Speakers

Meet our Speakers and Presenters

Hear from thought leaders and change agents throughout the program as we reimagine health care, together!

Calvin Hughes, WPLG-TV Evening News Anchor/Reporter

Fund the Mission Host

Five-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes anchors WPLG-Local 10’s 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

For 16 years, Calvin, who earned his B.S in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, has informed us about the major stories in South Florida. The breaking news has included around-the-clock coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, the worst high school shooting in American history in Parkland, FL., the devastation of Hurricane Irma in 2017, his world exclusive interview with First Lady of Haiti weeks after being shot during the assassination of her husband, President Jovenel Moise. Unprecedentedly, Calvin has interviewed the past three democratically-elected Presidents of Haiti for several special news reports.

Calvin has always had a deep love for taking his talents to the location of the action no matter where that might be in the world. He spent days in Havana, Cuba reporting live on the last two popes to visit Cuba including Pope Francis’ historic trip to three cities in Cuba and President Obama’s historic visit. In 2015, he was also the first American journalist to broadcast live from the grounds of the new American Embassy in Havana several hours before the official flag-raising ceremony and opening. In November of the following year, Calvin led members of the Local 10 News team across Cuba, for eleven days, to report on the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Twice, The Miami New Times voted Calvin Miami’s Best TV News Anchor in 2022 and 2011, noting that he reported the story of Haiti’s earthquake “gracefully and professionally.”

Prior to South Florida, Calvin worked as an anchor/reporter in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Dallas. He has also carried his pen and reporter's notepad to Lexington, Ky., Evansville, Indiana, and Columbia, Mo., where he launched his career on the radio at the age of 19.

Calvin has a deep passion for giving back to the South Florida community. Currently, he teaches a journalism course at the University of Miami and is a member of several charitable organizations including the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project Mentor, vice-president of Angels for Humanity, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, and is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Above all, Calvin says he is a father first, and has been thrilled to make South Florida his home along with his two sons, Solomon and Roman, and precious daughter, Sakala Danielle.

Russell J. Ledet, MD, Phd, MBA/Triple Board Resident, Indiana University School of Medicine

Testimonial/Fund the Mission

Dr. Russell J. Ledet is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Dr. Ledet was enlisted in the U.S. Navy, both on active and reserve duty. His first assignment was as a U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guardsman in Washington, D.C. He subsequently completed Navy cryptology training and was assigned to the USS John L. Hall (FFG-32), based in Mayport, Florida. Dr. Ledet has been awarded multiple Navy Achievement Medals for his leadership, and work ethic.

After 5 years of active-duty service, Dr. Ledet transitioned to the USN Reserves, while also attending Southern University, where he completed his bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Biology. In total, Dr. Ledet spent nearly a decade serving his country. Dr. Ledet then went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology from NYU. His scientific work focused on prostate cancer biology and therapeutic development utilizing proteomics and bioinformatics. This work was funded by the NIH, as well as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and published in Nature.

Upon completing his Ph.D., he began his medical training at Tulane School of Medicine. During his medical school journey, Dr. Ledet co-founded The 15 White Coats, a world-renowned organization that helps to propel underrepresented minority students to medicine by providing inspiration and economic support. Dr. Ledet’s personal journey as well as his activism and philanthropy has been featured on People Magazine, the Steve Harvey Show, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CNN, MSNBC, and Good Morning America, amongst others.

Dr. Ledet is currently in a triple-board residency at Indiana University in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry, focusing on mental health accessibility for marginalized communities. Dr. Ledet is the first Black male Triple Board resident at Indiana University, and the only Black man to match Triple Board in 2022. He is a husband of 17 years to Mallory Alise, and the father of two little girls, Maleah Ann and Mahlina Abri.

Liliam M. López, Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer, South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Welcome to Miami Host

Liliam López is the founder of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) and the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation serving as President/CEO of both organizations since their establishment on July 21, 1994. The Chamber was founded with the mission of promoting the continued growth of businesses by establishing a forum where leaders can connect and establish relationships for mentoring and support. The chamber holds over 20 events yearly with monthly lunches that host 300-400 of Miami’s most influential executives and business owners.

Through Liliam’s leadership, the SFLHCC has become one of the longest running and most robust Hispanic chambers in the U.S. with over 1,650 members. The SFLHCC Foundation has granted over $850,000 in scholarships to disadvantaged students in Miami Beach Senior High School pursuing careers in Business and Hospitality. The Education Enhancement Fellowship Program, which is part of the Foundation, has taken students to Microsoft headquarters, Facebook, Comcast, Southwest Airlines, our nation’s Capital and other important venues in an effort to empower these youths. Those efforts led to the SFLHCC Foundation being inducted as a Champion of the of Miami-Dade County Public School’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism.

