Dr. Jerry Gentile EdD, MEd, MS, MSHA, MPH, MBA, BSRT, BSHA, RRT, is a Consultant for Cardiopulmonary Services with over 35 years of experience in respiratory care. A Registered Respiratory Therapist with advanced degrees in education, health, and business, he provides clinical and administrative guidance to long-term care facilities, ensuring the quality and safety of cardiopulmonary services.

As a partner of Respiratory Care Group, LLC, he leads a team of Respiratory Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Registered Nurses specializing in education, research, consulting, equipment reviews, and staffing solutions for the respiratory care community. Respiratory Care Group develops and implements ventilator and tracheostomy units in post-acute settings and manages ventilator and tracheostomy patients at home.

Beyond his leadership, Dr. Gentile is a prolific researcher, educator, and inventor, contributing to multiple randomized controlled studies, published papers, patents, and intellectual property. Passionate about advancing respiratory care, he is committed to improving cardiopulmonary patient outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based practice.

Financial: Managing Partner of Respiratory Care Group. Will receive a speaking fee from Tracheostomy Education.

Non-financial: No known non-financial disclosures.

Nicole DePalma, MS CCC-SLP is the founder of NDoscopy Dysphagia Specialists, a mobile FEES (flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) company servicing New York and New Jersey.  Her areas of expertise include dysphagia management and critically complex patients including tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation in a variety of settings including acute care, long term acute, subacute, and skilled nursing.  She is also a Clinical Consultant for Passy-Muir, Inc. She is managing partner for JNS Staffing, providing staffing solutions for medical facilities throughout NY and NJ.

Financial Disclosures:  Nicole DePalma was paid by Tracheostomy Education for a speaker fee.  Owner of NDoscopy Dysphagia Specialists. Passy-Muir Consultant.

Non-financial disclosures: No known non-financial disclosures

Stanley John is AVP, for Allied Health Services & System Director Respiratory Care, NSUH/Critical Care Service Line – Northwell Health Experienced Healthcare Administrator and Public Speaker with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Emergency/Critical Care Medicine, Physician Relations, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Healthcare Management, Reimbursement and Regulatory Licensure Laws. Strong education professional with a MBA in Finance and a MHA focused in Health Care Management and Law. Graduate of Northwell Health’s elite high-potential program and Northwell-Cornell University’s executive leadership development program. Stanley is also a partner at Respiratory Care Group.

Financial Disclosures: Receives a salary from Northwell. Will receive a stipend from Tracheostomy Education.

Nonfinancial Disclosures: No known non-financial disclosures

Gene Gant, RRT FAARC is president of EVENTA ®, focused on developing outcomes based solutions for complex respiratory cases. EVENTA works with payers, state governments and manufacturers to seek best practice methodologies and incentive based payment systems. Gene has practiced respiratory care exclusively in the post-acute care arena since 1984. Along with brother, Scott, he has cofounded two successful companies which were acquired by international health care firms. In 2004 he was recognized as the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Long Term Care Practitioner of the year. From 2008 to 2011, and again from 2014 to 2018, Gene was selected by his peers to chair the AARC Long Term Care specialty section. From 2009 to 2014, he was appointed by the Governor to the Tennessee Board for Respiratory Care, which he chaired from 2013 to 2014. In 2014, he served on the Industry Advisory Council of the National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care (NAMDRC). He was inducted as a fellow in the AARC in 2016.

Financial disclosures: Founder of Eventa LLC. Will receive a speaking fee from Tracheostomy Education.

Nonfinancial disclosures: No known nonfinancial disclosures.

Dr Eugene Shostak is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and an Assistant Attending Physician in Cardiothoracic Surgery who specializes in Interventional Pulmonology. After finishing State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn NY, and completing his General Internal Medicine residency training at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington MA, Dr Shostak returned to NYC to complete his general pulmonary and critical care fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center. Following his fellowship training, Dr Shostak pursued a one year advanced fellowship training in Interventional Pulmonology at the combined Harvard Interventional Pulmonology program in Boston MA. Upon his return to NYC, Dr Shostak joined staff as an Interventional Pulmonologist at the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at Weill Cornell Medical Center. His interests include advanced bronchoscopy for diagnosis of lung nodules utilizing a GPS-like guidance system termed electromagnetic navigation, evaluation of thoracic lymph nodes with assistance of endobronchial ultrasound, and endoscopic treatment of early lung cancer. Dr Shostak is one of few pulmonologists nationwide who is formally trained in rigid bronchoscopy and treats complex airway disorders such as tracheal stenosis, tracheobronchomalacia, and airway obstruction. Dr Shostak also offers a variety of treatment options for patients with pleural disorders such as ultrasound-guided thoracentesis with pleural manometry, placement of percutaneous chest tubes and tunneled pleural catheters, and medical thoracoscopy (pleuroscopy). Dr Shostak is involved in lung cancer screening program offered at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He also attends in the Intensive Care Unit and is trained in critical care ultrasonography.