Speakers
DETAILED SPEAKER INFORMATION
Speakers are sorted alphabetically by last name.
This list is provisional and will be updated as additional names are confirmed.
Richard Bays
JD, MBA, RN, LNCC ,LCP-C
Depositions – Are you being served?
Nurse-attorney Richard Bays has worked in various nursing roles including emergency, OR, and administration. In addition to a nursing degree, he holds an MBA and a law degree. He is certified as a LNCC as well as a Life Care Planner. In addition to working cases for defense & plaintiff, he frequently lectures on medical-legal issues.
jENNIFER CROWLEY
RN, CLCP, CADDCT, CDP, CMC
Collaboration as a Pathway for Growth
Jennifer Crowley has been a registered nurse for 32 years. She is a certified life care planner and certified care manager. She owns The Life Care Experts a care management and consulting company serving northwest Montana. In private practice since 2006, Jennifer provides professional services of life care planning and life care management. She has trial testimony experience working as a long-term care planning expert. She is the author of multiple publications including “7 Steps to Long-Term Care Planning”, “The Life Care Management Handbook”, and "The Ultimate Care Plan Guide." Jennifer offers education through The Life Care Management Institute, helping educate and train professionals interested in starting and growing a care management practice; and now offering online courses on aging life care planning for families & individuals. She has published over 30 on-line courses and is a regular presenter & national speaker.
Becky Czarnik
MS, RN, CNLCPP, CMSP-Fellow
Adding Past Medical Bill Reviews to Your Practice
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.
Jeremy Gottlieb
BBA, MBA, CFA Jeremy Gottlieb is the co-founder and CEO of Veritec AI, a company focused on streamlining litigation workflows with their first 2 products centered document automation and injury litigation intelligence hub. Previously he was the co-founder and President of ComboCurve, Inc., a software-as-a-service financial technology platform designed for energy companies, where he has co-led the development, sales, operations, and $65MM+ financing of the business as it grew to over 300 clients in just over 18 months post-launch. Prior to ComboCurve, he served as Finance Director at Deep Gulf Energy, a private equity-backed energy company, where he was involved in equity and debt financings before the company was sold to Kosmos Energy in 2018. He previously held positions at Ivory Capital and Ernst & Young. Mr. Gottlieb graduated with High Honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA and MPA. He is a CFA® charter holder and a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the State of Texas. |
Kelly Nesbitt
OT/L, CAPS, ECHM
Collaboration in Action: Partnering with Occupational Therapists to Strengthen Home Modification Plans
Kelly Nesbitt is a Portland Oregon based Occupational Therapist and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist with 25+ years of experience across ICU, rehabilitation, and home-based care. She focuses on accessible home design, defensible environmental modification cost projections, and integrating smart-home and AgeTech solutions that enhance safety, independence, and caregiver support for medically complex clients.
Kelly is the founder of Adaptable Abodes, LLC where she collaborates with life care planners, attorneys, clinicians, and builders to translate functional needs into practical, evidence-based recommendations and litigation-ready reports. She also consults with AgeTech innovators, applying OT clinical insight to fall-detection systems, medication-management technology, and early skin-integrity and home-safety tools to ensure they perform in real-world environments.
In addition to her consulting work, Kelly still practices in the ICU at Legacy Health, maintaining firsthand insight into recovery and long-term care needs. She brings creativity, empathy, and humor to her practice, supported by her background in clown and physical theater - and loyal Chiweenie assistant, Marty.
Victoria Powell
RN, CCM, LNCC, CNLCP, CLCP, MSCC, CBIS, CEAS
Social Determinates of Health
Victoria Powell, RN, CCM, LNCC, CNLCP®, CLCP, MSCC, CBIS, CEASII, brings more than 30 years of nursing expertise paired with an impressive array of specialized certifications that underscore her leadership in medical case management and life care planning. As founder and President of VP Medical Consulting, she delivers comprehensive case management services for individuals with catastrophic injuries, with an emphasis on tailored solutions for those with complex medical needs such as amputation and brain injuries.
