Health Affairs Keynote Speaker
Susan Orsega, DSc(hc), MS, NP
Deputy Assistant Secretary of War, Health Services Policy and Oversight
Susan Orsega serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Health Services Policy and Oversight within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs. In this role, Orsega leads a team of subject matter experts in establishing and overseeing Military Health System policies concerning 9.5 million military personnel, retirees, and their families.
Orsega’s HSP&O team provides medical advice and consultation to senior officials, Congress, and other Department of War stakeholders. HSP&O examines the MHS workforce environment and adjusts human resource policies for more than 150,000 military and civilian health professionals. Orsega and the HSP&O team serve as lead coordinators with several DOW committees, and in partnership with representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Areas of policy and oversight responsibility include, as follows: Medical Quality Assurance and Clinical Quality Management, Health Information Technology, Preventive Medicine, Population Health, Warrior Care, Chronic Disease Management, Child & Women's Health, and Behavioral Health.
Prior to this senior executive service appointment, Orsega retired at the rank of Rear Admiral Upper Half, United States Public Health Service after 34 years of service as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health in December 2023. While serving in the USPHS, Orsega held various assignments leading teams to build programs and improve complex global health care problems. From Jan. 20, 2021, to March 23, 2021, Orsega served as Acting Surgeon General. Orsega is the first nurse practitioner to hold this position, chosen for her leadership and executive presence within the government, as well as her strategic operational expertise during health crises.
In 2019, she was selected as the Director of USPHS and managed activation of the largest historical deployment of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in support of international and national COVID-19 efforts.
Earlier in her career, Orsega held various positions with progressive responsibility at the National Institutes of Health. Notably, she was selected by the NIH, National Institute of Allergy, and Infectious Diseases Clinical Director, to lead research operations partnerships in multiple African countries during periods of emerging infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola. In addition to 15 public health crises around the world, Orsega deployed to: New York City after September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; the U.S. Capitol following an anthrax terrorist event; New Orleans following devastation from Hurricane Katrina; and Pacific Partnership, DOD humanitarian-assistance mission in several Southeast Asian Ports.
Orsega’s focus is addressing pressing issues of public health and health policy. Orsega works to collaborate and influence people to implement necessary changes while navigating complex government regulations, legislation, policies, and organizational structures.
Orsega graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Towson University, Baltimore, Maryland in 1990. In 2001, she graduated with a Master of Science from the Nurse Practitioner Program, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland. Orsega later received honorary doctorates from USUHS and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Military Leadership Keynote Speaker
COL Christopher McArthur
Marine Corps' Training and Education Command (TECOM)
Colonel McArthur was born in Landstuhl, Germany and was raised in Phoenix, AZ. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on 23 June 1993 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA. During his enlisted service he served as both a rifleman and small arms repairman with Lima Company 3rd Battalion 24th Marines and India Company 3rd Battalion 24th Marines. He also deployed to Guantanamo Bay in support of Operation SEA SIGNAL and participated in two JTF-6 counter narcotics missions. He was commissioned in May of 1999 following graduation from East Tennessee State University. Following the Basic School, he attended Artillery Officers Basic Course in Lawton, OK.
His service in the operating forces include: Forward Observer, Fire Direction Officer and Liaison Officer Battery K, 2nd Battalion 11th Marines from January 2000 to June 2003 where he deployed with the 31st MEU in 2001 and in support of 3rd Battalion 5th Marines during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003; 03 Advisor to the 27th Iraqi Brigade from October 2006 to November 2007; Commander Battery M, Logistics Officer, and Operations Officer 3rd Battalion 11th Marines from November 2007 to July 2010 where he deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in 2009; and Future Operations Regional Plans Officer III MEF from July 2015 to June 2017.
His tours outside the operating forces include: Platoon Commander and Guard Officer Marine Corps Security Force Company, Bangor, WA from August 2003 to June 2006; Training Officer Advisor Training Group, Twentynine Palms, CA from July 2011 to June 2014; and as a Planning and Command and Control Instructor with Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Training Program (MSTP) Quantico, VA from July 2017 to May 2018.
