Leadership & Partners
The WHIN Steering Committee provides leadership, expertise and oversight to ensure WHIN is successfully executing its strategic plan and achieving its goals. The Steering Committee is composed of representatives from the major WHIN contributors. Committee members include:
- Jane Muir - WHIN Executive Director
- Chair - Dr. Christine Sapienza, Jacksonville University
- Dr. Sunil Joshi - Chief Health Officer | Office of Mayor Deegan
- John Trevathan - GuideWell
- Julie Merten - University of North Florida
There are four standing committees responsible for setting strategic direction in each of WHIN’s core functions and for working with WHIN staff to implement the plan. The standing committees include:
- Marketing & Communications - Anne-Marie Knight
- Fund Raising - Chair, Leslie Redd, Associate Vice President of Development at Jacksonville University
- Mentors & Judges - Chair, Nicole Bradberry
- Training & Events - Chair, Blythe Karow
WHIN Leadership Structure
WHIN has amazing partners from across the community.
Watch the video to hear what our community had to say!
“Research tells us that 93% of the most underfunded health conditions in the world affect mainly women. Addressing challenges to women’s health is the right thing to do, and it is also the smart thing to do.”
Donna Deegan, Mayor, City of Jacksonville.
Read Video Transcript
Donna Deegan, City of Jacksonville Mayor.
“We are here to truly celebrate a momentous announcement that touches so many aspects of our lives right here in Jacksonville. Research tells us that 93% of the most underfunded health conditions in the world affect mainly women. Addressing challenges to women’s health is the right thing to do, and it is also the smart thing to do. That’s why I am proud to announce that the City of Jacksonville is a lead investor in the Women’s Health Innovation Network or WHIN.”
Tim Cost, Jacksonville University President.
“I can’t think of another elected official in the country who would be better positioned or have a more unique voice for this subject today, a woman who’s an athlete, a woman who’s a cancer survivor, a woman who’s born and raised in this community, and our mayor I think we’re very grateful for that today, thank you.”
Pat Geraghty, President & CEO, Guidewell/Florida Blue.
“The need here in Jacksonville as we look around our community is significant. We are the only major city in the State of Florida that’s in the lower half of healthcare outcomes. That’s a call to action!”
Dr. Christine Sapienza, Vice President for Partnerships & Development, Jacksonville University. WHIN Co-founder.
“We have to amplify our strengths, we have to foster solutions that can tackle even the most complex challenges, like women’s health.”
Dr. Moez Limayem, President, University of North Florida.
“With whom you partner does a lot about you. We are here we’re teaming up to say enough is enough! With your help, we can make a difference.”
Jane Muir, Executive Director, WHIN.
“We all suffer from this lack of attention because women are the backbone of our society. Women’s Health impacts everyone’s health.”
Steering Committee
Jane Muir
Executive Director
WHIN
About Jane Muir
Jane Muir, WHIN’s founding Executive Director, has utilized her thirty years of experience in all aspects of the innovation lifecycle to help lay the groundwork for the launch of the Women’s Health Innovation Network (WHIN). Recognized internationally as an innovation thought-leader, Jane ‘s most recent accomplishments include being the lead author on the AUTM Nine Points to Consider in Fostering Greater Inclusion in Innovation, a roadmap for over 3,000 AUTM members who work in more than 800 universities, research centers, hospitals, businesses and government organizations around the globe, and for her contribution to the National Women’s Business Council’s 2022 Annual Report (see page 37) to the President, Congress, and the Small Business Administration which included the recommendations outlined in her paper published in the March 2023 National Academy of Inventors Technology and Innovation publication entitled “Engaging More Women in Academic Innovation”.
Previously, Jane spent twenty-five years at the University of Florida in a variety of leadership roles involved in technology commercialization. She served as the Associate Director for the Office of Technology Licensing, Director of UF TechConnect, and Founding Director of a 100,000 sq. ft. technology incubator (the Hub) which in 2018 won the global Mixed-Use Entrepreneurship Center of the Year Award from the InBIA. She also co-created several nationally recognized entrepreneurial training programs which have empowered over 2,000 participants across the state of Florida. Her achievements at the University of Florida were foundational in UF’s 2020 ranking as #1 nationally in innovation impact. She also served as President of AUTM, the leading international technology transfer association, and has keynoted conferences around the world on topics related to technology commercialization and the importance of diversity in innovation. Jane has served in leadership positions on numerous boards and received many notable honors including two UF Superior Accomplishment awards, SSTI’s Top Women in Economic Development, and an invitation from the White House to attend the White House Summit on The United State of Women.
