Health Track
From startup pivots that saved lives to live company-building sessions, Disrupt Health focuses on the bold decisions and unlikely partnerships driving healthcare transformation today. Through founder stories, early adopter panels, and audience-driven discussion, we go beyond theory to show how healthcare innovation actually happens—messy, collaborative, and full of breakthroughs.
10:00–10:10AMWelcome Address & How Focused Ultrasound and Histotripsy are Transforming Cancer Care
Presenter: Martin Martino, MD, Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery, Ascension
10:10–10:45AMDisrupting Cost: Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs, How We Got Here and Tools to Afford Care Again
Why does healthcare cost so much—and what can we do about it? This session breaks down the systemic drivers of rising costs and highlights disruptive startups, policy shifts, and digital tools that are helping patients and providers regain control.
Moderator: Vinay Patel, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Proactive MD, Founder MakorRx
Speakers:
- Randi Beesing, Owner of Any Lab Test Now and Arcpoint Labs, Jacksonville
- Shweta Patel, MD, OB/GYN and Founder of Gaya Wellness
11:00–11:45AMDevice to Company: Steps to Commercialize New Medical Technologies
Go behind the scenes of what it really takes to build a medical device company. In this live case study, we’ll walk through the commercialization journey of a recently licensed technology from the University of North Florida—an innovative device for managing traumatic brain injury—and shape it into a venture-ready startup in real time.
Speakers:
- Eric Heinz, Founder & CEO, Managing Partner of Heinz Ventures
- Duane Mancini, Co-Founder Project MedTech
- Emanuel Tkach, MD, Chief Science Officer at Nunex, clinical trials expert
- SP Bowers, MD, Surgeon at Mayo Clinic and Founder of Suture Shield LLC
11:45–12:45PMLunch Break
1:00–1:45PMFuture of Mental Health: Scalable Care for a Growing Crisis
The demand for mental health support is exploding, but the system wasn’t built to handle it. This session dives into the innovators reimagining how we detect, monitor, and treat anxiety and depression—using digital tools, AI, and behavioral science to reach more people, earlier and more effectively.
Moderator: Emily Adams–Co-Founder, Transformative Leadership LLC | Leadership + Operations Expert
Speakers:
- Dr. Angie LeRoy, Ph.D–Assistant Professor of Psychology, Principal Investigator of the North Florida HEAL Lab
- Dr. Sean Orr, Neurologist, Co-Founder of the Neurogenesis Project and CEO of Florida Doctors Magazine
- Alexandra Field, Clinical Director at Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone
1:45–2:30PMInnovations in Healthcare Education: UNF MedNexus
Explore the future of healthcare education in this panel highlighting the innovative approaches and collaborative efforts driving the UNF MedNexus initiative. Learn how cutting-edge programs and partnerships are transforming healthcare training, expanding access, and preparing the next generation of medical professionals.
Presenters:
- Julie Williams Merten, Ph.D., Associate Dean of MedNexus, University of North Florida
- M.Laura Habegger, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biology Department, University of North Florida
- Colleen J. Kalynych, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Medical Education, University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville
- Matthew Thompson, M.D., CEO Co-Founder of Telescope Health
3:00–3:15PMSnack Break
3:15–4:00PMThey Said Yes: Why These Doctors Took a Chance on a New AI Tool
Winning your first customer can make or break an early-stage healthcare company. In this session, the founders of an AI-powered referral tool sit down with their earliest adopters to unpack what earned their trust, what made them take the leap, and how that first “yes” shaped the product’s future—including its surprising evolution into a tool for early cancer detection.
Moderator: Jason Englehardt, Health Tech Investor and Founder of Silicon Beach
Speakers:
- Dr. Jamie Wisser, Founder & CEO of Actual HealthCare Solutions
- Robert Holton, President and COO of Actual HealthCare Solutions
- Dr. Kenny Powell, Founder and Majority Owner at Coastal Health Care
- JD Wilson, VP of Technology at Coastal Health Care
3:30–3:40PMClosing Remarks
2025 Steering Committee
Chief Pharmacy Officer, Proactive MD
Co-Founder, Transformative Leadership, LLC
MD, CSO Nunex
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