William K. Atkinson II, PhD, MPH, MPA
President & Chief Executive Officer

WakeMed Health and Hospitals

Dr. Atkinson is an active leader in support of strategically improving our nation's healthcare system: "There are more efficient and integrated ways to provide care that are not only smart economically, but they’re also smart from a quality and a safety perspective."

"We’re fortunate in this nation to have some of the best elements of health care – exceptional and committed medical professionals, the latest technology, and groundbreaking research – on the globe."

Dr. Atkinson will share a high-level perspective regarding a strategic approach to the future of healthcare (including its uncertainty).

WakeMed and its leadership are committed to being the best in the health care business.  WakeMed's strategy allows this vast organization to continually offer new and improved medical services, build state-of-the-art, convenient facilities for customers and hire the best and the brightest. 

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Dr. Atkinson, a Greensboro, NC, native, became involved in health care as a member of North Carolina’s initial paramedic class and remains passionately involved in a wide-range of emergency services, public health and public policy issues to this day.

Dr. Atkinson has over 25 years experience as a hospital president and chief executive officer in rural and urban settings in several states. He is only the third CEO in the 48-year history of WakeMed Health & Hospitals, a private, not-for-profit multi-hospital system and one of the top health care providers in the state. With more than 7000 employees WakeMed is one of Wake County’s largest private employers. WakeMed’s heart program is North Carolina’s largest.

While working full time, he earned a doctorate in public policy from the University of Colorado - Denver and also holds master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina and University of Colorado – Denver in public health and public policy. He is a graduate of the Executive Management Program of Yale University. Dr. Atkinson is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds adjunct faculty positions in the Schools of Global Public Health and Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a member of the North Carolina State University’s Kenan Fellows Board of Advisors.

He is a delegate of the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 3. He currently serves as chair of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the boards of the North Carolina Chamber, Wake Technical Community College and is a commissioner with the North Carolina Health & Wellness Trust Fund. Dr. Atkinson has served as chairman of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, North Carolina Hospital Association and the North Carolina Center for Hospital Quality and Patient Safety. He also co-chaired with Ann Goodnight the successful Friends of Wake County $1 billion school bond drive.

He co-chaired North Carolina’s WorkFirst Business Council. He continues to believe in the importance of economically healthy communities as the foundation for healthy residents.

In 2008, Dr. Atkinson was named 2008 Impact Healthcare Leader and inducted into the Business Leader Triangle Hall of Fame. He also was named the 2007 Business Leader of the Year by Business Leader Magazine and Who’s Who 2006 by Metro Magazine. He received the American Red Cross Humanitarian Award in 2007. He is the 2004 recipient of the James O. Page/JEMS International Leadership Award for contributions to emergency medicine. He has also received the North Carolina Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award, the Leader of the Year Award from Leadership Raleigh and was honored by the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education with the Gordon Smith, Jr. Award.

He is recognized nationally for his leadership in disaster preparedness and response, emergency medical services, workforce development, and for his work in reducing gang activity. He lectures frequently on innovation diffusion in healthcare, science, education and public policy.

Dr. Atkinson, and his wife Allison, have three sons.

The Science & Art of Strategically Mapping Our Research Assets:

Dr. Mitzi Montoya and Dr. Liana Fryer from NC State will discuss a knowledge and resource management initiative designed to define NC State's research strengths within the vast realm of Health and Well-Being.  This knowledge will help researchers build new relationships, bundle discoveries, and increase research funding and impact.  

Mitzi Montoya, PhD

Zelnak Professor of Innovation Management

Assistant Dean, Research, College of Management
NC State University

Dr. Mitzi Montoya (PhD Marketing and BS Engineering, Michigan State University), is Professor of Marketing and Innovation Management in the Business Management Department, College of Management, North Carolina State University.

At NCSU, Mitzi teaches graduate courses in service and product innovation, marketing strategy, management of technology, and product management in the MBA program. She has also taught undergraduate marketing principles. Mitzi is currently the Marketing Area coordinator in the Business Management Department at NCSU and executive director of the Service & Product Innovation Initiative in the College of Management.

Dr. Montoya's research interests lie at the intersection of technology and marketing. Her research focuses on innovation processes and strategies and the role of technology as an enabler of decision-making. Her publications have appeared in Management Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, MIS Quarterly, and the Journal of Product Innovation Management, among others. She has been the recipient of competitive research grants from the National Science Foundation, Advanced Practices Council of the Society of Information Management, Product Development and Management Association, as well as foundation grants from several firms.

Liana Fryer, PhD

Project Manager, Health and Well-being Initiative

NC State University

Dr. Liana Fryer (PhD Fiber and Polymer Science, North Carolina State University and BA Computer Science, University of California, San Diego) is Project Manager of the Health and Well-being Initiative at NC State and works closely with faculty to design and implement innovative socio-technical infrastructure to support large-scale collaboration.

Liana began her career in the information technology industry over 25 years ago and sees more exciting possibilities today for improving health and the quality of life than ever before.  She witnessed the need firsthand while working with community and economic developers, non-profit organizations and educational institutions across North Carolina.

Translating theory and experience in diverse disciplines into practice, Dr. Fryer uses a wide variety of tools to perform systems analysis, data mining and strategic planning.  She has conducted research and strategic planning for both financially sound and distressed organizations to improve their impact.  Liana’s articles have appeared in publications such as IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications and Textile Research Journal.

William K. Atkinson II, PhD, MPH, MPA  [See above for bio.]

Mitzi Montoya, PhD [See above for bio.]

Liana Faith Fryer, PhD [See above for bio.]