Pathologists, DR. Crawford has been heavily involved in advocacy for healthcare. In recent years, he has taken a leading role in advocating for the specialty of Pathology to be part of the next era of “patient-centered” healthcare, particularly with regards to Health Information Technology and the Patient-Centered Medicine Home. That includes being a founding member of Project Santa Fe, which is advancing the concept of Clinical Laboratory 20., as an evidence-based foundation for the value statements of laboratory services in the next era of American health-care.
Chair Of The Board
Professor and Chair Emeritus, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Northwell Health
Myra L. Wilkerson, MD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR, DIVISION OF LABORATORY MEDICINE, GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM
Myra Wilkerson is Chair, Laboratory Medicine Service Line for Geisinger. Dr. Wilkerson is responsible for oversight of all clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory services within the health system.
She joined the Geisinger team in 1999 and has helped several medical directorships over Geisinger hospital laboratories as week as the vice chair for the service line. Her subspecialty areas are cytopathology, genitourinary pathology, and laboratory informatics. Her current research interests include tissue microarrays and immunochemistry of the testicular and bladder tumors. Dr. Wilkerson recently edited and contributed four chapters to a book published by the Geisinger anatomic pathology group, the Handbook of Practical Immunohistochemistry: Frequently Asked Questions. She's one of the web authors for the companion wed site to this book, www.ihcfaq.com.
Dr Wilkerson is a part president of the Association of the Clinical Scientists and a past president of the Association for Pathology Informatics. She also currently serves on the Informatics Committee and the Clinical Informatics Steering Committee for the College of American Pathologist’s. She is on the editorial boards of three peer reviewed journals, the Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Journal of Pathology Informatics.
Dr. Wilkerson received her undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from Marshall University, and then worked in the clinical laboratories at Charleston Area Medical Center before retuning to Marshall University to earn a Doctor of Medicine. She completed a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency and cytopathology specialty training in the PennState Geisinger Health System.
Myra L. Wilkerson, MD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR, DIVISION OF LABORATORY MEDICINE, GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM
Myra Wilkerson is Chair, Laboratory Medicine Service Line for Geisinger. Dr. Wilkerson is responsible for oversight of all clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory services within the health system.
She joined the Geisinger team in 1999 and has helped several medical directorships over Geisinger hospital laboratories as week as the vice chair for the service line. Her subspecialty areas are cytopathology, genitourinary pathology, and laboratory informatics. Her current research interests include tissue microarrays and immunochemistry of the testicular and bladder tumors. Dr. Wilkerson recently edited and contributed four chapters to a book published by the Geisinger anatomic pathology group, the Handbook of Practical Immunohistochemistry: Frequently Asked Questions. She's one of the web authors for the companion wed site to this book, www.ihcfaq.com.
Dr Wilkerson is a part president of the Association of the Clinical Scientists and a past president of the Association for Pathology Informatics. She also currently serves on the Informatics Committee and the Clinical Informatics Steering Committee for the College of American Pathologist’s. She is on the editorial boards of three peer reviewed journals, the Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Journal of Pathology Informatics.
Dr. Wilkerson received her undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from Marshall University, and then worked in the clinical laboratories at Charleston Area Medical Center before retuning to Marshall University to earn a Doctor of Medicine. She completed a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency and cytopathology specialty training in the PennState Geisinger Health System.
Board Treasurer
Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geisinger Health System
Mark K. Fung, MD, PhD
PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY, THE ROBERT LARNER MD COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
Dr. Mark Fung is the immediate past Vice Chair of Population Health and Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM). He was previously the Director of Clinical Laboratories and Vice Chair of Quality and Clinical Affairs for the Department at UVM. Prior to that, he was President of the medical staff at UVM Medical Center and Director of the Blood Bank. In addition to directing the stem cell processing laboratory, he oversees Point of Care Testing. He previously served on the boards for the UVM health network, the UVM Medical Center, and the UVMHN medical practice group. He also co-chaired the lab sub-committee for Vermont’s ACO. He currently serves on the boards of PSFF, American Board of Pathology, and the Vermont Medical Society.
Outside of UVM, Dr. Fung has been active nationally and internationally in promoting the use of evidence-based transfusion guidelines and standardized reporting of transfusion service-related adverse events and errors. He completed his training in biology at Wesleyan University and medical scientist training in pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed his residency in pathology at Barnes Jewish Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with a fellowship in transfusion medicine at UPMC. Dr. Fung has been at UVM since 2004 where he also completed a fellowship in medical outcomes research.
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Mark K. Fung, MD, PhD
PROFESSOR AND VICE CHAIR POPULATION HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, THE ROBERT LARNER MD COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
Dr. Mark Fung is Professor and Vice Chair of Population Health in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM). He was previously the Director of Clinical Laboratories and Vice Chair of Quality and Clinical Affairs for the Department at UVM. Prior to that, he was President of the medical staff at UVM Medical Center and Director of the Blood Bank. In addition to directing the HLA and stem cell processing laboratories, he currently serves on the board of directors for the UVM health network’s medical practice group, and co-chairs the lab sub-committee for Vermont’s ACO, OneCare Vermont.
Outside of UVM, Dr. Fung has been active nationally and internationally in promoting the use of evidence-based transfusion guidelines and the centralized reporting of transfusion service-related adverse events and errors to patient safety organizations. He completed his training in biology at Wesleyan University and medical scientist training in pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed his residency in pathology at Barnes Jewish Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with a fellowship in transfusion medicine at the Institute for Transfusion Medicine in Pittsburgh. Dr. Fung has been at UVM since 2004.
Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory, The Robert Larner MD College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Karen L. Kaul, MD, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / DUCKWORTH FAMILY CHAIR OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY, CHAIR PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTHSYSTEM; CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Dr. Karen L. Kaul is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at NorthShore and is a Clinical Professor of Pathology at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. She previously served as Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Division at NorthShore University HealthSystem. Board-certified in anatomic pathology, and molecular genetic pathology, she has been deeply involved in the development of laboratory tests for cancer, heritable, and microbial diseases.
Dr. Kaul is a past President of the Association for Molecular Pathology and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. She has led efforts to expand molecular pathology and personalized medicine programs at NorthShore, serving as Interim Co-Director of the Personalized Medicine Program, and expanding the tissue and genomic biorepository. She has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and recently co-edited the book Genomics in Cancer.
Dr. Kaul is the recipient of the 2008 Association for Molecular Pathology Leadership Award. She is Past President of the American Board of Pathology and serves on the ACGME Residency Review Committee for Pathology. She was an Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine fellow in 2011-2012 and served as a member of the Tapestry/SPOT Dx working group. In late 2016, she provided testimony to the bipartisan Senate Health Education Labor and Pension Committee on the contributions of lab-developed tests and procedures to personalized medicine. She’s a Board member for Laboratory 2.0 and is involved in efforts to transform the laboratory through better integration and utilization.
Karen L. Kaul, MD, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / DUCKWORTH FAMILY CHAIR OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY, CHAIR PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTHSYSTEM; CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Dr. Karen L. Kaul is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at NorthShore and is a Clinical Professor of Pathology at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. She previously served as Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Division at NorthShore University HealthSystem. Board-certified in anatomic pathology, and molecular genetic pathology, she has been deeply involved in the development of laboratory tests for cancer, heritable, and microbial diseases.
Dr. Kaul is a past President of the Association for Molecular Pathology and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. She has led efforts to expand molecular pathology and personalized medicine programs at NorthShore, serving as Interim Co-Director of the Personalized Medicine Program, and expanding the tissue and genomic biorepository. She has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and recently co-edited the book Genomics in Cancer.
Dr. Kaul is the recipient of the 2008 Association for Molecular Pathology Leadership Award. She is Past President of the American Board of Pathology and serves on the ACGME Residency Review Committee for Pathology. She was an Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine fellow in 2011-2012 and served as a member of the Tapestry/SPOT Dx working group. In late 2016, she provided testimony to the bipartisan Senate Health Education Labor and Pension Committee on the contributions of lab-developed tests and procedures to personalized medicine. She’s a Board member for Laboratory 2.0 and is involved in efforts to transform the laboratory through better integration and utilization.
Duckworth Family Chair of Molecular Pathology, Chair Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Northshore University Healthsystem; Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Octavia M. Peck Palmer, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF ADLM, VICE CHAIR OF HEALTH EQUITY, DIVISION DIRECTOR, CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURG MEDICAL CENTER
Octavia M. Peck Palmer is academically unique as she conducts translational research, teaches, mentors, and directs clinical laboratories within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) organization. She is a board-certified clinical chemist and Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, with secondary faculty appointments within the Critical Care Medicine and Clinical and Translational Science departments. She is also the Division Director of Clinical Chemistry and directs CAP-accredited clinical laboratories that perform patient testing and provide both consultative and patient test result interpretation for healthcare providers within the healthcare organization. On July 1, 2023, Octavia was appointed the inaugural Vice Chair of Health Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion for the Department of Pathology.
Dr. Palmer is the Immediate Past President of the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory (ADLM) Medicine, formerly AACC. In her academic and clinical roles, she teaches and mentors, conducts externally funded translational science research focused on infectious disease/sepsis, and laboratory diagnostics and quality, and Laboratory Medicine’s role in identifying and eliminating health disparities, and provides technical expertise and clinical consultation to the healthcare system to ensure accurate and timely patient test results and regulatory compliance.
Octavia M. Peck Palmer, PhD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF ADLM, VICE CHAIR OF HEALTH EQUITY, DIVISION DIRECTOR, CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY
Octavia M. Peck Palmer is academically unique as she conducts translational research, teaches, mentors, and directs clinical laboratories within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) organization. She is a board-certified clinical chemist and Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, with secondary faculty appointments within the Critical Care Medicine and Clinical and Translational Science departments. She is also the Division Director of Clinical Chemistry and directs CAP-accredited clinical laboratories that perform patient testing and provide both consultative and patient test result interpretation for healthcare providers within the healthcare organization. On July 1, 2023, Octavia was appointed the inaugural Vice Chair of Health Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion for the Department of Pathology.
Dr. Palmer is the Immediate Past President of the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory (ADLM) Medicine, formerly AACC. In her academic and clinical roles, she teaches and mentors, conducts externally funded translational science research focused on infectious disease/sepsis, and laboratory diagnostics and quality, and Laboratory Medicine’s role in identifying and eliminating health disparities, and provides technical expertise and clinical consultation to the healthcare system to ensure accurate and timely patient test results and regulatory compliance.
Immediate Past President of ADLM, Vice Chair of Health Equity, Division Director, Clinical Chemistry, Associate Professor of Pathology
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Nancy Stratton, MBA
CEO COLA, Inc.
