ACHE NJ 2025 Fall Congress

Panel 1: Risk Issues We Face in our Daily Roles

Panel 2: Achieving the Quintuple Aim in Healthcare

Panel 3: Employing Social Media to Build Consumer Satisfaction and Community

Risk Issues We Face in our Daily Roles

Moderator: Kenneth N. Sable - President, Acute Care Hospital Division, Hackensack Meridian Health

Panelists:

Mitch Gesinger- VP, Quality, Safety & Risk, Virtua

Margaret Keavney - Partner, Keavney & Streger

Aaron Hajart - Chief Operating Officer, RWJ Barnabas

Welcome, Kenneth Sable!

Kenneth N. Sable, MD, MBA, FACEP is president of the Acute Care Division for Hackensack Meridian Health, responsible for all of HMH's acute care and children's hospitals.

Dr. Sable has oversight of Hackensack University medical Center (a Level One Adult Trauma Center and Level Two Pediatric Trauma Center - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital) in Hackensack; Jersey Shore University Medical Center (a Level One Adult Trauma Center and Level One Pediatric Trauma Center - K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital) in Neptune; JFK University Medical Center in Edison; Ocean University Medical Center in Brick; Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen; Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy; Old Bridge Medical Center in Old Bridge; Riverview Medical Center in Red

Bank; Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; and Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel. He also oversees HMH's interest in its joint ventures with Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood.

Previously, Dr. Sable was president of HMH’s Southern Market for the past 6 years with responsibility for five HMH

hospitals and the network-wide service lines including cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedics, oncology,

children’s health, women’s health, and behavioral health.

Dr. Sable originally joined HMH as president of Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children’s

Hospital in 2014. Prior to joining Hackensack Meridian Health, Dr. Sable was Executive Vice President and Chief

Operating Officer for Saint Peter’s Healthcare System in New Brunswick, New Jersey, responsible for the

coordination and oversight of operations for the entire health care system from 2012 through 2014.

From 2002 through 2012, Dr. Sable was vice chairman for Operations in the Department of Emergency Medicine at

Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Dr. Sable holds a Doctor of Medicine from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed an

Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey. He holds a

Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Isenberg School of Management, and a

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He is

a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP), Diplomate of the American Board of

Emergency Medicine (ABEM), and a graduate of Maimonides Medical Center’s Physician Leadership and

Development Program. He has also received the Medical Service Award from Bikur Cholim, and the Joshua Huddy Distinguished Citizen Award from the Monmouth Council of the Boy Scouts.

Dr. Sable is the Assistant Dean for Integration at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. He is on the policy board

of the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA). He is also a board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey.

Welcome, Mitch Gesinger!

Mitch Gesinger MSN, RN, CJCP, CPHQ, CPHRM, CPPS is the Vice President of Quality, Safety, Risk at Virtua Health in Southern New Jersey and is charged with overseeing the organization’s Quality, Safety, Risk, Infection Prevention, Environment of Care, and Emergency Management programs.

He is also President and Founder of Gesinger Hospital Accreditation Consulting (GHAC) and has more than 15 years of leadership experience across various hospital settings. Mitch has a clinical background in pediatric critical care and adult neurosciences. As a national regulatory consultant for more than 7 years, he is recognized as a subject matter expert in CMS and Joint Commission compliance.

Welcome, Margaret Keavney!

From paramedic to attorney, Margaret Keavney's career has always been driven by one mission: to serve. After years on the front lines as a paramedic and volunteer first aider, she transitioned to the legal world to better understand — and influence — the systems that impact EMS organizations and patient care.

Today, she serves as a healthcare attorney and compliance officer for a large corporation while also providing legal counsel and training to EMS agencies across New Jersey and beyond. She helps organizations navigate complex regulatory environments, stay compliant with HIPAA and Medicare rules, and build sustainable, mission-focused operations.

But this work goes far beyond legal checklists. Her goal is to advocate for the EMS industry, push for evidence-based prehospital care, engage with regulators to improve compliance processes, and elevate the overall quality of care — all while keeping an eye on the big picture (and yes, that includes world peace).

Specialties:

✔ Health Care Law

✔ EMS Organizations

✔ Non-Profit & Tax-Exempt Entities

✔ HIPAA Compliance

✔ Medicare Regulations

✔ Regulatory Strategy & Training

Keavney & Streger, LLC, provides legal counsel, compliance support, and strategic guidance tailored to the unique needs of EMS agencies and healthcare providers. Their attorneys are licensed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana, and work nationwide on federal legal issues.

J.D., MHA (Tulane University), BA English, Communications, French (Rutgers University)

Welcome, Aaron Hajart!

