ELEVATE at the Summit

ELEVATE at the Summit is an extraordinary opportunity for inspiration and empowerment. Join an exclusive group of women in the HME industry for an afternoon of learning, collaboration, and networking. Gain valuable skills and knowledge to propel your career and personal growth to new heights.

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2025 ELEVATE SPONSOR

2025 Elevate Schedule

Organized by HME News and the HME News Business Summit

2025 Elevate at the Summit Educational Program

Monday, Oct. 20

KICKOFF SESSION

Facilitators:

• Christina Throndson, publisher, HME News
• Sarah Newby, president, Strategic Office Support

PANEL Navigating your time of life: Identifying what matters most and taking action

Every phase of life brings its own set of challenges—whether you're building a career solo, balancing work with raising a family, or managing caregiving responsibilities while leading professionally. This panel features women in different life stages and a seasoned moderator offering insight and perspective.

Through candid conversation, we explore how to align your goals with your current reality, manage shifting priorities and develop an action plan that fits your season—not someone else’s. Leave with renewed clarity, practical tools and one goal you’re ready to pursue—starting now.

Moderator:

Sarah Hanna, founder and president, Hunt Heritage Group LLC

Panelists:

• Sarah Conger, vice president of business operations, VGM Fulfillment/Strategic Imaging
• Brooke Renn, sales executive, ACU-Serve
• Amanda Smithey, senior manager of advocacy and strategic partnerships, HME division, McKesson Medical-Surgical

PANEL Negotiating tough conversations and pivotal career points with poise and purpose

Every career includes moments that test your communication skills, emotional intelligence and strategic thinking. Whether it's negotiating a raise, addressing conflict with a colleague, or deciding whether to pivot into a new role, these pivotal points can shape your professional trajectory.

In this interactive session, we’ll discuss practical frameworks and communication strategies to approach difficult conversations with confidence and clarity. We'll explore real-world scenarios, discuss mindset shifts that foster resilience and provide tools to help you make thoughtful decisions during career-defining moments.

Key takeaways:

• Techniques for managing high-stakes conversations with empathy and assertiveness
• Strategies for navigating career transitions and uncertainty
• Tools for building trust, setting boundaries and advocating for yourself
• Insights into how to align your career path with your values and long-term goals

Whether you're facing a challenging dialogue or standing at a professional crossroads, this session will equip you with the skills to move forward with purpose and poise.

Moderator:

Miriam Lieber, president, Lieber Consulting LLC

Panelists:

• Britny Coyle, director of home care operations, OSF HealthCare
• Jackie DeVries, chief sales officer, Rotech Healthcare
• Autumn Kline, director of sales & marketing, NuCara Home Medical

PANEL Building it ourselves: Taking ideas from concept to execution

In this interactive session, we’ll have a candid conversation with three powerhouse women who’ve taken bold ideas from concept to execution inside complex health care organizations.

The purpose of this panel discussion is to show attendees what real leadership looks like in action — launching, scaling or transforming business lines — and to extract lessons, frameworks and advice they can bring back to their own roles.

Key takeaways:

• Building from scratch or fixing what’s broken – How do you get buy in?
• Leading through uncertainty – What do you do when things start to go off track?
• Strategic insight – How do you identify inefficiencies or opportunities?

Moderator:

Sarah Newby, president, Strategic Office Support

Panelists:

• Jamie Howard, senior director of emerging products, SelectQuote
• Rhiannon Sullivan, VP of strategy, Quest Health Solutions
• Abbie Weidner, senior director of customer service, AdaptHealth

FIRESIDE CHAT Women who made it – and the men who advocated for them

Behind every trailblazing woman is a story of resilience, vision—and often, a network of allies who helped open doors. In this candid fireside chat, we bring together an accomplished woman leader and a male advocate who championed their growth, challenged the status quo and helped create space for their success.

Through personal stories and honest reflections, we’ll explore what meaningful allyship looks like in action. We’ll dive into how pivotal moments can shape careers, what is the role of advocacy in professional development, and how men and women can work together to build more inclusive, equitable workplaces.

