2023 TN Workers' Compensation Educational Conference

Debra Livingston, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ReEmployAbility, Inc.

Debra Livingston has served in various executive capacities throughout her career, with a concentrated focus on return-to-work programs. With over 25 years of workers’ compensation experience, she started her career as a claims adjuster and moved into various facets of the industry as an account executive for Aetna Property Casualty, a broker consultant for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, and director of claims for a large Florida employer.

Debra is passionate about getting injured workers back to meaningful work. Through ReEmployAbility, she works with clients to advocate for their employees and to encourage a more empathetic and supportive approach during the return to work process. By joining business and community, ReEmployAbility has provided volunteers to thousands of nonprofit organizations across the US who have contributed over 14.7 million hours of community service!

Debra is a member of Chief Leadership Group, a private network for women in executive leadership. She is a member of WorkCompCentral Education Advisory Board, a contributing faculty member of Work Comp College, and chairs the executive board of The Spring of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit whose mission is to prevent domestic violence, protect victims, and promote change in lives, families, and communities. She is a Business Insurance Woman to Watch honoree (2017) and has been recognized with a Comp Laude People’s Choice Award (2021).

Sarah Hardison Reisner, Principal, Manier & Herod

A native Nashvillian, Sarah Hardison Reisner is a principal with Manier & Herod practicing in litigation and specializing in Workers’ Compensation Law. Mrs. Reisner received her Bachelor of Arts and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from The University of Richmond in 1991 with a Double Major in English and American Studies and a Minor in French Literature. After working in the Outstanding Scholars Program at the U.S. Department of Education for two years in Washington D.C. (1991 – 1993), she obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1996. While in law school, Mrs. Reisner was a member of the Constitutional Law Moot Court team, a Student Materials Editor on the Tennessee Law Review, and she co-authored a published article on Constitutional Law in Tennessee. In 1996, Mrs. Reisner started practicing law at Manier & Herod, and she has practiced law full-time there ever since she graduated from law school.

Mrs. Reisner is an active member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Tennessee Defense Lawyers’ Association, the Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association, the WCI Institute, and the Downtown Rotary Club of Nashville.

Specializing in this area of the law for twenty-seven years now, Mrs. Reisner is a frequent speaker to client groups, employers and carriers all across the State of Tennessee, third party administers, attorneys, and professional organizations on topics related to Workers’ Compensation Law. In 2022, she was nominated for the Tennessee Bureau’s Sue Ann Head award for “Excellence in Workers’ Compensation”, and she was named one of three finalists for the award. In 2023, Mrs. Reisner will be presenting at the Tennessee Bureau’s annual educational convention in June and at the WCI convention in Orlando in August.

• Practice Areas
  • Workers' Compensation
• Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee
• Education
  • University of Tennessee College of Law J.D., 1996
  • University of Richmond B.A., magna cum laude, 1991
• Published Works
  • Co-authored – “Tennessee Workers’ Compensation: The Essential Guide,” 4th Edition published in 2011
  • Co-authored – “Constitutional Law – First Amendment Overbreadth Doctrine – Older Minors and Adults’ Access Rights to Constitutionally Protected Material Published by Tennessee Law Review, 1995
• Classes/Seminars
  • Speaker – “Lunch & Learn” on Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law , American Airlines, 2018 – Present
  • Speaker “Lunch & Learn” on Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law, EmployBridge, 2018 – Present
  • Speaker “Lunch & Learn” on Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law, Brentwood Services, 2018 – Present
  • Speaker – “Lunch & Learn” on Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law , ESIS, 2018 – Present
  • Speaker – Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar, 2015 – Present
  • Professional Associations & Memberships
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Member
  • Nashville Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, Board Member

Stephen Karr, Attorney, Flexer Law

Steve Karr has litigated thousands of personal injury cases over the past 35 years here in Middle Tennessee and previously in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts and subsequently graduated from Nashville School of Law in 1980. His first job after law school was with the Tennessee Board of Parole. Steve has been in private practice for the past 25 years, concentrating primarily on Personal Injury and Workers Compensation cases.

He helped found the firm of Stillman, Karr and Wise in 1992, then later relocated to the Washington, D.C. area where he continued his practice of law. In 2005, he moved back to the Nashville area where he continued handling personal injury cases.

Steve is licensed to practice law in the Tennessee, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He has achieved the AV status in Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest ranking given to an attorney by that publication and is a member of the Worldwide Registry of Attorneys.

Laurenn S. Disspayne, Principal, Manier & Herod

Laurenn S. Disspayne is a principal with Manier & Herod practicing civil litigation and specializing in workers’ compensation defense for over 29 years.  She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she was a member of the Tennessee Law Review. Ms. Disspayne is admitted to practice law in Tennessee. Ms. Disspayne served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert S. Brandt, the late Honorable C. Allen High, and the late Honorable Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr., Davidson County Chancery Court following law school.

Ms. Disspayne focuses exclusively on workers’ compensation litigation, both trial and appellate work, and she represents employers, self-insured employers, and workers’ compensation insurance carriers throughout the State of Tennessee. She is a veteran in the courtroom and has argued before the Tennessee Supreme Court, Special Workers’ Compensation Panel, and Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. She has additionally served as a speaker at the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Annual Educational Conference,  WCI Workers’ Compensation Educational Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, and at numerous seminars involving workers’ compensation issues. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, Workers’ Compensation Institute, and Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association. Ms. Disspayne co-authored to the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Editions of Manier & Herod’s Tennessee Workers’ Compensation: The Ultimate Guide. Ms. Disspayne was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1992 by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Jonathan May, Attorney, Morgan & Morgan

Jonathan Louis May is an attorney at Morgan & Morgan, where he devotes his practice to representing employees in workers’ compensation claims. Mr. May has extensive experience handling car and truck accidents, workers’ compensation claims, premises liability claims, medical malpractice actions and insurance denials and/or bad faith actions. Mr. May has litigated matters in state and federal courts throughout Tennessee, as well as arguing cases before the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Mr. May was named a Mid-South SuperLawyers® Rising Star in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 & 2022. Mr. May is also certified as a civil mediator under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31. Mr. May was named one of the Memphis Business Journal “Top 40 Under 40” in 2017 in recognition of his service to the community as both an attorney, sports media contributor and small business owner. Mr. May was also named “Best of the Bar 2022” by the Memphis Business Journal and will soon be inducted as a Fellow for the Memphis Bar Foundation.