Lopez was recently appointed to the Board of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. She serves on Miami-Dade County’s Economic Recovery Task Force; she is a Governing Board Member of Larkin Charter School for Health Sciences; serves on the Board of Directors of the Beacon Council, Board Member of the Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Board Member of the Small/Micro and Minority/Women Business Owned Enterprise of Miami Dade County Public Schools, the Advisory Council of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the City of Miami Beach Commission on Women, the Advisory Board of Precision Medicine and Health Disparities Collaborative of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Meharry Medical College and the University of Miami and on the President’s Council for Florida International University (FIU). She served on the Entrepreneurial Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Regional Economic Information Network (REIN) as the only Hispanic woman on that board.

She is a past board member of the Alliance for Aging, past board member of WLRN and former Chair of the Hispanic Affairs Committee for the City of Miami Beach. For 10 years Lopez was the producer and host of a weekly television show, “Panorama con Liliam Lopez” that aired on WLRN Cable-Tap. The program highlighted the career of executives, elected officials, and entrepreneurs at the local, State and national levels. The pandemic required Lopez to pivot. She launched a digital show, "A Business Minute with Lily Lopez", which is featured on all social media platforms reaching over 23,000 businesses.

The SFLHCC has also been engaged in international affairs, with emphasis on Latin America and Spain. The SFLHCC’s leadership hosted the Mayor of Murcia, Spain and his delegation on their visit to Miami Beach in 1996. The former President of Ecuador, the Honorable Lucio Gutierrez, accepted an invitation made by Lopez to speak her members and establish ties with his country. Both the former ladies of Panama and of Honduras, respectively, were invited to speak on different occasions at chamber luncheons on business opportunities, women’s issues, and social and charitable programs in their nations. His Highness, Prince Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman, United Arab Emirates, accepted an invitation from Lopez to visit Miami and present a conference at the chamber’s annual Viva Miami Hispanic Heritage Expo on sustainability and its importance to the world. His Highness is best known as “The Green Sheikh” and was received with great respect and admiration.

Lopez strongly believes in social causes and giving back to the community. Fifteen years ago she implemented “Help our Children” for the youth of Centro Mater (an aftercare and early childcare school for financially disadvantaged families). The SFLHCC collects over 1000 toys annually as part of the Christmas Toy Drive for them. These children and their families are also receiving information on improving their health through diet and exercise thanks to a grant procured by Lopez through Cigna.

Lilliam Lopez has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Political Science from St. Thomas University and a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from the University of Miami. Lopez is married to Architect/Urban Planner, Alfredo Sanchez. They have a daughter, Lillian Karina Sanchez, who is currently enrolled in the University of Miami’s School of Engineering.

Mikki Taylor, Author, Beauty Authority, Executive Producer, Editor-at-Large, ESSENCE Magazine

Emcee/Host

Mikki Taylor is the quintessential authority on all matters regarding beauty and style. From A-list celebrities and world-renowned cover models, to women-in-the-know, Taylor influences all types of women with her vision of beauty and style. She has devoted a li fetime to helping women manage their inner and outer beauty and inspiring them to own their lives to the fullest.

For 30 years, Taylor served as ESSENCE Magazine’s groundbreaking Beauty & Cover Director, and is now Editor-at-Large for the publication. In addition, she is the Founder and President of Mikki Taylor Enterprises, LLC, which serves as a holding company for a number of vertical businesses, including Satin Doll Productions, a full-service image building and consulting division, and MT Communications, a strategic communications and branding company.

Taylor has offered beauty and style advice through all types of media, including broadcast, digital and of course, print outlets, which culminated in her wildly successful book, Self-Seduction Your Ultimate Path to Inner and Outer Beauty (Ballantine Books/One World). This triumph left readers craving more, therefore the sequel, Commander-in-Chic: Every Woman’s Guide to Managing Her Style Like a First Lady (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster). Taylor has joined forces with AMBI Skincare, a division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, as the brand’s newly-appointed national spokesperson in an effort dedicated to empower, inspire and celebrate women of color. AMBI Skincare’s 45-year heritage as the trusted brand for even-toned, beautiful skin perfectly complements Taylor’s 30-year career as a renowned beauty expert.