From May 2018 to June 2020 Col McArthur served as the Commanding Officer 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Parris Island, SC.
From June 2020 to July 2023 Col McArthur served as a Joint Operational and Strategic Planner and Operations Functional Group Lead with the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC) Norfolk, VA.
Col McArthur is currently assigned as the Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC.
Colonel McArthur is a graduate of the Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College with distinction, the School of Advanced Warfighting, and the Joint Advanced Warfighting School with distinction. He holds multiple advanced degrees including a Masters in Military Studies, Masters in Operational Studies, and Masters in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy.
Colonel McArthur's personal awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Jonathan Woodson, MD, MSS, FACS
President Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Dr. Jonathan Woodson is the seventh President of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). As such, he is responsible for the academic, research and leadership mission of the university, which includes a combined total of more than 2,500 students in the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine and its associated graduate programs in the biomedical sciences and public health, the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, the university’s Postgraduate Dental College, and the College of Allied Health Sciences. Through its graduate and undergraduate programs, the University has more than 11,500 alumni, many of whom serve the nation as uniformed health providers or civilian scientists. Dr. Woodson also oversees more than 15 research centers and the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI).
Prior to his current position, Dr. Woodson was a Lars Anderson Professor in Management and Professor of the Practice at Boston University’s (BU) Questrom School of Business. He holds joint appointments as professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and professor of Health Law, Policy and Management at the School of Public Health. He established and led the BU university-wide Institute for Health System Innovation and Policy.
From 2010-2016, Dr. Woodson was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and Director of the Tricare Management Activity in the United States Department of Defense (DoD). He was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for all health and force health protection-related issues and ensured the effective execution of the DoD medical mission. He exercised authority, direction and control over the Defense Health Agency, USU, AFRRI, Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, and the Tricare Health Plan serving 9.5 million beneficiaries.
Before his appointment to the DoD by President Obama in 2010, Dr. Woodson was a professor of Surgery and Associate Dean for Students, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs and senior attending vascular surgeon at Boston Medical Center. In 2016, he was appointed as a member of the USU Board of Regents and later served as its chair. Dr. Woodson retired at the rank of Major General, United States Army Reserve, and as Commander of the United States Army Reserve Medical Command, Pinellas Park, Florida in June 2022 after 36 years of service. His military deployments include Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm, Kosovo, and Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a former senior medical officer with the National Disaster Management System, through which he responded to the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.
Dr. Woodson is a graduate of the City College of New York and the New York University School of Medicine. He received his postgraduate medical education at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and completed residency training in internal medicine, as well as general and vascular surgery. He is board-certified in internal medicine, general surgery, vascular surgery, and critical care surgery. He also holds a master’s degree in strategic studies (concentration in strategic leadership) from the United States Army War College. In 1992, he was awarded a research fellowship at the Association of American Medical Colleges Health Services Research Institute.
Dr. Terry Rauch, Ph.D.
Director, Medical Research and Development Health Readiness Policy and Oversight, Health Affairs Department of Defense
Dr. Terry M. Rauch currently serves as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (Health Readiness Policy and Oversight). In his duties, Dr. Rauch is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of War (Health Affairs) for all medically related readiness Department of War policies, programs, and activities. He is responsible for force health protection, global health engagement, U.S. military assistance in global pandemic containment, international health agreements, deployment related health policy, joint theater-of-operations information systems, humanitarian and health missions, and national disaster support.
Dr. Rauch has more than 45 years of experience in many facets of the Military Health System and has held numerous senior level positions in the Army and the Office of the Secretary of War. As a senior military officer, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs, and principal advisor to four Assistant Secretaries of War. He has advised on matters pertaining to biomedical research, development, and acquisition as well as medical products and devices needed to protect U.S. military forces against Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear threats.