Nancy Stratton joined COLA as its first Chief Executive Officer in the Company’s history to have worked as a medical laboratory technologist early in her career. Nancy has a deep love of the profession and a lived-through understanding of the importance of accurate laboratory results to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. With her commitment to expand our mission to serve more laboratories, COLA received approval to accredit laboratories performing tests in the specialty of pathology, including the subspecialties of histopathology, oral pathology and cytology.
COLA continues to benefit from Nancy’s prior experience as the CEO of a clinical pathology laboratory division of one of the largest diagnostic laboratory medicine companies in the world. Before moving into the CEO position for the division, Nancy held various management positions in which she guided her team to new levels of excellence in quality management, customer service, human resources, risk management, and regulatory and medical legal compliance.
In addition to having extensive experience in all aspects of laboratory operations, Nancy is highly regarded in the industry for her commitment to high-quality patient care, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with employees, physicians, hospitals and community partners. While Nancy relocated from Texas to join the team at COLA, she did bring a little of Texas with her. Nancy and her husband live on their horse farm in Maryland where they spend quality time with their family
Nancy Stratton, MBA
CEO COLA, Inc.
Nancy Stratton joined COLA as its first Chief Executive Officer in the Company’s history to have worked as a medical laboratory technologist early in her career. Nancy has a deep love of the profession and a lived-through understanding of the importance of accurate laboratory results to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. With her commitment to expand our mission to serve more laboratories, COLA received approval to accredit laboratories performing tests in the specialty of pathology, including the subspecialties of histopathology, oral pathology and cytology.
COLA continues to benefit from Nancy’s prior experience as the CEO of a clinical pathology laboratory division of one of the largest diagnostic laboratory medicine companies in the world. Before moving into the CEO position for the division, Nancy held various management positions in which she guided her team to new levels of excellence in quality management, customer service, human resources, risk management, and regulatory and medical legal compliance.
In addition to having extensive experience in all aspects of laboratory operations, Nancy is highly regarded in the industry for her commitment to high-quality patient care, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with employees, physicians, hospitals and community partners. While Nancy relocated from Texas to join the team at COLA, she did bring a little of Texas with her. Nancy and her husband live on their horse farm in Maryland where they spend quality time with their family
CEO of COLA Inc.
Richard J. Zarbo, MD, DMD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / SENIOR VP AND CHAIR, PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM
Richard Zarbo, MD, DMD is the system chairman and KD Ward Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Henry Ford Health System and past-president of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. He is a board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist and an expert in head and neck pathology, laboratory quality and continuous process improvement. Dr. Zarbo is an early pioneer in laboratory quality. His initial foray in quality goes back to the 1990’s when he was instrumental in defining national benchmarks of laboratory quality through the CAP Q-Probes and Q-tracks programs. Since the early 2000’s he has endeavored to create a culture of continuous improvements throughout the Henry Ford laboratories that he integrated into System-wide Product Line.
The Henry Ford continuous improvement culture is based on s synthesis if Henry Ford’s automotive manufacturing focus on waste reduction and efficiency, the management approach of W. Edwards Deming and the Lean principles and human development of the Toyota Production System. The successful Henry Ford Production System, now in the 12th year in the Henry Ford Laboratories, is featured in Dr. Jeffrey liker’s booked – The Toyota way to Continuous Improvement: Linking Strategy and Operational Excellence to Achieve Superior Performance (2011) and The Toyota Way to Service Excellence Lean Transformation in Service Organizations (2016). The Henry Ford laboratories obtained ISO 15189 accreditation in 2013 as the largest ISO 1589 accredited integrated, multi-setting medical laboratory system in the US. Dr. Zarbo’s curriculum vitae includes over 200 peer-reviewed publications with over 50 directly related to laboratory quality. He is a clinical professor of Pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Richard J. Zarbo, MD, DMD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / SENIOR VP AND CHAIR, PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM
Richard Zarbo, MD, DMD is the system chairman and KD Ward Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Henry Ford Health System and past-president of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. He is a board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist and an expert in head and neck pathology, laboratory quality and continuous process improvement. Dr. Zarbo is an early pioneer in laboratory quality. His initial foray in quality goes back to the 1990’s when he was instrumental in defining national benchmarks of laboratory quality through the CAP Q-Probes and Q-tracks programs. Since the early 2000’s he has endeavored to create a culture of continuous improvements throughout the Henry Ford laboratories that he integrated into System-wide Product Line.
The Henry Ford continuous improvement culture is based on s synthesis if Henry Ford’s automotive manufacturing focus on waste reduction and efficiency, the management approach of W. Edwards Deming and the Lean principles and human development of the Toyota Production System. The successful Henry Ford Production System, now in the 12th year in the Henry Ford Laboratories, is featured in Dr. Jeffrey liker’s booked – The Toyota way to Continuous Improvement: Linking Strategy and Operational Excellence to Achieve Superior Performance (2011) and The Toyota Way to Service Excellence Lean Transformation in Service Organizations (2016). The Henry Ford laboratories obtained ISO 15189 accreditation in 2013 as the largest ISO 1589 accredited integrated, multi-setting medical laboratory system in the US. Dr. Zarbo’s curriculum vitae includes over 200 peer-reviewed publications with over 50 directly related to laboratory quality. He is a clinical professor of Pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Senior VP and Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Health System
Committee Co-Chairs
Click image to read each Committee Member bio.
Business-Alternative Payment Model Committee
MISSION STATEMENT: Leverage both lab information and laboratory professionals to provide longitudinal intelligence in real time to assist in monitoring health, identifying and managing risk, and to positively affect clinical outcomes while obtaining appropriate reimbursement.
