Theme: Diversity: Thinking Independently Together

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
525 Pine Street
Scranton, Pennsylvania, 18510
United States

Anjani Mahabashya

Utilization Management Physician Advisor

Dr. Mahabashya is a physician, advocate, and leader with a passion for improving the health and well-being of her community. With double board certification in Internal Medicine and Quality Assurance, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as a Physician Advisor at Geisinger Medical Center. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Mahabashya is also a dedicated community advocate, working closely with a non-profit organization to bridge the digital divide for vulnerable populations. Her tireless efforts have earned her recognition, including two Presidential awards for her volunteer work benefiting children and senior citizens. Dr. Mahabashya is an inspiration to young healthcare professionals, using her experience to educate and empower the next generation to overcome the challenges they may face in their careers. Her TEDx Talk will share her story and her vision for a healthier, more equitable future for all.

Barbara Tantillo

Director of Global Medical Affairs Quality

Barbara is the Director of Global Medical Affairs Quality at Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from East Stroudsburg University with a Masters in Regulatory Affairs/Quality Assurance from Temple University School of Pharmacy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was raised in Staten Island, Pennsylvania and PIscataway, New Jersey and currently resides in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her English bulldogs.

Eileen Miller

Advocate for Road Safety and ALS

Eileen Woelkers Miller was born in Scranton and raised in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. She currently serves as an advocate for Road Safety and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Eileen is a proud wife to her husband Paul, mother of two, Paul Jr and Nicole, and grandmother to Kaia Rose.

Leighton Huey

Community Psychiatrist, Associate Dean for Behavioral Health Integration and Community Care Transformation

Dr. Huey is the Associate Dean for Behavioral Health Integration and Community Care Transformation at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine where he is Professor of Psychiatry. Prior to coming to Pennsylvania March, 2018, Dr. Huey was the Birnbaum/Blum Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut where he had also been Chair of the Department of Psychiatry followed by Associate Dean. He had previously been at Dartmouth Medical School as Vice-Chair and Medical Director in Psychiatry, and before that, was Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, where he was also Chief of Psychiatry at the San Diego VA Medical Center, and subsequently the Medical Director of Psychiatry in the Scripps Hospital system. He has a background in psychopharmacology and has been active in health system planning and innovation. Most recently, he is focusing on a major effort in the application of Resilience in health systems and the general community.

Rebecca Maff

Product Manager

Rebecca Maff is a Product Manager within the Steele Institute for Health Innovation at Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. She has experience working on projects in healthcare operations research and experience with managing federally funded research studies. The research she is currently involved in focuses on the following core areas: patient experience, safety and quality. She works on projects that focus on chronic disease states like cancer & the prediction of cancer. She also has experience working on healthcare research studies which focus on population health, outcomes research and the epidemiology of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic hepatitis, coronary heart disease, transitions of care in pharmacy, post-operative patient experience and a veteran’s health study which studied post-traumatic stress disorders.

Samantha Jallah

Assistant General Counsel

Samantha Divine Jallah is an Assistant General Counsel for the Geisinger Health Plan out of Danville, Pennsylvania. She received her graduate degree in Law from the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law. She is originally from Monrovia, Liberia in West Africa as well as Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Samantha is a member of the Geisinger DEI Council and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Diversity Team. She has also served as a Diversity and Inclusion Trusted Advisor at Dickinson School of Law. She enjoys reading, traveling, and building a diverse community of global friends. Samantha has visited 41 states, lived in six states, and now resides in Oklahoma City with her husband and two children.

Valencia Walker

Neonatologist, Vice Dean of Health Equity and Inclusion

Dr. Walker is a highly regarded neonatologist with notable expertise in intersectionality, microaggressions and anti-racist praxis. She is also the new Vice Dean of Health Equity and Inclusion here at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She received her Bachelor's of Science in Biology from Florida A&M University, her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, and her Master's in Public Health in Health Policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She was previously an inaugural Assistant Dean of Equity and Diversity Inclusion for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and most recently the Associate Chief Diversity and Health Equity Officer for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Her hometown is Columbus Georgia, and she currently resides in Scranton, PA. Her interests outside of work include the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yoga, and baking.