Speakers
Description
Kelly Mudlong (Garrison), RN, LNCC found her way to legal nursing when an attorney who knew of her writing background requested her to review a medical chart.
Prior to becoming a nurse, Kelly had obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Sam Houston State University, writing for the local newspaper and her university’s public relations department. From there, more chronology requests turned into a full-time job screening cases, retaining expert witnesses and providing research to support theories of causation and the standard of care.
Kelly’s writing experience has been an asset in the field of legal nursing where she has written dozens of reports and chronologies. Currently, she works for Memorial Hermann Health System’s legal department providing risk management investigations, in-depth medical summaries and opinions on the standard of care.
Detailed speaker information
Adam Khader
MD, PhD, FACS, FSSO
Cut Through the Clutter: What the Chart Doesn't Tell You About Cancer Care
Dr. Khader is double board-certified in General Surgery and Complex General Surgical Oncology, with over 15 years of clinical experience. He serves as an Associate Professor of Surgery at VCU School of Medicine and is a funded investigator at both the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Richmond Institute for Veterans Research.
Motivated by a strong commitment to truth and justice, Dr. Khader brings deep clinical expertise and a nuanced understanding of cancer biology to the field of medicolegal review. His multiple teaching awards and the consistent praise from medical students and residents highlight his exceptional ability to explain complex medical issues with clarity.
Dr. Khader will share insights into the unique challenges of reviewing complex cancer cases. He’ll emphasize the clinical realities of an ever-evolving field and provide practical tools to cut through the noise of the medical record—and get to the real story.
Barbara Levin
BSN, RN, ONC, CMSRN, LNCC, FNAON
Evaluating Complex Clinical Events and Preparing Reports for Litigation: LNC as an Expert & LNC as a Merit Reviewer
Becky Czarnik
MS, RN, CNLCP, CMSP
Strategic Case Coordination: The Collaborative Power of the LNC and LCP
Founder and CEO of Sierra Nurse Consultants, Becky Czarnik, has extensive nursing knowledge in administration, education, clinical and community settings. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. She is a licensed Registered Nurse, and her certifications include Certified Nurse Life Care Planner and Certified Medicare Secondary Payer-Fellow.
She provides services as a consultant and expert witness for services such as Life Care Plans, Medical Cost projections, Medicare Set Asides and Special Needs Trusts. Becky is a member of several organizations with emphasis on life care planning, legal nurse consulting, Medicare set asides, and care of the individual post-acute hospitalization. She is an active member of the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners (AANLCP). She was the Executive Board Secretary (2014-2016) and the Education chair (2016-present). She has peer reviewed publications in her fields of practice.
To balance her busy professional life, Becky is an avid traveler, home gourmet cook and reader. You may also find her in the pool since she recently learned how to swim. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she participated in a local senior’s swimming competition and won first place for her age category! She lives in Reno, NV with her husband and two very spoiled cats.
Jennifer Parks
RN, LNCC
Strategic Case Coordination: The Collaborative Power of the LNC and LCP
Jennifer has been a registered nurse for 22 years and runs a Legal Nurse Consulting firm that helps plaintiff attorneys untangle the mess in medical malpractice and personal injury cases. She thrives in the non-discoverable zone: creating stellar
chronologies, lining up the right experts, and making magic happen behind the scenes.
Based in Las Vegas, Jennifer shares an almost-empty nest with her husband and their ornery dog, while cheering on their two fiercely independent daughters as they take on the world. Thanks to the flexibility of LNC life, she never missed a single orchestra concert or flag football game (and can now identify every type of gym bleacher and auditorium seat by lumbar regret alone).
Bianca Allen
BSN, MS, NEA-BC
Advancing the Business of Being a Legal Nurse Consultant & Running a High-Performing LNC Practice
Bianca Allen is a board-certified registered nurse with over a decade of experience spanning cardiovascular critical care, clinical operations, and systems-based consulting.
She is the founder of Allen & Allen Quality Health Consultants, where she serves as a legal nurse consultant and expert witness specializing in malpractice case review, regulatory compliance, and workflow strategy.
Bianca has partnered with both plaintiff and defense firms across the southern U.S., providing high-impact case analysis grounded in national standards of care.
Known for her ability to distill complex clinical issues into clear, strategic insights, she brings both depth and practicality to her work in the legal-medical space.
Carrie Barber
DNP, APRN, CNM, OB/GYN NP
Inpatient Obstetrics: The Process of Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Merit Reviews, Case Development, & Serving as Consulting, & Testifying Expert
Dr. Carrie Barber is a certified nurse midwife and Ob/Gyn Nurse Practitioner who serves as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and remains clinically active in practice.
She is the founder and principal medical legal consultant at Barber Medical Legal Nurse Consulting, LLC. Her clinical specialty areas include Ob/Gyn, midwifery, labor and delivery, postpartum, hospital administration and nursing education.
