With 30 years in nonsurgical musculoskeletal care and 15 years in regenerative medicine, Mark brings active clinical insight to the employee benefits space.

He works with employers and benefits professionals to integrate Regenexx into their plans—helping reduce elective orthopedic surgeries, lower costs, and increase access to appropriate musculoskeletal care.

At the benefits table, he brings a clinician’s mindset: do no harm, focus on value, and align benefits with the evidence-based care models used in today’s clinical practice.

Outside of work, Mark is a girl dad who enjoys music, cooking, exercise, time outdoors, and exploring ways to stay healthy as he ages.

Bruce Shutan is a contributing editor to Employee Benefit News. He has written and edited for the publication for 37 years and was conference program director for Benefits Management Forum & Expo for two of those years. He has written for nearly 140 publications, corporate entities and individuals and has been quoted about employee benefit trends in various media outlets. In addition, he has ghostwritten three books.

​In a past life, Dave worked as an Underwriting Strategist at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota where he designed pricing methodologies that satisfied Blue Cross Blue Shield’s strategic objectives. During his tenure, Dave acted as an internal liaison between actuarial, underwriting and sales and assisted with BCBS’s lobbying efforts to expand the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) marketplace.

Today, Dave spends much of his time traveling around the country educating employers and legislative bodies on the many counterintuitive and nuanced components of effective healthcare cost management. A true educator, Dave uses a whiteboard to illustrate how many employers have been and continue to be misled by the industry, resulting in unsustainably increasing healthcare costs for both employers and their employees.

Dave is the ​Director of Underwriting Services at Brown & Brown, where he develops and maintains financial tools and methodologies that improve customers’ ability to effectively manage their employer-sponsored health plans. Dave’s role keeps him actively involved in managing key accounts, representing more than 300,000 members across the country.

Cass brings her expertise in leading human resources, talent acquisition, learning and development and employee experience at growth stage companies to Progyny. Prior to joining Progyny, Cass was Director of Talent at SignPost and TravelClick, a global provider of innovative, cloud-based and data-driven solutions for hotels.

As Senior Vice President and Benefits Consultant at Corporate Synergies, Harrison J. Newman is a trusted expert in employee benefits strategy with 16+ years of industry experience. He partners with HR and Finance leaders to design benefits programs that do more than check a box—they build company culture, attract and retain top talent, and drive long-term business success.

Harrison works with organizations ranging from 50 to 5,000 employees, bringing a proactive approach to managing healthcare costs while ensuring benefits remain a competitive advantage. He helps companies allocate resources to the benefits that provide the most value, striking the delicate balance between financial sustainability and a strategy that reinforces company identity, values, and workforce priorities.

An active leader in the HR community, Harrison serves as VP of Communications for NYC SHRM and hosts the Talk HR podcast. A sought-after speaker, he shares his expertise on industry panels, podcasts, and conferences.

Alicia McNamara leads the Enterprise Team at Quantum Health, where she partners with self-insured employers across industries to enhance the member experience and achieve meaningful results through their benefits strategy. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and a strong background in client-facing roles, Alicia brings deep expertise in healthcare navigation, member engagement, and aligning solutions to employer goals. She is known for building trusted relationships with HR and benefits leaders, driving strategic execution, and delivering measurable value through innovative programs.

Frank Janecek is an Employee Benefits/Human Resources professional with expertise in strategy, design, and administration of employee benefit programs. He is currently the Senior Director, Benefits for Fortune Brands Innovations. Prior to joining Fortune Brands, Frank led Compensation and Benefits for Perdoceo Education Corporation. He has worked in benefits leadership roles for several Fortune 500 companies including Ross Stores, Discover Financial, HSBC North America, Nabisco, and Kraft Foods. Having worked in multiple industries and complex organizations, Frank has experience with creating tailored strategies and programs that deliver value and positive outcomes to both the company and its employees. Frank currently serves on the Board of the Council on Employee Benefits as Treasurer where he also previously served as President of the Board. He is a Board member for the Midwest Health Purchasers Collaborative serving as Vice-Chair and participates on several vendor advisory councils.

Joanne Homa is the Director of Benefits at Faith Technologies, Inc. where she leads the strategic development and administration of employee benefits programs. With more than 15 years of experience in benefits management, she brings deep expertise in compliance, vendor relations and employee engagement. Joanne has led initiatives that significantly reduced costs while improving employee engagement, including a streamlined open enrollment process and enhanced communication strategies. She is passionate about building inclusive benefits that support employees’ diverse needs and is known for her collaborative leadership style. Joanne is a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefits and working toward the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist certification.

Kelli Henderson is the Vice President, Human Resources – Total Rewards at Aflac Incorporated. She has been with Aflac for 9 years and her responsibilities include broad-based compensation, employee benefits and wellness, and oversight of the corporate HR Business Partners. She has over twenty years of Human Resources experience spanning the financial services, higher education and manufacturing industries. Kelli has a master’s degree in postsecondary education from Troy University and a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University. She is a member of World at Work and the Society for Human Resource Management.