Mr. May was born and raised in Memphis and is a graduate of Ridgeway High School. In 2004, he earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama. Mr. May continued his education and received his Juris Doctorate upon graduating Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee in 2008. During law school, Mr. May was a member of the American Association for Justice Mock Trial Team and the Robert F. Wagner National Labor & Employment Moot Court team, and was selected to the Order of Barristers, a national honorary organization recognizing oral advocacy and brief writing skills.

In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. May has been an active member of the Memphis Bar Association and Tennessee Bar Association. He is a 2015 graduate of the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law class and serves as a member of the 2017-2019 TBALL steering committee. Mr. May served as a member of the Memphis Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Board of Directors in 2014 before being elevated to Vice-President in 2015. He was elected by his peers to serve as President of the MBA-YLD in 2016. In 2016, Mr. May also completed an intensive seven-day trial advocacy training program held at Stanford University in California.

James Tucker, Partner, Manier & Herod

James H. Tucker, Jr. is currently serving as the Managing Partner and Chairman of the Executive Committee at Manier & Herod.  His practice focuses on workers’ compensation and civil litigation.  Mr. Tucker graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from Tennessee State University.  He has also earned his Master of Divinity from the Vanderbilt Divinity School and his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Mr. Tucker served as Law Clerk to the late Honorable Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr., former Chancellor with the Davidson County Chancery Court and as Law Clerk to the late Honorable John T. Nixon, former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.  He has served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Tennessee.

Mr. Tucker was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers having been determined to be one who has devoted a long and distinguished career to the practice of workers’ compensation law in accordance with the highest of ethical and professional standards.  Martindale-Hubbell, one of the largest and most comprehensive source of lawyer ratings in the world, awarded Mr. Tucker the highest possible rating, which is an “AV Preeminent” rating. The “A” portion indicates the highest possible rating for legal ability, while the “V” portion indicates adherence to the highest standard of professional conduct.

Mr. Tucker drafted a significant part of the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Reform Act of 2011. He is the co-author of the second and third editions of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation and served as Managing Editor for the fourth and fifth editions of the publication.

Mr. Tucker has served as a long-standing board member and President of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association.  He is a member of the Defense Research Institute, having served as the DRI State Representative for the State of Tennessee and on the Workers’ Compensation, Membership, and DRI For Life Committees.  Mr. Tucker is a member of the Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association where he has served as President and a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Tucker has also served as Vice-Chair to the Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section.

Mr. Tucker is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, having previously served as Board Chairman.  Mr. Tucker has produced a number of seminars and events on workers’ compensation for various clientele including the Tennessee Self-Insurer’s Association.  He is also a member of the Workers’ Compensation Institute and is an annual presenter at the Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference.  He has served as a member of the Harry Phillips American Inns of Court.  He is a member of the Napier-Looby, Nashville, Tennessee, American, and National Bar Associations.  His current practice concentrates on workers’ compensation cases and insurance litigation throughout the State of Tennessee.

• Practice Areas
  • Civil Litigation
  • Workers' Compensation
• Bar Admissions
  • Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States of America
• Education
  • Vanderbilt University Law School J.D., 1993
  • Vanderbilt Divinity School M.Div., 1993
  • Tennessee State University B.S., 1987
• Published Works
  • Managing Editor, Tennessee Workers’ Compensation: The Ultimate Guide (5th ed., 2022).
  • Contributing Editor, The Journal (The Inaugural Publication of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association) (2015)
  • Managing Editor, Tennessee Workers’ Compensation: The Essential Guide (4th ed., 2012).
  • Principal Author, Tennessee Workers’ Compensation (3rd ed., 2007).
  • Principal Author, Tennessee Workers’ Compensation (2nd ed., 2003).
• Classes/Seminars
  • Speaker, August 12-14, 2019, 71st Annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (Orlando, FL).
  • Speaker, 2010-2018 Workers’ Compensation Institute’s Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (Orlando, FL).
  • Speaker, 2014 Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (Nashville, TN)
  • Speaker, 2013 Tennessee Self-Insurers Association Conference (Nashville, TN)
• Professional Associations & Memberships
  • American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
  • American Bar Association, 2016-2017 Vice-Chair to the Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Law Committee
  • National Bar Association
  • Tennessee Bar Association
  • Nashville Bar Association
  • Napier-Looby Bar Association
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, President, 2014-2015
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, President-Elect, 2013-2014
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, Secretary-Treasurer, 2012-2013
  • Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, Vice President, 2011-2012
  • Harry Phillips American Inns of Court
  • Defense Research Institute, DRI for Life Committee, 2013
  • Defense Research Institute, State Representative, 2009-2011

Fred Baker, Attorney, Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones

FREDRICK R. BAKER is a Member in the Cookeville, Tennessee, office of Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones, PLLC, which he joined in 2001. His law practice includes an emphasis in workers' compensation and employment discrimination, as well as ADA and FMLA compliance. Fred is the Editor of the Tennessee Workers' Compensation Handbook, published by M. Lee Smith Publishers. He is also Legislative Co-Chair of the Upper Cumberland Society of Human Resource Management, and is Tennessee's representative for the National Workers' Compensation Defense Network. Fred has an AV Preeminent® Rating - which is the highest possible rating given by MartindaleHubbell, the leading independent attorney rating entity. He is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Workers' Compensation Law/Employers, was named 2022 LAWYER OF THE YEAR by Best Lawyers for Workers' Compensation Law/Employers (Nashville Region), and is listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers® in the area of Workers' Compensation. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, summa cum laude, from Transylvania University and his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Tennessee. 

