GHSHRM Education Day Speaker Information

Federal and State Healthcare Legislative Updates

Frederic C. Warner, Jr., J.D.

Freddy Warner joined Memorial Hermann Health System in 2008, and serves the system as Chief Government Relations Officer, responsible for federal, state and local advocacy.

Before coming to Memorial Hermann, he spent more than twenty years as a government relations, regulatory and business development consultant, working in a variety of legislative, campaign and regulatory capacities in more than 30 US states and in Washington, DC, with particular emphasis on the State of Texas; and for 3 years was Vice President of Governmental Affairs for CEMEX, the largest building materials company in the US.  

Over the course of his career, he has represented numerous clients before federal, state and local elective bodies and regulatory entities, managed development projects, developed strategic plans, and created community investment and media campaigns for his clients. 

He previously served in senior campaign and legislative capacities for a member of the Texas Congressional Delegation, a Texas State Senator, and for the Texas Lieutenant Governor.

Warner serves on the boards of the Center for Houston’s Future; the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs; Rice University’s Professional Science Master’s Program; the University of Texas at Arlington’s Health Care Advisory Division; HOSPAC; and the Government Relations Executives Council of The Conference Board.

He holds undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Political Science from Southern Methodist University, and a law degree from South Texas College of Law.

Jaclyn Fisherman, J.D.

Jaclyn Fisherman is the Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy for St. Luke's Health/CommonSpirit, where she leads state and federal policy strategy for a multi-hospital system across Texas. She directs legislative engagement and coalition strategy to protect Medicaid reimbursement, 340B access, and the financial sustainability of nonprofit hospitals.

Previously, she served as Director of Public Affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, where she built and managed a statewide advocacy program and helped secure over $1 million in federal nonprofit security grants. Her career spans senior roles in nonprofit leadership, public policy, and communications, as well as service in the Texas Senate and on Capitol Hill. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and South Texas College of Law, she brings more than 15 years of experience advancing thoughtful, bipartisan solutions at the local, state, and federal levels. 

Jack Frazee, J.D. (Moderator)

Jack Frazee is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center.
He began his legal career serving as a healthcare policy analyst for Representative Garnet Coleman in the Texas House of Representatives.

Since obtaining his law license in 2018, Jack has advised healthcare non-profits and elected officials on emerging policy issues and litigated a wide range of issues in state and federal courts. Jack currently serves as the Director of Government Affairs and General Counsel for the Texas Nurses Association and advocates for better laws for nurses.

Reproductive Rights in Texas – A Current Landscape

Susan Raine, MD, JD, LLM, MEd

Dr. Raine is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and a practicing obstetrician. She holds degrees in medicine and law, including an LLM in Health Law and Policy, and her academic interests center on reproductive healthcare and the laws that shape it.

She teaches reproductive rights and justice at the University of Houston Law Center, where she works with law students on the legal frameworks governing reproductive care. Her clinical practice informs her teaching, with particular attention to how evolving Texas reproductive laws affect patient care and physician decision-making.

Lauren Fine, MD, FACEP

Dr. Fine is a Clinical Associate Professor at Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, Core Faculty for the Emergency Medicine Residency at Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC), and a Fellow at the Texas A&M Institute for Healthcare Access. Dr. Fine earned her B.A. in Medical Ethics from Brown University and her M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. 

She completed her emergency medicine residency at Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland, California, where she served as chief resident.  Nationally, she works with the Doctor Lawyer Alliance for Emergency Care, Access Bridge, and FemInEM to advance evidence-based management of early pregnancy complications in emergency departments and to build common-ground solutions that reduce preventable morbidity and mortality.

Erin Sing, CNM, APRN, DNP, CNE, FACNM

Erin Sing is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech Health Science Center School of Nursing, where she serves as the program director for the nurse-midwifery MSN program. She practices full-scope midwifery in Houston, TX, providing care to underserved women at Ben Taub Hospital. She works with the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Consortium of Texas Certified Nurse Midwives, the APRN Alliance, and other stakeholders to influence policy, improve women's health, and grow midwifery in Texas.

Christina Huston, JD (Moderator)

Ms. Huston is an experienced trial attorney with emphasis in Health Law, including specialty knowledge of behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) acute and post-acute inpatient and outpatient facilities and treatment. Christina has tried cases to jury verdicts in rural and urban venues, including those recognized among the most dangerous in the country for defendants.

In addition, Christina has a particular interest in Enterprise Risk Management and the modification and enhancement of policies, facilities, and operations to reduce risk and streamline future risk management operations, comply with state and federal requirements, and ensure the health and safety of patients and employees.

Christina represents physicians, practice groups, colleges of medicine, hospitals, surgery centers, behavioral health units and hospitals, urgent care and standalone emergency room facilities, and substance use disorder acute detox inpatient and outpatient facilities across the nation, from day-of-event reporting through trial and including post-verdict and interlocutory appeals, in the practice areas alleging provider negligence, premises liability, sexual and physical assault, employment matters, breach of contract and indemnity demands.

Safeguarding the Enterprise: C-Suite Perspectives on Managing Risk

Jerry Ashworth

Mr. Ashworth is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience in healthcare administration. He joined Memorial Hermann Cypress and Memorial Hermann Katy Hospitals as the Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer in September 2020.

Jerry began his career with Memorial Hermann in 2014, taking on various leadership roles. He ultimately served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann, which is recognized as one of the nation’s top-ranked rehabilitation hospitals.

Jerry is an active board member for the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, Katy Area Economic Development Council, Christ Clinic, University of Houston-Katy, The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Catapult and also serves on the UT Tyler Intuitional Audit Committee.

Brian Heaps, MD

Dr. Heaps is currently the Chief Medical Officer at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center & Greater Heights Hospitals. He has held multiple medical leadership roles in the Memorial Hermann System including Chief of Staff at the Sugar Land campus, Chair of the Ob/Gyn CPC, and Chair of the MHMD Board. Dr. Heaps has held a range of academic roles within UTHealth and continues to actively practice Obstetrics as a UT Physician. 

Keith LaChance, PT, MBA, CPHQ (Moderator)

Keith LaChance is currently the Ambulatory Quality Manager at Memorial Hermann Health System. He has held numerous rehabilitation leadership roles throughout the continuum of care including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, skilled nursing and home health settings.

Keith joined Memorial Hermann in 2014 as a physical therapist on the Brain Injury team and subsequent operations manager at TIRR Memorial Hermann which is recognized as one of the nation’s top-ranked rehabilitation hospitals. A GHSHRM member since 2022, Keith has served as Treasurer and Education Day Co-Chair. 

The Power of Words: Documentation, Communication, and Defensibility in Healthcare

Annette Roberts, MSN, RN

Ms. Roberts is a registered nurse with extensive expertise in quality and patient safety. Over the course of her forty-year career, she has collaborated with hospital executives, clinical leaders, and staff to lead quality improvement initiatives focused on enhancing both patient and staff safety, as well as optimizing patient outcomes.

Annette currently holds the position of Program Director in Patient Safety at CRICO, the medical malpractice insurer for the Harvard hospitals and their subsidiaries. In this role, she supports multiple Harvard medical institutions by analyzing malpractice data, delivering educational programs, and advancing patient safety initiatives to reduce risk. She earned her nursing degree from Lasell College, a bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston, and a master’s degree in healthcare quality, patient safety, and risk management from Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Christine Ringler, RN, BSN, CPPS, CPHRM

Ms. Ringler is a Patient Safety and Risk Solutions Director at Candello, a division of CRICO. Christine has extensive knowledge in medical malpractice, risk management, clinical quality, and patient safety. She has more than 10 years of clinical nursing experience in Neonatal/Pediatric ICU.

Christine also worked as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant for two of the most preeminent medical malpractice law firms in Boston where she provided support in investigating MPL claims and assisted in mediations, arbitrations, and trials. Christine then transitioned to Risk Management serving as a Risk Program Manager at a large inner-city community hospital where she focused on investigation and management of serious patient safety events. Prior to joining Candello in 2022, Christine was the Regional Director of Risk Management and interim Vice President of Risk, Quality and Patient Safety at a large for-profit organization where she worked with the corporate Executive Leadership Team to develop systemwide harm reduction strategies to ensure safe, high-quality patient care throughout the organization.

At the Crossroads of Care and Compliance: EMTALA in the ED

Heather Owen, MD, FACEP

Dr. Owen is an emergency medicine physician practicing in Dallas, Texas. She has served as a leader in healthcare for more than 20 years.  In her current role, Dr. Owen is the Chief Clinical Officer of TeamHealth Emergency Medicine. In this role, Dr. Owen leads the clinical and operational aspects of the Emergency Medicine service line, including quality and safety, clinical best practices, performance improvement, as well as risk assessment and mitigation.

Dr. Owen received her undergraduate degree from Emory University and medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.  She completed her emergency medicine residency at University of Texas – Southwestern/Parkland Memorial Hospital and is a board-certified practicing emergency physician.

Dr. Owen is an active member of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), currently serving on the Quality and Patient Safety Committee, Emergency Medicine Practice Committee and is a delegate to the ACEP Council.  She is a past president of Texas College of Emergency Physicians and served on the TCEP Board for over 10 years.  A proven leader, she provides guidance to physicians in all stages of their career and promotes an environment in which they can thrive.

Safety as a Standard of Care: A Collaborative Approach to Workplace Violence

Denise Nichols, JD

Denise Nichols is currently the Bureau Chief of Intake and Grand Jury at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Denise graduated cum laude from Texas Christian University in 1994 with a B.A. in English and Political science. She graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2001 but started working as an intern in the Crimes Against Children Division of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in January of 2000.

