Newsletter Sign-up

Michele Adams. As the director of claims management for the risk management services at Walt Disney World Resort, she oversees claims at the most popular theme park in the world. She will moderate the Southeast section of Regional Conflicts: Drilling Down to Unique Issues; five concurrent breakout sessions in which thought leaders representing the employer, carrier, and third-party administrator communities will discuss the most challenging issues from each region and provide strategies to overcome them.

Diane Askwyth. The vice president of risk and insurance for Caesars Entertainment, she has more than 25 years of risk management experience at several large corporations and understands the challenges of workers' comp and how to effectively manage the process. Diane will be the employer representative for the West regional conflict session.

Stephan Cooper. The president of United Heartland, he has more than 22 years of experience in P&C and a proven track record and deep understanding of the claims and medical issues affecting the industry. Stephan will be the carrier representative for the Midwest regional conflict session.

Dr. Gary Franklin. The medical director of the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Dr. Franklin is a nationally known physician and leader in opioid research. He has developed groundbreaking opioid dosing guidelines that serve as a model for other jurisdictions. Described as a forward thinking, influential, proven leader, he will be a presenter for the session Opioid Addiction: The Causes, Costs and Solutions. Additionally, Dr. Franklin will facilitate a think tank on medical management.

Jennifer C. Jordan. The general counsel and a founding member of MEDVAL LLC, Jennifer is recognized as a leading authority on Medicare Secondary Payer compliance and has devoted much time to educating attorneys and other professionals. She is editor-in-chief of The Complete Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance, published by Lexis-Nexis. Jennifer will moderate the session The Economics of Medicare Set-Asides.

Lex K. Larson. The president of Employment Law Research Inc., Lex is perhaps best known as the author of workers' comp treatises, including Workers' Compensation, Workers' Compensation-Desk Edition, Employment Discrimination, Unjust Dismissal, and Employment Screening. A well-respected, published employment law expert, he is described by his peers as the "authority in employment law." Lex will be a panelist for the session The Future of Exclusive Remedy.

John Leonard. President and CEO of the Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company, John joined MEMIC in 1993, the company's first year, after a lengthy career with The Travelers, where he led the Commercial Lines Agency Marketing and Underwriting Division. He is also the chair of the board of directors for the National Council on Compensation Insurance, and a former president of the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds and chairman of its Executive Committee. John will be a panelist on the opening general session Intriguing Insights: Leaders Debate Solutions to Industry's Top Challenges. Later, he will be the carrier representative for the Northeast regional conflicts session.

Treasa Turnbeaugh. The chief operating officer at the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and owner/president at Wellness Solutions, she was formerly the client services/risk control manager at Safety National and a senior vice president at Marsh. A well-respected, acclaimed executive with exceptional expertise in safety and occupational health, Treasa holds a Ph.D. in health services research, an MPH, MBA, and an MS in safety engineering and health. She will be a panelist in the pre-conference symposium, Workers' Compensation Essentials for Executives and Risk Professionals.

Dr. Kathryn Mueller. The medical director for the Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation, she is also a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She edited and assisted in the development of medical treatment guidelines and has held numerous positions with the American College for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, including secretary/treasurer and two terms on the board of directors. She contributed significantly to the current ACOEM Occupational Practice Guidelines being used in California workers' compensation. Dr. Mueller also served as a section editor for the 6th edition of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. She will participate in the sessions Opioid Treatment Guidelines: Getting Physicians On Board and 60 Medical Management Tips in 60 Minutes.

Alex Swedlow. The executive vice president of research and development for the California Workers' Compensation Institute, Alex has conducted groundbreaking research that first alerted workers' comp stakeholders to the potential extent of the opioid problem. Alex has 20 years of experience in health services research, public policy analysis, and data development. He has published numerous research studies in the areas of managed medical and disability systems, evidence-based medicine, opioid utilization, alternative dispute resolution, access to care, return to work, and other key performance indicators of the California workers' compensation system. He will present at the session Opioids and Workers' Comp: What the Latest Data Shows Us.

The 21st annual National Workers' Compensation and Disability ConferenceŽ & Expo takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 7-9. The conference is produced by LRP Publications.

For more information, visit the conference website at www.wcconference.com.

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

September 4, 2012

Copyright 2012© LRP Publications