Dr. Barber’s medical legal specialty areas include maternal, fetal, and neonatal birth injury.
Deb gauldin
RN, CHP
It Only Hurts When We Don't Laugh! How Humor Mitigates Stress and Enhances Well-Being
Deb Gauldin, RN, CHP, is a professional speaker and recording artist who grew up in Des Moines and raised her family in the Chicago area. She was a maternity nurse (and yo-yo dieter) for over twenty years, though it only took 6 months in healthcare to have enough material to take her act on the road!
Deb has entertained healthcare audiences for more than 20 years now, and in more than 20 countries. She is an award-winning member of numerous professional organizations and is a Certified Humor Professional through the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
Still, Deb insists her best credentials are her stretch marks and laugh lines.
Here to help us laugh our way through whatever lies ahead, please welcome The Artist Formerly Known As "MOM“.
Deborah ash
RN, MSN, MBA, LNC, CCHP-RN
Medical Care in Jails and Prisons: Role of the Expert Witness
Deb Ash is an RN with 16 years’ experience in correctional nursing. She has provided care in over 400 county correctional facilities across 22 states. Deb holds master’s degrees in Nursing and in Business Administration and is a graduate of Duke University’s Legal Nurse Consultant program. Considered an expert in Correctional Healthcare, Deb is a regular speaker for the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare and for Sheriff’s organizations across the country. Deb is highly experienced in providing expert witness testimony for deposition and jury trials related to correctional healthcare.
Deb is the owner of a medical-legal consulting program and is also the General Manager of Risk Mitigation at Heritage Health Solutions. She assists jails in transitioning and maintaining self-operated medical programs, conducts contract compliance audits in facilities managed by medical vendors, develops policies and procedure manuals, trains officers and healthcare staff, helps through the request for proposals process in securing a medical vendor, and most importantly creates strategies to enhance healthcare delivery to an incarcerated population in jails and prisons.
elizabeth uzzle
CNM, MSN, RN
Advanced Expert Witness: Federal Rule, Frye, Daubert, Screen Prospective Experts, Preparation of Experts for Testimony and Trial
Beth Uzzle actively practices as a Certified Nurse-Midwife in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Since 2017 she has served as an Expert Witness in cases all over the United States. She regularly reviews cases for merit and testifies both in deposition and court.
Beth is a highly sought after Ob/ Gyn nursing and nurse-midwifery expert on standard of care matters.
The rules governing who is qualified to serve as an expert witness vary by state and jurisdiction, but there are some guiding principles that apply to all settings. Expert testimony can make or break a case, however, finding qualified experts can be difficult. Expert screening and selection are absolutely areas where LNCs can assist attorneys. In this session, Beth will discuss the LNCs role in expert selection and preparation. She will also share some interesting case studies illustrating the importance of this service.
erica leach
RN, BSN, LNC
3 Business Foundations Every LNC Needs to Get Seen, Be Trusted, and Get Hired
Erica Leach is a powerhouse in both legal nurse consulting and nurse entrepreneurship.
She has been a Registered Nurse for over 25 years. In 2007, while working two nursing jobs and raising her children as a single mom, she launched her own LNC business and built it into a 6-figure success within just 12 months.
Erica’s success sparked a drive for helping other nurses do the same. Through her platform and various business ventures Erica has mentored over 1,000 nurses. Erica’s passion continues to empower nurses to start, grow, and confidently market their legal nurse consulting business. Erica is an author and most recently launched a digital course to help nurses build a profitable LNC business the smart way.
Erica’s successful business momentum empowered her to branch-out into the aesthetics and wellness business in Orlando, FL. She see’s her Med Spa venture as another opportunity to focus on natural results and women’s empowerment.
Jason Goodwin
RN, MS, MPH, CNOR
Beyond the “Side Hustle” - Design a High-Performing LNC Practice Grounded in Clinical Excellence and Strategic Foresight
Jason Goodwin began his nursing career as a Navy Nurse Corps Officer in 2002, deploying in 2003 with the U.S. Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom, performing primary surgical trauma care on the frontlines of battle. His service finished at the rank of Lieutenant, being awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and 3 Naval Achievement Medals.
Serving in numerous perioperative leadership roles, Mr. Goodwin worked with Kaiser Permanente, UC Davis Medical Center, Vizient, Sutter Roseville Medical Center, as the Assistant Administrator of Procedural Services, and currently, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Sacramento City College. Mr. Goodwin has numerous years of experience with regulatory issues, quality and safety, evidence-based care, and nursing administration. Mr. Goodwin is the President of Innovative Cultures Consulting LLC, a Perioperative Efficiency and Medical / Legal Consulting firm.
robin stacy
DNP, RN, FNP-C
Beyond the “Side Hustle” - Design a High-Performing LNC Practice Grounded in Clinical Excellence and Strategic Foresight
Dr. Robin Stacy is a highly motivated family nurse practitioner with extensive experience in orthopedics, emergency medicine, and nursing education. Dr. Stacy has vast clinical expertise, and a deep understanding of nursing standards of care. She is a master at delivering comprehensive medical record reviews, chronologies, and expert analysis for both plaintiff and defense.