Lena Chaihorsky
COMMITTE CO-CHAIR / SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PAYOR INNOVATION, ALVA 10 INC.
Lena has over 15 years’ experience in the diagnostics industry, and is a nationally recognized market access and payment expert with a successful track record that spans both private and public companies. Lena’s academic background in mathematics and biology led to a passion for redesigning the financial incentives of the healthcare system, with a focus on the underutilized area of diagnostics.
Her work around mathematical modeling of diagnostic value led to her appointment as Chairwoman of the World Economic Forum’s Working Group on Federated Databases in Rare Disease, and to the Study Design Task Force for Pharmacogenomics at the American Society of Pharmacovigilance. She is active within the Entrepreneur Network of the Tufts Alumni Community and is an Independent Board Member at Cellens, a bladder cancer diagnostics company.
Lena Chaihorsky
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PAYOR INNOVATION, ALVA10 INC.
Lena has over 15 years’ experience in the diagnostics industry, and is a nationally recognized market access and payment expert with a successful track record that spans both private and public companies. Lena’s academic background in mathematics and biology led to a passion for redesigning the financial incentives of the healthcare system, with a focus on the underutilized area of diagnostics.
Her work around mathematical modeling of diagnostic value led to her appointment as Chairwoman of the World Economic Forum’s Working Group on Federated Databases in Rare Disease, and to the Study Design Task Force for Pharmacogenomics at the American Society of Pharmacovigilance. She is active within the Entrepreneur Network of the Tufts Alumni Community and is an Independent Board Member at Cellens, a bladder cancer diagnostics company.
Senior Vice President, Payor Innovation, Alva10 Inc.
Rick VanNess, MS
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / CO-FOUNDER, WUSCOTT LLC
Rick VanNess has over fifteen years of experience in healthcare, with various peer-reviewed articles and presentations reflecting his ability to link lab results to outcomes in addition to measuring the value. He diversified the laboratory with a new business model while installing a value-based strategy. He holds a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor’s of Science in Occupational Health from New Mexico State University. Rick serves as President of, is a Board member for Lovelace Westside Hospital, an Advisory Board Member for Syncronys, and a Community Scientific Reviewer for UNM’s IRB.
Rick VanNess, MS
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / CO-FOUNDER, WUSCOTT LLC
Rick VanNess has over fifteen years of experience in healthcare, with various peer-reviewed articles and presentations reflecting his ability to link lab results to outcomes in addition to measuring the value. He diversified the laboratory with a new business model while installing a value-based strategy. He holds a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor’s of Science in Occupational Health from New Mexico State University. Rick serves as President of, is a Board member for Lovelace Westside Hospital, an Advisory Board Member for Syncronys, and a Community Scientific Reviewer for UNM’s IRB.
Co-Founder, Wuscott LLC
Khosrow R. Shotorbani, MBA, MT(ASCP)
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / PRESIDENT, CEO, PROJECT SANTA FE FOUNDATION; FOUNDER, CEO, LAB 2.0 STRATEGIC SERVICES
Khosrow Shotorbani is the CEO and founder of the Lab 2.0 Strategic Services, LLC. He is a member of Project Santa Fe Clinical Laboratory 2.0 industry advocate. As the former President and Chief Executive Officer at TriCore Reference Laboratories, Mr. Shotorbani oversaw the corporate direction and strategy of TriCore, focusing on leadership and innovation, as well as operations, growth, and the financial health of the company. He led TriCore’s initiatives based on the premise to improve health outcomes and lower costs by utilization of laboratory data.
Mr. Shotorbani was instrumental in the creation of Project Santa Fe—a recently launched initiative with like-minded executives—helping to forge new frontiers that will define future economic valuation and placement of diagnostic services. Before joining TriCore in 2014, Mr. Shotorbani served as Senior Vice President and Director of Business Development/Business Innovations at ARUP. He joined ARUP in 1984 as a medical technologist and while at ARUP advanced to positions with progressive responsibility over his 30-year tenure.
Khosrow R. Shotorbani, MBA, MT(ASCP)
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / PRESIDENT, CEO, PROJECT SANTA FE FOUNDATION; FOUNDER, CEO, LAB 2.0 STRATEGIC SERVICES
Khosrow Shotorbani is the CEO and founder of the Lab 2.0 Strategic Services, LLC. and an international Clinical Laboratory 2.0 industry advocate. Khosrow was instrumental in the creation of Project Santa Fe Foundation, the not for profit organization with the mission to define future economic valuation and placement of diagnostic services.
As the former President and Chief Executive Officer at TriCore, Khosrow oversaw the corporate direction and strategy of TriCore, focusing on leadership and innovation, as well as operations, growth, and the financial health of the company. He led TriCore’s initiatives to improve health outcomes and lower costs by utilization of laboratory data. Before joining TriCore in 2014, he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Business Development/Business Innovations at ARUP. He joined ARUP in 1984 as a medical technologist and there advanced to positions with progressive responsibility over his 30-year tenure.
PSFF Board Liaison
President and CEO, Project Santa Fe Foundation
Education/Certification Committee
MISSION STATEMENT: Educate and unite healthcare providers, laboratorians, and public health experts in order to foster collaboration with laboratory diagnostics to enhance population health outcomes.
Leverage data management, risk stratification, and early detection to close gaps in patient care and support proactive, well-care practices.
