About
A 501(c)(3) at Kennedy Space Center, working on remote care for people everywhere, from rural counties to the most remote setting of all: space.
Who we are
Built for remote care, from rural Florida to orbit.
CommHIT was first established in 2011 at the request of Florida stakeholders (e.g., leadership of learning institutions, economic development, medical facilities, behavioral health, schoolboard, VA).
Remote care, from rural counties to space
CommHIT focuses on the discovery and efficiency of processes and technologies dealing with the remote care of all people—particularly those in rural and other remote areas. Although CommHIT works on “Earth,” CommHIT’s work deals with efforts that can be used for people in the most remote of settings—space.
Our roots: closing the digital divide
CommHIT is endorsed by Enterprise Florida, the business development arm of the state of Florida. CommHIT was developed through two federal Rural Health Network Development grants (awarded in 2008 and 2011). Those two grants were intended to prevent communities from falling behind in the digital divide as healthcare delivery transitioned to electronic systems under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. CommHIT remains committed to this work.
- Reach
- 48 states, D.C. and major U.S. Territories
- Headquarters
- Kennedy Space Center, Florida
- Offices
- Flagstaff, AZ · U.S. Virgin Islands
CommHIT improves health, builds workforce, and advances communities by designing and operationalizing integrated programs that connect people, technology, and care across all settings.
A tech and health workforce built to serve, adapt, and lead—Ready for every day and any crisis.
Leadership and staff
Meet the team
A systems‑focused team of health technology leaders, operational planners, and clinical subject matter experts supporting community health.
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Kendra Siler, PhD
Co-Founder & CEO
CommHIT President and CEO Dr. Kendra Siler is a nationally recognized leader in technology innovation, digital security, and workforce development, recently named one of the IEEE Women to Watch in Engineering for her impact on community‑anchored technologies. For more than 25 years, she has advanced systems that strengthen healthcare, transportation, and communication—especially in rural and resource‑limited settings.
Dr. Siler was an appointed stakeholder advisor to the Trump Administration White House Office of American Innovation, the Obama Administration White House Rural Council, and worked in an advisory role to federal agencies. After COVID was first discovered and became a pandemic, Dr. Siler was a panelist for a United Nation’s Event as an expert addressing how technologies can be used to reduce COVID severity and spread.
Dr. Siler earned her PhD in Immunology and Biochemistry from the University of Florida, was inducted into Gamma Sigma Delta, and received a National Research Service Award Fellowship to conduct post‑doctoral research at the McKnight Brain Institute During her time at the McKnight Brain Institute, she started working on the best ways to protect the privacy and security of centralized health data.
Beginning in 2008, Dr. Siler led the development of the nation’s first rural‑based Health Information Exchange (HIE). This HIE was appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to enable veteran‑initiated electronic sharing of MyHealtheVet records with civilian providers—a national first and a White House‑supported milestone for veteran access.
She served as the Wave 1 Lead of the HHS 405(d) Task Group and was a keynote panelist at the inaugural HHS healthcare cybersecurity event alongside the HHS Chief Information Officer. The award‑winning 405(d) Program remains a cornerstone of national healthcare cybersecurity.
Dr. Siler has also been an appointed expert for the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board on emergency management. She developed the Care Coordination Neighborhood model in 2014 with CommHIT CTO Kevin Saler MSP, AICP. This model is now foundational for Community Health Workers integrating transportation into care. She also led the creation of one of Florida’s first Community Health Elements in a county comprehensive plan, recognized by the American Planning Association.
Her commitment to workforce innovation led to CommHIT’s Florida Department of Education‑registered Technology and Health Apprenticeship Program (THAP) and the CommHIT‑USVI Apprenticeship Program, expanding career pathways in rural, remote, and resourced-limited communities.
For her national leadership in helping rural health systems adopt health information technology, Dr. Siler received a 2013 Critical Access and Rural Hospital Champion Award from the head of the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator (now the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy).
In 2026, Dr. Siler secured a $44.9 million Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) subaward for CommHIT and its partners—an award that reflects the scale and seriousness of CommHIT’s work—affirming CommHIT’s long‑established role as a national leader and expanding its ability to drive the next generation of rural health innovation, integrated care access, and community‑anchored digital transformation.
This next generation includes the integration of Michael Feinstein’s American Music Forms Memories platform directly into CommHIT’s RHTP architecture. Together, Dr. Siler and Feinstein are shaping a future where technology, memory, and human connection strengthen care across every community.
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David C. Willis, MD
Co-Founder & Chief Medical Information Officer
Dr. David Willis is a Board‑Certified Family Physician whose career bridges clinical practice, health information technology, and community‑anchored innovation. He has served as Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) for Munroe Regional Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer for the Heart of Florida Federally Qualified Health Center, an NCQA Level‑3 Certified Medical Home with eight clinical locations offering pediatric and adult medicine, dental, maternity, and behavioral health services. He continues his clinical practice through a Direct Primary Care model in Ocala, Florida.
Dr. Willis completed his undergraduate training in mathematics at Stetson University and earned his Medical Doctorate at the University of South Florida. He completed his residency at the Florida Hospital Family Practice Program in Orlando in 2000 before returning to Ocala to practice. Beginning in 2005, he played a central role in establishing Healthy Ocala, one of the nation’s earliest community‑based Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).
As CommHIT’s Co‑Founder and CMIO, Dr. Willis merges clinical insight with technology expertise to support medical providers, social‑service organizations, and community partners in community engaged research, financial sustainability models, and the effective use of technology to improve health access and outcomes.
Dr. Willis’s long‑standing leadership in rural health technology adoption was recognized with the 2013 Critical Access and Rural Hospital Champion Award from the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator.