Key themes:

• Real-world example of sponsorship, mentorship and advocacy
• The impact of allyship on career advancement and workplace culture
• How to recognize and act on opportunities to support women in your organization
• Lessons learned from both sides of the allyship equation

SMALL GROUP WORKSHOP & CHAMPAGNE! Define the leader you want to be

In the small group workshops and closing session, we will:

• Define the leader you want to be
• Identify what’s in your way
• Build your 30-day leadership challenge
• Make it real

Facilitators:

• Christina Throndson, publisher, HME News
• Sarah Newby, president, Strategic Office Support

Sarah Conger

Sarah Conger is the Vice President of Business Operations at VGM Fulfillment/Strategic Imaging, serving as a trusted strategic partner to the organization's President. With over 14 years of experience in the HME industry, she has developed a deep understanding of business operations, fostering efficiency, innovation, and long-term growth. Her expertise spans executive support, project management, change management, and communication enabling her to drive impactful initiatives that align with VGM’s mission and vision.

In addition to overseeing operations for VGM Fulfillment, Sarah leads VGM’s print marketing business, Strategic Imaging, where she plays a key role in crafting high-quality marketing materials that strengthen brand awareness and customer engagement. Under her leadership, Strategic Imaging delivers top-tier print solutions that empower businesses to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Her ability to bridge operational excellence with marketing strategy ensures VGM remains at the forefront of industry advancements.

Previously, Sarah served as Vice President of Corporate Projects at VGM Group, where she managed large-scale initiatives that enhanced the organization’s reach and effectiveness. One of her standout achievements was leading event planning efforts, including VGM’s Heartland Conference, a premier gathering in the Cedar Valley that draws over 1,000 attendees annually. Her ability to coordinate complex projects while fostering collaboration made a lasting impact on the success of VGM’s corporate initiatives.

Beyond her professional contributions, Sarah is a dedicated community advocate, actively supporting education, athletics, and local events. She believes in the power of community engagement and remains involved in initiatives that enrich lives and create opportunities for growth. Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and three children, embracing family life and the traditions that matter most—including cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Britny Colye

Britny Coyle is the director of home care operations for OSF HealthCare.

Jackie DeVries

Jackie DeVries serves as Chief Sales Officer at Rotech Healthcare, where she oversees nationwide sales across 300-plus locations. With over two decades of health care leadership, Jackie has built a career based on strategy, growth and clinical program innovation.

Since joining Rotech in 2003, Jackie has spent time in multiple roles; from Region Sales Manager to Region Manager (sales/ops), and for the past 17 years, CSO.

Her expertise includes national-scale sales, marketing and clinical program strategy, cross-functional team development, and building partnerships across hospitals, payers, and providers.

Jackie is a graduate of Midland University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, concentrations in Public Relations, Advertising, and Broadcasting.

Sarah Hanna

Sarah Hanna is a distinguished leader in the health care industry, boasting an impressive 30-year career in DME revenue cycle management. As the former CEO and founder of ECS North, she led the company to significant success before its acquisition by ACU-Serve Corp. in August 2022. Following the acquisition, Sarah took on the role of Vice President of Consulting Services at ACU-Serve, where she continued to influence the industry until August 2024.

Now, as the founder and president of Hunt Heritage Group LLC, Sarah is embarking on an exciting new chapter in her career. Her company is dedicated to exploring new innovations, ideas and business opportunities. With her vast experience and deep expertise, Sarah is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant, renowned for her insights on business operations, strategy, corporate culture and leadership.

Sarah's journey reflects her passion for growth and transformation, and she is thrilled to leverage her knowledge and experience to inspire and guide others in this dynamic phase of her career.

Jamie Howard, MBA, LSSGB

Jamie is a dynamic business leader and the current Senior Director of Emerging Products at SelectQuote, where she specializes in assessing the viability of new business verticals and operationalizing them with excellence. Most recently, she led the successful launch of SelectQuote’s DME division, expanding the company’s compliance packaging pharmacy and setting a new standard for operational integration.

With over 15 years of progressive experience across healthcare, logistics, and business process optimization, Jamie has built a reputation for driving continuous improvement and delivering results in fast-paced, evolving markets. She is known for building and mentoring high-performing teams, managing complex projects from inception to completion, and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability.

Her expertise spans process optimization, cross-functional leadership, technology adoption, and customer service excellence. Jamie holds an MBA in Management from Lindenwood University, a BBA in Management and Marketing from Missouri Southern State University, and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.

A proactive and strategic thinker, Jamie excels at developing scalable solutions, implementing best practices, and leveraging data-driven insights to fuel business growth. She is passionate about empowering teams, challenging the status quo, and creating positive experiences for both customers and colleagues.

