Brad Spencer and Kate Hayden / Blondin Bioscience 
Bebe Goodrich / Icebox Coffee
Bebe Goodrich is a New Orleans native. She’s also a mother of two under 2. Icebox is her first dip into entrepreneurship. Prior to this, she worked on capital hill and for a local non-profit.
This week I sat down with experts from the healthcare IT sector. John Mamon is the CEO of mPoweredIT, an outsourced IT company that devotes expertise to the small to mid-sized medical practice, helping them manage their computer hardware, infrastructure, and software needs for far less than it typically costs to employ someone dedicated to these functions within the practice.
John talked about how often, in an effort to save money, small practices place responsibility for managing these facets on a practice manager, a clinician within the office, or even the doctors themselves. Clearly this can take away from the core function of the office—taking care of more patients.
He shared a number of important concerns that can expose these offices to risk such as HIPAA requirements, downtime of equipment, ACA compliance, and others. Each of these can create significant cost or loss of productivity when small offices attempt to handle things on their own.
mPoweredIT is able to scale their services to the needs of the practice, providing the full suite of IT management or taking over particular elements on behalf of the practice. The company also partners with several other health experts who can provide additional support in areas such as billing/revenue cycle management, EMR selection, and others, to allow their clients to maximize productivity and profitability at the same time.
John introduced us to Harvey Shuster, of Emergence, a Georgia Medical Accelerator. Harvey, a multiple-time entrepreneur, was one of the founders of Peachtree Software among others. He and his team work with emerging healthcare technology companies, helping them to commercialize and bring to market their devices/technologies more quickly.
Harvey brought along Osama Hashmi, CEO/Founder of VitaminC. This company adds an additional layer of automation and engagement to EMR systems. Their software allows providers to contact patients and encourage follow-up visits where appropriate to facilitate care/outcomes while at the same time helping the practice to maximize its potential for seeing patients in need.
VitaminC integrates well with numerous EMR systems and has proven valuable to primary care doctors and specialists such as dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and others.
Special Guests:
John Mamon, CEO/Founder, mPoweredIT 
Harvey Shuster, COO, of Emergence Georgia Medical Accelerator 
Osama Hashmi, CEO/Chief Product Officer, of VitaminC 
While completing her MBA, Victoria Archable, worked for several large corporations through the 80s and 90s including Proctor & Gamble, Purina and Pillsbury. Several years later she decided to relocate to Atlanta and began the process of finding a company where she could combine her past sales experience with her desire to help the senior population. “CarePatrol, a free senior housing placement service that helps families find independent living, assisted living, memory care and in-home care options”, did just that. Victoria shares that CarePatrol “trains its advisors to help families to help themselves. Training and passion is what separates CarePatrol from other placement services”.
CarePatrol’s success is built on personalized, face-to-face, service. Their advisors meet with each client during the “CareDiscovery” process to help identify the most appropriate communities and personally tour those communities as an advocate for the family assuring that the right issues are discussed. Afterwards, the advisor meets again with the family to lend assistance through the decision-making process. Once the client has moved into a facility, or services have begun in the home, the advisor continues to check with the client to assure continued satisfaction. Recent studies have shown that CarePatrol services can have a dramatic effect on readmission rates, reducing them by as much as 45%. Personalized service, combined with cost effectiveness, results in a win-win situation.
“Helping seniors and their families is a way to give back to the community and a gift of new life”. If you’re interested in this cost effective, personalized placement service, check out CarePatrol’s web site at: www.CarePatrol.com or call Victoria Archable at 404-625-8177
We want to thank Griswold Home Care for sponsoring today’s show. Griswold Home Care has been a preferred provider of high quality, affordable in-home senior care in Atlanta for more than 23 years.
Gary Storr, Director, Client Engagement and Advisory Services – CSpring
As the Director of Client Engagement and Advisory Services, Gary is responsible for serving our clients as an advisor while broadening CSpring’s footprint in the Raleigh / Durham / Research Triangle Park, NC market. Gary combines his IT background with CSpring’s experience, talent, and solutions expertise to deliver world-class technology initiatives for the company’s clients. His innovative thinking and creative vision enable him to provide executive-level advisory services and strategic guidance to transform processes, drive business growth, and deliver world-class solutions.
Shawn Williams, President & COO – Spring Metrics
John Fitzpatrick/Force Marketing
CEO and President
John W. Fitzpatrick is the CEO and President of automotive multi-channel marketing company Force Marketing. He co-founded the company in 2007, and since then it has grown to boast a team of nearly 100 employees with headquarters in Atlanta and an office in NYC.
Force Marketings clients include large dealer groups, Tier II ad associations and OEMs throughout North America. For six consecutive years, it has landed on Inc. magazines 500|5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. It has also earned spots on the Atlanta Business Chronicles Pacesetter Awards list and Atlantas 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For.
The Force team is proud to provide its automotive clients with ROI-driven, technology-enabled services that are innovative, trackable and proven to achieve results. Fitzpatrick resides in Atlanta with his wife Kristina, and is an avid fan of travel, basketball and his alma mater, the Florida Gators.
www.ForceMarketing.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Kenny Zail/Kenny Zail and Associates
Owner
Kenny Zail is owner of Kenny Zail & Assoc. He firmly believes that we become the best when we find our passion and enjoy the process. His company creates interactive activities that focus on networking and team building.
After attending Trine University in Indiana, Kenny became a professional drummer and drum instructor for 15 years. He wrote a drum instruction book and backed up performers from stage, screen and recording artists.
Afterwards Kenny became a buyer and sales manager for JC Penney, where his philosophies lead his sales team to win various sales awards. Kenny has served on the boards of The National Speaker Association, National Association of Catering and Events, and Meeting Professionals International. He is also an alumnus of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Brad Dodge / Dodge Communications
Brad Dodge founded Dodge Communications in 2001 with a belief that healthcare companies of all sizes and specialties must have compelling, professional brands to compete effectively and grow in a sustainable way. He began his career selling practice management systems to physician practices in the early ’80s, and has held positions in sales management, product management, corporate marketing and advertising. Dodge has worked with more than 250 organizations that sell products and services to the healthcare industry.
Small business owners these days often do not have much residual time to invest in the procurement of knowledge about the current Affordable Healthcare Act, and its impact on their business. In this LTSB we speak to Dr. Lenore T. Coleman about the new reform, how it will impact small businesses, and the importance that employee health plays on employer productivity and cost.
Meet Dr. Lenore T. Coleman. Dr. Coleman is the purveyor Healing Our Village, and the advocate of two important precepts in her service line: 1) The management of chronic disease through programming and wellness leaders, and, 2) The importance of data procurement for minority populations in clinical trials.
Dr. Coleman does not just cater to the Georgia market, she has 2 other locations in DC, and LA. As a small business owner herself, Dr. Coleman understands the importance of employee health, the idea, she says, is to engage employees in a health program that, ultimately, not only lowers the overall cost of health for the employer, but increases employee productivity. Dr. Coleman is engaged with several institutions on furthering this initiatives throughout her 3 locations (Atlanta, DC, and LA), the most notable in Georgia being Morehouse, which is one of the largest physician’s groups in the state.
Although Dr. Coleman has only been in Atlanta for 3 years, her practice has been around for 15 years altogether. That, coupled with her doctorate, also makes her a veritable well of knowledge for what the Affordable Healthcare Act really means for small businesses. Atlanta, considered the national hub of Medical IT, she suggests, would benefit greatly from the new Medicaid act. “Medicaid,” she says, “increases the number of clinics and expands the number of people who can enroll in the program,” which opens up the number of jobs for people in the IT medical field. Today, with telehealth, technological advancements, and the constant influx of innovation in the field, the expanded opportunities are endless.
Ultimately, this LTSB brims with education and information on the benefits of how to raise the bar for employees and their health, and provides vital clarification on the hot topic of healthcare reform for small businesses.
Dr. Lenore T. Coleman / Healing Our Village
Lenore T. Coleman, Pharm.D., CDE, received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco in 1979. She completed an ASHP approved residency in Ambulatory Care at the USC School of Pharmacy in 1980.
Since that time, in every practice setting, Dr. Coleman has developed innovative programs to address medication adherence and barriers to health for minority populations.
Dr. Coleman has been a practicing pharmacist for over 30 years. She has worked as a clinical pharmacist in the acute care, ambulatory care and community pharmacy setting Within each of those practice settings, Dr. Coleman has focused on the care and management of people with diabetes and heart disease with a special focus on African Americans and Latinos.
Dr. Coleman holds the title of Adjunct Professor, Xavier College of Pharmacy and is the past Director of Diabetes Research for the Health Disparities Center of Excellence. She is also a Research Fellow, Center of Excellence, Howard University School of Pharmacy.
In 2001, Dr. Coleman founded Total Lifestyle Change, Inc. (TLC) and is currently the Executive Director and CEO. TLC a non-profit service organization (501 3 c ) and has most recently gotten the IRS designation as a pubic charity. Dedicated to eliminating health care disparities in ethnic populations www.tlc-global.org TLC has two primary programs that are provided in the US and abroad. Project FAITH is a church based program that provides wellness screening and educational workshop. Operation DETECT is a Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program that is provided to Community-Based Organizations.
Dr. Coleman is currently the President and Founder of Healing Our Village of Maryland, Inc. (HOV) www.healingourvillage.com). HOV provides minority recruitment for clinical research trials as well as a medication therapy management and health education programming in physician offices, urban hospitals and community health clinics.
In March 1996, Dr. Coleman became a Fellow of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists which represents sustained excellence in a practice area for more than 10 years. Dr. Coleman has 15 publications and provides professional training in the United States, Nigeria, Trinidad, USVI and Jamaica.
Matt Meeks/m6media
Founder
Matt is a lover of all things tech – So he decided to take his love of technology as well as digital marketing and make it a full-time job, thus creating m6media. Now he gets to use his expansive knowledge of both every day and he couldnt be happier. The best part about Matt though is his uncanny way of making it all look simple. If you have a technology question, he can explain it to you in a way that makes even the most technology challenged person feel tech smart.
www.m6media.net | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Jeffrey L. Cohen w/ Cohen, Cooper, Estep, & Allen
Jeffrey L. Cohen is well respected for his depth of experience in Tax and Corporate/Business law.
In his Tax practice, Mr. Cohen is dedicated to zealous representation before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that his clients are treated fairly by the IRS. The IRS recognizes Mr. Cohen because of his well-earned reputation of over 23 years as a top-rate negotiator with a high command of tax rules and regulations. Because the IRS does not intimidate Mr. Cohen, he resolves most of his client’s issues at the negotiating table, rather than through litigation. If it is necessary to seek resolution in United States Tax Court, Mr. Cohen will pursue and protect your interests with zeal.
Mr. Cohen’s clients receive personal attention, unlike at larger firms where unknown associates manage cases. His commitment to client service means that he is not satisfied until his clients feel comfortable with their understanding of the legal issues they face. Tax-related legal issues create a great deal of anxiety for clients because the rules and regulations are complex. Mr. Cohen is an expert guide. He makes sure his clients are well informed and that there is no ambiguity before any decisions are made. Clients are most impressed with Mr. Cohen’s accessibility. He listens well, answers questions, and returns telephone calls within 24 hours.
A significant portion of Mr. Cohen’s practice is dedicated to representing the small business owner, from incorporating or buying a business, to the many issues involved in operation, and finally to the sale of the business.
Atlanta recognizes Mr. Cohen’s expertise and requests his appearance as a legal commentator on both Tax and Corporate Law. He has been featured on several local radio stations: WSB, WZGC, and WKHX; TV channels 8,11,17, 30, and 46; as well as in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, theAtlanta Small Business Monthly, and Business Atlanta Magazineas an expert on IRS issues.
Jeffrey is a popular speaker on the legal aspects of starting a business and presents programs regularly for SCORE, the Georgia State University Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Georgia Association of Public Accountants, the Georgia Association of Business Brokers, and other groups in Atlanta. Mr. Cohen has also written several articles about leasing strategies for new and small businesses, legal considerations for new businesses, and tax collections, and he conducts many educational seminars for Georgia State University. Areas of Practice:
Bar Admissions:
Education
L.L.M., Master in Laws in Taxation
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
B.A., Bachelor or Arts Honors: Magna Cum Laude Published Works:
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Please visit Mr. Cohen’s personal website at www.irslawproblems.com
Darryl Cohen w/ Cohen, Cooper, Estep, & Allen
Mr. Cohen, an Entertainment and Criminal Defense attorney, is a partner of Cohen, Cooper, Estep & Whiteman, LLC, and previously partner with Katz, Smith & Cohen in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a former Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Dade County, Florida, and Assistant District Attorney in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. His Entertainment practice includes representation of television anchors, actors, photographers, models, and talent agencies. Further, he is involved with numerous syndicated television programs. As a criminal defense lawyer, he has represented the entire spectrum of clients for over thirty years. Many of his clients and cases are high profile entertainment related cases covered by the national media.
He is the National 2nd Vice Chairman and current Legal Committee Member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) based in New York; current Legal Chairman of the Northern California Chapter; Trustee and immediate Past President of the Southeast Chapter of NTA; and a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) based in Hollywood, California. Further, he is a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
An attorney, commentator, master of ceremonies, actor, and model, he has appeared in numerous television commercials, episodic television, industrial films, as well as a principal actor in a daytime soap opera. Further, he hosted a live 2-hour talk show on WTBS-TV. He has served as President and National Board Member of the Screen Actors Guild, Georgia branch, and has served on the Atlanta Board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Mr. Cohen has co-hosted several local television telethons and has been a regular on-camera spokesperson for WPBA-TV’s pledge drives and Master of Ceremonies for numerous local events. He appeared regularly on WXIA-TV/Channel 11, the NBC affiliate, as the lawyer for their live televised “Noonday” program, and currently provides on-air legal commentary for CNN/HNN and local Atlanta stations, including WXIA TV/Channel 11 and WAGA-TV/Fox 5.
Mr. Cohen is past Chairman of the Entertainment and Sports Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. He has chaired numerous seminars and other educational programs and is Co-founder and Permanent Chairman of the Annual Southern Regional Entertainment and Sports Law Conference. He is the immediate past and past chair elect, Chairman Elect and past Treasurer of the Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Section (EASL) of the Florida Bar Association. Further, he is a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association; the Lawyers Club of Atlanta; the Cobb Bar Association; the Florida Bar Association and the Georgia Bar Association. Mr. Cohen is listed in Who’s Who in America.
Luis A. Virgüez w/ Sessoms & Virguez, LLC
Luis A. Virgüez is a founding partner in Sessoms & Virguez, LLC. Mr. Virgüez is a native of Caracas, Venezuela and fluent in both Spanish and English. Mr. Virguez moved to the Atlanta, GA when he was 8 years old and has spent the majority of his life living in Metro Atlanta.
Mr. Virguez graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism. While at UGA, he was involved with Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Golden Key International Society. Mr. Virguez then moved to Arizona to attend the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University. While in law school, he was heavily involved with the Chicano Latino Law Student Association (CLLSA) and in the Arizona State Immigration Clinic where he obtained his first experience in immigration law. During his participation in the clinic, Mr. Virguez worked closely with abandoned or orphan children and battered spouses to obtain legal immigration status in the country. It was this fulfilling experience and his background as an immigrant that led Mr. Virguez to pursue a career in immigration law.
