Jason Tuzinkewich brings three decades of experience in strategic leadership and development to CAVA Robotics International, supporting the ongoing implementation of next-level growth with the company.  Jason’s scope of work includes business operations and transformation. He has worked extensively in healthcare, aerospace, and numerous other industries in the US and global markets. Having spent his career as an entrepreneur / business transformation consultant, Jason guides CAVA Robotics International through the meaningful inflection points of its early-stage growth while coordinating all necessary resources. Jason Tuzinkewich has launched businesses in the US and EU, and supports CAVA’s grow on both continents.

Martin Protas is General Counsel and a member of CAVA Robotics International, LLC.  Mr. Protas is a corporate, business and trial attorney, a Founding Partner of the firm Protas & Spivok, Chartered, and The Law Offices of Martin S. Protas. He is admitted to the Bar of the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia, State and Federal Courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeal of the Fourth Circuit, and of the District of Columbia and the United States Supreme Court. He has practiced, Pro Mac Vice, in State and Federal Courts in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.

Mr. Protas has served as a lecturer for the Georgetown University / District of Columbia Superior Court Continuing Legal Education Program, the Lorman Institute Course on the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act and Business Practices, and as an arbitrator on the District of Columbia Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. He has represented the interests of large and small businesses, hospitals, medical practices, banks, communication companies, utilities and both local and national corporations.  Mr. Protas is a graduate of the University of Maryland Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences and the University of Maryland School of Law, Juris Doctorate.

Dr. Richard Bloomberg is a general and fellowship-trained advanced laparoscopic surgeon. He specializes in robotic surgery and minimally invasive surgical techniques for diseases of the gallbladder, appendix, intestines, and all types of hernias.  In addition to his role as Assistant Medical Director at CAVA Robotics, he serves as the Robotic Surgery Director and Chairman at Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, NY.  Dr. Bloomberg is board certified in general surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a member of several professional organizations including the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  Dr. Bloomberg received his Medical Degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and did his surgical residency at the University of Toronto Hospitals.  He completed a Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

BIO COMING SOON

Ali Ghomi, MD, serves as an Assistant Medical Director at CAVA Robotics, specializing in Gynecologic robotic surgery and robotic program cost-effectiveness and program optimization. Dr. Ghomi has recently assumed the position of Chief of Urogynecology & Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey. Prior to his current role, Dr Ghomi served as the Chief of Robotic Surgery at Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, NY for more than ten years. Double Board-Certified in Ob/Gyn and Urogynecology, Dr. Ghomi is a high-volume Gyn/UroGyn surgeon, averaging 450 robotic cases annually with more than 20 years of clinical experience. Dr. Ghomi obtained his MD from The George Washington University School of Medicine with a Fellowship from AAGL / SRS in Advanced Gynecologic Endoscopic Surgery. He has published more than one dozen journal publications, is an active speaker and educator nationally in robotic surgery, and launched the first gynecologic robotic epicenter in New York State.

Jonathan Holmes, MD, is a high-volume general robotic and laparoscopic surgeon at Clovis Community Medical Center in California. Dr. Holmes received his MD from the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and his BS in Biology from Duke University. In addition to his work with CAVA, Dr. Holmes serves as a proctor for Intuitive Surgical. In 2012, Dr. Holmes received the Outstanding Resident Award from the Society of Laproendoscopic Surgeons. He has published research in peer review journals, and specializes in advancing cost-effective robotic surgery.

Jacques Hubert, MD, joins CAVA Robotics as a consulting advisor / part-time European Medical Director, assisting with the implementation of EU-based robotic programs and program optimization. A Professor of Urology at the University of Lorraine, France, Dr. Hubert is a pioneer in robotics, having used the da Vinci robot as early as 2000, operating on just the 37th robot in the world. His initial experience was used by Intuitive Surgical for FDA approval of their robot. Dr. Hubert has performed many European surgical firsts, notably in kidney surgery; he has performed more than 1500 robotic procedures total. He has served as President of the Minimally Invasive Robotic Association, the first international robotic scientific society that later merged with the Society of Robotic Surgery. In 2008, Dr. Hubert created the first robotic surgery training diploma in Europe using simulation and training techniques from aeronautics made possible based on a collaboration with former pilots of the French Air Force. Dr. Hubert serves as Group Leader in robotic surgery research at IADI-UL-INSERM (U1254) and a corresponding member of the French Academy of Medicine.

