The Future of AI in Healthcare

AI is revolutionizing healthcare, but its impact on health equity remains uncertain. While it has the potential to improve access and affordability, poorly managed AI systems can reinforce biases and exacerbate disparities. The shifting regulatory landscape adds further complexity, raising concerns about accountability and oversight. This panel will explore both the promise and challenges of AI in healthcare, discussing how innovation can be harnessed responsibly to benefit Asian American communities.

Albert Shen

Senior Federal Client Partner

Verizon

APIAHF Board Member

MODERATOR

Albert Shen has built a distinguished career spanning government, entrepreneurship, politics and corporate strategy. 

He currently is with Verizon at the Verizon Business Group Public Sector as a Senior Client Partner where he is a leader in federal, state, and local business development. He also focuses on federal public sector business development/business strategy, particularly in digital transformation utilizing 5G and advanced communication tools. With his expertise, Shen has successfully captured public sector federal funding for various projects. His network encompasses U.S. Congressional members and senior executives in the White House and many key federal Agencies.

 In 2014, President Obama appointed him as the Deputy National Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency where he was responsible for overseeing

a 70-person agency and a $32M budget to formulate policies and investment models that promoted the diversity and inclusion of businesses owned by minority and immigrant entrepreneurs. 

Before this government appointment and role at Verizon, Shen dedicated 15 years as CEO of SCI GovServices, Inc., a transportation, and civil engineering consulting firm in the Pacific Northwest where he was the lead program manager for several large projects at the Sea-Tac International Airport Capital Development Program. SCI is now a boutique strategic consulting firm that specializes in diversity and inclusion of minority owned business policy to non-profits advocacy organizations and public sector agencies. 

In 2012, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognized his contributions with the Region 10 Minority Champion of the Year Award. Outside his professional roles, Shen has shown commitment to his community by volunteering on numerous local and national non-profit boards. Civically he was previously appointed by the Washington State governor to serve as the Board

Chair for the Seattle Community College Board of Trustees and Vice Chair for the Washington State Commission on Asian and Pacific American Affairs. He previously was a candidate for Seattle City Council and is the current National Chair for the Asian American Action Fund, a Washington DC based political action committee.

Albert Shen holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and environmental science from the University of Washington.

Koustubh “KJ” Bagchi

Vice President, U.S. Policy & Government Relations

Chamber of Progress

Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi serves as Vice President, U.S. Policy & Government Relations at the Chamber of Progress where he leads the organization’s U.S.-based advocacy in policy areas that include AI, privacy, fintech, online marketplaces, and autonomous vehicles. He returned to the Chamber of Progress after launching The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology, a first of its kind education, advocacy, and research hub dedicated to the intersection of civil rights and technology policy.  He is a veteran of Capitol Hill and public interest organizations such as New America’s Open Technology Institute, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. 

Bagchi has close to two decades of experience in public policy and legislative strategy at the local, state, and federal levels. In addition to advising members of the Washington State Senate, Bagchi worked as legislative counsel for a D.C. city council member and former Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), a member of Congress who served on the influential House Appropriations Committee.

Bagchi graduated from the University of California Davis and received his law degree from Seattle University School of Law. He resides in Northern Virginia with his family.

Purva Rawal, PhD

Purva Rawal, PhD, is a nationally recognized leader in value-based care with experience spanning the academic, government and private sectors. Most recently, she was the Chief Strategy Officer at the CMS Innovation Center. She helped conceptualize a strategy that was grounded in accountability and whole, person-centered care, and oversaw its implementation across the Center. Prior to that, Dr. Rawal spent a decade in policy research and business strategy consulting on value-based payment and health system transformation. She was also an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University teaching classes on the Politics of Health Care and mentoring students. In 2016, she published The Affordable Care Act: Examining the Facts and has written for internationally recognized publications including the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Health Affairs. From 2005-2010, Dr. Rawal served as professional staff on the Senate Budget Committee during the Affordable Care Act and as an advisor to Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). She started her career in DC as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering. Dr. Rawal received her B.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Jude Soundar

President and Managing Director

Mosaic Federal, LLC

Jude Soundar is President and Managing Director of Mosaic Federal, LLC, where he leads government affairs and consulting services for companies engaging with federal health agencies and the Social Security Administration.

He has held senior government relations and leadership roles across both public and private sectors. Most recently, Jude served as Microsoft’s U.S. Government Affairs Federal Health Director, leading Congressional and Executive Branch outreach on health technology and health AI policy issues. Prior to that, he was Executive Director for Health Information Technology at the Social Security Administration, and also served as Associate Deputy General Counsel and ethics counselor in the Army Office of the General Counsel, focusing on financial compliance and ethics.

Jude’s portfolio further extends to the White House, where he worked as a policy advisor on the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders focusing on Veterans, defense, and small business issues. 

Complementing his civilian leadership, Jude served as an officer and administrative law attorney in the Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. His military service has included regular travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to teach ethics and advise on conflict mineral issues.

Earlier in his career, Jude built a foundation in banking compliance as Senior Compliance Officer at JPMorgan Chase, concentrating on technology and internet issues. He also advises early-stage technology companies.

Jude began his professional journey working as a database administrator at ABN-AMRO and Grant Thornton, focusing on Sybase, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server, a background that sparked his enduring interest in blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data.

Jude holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Illinois, a J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, and a Global Executive M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Jude is a Truman National Security Project Fellow and previously served on the Board of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, which led the effort to secure Congressional Gold Medal recognition for Filipino World War II veterans in 2016.

Elaine Willis

Retail Pharmacy Account Manager

Pfizer

Elaine has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having been with Pfizer for 31 years, she has held multiple positions within the organization across the US.  She is currently part of the Vaccines Division, serving as a Retail Pharmacy Account Manager.  One of her key responsibilities in this role is working in the independent pharmacy space with retail leaders/partners to identify shared objectives and aligning resources to support the successful implementation of projects. Additionally, a primary focus is to ensure access to the Pfizer retail pharmacy portfolio.

Elaine is especially proud of her involvement with Pfizer’s Multi-Cultural Health Equity Collective and active engagement in the community volunteering her time - reflecting her passion for advancing equity and positively impacting public health. She is grounded in always being a passionate advocate when it comes to helping patients, the underserved, and making a positive difference in the community. 

She is deeply interested in how AI, when used responsibly, can transform healthcare and its potential to improve future outcomes. 

Graduating from Tougaloo College in MS, Magna cum Laude, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, earning an MBA in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University in GA, Elaine is a native of rural Mississippi.

She says that throughout her career, the journey has been shaped by leaders & mentors who poured into her development and she tries to honor their investment by striving to lift others.