He commanded the U.S. Army Public Health Command-Europe, a scientific and technical organization that provided comprehensive preventive medicine services to garrisoned U.S. Army forces in Europe. Dr. Rauch served as the Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Working Group on Preventive Medicine advising Stabilization Forces–Bosnia and Stabilization Forces–Kosovo on preventive medicine matters. As Deputy Commander, and then later as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, he led the daily management and integration of a medical research, development, and acquisition organization encompassing 11 subordinate laboratories in six countries, 3,000 personnel, and over $3 billion in funding.
After retiring from the U.S. Army in October 2005 at the rank of colonel, he joined Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as a Senior Principal Life Scientist. At SAIC, he focused on comprehensive strategic planning and analysis for the Office of the Secretary of War on matters relating to biomedical research, development and acquisition investment strategies and their supporting infrastructure. He left SAIC in March 2009.
Dr. Rauch received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati, where he also earned his Ph.D. in biology and psychology. Dr. Rauch has served as an expert medical witness for the U.S. Department of Justice as well as private industry on anthrax vaccine safety and efficacy. He has authored numerous scientific and technical publications about psychology, neuroscience, and national security matters.
Dr. Kent Werner, Jr, MD, Ph.D.
J. Kent Werner is a neurologist and neuroscientist serving as an active duty Commander in the Navy Medical Corps. An Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology and in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD, he is board certified in sleep medicine and neurology, treating patients with sleep and traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related neurological disorders at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) and in the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE). He also serves as the Director of Research of the WRNMMC Sleep Disorders Center. His research focuses on the impact of TBI on sleep physiology and cognitive performance. After graduating from the US Naval Academy, he deployed as a Surface Warfare Officer onboard the USS MAHAN (DDG-72), earning his Surface Warfare qualification. Upon entering the Medical Corps, he completed his medical degree, cellular and molecular neuroscience doctorate, and neurology residency at Johns Hopkins University, where he serves currently as Adjunct Faculty. He previously served as Chief of Neurology at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital before completing his fellowship in sleep medicine at WRNMMC.
CWO5 Steven B. Pearsoll
CWO5 Steven B. Pearsoll has had the privilege to serve Marines and Sailors for more than 25 years. Prior to his selection to serve Weapons Training Battalion, Quantico, he served in the following billets:
- Officer in Charge, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Chemical Biological Incident Response Force
- EOD Liaison Officer Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Crisis Response Central Command 18.
- Officer in Charge, EOD Marine Wing Support Squadron 373.
- Platoon Commander, 3d EOD Company.
- EOD Staff Non-Commission Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
- EOD Team Leader, 2d EOD Company
- Mortarman, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He has served Marines and Sailors in combat in Iraq, as well as on Amphibious Ready Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. European Command. Additionally, he supported dozens of missions across the globe in support of Very Important Protection Security Assignments supporting the United States Secret Service. And served with Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in the recovery of US service members in Laos and Vietnam.
He is a graduate of the following military schools: Recruit Training, School of Infantry, Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, The Basic School, Expeditionary Warfare School, Command and Staff College, Defense Nuclear Weapons School, Global Anti-Terrorism and Operators Readiness Course, FBI large vehicle Post Blast Course, Specialized Buildings Entries Course, Home Made Explosives, and Precursors Course, Humanitarian Demining Course, Tactical First Responder Medical Training, and Marine Advisor Course.
He and his wife, Pinida, have been married for 20 years.
COL Matthew Brock
Colonel Matthew S. Brock, MD, FAASM, is the Program Director of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium (SAUSHEC) Sleep Medicine Fellowship and formerly Chief of the San Antonio Market Sleep Medicine Department, which has the largest sleep disorders center in the United States Department of War. He also serves as the Sleep Medicine Consultant to the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General and is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Uniformed Services University and University of Texas Health Science Center. Dr. Brock has distinguished himself as a leader in clinical medicine and research in the Air Force and received the Air Force Medical Service Annual Award for Achievement in Clinical Research and the General Paul W. Myers award for advancing the recognition and treatment of sleep disorders in the Air Force, Department of War, and civilian community. He has served as Principal Investigator for several federally funded research studies and garnered multiple recent publications as well as national and international presentations on a range of sleep-related topics. His primary research objective is to further the understanding of sleep and sleep disorders in military personnel and veterans.
