2026 Empowering Health Conference - Speakers

Keynote Remarks: Maryland’s AI & Health Landscape

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  Tasha Cornish

  Executive Director
  Cybersecurity Association, Inc.

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Securing the Future of Health: AI Governance, Cyber Readiness, and Institutional Accountability

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  Isaias Tesfalidet

  Digital Literacy Project Director​​​​​​​, University of Maryland Extension

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Building the Next Health Frontier: Decoding Emerging Tech Trends

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  Dr. Dhruti Patel

  Tenured Extension Faculty, University of Maryland Extesion

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Universal Innovation: Advancing AI Without Leaving Communities Behind

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  Teri Mumm

  Digital Navigation Program Manager, Marylanders Online

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• 

  Dan Doggett

  IT Accessibility Program Specialist, Maryland IT Accessibility Initiative

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• 

  Deborah Wilson

  AI Consultant, AI Healthcare Consulting

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• 

  Dennis Tran

  Disability Justice Steering Committee Board Member , American Public Health Association.

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• 

  Mustafa Rfat

  PhD candidate, Washington University in St. Louis and University of Nebraska Omaha

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• 

  Dr. Jessica A. Stansbury

  Director of Teaching and Learning Excellence, CELTT, Founding Director, Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation (CAILI), University of Baltimore

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Practical AI Integration for Health Education: Enhancing Learning with Human-Centered Technology

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  Quisha Umemba

  CEO, Umemba Health

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The Future of Work in Health: Human + AI Collaboration in Workforce Development

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  Teri Mumm

  Digital Navigation Program Manager, Marylanders Online

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• 

  Dr. Yulin Hswen

  Associate Professor
  University of Maryland

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• 

  Dr. LaKeisha L. Harris, Ph.D.

  Dean, School of Graduate Studies, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

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• 

  Dr. Kimberly Poole-Sykes

  Chair, Department of Education,
  University of Maryland Eastern Shore

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• 

  Dr. Joshua Sharfstein

  Distinguished Professor of the Practice,
  Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

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• 

  Obiageli Gertrude Nwachukwu

  Graduate Research Assistant, Morgan State University.

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Global Digital Health in Action: UMD SPH Capstone Innovations

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  Dr. Hassanatu Blake

  Associate Clinical Professor & Inaugural Director, Global Health and Undergraduate Studies, GEOH, University of Maryland School of Public Health

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• 

  Omolola Adegbemileke

  Student, Univeristy of Maryland

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• 

  Varsha Erapogla

  Student, University of Maryland, School of Public Health

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• 

  Bertille Ingrid Dago

  Undergraduate Student, School of Public Health, University of Maryland

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Final Remarks

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  Dr. Jinhee Kim

  Digital Literacy Program Lead / Professor, Associate Dean, and Associate Director of the University of Maryland Extension

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Organizing Committee

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  Nerice Millet Williams

  Digital Literacy Project Coordinator at UME, Marylanders Online

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• 

  Isaias Y. Tesfalidet

  Digital Literacy Project Director​​​​​​​, University of Maryland Extension

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• 

  Dr. Dhruti Patel

  Senior Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences at UME

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• 

  Lynn Matava

  Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences at UME

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• 

  Dr. Marlene Orantes

  Program & Partner Outreach Specialist, Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at University of Maryland

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• 

  Dr. Hassanatu Blake

  Associate Clinical Professor & Inaugural Director, Global Health and Undergraduate Studies, GEOH, University of Maryland School of Public Health

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• 

  Jose Pacheco-Negrete

  Digital Navigator, AmeriCorps.

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Panelists