David Price, Gen. Counsel & Dir. Government Affairs, Preferred Medical

David has worked exclusively in the workers’ compensation industry since 2013, building and improving medical cost management programs ranging from utilization review, independent medical examinations, and informal clinical peer review to pharmacy benefit management.

David has worked with multiple URAC-accredited UR programs – both as a compliance officer and as a hired consultant – and has developed customized workers’ compensation medical management programs tailored to meet the requirements of each state and to expedite recovery, minimize costs, and pre-emptively resolve otherwise costly disputes.

David currently serves as General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for Preferred Medical, a nationwide workers’ compensation pharmacy benefit manager and medical bill review and ancillary service provider.   He is a graduate of Berry College and Georgia State University, College of Law.

Terry Kelley, Tennesse Branch Manager, Genex Services

I grew up in Memphis, TN, graduating from Memphis State University (now known as Memphis University) with a Bachelor of Science degree.  I also graduated from Methodist School of Nursing.

After 4 years as an RN in the Neuroscience Center at Methodist Hospitals, I worked for Dr. D. J. Canale, a well-respected neurosurgeon in Memphis.  Through his busy practice, I first learned about Worker’s Compensation.  He had a great understanding of Worker’s Compensation and communicated well with adjusters, employers, and Case Managers.   I spent 10 years working with Dr. Canale until he retired in 1999.

From there I began working for Genex Services as a Field Case Manager, Supervisor, Area Sales Manager, and now Tennessee Branch Manager for the last 23 years.

I have served a past President for the Midsouth Workers Compensation Association – Memphis Chapter, as well as Memphis Occupational Health Nurses.  I participated on Conference committees for these organization as well.

Rick Byrd, Former Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Belmont University

Byrd, a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, systematically led Belmont to national prominence in both NCAA Division I and NAIA. He ranks 12th all-time among NCAA Division I head coaches with 805 career victories.

The Knoxville, Tennessee native led Belmont to eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019) and 17 conference championships (10 regular season, seven tournament) in his final 14 years, national top 25 poll votes eight of his last nine years and notable victories over the likes of North Carolina, UCLA, Marquette, Cincinnati, Alabama, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Stanford, Butler and Temple, among others.

Before joining the NCAA, Byrd’s Belmont teams made the NAIA tournament five of ten years, advancing to the semifinals in both 1995 and 1996, the school’s last year in the NAIA. The 1995 team finished 37-2 and was ranked #1 in the nation for the majority of that season.

Moreover, for programs with at least six decades of history, Byrd retired first among NCAA Division I head coaches when ranked by percentage of schools' all-time wins; accounting for a staggering 62.4 percent of Belmont's total victories.

A 14-time district or conference coach of the year, Byrd's career conference winning percentage of .797 (447-114) ranks second in NCAA Division I, behind only Mark Few of Gonzaga.

Under Byrd's leadership, the Bruin program was marked by sustained excellence, one of only nine NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games each of his final 14 seasons (BYU, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina and San Diego State).

Five Belmont players earned Associated Press All-America recognition (Adam Sonn, Alex Renfroe, Ian Clark, J.J. Mann, Evan Bradds). Clark won an NBA Championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.

But of even greater significance to Byrd, Belmont established an unparalleled standard of academic achievement among NCAA Division I programs. From 2001 to 2019, Belmont led the nation in Academic All-America selections (17) and is the only program to rank among the nation's best every year since inception of the Academic Progress Rate (APR).

Furthermore, in the NCAA Division I era, every Belmont player who completed eligibility under Byrd's watch earned his degree, with only two scholarship student-athletes transferring out over his final 15 years.

Byrd served as NCAA Men's Basketball Rules' Committee Chairman from 2013-15, whereby sweeping measures including the reduction of the shot clock, expansion of the restricted arc for block/charge calls, and freedom of movement and pace of play were instituted.

Byrd received the 2012 NCAA Bob Frederick award for his lifelong commitment to sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play. In 2019, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame honored him with the Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2021 he was named the John Wooden Legends of Coaching Award and in 2022 was the recipient of  the Joe Lapchick Character Award.

Byrd has been inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame, Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame, Atlantic Sun Hall of Fame, Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and was enshrined into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame November 2021 in Kansas City.

Prior to Belmont, Byrd served as head coach at Lincoln Memorial (TN) University and Maryville (TN) College.

Abbie Hudgens, Former Administrator, Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Abbie Hudgens is the retired Administrator of the State of Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and was previously the risk manager for Nashville/Davidson County and risk/ benefits manager for Knoxville. She has been the national president of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC), Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA), and Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA). She was also president of the Knoxville Risk Management Society, a member of the Tennessee Advisory Council on Workers’ Compensation, and chairman of the Board of HC 21, an East Tennessee employer led healthcare coalition. Ms. Hudgens was awarded the IAIABC Frances Perkins Award for Innovation and Progressive Leadership in Workers’ Compensation and Social Security in 2015 and WorkCompCentral’s Comp Laude Award for Industry Leadership in 2017. As she has long advocated that those in workers’ compensation should “believe in better,” she is excited about this new approach for workers’ compensation professionals to both increase their knowledge and contribute to the improvement of the U.S. workers’ compensation system.

Robert B. Snyder, MD, Medical Director, Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Dr. Robert Snyder was appointed Medical Director for the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in January, 2014 after 37 years of Orthopaedic private practice. A graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, he completed two years of general surgery training at the University of Pittsburgh before coming to Nashville to complete a residency in Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University. Special activities have included Associate Team Physician for Vanderbilt and Tennessee State University Athletics, Volunteer Orthopaedic Consultant at Fort Campbell during Desert Storm, Orthopaedics Overseas (an affiliate of Health Volunteers Overseas) in Peru, church related mission activities in Honduras, and the 1996 Hospital Strategic Planning Symposium in Prague, Czech Republic. He served as President of the Medical Staff at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville from 1997 through 1999, and on the Medical Care Cost Containment Committee for Workers’ Compensation from its inception in 1992 until 2014. Dr. Snyder has presented lectures for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Arthroscopy Society of Peru, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the National Workers Compensation and Disability Conference, the National Association of Workers Compensation Judges, and in Tennessee: the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, the Tennessee Orthopaedic Society, the Tennessee College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the Tennessee Pain Society, the Tennessee Neurosurgical Society, the Tennessee Medical Society, and Tennessee Attorney Memo. He has made numerous other presentations to attorneys, case managers, employers, adjusters and insurers. He is the course director for the Bureau’s physician education program and an instructor for the new Certified Physician Program. His activities with the Bureau include Medical Treatment Guidelines, Utilization Review, Case Management, Fee Schedules and physician/provider communications and staff support for the Medical Advisory Committee and the Medical Payment Committee.

Les Kertay, Ph.D., ABPP, FIAIME, Sr. VP for Behavioral Health, Axiom Medical

Dr. Les Kertay, Ph.D., ABPP, FIAIME, is a clinical psychologist with over 45 years of clinical experience, and over 20 years of experience in the disability and workers’ compensation arena. In that capacity he has held both frontline and leadership positions, and has served as an industry consultant. Currently he is Senior VP for Behavioral Health for Axiom Medical, working with the team on his passion for delivering meaningful behavioral health solutions in a work setting, and he is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dr. Kertay graduated from Western Michigan University with a BA in Communication Arts and Sciences, completed his doctoral program at Georgia State University, and is board certified in Clinical Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology, He is a strong proponent of worker-centric clinical care, and has published and presented widely on biopsychosocial issues in return to work, medical/psychological comorbidities, and the value of focusing on behavioral health in disability and workers’ compensation. In addition, he been involved with the AMA Guides publications and the ACOEM Guidelines and has served on committees related to developing medical guidelines.

Bob Wilson, President, WorkCompCollege.com

Bob Wilson is a founding partner and former President & CEO of WorkersCompensation.com. He is an experienced presenter for the workers’ compensation industry and is the author of “From Bob’s Cluttered Desk”, a blog repeatedly named as a top workers’ compensation blog by LexisNexis. Additionally, he has been named one of the “50 Most Influential People in Workers’ Comp” by the SEAK National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference and is the recipient of a Comp Laude Industry Leader Award. Known for an extraordinary sense of humor, his presentations reflect both entertaining and practical advice for both people managing claims as well as the people “picking up the tab”. Bob serves on the Board of Directors for Kids’ Chance of America, Inc. and is a founding board member and past-president of Kids Chance of Florida, Inc.

Timothy W. Conner, Presiding Judge, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board

Timothy W. Conner is the presiding judge of the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, where he has served since August 1, 2014. Prior to that, Judge Conner practiced law for twenty-two years in the areas of workers’compensation, wills and estates, and general liability defense. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law, where he teaches Legal Writing and Workers’ Compensation Law. He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston University and his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law. He is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee Bar Associations, the Hamilton Burnett American Inn of Court, and the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary.

Pele I. Godkin, Judge, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board

Pele I. Godkin was appointed to the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board by Governor Bill Lee on January 14, 2020. Judge Godkin began her practice in Tennessee with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, formerly known as the Division of Workers’ Compensation, shortly after the 2004 workers’ compensation reform. Judge Godkin entered private practice in 2008 where she practiced law in the areas of workers’ compensation and general liability defense. She received her bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University and her law degree from Seattle University School of Law. She is a member of the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations, The Belmont University College of Law American Inn of Court, and the National Association of Workers’Compensation Judiciary.

Meredith B. Weaver, Judge, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board

Meredith Balthrop Weaver was appointed to the Appeals Board by Governor Bill Lee in June of 2022. Prior to that, she worked for 17 years in the private sector, primarily in workers’ compensation, employment law, and general liability defense. A Tennessee native, she went to Auburn University for her undergraduate degree in communications. She returned to her native state to obtain her law degree from University of Tennessee and remained in Knoxville following graduation. While in private practice, she was on the Board for CASA of East Tennessee and served in other civic community groups as well. She currently serves in various capacities on the Boards for her children’s schools and is active in the Knoxville Bar Association, as well as the East Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women.

Terri L. Bernal, McAngus, Goudelock & Courie

Terri has a multi-faceted practice, bringing over 25 years of civil litigation experience to MGC. Her diverse practice includes employment law, civil rights and government liability, retail liability, premises liability, products liability, arson and fraud, trucking and vehicle litigation, workers’ compensation matters and general civil litigation throughout Tennessee and Georgia.

Terri serves on MGC’s Trucking Rapid Response Team and is a member of MGC’s Trucking Management Committee. She also routinely presents seminars on legal issues and topics relevant in today’s legal climate. Prior to joining the firm, Terri was an Assistant Attorney General for Tennessee in the Civil Rights and Claims Division, and practiced at several insurance defense firms across the state.

Outside of MGC, Terri enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and supporting the Titans and Predators. She and her dog, Sadie, also enjoy contributing their time and resources to animal charities.

Pete Frech, Attorney, Morgan & Morgan

Peter Frech joined Morgan & Morgan in October 2021 as a worker's compensation attorney in the Nashville, TN office. Prior to joining the firm, Pete worked for many years in a regional insurance defense firm primarily working in worker's compensation defense, and before that he worked for many years in family law at a local Nashville, TN firm.

Pete served in the United States Marine Corps working in Military Police as a Corrections Specialist. He later went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Middle Tennessee State University, graduating cum laude. Following MTSU, Pete went on to earn his J.D. with a concentration in advocacy and dispute resolution at The University of Tennessee College of Law. While in law school, he participated in the AAJ Mock Trial Team, was the Articles Editor for the Tennessee Journal of Law & Policy, and interned at the United States Department of the Interior, and both the Davidson and Knox County District Attorney's Offices.

Pete lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and daughter and is an avid fan of the Tennessee Titans.

Celeste Watson, Owner, Managing Member, Law Office of C.M. Watson

CELESTE M. WATSON is currently the owner and managing member of the Law Office of C. M. Watson. A native Tennessean, Celeste obtained her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech before coming home to UT Law in Knoxville. Before opening her own firm, she worked with a large southeast regional defense firm. For over 20 years, Celeste has primarily practiced in workers’ compensation defense with a focus on claims involving medical closure and Medicare Set Asides. When not working, Celeste loves to travel and spend time with family and is a “pet parent” to two rescues, dog Catie and cat Lightning.

Ameesh Kherani, Attorney, Kherani Dunaway

Ameesh joined the firm Kherani Dunaway, formerly known as David H. Dunaway & Associates as a law clerk. Ameesh has been a frequent litigator in the areas of workers’ compensation in the State of Tennessee, in addition to having represented numerous clients in a wide range of legal matters.

After over four decades of successful practice of the law, Dave confidently entrusted the legacy of continuing the firm’s reputation to his long-time associate, Ameesh Kherani, who has successfully prosecuted numerous cases in the areas of workplace injury, occupational diseases, automobile accidents, employment rights, personal injury, defective construction, contractual rights, and disability rights, as well as general litigation. Dave nonetheless remains engaged in the firm as of counsel while spending time with his beautiful wife, children and grandchildren. Ameesh shares in Dave’s belief that one voice can make a difference and that, “the maximum power of the law should not be limited to a chosen few”; and continues representing clients in this vigor and philosophy.

Ameesh graduated cum laude from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He continued his education in the area of law while working during the day and attending law school in the evening at the Nashville School of Law. Ameesh graduated from the Nashville School of Law with honors. He was made a member of the Honorable Society of Cooper’s Inn of The Nashville School of Law for highest attainments in the study of law and received the Moot Court Award for outstanding preparation, presentation and performance in the courtroom, and was the graduation speaker. Ameesh is licensed to practice in both state and federal courts in Tennessee.

When not working, Ameesh enjoys spending time with his wife, Sonia, and his daughter, Zoya, and son, Arish. Ameesh is an avid UT football fan and believes every year that the VOLS will bring home National Championship.

Charles E. Pierce, Attorney, Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele

Charles Pierce joined Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele in 2006, and works primarily out of the firm’s Knoxville office. He practices primarily in the areas of Workers’ Compensation Defense and Employment Law.

Charles received his B.A. in History from the University of Tennessee in 2001. He received his J.D. from the University of Tennessee in 2006, graduating cum laude, where he participated in Moot Court. He was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 2006, where he is admitted to practice before all state courts and the United States Federal Courts, Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts, as well as the Sixth United States Court of Appeals. Charles has tried numerous cases in courts throughout Tennessee, and has successfully argued multiple appeals before the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court Workers Compensation panel.

Charles concentrates the majority of his practice before the Tennessee Bureau of Workers Compensation and the Tennessee Court of Workers Compensation Claims. He has extensive experience navigating all aspects of the claims’ handling, mediation, and litigation of workers’ compensation claims and has represented dozens of employers and carriers of all sizes and within multiple industries. He also has extensive experience in representing clients in subrogation,  and employment law aspects related to the administration of workers’ compensation claims.

Charles lives in Knoxville and enjoys University of Tennessee sports, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Ryan Edens, Attorney, Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele

Ryan Edens joined Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele in 2011, after over two years practicing litigation and workers’ compensation with a prominent East Tennessee plaintiffs’ firm, and works primarily out of the firm’s Knoxville office. He practices primarily in the areas of General Liability and Workers’ Compensation Defense.

Ryan received his B.A. in Honors History and Political Science from the University of Tennessee in 2005, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his J.D. from the University of Tennessee in 2008, where he was a published member of Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law. He was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 2008, where he is admitted to practice before all state courts and the United States Federal Court, Eastern District. Ryan has tried jury and non-jury cases in courts throughout Tennessee, and has successfully argued multiple appeals before the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court Workers Compensation panel.

Ryan concentrates over 50% of his practice before the Tennessee Bureau of Workers Compensation and the Tennessee Court of Workers Compensation Claims. He has extensive experience navigating all aspects of the claims’ handling, mediation, and litigation of workers’ compensation claims and has represented dozens of employers and carriers of all sizes and within multiple industries. He also has extensive experience in representing clients in subrogation, liability, and employment law aspects related to the administration of workers’ compensation claims.

Ryan lives in Knoxville and enjoys rooting for the Tennessee Vols, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Kitty Boyte, Partner, Peterson White

KITTY BOYTE has been practicing law almost exclusively in the realm of workers’ compensation since 1988. She has practiced in the state courts of almost all 95 counties in the State of Tennessee, and frequently appears in all the Courts of Workers’ Compensation Claims in Tennessee, from Gray to Memphis. Kitty has been involved with workers’ compensation legislation going back to the initial reform in 1994. She served numerous terms on the Workers’ Compensaion Advisory Committee, having been appointed by two consecutive Governors. She has served the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation both on the Medical Fee Schedule Committee and the Telehealth Study Group.  Kitty is a frequent lecturer on “all things Workers’ Compensation”, assisting manufacturing facilities, construction employers, trucking companies, insurance personnel, health care providers, and other attorneys navigate the ever-changing world of workers’ compensation in Tennessee. She has been a guest professor in Workers’ Compensation at the Nashville School of Law, and is a guest lecturer in Business Ethics at Middle Tennessee State University.

Kitty is an active member, and Past President of the Mid South Workers’ Compensation Association, active member and Past President of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association,  has served on the Board of Governors of the Tennessee Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association.

Anne Llewellyn, MS, BHSA, RN, CCM, CRRN, CMGT-BC, BCPA, FCM

Anne Llewellyn is a registered nurse with over forty-three years of experience in critical care, risk management, catastrophic workers compensation case management, patient advocacy, and training and development.

Anne has been a leader in case management and was the President of the Case Management Society of America 2003-4. She was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for her service to the case management industry.

Anne speaks and writes frequently on topics such as care coordination, transition of care and patient engagement. Anne is a feature writer in the area of case management for workerscompensation.com.

