October 19, 2024 | Omaha, Nebraska | Converging Roads

ARLAND K. NICHOLS
President, St. John Paul II Foundation

Arland K. Nichols is president and founder of the St. John Paul II Foundation. Early in his career, as an educator and non-profit executive, he became a popular speaker and successful writer while he established the groundwork for the initiatives that would become the St. John Paul II Foundation. Arland launched the St. John Paul II Foundation in 2014 and he is author of the 4th edition of the Handbook on Critical Life Issues published in 2024 by the National Catholic Bioethics Center. Arland earned a B.A. in philosophy from Texas A&M, an M.Div. in Theology from University of St. Thomas, and pursued doctoral studies in bioethics at Regina Apostolorum in Rome. With the generous support of his wife, Cindy, and their ten children, Arland is blessed to lead the St. John Paul II Foundation as it serves, educates, and supports medical professionals, married couples, and clergy.

ASHLEY K. FERNANDES, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director, Center for Bioethics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Dr. Fernandes received an M.D. from The Ohio State University, a PhD in Philosophy from Georgetown University, and an MA in Philosophy from Johns Hopkins University, with a focus on bioethics. He directs ethics education for pediatric residents at Nationwide Children's Hospital. His scholarly interests include Catholic Christian bioethics, Medicine and the Holocaust studies, pediatric ethics, and philosophical anthropology as it relates to medical practice. He has presented his work at international forums, and is the author of scores of peer-reviewed publications and three book chapters. After a decade as a hospitalist, he is now an academic primary care pediatrician and has been an expert witness in court cases defending the rights of Christian healthcare professionals and prolife organizations. Dr. Fernandes is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Pediatricians, an elected member of the AAP's national Executive Committee on Bioethics, a member of the AOA Medical Honor Society, and a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, receiving Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award twice - in 2020 and in 2010. He has been awarded OSU's highest honors for teaching, including the Award in Mentorship, Professor of the Year award, and Master Teacher Award. He is an active member of the Catholic Medical Association and is part of their national speaker board, and a member of Ohio Right to Life's Board of Trustees. Outside of medicine, his interests include hiking in the National Parks, history, travel, and tennis. He lives with his wife and two boys in Dublin, Ohio. The views he expresses are those of his own and not those of his employers.

KRISTIN M. COLLIER, MD, FACP
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health, Spirituality and Religion

Kristin M. Collier, MD, FACP is an associate professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor Michigan where she serves as the director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health, Spirituality and Religion. She is also an associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Michigan where she oversees the primary care track. She received her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed her internship, residency, and chief residency at The University of Michigan Hospitals. Her academic interests are in the overlap of spirituality, religion and medicine and her peer reviewed work has been published in high-impact journals such as JAMA Internal Medicine, the Annals of Internal Medicine, and the British Medical Journal. She also has had writings published in Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal, Theopolis, America Magazine, and Public Discourse. She is also a wife and the proud mother of four sons.

ANTHONY ISACCO, PhD
Professor, Director of Training for PsyD Program, Chatham University

Anthony Isacco, PhD, is a professor of Graduate Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA and Director of Training for the PsyD in Counseling Psychology program. He is a licensed psychologist in PA and authorized to provide telepsychology services in approximately 40 states. He maintains a small private practice with a niche focus on the psychological assessment of clergy candidates to the Catholic Church. Dr. Isacco has published widely through his books, popular press articles, and academic journals on the psychological health of seminarians, fatherhood, and the psychology of men and masculinity. He sits on the Advisory Board of Saint Paul Seminary, Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Formation Team of Saint Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Pittsburgh Byzantine Eparchy, and Catholic Psychotherapy Association Board of Directors. He is a proud graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville (BA, '02), Boston College (MA, '04), and Loyola University Chicago (PhD, '09). He is married to Celeste and has four daughters, Sophia, Claire, Gianna, and Monica.

MOST REV. GEORGE J. LUCAS
Archbishop of Omaha

Archbishop Lucas, born June 12, 1949 in Saint Louis, Missouri, is the eldest son of the late George J. Lucas and Mary Catherine Kelly. He has one sister and two brothers. He completed his studies at Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Saint Louis, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis on May 24, 1975, by Cardinal John Joseph Carberry. As a priest, Lucas served as associate pastor in parishes in Sunset Hills, Florissant, St. Louis, Normandy and Kirkwood, Missouri. Archbishop Lucas took advanced studies at Saint Louis University. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and Master of Arts degree in history. Archbishop Lucas currently serves on the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and formerly served on the Subcommittee on the Catechism and also chaired the Committee on Catholic Education. He continues to serve on the board of directors of Catholic Education Partners, and also currently serves on the board of trustees of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Saint Louis. He recently completed two terms on the board of regents for Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri, as well as two terms on the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services.

DCN. STEPHEN DORAN, MD
MA Clinical Faculty, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Neurosurgery, CEO/CMO Midwest Surgical Hospital

Stephen Doran, M.D. is a husband, father of five sons, and a board-certified neurosurgeon with over twenty-five years of experience. He is also an ordained permanent deacon and serves as the bioethicist for the Archdiocese of Omaha. His writings in bioethics, neurosurgery, and gene therapy for brain disorders have been widely published in national media outlets, academic journals, and neurosurgery textbooks. Stephen E. Doran, MD joined MD West ONE (formerly Midwest Neurosurgery & Spine) in 1996 after completing both his internship and residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center. He earned his bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude, from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois, and his medical degree with high distinction from UNMC. He completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center in 1996. He is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at UNMC. A strong advocate of personalized care and dignity for all patients, Dr. Doran's special area of interest is minimally invasive spine surgery and he has particular expertise in reconstruction of traumatic and degenerative disorders of the spine. In addition, Dr. Doran has post-graduate certification in medical bioethics and has published essays in national peer reviewed journals and regional media outlets. He has received national recognition for his research in gene therapy related to the central nervous system and his research has been published in nationally recognized journals and neurosurgical textbooks. He has served on a variety of local and national non-profit governing boards. He is the author of "To Die Well: A Catholic Neurosurgeons Guide to the End of Life" (Ignatius Press). Along with his wife Sharon, Dr. Doran is the founder of “Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study."

THOMAS L. LENZ, PharmD, FACLM
Creighton University, School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Dr. Lenz is a tenured professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine within the School of Medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Lenz is the Director of the Master of Science program in Integrative Health and Wellness and the Lifestyle Medicine Graduate Certificate program. His educational background consists of Bachelor's (Creighton University) and Master of Arts (University of Nebraska, Omaha) Degrees in Exercise Science, a Master of Arts degree in Medical Anthropology (Creighton University), a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Creighton University), and a Fellowship in Cardiovascular Research (Creighton University). His research interests include chronic stress, the well-being of healthcare professionals, and the use of lifestyle medicine to prevent and treat chronic illness. Dr. Lenz is a Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has published over 100 articles and five books on the topics of lifestyle medicine, well-being, chronic illness, cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, pedagogy, and chronic disease prevention. The title of his most recent book, published in 2023, is Posturing Towards Wholeness: Our Radical Way Forward to Living Well as Healthcare Professionals.

KRISTINA PAKIZ, MD, dipABOG
CEO of Vivify Women’s Health & Fertility, LLC

Dr. Pakiz is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who specializes in a women’s health science called Natural Procreative Technology (NaProTechnology). She had the invaluable experience of being mentored by Dr. Hilgers while spending over 13 years of her career serving patients at the St. Paul VI Institute. Dr. Pakiz chose to set aside her obstetrical skills to focus on treating gynecologic diseases within her own medical practice- Vivify Women's Health and Fertility, LLC. Utilizing diverse clinical experience and surgical expertise, she is able to help women get their lives back and couples achieve their goal of becoming parents. Dr. Pakiz is a wife and mother to 5 beautiful children. She enjoys all things outdoors, kickboxing, spectating her children's sporting events, and traveling.

7:30 AM	Check-In Begins
8:00 AM	White Mass
9:15 AM	Opening Remarks
9:25 - 10:25 AM	Human Dignity and the Mission of Catholic Health Care
10:25 AM	Break
10:35-11:35 AM	The Vocation of the Health Care Professional
11:35 AM	Break
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM	The Catholic Approach to Caring and Accompanying the Dying
12:45 - 2:20 PM	Hippocratic Oath Luncheon
1:15 -2:15 PM	Spiritual and Religious Considerations to the Mental Health Crisis: An Integrative Perspective
2:20 PM	Break
2:40 - 3:40 PM	Care for the Caregiver
3:40 PM	Break
3:50 - 4:50 PM	Medical and Surgical Interventions in Light of the Gift of Fertility
4:50 PM	Closing Remarks
5:00 - 5:45 PM	Wine & Cheese Reception

about Converging Roads

Where Health Care Ethics and Medicine Converge

REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

In-Person Ticket Options:

Online Ticket Options:

Exhibitor Opportunities:

Sponsors:

Student Scholarships:

Refund Information:

TOPICS

Human Dignity and the Mission of Catholic Health Care

The Vocation of the Health Care Professional

Care for the Caregiver

The Catholic Approach to Caring and Accompanying the Dying

Spiritual and Religious Considerations to the Mental Health Crisis: An Integrative Perspective

Medical and Surgical Interventions in Light of the Gift of Fertility

SCHEDULE

7:30 AM

8:00 AM

9:15 AM

9:25 - 10:25 AM

10:25 AM

10:35-11:35 AM

11:35 AM

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

12:45 - 2:20 PM

1:15 -2:15 PM

2:20 PM

2:40 - 3:40 PM

3:40 PM

3:50 - 4:50 PM

4:50 PM

5:00 - 5:45 PM

Speakers

ARLAND K. NICHOLS President, St. John Paul II Foundation

ASHLEY K. FERNANDES, MD, PhDProfessor of Pediatrics and Associate Director, Center for Bioethics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine

KRISTIN M. COLLIER, MD, FACPAssociate Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health, Spirituality and Religion

ANTHONY ISACCO, PhDProfessor, Director of Training for PsyD Program, Chatham University

MOST REV. GEORGE J. LUCASArchbishop of Omaha

DCN. STEPHEN DORAN, MD MA Clinical Faculty, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Neurosurgery, CEO/CMO Midwest Surgical Hospital

THOMAS L. LENZ, PharmD, FACLM Creighton University, School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine

KRISTINA PAKIZ, MD, dipABOG CEO of Vivify Women’s Health & Fertility, LLC

SPONSORS

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Venue

Creighton University

CONTACT US

PHONE

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

MAILING ADDRESS