Biography

Media Panel Members:

 Jason Roberson - Healthcare business reporter - Dallas Morning News

Since joining the newspaper two years ago, Jason has won first place journalism awards from the Dallas Bar Association for his coverage of tort reform’s impact on healthcare costs and from the Texas Medical Association for his coverage of the state’s uninsured problem.

In September, Jason and co-workers completed a comprehensive series of articles addressing the high cost of healthcare in North Texas. One of the articles Jason wrote in the series caught national attention when Congress contacted a family he interviewed to testify about the complications of being under-insured.

During Jason’s 12-year journalism career, he has written about labor relations and the automotive industry for the Detroit Free Press; covered retail and manufacturing in Ohio at the Dayton Daily News; and written short business features for a host of weekly publications and magazines nationwide.

 

 Dianna Hunt - Health business reporter/editor – Fort Worth Star Telegram

Dianna covers the business of healthcare and healthcare reform for the Star-Telegram, in addition to serving as a part-time business editor. She has also worked as an assistant business editor, assistant government editor and investigative reporter at the Star-Telegram. 

Dianna has worked at The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, covering a variety of government beats and issues. She also spent seven years on the investigative team at the Houston Chronicle. She has won numerous state, national and local awards for feature writing, investigative reporting, short features and spot news.

Dianna is a former board member and officer of the Investigative Reporters & Editors organization and is a member of the Native American Journalists Association.

 

 

 Kevin Bumgarner, Editor - Dallas Business Journal

Kevin has been with American City Business Journals, the premier provider of local business news and content, for 20 years.

As editor of the Dallas Business Journal, he lead a team of talented journalists in creating a platform of products so compelling that paid circulation and online traffic continues to grow. They have achieved such success by assuring business decision-makers that they can rely on the Dallas Business Journal’s exclusive content and breaking news to grow their companies. The Dallas Business Journal also creates ways for business leaders in North Texas to connect through a series of highly anticipated recognition programs.

Kevin’s passion is creating great news content. As the business editor for The Huntsville Times in Huntsville, Ala., he led the creation of the Sunday business and weekly personal finance sections. In Greensboro, N.C., he was the founding editor of the business journal serving that market.

And, in Dallas, the Dallas Business Journal has added recognition programs for women and minority business leaders and research products that take in-depth looks at director compensation and the Top 200 Private Cos. since his arrival in 2007. They have also added an expansive array of online products, including the DBJ's first-ever video news reports.

 

 

 

 Elizabeth (Liz) Bassett - Healthcare, science and technology reporter - Fort Worth Business Press

Elizabeth currently covers healthcare, science and technology stories across Tarrant County for the Fort Worth Business Press. She’s also worked and written for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Weekly, the Boston Globe and Nature magazine.

Elizabeth’s undergraduate degree is from Texas Christian University, where she studied journalism and biology, and her master’s is in science and medical journalism from Boston University. 

 

 

 

 

Moderator:

 

Moderator: James F. O’Gara – President and Founder, OnMessage

James O’Gara is the president and founder of OnMessage, an integrated advertising agency based in Dallas, Texas. With 23 years of B2B and B2C marketing experience in brand management, product marketing and global marketing communications, Jim has a wealth of knowledge in both traditional and interactive marketing. At OnMessage, Jim and his team work with clients to answer the most difficult question in marketing and that is “What’s your story?” With his vast expertise and growing success in the healthcare sector, Jim also serves as the Director of the Dallas/Fort Worth American Marketing Association (AMA) Healthcare Special Interest Group. Jim invests a significant amount of time working with charities and not-for-profit organizations including The American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Honor Flight and The Dallas-Fort Worth Business Marketing Association.