BIO COMING SOON

Dr. Rainer Kimmig serves as a robotic surgery Advisor to CAVA Robotics.  Dr. Kimmig is a specialist in gynecologic oncology, robotic and minimally invasive surgery, and professor and head of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany.  He holds various leadership positions with the International Gynecological Cancer Society, the NWGGG, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, and the Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery, and is a member of the Society of Pelvic Surgeons.  Dr. Kimmig is subspecialized in the field of gynecologic oncology with more than 3 decades of experience in GynOnc surgical procedures as well as training surgeons.  Dr. Kimmig's accomplishments include developing and establishing a Breast Cancer Center and a Gynecologic Cancer Center at the West German Tumor Center, focusing on the use of refined surgical skills and advanced robotic surgery.  He has co-authored more than 700 papers in leading medical journals.

Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Rainer Kimmig studied medicine at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and completed his residency at the University Hospital Munich-Großhadern, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, LMU Munich.

Dr. Lee is a board certified general robotic and laparoscopic surgeon. He received his MD from the University of British Columbia School of Medicine in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In addition to general surgery, Dr. Lee specializes in thoracic, colorectal, endocrine, and spine access surgery. He is in private practice at Valley Surgical Specialists, serves as Medical Director of Robotic Surgery at Clovis Community Medical Center in Clovis, CA, and is a regular guest speaker and educator on robotic surgery nationally.

Dr. Yuk-Yuen Leung serves as Urology Assistant Medical Director at CAVA Robotics. He is a board certified Urologist and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and is in private practice in Fresno, CA with Urology Associates of Central California. Dr. Leung has performed robotic surgery since 2004. He serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, University of California at San Francisco – Fresno School of Medicine, and is an Attending Urologist at Community Regional Medical Center, Clovis Community Medical Center, and St Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, CA. Dr. Leung received his MS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, completed his MD at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and his urology residency at the University of Rochester.

Silviu Makkai, MD, PhD, is a general surgeon with experience in robotic surgery as a first assist in general and thoracic surgical cases.  He received his degrees from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, Romania, the only Romanian medical school included in The Times Higher Education World University Ranking. Dr. Makkai specializes in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, bariatric surgery and advanced parietal surgery.  He has practiced in Luxembourg with Dr. Juan Santiago Azagra, a worldwide pioneer in laparoscopic surgery.  Dr. Makkai has a University Diploma in Surgical Endoscopy obtained from the University of Strasbourg in collaboration with IRCAD and the Institute of Image-Guided Surgery.  His post-doctoral studies include course work in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Daniel Marcus, MD, is a robotic general surgeon and Chief of Staff at Marina Del Rey Hospital, where he helped establish the Robotic Surgical Program. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel, his surgical residency at Albert Einstein / Montefiore Medical Center and Columbia Presbyterian in New York, and his fellowship at the University of Oregon. Dr. Marcus regularly presents at surgical conferences on minimally invasive approaches to hernia.

Russell Martin, MD, is a board certified Robotic and Laparoscopic / MIS General Surgeon, with a focus in robotic cost-effectiveness and program efficiency at Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, California.

Dr. Martin has been published in Clinical Case Reports and is a reviewer for The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery.  

Dr. Martin has been an advocate for efficient / safe robotic surgical practices at multiple hospital systems, having worked directly with hospital administration as well as having proctored surgeons throughout the US.  

Dr. Martin received his Medical Degree from Howard University College of Medicine, completed a surgical internship at the University of Southern California / Los Angeles County, and completed his residency at University of California San Francisco-Fresno.