Karen retardo
BSN
Beyond Impostor Syndrome: Confidence, Worth, and Wealth in Nurse Consulting
Karen wilkinson
MN, ARNP, LNCC, CNLCP
Elevating the Quality and Defensibility of LNC Expert Reports
Karen Wilkinson is a nurse practitioner with a broad range of expertise in all types of nursing. She has 30 years of nursing experience and 20 years of experience as a nursing faculty member, along with numerous nursing publications and a paralegal degree. Over those 30 years, Karen has worked in various settings including: adult intensive care, medical/surgical, oncology, GYN, infant ICU, special care nursery, OB/post-partum, community health/home care, pediatric ICU, and acute care. After leaving the pediatric oncology setting in 2015, she founded Wilkinson Legal Nurse Consulting, gradually transitioning from clinical care to full-time legal nurse consulting and life care planning. She is the current past-president of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Chapter of AALNC.
Kayur patel
MD, MRO, FACP, FACPE, FACHE, FACEP
Leveraging AI High Performance | Workflow for Case Reviews | Elevate Legal Nurse Consulting Practice
Dr. Patel's dedication to improving patient safety through the reduction of medical errors is commendable. His multifaceted experience in various leadership roles within healthcare organizations has provided him with valuable insights into identifying and addressing gaps in care. By leveraging his background as:
Vice President of Quality for Team Health
Chief Medical Officer of an HCA facility
Chairman of HCA Capital Division Emergency Departments
Medical Director for KEPRO
Dr. Patel's vision of bringing together the medical and legal communities to foster a culture of zero tolerance for errors is forward-thinking. Collaboration between these two groups is crucial in identifying systemic failures, differentiating them from human errors, and implementing effective strategies to prevent future incidents.
Kelly Mudlong
RN, LNCC
Power of the Pen: Writing Reports Attorneys Value
Kelly Mudlong (Garrison), RN, LNCC found her way to legal nursing when an attorney who knew of her writing background requested her to review a medical chart.
Prior to becoming a nurse, Kelly had obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Sam Houston State University, writing for the local newspaper and her university’s public relations department. From there, more chronology requests turned into a full-time job screening cases, retaining expert witnesses and providing research to support theories of causation and the standard of care.
Kelly’s writing experience has been an asset in the field of legal nursing where she has written dozens of reports and chronologies. Currently, she works for Memorial Hermann Health System’s legal department providing risk management investigations, in-depth medical summaries and opinions on the standard of care.
Kim Murphy
MS, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB, RNC-MNN, RNC
Obstetrical Malpractice: the Role of Fetal Monitoring Misinterpretation and Communication
Kim Murphy has 40 years of experience in obstetrical and maternal/newborn nursing. She continues to work at the bedside for Grant Medical Center, which is a level I trauma center. Kim also works at the Perinatal Support Unit at Ohio Health, an Artificial Intelligence driven fetal monitoring vigilance system.
Kim has presented at national and regional conferences on both women's health and obstetrical standards of care and up to date practice. She presents certification reviews for fetal monitoring, inpatient obstetrics and maternal newborn from coast to coast for both large and small hospitals. Kim has presented a shoulder dystocia program to the Paralegal Association of Central Ohio. She is also a designated AWHONN fetal monitoring instructor for both intermediate and advanced levels for obstetrical nurses. In addition, Kim is a contributing editor to Essentials of Fetal and Uterine Monitoring, 2019.
Kim is on staff at Poling Law as a nurse consultant, assisting attorneys with deposition and trial preparation, along with education of attorneys regarding fetal monitoring and up to date standards of care. Kim also serves as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defense firms across the country.
Les Trachtman
JD, MBA
Modernizing Medical Imaging in Litigation: A Seamless Approach for Legal Experts
Les Trachtman's expertise lies in the strategic convergence of law, medicine, and technology. Les is a bestselling author, holds a J.D., an MBA, and is a professor at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.
In Les’s day to day business, he focuses on streamlining access to medical imaging including its use in legal contexts, like personal injury and medical malpractice cases. He understands the intricacies of medical imaging technologies and formats, presenting medical images as evidence, and security and compliance issues including HIPAA.
Essentially, Les bridges the gap between medical advancements and their legal implications through a strategic, tech-driven lens.
Michael Amendola
MD, MEHP, FACS, FSVS
It’s Just a Little Blood Thinner: What are the Current Legal Issues with Anticoagulant Usage?
