Plenaries & Panels

Plenaries & Panels Schedule

Click here to view detailed schedule with concurrent sessions. Please note that all sessions times are in Central Time (CT).

Monday, September 28, 2026
12:00 – 12:45 PM	Conference Welcome and Medical Rehabilitation Patient Perspective Presented by TIRR Memorial Hermann, CARF International and the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) Intro: Rhonda Abbott, Senior Vice President and CEO of TIRR Memorial Hermann; Chair, AMRPA Board of Directors, Rick Willis, President & CEO, Brain Injury Association of America Moderator: Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA, Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services, CARF International Patient Panelists: Milisa Alexis Flores, Claudia I. Martinez, MD, and Paige E. Shoemake, MS, CCC-SLP,
12:45 – 1:30 PM	Transitioning to 2027: The Health Care Landscape and Possible Impact of Midterm Elections – A Fireside Chat with Former HHS Secretary Dr. Donna Shalala Dr. Donna E. Shalala, Trustee Professor of Political Science and Health Policy, University of Miami Moderator: Moderator: Marilyn Yager, Senior Policy Advisor, Alston & Bird
1:30 – 2:15 PM	Rehabilitation 2.0: Transformational Care with Artificial Intelligence Jason Peoples, Director of Technology & Innovation, Mary Free Bed
2:15 – 3:00 PM	Review Choice Demonstration – The Program Oversight Perspective Amy Cinquegrani, Director, Division of Payment Methods & Strategies, Provider Compliance Group, CMS Marc Duerden MD, Medical Director, Jurisdiction E, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC Jessica Hicks RN, MSN, Prior Authorization Manager, Novitas Solutions, Inc. Sameer Siddiqui, MD, Contractor Medical Director, Novitas Solutions, Inc. Mary E. Dillon, MD, Officer, Chief Medical, Palmetto GBA Cassie Mills, BSN, RN Medical Review Director, Palmetto GBA Shannon Messner, RN, CPC, Supervisor, Part A Medical Review – Noridian Healthcare Solutions

Tuesday, September 29, 2026
9:00 – 9:30 AM	State of the Association & AMRPA National Leadership Excellence Award
9:30 – 9:45 AM	Edward A. Eckenhoff Memorial Award
9:45 – 10:30 AM	AMRPA Legislative & Regulatory Updates
9:45 – 10:30 AM	Kate Beller, JD, President, AMRPA Troy Hillman, Director of Quality and Health Policy, AMRPA Emily Green Conrad, Director of Government Relations and Regulatory Policy, AMRPA
11:00 – 11:45 AM	Stakeholder Panel: AHA/ASA 2026 Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Guidelines
11:00 – 11:45 AM	Lorie Gage Richards, PhD, OTR/L, FAHA, FAOTA, University of Utah Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies Lauren Shapiro, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Stroke Rehabilitation Program, Brooks Rehabilitation Joel Stein, MD, Simon Baruch Professor and Chair, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons; Professor and Chair, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine; Physiatrist-in-Chief, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
8:00 – 8:45 AM	Forecasting the Future of Payment Policy
8:00 – 8:45 AM	Steven M. Perlin, Senior Vice President, LS Point, LLC Zach Gaumer, Vice President, Health Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center
12:30 – 1:00 PM	Hot Topics for the Upcoming Year
12:30 – 1:00 PM	Rhonda Abbott, Senior Vice President and CEO of TIRR Memorial Hermann; Chair, AMRPA Board of Directors Kate Beller, JD, President, AMRPA

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