Featured Speakers

Matthew J. Arduino, M.S., Dr.P.H., CDC | Bob Gold, Director of Technical Services, American Renal Associates | Mark Gray, VP of Biomedical Services, Renal Advantage | Ted Kasparek, Senior Director Biomed Operations, DaVita | Jo-Ann Maltais, Ph.D. | George Rovegno, CEO, MIQS | Paul Smith, Director Technical Services, Fresenius Medical Care, NA | John Sweeny, BS, CHT, Baxter Healthcare Corporation | Vern Taaffe, CEO, RPC | Richard Ward, Ph.D.

Matthew J. Arduino, M.S., Dr.P.H., Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Matt Arduino received his BS in Biology from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, MS in Microbiology from NY Medical College, and Dr.P.H. in Parasitology and Laboratory Practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been at the CDC for 23 years and is a subject matter expert in environmental infection control, environmental microbiology, dialysis-associated diseases, healthcare-associated infections, disinfection and sterilization, and water treatment. He has authored and coauthored 134 scientific articles, 9 book chapters, 3 training manuals, and a contributor to 20 MMWR articles.

Jim Curtis

Jim Curtis has been involved in dialysis since 1967 when his mother started on dialysis. When
he was in high school, one of his chores was rebuilding a flat plate Kiil dialyzer. Jim started
working as a technician in 1975, and has held every role a technician can; patient care technician, bio-med technician, technical manager. He also worked as an area administrator managing five dialysis facilities. He currently is the managing partner of Jim Curtis & Associates, LLC, a dialysis consulting company. He is Past President of the National Association of Nephrology Technologists, is on the NKF CNNT Executive Committee, and the Board of MIKE Program. Jim is on the Editorial Advisory Board of two monthly dialysis journals, and has published many articles in various aspects of dialysis. Jim is also VP of Clinical Services and a cofounder of Home Dialysis Plus, LTD., a startup company that is developing products for home hemodialysis patients.

Bob Gold, Director of Technical Services, American Renal Associates

Bob’s career in dialysis spans more than 36 years. He started as a patient care technician in 1970 in one of the first outpatient dialysis facilities in the United States. Later, Bob decided to transition to the technical area of dialysis where he became the Chief Technician of a 33 station dialysis facility. When Bob joined American Renal Associates in July 2000 he was a Regional Technical Manager, responsible for the oversight of 42 clinics, at Fresenius Medical Care North America. In this position, Bob ensured compliance and trained technical staff in machine operation, water treatment and physical plant operation. His professional equipment training includes all major manufacturers.

Mark Gray, VP of Biomedical Services, Renal Advantage

Mark Gray has more than 22 years of experience in the field of dialysis. He most recently served as Vice President of Gambro Technical Services where he was responsible for the technical department that supported Gambro Healthcare Facilities. Prior to that, he was a Field Service Manager for Gambro Renal Products.

Ted Kasparek, Senior Director Biomed Operations, DaVita

To be determined

Jo-Ann B. Maltais, Ph.D. – Consulting Principle

Dr. Maltais has many years of experience in dialysis dating back to the 1980’s. Her experience includes dialysis product development, customer support, water treatment systems, troubleshooting and resolving microbial contamination and biofilm accumulation in dialysis clinics and product manufacturing facilities. She has investigated numerous patient incidents and put corrective action plans in place to prevent further occurrences. She has held various positions in development, regulatory & clinical affairs, quality, and patient services departments in dialysis companies including Cobe/Gambro and Minntech/Renal Systems. From 1979 to 1983 she worked for the FDA Microbiology Center. Jo-Ann has authored peer review journal publications, numerous abstracts, presentations and white papers. She is an inventor on over 12 patents.

Dr. Maltais received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of New Hampshire and a B.S, in Biology/Chemistry from Long Island University.

Glenda Payne, RN, MS, CNN

Glenda Payne is the ESRD clinical lead for Regions 4 & 6 for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, overseeing the ESRD surveys in 13 states, and serves as project officer for an ESRD Network.