Powell’s extensive certifications highlight her commitment to excellence and specialized knowledge in the field. She holds the Certified Case Manager (CCM) and Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (LNCC) designations, underscoring her expertise in navigating complex medical-legal cases with accuracy and insight. Additionally, as a Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP®) and Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), she develops lifelong, evidence-based care plans, offering clear insights into future medical costs and rehabilitation needs. Her certification as a Medicare Set-Aside Consultant (MSCC) further strengthens her capability to protect Medicare interests through careful planning and allocations.
An active member of the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) and the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners (AANLCP), where she served as President, Powell is widely recognized for her contributions to the industry. She has earned the Lifetime Hall of Fame Award from the National Nurses in Business Association, marking her influence on nurse entrepreneurship. Her role as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) and Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist highlight her ability in addressing the nuanced needs of brain injury patients and ensuring safe, ergonomic environments.
In addition to her consulting and expert witness services, Powell is a dedicated educator. Through her founding of Remington Publishing, she has produced high-quality resources for medical-legal professionals and has authored numerous journal articles and textbook chapters. A seasoned speaker, Powell frequently presents on complex topics in life care planning, case management, and amputation injuries, providing professionals with valuable insights and practical strategies to excel in their practice.
Deborah Watkins
MHL, MSN, RN, CCM, CRRN, CLCP, MSCC
Brain Sparks: What Life Care Planners Need to Know About Epilepsy
Seasoned clinician and executive with extensive experience in all facets of medical claims management integrating technology with evidenced-based clinical and technical processes, quality assurance, risk management, case management and life care planning.
Deborah is the owner of Medical-Legal Solutions LLC, offering Medical Record Reviews, Medical Cost Projections, Life Care Planning and Expert Testimony, Legal Nurse Consulting, Bill Review and Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) compliance (Benefit eligibility, Conditional Payment Research and Negotiation and Medicare Set Asides).
She is experienced in claims management of catastrophic/complex/ chronic disease populations and recognized for excellence in clinical strategy and Return-to-Work outcomes. She has held key roles in major group health, workers compensation and group benefit insurance companies including taking part in the Federal Medicare+Choice pilot program, the precursor for Medicare Advantage C Plans.
Deborah has an Executive master’s in healthcare leadership (MBA/MPH) from Brown University and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). She has been a Life Care Planner and an industry leader for over 20 years. She is passionate about innovation in claims and healthcare that that improves patient outcomes.
BRIAN WOODRUFF
MD
Understanding, Neonatal, Hypoxic, Ischemic, Encephalopathy, and Future Care Needs
Dr. Brian Woodruff is a board-certified pediatric neurologist and faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He has more than 20 years of experience in clinical child neurology, with prior faculty appointments at Michigan State University and Western Michigan University.
Dr. Woodruff has extensive experience in medical-legal consulting, serving as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defense in pediatric neurology cases involving hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, brachial plexus injury, and other neurologic disorders. He has provided expert opinions in more than 250 depositions and 30 trials nationwide.
As both a clinician and educator, Dr. Woodruff brings a balanced, evidence-based perspective to the intersection of medicine and law.
Mary Zalinger
PT, DPT, CLT, OCS
What’s New in Pain Management? Exploring Pain Management in Contemporary Healthcare, Embracing Alternative Therapies, and Integrating Interdisciplinary Approaches.
Mary Zalinger is a Senior II Physical Therapist with 10 years of clinical experience in complex pain, orthopedics, and oncology rehabilitation. She graduated from Bradley University with her undergraduate degree in 2011 and went on to complete her clinical doctorate degree in physical therapy in 2014.
She is a certified lymphedema therapist, with a clinical interest in breast cancer and head and neck cancer rehabilitation. She is also a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
She currently works in the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's Interdisciplinary Pain Management Center, where she is able to combine her clinical expertise and passion in treating complex pain and chronic conditions. Outside of clinical care, Mary is a member of the APTA Oncology Research Committee, helping the advancement and translation of oncologic rehabilitation research into clinical practice.
She has also served in the APTA Orthopedic Section's Pain Special Interest group. Mary also serves as Associate Faculty in Northwestern University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program.