COL Christopher McArthur
Col McArthur is currently assigned as as the Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC. Colonel McArthur is a graduate of the Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College with distinction, the School of Advanced Warfighting, and the Joint Advanced Warfighting School with distinction. He holds multiple advanced degrees including a Masters in Military Studies, Masters in Operational Studies, and Masters in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy. Colonel McArthur's personal awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Dr. Daniel Taylor
Dr. Taylor is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona, a licensed psychologist, and board certified in both Sleep Medicine and Behavioral Sleep Medicine and is a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Dr. Taylor is an expert in multiple sleep related domains, including assessment, epidemiology and treatment of sleep disorders (e.g., primarily insomnia, nightmares, and circadian rhythm disorders) comorbid with medical and mental health disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD) in a variety of populations (e.g., college, young adult, military, veterans, older adults). Dr. Taylor has been the PI on multiple randomized clinical trials and has expertise in examining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Insomnia (CBTi) as a primary or adjunctive treatment in patients with comorbid mental or physical health problems, with particular attention focused on improving psychosocial functioning and the comorbid disorder as a secondary or exploratory outcome. Dr. Taylor is currently a Co-I on multiple grants examining the effectiveness of various versions of CBTi in patients with other comorbid issues (e.g., PTSD, Nightmares). Throughout his career, Dr. Taylor has published over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 16 chapters, 13 books or treatment manuals, and one website designed to train therapists in how to administer CBT for insomnia (www.cbtiweb.org).
LTC(R) Sean Donoheu
Sean Donohue is a retired Army officer, Physician Assistant, Senior Healthcare Advisor at rockITdata, and the Senior Congressional and Scientific Advisor at the U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command. Sean has served in a wide variety of clinical and operational positions including service as a Battalion Surgeon in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Senior Physician Assistant for U.S. Army Africa, Command Surgeon at the National Training Center Fort Irwin California, Army Congressional Liaison, and the Command Surgeon for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, and Center for Initial Military Training. Most recently, Sean served as the Clinical Integration Lead for the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness Directorate where he worked to bridge the gap between traditional healthcare delivery models and human performance optimization care.
Dr. Camila Almeida
Dr. Camila Almeida, Ph.D., is a Scientist with the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine at the Uniformed Services University (USU). Leveraging her background in Neuroscience research, she now applies her expertise to science communication and health education. Dr. Almeida is deeply committed to translating evidence-based information into educational resources and providing Service Members with accurate, up-to-date, and relevant content. Currently, she leads the Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) mental and social fitness team and serves as the subject matter expert for sleep and fatigue management content. Dr. Almeida devotes her time to creating a wide array of materials, including articles, infographics, guides, worksheets, and workbooks designed to help optimize sleep readiness and manage operational fatigue. She has also created multiple curricula on sleep and fatigue management designed to empower Service Members to optimize their own performance and help others do the same. Her greatest professional reward is to know that her dedication contributes to enhancing the health, wellness, and performance of service members.
Dr. Emerson Wickwire
Dr. Wickwire is a bio-behaviorally trained clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert in sleep and sleep disorders. He serves as Professor and Section Chief, Sleep Medicine, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Wickwire has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles serves on the editorial boards of many of the leading scientific journals in the field. Dr. Wickwire’s broad portfolio of sleep-related research has been substantially funded by federal, foundation, and private industry partners.
His current research examines health and economic aspects of sleep disorders and their treatments, often using aggregated large datasets, as well as remote monitoring and telehealth.
LTC Dan Cassidy
Lt Col Dan Cassidy is the Senior Military Advisor at the Defense Health Agency’s Psychological Health Center of Excellence (PHCoE). He commissioned in 2009 upon completion of his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Vermont and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center.
Dr. Cassidy has served as training director for the Air Force’s APA-accredited postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology and in 2023 stood-up the Air Force’s first Human Performance Squadron within a conventional unit. His research seeks to advance health-related behavior change in clinics and at the population level.