Autumn Kline

Autumn Kline is the Director of Sales and Marketing at NuCara Home Medical and a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. With over 12 years of experience in the Home Medical Equipment (HME) industry, Autumn has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, strategic vision, and a proven ability to deliver results.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Autumn is a passionate advocate for rural health care providers and the patients they serve. She has played a key role in shaping industry policy by actively engaging with lawmakers to raise awareness of the needs and challenges facing rural communities.

In addition to her policy work and leadership at NuCara, Autumn is instrumental in bridging the gap between clinical care and access to home medical equipment. She is deeply committed to educating referral sources—including physicians, discharge planners, nursing staff and therapists—on the documentation requirements needed to ensure patients receive their equipment promptly. By clearly explaining the process and streamlining communication, she helps providers navigate complex regulations and keep the focus on patient care.

Autumn’s contributions to the HME industry have not gone unnoticed. She was named a finalist for the prestigious 2025 HME Woman of the Year Award, a recognition of her outstanding leadership, influence and dedication to advancing the field.

At the heart of Autumn’s success is her patient-first philosophy. She believes that when health care providers focus on truly serving patients—recognizing them as individuals with unique needs and goals—everyone benefits.

Miriam Lieber

Miriam Lieber is a principal consultant, mentor and trainer specializing in home health care revenue cycle management. Her extensive experience with Medicare and other third-party payers has brought her national recognition in the home care industry. With over 25 years in the home care field, Miriam has consulted with 600 HME companies nationwide and is a featured author of many articles in the areas of operations management and leadership. She is also a nationally known speaker for many home care trade associations. In her consulting practice, Ms. Lieber’s clientele includes HME companies, managed care organizations, private equity firms, hospitals, wholesalers, pharmacies and manufacturers. She is known to have practical approaches to complex operational matters and assists her clients with the nuts and bolts of running a profitable business.

Sarah Newby

Sarah Newby is the President of Strategic Office Support (SOS), a high-growth outsourcing company serving the HME/DME industry. Since joining SOS in July 2022, she has led the company through a period of rapid expansion, earning SOS a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies two years in a row.

Sarah holds degrees in Materials Engineering and Mandarin Chinese from Penn State University. Prior to SOS, she spent six years at ExxonMobil in engineering, branding, and product management. During her time there, she also co-led the MARC (Men Advocating Real Change) pilot program, an initiative designed to close the gender gap by equipping men as advocates for change in the workplace.

Sarah is an experienced speaker at state and regional HME conferences, presenting on topics ranging from artificial intelligence in the HME Industry to leadership for business growth. You can catch more of Sarah on her LinkedIn or the SOS YouTube Channel.

Brooke Renn

Brooke Renn joined the ACU-Serve team in 2023 as a Sales Executive, bringing over a decade of experience in the healthcare industry across the continuum of care. Her background includes a strong focus on accreditation, regulation, legislation, and strategic relationships through her work with Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC), where she supported the accreditation needs and growth of clients and partners across the United States and internationally.

With deep expertise in the healthcare industry and a strong understanding of customer and partner needs across the healthcare continuum, Brooke brings a patient-centric mindset to every engagement. She has a proven track record of building and executing successful business relationships that drive efficiency and deliver measurable impact. Passionate about fostering growth, Brooke is committed to the success of current and future partnerships with some of the healthcare industry's most respected clients and strategic partners.

Amanda Smithey

Amanda is currently the Senior Manager of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships for the HME Division at McKesson Medical-Surgical. In her current role, she leads the HME division in developing partnerships and programs to streamline HME provider processes ensuring growth for HME provider partners. She is a passionate advocate for the HME industry on both the federal and state level, as well as on the commercial payer side.

Prior to her time on the McKesson team, Amanda has over 15 years of experience working for several regional and national HME providers. She has held positions in both the sales and operations side and is a Certified Wound Care Market Specialist.

Rhiannon Sullivan

Rhiannon Sullivan is Vice President of Strategy at Quest Health Solutions, a national provider of diabetes management solutions and virtual care services. As one of the company’s first employees, she helped shape its growth from a startup into a market leader, taking on roles across operations, finance, and compliance before rising to executive leadership. Drawing on her experience building new business lines from the ground up and navigating periods of rapid growth, Rhiannon is a key driver of innovation and strategic execution at Quest. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University, as well as degrees in Nursing and Business Operations and Management from Broward College.

Christina Throndson

Christina Throndson is the publisher of HME News.

Abbie Weidner

Abbie Weidner is the senior director of customer service, AdaptHealth