ASHRM Advisory Board Biographies
The ASHRM Advisory Board comprises a distinguished group of health care risk management leaders dedicated to advancing patient safety, reducing risks and fostering innovation across the health care continuum. Each member brings a wealth of expertise, diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to empowering professionals across the field. Explore their bios below to learn more about the individuals guiding ASHRM's mission and shaping the future of health care risk management.
Katherine (Katie) DuFresne, RN, MSN, CPHRM, FASHRM
ASHRM Board President
Executive Director of Clinical Risk Management, Indiana University Health
Katie has been a registered nurse for nearly 30 years, graduated from Ferris State University school of Nursing, and gained her clinical experience in inpatient hematology/oncology nursing. In 2003 Katie began working in healthcare risk management at Methodist Hospital, a large Academic Medical Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Katie has also served as a Risk Management Consultant with the Indiana University Health Risk Retention Group and currently serves as the Executive Director of Clinical Risk Management at Indiana University Health. In this role Katie leads a team of 43 dedicated Risk Professionals, Patient Relations Professionals, and the IUH Communication and Reconciliation Program.
Katie has earned a Master of Nursing and Health Systems Leadership from the University of Indianapolis and has earned the CPHRM and FASHRM designations from the American Hospital Association and ASHRM. Katie has been a member of both ASHRM and ISHRM for many years. She served as president of the Indiana Chapter in 2012 and in 2014 was awarded the Glenn T. Troyer Excellence in Risk Management Award, ISHRM’s top honor.
Katie served on the ASHRM Advocacy Task Force for four years and chaired the committee for two of the terms. She served a three-year term on the ASHRM advisory board before being elected as president elect. Katie volunteers as a board member on the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety, will serve as volunteer co-chair of the Indiana Hospital Association’s Workforce Safety Workgroup in 2026, and is a volunteer member of the Central Indiana Nursing Honor Guard. Katie will serve as the 2026 ASHRM President.
Karen Markwith, RN, MJ, CPHRM, CPPS, CHSP, FASHRM
ASHRM Board President Elect
Senior Director of Compliance & Risk, DispatchHealth
Division Director of Risk Management, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System, Pacific Northwest Division
Karen Markwith, RN, MJ, CPHRM, CPPS, CHSP, FASHRM, is Division Dir. of Risk Management for Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System, Pacific Northwest Division, and a part of Common Spirit Health located in Tacoma, WA, experience includes National Dir. of Enterprise Risk Management for Catholic Health Initiatives with multistate responsibilities. Previously the Dir. of Risk Services for Franciscan Health System well as the Dir. of Provider Services for Franciscan Medical Group. Received graduate degree in Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola Law School in Chicago and undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pacific Lutheran University. Co-authored ASHRM 2016 Physician Office Risk Management Playbook as well as the Claims Management chapter for the 2017 Health Care Risk Management Fundamentals. Co-chair of ASHRM Annual Conference Committee for 2021, Chair of ASHRM Annual Conference Committee for 2022.
Chris Allman, JD, CPHRM, DFASHRM
ASHRM Board Immediate Past President
Senior Director of Compliance & Risk, DispatchHealth
Christopher Allman is the Senior Director of Compliance & Risk for DisptachHealth, a national Hospital at Home and home alternative care provider located in Denver, Colorado. During his more than twenty-nine years as an attorney, Mr. Allman has focused his career on general health law, including all areas of regulatory compliance on the federal and state levels, healthcare risk management, and litigation. More specifically, Mr. Allman’s has provided expertise in areas of strict government regulation, such as Stark, Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act and HIPAA, as those matters become increasingly complex in today’s environment. Mr. Allman is the co-author of “Case Law Update”, a column that appears in the quarterly American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) Journal of Healthcare Risk Management. He has also published articles and spoken on a variety of healthcare topics, including enterprise risk management, HIPAA, licensing matters, risk management in long term care facilities, and was a contributor to the ASHRM Healthcare Claims and Litigation Playbook, the ASHRM Leadership Playbook and an associate editor of the ASHRM ERM Playbook. Mr. Allman is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM), a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (DFASHRM), a Past President of the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management, has served as the Chair of the ASHRM Advocacy Task Force from 2012-2014 and on the ASHRM ERM Task Force and as an ASHRM Advisory Board Member from 2020-2022. In addition to his current activity with the ASHRM, he is also an active member of the State Bar of Michigan – Health Law Section and the American Health Law Association. Mr. Allman graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 1996 and Hope College in 1992.
Sarah Bush, MBA, CPHRM, FASHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Senior Director of Corporate Risk Management, Bradford Health Services
Sarah Bush is the Senior Director of Corporate Risk Management at Bradford Health Services based out of Birmingham, Alabama. She has over 10 years of experience across acute care, substance use disorder treatment, and multi-state healthcare systems. She leads enterprise risk management and patient safety programs supporting inpatient and outpatient services across six states. In her role, Sarah leads system-wide risk strategy, patient safety initiatives, incident management, and performance improvement efforts, while directly managing and mentoring a team of Risk Management and Performance Improvement Directors. She has successfully implemented standardized risk assessment processes, incident dashboards, leadership rounding programs, and culture of safety initiatives aligned with organizational and board-level priorities.
