Hirsch is the Chairman and CEO of The CACTIS Foundation (www.cactis.org), Founder and Managing Member of Conquering Concussions, LLC and President of Ionia Consulting, providing technical, marketing and strategic planning advice to entities interested in the health care sector. His career includes 25 years in clinical practice at Children’s Hospital of San Francisco and California Pacific Medical Center and research in medical imaging. He has founded five (5) companies in advanced medical imaging and informatics, and the pursuit of the digital transformation of practices in oncology, orthopaedics, sports medicine and radiology.A diplomat of the American Boards of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirsch also served as the first Director of Medical Services for the Oakland Athletics Baseball Company and led the CACTIS team providing Vision Services at the Banner Concussion Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He served as co-chairman of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) subcommittee for six NCAA Fiesta, Insight/Buffalo Wild Wings and BCS Bowl Games in Phoenix, Arizona, and served on the Scientific Advisory and Statewide Planning Committees for the Arizona Cancer Center of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, as well as the Cancer Healthcare Disparities Institute (CHDI). Hirsch is a Research Professor of Radiology at the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine-Phoenix, has authored or coauthored over 70 publications and 2 textbooks dealing with diagnostic imaging and informatics. He has directed the expedited review process and subsequent FDA approval for two novel diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals after serving as Principal Investigator for the multicenter trials for these agents. Hirsch is leading

A diplomat of the American Boards of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirsch also served as the first Director of Medical Services for the Oakland Athletics Baseball Company and led the CACTIS team providing Vision Services at the Banner Concussion Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He served as co-chairman of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) subcommittee for six NCAA Fiesta, Insight/Buffalo Wild Wings and BCS Bowl Games in Phoenix, Arizona, and served on the Scientific Advisory and Statewide Planning Committees for the Arizona Cancer Center of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, as well as the Cancer Healthcare Disparities Institute (CHDI). Hirsch is a Research Professor of Radiology at the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine-Phoenix, has authored or coauthored over 70 publications and 2 textbooks dealing with diagnostic imaging and informatics. He has directed the expedited review process and subsequent FDA approval for two novel diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals after serving as Principal Investigator for the multicenter trials for these agents. Hirsch is leading CACTIS’ efforts directed at addressing the issue of concussions in student athletes and ending the cycle of Traumatic Brain Injury in victims of intimate partner violence.

Hirsch earned his B.S. at The University of Arizona and his M.D. at the University of Southern California. His internship and residency were completed at Northwestern University Affiliated Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois. Following his tour of duty in Chu Lai, Viet Nam (Bronze Star Medal), he served as Assistant Director of Nuclear Medicine at Letterman Army Medical Center, Presidio of San Francisco, followed by a Post-Doctoral Fellowship as an NIH Trainee in Medical Physics at The Donner Laboratory of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley.

Nick Lowery transcends any simple category. Hall of Fame athlete, Ivy League scholar, Presidential aide, Author, Poet, Teacher, Philanthropist, he has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, World News Tonight, Nightline with Ted Koppel, HBO, David Letterman twice, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post and the New York Times. Nick is the only American to work for both President George HW Bush and President Bill Clinton in the White House Office of National Service and became the first pro athlete with a Masters and Fellowship from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Nick was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2009. Nick was the most accurate and prolific field goal kicker in NFL History when he left the National Football League, all after being cut 11 times by 8 NFL teams. Nick founded Champions for the Homeless 10 years ago, supporting St. Vincent De Paul’s with 30 special celebrity encouragement events. His Champions against Bullying is about building Cultures of Empathy, helping close to 100 schools across the country combat bullying. His Foundation’s Stronger Safer Sports hosted the Concussions: 2016 luncheon Town Hall and this year’s Concussions 2017 “Future of Football” luncheon, supporting quality programs across the country to greatly reduce concussions and head injuries!

Nick was NFL Man of the Year for both the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. He is the winner of the NFL Player’s foremost humanitarian award, the Justice Byron Whizzer White award, the US Jaycees’ “Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award” (also won by Elvis and JFK), and the National Community Service Award from United Cerebral Palsy for his work with at-risk and disabled youth. Nick is hosting the Arizona Summit on Learning Disabilities March 4th, 2017.