Christine Sapienza, PhD
Chair
Executive Vice President
Office of Partnerships & Development
Jacksonville University
About Dr. Christine Sapienza
Dr. Julie Merten
Associate Dean, MedNexus
University of North Florida
About Dr. Julie Merten
Dr. Julie Merten was appointed to lead University of North Florida’s MedNexus initiative in October 2023 by President Moez Limayem. She provides leadership and direction for the planning and operation of MedNexus including a 40,000 square foot state-of-the art simulation and learning center at the Deerwood site, expanding in-demand healthcare degrees in the Palm Coast region, and developing signature projects to prepare students for the healthcare workforce. She has developed a healthcare career pathway program with HCA South Atlantic Division, a Clinical Research Coordination Badge with UFHealth, and awarded more than $100,000 through the MedNexus Research Innovation fund to support faculty conducting research that integrates emerging technology to improve health outcomes, delivery of care, or direct clinical impact.
Growing up in North Florida, Dr. Merten is a social behavioral scientist in public health who earned her Ph.D. at the University of Florida. She is a professor in the Department of Public Health and previously served as the Director of the Office of Faculty Excellence and was the Editor-in-Chief for the Florida Public Health Review. She serves on the Board of Directors for Baptist Health South and is involved nationally with the American Academy of Health Behavior.
Dr. Merten’s research involves behavioral cancer prevention, specifically in the areas of skin cancer and tobacco control. She has used her research training to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based sun safety education, analyzed how people utilize the Internet and social media for cancer information, surveyed children, adolescents and young adults on their skin cancer prevention behaviors, assess cancer prevention programs among special populations, and implemented skin cancer assessment and referral intervention to increase national skin cancer screening rates. She has been recognized for her accomplishments including the Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40, Frank Barker Wellness Leader Award, and the University of Florida Professional Achievement Award.
John Trevathan
GuideWell’s Vice President, Corporate Services
About John Trevathan
John Trevathan is Vice President of Corporate Services for GuideWell. In this role, Trevathan is responsible for overseeing enterprise real estate, construction, interior design, property management, engineering, safety and security, logistics, hospitality, facility planning and support services. He is also Director, Enterprise Operations Center (EOC), leading the response for all unforeseen events impacting GuideWell’s employees, members and assets.
Prior to joining GuideWell, Trevathan served as Corporate Vice President, McCollister’s Logistics Group,a provider of global transportation management, project management, technical and fulfillment services.He also led McCollister’s commercial services division providing facility and interior space operationssolutions to a broad range of corporate clients nationwide and co-led the sales organization as Corporate Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
Additionally, he has held executive positions at Suddath Companies, Graebel, and The Federal Companies.
Trevathan is involved in a variety of associations and community organizations including board chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida , Chair of The Florida Chamber Sustainability Council, and is incoming chair of the Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet (June 2024).
He is a past board member of The ARC of Jacksonville, The United Way, BuildingOwners and Managers Association (BOMA), NAIOP and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
Trevathan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and studied at the University of London.
Kirstie McCool
GuideWell’s Vice President of Innovation
Kirstie brings over 25 years of senior leadership experience within corporate innovation teams, venture-backed technology startups, entrepreneurial technology accelerators, and non-profit organizations.
Kirstie is currently GuideWell’s Vice President of Innovation, where she oversees a variety of strategic innovation initiatives that span across GuideWell’s health solutions business units. These initiatives leverage state-of-the-art corporate innovation frameworks such as human-centered-design, lean startup and rapid prototyping to quickly identify, de-risk and deploy customer-facing solutions that address critical needs for transforming GuideWell’s business.
Before joining GuideWell, Kirstie was the President & CEO of the International Business Innovation Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit that serves over 600 business incubators, technology accelerators and entrepreneurial economic development organizations in over 60 countries. As InBIA’s CEO, Kirstie established strategic funding partnerships with the U.S. Department of State, JP Morgan Chase, the European Union, and the Kauffman Foundation focused on designing and executing programs for inclusive entrepreneurial economic development both in the US and internationally.