Cate Dugan, Partner, Peterson White, LLP

Cate Dugan is a partner with the law firm of Peterson White, LLP, in the Brentwood, Tennessee office. For most of her career, Cate’s focus has been on defending employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation claims, assisting her clients as they navigate necessary administrative procedures and defending claims through litigation when needed. She has tried cases before courts throughout Tennessee and has successfully argued before the Tennessee Supreme Court Special Workers’ Compensation Panel. Another key focus of Cate’s practice is on training and education for employers and carriers, keeping her clients updated as the workers’ compensation law has evolved in recent years and advising on successful practices to avoid common pitfalls when a worker is injured.  Cate also enjoys lecturing and presenting at seminars and conferences on important issues facing the practice of workers’ compensation defense.

Cate is a Past President of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association.  She has served as an Ambassador for the Alliance of Women in Workers’ Compensation and is a member of the Mid-South Workers’ Compensation Association. Cate was chosen for the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Program and has been selected as a Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Star on several occasions.   She previously served a three-year term as Tennessee State Representative for the Defense Research Institute and has recently been elected the Southern Region Director for DRI.  She is also as an active member of the DRI National Workers’ Compensation Committee.  Cate is also involved with the Blue Goose Tennessee Pond.  She is licensed to practice in all courts in the State of Tennessee. 

Tony Farmer, Attorney, The Law Offices of Tony Farmer and John Dreise

Tony Farmer practices law in Knoxville, Tennessee. He received his undergraduate (Economics) and Law degrees from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Farmer was admitted to practice in all Tennessee courts in 1975. He is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee bar associations, The American Association for Justice, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Work Injury Litigation Group, the Tennessee Association for Justice (formerly the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association), the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, and the Hamilton Burnett Chapter of the American Inns of Court.

Mr. Farmer is a Past President of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and also served that Association at various times as Vice-President, Chairman of the CLE Committee, Chairman of the Amicus Curiae Committee, and Chairman of the Publications Committee. Mr. Farmer was editor of Tennessee Trial Lawyer Magazine from 1987 through 1991. He has been a member of the TTLA/TAJ Board of Governors since 1986.

Mr. Farmer is a regular lecturer/presenter in the areas of civil litigation, products liability, workers' compensation, and damages, and has participated as a speaker in these areas on programs sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Tennessee State AFL-CIO Labor Council.

Mr. Farmer is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the American Board of Trial Advocates (National Certification) (1995 - present) and by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization (State Certification) (1995 - present).

Mr. Farmer served as one of six voting members of the State of Tennessee Workers' Compensation Advisory Council from 2004 to 2014 and served as a non-voting member of the Advisory Council from 1998 to 2004.

Mr. Farmer was appointed to serve on the City of Knoxville's first Mayor's Advisory Council on Police in 1998. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Florence Crittenton Agency of East Tennessee and served as Chairman of the Agency's Board for a one-year term.

In January 2012, Mr. Farmer was inducted as a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, Class of 2012. In June 2015, Mr. Farmer. was inducted as a Fellow of the Knoxville Bar Foundation, Class of 2015.

Mr. Farmer was awarded the "AV" rating by Martindale-Hubbell in February 1999 based upon peer review evaluations and has maintained "AV" status since that time.

Robert L. Thompson, M.D.

Robert L. Thompson, M.D. is a board certified, fellowship trained Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics. A Knoxville native, Dr. Thompson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harding University with a B.S. in chemistry, and a B.A. in Spanish. He is a 2008 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and completed his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at the University of Kentucky in 2013. He then completed a fellowship in Foot and Ankle Surgery at UHZ Sports Medicine Institute/Miami Ankle Foot International Alliance in Coral Gables, Florida.Dr. Thompson has provided team coverage for high school athletics in Lexington, Kentucky, and Miami-Dade County Florida, and covered Florida International University Athletics. He has also worked with the Miami City Ballet, the Miami Marathon, Discover Orange Bowl, World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championship in Doral, Florida, and the English National Soccer Team while in fellowship.He currently provides team coverage for Middle Tennessee State University, and for Rutherford County Schools. Dr. Thompson has special interest in sports-related foot and ankle injuries, ankle and hindfoot arthroscopy, cartilage restoration techniques, total ankle replacement, arthritic conditions of the foot and ankle, and complex foot and ankle reconstruction. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and a member of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.Dr. Thompson enjoys fishing, hunting, homesteading, golf, playing the guitar and the banjo. He and his wife, Lyndi, are the proud parents of three children, and enjoy church activities and spending time with family.

Shirley Vincent, Founder, Guardian Medical Consulting, LLC

Shirley Vincent is a registered nurse and a board-certified case manager with over 35 years’ experience.  Ms. Vincent began her nursing career working in critical care and trauma then transitioned to rehabilitation and home health nursing which eventually led to case management. Ms. Vincent has been a board-certified case manager since 1994. She developed her case management knowledge and skills when she worked for a large national third-party administrator. Shortly after being awarded the Crawford United States Quality Award, she advanced to regional management within the organization. Ms. Vincent specialized in the management of complex and catastrophic injuries. In 2009, she founded Guardian Medical Consulting, LLC which currently provides case management and medical legal consulting services in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

Ms. Vincent has a passion for advocating for injured workers and employers with great respect for all the parties involved. She has taken a very active role in the work comp community, and she is well known for making a lasting positive impact on the Tennessee worker’s compensation system. In 2020, Ms. Vincent was recognized by the Tennessee Bureau of Worker’s Compensation and honored with the Sue Ann Head Award Recognizing Excellence in Worker’s Compensation. Ms. Vincent is a Stakeholder Representative for the R.E.W.A.R.D. Tennessee Worker’s Compensation Program. She frequently consults and acts as guest speaker for the Tennessee Bureau of Worker’s Compensation. Ms. Vincent is a Stakeholder Representative for the R.E.W.A.R.D. Tennessee Worker’s Compensation Program.

Ms. Vincent has a special interest in working with organizations that assist spinal cord injury patients and help them become fully engaged in life after an injury.  Ms. Vincent is an altruistic who generously assists numerous charities and organizations throughout the midsouth.

Angela Jordan, Benefits Administrator, Middle Tennessee Electric

Angela has been with Middle Tennessee Electric since 2001.  Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans via 325,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson, and Wilson.  MTE employs 530 people in seven local offices and its Murfreesboro headquarters.