Track individuals over time, with a focus on diagnostic stewardship and minimizing episodic care variations, to improve healthcare cost-effectiveness and quality, ensuring patients receive timely and appropriate care across their treatment journey.
Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DEAN AND PROFESSOR, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Dr. Hassan Aziz is an accomplished academic leader and healthcare professional with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. As the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, he has demonstrated exemplary leadership and dedication to advancing healthcare education and practice. Dr. Aziz is on the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS) and a Past President for the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). He is a Fellow of the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) and of the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia (UGA). He is a certified Green Belt Six Sigma and TEDx speaker.
Dr. Aziz’s commitment to education, research, and clinical practice continues to inspire and impact the next generation of healthcare professionals. He has over 80 peer-reviewed publications. His research endeavors have led to several grants and funded projects. Dr. Aziz has been recognized for his contributions to the field with numerous awards, including the ASCLS Robin H. Mendelson Memorial Award, the ASCP Lifetime Achievement Award, the Distinguished Author Award by ASCLS, and membership in prestigious societies like Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi and the Association of Clinical Scientists.
Hassan Aziz, PhD, FACSs, MLS(ASCP)
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DEAN AND PROFESSOR, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Dr. Hassan Aziz is an accomplished academic leader and healthcare professional with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. As the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, he has demonstrated exemplary leadership and dedication to advancing healthcare education and practice. Dr. Aziz is on the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS) and a Past President for the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). He is a Fellow of the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) and of the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia (UGA). He is a certified Green Belt Six Sigma and TEDx speaker.
Dr. Aziz’s commitment to education, research, and clinical practice continues to inspire and impact the next generation of healthcare professionals. He has over 80 peer-reviewed publications. His research endeavors have led to several grants and funded projects. Dr. Aziz has been recognized for his contributions to the field with numerous awards, including the ASCLS Robin H. Mendelson Memorial Award, the ASCP Lifetime Achievement Award, the Distinguished Author Award by ASCLS, and membership in prestigious societies like Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi and the Association of Clinical Scientists.
Dean and Professor, Texas A&M
Peter Hu, PhD, FACSc, FASAHP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES/PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
Dr. Peter Hu is currently the Associate Dean of Research and Strategic Initiatives in the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. He is also a Distinguished Teaching Professor with tenure and is the founding Director of the Molecular Genetic Technology and the Graduate Diagnostic Genetics Programs at MD Anderson. Professionally, he has served as President, Board of Directors, and other key leadership positions for various professional societies including Association of Clinical Scientist, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Association for Genetic Technologists, and American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. He is internationally recognized for his consulting work in Cuba, China, Qatar, and his recent efforts in Africa through MD Anderson’s Global Academic Programs. Dr. Hu regularly presents at state, national, and international conferences on topics ranging from clinical laboratory sciences and education.
Peter Hu, PhD, FACSc, FASAHP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / ASSOCIATE DEAN RESEARCH & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES/PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
Dr. Peter Hu is currently the Associate Dean of Research and Strategic Initiatives in the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. He is also a Distinguished Teaching Professor with tenure and is the founding Director of the Molecular Genetic Technology and the Graduate Diagnostic Genetics Programs at MD Anderson. Professionally, he has served as President, Board of Directors, and other key leadership positions for various professional societies including Association of Clinical Scientist, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Association for Genetic Technologists, and American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. He is internationally recognized for his consulting work in Cuba, China, Qatar, and his recent efforts in Africa through MD Anderson’s Global Academic Programs. Dr. Hu regularly presents at state, national, and international conferences on topics ranging from clinical laboratory sciences and education.
Associate Dean Research & Strategic Initiatives/Professor, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Yasmen Simonian, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, FACSc, FASAHP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DEAN AND PROFESSOR, WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Yasmen Simonian joined the faculty of Weber State University (WSU) in 1981 in Medical Laboratory Sciences, and has been the Dean of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions since 2008. She served as Department Chair for the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences from 1996 to 2008. She and her colleagues pioneered the development and delivery of the first entirely online medical laboratory sciences program in the nation.
As Dean, she oversees ten schools/departments. They have expand the program offerings from one master’s degree program to six and one doctorate degree program, the first doctorate degree at WSU.
Yasmen Simonian, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, FACSc, FASAHP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DEAN AND PROFESSOR, WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Yasmen Simonian joined the faculty of Weber State University (WSU) in 1981 in Medical Laboratory Sciences, and has been the Dean of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions since 2008. She served as Department Chair for the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences from 1996 to 2008. She and her colleagues pioneered the development and delivery of the first entirely online medical laboratory sciences program in the nation.
As Dean, she oversees ten schools/departments. They have expand the program offerings from one master’s degree program to six and one doctorate degree program, the first doctorate degree at WSU.
Dean and Professor, Weber State University
Nancy Stratton, MBA
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COLA, INC.
Nancy Stratton joined COLA as its first Chief Executive Officer in the Company’s history to have worked as a medical laboratory technologist early in her career. She has a deep love of the profession and a lived-through understanding of the importance of accurate laboratory results to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. With her commitment to expand our mission to serve more laboratories, COLA received approval to accredit laboratories performing tests in the specialty of pathology, including the subspecialties of histopathology, oral pathology and cytology.
COLA continues to benefit from Nancy’s prior experience as the CEO of a clinical pathology laboratory division of one of the largest diagnostic laboratory medicine companies in the world. Before moving into the CEO position for the division, She held various management positions in which she guided her team to new levels of excellence in quality management, customer service, human resources, risk management, and regulatory and medical legal compliance.
