Chip Conk, CEO
Montecito Medical
Summit Producer
Read Bio ▼Chip Conk is CEO of Montecito Medical and is responsible for the company’s vision and extraordinary growth. He plays a central, hands-on role in the company’s success, and under his leadership Montecito has transacted on over $6.5 billion in medical real estate and emerged as one of the nation’s top privately held acquirer of medical office buildings, and in each of the past seven years, GlobeSt.com named the company as a “Key Influencer in Healthcare Real Estate.”
Chip is nationally recognized in the industry. In 2021, he was named Healthcare Real Estate Executive of the Year by Healthcare Real Estate Insights (HREI). He also has received The Developer & Builder Alliance Visionary Award for Real Estate Development.
Bruce Cohen, MD
Foot & Ankle Specialist, OrthoCarolina
Summit Chair
Read Bio ▼Dr. Bruce Cohen has served in a leadership capacity throughout his tenure with OrthoCarolina, including serving as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Operations Committee as OrthoCarolina established itself as a nationally recognized model for patient success and value-based care. He served as CEO of OrthoCarolina from 2016-2023.
He currently is a Professor of Orthopedics at Atrium Health – Carolinas Medical Center. He also has acted as a principal investigator in numerous active research projects through the OrthoCarolina Research Institute (OCRI).
A.J. Bahou, Chair of Artificial Intelligence Practice
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Read Bio ▼A.J. Bahou is a healthcare attorney and chair of Bradley's Artificial Intelligence Practice, where he advises healthcare companies, physician practices, boards, and executive teams on the legal, regulatory, and commercial risks of deploying AI across the enterprise. His practice spans AI governance and policy design, vendor and licensing agreements, IP strategy, M&A diligence, and litigation risk, helping clients move from AI experimentation to defensible, audit-ready deployment.
A rare combination of practicing attorney and trained engineer, A.J. is both a transactional lawyer and a trial lawyer, having represented plaintiffs and defendants in federal courts across the country, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. His engineering background covers AI/ML, computer hardware and software, medical devices, and cybersecurity systems, letting him engage directly with CTOs, data science teams, and AI model developers on the technology behind the legal questions. He regularly counsels clients on data privacy, cybersecurity, and the evolving patchwork of federal, state, and international AI regulation, with particular depth in healthcare and life sciences, including software as a medical device.
A.J. chairs the Artificial Intelligence Task Force for the Tennessee Bar Association and leads the AI Cohort for the Nashville Healthcare Council's Leadership Healthcare Program. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from Tennessee Tech, a Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering, summa cum laude, from Johns Hopkins, and a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of New Hampshire.
Mike Freiburg, SVP
Capital Markets, Montecito Medical
Read Bio ▼Mike Freiburg leads the capital raising initiatives at Montecito Medical, as well as strategic capital decisions for MontecitoPLUS. Mike also works as a family office advisor to the owners of Montecito.
Mike has spent almost 20 years in financial services where he worked for large institutions such as Truist and J.P. Morgan. In his previous roles, Mike advised high net worth families, family offices, foundations, and endowments on complex financial situations.
He remains active in the Nashville community where he serves on the board of trustees for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and volunteers for other non-profits.
Scott Fowler, MD, JD, FACOG
President and CEO, Holston Medical Group
Read Bio ▼Scott Fowler, MD, JD, FACOG, is president and CEO of Holston Medical Group, a physician-led, multi-specialty medical group operating within Optum Health's physician enterprise. He leads strategic, clinical, and operational direction for one of the region's largest integrated physician organizations, advancing a model that aligns physicians, data, and technology to expand access and improve outcomes across the communities Holston serves.
A rare combination of practicing physician, attorney, and operating executive, Dr. Fowler has spent two decades leading complex multi-specialty organizations through clinical integration, value-based care transformation, and technology-enabled care delivery. Under his leadership, Holston Medical Group has grown to more than 1,150 team members and 240 physicians and advanced practice providers across 72 clinical locations in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, delivering more than 30 medical specialties.
Dr. Fowler also serves as president of Emergent Accountable Care Organization, a national ACO supporting more than 800 independent physicians and nearly 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries, and as president and CEO of OnePartner, LLC, a healthcare technology company operating a nationally interoperable health information exchange. He sits on the AMGA Value-Based Advisory Board and the Cigna Advisory Board. Dr. Fowler earned his MD from the Medical College of Georgia and his JD from the University of Georgia School of Law, and is board certified by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Amy Goad
Managing Director, Consulting, Sendero
Read Bio ▼Amy Goad is a managing director in consulting with deep expertise in healthcare transformation, stakeholder management, and client delivery. She is known for bridging business and technical teams to help healthcare organizations execute complex initiatives with clarity, efficiency, and measurable impact. Her leadership and strong client service capabilities have positioned her as a trusted advisor in guiding organizations through operational and strategic change.
In recent engagements, Amy has led initiatives to design healthcare analytics operating models, implement healthcare data governance, operationalize project management offices (PMOs), and optimize project delivery processes. She has also held leadership roles in PMO definition and development, systems implementation, change management, strategic sourcing, and operational readiness projects. With extensive experience in process improvement, data and analytics, technology optimization, and strategic sourcing, Amy brings a practical and results-driven approach to healthcare consulting. She was recognized by Consulting Magazine as a 2023 Rising Star for Excellence in Client Service in Healthcare & Well-Being and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the University of Oklahoma.
Elmer B. Polite, MBA, FACHE
President, Eastern Division, Lifepoint Health and Duke-Lifepoint Healthcare
Read Bio ▼Elmer Polite is President of Lifepoint Health’s Eastern Division and the Duke-Lifepoint Joint Venture, where he leads operations for acute care hospitals across Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer for the division, overseeing financial operations for 26 hospital campuses.
Elmer brings a unique blend of operational and financial expertise. His experience spans strategic planning, revenue cycle optimization, budgeting, physician practice expansion, capital management, and mergers and acquisitions. He is known for driving operational improvements that enhance care delivery and long-term sustainability.
Before joining Lifepoint, Elmer held senior leadership roles at Prisma Health, HCA, and Community Health Systems. In these roles, he managed multi-hospital markets and led large-scale financial and operational initiatives. He is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives.