About the Speakers
Ms. Drilling is Mayo Clinic’s current Safe Patient Handling Program Coordinator. Ms. Drilling has a strong background with passion related to Staff and Patient safety. She has experience within Mayo Clinic as fulfilling roles such as the Chair of the Mayo Nursing Safety Council, in addition to leadership as Secretary on the Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Subcommittee, Fall Injury Prevention Subcommittees, and the Nursing Value Analysis Committee. Ms. Drilling was part of the team that was able to initiate the Safe Patient Handling Program at Mayo Clinic, which gained support for the Department of Nursing to hire their first Safe Patient Handling Program Coordinator. Since then, Ms. Drilling has also been part of a team that has performed successful work in merging the roles of the Fall Champion and the Safe Patient Handling Champions, which was officially rolled out in early 2024. She has also been involved with internal development of new, innovative SPHM products. Ms. Drilling has been at Mayo clinic for 17 years, is Silver Level Certified within Mayo Clinic Quality Academy, has been awarded multiple Teamwork Awards on large projects and has held a variety of nursing leadership positions throughout her career, including various committees, projects, and as a Nurse Manager for approximately nine years. She presented content at a previous ASPHP Conference and she is an active ASPHP member.
Chris Craigmile is a Certified Safe Patient Handling Professional specializing in acute and long-term healthcare settings. For over 15 years, he has developed, implemented, and supported Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) programs throughout Upstate New York and across the country.
Chris is a highly sought-after consultant, known for conducting comprehensive SPHM risk assessments that address both clinical practices and environmental factors impacting the safe movement of patients. He currently serves on multiple SPHM committees, including architectural and educational program committees.
He is an active member of the Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals, Chair of the Executive Committee for SPHM Certification, a member of the Certification Exam Committee, and President and Co-Founder of the Academy of Safe Patient Handling Excellence. Chris has also developed the Craigmile Cost Avoidance Calculator (CCAC) to measure the impact of implementation of SPHM programing.
Chris is the co-founder and organizer of the annual New York State SPHM Summit, held in Utica, NY, which draws over 150 SPHM professionals from across the nation.
Michael Maske is the Founder and President of ZM Medical, a healthcare solutions company dedicated to improving patient safety, caregiver safety, and clinical outcomes across hospitals, surgery centers, and long-term care facilities. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership and medical device innovation, Michael has been deeply involved in advancing Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) programs throughout the United States.
Michael holds two patents for Safe Patient Handling devices, developed during his tenure as an executive with TransMotion Medical, where he worked closely with clinicians to address real-world challenges related to caregiver injury, patient mobility, and fall prevention. His work has focused on practical, scalable solutions that reduce musculoskeletal injuries among healthcare workers while preserving patient dignity and safety.
As a nationally recognized speaker, Michael frequently presents on topics related to Safe Patient Handling, injury prevention, staff engagement, and culture change. His presentations blend clinical insight, operational strategy, and human-centered storytelling to help healthcare organizations successfully implement and sustain SPHM programs. He regularly collaborates with nursing leaders, safety officers, therapists, and supply chain teams to support education, compliance, and adoption of safe mobility technologies.
Michael is also a best-selling author of The Empowered Nurse, a book that explores the physical and emotional demands placed on healthcare professionals and emphasizes resilience, well-being, and purpose-driven work. His passion for caregiver safety is both professional and personal, shaped by decades of frontline collaboration and leadership experience.
A U.S. military veteran, Michael served 12 years between the Army National Guard and the Air Force Reserves, including service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He currently resides in Arizona with his wife and two daughters. He is an advocate for inclusive care and the special needs community, inspired by his youngest daughter, Zoey, who has Down syndrome.
Amber Perez is a Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) Instructor at Gateway Community College and Government Program Director for a Healthcare Technology Company. Amber has 23+ years of bedside nursing experience, 16+ years in the SPHM industry, and holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration.
During her time as a Clinical Leader in the healthcare equipment industry, she focused on implementing SPHM solutions in Healthcare Organizations across the United States. As a hospital Risk Management Professional and SPHM Professional- Amber and team, created and research validated the Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT).
Amber has a passion for promoting patient mobility and safety, protecting caregivers from injury, and contributing to improved outcomes for patients and caregivers.