In addition to having extensive experience in all aspects of laboratory operations, Nancy is highly regarded in the industry for her commitment to high-quality patient care, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with employees, physicians, hospitals and community partners.
Nancy Stratton, MBA
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COLA INC.
Nancy Stratton joined COLA as its first Chief Executive Officer in the Company’s history to have worked as a medical laboratory technologist early in her career. She has a deep love of the profession and a lived-through understanding of the importance of accurate laboratory results to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. With her commitment to expand our mission to serve more laboratories, COLA received approval to accredit laboratories performing tests in the specialty of pathology, including the subspecialties of histopathology, oral pathology and cytology.
COLA continues to benefit from Nancy’s prior experience as the CEO of a clinical pathology laboratory division of one of the largest diagnostic laboratory medicine companies in the world. Before moving into the CEO position for the division, She held various management positions in which she guided her team to new levels of excellence in quality management, customer service, human resources, risk management, and regulatory and medical legal compliance.
In addition to having extensive experience in all aspects of laboratory operations, Nancy is highly regarded in the industry for her commitment to high-quality patient care, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with employees, physicians, hospitals and community partners.
PSFF Board Liaison
Chief Executive Office, COLA, Inc.
Multi-Institutional Demonstration Projects Committee
MISSION STATEMENT: Enable clinical laboratories to showcase their value across the healthcare ecosystem through reproducible, data driven initiatives that generate evidence, improve patient outcomes, deliver cost-effective solutions, and provide actionable insights to key stakeholders.
Aya Haghamad, PharmD
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / SENIOR PHARMACIST AND CLINICAL SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. Aya Haghamad is the Clinical Pharmacist and Solutions Specialist with the pathology informatics team at Northwell Health Labs. In her role, Dr. Haghamad identifies and operationalizes new opportunities to connect laboratory and pharmacy data and expertise to improve patient care and support operations across the system. In her first year at Northwell, she has led the development of quality metrics to assess inpatient management of bloodstream infections, garnering C-suite level attention. She has piloted an initiative to support nursing homes in fulfilling their antimicrobial stewardship requirements, and developed automatic drug dosing recommendations for patients with renal impairment.
Dr. Haghamad received her Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from SUNY Old Westbury and her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from The University of Saint Joseph College of Pharmacy. She trained as a clinical pharmacy resident at NYU Winthrop Hospital and completed a translational medicine fellowship at University of New Mexico and Tricore Laboratories.
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COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / SENIOR PHARMACIST AND CLINICAL SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. Aya Haghamad is the Clinical Pharmacist and Solutions Specialist with the pathology informatics team at Northwell Health Labs. In her role, Dr. Haghamad identifies and operationalizes new opportunities to connect laboratory and pharmacy data and expertise to improve patient care and support operations across the system. In her first year at Northwell, she has led the development of quality metrics to assess inpatient management of bloodstream infections, garnering C-suite level attention. She has piloted an initiative to support nursing homes in fulfilling their antimicrobial stewardship requirements, and developed automatic drug dosing recommendations for patients with renal impairment.
Dr. Haghamad received her Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from SUNY Old Westbury and her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from The University of Saint Joseph College of Pharmacy. She trained as a clinical pharmacy resident at NYU Winthrop Hospital and completed a translational medicine fellowship at University of New Mexico and Tricore Laboratories.
Senior Pharmacist and Clinical Solutions Specialist
Northwell Health
Yachana Kataria, PhD
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Yachana Kataria, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Lab Medicine at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Before arriving at the university, Dr. Kataria completed a fellowship in clinical chemistry and was the assistant director of clinical chemistry at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Yachana Kataria, Medical Director of Clinical Chemistry Laboratories at Boston Medical Center, focuses on bringing public health to the clinical laboratory. Leveraging data analytics in laboratory medicine can offer valuable insights for patient care and population health. Her research, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, assesses the durability of seroimmunoglobulins and she also studies risk factors for multiple myeloma. Laboratory medicine plays a crucial role of laboratories in healthcare, advocating for partnerships with data analytics to support value-based care, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce costs.
Yachana Kataria, PhD
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Yachana Kataria, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Lab Medicine at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Before arriving at the university, Dr. Kataria completed a fellowship in clinical chemistry and was the assistant director of clinical chemistry at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Yachana Kataria, Medical Director of Clinical Chemistry Laboratories at Boston Medical Center, focuses on bringing public health to the clinical laboratory. Leveraging data analytics in laboratory medicine can offer valuable insights for patient care and population health. Her research, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, assesses the durability of seroimmunoglobulins and she also studies risk factors for multiple myeloma. Laboratory medicine plays a crucial role of laboratories in healthcare, advocating for partnerships with data analytics to support value-based care, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce costs.
Medical Director of Clinical Chemistry, Boston University
Kathleen Swanson, MS, RPh
PSFF STAFF LIAISON / DIRECTOR, DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, PROJECT SANTA FE FOUNDATION
During her career, Kathleen Swanson has worked with a wide range of professionals in health care and business to develop and facilitate new programs. She has been recognized as a leader and mentor, served on several Board of Director positions and as an elected officer for state and national groups.
Kathleen practiced pharmacy in a variety of environments including inpatient, outpatient, clinical, managed care, and research. In addition to her practice experience, she has overseen local and national programs for quality management, performance improvement and measurement systems. More recently, she worked as the Director of Clinical Solutions at TriCore where she led the development and implementation of state-wide population health initiatives for high prevalence conditions in New Mexico using laboratory data.
