Patients Are Why We Do What We Do!

Join us in Tucson for a Special AZ Tech Week Event!

Voice of the Patient

Thursday, April 9, 2026

1 PM – 4 PM

The University of Arizona

Health Sciences Innovation Forum

1670 E. Drachman St. , Tucson, AZ 85721

REGISTER ON THE AZ TECH WEEK WEBSITE

By attending the this, you agree to grant the Arizona Bioindustry Association, the University of Arizona, event sponsors and partners (together “the Event Team”) with permission to use your likeness in a photograph, video, or other digital media (“photo”) in any and all of its publications, including web-based publications, without payment or other consideration. You further agree that all photos will become the property of the Event Team.

Learn about BEHIND BIO5
Image: Behind BIO5 2025 – Credit Lily Howe

Voice of the Patient Agenda

1:00 PM Check-in, Networking, Refreshments

1:30 PM Program Begins

Welcome –

Patient Voices

4:00 PM Program concludes

4:30 PM – Join us Next Door for Behind BIO5!

SPEAKERS

(More Speakers Coming Soon!)

Francisco Arabia, MD, MBA, Professor of Surgery and Medicine; Physician Executive, Center for Advanced Heart Failure

Dr. Arabia received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a degree in bioengineering from Tulane University, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Arizona. He was a Clinical Associate at NHLBI in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Arabia’s disciplinary focus is Cardiac Surgery, Heart Failure and Heart/Lung Transplantation. His area of expertise includes Heart Transplantation, Artificial Heart, and Mechanical Circulatory Support. Dr. Arabia established the Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) Programs at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. He served as Director for Advanced MCS Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA., and currently serves as Physician Executive for Advanced Heart Programs at Banner–University Medical Center in Phoenix. Dr. Arabia has one of the largest implantation experiences in the world with Total Artificial Heart. He has been a consultant and visiting professor at many academic medical centers in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has over 100 publications on the topic of mechanical circulatory support.

Joan Koerber-Walker, President & CEO, AZBio

Joan Koerber-Walker, is a wife, mother, grandmother, and patient advocate. She also serves as president and CEO of AZBio and as chairman of the board of the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation. These two organizations have come together to create AZAdvances. Its mission is to support the creation and of Arizona-based health innovations. The team is working to create a sustainable solution to address the need for early-stage life science funding for researchers and companies in Arizona and developing the programs they need to succeed. The goal is to help develop and deliver the treatments and cures that patients are waiting for.

Meredith Mitstifer, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist; Ovarian Cancer Survivor and Advocate

Dr. Meredith Mitstifer is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Meredith was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 30, when she was four months pregnant. This year, she celebrates 23 years of survivorship with her son. Meredith has served as NOCC’s Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2018 and is currently Director Emeritus. She has presented and published research on perceived partner adaptation during a cancer diagnosis. She is a public speaker on vicarious trauma, transformational leadership, and ovarian cancer thrivorship. Meredith enjoys writing for BRIGHTER Magazine and participating in endurance events for NOCC TEAM TEAL via hiking and cycling. In 2023, Meredith and her son summited Mount Kilimanjaro together to take ovarian cancer awareness to new heights.

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nguyen

Jackie Nguyen was diagnosed with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) at the age of 17 during her first year in college at the UofA. This took place during the winter break of her freshman year of college and led her to take off the following spring semester as she began chemotherapy. Treatment lasted for 6 months, with constant blood draws and mental preparation with chemotherapy lasting for 5 days, 24 hours infusion. The hope that kept Jackie going was Make-A-Wish and continuing her journey with college, in hopes of becoming a doctor one day. “All those times thinking I was gonna do something” turned into “I’m healthy now, let’s go do it.” The mindset of a cancer patient changes; as I, (Jackie) had to get used to the social norms now coming back as a patient that experienced cancer to transition back into school, learning to acclimate to the environment and people around me again. Jackie now volunteers with Make-A-Wish Arizona in hopes to bring that light and hope as well as advocacy for kids that are going through a similar journey like her. “Being on the patient’s side has transformed me into a person that understands what is going through a patient’s mind and I hope to apply my experiences to my pursuit of medical school.” – Jackie Nguyen

Amanda Vaji, Manager, Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, Banner University Medical Center Phoenix

Amanda Vaji is an Arizona native, born in the Phoenix area. She obtained her nursing degree from Valparaiso University in Indiana, where she started her career in the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit (PCU). She later moved to Los Angeles to work at Cedars Sinai in the PCU and then Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) taking care of durable Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) patients at the bedside, including Total Artificial Hearts. In 2018, she moved back to Phoenix and started working for Banner University Medical Center Phoenix (BUMCP) as a Mechanical Circulatory Support Coordinator taking care of inpatient and outpatient MCS patients.. She has worked her way up and is now the Manager of the MCS Program at BUMCP. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Zack, two children, Emma (3 yrs), and Kole (6 months), and her two dogs.