After law school, Mr. Virguez began his legal career at a non-profit organization handling immigration cases for battered spouses and victims of crimes. In 2009, along with founding partner Kamala Sessoms, the law firm of Sessoms & Virguez was formed.
Currently, Mr. Virguez is a member of AILA, the State Bar of Georgia and is admitted to the Georgia Supreme Court. Mr. Virguez has handled hundreds of immigration cases ranging from family petitions to cases in removal proceedings across different jurisdictions and courts in the United States. He has also handled criminal cases involving traffic violations, DUIs, drug charges and battery charges. Mr. Virguez is also involved in the community with public speaking engagements in public settings and law schools in Georgia and Arizona and co-hosts a several weekly radio shows concentrating on immigration and criminal defense with Ms. Sessoms.
In his spare time, Mr. Virguez enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
Education:
Website LinkedIn Facebook AVVO
Kamala W. Sessoms w/ Sessoms & Virguez, LLC
Ms. Sessoms is a founding and managing partner at Sessoms & Virgüez, LLC. Ms. Sessoms is originally from Michigan and moved to Atlanta in 1998. After returning to Michigan to attend law school, Ms. Sessoms returned to Atlanta in 2004. Ms. Sessoms has dedicated her practice to handling both immigration and criminal cases. Ms. Sessoms is a highly experienced attorney who has defended hundreds of clients whose lives have been affected as a result of a criminal charges and subsequent immigration issues.
In her criminal practice, Ms. Sessoms focuses primarily on all misdemeanor offenses to include charges such as Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs (DUI’s), No Driver’s License, Driving on Suspended Licenses, Domestic Violence Battery, Simple Battery, Assault, Possession of Marijuana and Theft by Shoplifting. She also primarily represents clients in felony drug possession cases. As a result of the convergence of many criminal issues with immigration, Ms. Sessoms has represented clients who have both issues. In her immigration practice, Ms. Sessoms represents clients in deportation/removal proceedings and all family immigration matters to include naturalization, family petitions, deferred action and temporary protected status. Ms. Sessoms has also successfully represented clients who have been victims of crimes and helped them to obtain U-Visas. In every case either criminal or immigration, Ms. Sessoms strives to zealously represent clients both in and out of court and help clients understand and feel comfortable with the entire process.
Ms. Sessoms has spoken at Cathedral de Fay regarding immigration issues. Ms. Sessoms and her law partner Mr. Virguez hosts a monthly radio show on El Patron, 105.3 FM discussing criminal issues, Vida, 96.5 and on La Raza, 102.3 FM discussing both immigration and criminal issues. Ms. Sessoms is available to discuss the ever-changing area of issues surrounding immigration law at community events.
In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Sessoms is a world traveler and has spent a month in East Asia visiting Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan and Singapore in 2009. She has also traveled to Dubai, U.A.E., Mexico City, Mexico in 2012 and Managua/Grenada, Nicaragua in 2013. Ms. Sessoms has also traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador; Montreal, Canada and toured the Yucatan in Mexico. Ms. Sessoms enjoys exploring new countries and experiencing the vast culture in every country she visits.
Ms. Sessoms has also been actively involved in politics and has attended both The White House Project and the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University. Ms. Sessoms has worked as campaign manager on a local judicial election and as a Constituency Director for a past Atlanta mayoral campaign in 2009. Ms. Sessoms is also an active member of Antioch Baptist Church North and enjoys to horseback ride and spend time with family.
Education:
Memberships:
Website LinkedIn Facebook AVVO
Boutique firms can save time and money on Office Space for Attorneys with Atlanta Office Suites. Peachtree Offices offers inclusive plans on attorney focused offices and suites with 2-5 included offices.
