Tampa Veterans Health Venture Studio’s 2024 Cohort Harnesses AI to address top VA challenges

Led by their Chief of Innovation, Dr. Indra Sandal, the event brought together Microsoft artificial intelligence technology, VHA Innovation Ecosystem, and VA Office of Information and Technology to develop AI-driven prototypes that address Veteran health care challenges. The Make-a-thon is part of the Veterans Health Venture Studio, a year-long program guiding projects from ideation to prototype development across three phases. 

JAHVH hosted the first phase of the program, the Veterans Health-MIT Hacking Medicine Hackathon, in May 2024 in collaboration with Microsoft and MIT Hacking Medicine. In this phase, participants developed AI-driven solutions to address the top challenges in Veteran health care. 

17 teams from the Hackathon advanced to the Make-a-thon, which included a six-week virtual curriculum followed by an in-person bootcamp in December. Throughout the Make-a-thon, teams engaged in entrepreneurship and innovation-focused curriculum, connected with mentors, developed business cases, and received feedback from VA and non-VA health care leadership.

The three-day, in-person bootcamp consisted of prototyping, mentoring, and pitching ideas to further validate and refine participants’ concepts. Key leaders from VA and Veteran Service Organizations spoke at the event, including Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Assistant Under Secretary for Health, Discovery, Education, and Affiliated Networks, and Michael Rodriguez, President and CEO of the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation.

“As a champion for change at heart, I’m inspired to see the challenges my generation has faced being addressed through the Make-a-thon and the VHA Innovation Ecosystem. I have no doubt that these efforts will have a lasting impact for the next generation of service members,” said Dan Magoon, Executive Director, InnoVets.

VISN 8 Representation

In addition to leading the event, VISN 8 staff had high representation—contributing 38 makers (45% of total participants), 14 mentors, and five advisory council members. All six teams advancing to the Accelerator phase as well as the two runners-up—ERIS and Mission: Readmission—had at least one team member from a VISN 8 facility. 

Winning Teams and their VISN 8 team members:

• AI Reconciliation Ranger: 
  • Nemaris Perez, Communications Specialist, West Palm Beach VA HCS
  • Remelia Pryor, DBA, ACHE, Systems Redesign Coordinator, West Palm Beach VA HCS
• Guardian Assist: 
  • Jeremy Goldberg, Mental Health Social Work Section Manager, Orlando VA HCS
• HerStorAI: 
  • Jamie Morano, MD, Physician, Tampa VAMC
• The Optimizers: 
  • Crystal VanDette, APRN, Tampa VAMC
  • Hao Cheng, MD, Neurologist, Miami VAMC
  • Shama James, MD, Physician, Tampa VAMC
• VA Match: 
  • Angie Smith, Executive Director, Gainesville VAMC
• VITAE: 
  • Stephanie Sinnet, Innovation Specialist, Orlando VAMC
• ERIS:
  • Kareesa Keys, Health System Specialist, Tampa VAMC
  • Maritere Acevedo, Quality Manager, VA Caribbean HCS
  • Alberto Villanueva, MD, Physician, VA Caribbean HCS
  • Maricarmen Cruz, Associate Chief of Staff for Education, VA Caribbean HCS
  • Victor Segarra, Health System Specialist, VA Caribbean HCS
• Mission: Readmission:
  • Laveena Meriga, Nurse Practitioner, Tampa VAMC
  • Stephanie Ohme, Nurse Manager, Tampa VAMC
  • Celia Ayala, Staff Nurse, Orlando VA HCS

Make-a-thon Winners Move from Ideation to Prototype Development

Make-a-thon winners advanced to the Venture Studio Accelerator Program, where they will focus on prototype development. The Accelerator Program runs from March to August 2025, aiming to develop functional prototypes that validate the technical feasibility of AI-powered solutions and conduct user testing. The program includes the full Venture Studio team, featuring Microsoft configuration support, a project management team, and faculty working groups to accelerate teams’ progress.

To support and guide this innovation, faculty working groups contribute to project strategy and offer direct feedback throughout the technical build process. Advisory council members within these groups can also sponsor projects for piloting within VA.

The Accelerator Program concludes with an in-person Venture Studio Showcase in July 2025, where advisory council members will review each prototype for potential sponsorship, marking the completion of the one-year Venture Studio cycle. Following the showcase, the six teams will transition from prototyping to piloting with sponsoring VA medical centers and program offices.