Before joining InBIA, Kirstie was the Founding Executive Director of two Florida-based non-profit technology accelerators – Starter Studio and Igniting Innovation. In these roles, Kirstie was responsible for all program and operational fundraising. She also oversaw the design and deployment of curated entrepreneurial programs designed to coach Florida entrepreneurs on customer validation through human centered design and lean startup methodologies. Collectively these two accelerators mentored over 150 Florida technology companies that went on to raise over $75 million in seed venture capital. Kirstie also led four Central Florida entrepreneurial economic development collaborations that resulted in over $7 million in operational funding to establish entrepreneurial initiatives and centers across Florida’s I-4 Corridor. Kirstie was also tapped to be the founding director of Startup Florida under President Obama’s Startup America initiative.
In 2004, Kirstie joined the University of Central Florida (UCF) to design and launch UCF’s Venture Lab where she facilitated the commercialization and spin-out of three technology companies based on faculty inventions, and mentored hundreds of local entrepreneurs in business strategy and financing. She was also the Executive Director of the Winter Park Angels – a 50+ member angel investment group located in Orlando, Florida.
In February 2021, Kirstie was awarded Florida’s I4 Business Women’s Inspired Leadership Award for Innovation. Kirstie is also the recipient of Orlando Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award, the Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, and the Dr. W. Judson King Entrepreneurship Memorial Award. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Computer Science from UCF and also earned her MBA for UCF.
Dr. Sunil Joshi
Chief Health Officer
Office of Mayor Deegan
About Dr. Sunil Joshi
Dr. Sunil Joshi was appointed as Jacksonville’s Chief Health Officer in July 2023 by Mayor Donna Deegan’s Office. As such, his role is to better coordinate care across providers while improving access and outcomes. One of his first initiatives was to help launch Get Covered Jax!, a public education campaign to help Jacksonville residents without health insurance get covered. In less than six months, Duval County saw a 34% decrease in the number of uninsured individuals. As a result, more people now have access to preventative health services including yearly physical exams, blood work, vaccinations and cancer screening that can help keep them healthy. Dr. Joshi’s goal is to continue to implement programs to improve the health outcomes of our citizens and have Jacksonville become one of the healthiest communities in the country.
A Jacksonville native, Dr. Joshi is an allergic and immunologic diseases specialist who earned his medical degree at University of Florida. He completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and received his allergy/immunology fellowship training at the University of Rochester in New York. He is President and Managing Partner of Family Allergy Asthma Consultants, LLC.. He previously served as president of the Duval County Medical Society Foundation and on the board of directors for the Florida chapter of the American Lung Association.
Dr. Joshi has conducted extensive research studying the risks and effectiveness of various treatments for patients with asthma. He has published in numerous journals on a variety of topics and presented his findings at a variety of state and national level conferences. He is also a regular speaker on radio and TV talkshows on a variety of topics and has won numerous awards for his accomplishments including the Philip H. Gilbert Young Physician Leadership Award, and the University of Florida Outstanding Young Alumnus Award and is consistently listed among “Top Doctors” in Jacksonville Magazine
Standing Committee
Blythe Karow
Chair of Training & Education
About Blythe Karow
Margaret Blythe Karow is a seasoned innovation leader with over 20 years of experience guiding transformative medical devices and wearables to market. Throughout her career, she has successfully led teams and launched innovative products that enhance patient outcomes while navigating complex regulatory and commercialization landscapes. Blythe has a proven ability to foster collaboration, mentor entrepreneurs, and build ecosystems that drive innovation.
As a co-founder and executive in multiple startups, Blythe has taken companies from initial concept to product commercialization, securing FDA designations, clinical trial success, and investor funding. She has been recognized for her leadership and impact on the startup community, including the Start GNV Ecosystem Hidden Gem Award, her contributions to mentoring programs like Empowering Women in Technology Startups (EWITS), and her work as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Yale University.
Blythe holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and strategic guidance they need to transform ideas into impactful solutions.
Leslie Redd
Chair of Fundraising
About Leslie Redd
Leslie Redd currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Development at Jacksonville University. With a passion for fostering philanthropic cultures, Leslie brings over 30 years of experience in driving fundraising success for prestigious institutions. Her distinguished career has been marked by strategic vision and transformative results.
Throughout her career, Leslie has demonstrated an exceptional ability to develop, lead, and execute innovative strategies that propel organizational growth. Her expertise spans building and leading high-performing teams, cultivating a culture of collaboration and innovation, and establishing strong relationships with stakeholders.
Having served in leadership roles at world-class institutions including Johns Hopkins University and Mayo Clinic, Leslie has honed her skills in major and principal gifts, campaign planning, and donor engagement. Her remarkable track record includes securing over $100 million in gifts, contributing to multi-billion-dollar campaigns, and consistently exceeding fundraising targets.
Leslie’s commitment to philanthropy extends beyond fundraising; she is deeply invested in aligning organizational priorities with donor interests; ensuring positive outcomes for both parties. She is also actively involved as a champion and advocate with several organizations that improve and enhance the lives of women and girls. Her leadership is instrumental in establishing and embedding a culture of philanthropy within organizations, ultimately driving meaningful impact for the communities being served.
Nicole Bradberry
Chair of Mentorship & Judges
About Nicole Bradberry
Nicole Bradberry is the Founder and CEO of the Florida Association of ACOs. The Florida Association of ACOs (FLAACOs.com) is the premier professional organization for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) throughout Florida which provides education and collaboration in the fee for value healthcare space. She is also the Managing Partner of Sunflower Health Advisors, a consulting group focused on helping start-up companies. Previously Nicole was the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of MIND 24-7. MIND 24-7 runs Mental Health Crisis and Express Centers with a focus on immediate access, quality care and the understanding that mental health and substance abuse drive significant health cost. Prior to MIND 24-7, Nicole was the Co-Founder and Managing Parter for Cura Health Management which creates and manages ACOs and other risk-based contracts. She was also the Executive Director for ACO Health Partners, a Cura fully owned MSSP ACO based in Florida. Cura Health Management is a value-based enablement company which provides services to Providers in value-based healthcare payment models.
Prior to Cura, as its CEO, Nicole led the successful transition of Captify Health to a specialty network benefits management solution prior to selling it to a large revenue cycle company, Continuum Health Alliance where she also served as their Chief Growth Officer. Nicole leveraged her strategic relationships and strong leadership, operations, and technology background to develop innovative products and growth strategies for healthcare providers as they transitioned to value-based healthcare.
Prior to joining Captify Health, Nicole, as President and Co-Founder of Citra Health Solutions (formerly Orange Health), led the strategy and design behind the development of scalable population health tools and a professional service model that enabled physicians to successfully participate in value-based contracts such as ACOs.
Prior to Citra, she was a founding Executive and Chief Information Officer for Rise Health, where she led the design and implementation of a full primary care transformation suite of products, including proprietary technology and transformational business solutions. In this role, she led her team to win the prestigious U.S. Department of Health and Human Services health data award for IT innovation.
In addition, Nicole spent 16 years leading operations and information technology programs for UnitedHealth Group and Cigna HealthCare. While there, she served as business lead for the technology transformation of the country’s largest dental and vision Services Company, led the national deployment of healthcare quality and affordability programs, and was responsible for the successful integration of many major health plans.
Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics from the University of Florida. She is currently an Operating Partner for Empactful Capital, on the Board of Spatially Health and Rose Health, a former Board of Director for Diabetes America, member of Chief (national women’s network), is a member of the Women Business Leaders of the US Health Care Industry Foundation, prior Board member of the Boys and Girls Club of NE Florida, prior Co-Chair of the ambulatory committee for Central/North Florida HIMSS, Dean’s Council member for University of North Florida and member of the Junior League. She has been recognized for her personal and professional achievements many times, recently as the nation’s Outstanding Midmarket IT Leader of the Year and one of the Business Journal’s “Women of Influence.” She is often found on the speaker faculty for healthcare conferences focused on ACOs, Population Health and Value Based Care. She is passionate about changing healthcare and enabling physicians to provide high quality, cost effective and consumer-focused care.
Ann-Marie Knight
Chair
Marketing & Communications
About Ann-Marie Knight
Bio
Partners
GuideWell
Jacksonville University
Delores Barr Weaver
Office of Mayor Donna Deegan