Engage!

Moderator and Panel Member Biographies

Dr. Gilbert Gimm - Dr. Gilbert Gimm is a professor of health administration, policy, and informatics in the College of Public Health. His research areas include disability and aging, health care financing, program evaluation, and access to care. As part of a 5-year NIDILRR Center grant, he examined rural disparities in care among adults with disabilities.  He teaches graduate courses in government payments (Medicare and Medicaid) and health policy analysis. Dr. Gimm is trained as a health economist and serves on the Editorial Board of the Disability and Health Journal and as an Executive Board member of the Virginia Public Health Association.  He obtained his PhD in Health Economics and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Email:  ggimm@gmu.edu | GMU Faculty Profile:  https://publichealth.gmu.edu/profiles/ggimm | LinkedIn Page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbert-gimm-192a4838

Mai Pham, MD, MPH - Hoangmai (Mai) H. Pham is President of Institute for Exceptional Care, a non-profit dedicated to transforming healthcare for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Dr. Pham is a general internist and national health policy leader. She was Vice President at Anthem, responsible for value-based care initiatives. Prior to Anthem, Dr. Pham served as Chief Innovation Officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, where she was a founding official and the architect of foundational programs on accountable care organizations and primary care. Dr. Pham has published extensively on provider payment policy and its intersection with health disparities, quality performance, provider behavior, and market trends. She serves on the boards of Atlantic Health System and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care. Dr. Pham also serves on numerous advisory bodies including the National Academy of Medicine, the National Advisory Council for the Agency on Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Maryland Primary Care Program. Dr. Pham is most proud of mothering two sons, one of whom is autistic. Her clinical experience is grounded in primary care for underserved populations. She earned her A.B. from Harvard University, her M.D. from Temple University, and her M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University.

Lacretia Smith, RN, BSN - Lacretia Smith is a registered nurse and seasoned healthcare professional with more than 28 years of progressive experience across the continuum of care, including acute care, home health, and long-term care. Throughout her career, she has held clinical and leadership positions, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of the complex needs of patients, families, healthcare organizations, and communities. Her diverse experience has shaped a strong commitment to collaborative, patient-centered care and to building meaningful partnerships that extend beyond traditional healthcare settings. Lacretia brings a leadership perspective grounded in clinical experience, care coordination, and a deep understanding of the importance of connecting individuals and families with the resources and support systems within their communities. She is passionate about facilitating excellence in patient care and fostering collaboration among healthcare providers, community organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve outcomes, and create sustainable solutions that positively impact the communities they serve.

Amanda Sanchez, PhD - Dr. Sanchez is a Clinical Psychologist, an Assistant Professor of Psychology and a core faculty member of the GMU Center for Evidence-based Behavioral Health at George Mason University. She earned her PhD in Clinical Science at Florida International University in Miami, Florida and completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship where she gained expertise in implementation science to better understand equitable delivery of mental health services in community settings. Dr. Sanchez approaches her work from a health equity perspective that acknowledges and seeks to address the effects of structural marginalization on youth from minoritized identities. Her research focuses on reducing inequities in access to and engagement in quality mental healthcare for youth and families through: 1) Examining culturally responsive practices, 2) Supporting clinicians to provide person-centered culturally responsive care, and 3) Understanding and addressing the structural and systemic barriers most impacting quality care for youth and their families.  She has been funded by the International OCD Foundation to co-develop a toolkit to support culturally responsive practice (Revamping Evidence-based Strategies to Promote Effective Culturally responsive Treatment: RESPECT Toolkit) for community clinicians. In addition, she has trained over 400 clinicians in the local Fairfax and Loudon County Regions in evidence-based practices such as diagnostic and cultural assessment.  She is committed to community-engaged research that centers the needs and values of community, members, frontline providers, youth, and their families. 

Hadeel Elyazori - Hadeel Elyazori is a PhD Candidate in Information Technology at George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing, where she researches the intersection of artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and healthcare. Her research explores how AI can structure information from patient conversations and translate patients’ experiences and perspectives into information that can be meaningfully used in clinical care. Her work focuses particularly on chronic pain and how technology can better capture the patient voice while supporting equitable healthcare.