2025 Health Leadership Conference
The Future of Leadership
February 4 – 6, 2025
Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL
AGENDA OUTLINE
Tuesday, February 4
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. NHC’s Community Connect: The Pantry of Broward
Join us for a rewarding NHC conference volunteer experience at The Pantry of Broward, where
we support seniors living on low, fixed incomes and grandparents raising their grandchildren.
Your time and effort will make a significant impact on the lives of those in need within the
community. (Pre-registration required for this pre-conference activity)
2:00 – 8:00 p.m. Registration Open
3:00 – 5:30 p.m. AI Horizons: Steering Teams Towards Tomorrow’s Tech Triumphs (only for CEOs, Board
Leaders, and Senior Staff)
This interactive workshop delves into Generative AI and related technologies, such as AI Agents
and Machine Learning, within the context of leadership and governance. Participants will
receive a technical foundation in AI and explore leadership-specific strategies for integrating AI
into their roles. Through a combination of presentations, case studies, and interactive
discussions, attendees will gain practical insights into leveraging AI for strategic success while
upholding ethical standards.
The workshop features engaging activities, including table discussions, role-play scenarios, and
hands-on exploration of AI tools, fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.
Facilitator:
• Kiki L’Italien, VP, Marketing & Community Engagement, Big Red M
4:15 – 4:30 p.m. Break
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Welcome Reception: An Evening of Networking
Join us for live music by Heatwave Music and an array of food and beverages. This event is the
perfect opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and forge new professional relationships in a
relaxed and enjoyable setting.
Wednesday, February 5
6:30 – 7:15 a.m. Sound Bath Meditation (Pre-registration required)
No matter your lifestyle, everyone can benefit from some self-care and stress relief. This class
offers sound meditation using a variety of instruments to help you achieve a deeply meditative
state, providing rapid rejuvenation and rest.
Participants will be guided through verbal meditations that transition into a soothing journey
of sound.
Instructor:
• Michelle Cash, Instructor, Divine Wave Sound
7:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. Registration Open
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Networking Breakfast Discussion Roundtables:
Chief Executive Officers/Executive Directors (Invitation only)
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Conference Breakfast
Breakfast includes an opportunity to participate in discussion roundtables where attendees
can discuss top-of-mind topics, share insights, exchange ideas, and engage in meaningful
dialogue with fellow attendees.
9:00 – 9:10 a.m. Opening Remarks and Conference Objectives
Join us for the opening session of our conference, where we will set the stage for an inspiring
and productive event. Attendees will gain insights into the key topics and sessions to look
forward to, setting the tone for a collaborative and engaging experience. Don’t miss this
opportunity to start the conference on a high note!
• Randy Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Executive Coaching Sessions (Pre-registration required)
The NHC is excited to announce a partnership with Brad Kerschensteiner, President of
Kerschensteiner Executive Coaching & Training, to offer CEOs and Board Leaders of patient
organizations, and partners of patient organizations, the chance to participate in focused,
high-impact mini-coaching sessions. These 20-minute individual sessions will address specific
leadership challenges, opportunities, strategies, and goals, and will take place onsite at the
conference. Participants are expected to complete pre-work before their session, and a
post-assessment along with follow-up will be provided after the conference concludes.
• Brad Kerschensteiner, President, Kerschensteiner Executive Coaching & Training
9:10 – 9:55 a.m. Keynote Address: Leading Through Polarization
CEOs, executive directors, board leaders and senior level staff are called upon to lead staff and
stakeholders internal to their organizations and lead on behalf of the mission with external
audiences and decision-makers. With our national dialogue fractured and politicized, this
presents unique leadership challenges. This session explores the current state of polarization,
highlighting the lack of trust in institutions and the cultural, historical, and psychological
factors driving division. The session will examine the risks this presents for organizations and
stakeholders and introduce strategies for navigating polarization by embracing the new
reality. Participants will gain insights into how to lead effectively in an increasingly divided
landscape.
• Bill Doherty, Co-Founder, Bravers Angels
9:55 – 10:05 a.m. Break
10:05 – 10:50 a.m. NHC Member Reactor Panel
Join us for an engaging reactor panel that offers diverse perspectives and delves deeply into
the keynote session, “Leading Through Polarization.”
10:50 – 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Prevention and Management: Patients Living with Chronic Diseases
The Advancing Advocacy for Chronic Disease Prevention Management, an NHC Trusted
Messenger campaign, amplifies the often-untold stories to empower the patient community
in the decision-making process aimed at addressing unmet needs, access, affordability, and
treatment barriers across health care.
Moderator:
• Omar A. Escontrías, DrPH, MPH, SVP, Equity, Research and Programs, National Health
Council
Panelists:
• Tara Chico-Jarillo, DrPH, MPH, Interim Executive Director, Health Services Division, Pascua
Yaqui Tribe Health Services Division
• Patricia Nece, JD, Member and Past Chair, National Board of Directors, Obesity Action
Coalition
• Caleb Snead, MPH, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia Institute of
Gerontology
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. Hosted Lunch
The hosted lunch includes an opportunity to participate in discussion roundtables where
attendees can discuss top-of-mind topics, share insights, exchange ideas, and engage in
meaningful dialogue with fellow attendees.
