Registering for this program is a two-step process. 

1. Purchase a ticket here on the ACHE-TENC website. 

2. After purchasing your ticket, you will receive a receipt both on screen and via email with a link to an ACHE platform to complete your registration. You MUST navigate to the ACHE platform to complete your registration in order to have access to the login credentials for the program. There is no additional cost associated with this second step.

Registration closes on 10/12/2026 and is capped at 50 participants per ACHE guidelines.

1.5 ACHE Virtual Interactive Credits have been approved for this program. Credits are reported to ACHE by the THEF chapter on your behalf following the program. Attendees MUST participate in the full 1.5 hours of the program to receive Credits. 

The Triangle Healthcare Executives' Forum of North Carolina (THEF) chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) cordially invites you to a virtual education event on 10/14/2026.

What does it take for clinicians and healthcare administrators to lead as true strategic partners? Join a distinguished panel of clinician executives for an engaging discussion on leadership, collaboration, and the evolving role of clinicians in shaping organizational strategy. Gain actionable insights to strengthen partnerships, navigate complex challenges, and advance quality, innovation, and the delivery of high-value care.

 Moderator: 

Allen Stephens, MHS, PA-C

Assistant Vice President for Advanced Practice - Ambulatory

Duke Health

Allen Stephens, MHS, PA-C, is the Assistant Vice President for Advanced Practice – Ambulatory at Duke Health. He has more than 15 years of healthcare experience, including seven years as a paramedic and nine years as a physician assistant, in cardiothoracic critical care and cardiology. In addition to his leadership role at Duke Health, Allen is an active fellow of the NC Academy of Physician Associates and serves as the Physician Assistant Member of the North Carolina Medical Board Review Panel. 

Panelists:

 Julian P. Yang, MD, MBA

Chief Medical Officer

ECU Health

Dr. Julian Yang is an experienced physician executive who has served in academic medical centers and community-based health systems. As a Chief Medical Officer for tertiary-care hospitals, he has led complex clinical service lines for achievement in quality and growth.  Dr. Yang completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Southern California. He subsequently trained in Neurology at the Barrow Neurological Institute and Neurocritical Care at Duke University. He served as clinical faculty at UT Southwestern and then returned to Duke, where he also completed an MBA at the Fuqua School of Business. Before transitioning to administrative roles, Dr. Yang was involved in research for telemedicine safety and efficiency.  In October 2025, Dr. Yang returned to North Carolina as the SVP, Medical Affairs / Chief Medical Officer for ECU Health Medical Center (Greenville, NC).  His wife Deborah and their four children enjoy the outdoors, backyard cookouts, and rooting for Braves baseball!

Charles Harr, MD

Chief Medical Officer

WakeMed, Raleigh Campus

A member of the WakeMed team since 2016, Charles (Chuck) D. Harr, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer for WakeMed Raleigh Campus. Dr. Harr works in triad partnership with Becky Andrews, senior vice president & Administrator, and Waqiah Ellis, vice president, Nursing, to lead the strategic performance, operations and growth of the Raleigh Campus enterprise.

Dr. Harr has more than 25 years of healthcare experience in commercial and military healthcare across various levels of care - including acute, ambulatory, sub-acute, behavioral and long-term - as well as payers. Dr. Harr is a savvy and dedicated healthcare executive committed to optimizing organizational performance, delivering leading-edge care, and generating exceptional, cost-effective results. He is an accomplished Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon with a reputation as a leading physician in the field of minimally invasive robotic techniques. He established an exceptional program ranked #2 in volume in the Mid-Atlantic Region and #18 in the United States. Dr. Harr is an avid proponent of advances in medicine and healthcare. He has led numerous initiatives and innovative solutions that consistently improve quality of care and patient outcomes. As the lead clinical physician and skilled educator, he employed state-of-the-art innovations in healthcare and evidence

Dr. Harr serves as the leader for medical affairs for the enterprise. Dr. Harr is also a practicing surgeon, with more than 30 years of experience performing state-of-the-art cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgical procedures with a special focus on minimally invasive and robotic-assisted thoracic surgical approaches.

Dr. Harr previously worked at Carolinas Medical Center Mercy and Novant Health Presbyterian, holding a number of leadership roles at both organizations. A retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Harr has served on the staffs of the Surgeon General of the Navy and Commandant of the Marine Corps as The Medical Officer of the Marine Corps

Dr. Harr earned an MBA from Wake Forest University School of Business and a Doctor of Medicine from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He holds certification with the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Terry McDonnell, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC

Senior Vice President & Chief Nurse Executive, Duke University Health System; Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, Duke University School of Nursing

Duke University Health System & Duke University School of Nursing

Theresa (Terry) McDonnell, DNP, ACNP-BC is Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President at Duke University Health System and Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at Duke University School of Nursing. With 25+ years of executive leadership across organizations from $50M to enterprise scale, she has built a career defined by transformational results: leading a $1.5B merger integration that catalyzed a $710M Bezos family gift, protecting $70M in annual revenue through regulatory strategy, and delivering a $320M capital expansion $20M under budget. 

At Duke, Dr. McDonnell is architecting a first-of-its-kind academic-practice partnership with Duke School of Nursing, redesigning inpatient care through the Co-Care Model using AI and virtual nursing, and leading a $15M investment to realign 1,700 advanced practice providers. A Gold Stevie Award winner for Most Resilient Female Leader and Modern Healthcare Most Influential Clinical Executive and Leading Women honoree, she is a Forbes Council contributor, global keynote speaker, and practicing GI Oncology nurse practitioner.