Thursday Plenary Session
10:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Sondra Zabar, MD
Dr. Sondra Zabar is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and an Attending Physician at Gouverneur Healthcare Services. A graduate of Brown University and NYU School of Medicine, she completed the NYU Primary Care Residency Program, later serving as Chief Resident and then co-directing the program for two decades.
Dr. Zabar is a nationally recognized leader in medical education innovation. She directs the NYSIM/NYUGSOM Standardized Patient Program and is the founding director of the Program for Medical Education Innovations and Research (PrMEIR), which she established to advance evidence-based medical education and support scholarship that links training to improved patient outcomes. Her work has been supported by AHRQ, HRSA, and the Macy Foundation, and has shaped the use of performance-based assessments, large-scale simulation, and readiness evaluations across undergraduate and graduate medical education.
She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and co-edited a widely used text on standardized patient examinations. A longtime SGIM member since her Chief Resident year, Dr. Zabar has contributed extensively to annual meetings and supported NYUGSOM faculty participation, while also serving on the SGIM Medical Education Committee and ACLGIM.
Friday Plenary Session
10:45 AM – 12:45 PM
“Health in a Warming World: Quality Care for a Healthier Future”
John Balbus, MD, MPH
Dr. John Balbus is the Principal of Climate Care Consulting, LLC and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Change and Health Equity at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A physician trained in Internal Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine, he has dedicated his career to addressing the health impacts of climate change and environmental exposures.
Before leading the creation of the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, Dr. Balbus spent twelve years as Senior Advisor for Public Health at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. His prior roles include Chief Health Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund and Associate Professor and founding Acting Chair of Environmental and Occupational Health at the George Washington University School of Public Health.
Dr. Balbus received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021.
Saturday Plenary Session
10:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS
Dr. Kevin B. Johnson is the David L. Cohen University Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Computer and Information Science, Pediatrics, and Science Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his MD from Johns Hopkins and his MS in Medical Informatics from Stanford University.
An internationally recognized expert in clinical information technology, Dr. Johnson’s research focuses on the design, evaluation, and implementation of clinical information systems that enhance patient safety and improve adherence to evidence-based practice. He is widely known for his contributions to e-prescribing, electronic documentation, and health information exchange. His work also spans science communication, including producing a feature-length documentary aimed at explaining digital health to the public.
Dr. Johnson has authored more than 200 publications and has been recognized with numerous honors. He was elected to the American College of Medical Informatics (2004), the Academic Pediatric Society (2010), the National Academy of Medicine (2010), the International Association for Health Science Informatics (2021), and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (2022).