Janie Myers, DO, FACOS, FACS is a board certified advanced general robotic and laparoscopic surgeon. Dr. Myers launched the general surgery robotic program at Beaver Dam Community Hospitals in Wisconsin, and prior to that the Onslow Memorial Hospital robotic program in Jacksonville, NC. Dr. Myers brings a focus in robotic program clinical and cost data analytics, program efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Dr. Myers received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medical in Philadelphia, completed her surgical residency at Midwestern / St James hospital in the Chicagoland area, and received Fellowship training in minimally invasive surgery at St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma, WA. She is a Fellow of both FACS and FACOS, and remains active in both her national organizations and surgical medical education.

Michael O’Toole, MD, is board certified in robotic OBGYN surgeon, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. He is Chairman of the Department of OBGYN at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, WI. Dr. O’Toole received his Medical Degree from the University of Southern Alabama, and served his Internship and Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St John’s Mercy Medical Center in Saint Louis, MO.

Mr Prasad Patki is an Assistant EU Medical Director for CAVA Robotics as well as a full time consultant urological surgeon based in central London.  Mr. Patki is the clinical lead at the department of urology at St. Bartholomew and The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust; is the lead surgeon heading the robotic urological surgery programme at Barts Health NHS Trust; and is a specialist renal cancer surgeon at the Specialist Centre for Renal Cancer, Royal Free NHS Trust.

An honorary lecturer at the Division of Surgery and Interventional Science UCL, Mr. Patki is a faculty member of Chitra Sethia Laparoscopic & Robotic Training Centre UCL. He is also a founding member of the Robotic Simulation Training Team. 

Basil (Bill) Spiros Skenderis, II, MD, FACS, FSSO, is an assistant medical director at CAVA, a board-certified general surgeon, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and Fellow of the Society of Surgical Oncology. He focuses in robotic-assisted, laparoscopic hernia procedures, as well as in treating melanoma, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers and soft tissue tumors. Dr. Skenderis is currently President of the Medical Staff at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and is a member of its Robotics Steering Committee. Dr. Skenderis joined Coastal Surgical Specialists in 1998 as the first fellowship- trained surgical oncologist based in Virginia Beach. During his time there, he has been Medical Director of the Coastal Cancer Center, Chairman of the Cancer Committee at Virginia Beach General Hospital, President of the Virginia Beach Medical Society, and Chair of the Department of Surgery. He has served as Clinical Instructor of Surgery at the University at Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo; Adjunct Professor of Surgery at D’Youville College; and is currently a member of the Community Faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Skenderis received his MD from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed his general surgery internship and residency at Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he served as Chief Administrative Resident in his final year.

Bala Thatigotla, MD, FACS, MRCS, FASMBS, CHCQM, is a bariatric, gastrointestinal and general surgeon with 10 years of experience in a wide range of complex robotic surgeries.  He is board certified in general surgery, bariatric surgery, obesity medicine, and healthcare quality management. In addition to serving as Assistant Medical Director at CAVA Robotics, Dr. Thatigotla serves as Chairman of Surgery and Associate VPMA at Sisters of Charity hospital, Catholic Health System, Buffalo, NY.  He is  also clinical associate professor in clinical surgery and is involved in resident, medical student teaching, and proctoring other surgeons.  Dr. Thatigotla completed his general surgical residency from The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Bronx-Lebanon / Albert Einstein school of medicine, as well as a Fellowship in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric / minimal invasive surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville,TN.

Chris Elfner serves as senior director at CAVA Robotics for the CAVAlytics® platform and oversees its global robotic program data management services to hospitals and IDNs. Chris has 25 years of experience working with senior management in healthcare and hospitals, focusing on distilling disparate and complex data streams into information that creates knowledge to help drive smarter strategic decision making and cost effectiveness. In addition to healthcare, Chris has industry experience in business services, finance, insurance, and manufacturing. Chris Elfner has a BS in Computer Science from Boston College.