Currently Kathleen is a member of the Project Santa Fe Foundation Faculty working with multi-site groups to demonstrate the value of laboratory insights to improve patient care and reduce total costs.
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Kathleen Swanson, MS, RPh
PSFF STAFF LIAISON / DIRECTOR, DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, PROJECT SANTA FE FOUNDATION
During her career, Kathleen Swanson has worked with a wide range of professionals in health care and business to develop and facilitate new programs. She has been recognized as a leader and mentor, served on several Board of Director positions and as an elected officer for state and national groups.
Kathleen practiced pharmacy in a variety of environments including inpatient, outpatient, clinical, managed care, and research. In addition to her practice experience, she has overseen local and national programs for quality management, performance improvement and measurement systems. More recently, she worked as the Director of Clinical Solutions at TriCore where she led the development and implementation of state-wide population health initiatives for high prevalence conditions in New Mexico using laboratory data.
Currently Kathleen is a member of the Project Santa Fe Foundation Faculty working with multi-site groups to demonstrate the value of laboratory insights to improve patient care and reduce total costs.
PSFF Staff Liaison
Director, Demonstration Projects, Project Santa Fe Foundation
James Crawford, MD, PhD
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR OF THE BOARD, PSFF; PROFESSOR AND CHAIR EMERITUS, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. James Crawford is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. And Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services for the Northwell Health System.
Jim received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College (1976) and his MD and PhD degrees from Duke University (1982). After interning in Pathology at Duke University medical Center (1982 – 1983), he trained as an Anatomic Pathology resident at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (1983 – 1987), including a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology and training in 1989 at Royal free Hospital in London as a Liver Pathology Research Fellow.
From 1988 – 1996 he was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, rising to the rank of the Associate Professor and Directory of the Program in Gastrointestinal Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine. He then moved to the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, FL, where for 9 years he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine. He also served 8 years as President of the Faculty Practice Association and as Chair of the College’s Executive Fiscal Advisory Committee. Dr. Crawford is well known as a Liver Pathologist and for his research in hepatobiliary pathophysiology. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of Laboratory Investigation, Chair of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), President of the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC), and Chair of the Board of Directors of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) “PathPAC” Political Action Committee. He currently is the founding editor of the new APC journal Academic Pathology.
Through both the Association of Pathology Chairs and the College of American Pathologists, DR. Crawford has been heavily involved in advocacy for healthcare. In recent years, he has taken a leading role in advocating for the specialty of Pathology to be part of the next era of “patient-centered” healthcare, particularly with regards to Health Information Technology and the Patient-Centered Medicine Home. That includes being a founding member of Project Santa Fe, which is advancing the concept of Clinical Laboratory 20., as an evidence-based foundation for the value statements of laboratory services in the next era of American health-care.
James M. Crawford, MD, PhD
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CHAIR OF THE BOARD, PSFF; PROFESSOR AND CHAIR EMERITUS, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, NORTHWELL HEALTH
Dr. James Crawford is Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. And Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services for the Northwell Health System.
Jim received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College (1976) and his MD and PhD degrees from Duke University (1982). After interning in Pathology at Duke University medical Center (1982 – 1983), he trained as an Anatomic Pathology resident at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (1983 – 1987), including a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology and training in 1989 at Royal free Hospital in London as a Liver Pathology Research Fellow.
From 1988 – 1996 he was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, rising to the rank of the Associate Professor and Directory of the Program in Gastrointestinal Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine. He then moved to the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, FL, where for 9 years he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine. He also served 8 years as President of the Faculty Practice Association and as Chair of the College’s Executive Fiscal Advisory Committee. Dr. Crawford is well known as a Liver Pathologist and for his research in hepatobiliary pathophysiology. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of Laboratory Investigation, Chair of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), President of the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC), and Chair of the Board of Directors of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) “PathPAC” Political Action Committee. He currently is the founding editor of the new APC journal Academic Pathology.
Through both the Association of Pathology Chairs and the College of American Pathologists, DR. Crawford has been heavily involved in advocacy for healthcare. In recent years, he has taken a leading role in advocating for the specialty of Pathology to be part of the next era of “patient-centered” healthcare, particularly with regards to Health Information Technology and the Patient-Centered Medicine Home. That includes being a founding member of Project Santa Fe, which is advancing the concept of Clinical Laboratory 20., as an evidence-based foundation for the value statements of laboratory services in the next era of American health-care.
PSFF Board Liaison
Professor and Chair Emeritus, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Northwell Health
Pathology Informatics-Artificial Intelligence Committee
MISSION STATEMENT: Enhance public health outcomes and confidence in laboratory services by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for proactive healthcare interventions and integrated diagnostic support.
Create a unified public health infrastructure that uses predictive analytics, early detection, and personalized health interventions to improve population health and reduce costs, while maintaining a strong emphasis on diagnostic stewardship.
Amjad Azizi
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DIRECTOR, INFORMATICS STRATEGTY AND SOLUTIONS, SYSMEX AMERICA
Amjad Azizi serves as the Director of Informatics Solutions and Strategy at Sysmex America, where he leads innovative initiatives in digital health and laboratory informatics. With a deep expertise in artificial intelligence, data integration, and strategic transformation, Amjad drives cutting-edge solutions that enhance clinical workflows, streamline diagnostics, and optimize healthcare outcomes. He is also a prominent figure in the industry, actively contributing as the Co-Chair of the CL2.0 AI Solutions Committee. He fosters collaboration and spearheads AI advancements in pathology and informatics.
