Lori Pickens, is the Associate Vice President, Oncology Services for Duke University Health System, as well as Administrator and Associate Dean, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine.Previously she served as Assistant Vice President, Clinical Programs, Duke Cancer Institute. Pickens joined Duke in 2007, serving as Director of the Duke Raleigh Cancer Center and in 2009 was named Administrative Director for the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.Before coming to Duke, she served as CEO of the American Lung Association of Missouri. Pickens also served as a director for a health plan operated by BJC Health System and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.Prior to her transition into health care, Pickens spent more than 12 years working in corporate America in a variety of management capacities. She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and her MHA from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by an administrative fellowship at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan.

Michael Kastan, MD, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Duke Cancer Institute and William and Jane Shingleton Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology.

As a pediatric oncologist and a cancer biologist, Kastan conducts laboratory research concentrated on DNA damage and repair, tumor suppressor genes, and causes of cancer related to genetic predisposition and environmental exposures. His discoveries have made a major impact on our understanding of both how cancers develop and how they respond to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and his publications reporting the roles of p53 and ATM in DNA damage signaling are among the most highly cited publications in the biomedical literature of the past 25 years. He has received numerous honors for his highly cited work, including election to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, as well as receipt of the AACR-G.H.A. Clowes Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to basic cancer research. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute, on the Boards of Directors of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Association of Cancer Institutes (AACI), as editor-in-chief of the journal Molecular Cancer Research, and as editor of the textbook Clinical Oncology.

Kastan earned his degrees from the Washington University School of Medicine and did his clinical training in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. Before moving to Duke in 2011, Kastan was a Professor of Oncology, Pediatrics and Molecular Biology at Johns Hopkins University and Chair of the Hematology-Oncology department, as well as the Cancer Center Director at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 

Paul Lindia is Vice President for Network Services at Duke University Health System (DUHS) and has been a part of the Duke University Health System for more than 27 years. Lindia oversees Duke University Health System’s clinical affiliations with community hospitals as well as the Duke LifePoint Healthcare relationship.

Prior to assuming his current role in 2001, Lindia served as chief operating officer at Duke Raleigh Hospital. He directed hospital operations and a staff of more than 800 FTEs, with an annual budget in excess of $100 million.

Lindia also served as DUHS Senior Director, Hospitals’ Operations Integration where he led the organization through restructuring initiatives including system-wide alignment of various operational departments. He led efforts to integrate major clinical and departmental systems and programs across the health system using business plans and business case reports to support the integration projects.

Lindia has also served as Assistant Chief Operating Officer for Surgical and Professional Services at Duke University Hospital. He was responsible for leading operational efforts in all areas of surgical and peri-operative services along with traditional hospital non-clinical departments.

Lindia is a graduate of Yale University and received a Master’s of Public Health in healthcare administration. He received his bachelor of science degree in business administration/accounting from Central Connecticut State University.

Shilpa Shelton, MHA, FACHE, is Associate Vice President for Musculoskeletal & Spine Services at Duke University Health System.

Prior to this role, Shelton was the vice president for Duke University Hospital and provided senior administrative oversight for neuroscience and orthopedic clinical services, including procedural and diagnostic services such as neurodiagnostic services, pain services, and physical therapy and occupational therapy services. In addition, she oversees hospital-based outpatient clinics for orthopaedic trauma, spine and pain services.

Prior to being appointed to vice president, Shelton served as senior strategic services associate and led strategic planning efforts for the integration of the newly formed Duke University Health System. In prior roles, she spearheaded operations improvement initiatives and breakthrough clinical quality improvement. In addition, she has successfully led several financial turn-around initiatives, as well as hospital-wide physician satisfaction initiatives.

She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts and her master’s in health care administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Shelton completed her Administrative Fellowship at Mercy Health System in Michigan.

Shelton is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives and served on its National Chapter Leaders Committee. She is Past President of the Triangle Healthcare Executive Forum. Shelton also served as an adjunct faculty member for Pfeiffer University’s MHA/MBA program teaching Healthcare Finance. She is often a speaker at Fuqua School of Business’ Health Sector Management Program, as well as orthopedic conferences across the country.

William J. Fulkerson, Jr., MD, is professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and former Executive Vice President for Duke University Health System (DUHS). As executive vice president, he oversaw over a decade of unprecedented quality, growth and community benefit across the health system clinical enterprise.

Fulkerson is a North Carolina native and received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Fulkerson earned his MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business in 2002. 

Fulkerson has served previously as Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs for DUHS, CEO of Duke University Hospital, and Vice President of the Duke University Health System. He is a nationally recognized specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and has authored/co-authored numerous books, chapters and peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Fulkerson has twice received the Eugene A. Stead Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Duke Department of Medicine. He is past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, North Carolina Hospital Association. In 2021, he was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest honor, which recognizes persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.

Dr. Patrick Tan is Dean and Provost’s Chair in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. He is also Executive Director of PRECISE (Precision Health Research Singapore) coordinating Singapore’s National Precision Medicine program, and Professor (adjunct) at Duke University, USA. He received his B.A. (summa cum laude) from Harvard University and MD PhD degree from Stanford University, where he received the Charles Yanofsky prize.

Karon B. Thornton, JD, serves as the Interim Deputy General Counsel for Health Affairs for Duke University and Duke University Health System. Thornton has been a member of the Duke University Office of General Counsel since 2008. Her legal responsibilities include litigation, risk management, patient care issues, and medical professional liability and general liability matters.

Thornton was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 1990 and began practicing law at a prominent regional law firm in Raleigh where she was a partner from 1998-2008. While in private practice, Thornton represented hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers in civil litigation and administrative disciplinary proceedings in both state and federal court. She also defended product liability and general liability claims and argued cases in the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Originally from Kentucky, Thornton received her undergraduate degree from Centre College in 1987 and her law degree from the University of Kentucky in 1990.