2025 Healthcare Symposium | Transitioning from Sick Care to Proactive Healthcare Solutions

Name: 2025 Healthcare Symposium | Transitioning from Sick Care to Proactive Healthcare Solutions
Start: 2025-05-21 03:30:00 EDT
End: 2025-05-21 10:30:00
Location: Hyatt Regency Irvine | 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614

Event Date:

May 21, 2025

Event Location:

Hyatt Regency Irvine | 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614

Event Description

Date and Time:

May 21, 2025

7:30 am: Networking and Breakfast

9:00 am: Panel Discussion

Location:

Hyatt Regency Irvine

17900 Jamboree Road

Irvine, CA 92614

Join us for a dynamic event bringing together healthcare benefits professionals and industry leaders to explore one of the most important transformations in care delivery: shifting from reactive sick care to proactive, preventive healthcare strategies.

This year’s symposium features a compelling lineup of panelists from top insurance providers, innovative healthcare companies, and forward-thinking organizations.

Get ready to dive into how organizations are addressing rising costs, enhancing access, and building healthier populations by prioritizing prevention and early intervention.

Why Attend?

✅ Hear from industry trailblazers
✅ Learn actionable strategies for 2025 and beyond
✅ Connect with 25+ exhibitors across the healthcare space
✅ Take part in shaping the future of healthcare benefits

Registration

OCEBC Members: $125

Non-Members: $150

Seats are limited—secure yours today!

Speakers/Panelists

Jessica York

Senior HR & Communications Executive

BrightStar Care

Read Bio

Jessica York

Senior HR & Communications Executive

BrightStar Care

Jessica York is a seasoned HR executive with over 15 years of leadership experience in the healthcare industry, specializing in organizational transformation, internal communications, and employee experience. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President, People & Communications at BrightStar Care, a leading national provider of home care and medical staffing services, known for its nurse-led model and commitment to delivering a higher standard of care.

At BrightStar Care, Jessica is responsible for shaping the employee experience across both corporate and franchise operations—driving cultural alignment, talent development, and strategic communications in support of a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Jessica brings deep healthcare expertise from her prior senior leadership roles at Acclara, a revenue cycle management organization under Providence Health, and Medical Specialties Managers (MSM), a boutique medical practice management firm. In these roles, she oversaw HR and operational strategies for both clinical and administrative teams, and provided direct support to physician groups across multi-site, multi-specialty practices. She led large-scale integrations, launched performance and recognition programs, built enterprise-wide engagement strategies, and implemented impactful communications platforms—all aimed at elevating culture, improving retention, and driving measurable outcomes across complex, distributed healthcare organizations.

She holds an MBA from Chapman University, a BA in Business Administration from San Diego State University, a Certificate in Healthcare Leadership Transformation from UC Irvine, and a CHRO Certification from The Wharton School.

Jessica is known for her ability to lead with a people-first mindset while executing with precision—bringing strategic insight, operational focus, and a collaborative spirit to organizations navigating change in today’s fast-moving healthcare landscape.

Ashley Sarai Powers

Senior Vice President of Business Strategy

Alliant Insurance Services

Read Bio

Ashley Sarai Powers

Senior Vice President of Business Strategy

Alliant Insurance Services

Ashley Powers is a Senior Vice President of Business Strategy at Alliant Insurance Services, where she focuses on enhancing business process efficiencies and driving innovation across the western region’s Employee Benefits operations. Based in Orange County, she brings more than 13 years of expertise in employee benefits, client service, and strategic operations. Her focus is on improved operational efficiency, stronger team performance, and measurable business growth.

She is passionate about developing future leaders and has been a trusted mentor and champion of team development. Her comprehensive background enables her to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution, always keeping client needs at the center. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Vanguard University and is actively involved in executive leadership initiatives. Outside of her day-to-day role she serves on the board of a nonprofit school supporting children with disabilities.

Cassandra Schlarb

Regional Vice President, Risk and Analytics

OneDigital

Read Bio

Cassandra Schlarb

Regional Vice President, Risk and Analytics

OneDigital

Cassandra Schlarb is an industry leader with 13 years of experience, currently leading an analytics and underwriting practice at OneDigital. With a strong focus on alternative funding and innovative solutions, she excels in collaborating with clients to design high-performing benefit packages that meet their unique needs. She has deep expertise beyond just traditional self funding, but also in areas such as reference based pricing, direct contracting, pharmacy solutions and large claims risk management.