In November of 2001, Denise was sworn in as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County.  While she has prosecuted everything from misdemeanor DWI to capital murder, a significant part of her work in Harris County was in the Crimes Against Children Division, first as a Felony 2 and then later as a District Court Chief.  She returned to Crimes Against Children in January 2017 as a District Court Chief and from there was promoted to Deputy Division Chief of Sex Crimes and then later named Division Chief of Sex Crimes and then Division Chief of Crimes Against Children, where she worked until January 2025 when she was promoted to Bureau Chief of Intake.   As the Bureau Chief at Intake she manages a team of approximately 30 lawyers and support staff who work around the clock to make charging decisions on all types of criminal cases.

Kat R. Kemper-Kelly, PhD, CHPA, CPD

Dr. Kat Kemper-Kelly is a healthcare physical security executive and consultant specializing in workplace violence prevention and enterprise risk mitigation. She advises healthcare systems on strengthening security and public safety programs through risk assessment, governance alignment, and operational performance strategies. Her work centers on translating regulatory requirements and emerging violence trends into practical, defensible frameworks that reduce organizational exposure and protect staff.

Dr. Kemper-Kelly has published extensively on healthcare workplace violence and security risk and speaks nationally on building resilient, audit-ready programs. She brings a research-informed, practice-based perspective grounded in real-world healthcare operations and high-risk investigations.

JohnRich R. Levine, DNP, DPA, DBA

Dr. Levine is the Chief Nursing Officer at Reeves Regional Health in Pecos, Texas. He is a healthcare executive with leadership experience spanning critical care, perioperative services, and nursing education in both academic medical centers and rural healthcare systems.

Dr. Levine brings an executive, practice-based perspective shaped by frontline clinical work and system-level leadership. His experience includes translating policy, governance, and operational decisions into day-to-day practice that supports staff, patients, and organizational accountability. He speaks nationally and internationally on clinical leadership, risk-informed decision-making, and the realities of implementing sustainable practices in complex healthcare environments.

Stacey Day, MSN, RN, SCRN, CPHRM (Moderator)

Stacey Day, MSN, RN, SCRN, CPHRM currently leads the Patient Safety and Risk Management program at Houston Methodist the Woodlands, where she oversees event response, RCA and ACA facilitation, safety strategy development, failure-mode analysis, and reporting structures that support transparency and learning. She partners closely with clinical and executive leaders to mitigate risk, improve processes, and strengthen safety culture.

Before transitioning into patient safety and risk work, Stacey served as Program Manager for a DNV-certified Comprehensive Stroke Program, leading regulatory compliance, programmatic strategy, multidisciplinary performance improvement, and survey preparation. This foundation in high-stakes clinical operations informed Stacey’s holistic view of risk across the care continuum.

Stacey is active in advancing the profession through education, collaboration, and strategic leadership. Her interests include building integrated enterprise risk management structures, elevating the role of risk professionals in executive decision-making, and fostering psychologically safe cultures that promote transparency and continuous learning.

When Patients Say No: Risks and Issues with Refusal of Care, AMA, and Patient Elopements

Catherine Walther, JD, CHC, CHRC

Ms. Walther is the Privacy Officer and Administrative Director of Corporate Compliance at Harris Health in Houston, Texas. Catherine’s role involves not only overseeing Harris Health’s patient privacy program, but also includes serving as a subject matter and compliance liaison to Harris Health on a variety of regulatory and compliance matters, including patient safety. Catherine also serves as compliance adviser on variety of medical committees, including Harris Health’s Patient Safety Councils, Patient Safety Collaborative, Emergency Center Committee, and Ethics.

Catherine joined Harris Health in 2014. Prior to joining Harris Health, Catherine served as an associate attorney for Adair & Myers, LLC. Catherine holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising from the University of Houston, where she graduated summa cum laude and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center where she served on the Houston Journal of International Law. Catherine has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since 2012. Catherine also holds the distinction of being Certified in Health Care Compliance and Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association and successfully completed her leadership fellowship through the Texas Hospital Association in 2024.

Ebon Swofford, JD

Ms. Swofford serves as Deputy General Counsel for Harris Health, a safety-net health care system and one of the largest public health systems in the country. Harris Health owns and operates Ben Taub Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, along with numerous community health centers and clinics. Ebon’s role involves overseeing legal operations and litigation for Harris Health and providing clinical operational support to Harris Health relating to regulatory compliance matters, patient safety initiatives, managed payor issues, and risk analysis.

Ebon serves as an advisor to a variety of Harris Health medical committees including Medical Executive committees, Medical Staff Bylaws, Quality Governance Council, Patient Safety Collaborative, Nurse Peer Review, and Ethics. Ebon joined the Office of the Harris County Attorney in 2015 as counsel for Harris Health. Prior to serving as in-house counsel for Harris Health, Ebon was a Senior Associate in the health law litigation section at Andrews Kurth, LLP where she represented health care providers. Ebon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Sam Houston State University, graduating with honors, and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law, where she served on Law Review and graduated with honors.