Bjoern Schwander, PhD, RN, MA, BSc, is Director of Health Economics, statistics, and predictive modeling at CAVA Robotics.  Bjoern has led / contributed to research projects in da Vinci robotics, health technology assessment, health economic modeling, reimbursement applications and research, and value dossiers. He has published numerous peer review journal articles in leading journals and is an active member in and contributor to DGGÖ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie e.V, and is chair-elect of the ISPOR Medical Devices and Diagnostics Special Interest Group, the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. Bjoern Schwander has worked in health outcomes research since receiving his nursing degree in 2001 at the district hospital in Lörrach.  Dr. Schwander has his PhD in Health Economics from the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences of Maastricht University and his Master of Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics from the Barcelona Business School, Pompeu Fabra University, Spain. 

Jim Flickema is an experienced hospital and healthcare senior executive with more than 30 years of experience supporting organizational / operational excellence and superior financial performance.  Most recently, Mr. Flickema served as Vice President of Market Development for Munson Otsego Memorial Hospital, retiring in 2022, where he was executive sponsor and project manager for the Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital robotic surgical program feasibility study, startup and ongoing implementation, which achieved high performance in national metrics for quality, safety, patient satisfaction, cost effectiveness and patient outcomes over a 4-year period.  

Jim began his extensive career as a clinical Microbiologist working in community hospitals in Michigan, Ohio and Maryland, later transitioning into the role of hospital leadership in clinical and non-clinical inpatient / outpatient services, including robotics, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, long-term care, respiratory therapy, primary care clinic, and project management. He has served as Regional CEO of Blood Services for the American Red Cross for Biomedical Services for the state of Michigan, Vice President of Professional and Ancillary Services, Otsego Memorial Hospital, and has held leadership roles at Mercy Health Services (Trinity), Western Maryland Health System (now part of UPMC), Northern Michigan Regional Hospital (now McLaren Northern Michigan), and Michigan State University (instructor).

Dr. Zöllner serves as General Manager, CAVA Robotics GmbH i.Gr.  Dr Zöllner has 5 years' experience in robotic surgery program management, cost-effectiveness and robotic data analytics.  He is also full professor in Health Economics at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, and holds an affiliation at Charité–University Medicine Berlin. Dr. Zöllner has served as Research Director for a leading EU healthcare consultancy and a mid-cap pharmaceutical company, specializing in Market Access, Pricing & Reimbursement, and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures. Dr. Zöllner is well published in health economics, health policy, social impact investing, and outcomes research. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Medical Economics (JME).  He obtained his PharmD from the Universities of Valencia (ES) and Münster (DE), an MSc from the University of York (UK) and his PhD from Humboldt University Berlin.

Abby Bader attended NWTC’s Surgical Technologist program and received her First Assist education from Meridian School of Surgical Assisting in 2023.  She is currently at Surgical Tech / First Assist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay, WI. 

BIO COMING SOON

BIO COMING SOON

Jennifer Wilinski has worked as a Level II Certified Surgical Technologist since 2004. In addition to her role at CAVA Robotics assisting hospitals and IDNs with robotic crew training, Jennifer serves as a First Assist at Women’s Specialty Care in Green Bay, WI, and has completed the da Vinci robotic surgery certification. In addition to her surgical responsibilities, Jennifer is responsible for supply purchasing, medical equipment management, and inventory management.

Theresa Letter, CST, is a surgical technologist with a specialization in robotic surgery, assisting CAVA in the area of OR crew training / education. In addition to her work with CAVA, Theresa has 4 years of experience at Bellin Health in Green Bay, WI. She graduated from Northwestern Technical College and continues to maintain her certification.

Samantha Kuplicki is an Advanced Practice Provider and Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant in General Surgery and Surgical Oncology / Hepatobiliary Surgery. 

