Honorable Stephen J. Abbott
Administrative Law Judge Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Stephen Abbott is an administrative law judge for the State of Colorado, where he presides over workers’ compensation disputes. Before serving on the bench, he worked as an Assistant City Attorney for the City and County of Denver, litigating matters that included workers’ compensation, subrogation, and appellate practice. His background also includes experience as a deputy district attorney in Colorado’s 13th Judicial District and as an associate in private practice focusing on workers’ compensation defense.
Breakout Session 3: Claims/Legal – Bar Code: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used in Law
Joe Barela
Executive Director, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
In December 2018, Governor Polis appointed Joe Barela as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, a 1900-person state agency housing the Divisions of Unemployment Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, Labor Standards and Statistics, Vocational Rehabilitation, Employment and Training and Oil and Public Safety. Joe has more than 25 years of experience in workforce and human capital development and is seen as a local and national leader in the field. Joe is passionate about creating more opportunities for better career pathways for working all Americans. Under his leadership he has introduced the Office of the Future of Work, The Office of New Americans and the Office of Just Transitions as well as the Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Division.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Jenna Becker, MSN, FNP-BC
Provider Relations Consultant, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Tiffany Becker
Manager of Business Operations, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Breakout Session 3: Tech Ops. – DOWC Tech Updates: Voices of CoComp; The Prime Directive: Workers’ Compensation and the Life of an Injured Worker
Dr. Emily Burns
Medical Director, UCHealth
Dr. Burns graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 2002 and then completed a Preventive Medicine residency in 2006, also through the University of Colorado. She became board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2022 after having been board certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine since 2006. She has a background conducting public health research at the Colorado School of Public Health and practicing primary care for several years before entering the field of occupational medicine about ten years ago. Currently Dr. Burns serves as the Occupational Medicine Medical Director across UCHealth’s Occupational Medicine department and practices full time clinical occupational medicine at UCHealth in Colorado Springs.
The Doctors Are In: Medical Directors’ Roundtable
Alison Butler
Senior Disability Policy Advisor for the State of Colorado's Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO)
Alison Butler is the Senior Disability Policy Advisor for the State of Colorado’s Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO). She joined the State following an extensive career as a civil rights attorney focusing on disability rights and leading the City & County of Denver’s Disability Rights Division. Over the course of her career, Alison has fought for independence, equity, and justice for people with disabilities in accessing governmental services, employment, housing, public accommodations, and physical and mental health care services.
Breakout Session 1: Claims/Legal – Caution! Busy Intersection Ahead: the ADA and Workers’ Compensation Laws
Scott Bonynge
Co-founder, Harmonious Hearts Healing
Breakout Session 3: Medical – The Effectiveness of Complementary Medicine
Dr. Jennifer Christian
President and Chief Medical Officer, Webility Corporation
Danny Combs, M.A., BCCS, CAS
Director, Colorado Disability Opportunity Office Founder, TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades)
Danny Combs is a nationally recognized leader in building equitable futures for neurodistinct individuals and advancing opportunity for the entire disability community. As the inaugural Director of the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office—the state’s senior strategic and policy agency housed within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment—he works closely with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to make Colorado the best state in the nation for people with disabilities.
Dr. Elizabeth Esty
Medical Director, Vail Community Health Occupational Health Medical Director, Boulder Community Health Occupational Health Associate Program Director, CU Occupational and Environmental Medical Residency Program
Breakout Session 1: Medical – The Doctors Are In: Medical Directors’ Roundtable
Samuel Kelly, PMP®, MBA, CCAPM
Supervisor of Technical Operations, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Amy Kingston, Esq.
Manager of Compensation Services, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Amy is the Manager of Claims and Employer Programs for the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation. She received her J.D. and B.A. in English summa cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has been working in workers’ compensation, in one form or another since high school when she worked for a temporary nursing agency. Amy is passionate about workers’ compensation because the field is endless fascinating, and she has the opportunity at the Division to make a difference in the lives of Coloradoans.
Nevine Laughlin
Return to Work Director, Pinnacol Assurance
Nevine Laughlin joined Pinnacol Assurance in 2020 as the director of the Return to Work program, where she leads a team that helps injured workers safely return to their jobs after workplace injuries. This role represents a return to her roots in vocational rehabilitation, where she worked to connect people with disabilities with meaningful employment opportunities.