Dr. Michael Amendola received his medical degree at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (VCU-SOM) in Richmond, Virginia. He completed his general surgery internship and residency at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS) in 2007. He also completed a Vascular Surgery fellowship at VCUHS in 2009.
Dr. Amendola is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Vascular Surgery. In 2021 he was inducted into the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. Dr. Amendola is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general and vascular surgery. He maintains privileges at Central Virginia VA Health Care System in Richmond, Virginia and is Professor of Surgery at VCU-SOM.
He completed his Master’s Degree in Medical Education (MEHP) at John Hopkins University School of Education (JHU-SOE) in Baltimore, Maryland in 2019.
Dr. Amendola is adjunct professor at JHU-SOE in the MEHP program. He has over 150 times local/regional, 250 national and 11 international presentations. He has been published over 50 times in peer reviewed literature. His interests focus on mentoring novice surgical learners, hemodialysis access, 3D printing, leadership, artificial intelligence and implications of surgical simulation in the current health care environment.
Michael Seaver
RN
What’s Really Happening Behind Those Computer Screens: Audit Trails, EHR, and HIT
Michael Seaver is a nurse with a unique background that combines:
over a decade of clinical experience,
over 12 years of expert medical-legal consulting services focused on Audit Trails and other aspects of Healthcare Information Technology,
and 20 years of in-depth, hands-on experience with the development and implementation of Electronic Medical Record systems and other aspects of Healthcare Information Technology.
Michael has led technical and clinical teams involved in designing, building, testing, training, implementing, troubleshooting, and optimizing EMR systems.
As a consulting expert for LNCs and attorneys, he has participated in numerous medical-legal cases where his expertise has assisted both plaintiff and defense attorneys through the discovery process, the analysis of medical records and reports, and answering questions related to various aspects of health information technology and electronic medical record systems.
Michael has shared his expertise through presentations to LNC groups as well as attorney organizations and is a broadly published author and editor. Michael currently serves as a senior consultant with EMR Discovery, a group of healthcare litigation consultants with expertise in data sourcing, electronic health record systems, and technology.
Nick Webb
PMHNP, DNP, ESQ
Elevating the Legal Nurse Consultant: Advanced Communication and Litigation Support
Nick Webb got his start in healthcare while an active-duty medic in the US Air Force, where he fell in love with patient care and solving complex problems. Nick became an LVN, ASN, BSN, MSN, and DNP while serving in a variety of healthcare roles including overseeing the electronic medical record (EMR) for 5.5 million patients and serving as the national executive director for nursing technology at Kaiser Permanente. Nick is also a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Currently, Nick is the managing partner for Balestra Webb Law, a full-service healthcare law firm with offices throughout California. His firm focuses on corporate healthcare law, licensure defense, medical malpractice, civil litigation, and mental health law. He is admitted to practice in all California courts and the United States Supreme Court.
Nick is treasurer of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA). He loves spending time with his wife, 2 kids, 4 dogs, and a goldfish named Tedd.
Patricia Iyer
MSN, RN, LNCC
Speak to Succeed: Build Your Business Through Presentations
Pat Iyer, MSN, RN, LNCC founded, developed, and sold an independent legal nurse consulting business located in Flemington NJ. She served on the Board of Directors of AALNC for 5 years including a year as president.
Pat is well known in the LNC and life care planning community as a prolific author, speaker, and educator. She has made numerous presentations to attorneys, paralegals, and LNCs. Pat embraces the use of Artificial Intelligence in her work, including developing and presenting education for LNCs.
Richard Bays
JD, MBA, RN, LNCC
Case Study in Infection Control Issues - Death from Septic Shock
Richard Bays holds degrees in nursing, business and law. He has served in numerous capacities in the healthcare industry ranging from clinical services and operations, healthcare billing and policy analysis, medical- legal consulting for healthcare attorney groups and oversight of accreditation, licensure and regulatory compliance programs. He is an advisory board member for the Texas Nursing Association and FIG Education Life Care Planning.
Stephen Cohen
MD, MBA
Rectum? Darn Near Killed 'Em! Navigating Missed Diagnoses in Colorectal Emergencies
Dr. Stephen Cohen. Dr. Cohen is a board-certified general and colorectal surgeon with over 30 years of clinical experience. In addition to his surgical practice, he has served as a trusted medical-legal consultant for more than three decades.
He has reviewed hundreds of malpractice cases and has testified in over 200 depositions and more than 30 trials nationwide. Known for his ability to clearly explai
n complex medical issues, Dr. Cohen brings a unique perspective that blends clinical expertise, teaching experience, and deep understanding of the legal process.
In this educational session, he’ll be sharing insights on the critical role nurses play in malpractice litigation and how your documentation and observations can make—or break—a case.