A long-standing ASHRM member, Sarah has served on multiple ASHRM committees including the Sponsorship Committee, Education Development & Content Committee, and was the Annual Conference Committee Chair in 2024. She is currently President-Elect of AlaSHRM and has held prior chapter board roles in Southern California and San Diego. Sarah is also a member of the ASHRM Faculty who assists with teaching the HRM3 curriculum.
Sarah is a published ASHRM Form contributor and frequent speaker on behavioral health risks, patient safety, supply chain, and cybersecurity. Sarah is passionate about strengthening ASHRM’s role as the leading voice in healthcare risk management by advancing education, mentoring future leaders, and ensuring risk professionals are positioned as trusted strategic advisors within their organizations.
Janell Forget, RN, BSN, JD, CPHRM, FASHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Associate Vice President, Risk Management, UMass Memorial Health System
Janell Forget is currently the AVP of Risk Management for UMass Memorial Health and is responsible for all Risk Management activities for the UMass system which includes 5 acute care hospitals on 9 campuses, multi-specialty ambulatory clinics and a large behavioral health organization that provides both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health. Janell has over 30 years of pediatric critical care nursing experience and over 20 years of experience in Medical Malpractice defense as an attorney and risk manager and both acute and ambulatory Risk Management, Patient Safety and Compliance Management.
In her 10 years with UMass Memorial Health, Janell has redesigned the risk management program into an enterprise program with close interaction with claims and the self-insurance program. Through her efforts and the change in process, department design and staffing models the system has moved from reactive to proactive risk management. Her approach to risk management focuses on culture, relationship development and education using data to reinforce change and process improvement.
Janell is also the past president of the Massachusetts Society for Health Care Risk Management (MSHRM), former Board Member of the Northern New England Society for Health Care Risk Management, Event Chair for the New England Regional Conference in 2023 and the former chair of the MSHRM Collaborative Call.
Janell received a Distinguished Service Award from the Massachusetts Society for Health Care Risk Management in 2021 for her efforts in re-establishing the MSHRM Collaborative call. She received Risk Professional of the year from the MSHRM Chapter in 2023. Janell is also a member of the American Society for Healthcare Management (ASHRM) Faculty who assists with the teaching the Healthcare Risk Management (HRM) 3/advanced Risk Management curriculum.
Janell obtained her Certification in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) in 2020 and her Fellow in Healthcare Risk Management (FASHRM) in 2022. Janell is currently a member of the Advisory Board for ASHRM.
Jean Hood, RN, MSN, CPHRM, CPPS, DFASHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Corporate Executive Director, Clinical Risk Management, AdventHealth
Jean B. Hood RN MSN CPHRM CPPS DFASHRM is the Corporate Executive Director of Risk Management Services for AdventHealth, a large not-for-profit, faith-based unified healthcare system that provides whole-person care in diverse markets throughout nine states. Jean is a registered nurse with a critical care background before becoming a leader in Clinical Risk Management. Jean is an active member of both American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) and the Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management and Patient Safety (FSHRMPS). Jean is on the Advisory Board for ASHRM and a Past-President of FSHRMPS. Jean was recognized as ASHRM’s Risk Management Professional of the Year for 2021 and is a previous recipient of the FSHRMPS’ Professional Recognition Award. The Clinical Risk team at AdventHealth, under Jean’s leadership, received ASHRM’s Patient Safety Innovation award in 2018. Jean is also a faculty member for ASHRM’s Risk Management Certificate Program and coordinates the FSHRMPS Risk Management 101 program.
Jean and her husband John are native Floridians. Together they have three adult children and are now grandparents! In their free time, they enjoy everything outside, boating, bicycling, and beaching.
Josh Hyatt, DHS, MBE, MHL, DFASHRM, CPHRM, HEC-C, CPPS
ASHRM Board Member
Director of Consulting, Praesidium
Dr. Josh Hyatt is the Director of Consulting for Healthcare at Praesidium and an adjunct professor. He is a Harvard Medical School graduate with a Master’s in Bioethics and received both a Doctor of Health Science and a master’s in health law from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Hyatt achieved the designation of Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (DFASHRM). He maintains multiple professional certifications: Certified Professional in Health Care Risk Management (CPHRM), Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), Certified Professional in Clinical Health, Equity (CPCHE), and Healthcare Consultation in Ethics (HCE-C). He has worked in health care risk management and bioethics for over 30 years in a variety of clinical and regulatory settings. He speaks internationally on a variety of risk management, patient safety, leadership, social justice, and ethics topics. He is well-published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals, white papers, and books. He currently serves as the Editor for the American Society of Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) Journal, a peer-reviewed periodical geared towards health care risk management and patient safety, Faculty Lead for ASHRM's CPHRM Preparatory course, and is a member of the ASHRM Advisory Board of Directors. He has been recognized as one of America’s Leading Risk Managers and received numerous awards and citations for his commitment and contributions to health care.
Jerri M. Kirkland CPHRM, CHC, FASHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Enterprise Risk Manager, WVU Medicine
Jerri Kirkland is an accomplished healthcare Risk Management Leader with extensive experience in hospital operations and Physician practice oversight. With more than 30 years as a Registered Nurse and dual certifications in Healthcare Compliance and Healthcare Risk Management, she brings a tenacious approach to early identification of risks within complex healthcare environments.
She currently serves as Enterprise Risk Manager for the largest Health System in West Virginia, WVU Medicine, and her commitment to patient safety remains paramount. She is actively engaged in oversight of the Enterprise Risk Management Program, and her leadership ensures a culture of accountability
Tatum O’Sullivan, RN, BSN, MHSA, CPHRM, DFASHRM, CPPS, CHSP
ASHRM Board Member
Senior Consultant – Health Care, Aon Global Risk Consulting
Tatum O’Sullivan, RN, BSN, MHSA, CPHRM, DFASHRM, CPPS, CHSP, is currently a Senior Consultant - Healthcare for Aon, with the Aon Global Risk Consulting team. She was previously the Director of Safety, Risk, and Patient Family Relations at Mass General Brigham Medical Group in Massachusetts. She has held various leadership roles, including Director of Risk Management at an HCA hospital in New Hampshire.
She is a Certified Professional in Health Care Risk Management (CPHRM) and Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (DFASHRM). Tatum is a dedicated member of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM), where she has served and chaired committees. She was previously elected to the advisory board and nominating committee and was the 2024 President of ASHRM.
She has been on the Board of the Northern New England chapter, which is affiliated with ASHRM, serving as Secretary and later as President in 2014 and 2017. She also served on the Board of the Massachusetts chapter as Secretary and as President in 2018. She has chaired and volunteered for various committees for the local chapters.
In 2016, Tatum received the Paulette L. Gagnon Award from the Northern New England Society for Healthcare Risk Management. This is the chapter’s highest honor and goes to members who have distinguished themselves in promoting the chapter, the profession of risk management, and in the development of other risk professionals.
Tatum is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP). She is a faculty member for the ASHRM patient safety certificate program since 2017. She has presented on risk management and patient safety strategies locally, nationally, and internationally. She was a contributor on a publication for Health Care Management Review in 2017 and is a contributor to ASHRM’s Leading Health Care Risk Management Workbook and the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Playbook. She is a registered nurse and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master in Health Services Administration.
Julie Ann Schneider, MSHSA, CPHRM, FASHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Director of Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs, University of California
Julie Ann Schneider brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare risk management and regulatory affairs. A respected leader, educator, and speaker, she is recognized for her expertise in navigating complex risk, regulatory, and operational challenges across the healthcare continuum.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Schneider has led risk management programs in diverse care settings—including ambulatory, acute, post-acute, and psychiatric environments—and across a wide range of organizational structures such as academic, community, public, religious, and private healthcare systems. Her leadership portfolio includes oversight of a captive insurance carrier program, risk programs in a 50-hospital health system, and strategic direction for risk and regulatory aspects of hospital construction, mergers, and acquisitions.
A passionate educator, Mrs. Schneider serves as faculty for the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) and previously as adjunct faculty in the Graduate Health Services Administration program at California State University, San Bernardino. She holds a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration, is a Certified Professional in Health Care Risk Management (CPHRM), and an ASHRM Fellow (FASHRM).
Deeply involved in advancing the profession, Mrs. Schneider has long served on ASHRM’s Chapter Leadership Committee and was elected to serve on the ASHRM Advisory Board for the 2026-2029 term. She also spent eight years on the Southern California Association for Healthcare Risk Management (SCAHRM) Board, including serving as President during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 surges, helping guide her professional organization and California risk leaders through unprecedented challenges.
Mrs. Schneider currently serves as Director of Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs for the University of California, Irvine Health system (UCI Health), where she combines her passion for risk management, leadership, and education to support safe and reliable care.
When not at work, Mrs. Schneider enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and two golden retrievers. Together, the Schneiders are on a mission to visit every U.S. National Park, traveling the country in their camper van with their beloved pups—who proudly hold the title of National Park B.A.R.K. Rangers.
Myka Whitman, CPHRM
ASHRM Board Member
Lead Senior Patient Safety and Risk Solutions Consultant, MedPro Group
Myka leads the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic consultant teams at MedPro Group, the national leader in health care liability coverage. With over 25 years of experience in health care, her focus for the past 15 years has been on advancing health care risk management and patient safety. She has served as the chief risk officer and patient safety executive for three large, complex health care systems.
In 2017, Myka led a medical multidisciplinary team that was awarded the 2017 Showcase Champion Award by Florida Sterling Council. Study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice.
A registered nurse with a clinical background in emergency medicine and trauma services, she holds a master’s degree in health care administration. Myka is also a TeamSTEPPS® Master Trainer, Just Culture Certified, and has published articles focused on risk management and patient safety.
In addition to her professional role, Myka serves on the ASHRM Advisory Board and is a member of the ASHRM National Teaching Faculty. She is also a Director on the Florida Society Health Care Risk Management and Patient Safety (FSHRMPS) Board of Directors and actively participates in several ASHRM and FSHRMPS committees.