Taylor has been featured on many television outlets, including: The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, TODAY, Weekend Today, The Early Show, NBC Nightly News, EXTRA, Inside Edition, E! Entertainment Television, CNN, TV Guide Channel, VH1, Style Network, Life & Style, WE-TV, CBS 2 Morning News, the Style Network, Pure Oxygen, BET, Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance and TV One. Viewers also received a weekly dose of Taylor’s positive influence on VH1’s highest rated debut series Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School, which premiered to more than five million viewers. She also served as the host of the TV One series Makeover Manor.

Presenters

Picture of Dr. Baugh wearing glasses, a blue shirt and navy blue suite, and smiling

Global Medical Affairs Leader, Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen, Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson NMF Chair-Elect

As Global Medical Affairs Leader for Janssen Therapeutics, Dr. Bryan Baugh is responsible for monitoring projects in sexually-transmitted Infections and therapeutics in respiratory infections; and leading the clinical-commercial optimization of product development and life cycle management strategies and plans in the field of infectious diseases and vaccines. Prior to this position, he was the US Medical Director for PREZISTA, an HIV Protease Inhibitor used to treat HIV, and SIRTURO, the first TB therapy in 40 years and first-approved medicine to treat multi-drug resistant TB, at Janssen Therapeutics, the Infectious Diseases franchise of Johnson & Johnson. As Medical Director, Bryan’s primary responsibility was to support the implementation of clinical affairs strategies for PREZITA and SITURO in the US and globally. In both positions at Janssen Therapeutics, he provides clinical affairs support across brands, coordinates and supervises research committee meetings and advisory boards, and is the key company contact for safety issues.

Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Dr. Baugh was employed by Roche Pharmaceuticals as a Virology HIV Medical Liaison. His territory included Washington, DC; and regions in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In this role he helped to coordinate and support investigator-initiated studies and provided HIV background and training to Roche internal and external audiences. Prior to that, he was the Director of HIV Services and a staff physician at the Max Robinson Center of the Whitman Walker Clinic in Washington, DC. At Whitman Walker, he provided healthcare to a large number of HIV-infected patients and implemented new patient care initiatives including a walk-in men’s STD clinic.

Dr. Baugh earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry at Howard University in Washington, DC.

Dr. Baugh’s clinical interests include studying medical conditions and issues that adversely affect disenfranchised populations, bridging health disparity gaps, and developing strategies/technologies to combat illnesses in developing countries. He is an active member of the J&J affinity groups, the Gay & Lesbian Organization for Business & Leadership (GLOBAL), and the African American Leadership Council (AALC). He is an active member of the Board of Directors for the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation and Life Ties, Inc.

Photo of Michellene Davis wearing an orange blouse

Michellene Davis, Esq., President & CEO, National Medical Fellowships

Larry Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Medical Group, President/Chief Executive Officer, Pediatric Management Group

Photo of César Larancuent wearing a dark gray jacket and purple shirt and tie.

César Larancuent, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Class of 2024

Picture of Dr. Sandra B. Nichols with a red blazer

Sandra B. Nichols, MD, FAAFP, MHCDS, MS, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, National Inpatient Care Management, UnitedHealth Group

Dr. Sandra B. Nichols is the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Health Inclusion and Community Engagement for UnitedHealth Group. She was previously the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of National Inpatient Care Management for UnitedHealthcare, Chief Medical Officer of Northeast Region, Chief Medical Officer of the West and National Medical Director of Clinical Performance for UnitedHealthcare -AmeriChoice.

Dr. Sandra Nichols has more than 20 years of increasingly responsible roles in public health, health care, medical education and medical management. She has served as Director and Commission of the Arkansas Department of Health, and as a Cabinet Secretary and Board of Health Member in the administrations of two Arkansas Governors –Jim Guy Tucker and Mike Huckabee. Dr. Nichols has previously held the position of CEO for Amerigroup, District of Columbia and Virginia.

Dr. Nichols is a graduate of Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri where she received her BA in Chemistry. She is also a graduate of Tennessee State University with an MS in Biology, and she is a graduate of the University Of Arkansas School Of Medical Science where she received her medical degree, served as Chief Resident and completed a fellowship in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Center for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Leadership Institute.

Dr. Sandra Nichols graduated in 2015 from Dartmouth College with a Master’s Degree in Health Care Delivery Science. She is a fellow in American Academy of Family Practice. Dr. Sandra Nichols has received many awards and citations. She is one of the 2013 recipients of The Daily Record Maryland’s Top 100 Women awards and a 2011 recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s ”Women Who Mean Business Award”. In 2009, she graduated from the UnitedHealth Group Leadership Program. She was named one of the Top 25 Minority Executives in Health Care by Modern Health Care Magazine in 2006, and received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Columbia College in 2006, and a 2005 National Congress of Black Women, Inc. award recipient. In addition, she is the recipient of the National FBI Community Leadership Award, Talented Tenth Award, the Eta Phi Beta Vision of Excellence Award and the Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar Award.