Samantha’s experience includes 5 years of bedside assisting including numerous robotic procedures encompassing complex hernia repair (ventral / incisional, inguinal, lumbar, etc), colorectal (LAR, hemicolectomy), foregut (paraesophageal hernia), and pancreas/biliary (including Whipple, duodenojejunostomy, and cholecystoduodenal fistula repair).  She has experience with urological procedures including nephrectomy and prostatectomy.  She has worked with surgeons dedicated to robotic surgery best practices and exceptional patient outcomes, and has experience working with administration, bedside team members, and other key staff to streamline processes and increase efficiency and cost effectiveness, including instrument storage and use, instrument set components and processing/turnover.

Dr. med. Konrad K. L. Rippmann, serves as German / European hospital advisor for CAVA Robotics GmbH, i.Gr.  His specialization is the area of strategic consultancy for hospitals, both in the public and private sector, as well as for university hospitals.  His work focuses on the improvement of medical services, including procedures and structures for  surgical services, laboratory, and logistics.  Dr. Rippman has worked extensively in communications, marketing and programming for many University hospitals.  He has provided advisory consultancy on hospital mergers and quality control for a wide range of medical related services, including robotic surgery. From 2000-2002, he served as Managing Director of Hildebrandt GesundheitsConsult GmbH, Hamburg. and Programme Director (2002-2004); Clinical Pathways and Planned Operational Organization within LBK Hamburg, the Hospitals of the City of Hamburg; Managing Director (2002-2005) of ConsiG (consultants to the health care industry and a subsidiary of LBK Hamburg); Director of Health Care Consulting with SCHICKLER management Consultants Hamburg (2006-2008); and Managing Director of LOHMANN konzept (2009-2023).   Prior to his consulting engagements, Dr. Rippmann served as a senior general and orthopedic surgeon in various hospital departments in Hamburg from 1986-2000.  He holds Professorships for Hospital Management at the Fachhochschule (Technical College) in Hanover and for health economics at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.  Dr. Rippmann completed his medical studies at Dijon University, France and University of Hamburg, Germany, together with further studies in Organization and Project Management in health care at the University of Hamburg.

Pete Schommer serves CAVA Robotics as a Senior Strategic Advisor following 26 years at Covidien / Medtronic where he launched the V-Loc barbed suture and the Hugo Robotic System.  With a passion for driving efficient and safe use of robots in surgery, Pete assisted Medtronic in building a field-based team to facilitate adoption of the robotic technology – an organization of 100 people in more than 20 countries worldwide. Previously, Pete Schommer held positions in supply chain management and business development. In addition to his work with CAVA, Pete is a consultant and teaches Operations Management at the University of Connecticut in the MBA program.  Pete is Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) through the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). He holds a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy, an M.A. from Norwich University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut. 

Michael Young, Principal of MSY Advisory Inc., serves as CAVA’s hospital market advisor for Canada. Most recently, Mr. Young served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario with revenues exceeding $1.2 Billion. Michael has 40 years of business experience in Canada and the U.S. In Ontario, he served as Vice President, Information and Corporate Services and CFO at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre; Vice President, Finance and CFO at Markham Stouffville Hospital; Director of Financial Services at the Wellesley Hospital; and Vice President, Finance and CFO at the Riverdale Hospital (now BridgePoint Health).

Michael’s private sector and U.S. experience was gained as CFO and Chief Medicare Compliance Officer for the U.S. operations of Dynacare Laboratories (a $300M medical laboratory NASDQ company); Chief Operating Officer of a privately owned diversified holding company; Regional Vice President for the Canadian operations of Gentiva Health Services (a $1.5B NASDQ home health care company), where he was responsible for Canadian subsidiary operations; and Managing Director, Bayshore HealthCare (a division of Bayshore Health Group), where he orchestrated the purchase

and integration of Bayshore and Gentiva.

Previously, Michael has served as Board Chair of Plexxus (an Ontario Healthcare Shared Service and Procurement Organization now amalgamated into Mohawk Medbuy); and as a Board Member of start-up companies including Vasomune Therapeutics, Sonotype DX, and YEX Inc. Michael is a graduate of the University of Toronto. He articled with Ernst and Young, Chartered Accountants and received his CPA designation (now resigned) in 1984.