Aaron is an experienced hospital executive with over 20 years of demonstrated history of hospital operations, strategic planning, clinical integration, and operational improvements. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Community Medical Center (RWJBarnabas Health) in Toms River, NJ, where he leads operational excellence and patient-centered initiatives.

His prior roles include Southern Region SVP of Service Line and Practice Integration at RWJBarnabas Health and COO/SVP for Strategy and Innovation at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, where he advanced growth strategies, innovation, and community partnerships. He also held leadership positions at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, SUNY Downstate, and in sports medicine earlier in his career.

His executive career has focused on leading large academic and clinical enterprises and has excelled in Physician Relations, Healthcare Management, Business Development, and Hospital Executive Leadership.

Mr. Hajart started his career as a provider and advanced into the executive suite in top-performing healthcare systems. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a frequent lecturer on healthcare leadership and mentoring.

Achieving the Quintuple Aim in Healthcare

Moderator: Robin Ford - VP of Healthcare Reimbursement, NJHA

Panelists:

Rachel Bailey - Executive Director, Risk Management, AHS

Althea Ford - VP of Government Affairs, NJBIA

Deb Visconi - CEO, BNMC

Welcome, Robin Ford!

Robin C. Ford is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in New Jersey's public sector, specializing in healthcare policy, government healthcare funding, and legislative and budget analysis.

Robin joined the New Jersey Hospital Association as the Vice President of Healthcare Reimbursement in July 2025 and has been dedicating her time to analyzing the fiscal

impact of the federal changes to New Jersey’s public health care funding. Previously, she worked in healthcare information technology policy for the New Jersey Innovation Institute, and she served as Deputy Commissioner of Health Systems for the New Jersey Department of Health.

As Deputy Commissioner, she managed the administrative oversight of approximately 4,000 licensed healthcare facilities and was an integral part of the State Budget process. In this role, she helped set DOH priorities, oversaw health care

assessment and funding programs, and negotiated the inclusion of key projects in the Appropriations Act. Robin's financial experience also includes her role as Executive Director of the Office of Health Care Financing, where she oversaw the administration of hospital funding programs totaling approximately $560 million in federal and State funding. She was responsible for the calculation and distribution of these subsidies and initiated the automation of a paper-

based system for collecting key information from various health care facilities. Additionally, as a Lead Fiscal Analyst for the Office of Legislative Services, she drafted complex legislation, staffed Legislative Committees and analyzed the proposed budgets of multiple state departments.

She holds an M.S. in Public Policy and a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University. She lives with her family in Central New Jersey.

Welcome, Rachel Bailey!

Rachel Bailey, RN, MS, BSN, CPHRM, CPHQ, is the Executive Director of Risk Management at Atlantic Health System, where she oversees Risk Management operations for six acute care centers and Atlantic Medical Group, which includes more than 900 physicians across 400 locations in northern and central New Jersey.

She began her Risk Management career in 2012 as Patient Relations Manager at Newton Medical Center following its merger with AHS and later served as Risk and Patient Relations Manager at Chilton Medical Center, supporting the integration of its Legal and Risk Management Department into the system. In 2014, she transitioned to Risk Manager for Atlantic Medical Group, was promoted to AMG Director of Risk Management in 2021, and assumed her current role as Executive Director in October 2024.

A registered nurse with over 18 years of critical care and supervisory experience, Rachel holds a nursing degree from Mountainside School of Nursing, a BSN from Seton Hall University, and a Master of Science in Quality, Patient Safety, and Risk Management from Drexel University.

Welcome, Althea Ford!

Althea Ford is Vice President of Government Affairs for the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, the most influential and effective advocate for job creators in the Garden State. Ford manages the healthcare, childcare, K-12 and higher education, workforce development and consumer affairs portfolios for NJBIA.

Ford is highly regarded as a skilled researcher, legislative policy analyst and public speaker. She frequently communicates important legislative updates to

business groups around the state to ensure employers are informed about the bills and regulatory policies that could affect their businesses.

A native of Plainfield and a proud product of New Jersey’s public school system, Ford began her career in government relations with the not-for-profit trade

organization NJSFDA in 2012. Prior to this, Ford worked in higher education administration at Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City. Ford is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned her master’s degree in politics and education from the Teachers College at Columbia University.

Welcome, Deb Visconi!

Deb Visconi is a dynamic and results-driven Senior Healthcare Executive with over 25 years of award-winning experience leading hospitals and medical enterprises to expanded market share, improved clinical outcomes, and greater profitability. She is recognized for excellence in hospital administration, clinical operations, business development, and strategic growth initiatives, with a proven ability to drive operational excellence, quality improvements, and financial sustainability in highly regulated and competitive environments.