George F. Rovegno. – Chief Executive Officer

George Rovegno, President and Chief Executive Officer of MIQS, has over 30 years experience in health care principally in dialysis. He has served in senior management positions on both the provider and supplier side. On the provider side, he founded Gambro Healthcare Services in 1991 and Gambro Healthcare Europe in 1993. On the supplier side, he held senior positions at Baxter Artificial Organs Division in the early 1970's and Minntech/Renal Systems in the mid 70's to early 90's. Mr. Rovegno has also been involved with healthcare software since the early 1980's as an author of Renal Systems' Renalog Dialyzer Reprocessing Software, a user of REN Corporation's RIMS dialysis software system, and as the leader of MIQS, an award winning dialysis software company.

Paul Smith, Director Technical Services, Fresenius Medical Care, NA

Paul E. Smith, BSBM Following receipt of an Associates of Science degree in Bio-Medical Instrumentation Technology in 1994, Paul started his career in dialysis as a part time reuse technician for Fresenius Medical Care (formerly National Medical Care). During his career Paul progressed through the Technical organizational structure holding various positions such as
Equipment Technician, Chief Technician, Area Chief Technician, Centralized Technical Manager
and Corporate Technical Support Manager. He attributes his ability to progress through the
organization by constantly honing his knowledge and skills through attendance of numerous
training sessions on water purification, microbiological testing, dialysis machines, and reuse
equipment. In 2007 Paul returned to school and in 2008 completed his Bachelor of Science in
Business Management. Presently, Paul is the Corporate Director of Technical Services for Fresenius Medical Care North America with oversight of the technical operations of more than 1700 dialysis clinics treating more than 127,000 patients across the United States. Paul’s primary focus is improving the quality of care of each patient, each treatment, through major company initiatives including:

Providing educational programs to Nephrologists, Clinical, Technical and Facility Management staff.
Improvements in water purification equipment and maintenance processes.
Improve and optimize dialysis equipment repair.
Developing IT platforms to gather and monitor technical operations within facilities to improve patient safety, monitor operations and increase operational efficiencies.

John Sweeny, BS, CHT, Baxter Healthcare Corporation

John Sweeny entered the dialysis field as a Field Service Engineer for the Milton Roy Company
in 1968 following two years of work in their research dept. Began performing renal technical
training in 1971, and continued and expanded this effort as the company evolved to
become first Extracorporeal Medical Specialties Inc. and then Johnson and Johnson. Joined Baxter Healthcare Corp. via acquisition in 1984 and has continued on in the training capacity to the present.

Vern Taaffe, CEO, RPC

Vern Taaffe, CNBT is a certified dialysis technical specialist with 32 years of experience and is a
long-term contributing member of NANT, NKF, and AA MI. For the past 18 years he has served
as the President and CEO of RPC . Other positions he has held include Director of Electronics
Manufacturing and Technical Services-Worldwide for Minntech-Renal Systems, and Territory
Manager (17 states) for B. Braun Medical. He was active in the development process of the initial AAMI Recommended Practice for Reuse of Hemodialyzers, the FDA dialyzer reprocessing and water treatment videos, and the recent annex addition to the current AAMI Standard for Reuse of Hemodialyzers. He holds patents for his research and development work, has authored several publications on dialysis-related devices and is a past recipient of the NANT President’s Award. His education includes degrees in electronic engineering and mechanical technology.

Richard A. Ward, Ph.D.

Richard A. Ward, Ph.D. is Professor of Medicine in the Nephrology Division of the Department
of Medicine at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. Professor Ward is a bioengineer
who has been active in dialysis-related research for more than 30 years. He has authored more than 130 papers and book chapters on these and related topics. He is co-chair of the Renal Disease and Detoxification Committee of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AA MI) and convener for the equivalent working group of the International Organization for Standardization, ISO TC 150/SC 2/WG 5.