A practicing physician with training and experience in clinical informatics, Dr. Sands has worked in a variety of capacities in the healthcare IT industry for over the past 30 years and is a co-founder and the chief advocacy officer of the Society for Participatory Medicine. His digital technology career began at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he trained in medical informatics and developed and implemented innovative systems to improve clinical care delivery and patient engagement, including clinical decision support systems, an EHR, and one of the nation’s first patient portals. This was followed by leadership positions including Cisco, Zix Corporation, and others.

Dr. Sands has earned degrees from Brown University, Ohio State University, Harvard School of Public Health, and trained at Boston City Hospital and Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital.

Dr. Sands holds an academic appointment at Harvard Medical School and maintains a primary care practice at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In addition to practicing, Dr. Sands is currently the chief medical officer of WKD.SMRT.

Jonathan leads CSL’s Digital Innovation Fund, partnering with early-stage companies to access transformative technologies, products, and talent that propel the growth of CSL’s core businesses. With experience as a co-founder of digital startups in healthcare and life sciences, along with leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and GSK, Jonathan brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to help entrepreneurs navigate common challenges. He is passionate about fostering innovation and collaborating with founders to transform groundbreaking ideas into impactful solutions.

Dr. Alyssa Abo is a pioneering physician executive with over 20 years of experience in MedTech and digital health, recognized for integrating advanced technologies to transform clinical medicine. She pushes the boundaries of innovation by leveraging her medical, technological, and business background to deliver scalable, impactful solutions that drive patient-centered care, improve outcomes, and elevate healthcare globally. Dr. Abo’s thought leadership in
medical imaging, artificial intelligence, real-world data applications, and pediatric technologies has set new standards across the healthcare ecosystem. Dr. Abo is frequently invited as a speaker, panelist, and podcast guest, to discuss emerging tech and entrepreneurship and recently delivered a keynote address on Capitol Hill highlighting women leaders in global entrepreneurship.

Currently, Dr. Abo is the CEO and Founder of A Squared Consulting Group, LLC, while also serving as a Board Director at Picterus, and Real-World Evidence Advisor for Stanford Biodesign’s Impact1 program. Her roles as an executive, emergency physician, academic professor, board member, and advisor to start-ups and Fortune Global 500 companies reflect her ability to bridge cutting-edge technology with practical healthcare solutions. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping industry-wide policies adopted by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine.

Dr. Abo holds degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, an MD from the American Program at Tel Aviv University, and an MBA from George Washington University, with advanced clinical training at Yale-New Haven and Boston Children’s Hospitals.