She is a customer- and quality-focused leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, adept at transforming strategy into execution through innovative program development, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative leadership. She is skilled in navigating resource-constrained settings, managing physician and stakeholder relations, and fostering cultures of accountability and teamwork. Her Core Competencies include:

Hospital & Healthcare Operations Leadership

Strategic Market Growth & Business Development

Physician & Stakeholder Relations

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

Operational Excellence & Quality Initiatives

Data-Driven Decision Making

Team Building & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Proven success in translating vision into action plans that achieve measurable results, strengthen organizational reputation, and align mission with strategy in complex healthcare systems.

Welcome, Guiherme Valladares!

Gui Valladares is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Penn Medicine Princeton Health (PMPH).  Mr. Valladares worked for a number of large academic and community health systems located on the east coast and abroad prior to joining PMPH in 2013. 

He started his career at BD, a Fortune 500 international medical device company, before joining large health systems in Baltimore and in the Philadelphia metropolitan areas: Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Kennedy Health System, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

Mr. Valladares earned his MBA from Loyola University Maryland, with a concentration in finance, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Maryland College, in Business Administration, and in Economics, with a minor in Accounting.  He is trained in Lean Six Sigma, fluent in Portuguese and conversant in Spanish.  He lives with his wife in Cherry Hill, NJ.

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Employing Social Media to Build Consumer Satisfaction and Community

Moderator: Chrisie Scott - SVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Virtua

Panelists:

Andrew Donet - Market CEO, Kindred

Jill Fennimore - System VP of Patient Experience, RWJ Barnabas

Janna Hembrough - Director of Patient Experience, HMH/Mountainside

Welcome, Chrisie!

Chrisie Scot is the SVP & Chief Marketing Officer at Virtua.

She is an experienced marketing and communications executive with a proven track record in the healthcare industry. Known for blending strategic acumen with creative vision, she leads with heart, empathy, and purpose — consistently delivering compelling, sustainable, and competitive results.

Emotionally intelligent and digitally fluent, she is a brand bohemian who champions reimagined customer experiences, alignment of brand and culture, and the authentic amplification of the customer voice. She is passionate about storytelling, “peoplizing” data, and heartwiring what truly matters — internally and externally — to drive meaningful engagement and organizational transformation. Her core strengths are :

• Brand Strategy & Culture Alignment

• Customer Experience Innovation

• Digital Marketing & Transformation

• Executive Communications & Thought Leadership

• Data Storytelling & Market Insights

• Team Leadership with Emotional Intelligence

Welcome, Andrew Donet!

A seasoned healthcare executive and educator, Andrew Donet serves as Market CEO for Kindred, overseeing hospital and rehabilitation operations in Philadelphia.

He brings over a decade of leadership in healthcare management, including prior CEO roles with ScionHealth and senior business development positions with Kindred Healthcare.

Passionate about developing future leaders, he also teaches in the Master of Health Administration program at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School. Dedicated to advancing the field, he is a Past President and current Board Member of ACHE–New Jersey and serves on the board of The Montclair Inn, a nonprofit senior housing community.

Welcome, Jill Fennimore!

Jill Suzanne Fennimore serves as System Vice President of Patient Experience at RWJBarnabas Health System and part time lecturer at Rutgers University, bringing over twenty years of data analytics and process improvement experience as an MBA, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and a Project Management Professional.

Her undergraduate degree is from Ursinus College where she studied International Business and Management before serving three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Samoa. She has won numerous awards, including the Presidential Award for extraordinary job performance in Qatar and India at Educational Testing Service.

She also served as the President of Peace Corps Samoa’s Volunteer Advisory Committee, a Malcolm Baldrige Examiner, Captain of her College Softball Team, and the Founder and Chair of TEDxMorrisville. During her free time, she loves making memories with her loving family, dogs and softball mates.

Welcome, Janna Hembrough!

Janna Hembrough is a seasoned Senior Healthcare Executive with over 25 years of award-winning experience leading hospitals and medical enterprises to improved patient outcomes, expanded market share, and sustained profitability. Recognized for expertise in patient experience, clinical operations, and organizational development, Janna has successfully directed service excellence programs in diverse and highly regulated healthcare environments.

Currently serving as Director of Patient Experience at Mountainside Medical Center, she leads initiatives that strengthen patient satisfaction, service recovery, and staff engagement. Previous leadership roles include Director of Patient Experience & Relations at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and Manager of Patient Experience at Hackensack Meridian Health – Hackensack University Medical Center, where she advanced system-wide patient advocacy and quality initiatives.

A collaborative strategist and data-driven decision maker, Janna Hembrough is known for building high-performing teams, forging strong physician and stakeholder relationships, and transforming vision into measurable results.