Dr. Manuel Valenzuela is currently the Superintendent of the 6,300 student Sahuarita Unified School District, a rapidly growing K-12 school organization just south of Tucson, AZ. His responsibilities include serving as the Chief Executive Officer in the organization. Dr. Valenzuela became the new superintendent on July 1, 2010, after having served for five years as the Assistant Superintendent. During his time as Assistant Superintendent responsible for curriculum, instruction, and standards, all schools achieved federal and state accountability measures. In Dr. Valenzuela’s tenure as superintendent, the District has achieved multiple systematic indicators of progress and growth as a quality public school organization. In 2014, the District’s Governing Board approved the SUSD 2020 Directions Plan, providing clarity and focus

In 2014, the District’s Governing Board approved the SUSD 2020 Directions Plan, providing clarity and focus to planning and action steps. Sahuarita faculty members have been highly recognized through the State Teacher of the Year Program (7), Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award (3), and Circle K High School Faculty Award Finalist (1). Dr. Valenzuela, in cooperation with community leaders, founded the Sahuarita WINS! strategic partnership, which provides systemic collective planning, in support of congruent directions in regards to education, workforce investment, economic development and overall quality of life in the community. Through Dr. Valenzuela’s leadership with this partnership, Sahuarita USD became Arizona’s first National Math and Science Institute (NMSI) school district, resulting in a doubling of the district’s enrollment and success in college-level Advanced Placement (AP) programs. In 2015, the Sahuarita WINS! partnership was recognized with the prestigious Common Ground Award by the Metropolitan Pima Alliance. The fourth Sahuarita school (Sahuarita HS) was recognized with the respected Arizona A+ School of Excellence Award in 2015. Sahuarita students continue to increase their rates of admission to over forty (40) institutions of higher education, including some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country. In 2016, the District’s approximately 400 graduating high school seniors collected over $6,000,000 in scholarships, a number that has increased each year since 2012.

Dr. Valenzuela attended the Flowing Wells Public Schools from K-12, graduating as class valedictorian in 1984. He has been inducted into the Flowing Wells Alumni Hall of Fame and the Athletic Hall of Fame. Dr. Valenzuela is the son of Mr. Manuel Sr. and Mrs. Amelia Valenzuela. Both of his parents were immigrants from Mexico who always valued education and encouraged their children to get a good education and strive to be the best that they could be. Dr. Valenzuela began his educational career as an English language learner in kindergarten and graduated from Flowing Wells High School thirteen years later as the class valedictorian. Dr. Valenzuela served as a middle school science teacher, coach, elementary level assistant principal, middle school assistant principal, and elementary principal for sixteen (16) years, prior to joining the Sahuarita Unified School District. In 2002, Dr. Valenzuela completed the Doctor of Education Degree (Ed.D.) at the University of Arizona. His dissertation was titled, “A comparative investigation of leadership style in Southern Arizona elementary school principals based upon socioeconomic context in the school community.”

Previously, Dr. Valenzuela earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the Northern Arizona University (1993) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in chemistry from the University of Arizona (1988). In 1998, Dr. Valenzuela was the first educator in Arizona to be notified of being selected to receive the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. At this time, he was Principal of Walter Douglas Elementary School in Tucson’s Flowing Wells Unified School District.

Dr. Valenzuela as among the first twenty-seven (27) superintendents in the country to graduate from the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program (2015). This same year, Dr. Valenzuela was honored as ASA All – Arizona Superintendent of the Year for Large Districts. Furthermore, he received national honors from the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), with their Excellence in Educational Leadership Award (2014).

Dr. Valenzuela was appointed by Gov. Janice Brewer to the Governor’s Commission for Postsecondary Education, and is currently serving in his second term. Dr. Valenzuela serves on the Board of Trustees of Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital. Furthermore, he is the Chairman of the Pima County Superintendents’ Group and the Pima County Board / Superintendent Collaborative. Dr. Valenzuela is an adjunct professor in the Educational Leadership Department at the College of Education, University of Arizona. He also serves on the Professional Preparation Board (PPB) at UA, and its corresponding Executive Committee.

Dr. Valenzuela is a native Tucsonan and lives there with his wife, Sandra, and two daughters, Brianne and Kristen.

Sarah A. Dachtyl, Ph.D., CCC/SLP has been a practicing speech/language pathologist for 14 years. Her background is in adult neurogenic communication disorders, particularly those secondary to stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. She first worked in medical settings, including acute care and rehabilitation. Currently, Dr. Dachtyl works with students in the upper-grade levels in the Sahuarita Unified School District, is the Recording Secretary for the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and is a visiting summer faculty member at Northern Arizona University.