RISE National 2022—the #1 trusted source for all things Medicare Advantage—returns to Nashville, Tenn. on March 7-9 as a live, in-person event and will feature two blockbuster keynotes.
Nancy Messonnier, M.D., former director of the Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), will present a keynote address on lessons learned about the pandemic at RISE National 2022, which will take place March 7-9 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Messonnier, who currently serves as the executive director for Pandemic Prevention and Health Systems at the Skoll Foundation, will discuss the current health care landscape, immunization hesitancy, and the future of public health on Wednesday, March 9, the second day of the main conference.
Emmy-award winning journalist Ryan Avery will present a motivational address on leadership on Tuesday, March 8. The keynote is sponsored by Edifecs. Avery, a two-time bestselling author and the youngest World Champion of Public Speaking in history, says in the competitive world we live in, it is no longer acceptable to offer a product, a solution, or even be a leader. He will bring insights into how attendees can become the product, the solution, and the leader to follow.
The third keynote will be announced shortly.
About Dr. Messonnier
RISE National attendees will get an inside look at the nation’s response to the pandemic during Dr. Messonnier’s keynote. She was the chief architect of the COVID-19 vaccine implementation program as well as CDC's Vaccinate with Confidence initiative, which works with national organizations to strengthen public trust in vaccines and prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.
In 2019, Dr. Messonnier directed NCIRD to activate a center-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She led efforts to distribute, administer, educate, and provide partner engagement, safety, and effectiveness evaluation and access for hard-to-reach populations with the goal of ensuring that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine would be available to every American who wanted one.
In her current role at the Skoll Foundation, she plans to continue effectively addressing the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and focus on helping build out the global system needed to prevent another COVID-like pandemic in the future.
Dr. Messonnier has been a long-time champion for the prevention of disease, disability, and death through immunization and control of vaccine-preventable diseases. She played a pivotal role in the successful public-private partnership to develop and implement a low-cost vaccine to prevent epidemic meningococcal meningitis in Africa. More than 150 million people in the African Meningitis Belt have been vaccinated with MenAfriVac since 2010, with remarkable impact. Dr. Messonnier also has been a leader in CDC's preparedness and response to anthrax, including during the 2001 intentional anthrax release and in evaluating simplified schedules for use of licensed anthrax vaccine.
Her public health career began in 1995 as an epidemic intelligence service officer and she has held several leadership positions across CDC. She served as acting director for the Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), deputy director for NCIRD, acting director of the Division of Global Health Protection in the Center for Global Health and Chief of the Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch in NCIRD.
Dr. Messonnier has written more than 140 articles and chapters and has received numerous awards. She received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and MD from the University of Chicago School of Medicine and completed internal medicine residency training at the University of Pennsylvania.
About Ryan Avery
Avery is one of the most profound keynote speakers on strategic communications and leadership. At age 25, he became the youngest World Champion of Public Speaking in history, competing against more than 30,000 contestants from 116 countries to claim the 2012 World Championship for Toastmasters International.
As an Emmy-award winning journalist, two-time best-selling author and world record holder, Avery has delivered more than 500 keynotes in 33 countries around the globe. His mission is to show leaders and their teams how to become the leaders in their industries using proven strategies that everyone can use to be the best version of themselves.
RISE National 2022 will take place March 8-9, with preconference workshops on March 7, at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tenn. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to attend the event. Click here to see the full conference agenda, roster of speakers, and how to register. Click here for our health and safety protocols.