Emcee & Panelists

EMCEE

Eric Kearney

CEO/President, Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Corporate Responsibility and Opportunity Director, Ohio Chamber of Commerce Partner, Kearney and Kearney, LPA

Eric Kearney is a respected business leader, independent director, attorney, and economic development advocate recognized throughout Ohio for his ability to align stakeholders, build strategic partnerships and drive meaningful outcomes. His talent for listening, identifying opportunities and bringing together the right people has positioned him a trusted advisor to corporate executives, entrepreneurs and community leaders across the region. He is widely known as an empathetic catalyst for action who makes things happen, bringing a thoughtful approach to solving challenges and creating opportunities.

As President and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Eric has led the organization’s transformation and growth, expanding its reach and impact among entrepreneurs and small businesses across the region. He also serves as Corporate Responsibility and Opportunity Director for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, where he provides leadership on initiatives that strengthen Ohio’s business climate and workforce. Additionally, Eric is a partner with Kearney & Kearney, specializing in strategic government relations counsel.

Eric’s career spans more than three decades across business, law, government and civic leadership. Prior to his current roles, he served in the Ohio Senate, including as Minority Leader, where he earned a reputation as a practical, solutions-oriented leader capable of working across political lines to advance policy initiatives. Throughout his career, he has maintained a pro-business perspective, focusing on outcomes, collaboration and long-term economic growth.

With expertise in highly regulated business sectors, Eric currently serves on the corporate boards of Union Savings Bank and Red Fiber Holdings (altafiber). His nonprofit and civic board roles include Cincinnati Art Museum, Bethesda Hospital, Cincinnati Public Radio, FreeStore Foodbank, Episcopal Retirement Services and the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, among others.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Cincinnati College of Law, Eric has further strengthened his governance expertise through executive education programs at Harvard Business School, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Wharton School. He has been recognized with numerous honors for his leadership, including the University of Cincinnati College of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, Cincinnati Business Courier’s 40 Under 40, CLIMB Award and Second Act Honoree recognition, among others.

SURVIVOR SPEAKER

Kiana Trabue

PANELISTS

Dr. Doug Flora, MD, LSSBB, FACCC

Executive Medical Director of Oncology Services | Robert and Dell Ann Sathe Endowed Chair in Oncology at the Yung Family Cancer Center at St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Dr. Douglas Flora, MD, LSSBB, is the Executive
Medical Director of Oncology Services and the
Robert and Dell Ann Sathe Endowed Chair in
Oncology at the Yung Family Cancer Center at
St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood,
Kentucky. A board-certified medical
oncologist, cancer survivor, Lean Six Sigma
Black Belt, and seasoned healthcare executive
with over two decades of experience, Dr. Flora
is a leading voice in medical innovation, wholeperson
care, and the responsible integration of
artificial intelligence in oncology.
Graduating from The Ohio State University
College of Medicine in 1999, Dr. Flora has
transformed cancer care delivery through
cutting-edge technologies, advanced
treatment protocols, and process
improvements that enhance patient outcomes
and operational excellence. His leadership has
expanded St. Elizabeth’s robust clinical trials
portfolio—including phase 1 trials—while
prioritizing diversity in enrollment, precision
medicine, genomic health, and access for
underserved rural and minority populations.
He has also championed patient-centered
initiatives such as Nurse Navigation and
Integrative Oncology, and played a key role in
raising over $60 million to support
comprehensive cancer programs in the
Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana tri-state region.
As Editor-in-Chief of AI in Precision Oncology—
the first peer-reviewed journal dedicated to
artificial intelligence in clinical oncology—Dr.
Flora bridges research, education, and
practice. Informed by his unique perspectives
as a practicing oncologist, senior
administrator, and cancer survivor, he
advocates for AI tools that streamline
documentation, improve decision-making,
enhance coordinated care, and deliver more
effective, compassionate treatments.
Dr. Flora is the author of Ctrl+Alt+Cure:
Rebooting Cancer Care, a groundbreaking
book exploring how AI is revolutionizing
oncology from early detection to personalized
therapies through human-machine
partnerships.
He is also the founder and CEO of TensorBlack,
an innovative consulting company centered on
accelerating responsible AI adoption to create a
more equitable and human-centered future in
cancer care.
Nationally, Dr. Flora serves as President-Elect of
the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC),
poised to assume the presidency in the fall of
2026. He is a board member and Vice Chair for
the American Cancer Society’s Ohio-NKY-West
Virginia North Central Region and a board
member of the Kentucky Society of Clinical
Oncology.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Flora enjoys
international travel with his family, exploring
emerging technologies, and mentoring the next
generation of healthcare leaders. He believes the
most impactful innovations arise from
harmonizing technical possibilities with deeply
human needs.

Dr. Melissa Erickson, MD

Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine | Medical Director and Founder of the Oncology Primary Care Clinic at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center.

Dr. Melissa Erickson is currently an adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She is the Medical Director and Founder of the Oncology Primary Care Clinic at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and is the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Clinical Endowed Chair for Cancer Survivorship. She provides primary care services for patients with cancer. Additionally, she sees adult survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult cancers in the Cancer Survivorship Clinic at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Anthony Paravati, MD, MBA

Radiation Oncologist at Kettering Health | Executive Medical Director of the Oncology Service Line and Chief of Radiation Oncology

Anthony Paravati, MD, MBA is a physician-executive and oncology leader with more than 15 years of experience operating at the intersection of clinical care, health system strategy, and national health policy. He serves as Executive Medical Director of the Oncology Service Line and Chief of Radiation Oncology at Kettering Health, where he leads a multi-hospital cancer enterprise and has helped build the region’s market-share leader in cancer care.

Dr. Paravati is known for translating policy into operational reality. At Kettering Health, he has led the transformation of a regional cancer service line to achieve top-decile performance in patient access, quality, and value. His work includes launching a next-day rapid-access cancer diagnostic clinic, integrating palliative care directly into the cancer center, and building systemwide pathways that shorten time-to-treatment while improving both outcomes and margin. His leadership style blends clinical credibility with financial discipline, enabling durable change in complex, high-acuity environments.

Nationally, Dr. Paravati is a recognized leader in oncology reimbursement and health policy. He chairs key health policy functions within the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and plays an active role in AMA CPT and RUC processes, shaping how cancer care is defined, valued, and paid for in the United States. His work focuses on reimbursement reform, value-based care design, and the real-world consequences of prior authorization and coverage policy on patients and clinicians.

He also serves as a federal subject-matter advisor in civil enforcement matters related to cancer treatment coverage and payment policy, supporting the Department of Justice in cases involving inappropriate non-payment of medically necessary care by national payers and benefits managers. This work reflects his broader mission: ensuring that policy and payment systems align with clinical reality and patient need.

Dr. Paravati is the co-founder and co-host of Value Health Voices, a nationally visible platform and podcast dedicated to helping physicians and healthcare operators understand the almost $5.3 trillion U.S. healthcare system. The platform bridges policy, finance, and frontline medicine, equipping clinicians and leaders to navigate and shape the forces transforming healthcare.

Dual-trained with an MD and MBA from Dartmouth, Dr. Paravati brings a systems-level perspective to cancer care delivery. He is widely sought as a speaker and advisor for health systems, founders, and boards seeking to build clinically excellent, financially sustainable models of care in an era of accelerating change.