2023 Leaders of Essential Emergency Departments Conference

John E. McDonough, DrPH, MPA

Professor of practice, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy & Management, Director, HSPH Center for Executive & Continuing Education

John E. McDonough, DrPH, MPA is a professor of practice at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy & Management and Director of the HSPH Center for Executive & Continuing Professional Education. Between 2008 and 2010, he served as a Senior Advisor on National Health Reform to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions where he worked on the writing and passage of the Affordable Care Act. Between 2003 and 2008, he was Executive Director of Health Care For All, Massachusetts’ consumer health advocacy organization where he played a leading role in the passage of the 2006 Massachusetts health reform law. From 1998 through 2003, he was an associate professor at the Heller School at Brandeis University. From 1985 to 1997, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he co-chaired the Joint Committee on Health Care. He holds a doctorate in public health from the University of Michigan and a master’s in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Vikas Saini, MD

President, Lown Institute

Vikas Saini, MD, is president of the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that believes a radically better healthcare system is possible. Dr. Saini leads the Institute’s signature project, the Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility, which includes measures never used before, like hospital racial inclusivity, ceo-to-staff pay equity, and avoidance of overuse.

Dr. Saini trained in cardiology at Harvard, where he also practiced and taught. He also worked in private practice in the community setting for more than fifteen years. He is founder of a successful primary care physician contracting network and the co-founder of a ground-breaking medical device company.

He also serves as chair of the Right Care Alliance, a grassroots network of clinicians, patient activists, and community leaders organizing to put patients, not profits, at the heart of health care.

Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH

President and CEO, America’s Essential Hospitals

Since joining America’s Essential Hospitals in 2010, Siegel has used his health care management, policy, and public health experience to advance the association’s advocacy, leadership development, and health equity work. America’s Essential Hospitals has grown dramatically under his stewardship, becoming a stronger voice for hospitals caring for low-income and 0ther marginalized patients. He served previously as director of the Center for Health Care Quality at The George Washington University and as president and CEO of two member systems: the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and Tampa General Healthcare. He also served as New Jersey’s commissioner of health.

Louise Keogh Weed

Instructor, Department of Health Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty, Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care

Louise Keogh Weed is an Instructor in the Department of Health Management at the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health and is Affiliate Faculty at the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. Prior to working at HSPH and HMS, Louise worked in Integrated Clinical Primary Care settings in Safety Net and Community Health Systems. She also currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Service Alliance, and serves on the Board for The Farm School Foundation. Louise bases all of her work on the idea that success in mission-driven organizations lives in the space where mission, justice, leadership, and strategy overlap. Louise holds a Bachelor’s in Women’s Studies from Tufts University and a Master’s in Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health.

Purva Rawal, PhD

Purva Rawal, PhD, is the Chief Strategy Officer at the CMS Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As part of the Senior Leadership team, she provides guidance and leadership on the execution of the Innovation Center’s strategy.

Most recently, she was a principal at CapView Strategies, where she developed evidence-based public policy and business strategies and conducted policy research on health system transformation and sustainability issues. She was also an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University. In 2016, she published a book, The Affordable Care Act: Examining the Facts and has published book chapter, blogs, and papers on value-based care. Previously, Dr. Rawal served as professional staff on the Senate Budget Committee during the passage of the Affordable Care Act and as the health and social policy advisor to Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). She was also a director in the Health Insurance and Reform Practice at Avalere Health. She began her health policy career as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences and as a Congressional Fellow for the Society for Research on Child Development and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Rawal received her B.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Alastair Bell, MD, MBA

President and interim CEO, BMC Health System

Dr. Alastair Bell is president and interim CEO of the BMC Health System. He oversees comprehensive system strategy and operations of its entities including BMC, accountable care, and the WellSense Health Plan, a Medicaid Managed Care Organization with more than 400,000 members in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Prior to joining BMC in 2012, Dr. Bell was a leader in the North American Payor and Provider Practice at McKinsey and Company, advising a range of national and international healthcare organizations and leading large scale transformation programs. Alastair received a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Oxford in England, a Master of Arts in physiology from the University of Cambridge in England, and a Master of Business Administration with distinction from Harvard Business School. He currently serves as the vice chair of the board for both Boston Medflight and Boston Children’s Chorus.

Senator Edward J. Markey, JD

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee

Senator Edward J. Markey, a consumer champion and national leader on energy, environmental protection and telecommunications policy, has a prolific legislative record on major issues across the policy spectrum and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the people of Massachusetts and our country.

Whether the issue is climate change, clean energy, safeguarding privacy, nuclear non-proliferation, investor protection or preserving an open Internet that spurs competition and consumer choice, Senator Markey stands up for the priorities and values of Massachusetts.

While serving for 37 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Markey fought for his constituents throughout his Congressional District. When he was Dean of the Massachusetts delegation in the House, he worked to harness the energy and influence of his colleagues on behalf of the entire Commonwealth. Elected to the Senate in a special election in June 2013, Senator Markey is bringing his experience, energy and expertise to fight for all the people of Massachusetts. Senator Markey serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.