Beyond day-to-day operations, Cassandra is an active participant in the industry, frequently speaking at events and contributing to national councils. At a national level at her firm, Cassandra helps develop best practices for implementing cutting-edge benefit strategies, driving forward teams with expertise and vision.

Mike Smith

Partner

Mercer

Read Bio

Mike Smith

Partner

Mercer

Mike is a Partner in Mercer’s Health & Benefits business and is based in the Irvine, California office. Mike has been with Mercer for 23 years.

Mike specializes in developing and maintaining benefits strategy for large/complex employers. He has extensive experience working with clients to incorporate innovative solutions to support both short-term and long term objectives. Mike serves as the lead consultant for several large clients, managing teams that address vendor management and analysis, financial analysis, and renewal activities. He typically works on clients who have multiple locations nationally and have a mix of self-funded and fully-insured offerings. Mike also serves as the lead of Mercer’s High Tech Industry vertical.

Examples of Mike’s experience and responsibilities include:

• Working with clients to develop guiding principles and long term strategic plans

• Working with clients on the development and execution of care delivery strategies, including national medical/Rx networks as well as onsite/near site clinics and centers of excellence for specific conditions

• Consulting with clients on program offerings, benefit design, and contribution strategies

• Working with clients on mergers and acquisitions, focusing on both due diligence review as well as benefits integration and harmonization

• Designing and implementing tailored consumerism and wellness based strategies

• Managing project timelines, team members, and project revenues

• Managing the strategy development and renewal process for several Fortune 500 clients

• Analyzing and setting budgets for large self-funded plans

• Working directly with clients’ finance teams to ensure proper data reporting

• Negotiating fees/premium savings with health care vendors on behalf of clients

• Evaluating and monitoring health care networks and vendors based on access, financial stability, quality, and utilization

• Data analytics and measurement of health care strategies and wellness programs

Mike received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Utah and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Nancy Schultz

Area Vice President

Gallagher

Read Bio

Nancy Schultz

Area Vice President

Gallagher

Nancy Schultz is a seasoned Health & Welfare Consultant with over two decades of experience in the insurance and consulting industries. She currently serves as Area Vice President at Gallagher, where she has been instrumental in driving business growth and delivering comprehensive health and welfare solutions since July 2018. Nancy is based in Irvine, California, and operates in a dynamic hybrid work environment.

Her previous roles include a successful tenure of nearly 15 years at Aon, where she rose to the position of Vice President. During her time there, she honed her skills in client management and consulting, emphasizing personalized service and strategic development.

Nancy began her career at PacifiCare as an Underwriting Supervisor, where she spent over four years gaining critical insights into risk management and insurance underwriting. Her academic foundation in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of California, Riverside, has been pivotal in her evolving executive roles.

With her extensive network and deep industry knowledge, Nancy is dedicated to providing innovative and effective solutions tailored to meet diverse client needs. She is passionate about fostering strong professional relationships, evidenced by her myriad connections.

Tiffany McClellan

National Director of Employee Benefits

EPIC

Read Bio

Tiffany McClellan

National Director of Employee Benefits

EPIC

As National Director, Employee Benefits, Tiffany is focused on growing EPIC's employee benefits consulting practice. Tiffany splits her time between consulting with her clients and executing strategic national initiatives within the employee benefits practice.

On the national front, Tiffany has successfully launched:

Middle market pharmacy consulting
Industry verticals (law firms, architect & engineers, charter schools, energy, health care, and technology)
Stop loss benchmarking
NVISYN self-funded financial data warehouse
New business lead generation
National webinar series Benefits Curve: Insights to Action
Voluntary benefits bundle
ThreeFlow automated marketing solution
Retirement services middle market launch

Tiffany also manages a book of clients ranging in size between 20-5,000 employees. She has experience with both fully insured as well as self-funded arrangements. She believes Human Resource teams bring significant value to their organizations when the HR strategy aligns with the business strategy.

Prior to joining EPIC, Tiffany was a principal with Mercer's Health & Benefits practice, responsible for growing revenue and managing the sales and service teams. She spent the prior 14 years with ADP, specializing in employee benefits automation and integration. She has held various positions from managing implementation teams to sales and product development across a suite of benefit services offerings for large employers.

Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology/Community Health from Tufts University in Massachusetts. Professionally, she holds Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) and Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designations. Tiffany enjoys a healthy lifestyle including pickleball and time at the beach.