Our Team
The 1520ai team brings together healthcare executives, data scientists, and engineers united by a single purpose: to help shape the future of intelligent healthcare.
Ernesto Lopez, BSN, MBA, RN, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer
Ernesto is a healthcare executive and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience leading complex organizations across the healthcare continuum. As Founder and CEO of 1520ai, he leads the company’s mission to improve quality, compliance, and patient experience through artificial intelligence. He is driven to design and build intelligent tools that empower healthcare teams, protect organizations, and strengthen the delivery of patient care.
A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and graduate of Harvard’s Business Analytics Program, Ernesto combines deep industry knowledge with a commitment to innovation that makes care safer, simpler, and more effective.
Carlos A. Guzman MBA, M.Ed.
Vice President of Technology & Engineering
Carlos is a technology executive with more than 18 years of experience in enterprise systems, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. As Co-Founder of 1520ai, he leads the company’s technical strategy and oversees the design of secure, scalable systems that bring AI-driven innovation to healthcare.
A graduate of the Harvard Business Analytics Program, Carlos combines expertise in MLOps, advanced analytics, and multi-agent systems with a record of delivering measurable results. He has led multimillion-dollar technology programs, directed enterprise analytics centers, and implemented AI-powered solutions that improve global performance and operational efficiency. His focus is on building platforms that are reliable, compliant, and designed for long-term success.
Jeffrey Zila, MS, MBA
Vice President of AI Engineering
Jeff is a seasoned technology and military leader with expertise in software engineering, analytics, and applied artificial intelligence. His career spans roles in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, as well as technical and leadership positions in the private sector, where he developed and implemented advanced data and analytics solutions. A graduate of the Harvard Business Analytics Program, Jeff leads AI engineering and model development at 1520ai, integrating advanced analytics and machine learning into secure, scalable systems that drive innovation and improve performance across healthcare.
Ron Evans
Vice President of Finance
Ron is a financial strategist with more than 25 years of experience advising private equity firms and corporations on complex transactions and integrations. As a Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group, he has led more than 800 due diligence and financial advisory engagements across diverse industries. At 1520ai, Ron advises on financial modeling, growth strategy, and investment planning, ensuring every business decision is grounded in clarity, precision, and long-term value.
Cordt T. Kassner, PhD
Vice President of Data Science & Research
Cordt is a nationally recognized expert in hospice, palliative care, and end-of-life analytics. As Founder and CEO of Hospice Analytics, he has spent more than 25 years advancing access to quality end-of-life care through the analysis of over 50 billion Medicare claims, cost reports, and quality measures. His work has informed national policy, supported academic research, and helped healthcare organizations improve outcomes through data-driven insight.
At 1520ai, Cordt serves as VP of Data Science and Research, guiding the company’s data strategy, data integrity, and model development with his unmatched experience in healthcare datasets, public health, and applied biostatistics.
Sheila Salamanca, MBA, DBA
Director of Data Science
Sheila is a transformation-focused executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise analytics, business intelligence, and strategic planning. She has built a career uniting data and decision-making, driving growth and innovation across industries and academia. A graduate of the Harvard Business Analytics Program, Sheila also holds a Doctor of Business Administration from De La Salle University, where she teaches marketing management and analytics. At 1520ai, she leads data science and analytics strategy, overseeing the testing and validation of AI models to ensure accuracy, reliability, and measurable impact across healthcare applications.
Roseanne Berry, BSN, MSN
Director of Clinical Quality & Compliance
Roseanne is an accomplished and recognized leader in hospice compliance and quality improvement with more than 25 years of operational, clinical, and regulatory experience. She has co-founded and led national consulting firms specializing in regulatory compliance, operational improvement, and risk management for hospice organizations. At 1520ai, Roseanne leads regulatory and compliance strategy, guiding the design and validation of the company’s AI framework to ensure alignment with federal and state regulations, patient safety standards, and quality benchmarks.
Our Mission
To build AI solutions that bring clarity to healthcare, not just through data, but through design that understands the people who depend on it.
We are committed to transforming how providers, organizations, and systems make decisions by turning complexity into insight and insight into action.
Who we are
We are builders, clinicians, operators, entrepreneurs, and technologists who believe that the best solutions emerge when people come together with the courage to challenge, the humility to listen, and the skill to deliver.
We lead with heart, operate with precision, and never lose sight of why we’re here: to make large organizations better for everyone.
Contact us
Interested? Let’s get in touch.