Dr. Gabriel Lockhart
Senior Medical Director, Pinnacol
Dr. Lockhart brings a wealth of experience in clinical leadership, quality improvement, utilization management, and strategic innovation. He is a board-certified pulmonary and critical care physician with an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He started his medical career at National Jewish Health with an impressive background that includes serving as Medical Director of the ICU and Quality Improvement Chair at Saint Joseph Hospital, where he significantly improved mortality rates and reduced hospital-acquired infections. Dr. Lockhart’s expertise also extends to peer review, sepsis management, and resource utilization, and he was elected President of the Medical Staff at National Jewish Health.
Martin Kelly
Martial Arts Instructor, Self-Care Arts
Sifu Martin “Mountain Dragon” Kelly is an accomplished martial arts instructor with an impressive 50 years of experience. His expertise includes 20 years spent providing medical Qigong instruction, initially at Penrose Hospital and currently for the City of Colorado Springs wellness department. His teaching philosophy strongly emphasizes self-care arts and holistic wellness, viewing Qigong as a true form of self-care medicine. When used alongside allopathic treatments, this self-healing art has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, effectively complementing Western medical interventions. Sifu Kelly’s comprehensive approach to well-being offers valuable insights directly applicable to professional environments, particularly in the areas of safety, injury prevention, and personal well-being.
X. J. Ethan Moses, MD, MPH, FACOEM
Medical Director, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation | Chief Medical Officer, Peak Form Medical Center | Colorado School of Public Health Faculty | University of Colorado School of Medicine Faculty
Breakout Session 1: Medical – The Doctors Are In: Medical Directors’ Roundtable; From Controversy to Care:
Innovations in Medical Cannabis Reimbursement
Dr. Adrean Riba
Medical Director, MBI
Breakout Session 1: Medical – The Doctors Are In: Medical Directors’ Roundtable
Dr. Bogdan Savych
Senior Policy Analyst, Workers Compensation Research Institute
Dr. Bogdan Savych analyzes issues related to labor and health economics, dispute resolution, and the design of income benefit systems. He currently conducts research that examines self-reported outcomes of injured workers and adequacy and efficacy of workers’ compensation benefits. His research also explores the role of provider choice policies in worker outcomes and compares payments for ambulatory surgery centers across states. In addition, he examines the performance of the workers’ compensation system in Virginia as part of the CompScope™ benchmarking studies. Dr. Savych received his Ph.D. from Pardee RAND Graduate School.
Breakout Session 2: Medical – Good Bones: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine/Treatment
Coe Sherrard
Managing Director, CapTech
Dan Sung, Esq.
Manager of Medical Policy, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Paul Tauriello
Director of the Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Paul Tauriello has been the Director of the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation since 2010. While working at the Division over the past twenty-three years, he also held the roles of Associate Director and Deputy Director in which he oversaw all of its programs including claims management, coverage enforcement, medical policy and cost containment. His areas of focus have included risk management, insurance and employer programs, aligning with his prior career as an executive for an airline with regional operations across North America. In addition to his work as Director, he can also be credited with contributions to national and international organizations. These efforts have promoted collaboration and improvements for workers’ compensation and risk management.
Evan Trowbridge
Manager of Stakeholder Engagement & Education, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Evan Trowbridge serves as the Manager of Stakeholder Engagement and Education at the Division of Workers’ Compensation, overseeing the Premium Cost Containment and Education & Outreach teams. Prior to his current role, he worked within the Education & Outreach team for nearly seven years. Before coming to Colorado, Evan worked on political campaigns and in the New York State Senate. Evan holds a J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law and a B.A. from Fairfield University.
Kien Vuu, MD
Founder, VuuMD Performance and Longevity | Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, UCLA
Kien Vuu, MD— popularly known as Doctor V—is an assistant professor of Health Sciences at UCLA, speaker, media expert, founder of VuuMD Performance and Longevity, and best-selling author of Thrive State: Your Blueprint for Optimal Health, Longevity, and Peak Performance. Dr. V has been practicing medicine for over 14 years and combines his knowledge as a doctor with his personal experiences overcoming chronic disease.