Speakers

David Schreibman, OOA Committee Chair and his team invite you to arrive early to get a good seat.  Please arrive by Noon, if not earlier.  The Overcoming Obstacles Awards (OOA) is a highly visable program that you want to be sure to get a good seat for. 

Please be sure to attend and support the six (6) high school students who have overcome tremendous obstacles in their lives.

Joseph S. Guarisco, MD FAAEM FACEP, Healthcare Operations Consulting

Dr. Guarisco is past Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and System Chief of Emergency Services for the Ochsner Health System. He joined Ochsner as a staff physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine in August 1980.  In July 1990, he pursued a fellowship in anesthesiology at Ochsner.  In July 1992, he returned to emergency medicine as Chairman and Medical Director of the Emergency Department and System Chief Emergency Medicine in 2007.

Dr Joe Guarisco has pioneered ED workflow redesign through innovative applications of Lean and other key engineering principles related to ED patient flow processes and space design elements. Twice he has won “Innovator of the Year” awarded by the City of New Orleans and City Business Magazine for his work in ED Workflow. His workflow and staffing optimization concepts were presented in 20 states, Marseille France and Hamburg Germany and the European Society for Emergency Medicine.

In addition, he was recognized for developing and implementing the first web-based ED patient wait times application in emergency medicine for public use.

He is also on the faculty for the Loyola New Orleans HealthCare MBA program leading courses on Lean applications to supply management principles.

He retired from Ochsner in late 2019 to pursue consulting as principle in a new health management LLC. Currently, he provides consulting and management services to International SOS, a global medical services and security company and serves as there North America medical director for Remote Medical Services managing medical services for major airlines, aerospace specifically SpaceX, mega-yachts, shipping and maritime worldwide.

Sign up required by April 26, 2024.  See Kathy Schwartz, Les Crawford, or Richard Petersen.

Dojee is a Tibetan, born in a mountain village on the Tibetan Plateau in 1971. At the age of six he started school, finishing high school at the age of 20. In 1995, I decided to walk across the Himalayas with a group of people. That was the only way he could leave Tibet. After walking for 30 days, we arrived in India in early 1996. While he was in India, he met H.H. the Dalai Lama and attended his wonderful teachings. He is his inspiration and his teacher. He taught Dorjee how to be peaceful and how to express human compassion. His teaching encouraged Dorjee to move forward and how to create a better future. He started learning English by talking with Western tourists. Fortunately, Dorjee met some American tourists who sponsored him and his fiancé, Dolkar Tso.  Their sponsors brought them to California in 1997. They married in March 1998 in Ventura, CA. They believed that they were among the most fortunate people in the world. Dolkar attended a language school in Pasadena and Dorjee went to Ventura College to learn English. They consistently asked their sponsors how theycould repay their sponsorship, assistance and friendship. Their sponsors always said: "Once you become successful, share your success with other people in need. That will be the greatest reward for us".  Dorjee and Dolkar kept their sponsors words in their hearts. They worked hard and remained determined and
focused.
 

Jake Viramontez is a filmmaker with a professional journey spanning over 15 years, humbled by the opportunity to share stories that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. Throughout his career, Jake has had the privilege of exploring over 50 countries, immersing himself in diverse cultures, and learning from the rich fabric of the human experiences.

In 2020, Jake founded Sown, a non-profit organization committed to creating character driven films that raise funds for various non-profits in communities worldwide. Through Sown's initiatives, Jake and his team have crafted ten films, each contributing to meaningful causes and raising essential funds for various organizations. From helping raise $300,000 for a secondary school in Tanzania to aiding hundreds of homeless in Detroit and building homes for dozens of families in India, Jake remains grateful for the chance to play a small but meaningful part in these impactful projects.

Sown's latest endeavor in Haiti serves as a testament to the collective effort of many, as it spearheads a $10 million fundraising campaign to establish a vital health clinic in rural Haiti. It's a reminder of the incredible things that can be achieved when people are bound together through storytelling and compassion.

The success of Sown has attracted a global network of over 175 filmmakers, each eager to volunteer their time and talents to support non-profit causes. Jake's work has garnered recognition on platforms such as the Kelly Clarkson Show and the TEDx stage, and his influence extended to inspire Sony Electronics to launch the Create Action campaign.

Jake lives in West Sonoma County with his wife and two children, where he continues to pursue his passion for storytelling and making a meaningful impact on the world through film.

Elana is a multi-passionate, adventurous, curious soul. Her deep care for the wellbeing of people and the planet led her to study Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and then go on to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, as well becoming a yoga teacher. Over the years, Elana has gained a wide range of skills and experience through the "School of Life," in addition to leadership programs, volunteering, living & traveling abroad, and working on a variety of social justice matters. She joined Food For Thought in 2021 inspired by its mission to bring compassion and healing to vulnerable populations through food (one of her love languages). Outside of work, Elana loves to travel, sing, dance, enjoy live music, hike & explore nature, learn, experiment, and build deep connections and community.