During her first 7 years with the organization, Angela gained valuable knowledge of the electric utility industry by serving the membership in roles within both the Member Services and Engineering Departments.  She made the transition to Human Resources in 2008 serving the employees of the organization as the Training Coordinator for the next five years and then moved into her current role, Benefits Administrator, where she continues to serve current employees and their families, as well as retirees of MTE.  She recently completed the Tennessee Bureau of Worker’s Compensation Return-to-Work Coordinator Training Program, and she serves on the Human Resources Management Conference Planning Committees for Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA) and Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA).

Angela is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness.  She is a life-long resident of Rutherford County and enjoys spending time with her family; especially when it involves a baseball field.

Lee Anne Murray, Attorney, Feeney & Murray, P.C.

Lee Anne Murray is an attorney with Feeney & Murray, P.C. with over thirty years of experience representing employers and their insurers in workers compensation matters. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and her Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University. 

Catheryne Grant, Attorney, Feeney & Murray, P.C. 

Catheryne L. Grant is an attorney with Feeney & Murray, P.C. with over twenty-six years of experience representing clients in workers compensation cases. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Millsaps College and her Juris Doctorate from Memphis State University

Taylor Pruitt, Attorney, Feeney & Murray, P.C.

Taylor R. Pruitt is an attorney with Feeney & Murray, P.C. with five years of experience representing clients in workers compensation cases. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee. 

Jay Blaisdell, Program Coordinator, Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Jay Blaisdell, MPA, is the coordinator for the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s Medical Impairment Rating Registry (MIRR), Certified Physician Program (CPP), and E-Billing programs.  He has been the managing editor of AdMIRable Review since 2012, and is certified through the International Academy of Independent Medical Evaluators (IAIME) as a Medicolegal Evaluator. His medical impairment rating articles are published regularly in the AMA Guides Newsletter.  Jay has been with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation since 2005. 

Nina Harris, Compliance Attorney, Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Nina F. Harris has been with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in the Knoxville Office for approximately five years.  Nina started out as a Mediation Specialist, and was then promoted to Associate Counsel in the Compliance Unit, where she works with four of the ten investigators in the Eastern and Middle Grand Divisions of Tennessee.  Nina received her two bachelors degrees from Radford University and her law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, LA.  Nina spent almost 11 years with the TN Dept. of Safety, prosecuting asset forfeiture cases, before coming to the Bureau.

Keisha Matchem, Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Keisha S. Matchem assumed the position with the Bureau specifically with the Medical Unit in October 2019. Keisha is an Army brat; originally from Memphis, TN.; currently serving in a special duty as an Inspector General in the United States Air Force Reserve with over 23 years of military service. Keisha initiates Medical Utilization Review Appeals for the entire state of Tennessee. Utilization Review Appeals determines the medical necessity and appropriateness of treatments denied by insurers that are appealed to the Bureau. In addition to the appeal process, she also ensures all Utilization Review Organization registrations as well as Commerce and Insurance renewals are complying, in accordance with Tennessee policies and guidelines.

Penny Shrum, Court Clerk, Court of Workers' Compensation, Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Penny Shrum is the Clerk of the Court of Workers' Compensation.  She has worked in several sections within the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation over the last twenty four years.  In her current position, Penny is responsible for working with the Chief Judge on courtroom procedures and for accepting the filings associated with accessing the court.

Penny is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.  She has twenty eight years’ experience with state government.  Penny is a middle Tennessee native and resides in Smyrna with her husband, Patrick, and her daughter, Piper.  She enjoys reading and relaxing at the beach.

Kourtney Sanders, West TN Mediation Supervisor, Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Kourtney is a native of Huntingdon, TN. She has been living in Memphis for 14 years. She is married to Marcus and has four kids Kayla, Kennedy, Kaidence and Marcus Jr.. She has been with the Bureau of Workers Compensation since 2007. She is an avid basketball enthusiast and Lebron James fan. Additionally, she has been a lead mediator in the Jackson and Memphis office.

Elizabeth Vines, Staff Attorney, Appeals Board, Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Elizabeth Vines graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005 and worked in private practice in Clarksville, Tennessee for approximately two years before joining the Division of Workers’ Compensation in 2008.  She was a Workers’ Compensation Specialist 4 and handled mediations and requests for assistance.  In 2015, after the 2013 Reform Act took effect, she joined the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board as staff attorney, where she remains.  Originally from northwest Alabama, she went to undergraduate school at Mary Baldwin College (now Mary Baldwin University) in Staunton, Virginia, where she obtained her B.A. in psychology.  She received a master’s in criminal justice from the University of North Alabama before moving to Nashville to attend law school.  She is an avid hiker and spends as much of her free time outdoors as possible.

Debra Livingston, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ReEmployAbility, Inc.

Debra Livingston has served in various executive capacities throughout her career, with a concentrated focus on return-to-work programs. With over 25 years of workers’ compensation experience, she started her career as a claims adjuster and moved into various facets of the industry as an account executive for Aetna Property Casualty, a broker consultant for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, and director of claims for a large Florida employer.

Debra is passionate about getting injured workers back to meaningful work. Through ReEmployAbility, she works with clients to advocate for their employees and to encourage a more empathetic and supportive approach during the return to work process. By joining business and community, ReEmployAbility has provided volunteers to thousands of nonprofit organizations across the US who have contributed over 14.7 million hours of community service!

Debra is a member of Chief Leadership Group, a private network for women in executive leadership. She is a member of WorkCompCentral Education Advisory Board, a contributing faculty member of Work Comp College, and chairs the executive board of The Spring of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit whose mission is to prevent domestic violence, protect victims, and promote change in lives, families, and communities. She is a Business Insurance Woman to Watch honoree (2017) and has been recognized with a Comp Laude People’s Choice Award (2021).

Rafael Gonzalez, Esq., Partner Cattie & Gonzalez, PLLC

Rafael earned his Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Florida, and his Jurisprudence Doctorate degree from the Florida State University.

