Mostly Medicaid Never Ending Conference: Episode 3

Vern Smith is a nationally lauded expert in Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, state budgets and trends in the health care marketplace. He has authored numerous reports on current issues in Medicaid and CHIP, state strategies for containing health care costs and improving quality, and state preparations for the health reform.

Vern has presented before many national and state audiences, including the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, the National Association of State Budget Officers, the National Association of State Medicaid Directors, the National Health Policy Forum, committees of the U.S. Congress, and Medicaid reform groups in several states.

He has been a guest on National Public Radio and is an often quoted public health policy expert for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and USA Today.

Vern had a distinguished 30-year public service career, serving as Michigan Medicaid director and as budget director for the human services agency.

Vern holds a PhD in economics from Michigan State University. He serves on the board of trustees of Anderson University, his undergraduate alma mater.

Experience:
* Federal and State Legislative and Budget Processes
* Federal Cost Allocation Including: Indirect, Direct, and Data Processing
* Federal Program and Fiscal Policy with Mandatory and Discretionary Federal Programs
* Federal Uniform Grant Guidance and Cost Principles; Digital Accountability and Transparency Act
* Federal Public Assistance Cost Allocation Plans
* Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certified
* Florida Sterling Examiner
* Governmental Budgeting, Accounting, and Procurement Rules and Regulations
* Sub Award Processes

Paul has worked in the social work field for the past 22 years. He is the head of behavioral health for Daily Planet Health Services, a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides comprehensive and integrated healthcare and mental health services (including medication-assisted opioid treatment). Paul is also president of Providence Consulting & Education, L.L.C., through which he provides clinical supervision and professional education services.

Paul has extensive experience in working with people with substance use disorders. After finishing school, Paul went to work at an adolescent residential treatment program, where he developed a treatment track for adolescents with substance use disorders. In 2003, he became a senior clinician in the Chesterfield Country Juvenile Drug Court and provided individual, family, adolescent group and multifamily group therapies. After working at the drug court for seven years, Paul moved on to conduct psychiatric and substance misuse evaluations in emergency departments in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area. Paul has also served as adjunct faculty in the school of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he developed a graduate course in substance abuse treatment.

Dr. Maranda Griffin is a consultant, speaker, clinician, qualified supervisor, author and educator with experience in federal, state, military, community, and higher education. She is innately skilled in leadership, systems development, strategic processes, and cultivating people through servant leadership. Her expertise across diverse platforms has allowed her to garner multi million dollar grants, seamlessly manage million dollar budgets, foster systems change, and support others in outcome driven results. Maximizing people through professional counseling (to include telehealth) and skilled coaching are among her passions. She is a highly articulate public speaker with an empowering message!

Ark Department of Human Services 1974-2003, Arkansas Medicaid Director 1986-2003, Chairman of National Association of State Medicaid Directors for five years. Client Industry Executive EDS/Hewlett Packard 2003-2010 doing sales support and consulting.....voted global Client Industry Executive of year 2007, President and CEO of the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care 2003-present, a 40 year old, 200 employee healthcare quality improvement organization.

Author of 16 Arkansas history books

Experienced Healthcare Executive Recruiter with a demonstrated history of assisting leaders and high level staff with payer or provider experience in obtaining their next career opportunity. Proven success helping clients manage the recruitment process and presenting candidates that meet their specific needs.

Len has done so much in the healthcare space its impossible to do it justice in a simple bio. Highlights include being State President of AARP of Arizona, the former Medicaid Director for Arizona, and 22 years of active duty in the United States Air Force. He is also a physician and regular on the Medicaid conference circuit.

Dan LaVallee is director of the UPMC Center for Social Impact. Among his responsibilities is leading UPMC’s Pathways to Work program, which provides workforce training and educational opportunities to individuals who are on Medicaid. Dan also works on partnerships to serve people with intellectual disabilities, and he leads UPMC Health Plan’s LGBTQ health programming and related initiatives.

Before joining UPMC Health Plan, Dan ran for Congress (2014)—becoming one of the youngest people in recent decades to do so. He also led the merger of United Way of Butler County and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Dan serves on the boards of directors for United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, United way of Pennsylvania, and Community Human Services. He is chairman of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Butler County Local Operating Board, and he was recently appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf to the Slippery Rock University Council of Trustees.

In 2019, Dan was named one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s “40 under 40” and Managed Healthcare Executive’s “10 Emerging Leaders.”

Dan earned both a master’s degree in health care policy and a bachelor’s degree in policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and daughter.

Joel has led hundreds of consulting engagements that involve the design, development, improvement or evaluation of coordinated care programs, including Medicaid initiatives in 40 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Joel has worked extensively for Medicaid agencies and other state clients, for health plans, and for national and state trade associations. He has played a significant role in the design of many states’ coordinated care programs.

A top authority on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, Kip Piper advises major health care organizations on business, policy, finance, and communications. A skilled business and policy strategist, Kip has advised top health care companies in the U.S. and Europe, Fortune 100 employers, state health agencies, federal officials, governors, members of Congress, foundations, and foreign leaders.