Speakers

Anthony Bennett is a motivational and inspirational speaker. He has delivered keynotes, workshops, and live events across the UK and parts of the world for nearly two decades, inspiring audiences in boardrooms, schools, and conferences to rediscover hope, teamwork, and purpose. He worked as a Project Coordinator for Harvard Medical School conferences in London from 2017 to 2022 and has collaborated with charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, helping secure a £7.5m partnership to expand paediatric care. His personal journey from patient to speaker underpins his messages on resilience, teamwork, and overcoming setbacks. He has been a patient speaker since the age of 18 and continues to engage audiences worldwide. Recognised for his positivity, Bennett was named one of the happiest people in the UK in the Independent on Sunday’s 2015 “Happy List”, a programme celebrated by the Prime Minister for contributions to community wellbeing.

James Berry earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Texas at San Antonio. He has passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and is a Certified Scrum Alliance Product Owner. He currently serves as Manager of Unified Communications within the Digital Channel Experience group at Memorial Hermann Health System. Berry leads AI-driven communication strategies that have reduced no-show rates by 45% and decreased 30-day revisits by 60% through enhanced discharge protocols. With a foundation in engineering and business, he focuses on operational efficiency, digital innovation, and optimising patient-centred clinical pathways.

Donal Byrne is an AHPRA-registered nurse with more than 35 years of international healthcare experience spanning clinical operations, case management, care coordination, provider contracting, medical policy, and clinical governance. Originally from Ireland and the UK, he has held senior roles with Cigna Healthcare, Allianz Care, nib health funds, HCF, and Bupa Global across the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and global markets. Donal currently serves as Head of Health Services Management at CBHS Health in Sydney, where he leads Clinical Operations, Health and Wellbeing programme delivery, Payment Integrity, and Provider Contracting. He is passionate about value-based healthcare, personalised preventative care, digital health, mental health innovation, and emerging technologies that improve healthcare outcomes and the member experience.

Lindsey Darley holds a BSc in Occupational Therapy from the University of Liverpool and has completed leadership and improvement programmes including the Advancing Quality Alliance (AQuA) Improvement Fellowship and the Aspirant Director Programme with the North West Leadership Academy. She is currently Programme Director for Unplanned Care at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, leading programmes to improve urgent and emergency care pathways, hospital flow and discharge across multiple hospital and community settings. Previously, Lindsey held senior operational and transformation roles including Director of Transformation and Delivery for Bury Local Care Organisation and Divisional Director of Integrated and Community Services at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. With a professional background in occupational therapy, she has extensive experience leading system-wide improvement, integrated care partnerships and multi-agency collaboration across health and social care.

Corné Hurter is qualified in Medicine from the University of Cape Town and holds a Master of Science in Medical Management and Leadership from Bayes Business School, London. She currently serves as Medical Director, Services and Delivery at AXA Health, where she provides executive leadership for clinical strategy, service delivery, healthcare innovation, and digital transformation across one of the UK’s leading private health insurers. With more than 30 years of international healthcare leadership experience, Hurter has held senior medical leadership positions with AXA Health, HCA Healthcare UK, and Netcare. Her expertise spans healthcare transformation, clinical governance, artificial intelligence, digital health, strategic service design, quality improvement, robotics, and operational leadership. She is recognised for advancing innovative, patient-centred healthcare through technology, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable system transformation.

Dr Riikka-Leena Leskelä holds a D.Sc. (Tech.) in Industrial Engineering and Management from Helsinki University of Technology (2009), majoring in Decision and Negotiation Support with a minor in Systems and Operations Research. She also earned an M.A. from the University of Helsinki (2016), majoring in Musicology, and an M.Sc. (Tech.) in Economics (2004). She completed an exchange period at Arizona State University in 2002. Dr Leskelä is Research Director at Nordic Healthcare Group and Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki, specialising in healthcare operations management. Previously, she worked extensively with healthcare providers to develop services, advised ministries and government agencies on health policy, and led registry studies across several therapeutic areas. Her research focuses on value-based healthcare, outcome segmentation, and value-based management of care. She has published widely in health economics, health policy, epidemiology, and healthcare operations management.

Professor Kristiina M. Patja holds an MD (University of Kuopio), a PhD and specialist qualification in Healthcare Medicine (University of Helsinki), and is a Docent in Public Health (University of Eastern Finland). She is Professor of Healthcare and Oral Health Medicine at the University of Helsinki and Chief Physician at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), and President of the Public Health Section of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). Her previous roles span senior leadership across academia, hospital services, and national and EU public health initiatives, including projects in lifestyle medicine, digital health, and competency-based medical education. She also holds qualifications in medical education, executive clinical supervision, and management. Professor Patja’s work has been recognised through international leadership appointments and sustained contributions to health promotion, tobacco control, and sustainable health systems.

Millie Simms is a registered general, community, and psychiatric nurse and midwife, qualified at Coronation Nursing College. She completed the Getting to Equity Programme and Management Development Programme in London and holds the Certificate in Insurance and Financial Services (IF1, IF3, IF7). Simms currently serves as Lead Nurse for Independent Health and Social Care at the Royal College of Nursing, promoting workforce empowerment, professional development, and best practice across nursing teams. Her career spans more than 30 years in the UK and South Africa, including clinical roles in neurorehabilitation, orthopaedics, and neurosurgery, as well as senior roles in private medical insurance and RCN management. She is recognised for advancing equity, inclusion, and professional standards, receiving the RCN People’s Award for Inclusion in 2022, and for establishing initiatives that improve nursing practice, workforce engagement, and patient care across diverse health and social care settings.

Patricia ‘Patti’ Velky holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, a Master’s Degree in Case Management, and a Master of Business Administration. She is a Registered Nurse with Accredited Case Manager and Certificate Case Management Administrator Certifications from ACMA. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality and a Fellow of the Advisory Board. Velky’s career included quality improvement, utilisation management, care management, case management, and leadership. She currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Care Coordination at Memorial Hermann Health System. Velky has been a member of ACMA for 16 years and has served in several board positions for the ACMA Greater Houston Chapter and the ACMA National Board, which she currently serves as President.