Amjad Azizi
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / DIRECTOR, INFORMATICS STRATEGY AND SOLUTIONS, SYSMEX AMERICA
Amjad Azizi serves as the Director of Informatics Solutions and Strategy at Sysmex America, where he leads innovative initiatives in digital health and laboratory informatics. With a deep expertise in artificial intelligence, data integration, and strategic transformation, Amjad drives cutting-edge solutions that enhance clinical workflows, streamline diagnostics, and optimize healthcare outcomes. He is also a prominent figure in the industry, actively contributing as the Co-Chair of the CL2.0 AI Solutions Committee. He fosters collaboration and spearheads AI advancements in pathology and informatics.
Director, Informatics Strategy and Solutions, Sysmex America
Ulysses G. J. Balis, MD, FCAP, FASCP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / A. JAMES FRENCH PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY AND ASSOCIATE CHIEF MEDICAL INFORMATION OFFICER, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Dr. Ulysses G. J. Balis is the A. James French Professor of Pathology Informatics at the University of Michigan, with additional roles as Associate Chief Medical Information Officer and Informatics Fellowship Program Director at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Balis has longstanding interests in data analytics, natural language processing, digital image analysis, computational pathology, and AI-driven workflow. During his career, he has carried foundational roles in the creation of subspecialty boards for Clinical Informatics, circulating tumor cell microfluidics technology, and in the development of the original DICOM Visible Light (VL) Image Object Definition.
Ulysses Balis, MD, FCAP, FASCP
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR / A. JAMES FRENCH PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY AND ASSOCIATE CHIEF MEDICAL INFORMATION OFFICER, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Dr. Ulysses G. J. Balis is the A. James French Professor of Pathology Informatics at the University of Michigan, with additional roles as Associate Chief Medical Information Officer and Informatics Fellowship Program Director at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Balis has longstanding interests in data analytics, natural language processing, digital image analysis, computational pathology, and AI-driven workflow. During his career, he has carried foundational roles in the creation of subspecialty boards for Clinical Informatics, circulating tumor cell microfluidics technology, and in the development of the original DICOM Visible Light (VL) Image Object Definition.
Associate Chief Medical Information Officer, University of Michigan
Myra Wilkerson, MD
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / CHAIR, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICINE INSTITUTE, GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM
Dr. Myra Wilkerson is currently chair of the Geisinger Diagnostic Medicine Institute, which comprises Laboratory Medicine and Radiology, and chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Wilkerson is responsible for oversight of all clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory services within the health system. She joined the Geisinger team in 1999 and has held several medical directorships over various Geisinger hospital laboratories as well as the vice chair for the Laboratory service line. Her subspecialty areas are cytopathology, genitourinary pathology, and laboratory informatics. Dr. Wilkerson edited and contributed four chapters to a book published by the Geisinger anatomic pathology group, the Handbook of Practical Immunohistochemistry: Frequently Asked Questions, now available in its third edition. She's also one of the web authors for the companion web site to this book, www.ihcfaq.com.
Dr. Wilkerson is a past president of the Association of Clinical Scientists and a past president of the Association for Pathology Informatics. She is a founding member and currently sits on the Executive Board for the Project Santa Fe Foundation, a non-profit organization established to provide thought leadership and to help develop the evidence base for the valuation of clinical laboratory services in the next era of global healthcare. A fellow of the College of American Pathologists, she serves on the Council on Informatics and Pathology Innovation. She is on the editorial boards of three peer reviewed journals, the Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and the Journal of Pathology Informatics.
Dr. Wilkerson received her undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from Marshall University, and then worked in the clinical laboratories at Charleston Area Medical Center before retuning to Marshall University to earn a Doctor of Medicine. She completed a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency and cytopathology specialty training in the PennState Geisinger Health System.
Myra Wilkerson, MD
PSFF BOARD LIAISON / CHAIR, LABORATORY MEDICINE, GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM
Myra Wilkerson is Chair, Laboratory Medicine Service Line for Geisinger. Dr. Wilkerson is responsible for oversight of all clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory services within the health system.
She joined the Geisinger team in 1999 and has helped several medical directorships over Geisinger hospital laboratories as week as the vice chair for the service line. Her subspecialty areas are cytopathology, genitourinary pathology, and laboratory informatics. Her current research interests include tissue microarrays and immunochemistry of the testicular and bladder tumors. Dr. Wilkerson recently edited and contributed four chapters to a book published by the Geisinger anatomic pathology group, the Handbook of Practical Immunohistochemistry: Frequently Asked Questions. She's one of the web authors for the companion wed site to this book, www.ihcfaq.com.
Dr Wilkerson is a part president of the Association of the Clinical Scientists and a past president of the Association for Pathology Informatics. She also currently serves on the Informatics Committee and the Clinical Informatics Steering Committee for the College of American Pathologist’s. She is on the editorial boards of three peer reviewed journals, the Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Journal of Pathology Informatics.
Dr. Wilkerson received her undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from Marshall University, and then worked in the clinical laboratories at Charleston Area Medical Center before retuning to Marshall University to earn a Doctor of Medicine. She completed a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency and cytopathology specialty training in the PennState Geisinger Health System.
PSFF Board Liaison
Chair, Diagnostic Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System
If you have interest in contributing to the committee work, please email info@cl2lab.org.