The epicenter of Ortho Tech. 📍 Cambridge, MA | 📅 May 15–16 | Shape What's Next!
Summit Directors & Organizers
Theodore A. Blaine, MD, MBA
Theodore A. Blaine, (MD, MBA), is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon, academician and healthcare leader, having served as Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at the two largest healthcare systems in Connecticut – Yale New Haven Health System (2011-2017) and the Hartford Healthcare (2018-2019.) Currently, he is Vice Chair of Academics and Research (CT) and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Hospital for Special Surgery, the #1 rated orthopedic hospital in the world.
He is also founder and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Arthroplasty as well as surgeon designer and Board member at Catalyst Orthoscience. He is also a graduate of Princeton University (AB), The University of Connecticut (MD), and the MIT Sloan School of Business Administration (MBA), and he holds graduate degrees from Brown University and Yale University. In 2024, he co-founded OpDoc, a seed stage company committed to building AI powered products in healthcare. He has a passion for innovation, entrepreneurship, and for building high performing teams to solve the most challenging problems in musculoskeletal care.
Hafiz Feezer Kassam, MD
Hafiz F. Kassam, (MD), is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic
surgeon specializing in complex shoulder and elbow reconstruction. Currently serving as the Director of the Shoulder Reconstruction Division at Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Southern California, Dr. Kassam’s high-volume surgical practice is entirely dedicated to complex shoulder and elbow replacements, soft tissue reconstruction and has a particular interest in revision surgery. A prolific clinician-scientist, he has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and was recently honored with the Charles S. Neer Award, one of the highest academic achievements in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery.
Beyond his surgical practice, Dr. Kassam is a leader in medical education. He is the Founder & Director of OC Shoulder, a intimate medical education conference based right that gathers leading experts from around the country to discuss and learn the latestc advancements in shoulder care. He is also the Co Director for Critical Concepts in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, a 3-day bio-skills course held annually in Las Vegas, that teaches the latest hands-on techniques to surgeons from around the world.
In addition to his clinical roles, he serves as a Ringside Physician for USA Boxing and is a member of the highly selective American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) society. Dr. Kassam is also intimately involved in health policy research and healthcare advocacy and serves as the Chair of the ASES advocacy committee. He consistently meets with lawmakers and congressional members to better shape healthcare delivery and advocate for both physician and patient protections.
Salma Ben-Salem, MSc, PhD
Salma Ben-Salem (Msc, PhD), is currently serving as Managing Director of Technology Innovation Studio: TINS., a physical space in Kendall Square that brings together a diverse group of professionals - business leaders, scientists, researchers, serial entrepreneurs, angel and VC investors, industry experts, corporate innovation teams, and policy experts — to explore and implement innovative tools, methods, and models for accelerating innovation. TINS benefits from being at the Cambridge Innovation Center, recognized as the world's largest connected innovation campus with locations across the US, Europe, and Asia. Salma empowers founders by designing highly curated programs and strategic consulting initiatives tailored to the lifecycle of deep-tech startups. Driven by a passion for community building, she facilitates meaningful engagement within the Kendall Square ecosystem, connecting emerging ventures with world-class experts. In addition to her leadership at TINS, she serves as the interim CEO of ClearTB, a startup dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for Tuberculosis.