Kim Ehrstein, CAVA Robotics GmbH hospital administration advisor, has worked in the German healthcare sector since 2015 where she has represented the interests of 35 German hospitals at state and federal levels in the areas of financing and quality. Ms. Ehrstein has also chaired a steering committee mandated by the Federal Joint Committee and has experience as a market access consultant in the pharmaceutical sector. Kim Ehrstein holds a Master of Science in Health Management and Economics from the University of Greifswald and is a trained mediator.

Rick A, Low, MD, FACS, is a general / laparoscopic / robotic surgeon in private practice in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona. He is Board Certified in General Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Born in Honolulu, Dr. Low received his MD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and completed his residency in general surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Low has been on the leading edge of surgical technology beginning with single incision laparoscopic surgery in 2006 and continuing into robotics. In 2008, Dr. Low pursued intensive training in robotic surgery, and quickly established himself as a pioneer in this field. His motto, “Faster, Safer, Better, Cheaper” as it applies to robotics as compared to laparoscopic surgery was highly influential in helping to dispel early skepticism surrounding robotic surgery. He has performed over 1,000 robotic operations to date, and was among the first in the US to perform single-site cholecystectomy, ventral hernia repair and component separation. Dr. Low is a nationally renowned robotic surgery guest lecturer and educator. He has proctored over 400 of his surgeon colleagues and has assisted with the development of several hundred robotic programs nationwide. Dr. Low has lectured to thousands of surgeons internationally on the value and importance of computer-assisted surgery to improve patient outcomes, expand surgical repertoire, and optimize the cost-effectiveness of surgical interventions.

Jayne Byrd, MSN, RN, brings 40 years of experience to CAVA Robotics International in the management of surgical and periop services departments within the UNC Healthcare system. Prior to her recent retirement from UNC, Jayne managed 12 direct reports with indirect supervision of 562 FTEs, with oversight of nursing care, quality, and outcomes. Jayne’s responsibilities included operational and financial success of the surgical and robotics program, with an annual case volume of approximately 35,000 patients. Key services included robotic surgery across all service lines; orthopedics and total joint replacement; general and bariatric surgery; spine and neurosurgery; and heart and vascular surgery. Jayne’s extensive experience includes oversight of the UNC robotic program; periop services; central scheduling; 40 operating rooms; and the peri-operative planning center, preop and recovery areas, Endoscopy / GI lab, materials management and outsourced sterile processing. Jayne is a nationally-recognized speaker and educator.

Mark Roberts, MD, MPP, is Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, serving as Professor of Medicine, Industrial Engineering, and Clinical and Translational Science. Dr. Roberts is a leader in global predictive modeling design and education within ISPOR and The Society for Medical Decision Making (SMDM). He is a practicing general internist at UPMC with 20 years of research experience that includes decision analysis and the mathematical modeling of disease. His expertise lies in cost effectiveness analysis; mathematical optimization and simulation; and the measurement and inclusion of patient preferences into decision-making problems. Dr. Roberts serves as the current president of the Society for Medical Decision Making. Dr. Roberts is the director of degree granting programs within the Institute for Clinical Research Education and has served as the associate editor of the journal Medical Decision Making. He has published over 100 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Roberts earned his master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and his medical degree from Tufts University. He did his residency and fellowship in medicine at the New England Deaconess/Harvard Medical School.

Medical Doctor, Prishtina Teaching Hospital, Kosovo. Specialization: research services.

Health economist with experience in medical device market access and scientific support. Extensive experience in medical training and healthcare digitalization. 

Elisabetta De Iaco serves as CAVA’s translation consultant for the German, Italian, and French languages.  She is a pharmaceutical biotechnologist, specializing in the development of analytical methods for the identification of biomarkers with mass spectrometry.  Ms. De laco completed her Bachelor and Master degrees at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany.