Keynote Speakers

Prepare to be inspired and informed by our lineup of distinguished keynote speakers. These thought leaders in healthcare systems and process improvement will share cutting-edge insights, innovative solutions, and transformative ideas. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, our keynotes will offer valuable perspectives to enrich your understanding and practice.

Heather Dexter

President, Regional Hospital Division
Emory Healthcare

Heather Dexter serves as president of the Regional Hospital Division of Emory Healthcare. Hospitals in the regional division include: Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Emory Decatur Hospital, Emory Hillandale Hospital and Emory Long-Term Acute Care Hospital. She also serves as the executive sponsor of Heart and Vascular Services for Emory Healthcare.

As president of the Regional Hospitals, Dexter provides strategic, coordinated oversight for the hospitals within the division, focusing on aligning services and care while sharing best practices across facilities. In her role as executive sponsor for heart and vascular services she partners with the physician executive to lead the overarching vision, strategy, programmatic offerings, and performance for heart and vascular services across Emory Healthcare. Before assuming her current role she held a variety of positions at Emory Saint Joseph's including CEO, vice president of surgical services, vice president of business development, and strategic planning and chief operating officer.

In these various roles Dexter has led clinical operations and has been closely involved in developing the strategic priorities for the hospital, enhancing physician and hospital relationships, establishing joint ventures, service line planning and implementing new revenue-generating programs. When Dexter first joined Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital 25 years ago, the hospital was part of Northeast-based Catholic Health Network. By 2009, Saint Joseph's was a standalone facility in an increasingly competitive marketplace and decided it needed a strong local partner. Over the next three years Dexter was tapped as the executive project manager in the process of finding a viable partner as well as for the integration activities related to operationalizing this joint venture once the deal was negotiated.

Dexter received a B.S. in psychology from Vanderbilt University in 1992, and then went on to obtain a M.S. in healthcare administration and a MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed an intensive executive course in managing healthcare delivery at Harvard Business School, is a Fellow of the Woodruff Leadership Academy and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Greg Jacobson

CEO and co-founder
KaiNexus

Greg Jacobson is the CEO and co-founder of KaiNexus. Greg graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in biology and attended Baylor College of Medicine from 1997 to 2001. From 2001 to 2004, he completed a residency in emergency medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he stayed on as faculty.

While at Vanderbilt, he observed and researched operational inefficiencies and unrealized improvement opportunities that led to the founding of KaiNexus in 2009.

Jacobson is co-author of Kaizen: A Method of Process Improvement in the Emergency Department, published in Academic Emergency Medicine.

Outside of KaiNexus, you can find Jacobson still working a few shifts in the ER every month, spending time with his wife, daughter, and two labs, and strumming his guitar.

David Reid, PE

Director, Production Design
Chick-fil-A

David Reid, PE leads a team of industrial and Lean engineers who innovate and improve processes at Chick-fil-A. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech but found his passion for industrial engineering at Michelin Tire Corp.

Reid is a business-minded IE manager with the heart of a teacher and a passion for process improvement. He loves to spark the same passion in the next generation of leaders. He is available to teach introductory to advanced Lean and IE training for all levels of organizations.

His blog can be found at www.leanu.info and he welcomes new connections via LinkedIn.