1:15 – 2:00 p.m. What Lies Ahead: The Regulatory Environment in 2025
This year, significant changes in Washington, DC are likely to reshape the federal health
infrastructure and landscape, shifting how healthcare is delivered and regulated across the
country. With new leadership taking charge of key federal regulatory bodies, the patient-
focused community can expect to encounter an evolving environment marked by both
challenges and opportunities. This session will delve into the critical role government
institutions play in influencing access to treatment for patients—both as facilitators and
potential barriers. Our expert panel will offer analysis and discussion on the anticipated
regulatory shifts, highlighting the opportunities these changes may present, as well as the
hurdles that stakeholders must navigate. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the future
of healthcare policy and its direct impact on patient care, paving the way for informed
decision-making in a rapidly changing landscape.
2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Break
2:15 – 3:00 p.m. A Vision for the Future of Health Care
The Heartland Whole Health Institute seeks to transform healthcare through a holistic, whole-
person approach. Focused on the integration of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual
well-being, the Institute is redefining how healthcare is delivered, fostering a new paradigm
where individuals are seen and treated as whole people rather than isolated conditions. The
Institute’s innovative model brings together a comprehensive approach to health that not
only addresses symptoms but also nurtures the underlying factors that contribute to overall
wellness. The Heartland Whole Health Institute is committed to expanding this approach on a
national scale, with a vision to revolutionize healthcare systems across the United States.
3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Break
3:15 – 4:00 p.m. The Power of Patient Engagement in Innovation
Join us for a session on the critical importance of early patient engagement in drug
development. From an investor’s perspective, we’ll explore the benefits of early patient
involvement in clinical design and trials, emphasizing the importance of the patient voice.
Hear from a patient advocate and rare disease leader transforming biotech industry practices
and learn about innovative work in patient engagement related to drug candidates and
identifying optimal therapeutic areas and clinical trials.
Speaker:
• Gunnar Esiason, Senior Director, Head of Patient Engagement and Patient-Centered
Innovation, Blackbird, Raven (RA Ventures)
4:00 – 4:55 p.m. Attendees Show & Tell
Sign up in advance to have 5 minutes to enlighten your colleagues with success stories, “ah ha”
moments, emerging best practices, pitfalls, partner opportunities, and other news to inform
and inspire.
4:45 – 5:15 p.m. Hot Topics Discussion
5:15 – 6:15 p.m. Partner Networking Reception
Enjoy live music by guitarist Greg Diamond, light bites, and refreshments, while connecting
with fellow attendees.
6:15 p.m. Attendees are free for the evening. Dinner on your own
Thursday, February 6
7:30 – 11:00 a.m. Registration Open
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Conference Breakfast
Breakfast includes an opportunity to participate in discussion roundtables where attendees
can discuss top-of-mind topics, share insights, exchange ideas, and engage in meaningful
dialogue with fellow attendees.
9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Opening Remarks & Conference Reflections
Kick off the last day of our conference with a session designed to energize and inspire. Join us
to gain a fresh perspective, connect with fellow participants, and prepare for the exciting
sessions ahead.
Remarks by:
• Susan Gaffney, EVP, Membership, Development & Events, National Health Council
Conference Reflections:
• Ashley John, Director, Issue Advocacy, Novartis
9:15 – 10:00 a.m. Lessons from Chief Influencers: The ROI of LinkedIn
For each of the last two years, the Health Leadership Conference has shown NHC’s members
how to go from “From Chief Executive to Chief Influencer.” We learned that “faces are the new
logos” and how our personal brands can support our professional aims. This year, three of our
own chief executives will discuss their own journeys of becoming “Chief Influencers.” These
leaders will share how leading on LinkedIn has generated ROI for their organizations:
engaging with employees to build company culture, reaching new funders to expand
partnerships, and advancing policy goals through advocacy work. Whatever your skill level,
this panel will provide real-life examples from the world of patient advocacy that you and your
team can apply immediately.
Moderator:
• Anthony Shop, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder, Social Driver
Panelists:
• Charles “Chuck” Henderson, Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association
• Steven Taylor, President & CEO, Arthritis Foundation
• Kathryn Schubert, President & CEO, Society for Women’s Health Research
10:00 – 10:10 a.m. Break
10:10 – 10:55 a.m. Crisis Communications Panel
Join us for an insightful panel discussion where leaders from NHC member organizations will
share their compelling stories of crisis communication successes. Each panelist will recount
a significant crisis their organization faced and the strategies they employed to navigate
through it. Attendees will gain valuable insights from these real-world experiences, learning
about the challenges encountered, and the strategies developed. This session will provide a
unique opportunity to understand the best practices that have emerged from these
circumstances, offering practical lessons that can be applied to your own organization.
Moderator:
• Ann Searight Christiano, Founder & Director, Center for Public Interest
Communications; Clinical Professor, Department of Public Relations, University of Florida
College of Journalism and Communications
Panelists:
• Barbara Collura, President & CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
• Nicole Friedland, President & CEO, National Alopecia Areata Foundation
• Amy Sonderman, Senior Director, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement, US
Pharmacopeia
10:55 – 11:05 a.m. Break
11:05 – 11:50 a.m. The Future of Care: Where Medicine, Humanity, and Innovation Meet
Interviewed by:
• Randy Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
Guest Speaker:
• Dr. Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, RadiantGraph
11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
As our conference draws to a close, join us for the final session where our CEO will deliver
the closing remarks. This session will provide a comprehensive summary of the key insights
and takeaways from the conference.
• Randy Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
12:00 p.m. Grab & Go Lunch Provided for Conference Attendees