Dr. Sandra Nichols currently serves on numerous boards and organizations. She serves as the Board Chair for National Medical Fellowships and serves on the board of Community Health Charities. In addition she has also served on the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine Executive Council, Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Southern Rural Access Board, Mercantile Bank Board and Board of Trustees for Columbia College. She was appointed in 2012 by Kathleen Sibelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services and served a four year term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Dr. Nichols is the United Health Foundation business sponsor for the Diverse Scholar Initiative. She is a published author of articles and a textbook chapter.

Margaret-Mary Wilson, MD, MRCP, FNMCP, MBA, Executive Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealth Group

Margaret-Mary Wilson, M.D., was named Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealth Group in December 2021. Dr. Wilson helps advance the company’s clinical innovations and lead efforts to develop a modern, sustainable high-performing health system that addresses critical needs and opportunities around improving health equity, expanding access, lowering costs, and improving outcomes and experiences for patients, payers, and providers. She joined UnitedHealth Group in 2008 and most recently served as Associate Chief Medical Officer. Prior to that she served at UnitedHealthcare Clinical Services and then as Chief Medical Officer for UnitedHealthcare Global, where she was responsible for ensuring a high-performance, high-reliability global clinical care delivery business.

Before joining UnitedHealthcare in 2008, Dr. Wilson was an associate professor of Internal and Geriatric Medicine at St. Louis University, Missouri, where she also served as director of Geriatric Ambulatory Services and director of the Ortho-Geriatric Service. Her experience also includes direct patient care, medical education, patient safety, quality improvement, risk management, and global healthcare systems management in a variety of health care settings in Africa, the United Kingdom, South America, and the United States.

Dr. Wilson is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Healthcare Quality Management, and completed a Clinical Cardiology fellowship at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in Hammersmith Hospital, U.K. She has received numerous awards in medicine, including UnitedHealth Group’s inaugural Sages Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award, the Kathy Humphrey Award for Excellence in the promotion of cultural diversity in medical education, the St. Louis University William Osler Teaching Award for excellence in clinical teaching, the Gladney Diversity Award for outstanding performance as a medicaleducator, and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Chevening Award.

In 2021, Dr. Wilson was named one of the Top 100 most influential African Americans in Business by the National Diversity Council and one of the Top 100 elite women in 2021 by Diversity Journal. She has published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals and textbooks.

Scholar Speakers

Christeebella Akpala, United Health Foundation/NMF Diverse Medical Scholars Program

Marcus Childs, Primary Care Leadership Program

Zachary Coles, United Health Foundation/NMF Diverse Medical Scholars Program (Not pictured)

Avery Ford, MHS, Johnson & Johnson AIM Scholarship

Lewis Graham, Dr. Herman and Shirley Gray Family Scholarship

Kyle Lakatos, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)/Darrell G. Kirch Scholarship

Patricia Rodarte, Zimmer Biomet/NMF Orthopedic Scholarship

Zena Simmons, Anarcha, Betsey, and Lucy Memorial Scholarship

Erica Sosa, MS, United Health Foundation/NMF Diverse Medical Scholars Program (Not pictured)

Alumni Speakers

Dr. Carl Anderson, Staff Physician, Locum Tenens for Staff Care (for Providence Occupational Medicine), Meharry Medical College School of Medicine 1981

Dr. Denise Asafu-Adjei, Assistant Professor of Urology, Director of Male Reproductive Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School 2014

Dr. Jerry Abraham, Director & Chief, Vaccinologist, Kedren Vaccines, KEDREN Mobile + CDU Street Medicine University of Texas Medical Schcool at San Antonio 2014, University of Southern California USC - Dignity Health CHMC Family & Community Medicine Residency Program

Dr. Ken Dominguez, Medical Epidemiologist, Columbia University

Dr. Aerial Petty, Family Medicine Resident at New York Presbyterian- Columbia University, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Prentiss Taylor, Attending Physician, Advocate Aurora Health, Harvard Medical School 1978

Contact Us

Gina Lee Gossett at gleegossett@nmfonline.org and Valerie Zapanta at vzapanta@nmfonline.org are happy to answer any inquiries.