Our team
Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Gail is a Professor in the Family, Community, and Health System Science Department at the University of Florida, College of Nursing, holding the R. Murray and Annabel Davis Jenks Endowed Professorship in Nursing Excellence. With nearly 3 decades of experience leading multidisciplinary teams, Gail’s main vision has been to provide nurses with the tools they need and love to achieve high-quality patient outcomes. She has led more than $15 million of NIH and Foundation-funded research which has supported the evolution of her team’s latest innovation, Moxie. This new technology expands the scope of the earlier HANDS care planning system to enable anytime, anywhere, hands free documentation and communication. Moxie combines the capabilities of voice to text, wearables, artificial intelligence, and a central processing platform to support the nurse in bidirectional communication with the electronic health record. A system like Moxie has the capacity to revolutionize healthcare communication with the help of advocates who support the vision and demand such products.
Ashfaq Khokhar, PhD, Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
The engineer who brings Moxie plans to life as our technical lead with more than 30 years of expertise in machine learning, high-performance computing, and multimedia applications. He plays a central role in developing and testing our technical platform. He has already founded two successful startup companies and served as Principal Investigator on numerous NSF-funded projects, demonstrating his prowess in securing research funding. Ashfaq is a prolific scholar and has collaborated closely with our nursing interface team to develop our technical MVP of Moxie. Through collaborations with our team over the past 15 years, including the last 2 years working directly on Moxie, Ashfaq has gained an extensive understanding of what nurses need–both in terms of what we’re required to document and how we communicate with patients and other members of the care team.
Tamara Macieira, PhD, RN, Chief Product Officer (CPO)
Dr. Macieira is the glue that brings our team together in forging the bond technology and nursing.. She has deep expertise in nursing informatics, standardized terminologies, data science, and artificial intelligence. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida and has collaborated extensively with Drs. Keenan and Khokhar for over 10 years on numerous research initiatives that were essential to Moxie's evolution. She also leads an NIH-funded multidisciplinary team to standardize nursing data in electronic health records. She has developed excellent relationships with health care system through her extensive research network.
Karen Priola, MS-CIS, Operations Manager
Karen is the engine of our team, ensuring we stay on target and managing administrative efforts while tracking trends and potential funders. With over 20 years in project management across medical research and a Master’s in Computer Information Systems she brings a wealth of talents to Moxie. She thrives under pressure adapting to shifting timelines. Karen has managed two NIH-funded studies with Dr. Keenan and Dr. Macieira, crucially contributing to the evolution of Moxie. Her expertise and dedication to the vision make her an invaluable asset to our operation and growth, driving forward our mission and objectives.
Nico Torteli BS, MS ISE, Entrepreneurial Advisor , Chief Funding Officer
Nico Torteli is a seasoned entrepreneur and former Olympic swimmer. He advises us on fundraising and funding mechanisms, including angel to venture capital, dilution strategy, cap tables, and company formation. Originally from Brazil, Nico returned to Florida to leverage his expertise in support of innovative ventures like ours and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Florida Innovation Hub. Nico founded three successful FinTech companies in Brazil. His deep financial insights and entrepreneurial vision are invaluable to Moxie's growth and funding strategies, ensuring our success in navigating the complexities of startup development.
Shakira Henderson, PhD, RN, DNP, Board Chair
Shakira Henderson, PhD, DNP, MS, MPH, EMBA, IBCLC, RNC-NIC, assumed the role of the University of Florida College of Nursing’s sixth dean and chief administrative officer in January 2024. Additionally, she serves as the Associate Vice President for Nursing Education, Practice and Research, and holds the position of System Chief Nurse Executive for University of Florida Health. She is a dedicated health care leader. In her role as Board Chair, Dean Henderson supports Moxie through her influence and advocacy across the University of Florida and Florida Health System.
Shan Shanbhag, PhD Mentor, Business Advisor
Shan is a seasoned Mentor, Business Advisor, and Sherpa who has guided entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses worldwide to thrive in unpredictable markets. With over six decades of experience, he has authored numerous patents and led the development of industry-changing technologies, like microwaves and air fryers, that have created millions of jobs globally. Shan and his teams have successfully implemented several billion-dollar brands, and he is now guiding the Moxie team to develop a scalable, profitable business model that aims to transform the healthcare system into a Friendly-Wellness System that minimizes human suffering and delivers happiness worldwide.