Meeting/Event Information

Given the extensive changes in healthcare delivery and the technological landscape overall, there is a necessity to take stock of where the healthcare community stands on change and innovation, specifically regarding the use of technology. The demand for higher quality healthcare at a lower cost creates an imminent need for change and innovation in healthcare delivery. Healthcare has already seen innovations in the tools used to deliver care, including pharmacy products, medical devices, information technology, and biotechnology products. This innovation has changed and continues to change the way healthcare is delivered. This panel will discuss how health systems are using innovation in technology to improve the value of the healthcare they deliver. Examples may include using technology to improve connectivity, patient flow, provider efficiency, and/or quality measurement.

As an independent chartered chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Chicago Healthcare Executives Forum is authorized to award 1.5 hours of ACHE In-Person Education Credits toward advancement or recertification in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Moderator:
Boyede Sobitan, Global Healthcare Strategy Lead, Zebra Technologies

Panelists:
Audrius Polikaitis, Chief Information Officer, UI Health
Justin Brueck, System VP of Innovation and Research, Endeavor Health
Lauren Sullivan, Chief Health Information Officer, Howard Brown
Melanie Fernando, President & Chief Executive Officer, Aetna Better Health of Illinois

About the speakers

Boyede Sobitan

As the Global Healthcare Vertical Strategy Lead at Zebra Technologies, Boyede Sobitan guides health systems through the future of clinical workflows by aligning enterprise innovation with real-world care needs. He also oversees Zebra’s Healthcare Customer Advisory Board, ensuring the voice of the provider shapes industry-leading solutions.

Starting his career as a Clinician Registered Nurse, Boyede brings over 20 years of diverse experience spanning the bedside to high-level hospital administration and consulting. He specializes in patient throughput, bed management, and operational finance, successfully leading initiatives that deliver seven-figure efficiency improvements. Boyede’s industry authority is backed by top-tier credentials. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and holds double board certification as a Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC) and in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP). He earned his MHA and BSN from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and holds a certification in product strategy from Northwestern University, allowing him to evaluate technology through a lens of both clinical value and operational excellence.

Audrius Polikaitis

Audrius Polikaitis, PhD is the Chief Information Officer at UI Health (University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System). He completed his graduate studies in engineering with a research focus on implantable cardiac devices. Prior to joining UI Health Dr. Polikaitis worked in the corporate research labs of a Fortune 50 technology corporation as well as for a major healthcare information systems vendor.

In his current role Dr. Polikaitis is responsible for all enterprise applications, imaging systems, analytics, and infrastructure that support the patient care, business and financial operations of the UI Health enterprise. He also has responsibility for the information security and the clinical engineering functions. In 2020 UI Health deployed a new integrated clinical and revenue cycle systems infrastructure together with new technology enabled workflows and processes. In 2025 UI Health embarked on the deployment of a cloud-hosted streaming enterprise imaging platform for the management of all clinical images.

UI Health has been named as a “Most Wired” healthcare organization for the last 18 years, recognizing the commitment that the organization has made to the integration of information technology systems into daily clinical and operational practices. Dr. Polikaitis has been named as one of the Becker’s “Health System CIOs to Know” for the past 12 years.

Justin Brueck

Justin Brueck currently serves as System Vice President, Innovation and Research at Endeavor Health, formerly NorthShore—Edward-Elmhurst Health. He joined Endeavor, a nine-hospital health system across Chicagoland, as an administrative fellow in 2010 after completing his administrative residencies at Kameda Medical Center in Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa.

Over the past 15 years, Justin has served in various leadership capacities across organizational service lines including radiology, pathology and laboratory medicine, as well as hospital operations. Currently, he oversees the Mark R. Neaman Center for Personalized Medicine—the largest clinical genomics-based program in the country— as well as newly-established Davis Family Center for Preventive Genomics, the Endeavor Health Research Institute, and the Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation. Justin also serves as the operational lead for the system’s innovation function, inclusive of advanced technology oversight and positioning of Innovation and Research to further elevate and differentiate Endeavor’s five clinical Institutes. He is passionate about helping health systems leverage their unique position to drive a multiplier effect through diversified equity, thereby helping transform our industry for our patients, team members and communities. Justin received a Master of Health Administration and Master of Arts from The University of Iowa. He has a Bachelor of Arts in biology and minor in chemistry from Central College.

Lauren Sullivan

Lauren Sullivan is a senior healthcare technology executive with more than 20 years of experience leading digital transformation, data strategy, and operational innovation across complex care environments. As Chief Health Information Officer at Howard Brown Health, Lauren oversees enterprise IT, data and analytics, and clinical informatics functions that support high-quality, community-centered care.

Lauren’s work sits at the intersection of technology, operations, and patient outcomes. She has led major initiatives spanning electronic health record optimization, enterprise data warehouse development, cybersecurity and compliance programs, and the integration of emerging technologies such as AI-enabled clinical tools. Her leadership extends beyond IT, with oversight and partnership across patient access, referrals, prior authorizations, and clinical quality—bringing a holistic, end-to-end perspective on how systems and processes impact both care teams and patients.

A lifelong Chicagoan, Lauren is passionate about using data and technology to advance health equity, improve access, and drive meaningful change in underserved communities. She is known for translating complex technical concepts into actionable strategies that resonate with both clinical and executive audiences.

Melanie Fernando

Melanie Fernando is an accomplished healthcare executive, driven by an unwavering passion for serving her community’s most vulnerable populations. As the Chief Executive Officer of Aetna Better Health of Illinois, she leads delivery of high-quality, whole person healthcare to over 330,000 Medicaid members across the state. Throughout her career, Melanie has focused on simplifying and enhancing the healthcare experience by leveraging technology, fostering valuable provider partnerships, and reducing health disparities through meaningful community collaborations.

Prior to her tenure working for managed care organizations, Melanie held leadership roles as a management consultant for the nation’s largest healthcare organizations, where she specialized in optimizing government sponsored programs and reimagining service delivery for diverse populations. Melanie’s leadership in the HealthChoice Illinois Medicaid program has driven operational efficiencies, expanded member access to care, and delivered measurable improvements in member satisfaction and health equity.

The Illinois Medical District (IMD) is the oldest established medical district on Chicago’s Near West Side dedicated to advancing healthcare, research, education, and economic development. The IMD Commission advances and supports this robust ecosystem, anchored by four major hospitals, academic institutions, and innovation partners. Generating approximately $7.7 billion in annual economic activity and serving nearly 90,000 daily visitors who come to work, learn, live, heal, and play, the IMD Commission drives collaboration and growth through strategic development, community engagement, and forward-looking initiatives that strengthen the IMD and its impact across Chicago and beyond. To learn more, visit www.imdchicago.org.