2026 WSSHE Fall Conference Speakers

Recovering from Deferred Maintenance

Speaker Bio

Jonathan Lewis is the Director of Support Services at Klickitat Valley Health (KVH), where he oversees facility operations, safety, and strategic capital planning for the critical access hospital district. With a career rooted in bleeding edge energy project development, Jonathan specializes in navigating the severe capital constraints and unique operational hurdles inherent to rural healthcare systems. His forward-thinking leadership has transformed how small facilities view infrastructure - reframe aging utilities into vital, resilient patient-support assets. He was the WSSHE President in 2021 and is a published author on rural healthcare innovation in Health Facilities Management (HFM) Magazine and a passionate advocate for rural healthcare equity.

Session Abstract

Every healthcare facility manager inherits or accumulates a backlog of deferred maintenance, but letting aging infrastructure dictate your capital budget is a recipe for operational crisis. This session provides a practical roadmap for breaking the cycle of reactive, run-to-failure maintenance and transitioning to a proactive, risk-mitigated facility strategy. Drawing on real-world lessons from a complex critical access hospital overhaul, we will explore how to accurately audit a legacy facility, prioritize compliance and safety-critical upgrades, and effectively communicate infrastructure risks to executive leadership. Attendees will learn how to turn overwhelming maintenance backlogs into structured, multi-phased capital projects that align with organizational goals.

Learning Objectives

• A framework to score and prioritize deferred maintenance projects based on risk, compliance, and clinical impact.
• Communication tools to translate mechanical failures into the financial language of risk mitigation for hospital leadership.

NFPA 101: Code Compliance Through the Life Cycle of a Healthcare Building

Speaker Bio

Elizabeth (Ellie) Graves is a Team Leader and Fire Protection Engineer at Jensen Hughes with over 10 years of experience in the fire protection industry. She specializes in life safety, building and fire code consulting, fire alarm and fire sprinkler system design, and firestopping applications.

Ellie holds a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in Washington State and an active member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).

Throughout her career, Ellie has applied her expertise across diverse project types, focusing on healthcare facilities, while also staying involved with government facilities, mixed-use developments, commercial and residential buildings, K-12 and higher education institutions, correctional facilities, and transportation occupancies. Based in the Pacific Northwest, she leads the regional Fire Building Safety group for Jensen Hughes and works closely with technical staff to facilitate collaboration, mentor early-career professionals, and ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.

Session Abstract

This course discusses code application through the life cycle of healthcare facilities, from project design through occupancy, from facility maintenance through renovation for continued service. Code applications discussed focus on both NFPA 101 and International Code Council (IBC/IFC) compliance over the facility life cycle, and NFPA 241 to address construction activities during hospital operations. Life safety code references are to the 2012 Edition of NFPA 101 (based on current adoption by CMS), unless otherwise noted.

Learning Objectives

• Identify healthcare project stakeholders, applicable codes, and major building and life safety requirements for healthcare facilities.
• Recognize significant design elements related to fire / life safety.

  Navigate and document code application and compliance of healthcare facilities during their full lifecycle.

• Understand how to address compliance during construction activities in an operating healthcare environment.

Infrastructure Financing Considerations: Energy as a Service (EaaS)

Speaker Bio

Ben is the former "actor" who portrayed Doc Brown in the 2024 version of Back to the Future released exclusively in Chelan, Washington. A two-time past-president for WSSHE, Ben has dedicated his 29-year career to healthcare operations including time with PeaceHealth, Samaritan (Moses Lake), Deaconess Hospital (Spokane), and Providence. When he's not stealing plutonium, he leads real estate strategy and operations efforts for Providence's Central Division.

Session Abstract

This portion of the presentation will provide an overview of EaaS, its opportunities, and pitfalls. Executive leaders are hearing this phrase in their circles as a means and method for financing the infrastructure needs while keeping it off the balance sheet. We'll review the structure of the deal, key concepts, the process to implement, and critical items to consider with your internal finance team.

Learning Objectives

• EaaS definition, the EaaS process, and current industry adoption.
• EaaS opportunities & challenges related to financial implications and infrastructure replacement.
• Key metrics to consider for a successful program.

Breaking the Binder Habit: How to Simplify Documentation & Impress Surveyors

Speaker Bios

Jim Inzeo: Jim Inzeo, CHFM, CHOP-B, HACP-PE, CDT, serves as Vice President & General Manager of the Facilities Information Services Division at Lellyett & Rogers Co., a Nashville-based company founded in 1933. Since joining L&R in 2009, Jim has dedicated his career to improving the healthcare built environment and supporting the people who depend on it every day.

With a unique background spanning both construction and regulatory compliance, Jim brings a practical and strategic perspective to healthcare facilities management. His passion lies in helping organizations manage complex technical and compliance information and transforming it into accessible, actionable knowledge within seconds.

Jim leads a highly skilled, service-driven team, many of whom are Certified Construction Document Technologists. Together, they support more than 700 healthcare facilities by managing critical physical environment, technical, and compliance information that helps keep patients, staff, and caregivers safe.

Outside of work, Jim enjoys spending time on the water fishing whenever possible. He resides in Mount Juliet, TN with his wife, Kelly.

Janie Resop: Janie Resop is the Facility Manager of St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, WA - part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and CommonSpirit. Janie has been in the Facilities Department for 10 years, Manager for 5 years. Regulatory Compliance is her favorite Facilities subject and one that she has curated to suit the ever changing needs of the Healthcare industry.

Session Abstract

Maintaining documentation for inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) activities in the physical environment can feel overwhelming—especially with requirements ranging from daily to multi-year intervals. Traditional paper binders have long been the norm, but they're no longer the most efficient or effective method. In this session, discover how Monroe Surgical Hospital successfully transitioned from paper to electronic documentation, closing compliance gaps, easing administrative burdens, and improving efficiency. You’ll also learn how digitized documentation helped streamline approval processes for plant repairs and upgrades. Join us for practical insights and a real-world case study that demonstrates how going digital can transform your facility’s documentation strategy and elevate its compliance posture.

Learning Objectives

• Compare the benefits and drawbacks of paper versus electronic documentation.
• Understand key steps to prepare your organization for a digital transition.
• Use documentation to raise administrative awareness of modern facilities management needs.