Rafael has over 35 years experience in the legal and insurance industries. He is currently a partner in Cattie & Gonzalez, PLLC, a national law firm serving clients in all 50 states, focused on Medicare and Medicaid secondary payer law and compliance in auto bodily injury, liability, mass tort, medical malpractice, nursing home, no-fault, products, workers compensation, and wrongful death claims and litigated cases.

Rafael speaks, teaches, and writes on workers compensation, social security, medicare, medicaid, mandatory insurer reporting, conditional payments resolution, set aside allocations, social determinants of health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the country.

Giving back to his community and being of service to his profession is important to Rafael. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the University of South Florida President's Latin Community Advisory Council, Co-Chair of the CLM Workers Compensation Community Advisory Board, Co-Chair of the CLM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Chair of the DRI Workers Compensation Industry Relations Committee, Member of the DRI Task Force on Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance, Member of the Comp Laude Awards and Gala Advisory Council, Member of the WorkCompCentral Education Advisory Board, Member of the RISE Medicare Secondary Payer Educational Series Advisory Council, and Lecturer, Instructor, Adjunct at the USF College of Public Health and the FSU College of Law.

Rafael is active on social media. You may follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Nancy Kelly, Nurse Case Manager, Averitt

Nancy Kelly (RN, MSN, COHN-S/CM) is a Risk Management Nurse Case Manager at Averitt Express. 

EDUCATION: University of Tennessee (1993-1995) Master of Science in Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (1981-1983), Bachelor of Science in Nursing Tennessee Technological University (1978-1981) Pre-Nursing

CERTIFICATIONS: Certified Case Manager, COHN-S/CM (2006); Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist, COHN-S (2003); Basic Life Support (BLS) - The American Heart Association

LICENSES: Registered Nurse (RN) Tennessee State Board Licensing (1983-present)

WORK EXPERIENCE: Averitt Express Medical Management (2008-present) Risk Management Self Insured/Self Administered Employer. Supports WC, STD, FMLA, VA, Bl,Subro OSHA Recordkeeping, RTW Program; TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Nurse Case Manager (1992-2008) Disability Management/WCOsha/Safety Support TOSHA VPP Workplace Cookeville Regional Medical Center; Staff Nurse (1983-1992) Emergency Room/Surgery/Recovery Room

Other Work Experience And Interests: State of Tennessee BWC Telehealth Working Group (2019-2021); State of Tennessee BWC REWARD Advisory Committee (2019- Present); Return to Work Initiatives/Non-Profit Partners; Integrating, eliminating and identifying actionable data; Continuity of care and delivery of medical services; Health Promotion/Wellness - Type 2 Diabetes Reversal Research

Buddy Stockwell, Executive Director of the Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program

Buddy Stockwell was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court on July 1, 2020, as the new Executive Director of the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP). Stockwell comes from south Louisiana where he has been a volunteer and program monitor for the state’s Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse since 1993, and the Executive Director of Louisiana's comprehensive Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP) peer professionals' program for the last ten years. He is a Certified Clinical Interventionist through “Love First” training at the Betty Ford Center and has personally been in recovery from alcoholism for over 37 years. Over the years he has supported hundreds of bar members, bar applicants, and family members of the bar with a wide range of substance use disorders and mental health issues. Stockwell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Louisiana State University in 1989 and a Juris Doctor degree from LSU Law School in 1993. Post-law school, he practiced in both large and small firm settings, but ultimately opened a solo practice in Baton Rouge where he focused heavily on domestic litigation until 2004 when he sold his Baton Rouge law office, home, and vehicles and he and his wife, Melissa, moved aboard a large catamaran and sailed the seas for six years, covering 19,000 nautical miles. Stockwell is a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Captain and seasoned ocean mariner. He also served in the Navy prior to college. He is dedicated to TLAP's mission and very excited to serve the Tennessee Supreme Court, the TLAP Commission, and stakeholders in the profession as the new TLAP Executive Director.

Anne Llewellyn, MS, BHSA, RN, CCM, CRRN, CMGT-BC, BCPA, FCM

Anne Llewellyn is a registered nurse with over forty-three years of experience in critical care, risk management, catastrophic workers compensation case management, patient advocacy, and training and development.

Anne has been a leader in case management and was the President of the Case Management Society of America 2003-4. She was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for her service to the case management industry.

Anne speaks and writes frequently on topics such as care coordination, transition of care and patient engagement. Anne is a feature writer in the area of case management for workerscompensation.com.

Alex O’Neal, CEO, Arbicare

Alex has spent the majority of his career in the workers’ compensation industry focusing primarily on utilization management and the safe reduction of medically inappropriate treatment for employees injured on the job.  Alex currently leads a URAC accredited Utilization Management organization whose mission is to improve clinical care and reduce friction throughout the process.  Simply put, Alex knows that the UR process should serve all stakeholders.  And when UR is performed well, it does just that.

As an industry leader, Alex has earned a strong reputation for his ability to uncover pain points and collaborate with leadership teams to create effective solutions inside some of the world’s largest bearers of risk. Alex is passionate about helping all of those affected by workplace injury and is committed to providing leadership for increased advocacy inside workers' compensation industry. Alex stays very involved with regulatory change and how process can be improved to align with the aim of the state workers’ compensation system.

Alex's educational background includes a BS degree from Georgia Southern University.

David Price, Gen. Counsel & Dir. Government Affairs, Preferred Medical

David has worked exclusively in the workers’ compensation industry since 2013, building and improving medical cost management programs ranging from utilization review, independent medical examinations, and informal clinical peer review to pharmacy benefit management.

David has worked with multiple URAC-accredited UR programs – both as a compliance officer and as a hired consultant – and has developed customized workers’ compensation medical management programs tailored to meet the requirements of each state and to expedite recovery, minimize costs, and pre-emptively resolve otherwise costly disputes.

David currently serves as General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for Preferred Medical, a nationwide workers’ compensation pharmacy benefit manager and medical bill review and ancillary service provider.   He is a graduate of Berry College and Georgia State University, College of Law.