Kristen Beideman, RN, MPH, CIC is a healthcare systems leader, public health practitioner, and PhD student in Systems Science at Binghamton University. Her work focuses on applying data science, artificial intelligence, and optimization modeling to improve health system performance and population health outcomes. Kristen has led infection prevention and healthcare quality initiatives across hospitals, public health programs, and healthcare organizations, with expertise in translating complex data into operational decision-making. She currently teaches courses in technology and global public health while conducting research on the use of bio-inspired optimization algorithms to support hospital capacity management and crisis response. Her work spans the fields of public health, healthcare operations, and emerging technology.