Dr. Tracy Jill Doty
Dr. Tracy Jill Doty is the Chief of the Sleep Research Center at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). She completed her undergraduate training at Duke University and then received her PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the NIH-Karolinska Institutet Graduate Partnership Program. Her postdoctoral training occurred in the Translational Neuroscience Branch of the U.S. Army Research Laboratories. With over twenty years of experience in neuroscience – ten of those in military research, Dr. Doty's current research centers on better understanding how sleep impacts human behavior and how interventions, including brain stimulation and caffeine, can be applied to mitigate the negative impact of sleep loss in the field.
MSgt Ty Hatcher
MSgt Hatcher has spent over 10 years within Air Force Special Warfare serving as a Pararescumen. During this time he has conducted multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Africa serving with a variety of other Special Operations Forces. He is currently working as the Deputy Career Field Manager for the Pararescue Community.
Dr. Aaron Laposky
Dr. Laposky is a Program Director in the NIH National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). He directs a scientific program in chronobiology and ventilatory control. The program supports basic and clinical research that explores how circadian science applies to the development, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic cardiometabolic disease (e.g., obesity/diabetes, cardiovascular disease). The portfolio includes research that describes neural and peripheral mechanisms of breathing control, chemoreception, and the integration of breathing with other functions (e.g., coughing/swallowing, autonomic output, cardiovascular regulation). Research in this portfolio is performed using a range of approaches, from studying genes (genomics) to conducting clinical trials. The research addresses current public health concerns, such as the role of sleep, circadian regulation, and ventilatory control in maternal morbidity and mortality, opioid use disorder, early origins of disease, and obesity. Dr. Laposky leads scientific development through initiatives, workshops, publications, and presentations. He has catalyzed several trans-NIH partnerships and represents NHLBI/NCSDR program interests on trans-NIH and NHLBI scientific and administrative committees.
Dr. Theresa Jackson Santo
Dr. Theresa Jackson Santo is a Department of War civil servant whose 20-year career has operated at the intersection of research, policy, and practice. She is an established expert in military public health, rigorous program evaluation, and using data to drive action and inform national-level policy that enhances the health and readiness of the Total Force.
Dr. Santo currently serves as the Acting Director for Warfighter Performance Optimization (WPO) within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Safety and Occupational Health (ODASW(SOH)) at the Pentagon. In this role, she leads the development and enterprise-wide integration of WPO policy, provides authoritative expertise to governance bodies like the Defense Safety Oversight Council (DSOC) WPO Integration Group, and ensures the strategic alignment of human performance initiatives across the Department. Her leadership is built on a history of managing complex, cross-component initiatives, including serving as the principal integrator for the Total Force Fitness (TFF) mission and providing oversight for a robust contract portfolio.
An accomplished author with over 25 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Santo's distinguished service has been recognized with the Superior Civilian Service Award, the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, and the Civilian Service Commendation Medal. She holds a Ph.D. in Public and Community Health with a concentration in Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation from the University of Maryland at College Park, and a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In addition to her professional contributions, Dr. Santo is deeply active in her community, serving as a Den Leader for her sons’ Cub Scout pack and as a former PTA board member for her children’s school. She and her husband, Ron, are proud parents of four children ages 5-10.
Major Allison Brager
Major Allison Brager is an Army neuroscientist serving as an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy. Major Brager is also a NASA astronaut candidate reaching the semifinal round for the Class of 2020.
Dr. Brager’s research examines resiliency to extreme stress in extreme environments at the level of genes, brain, and behavior. She has > 50 peer-reviewed publications in flagship neuroscience and physiology journals, has authored textbooks in sleep medicine and exercise physiology, and has a popular science book entitled, Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain.
She has a Sc.B. in Psychology from Brown University where she also was a four-year varsity athlete in track & field, a Ph.D. in Biology from Kent State University, and was the recipient of two National Research Service Awards from the National Institutes of Health as part of her postdoctoral training fellowship at Morehouse School of Medicine.