Today, Dr. Willis plays a central role across CommHIT’s statewide Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), guiding clinical integration, data strategy, and technology alignment for CommHIT and its partners. His work ensures that the RHTP model remains clinically grounded, technologically sound, and responsive to the needs of rural communities.
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Kevin Salzer, MSP, AICP
Chief Technology Officer
Kevin Salzer serves as CommHIT’s Chief Technology Officer, where he leads the design and deployment of transportation and mobility innovations across CommHIT’s statewide Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Salzer co‑developed the Care Coordination Neighborhood model with Dr. Kendra Siler, creating the foundation for CommHIT’s integrated transportation and mobile health strategies. He directs MyHealthDrīv, an evidence‑driven transportation program that has reduced 911 calls in Marion County, Florida and supports community engaged research initiatives. Within the RHTP, his work includes coordinating scheduled mobile health van stops, integrating non‑emergency medical transportation (NEMT), and guiding the strategic placement of drone‑supported delivery systems to strengthen access in rural and hard‑to‑reach communities.
Before dedicating his efforts to CommHIT, Salzer served as the Transportation Innovation Officer for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, where he developed and applied strategies to adapt emerging technologies and diverse mobility modes to better move people across Northeast Florida’s mixed rural‑urban landscape.
Salzer’s foundation in applied research comes from his prolific work as a Senior Research Associate at the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR). His research portfolio includes connected vehicles, shared mobility, transit operations, service planning, health access, and emergency food systems—work that continues to inform CommHIT’s community‑anchored transportation models.
He served as one of four U.S. expert delegates on the International Standards Organization (ISO) TC204 Work Group 8 for Intelligent Transport Systems and has contributed nationally through two Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) panels, an applied research program sponsored by the U.S. Federal Transit Administration.
Salzer holds a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University and has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2012.
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Andy Post, MA
Andy Post is CommHIT’s Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the organization’s internal operations and the steady execution of its programs, including CommHIT’s statewide RHTP. He administers CommHIT’s Florida Department of Education‑registered Technology and Health Apprenticeship Program (THAP) and serves as Project Director for CommHIT’s national U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship Building America 2 grant, Good Jobs For All.
Post began working with CommHIT in 2011, helping identify and secure community partners, establish project budgets, coordinate community meetings, and prepare reports for state and federal agencies. Over more than a decade, he has become a central architect of CommHIT’s internal operational systems, ensuring that programs are organized, compliant, and responsive to community needs.
In his COO role, Post oversees day‑to‑day internal operations—coordinating staff, managing internal workflows, and guiding documentation and reporting processes that support CommHIT’s implementation of the RHTP. His operational leadership keeps the organization steady, organized, and aligned with the governance structure you set.
Post holds a BS in Sociology and an MA in Applied Sociology with an emphasis in Health and Human Services.
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Lisa Lee Mercer
VP of Communications
Lisa Lee Mercer is an accomplished event planner and marketing strategist with more than two decades of experience. As CommHIT’s Vice President of Communications, she oversees partner‑facing communications and ensures that organizations working with CommHIT communicate in ways that are accurate, appropriate, and aligned with the expectations of the partnership. Mercer’s leadership helps maintain clarity, consistency, and professionalism across all external messaging connected to CommHIT’s statewide initiatives.
Known for her creative expertise and steady guidance, Mercer has developed impactful campaigns and orchestrated memorable experiences for leading companies and organizations. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to philanthropy and has dedicated decades of service to her community.
Mercer is a graduate of the University of West Florida, where she earned a degree in Education.
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Alexander Suvorov, PhD, CISSP
Security Lead
Dr. Alexander Suvorov, CommHIT’s Security Lead, is a highly skilled IT professional with deep experience in enterprise systems, organizational leadership, and mentorship. He helps CommHIT’s clients design, deploy, and operate cost‑effective, reliable digital security programs that can be managed and matured from within the organization once implemented.
With more than 18 years of experience leading enterprise IT systems in complex healthcare environments, Dr. Suvorov is exceptionally well suited for this role. His extensive education and professional background enable him to communicate effectively with executive leadership and technical teams alike, ensuring that security strategies align with organizational goals and meaningfully reduce risk.
Dr. Suvorov is committed to continuous improvement and maintains a broad portfolio of industry‑standard certifications emphasizing security, networking, and data center management.
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James Siler, MFA
Creative Director
James Siler serves as CommHIT’s Creative Director, capturing CommHIT’s work as it expands access to apprenticeship, strengthens community health, and introduces innovative, agile technologies and models to the health sector. With a background in Film and Directing through the University of Florida’s Interdisciplinary Studies program, James went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Film Writing and Directing from the City College of New York (CCNY). Located in Manhattan, CCNY is known for its legacy of artistic and scientific excellence, counting among its alumni director Woody Allen, author Henry Miller, and General Colin Powell. James’s creative work is featured on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), where several of his films are listed.
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Gwen Garris
Consortium Federal Funding Specialist
Gwen Garris, the founder and owner of G2 Telecom, is the CommHIT Consortium Federal Funding Specialist. Garris supports the financial viability of healthcare facilities and education systems with two federal programs: the Healthcare Connect Fund and E-Rate Programs.
Prior to establishing G2 Telecom, Garris served as a Wireless Business Solutions Consultant and Account Manager. As an Independent Agent, she represented various wireless carriers: Sprint, Nextel, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Along with wireless services experience, Garris has represented several software and hardware products as well as business services, ranging from location-based services, time-clock integration, payroll, and more recently, customized telecom restructuring for businesses.
Garris attributes her longevity in the industry to establishing rock solid client relationships. She prides herself in being accessible and available to work with clients through detailed and complex funding requests. Garris builds long-term relationships based on trust and respect by consistently delivering results while minimizing the burden on clients’ staff time.
