Please note: No refunds will be issued after Monday, October 26.

Wednesday, November 11

2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Pre-Conference Session: Re-Strategizing the Strategist's Role in a World of AI

This 90-minute interactive session will give strategists of all levels the opportunity to explore, recognize and strategize how their current roles may evolve with the use of AI. Using a Strategic Foresight framework, participants will examine shifts in industry and technology, challenge existing conceptions of the strategist’s role, and explore career scenario planning to better prepare for multiple possible futures. Through interactive discussion, personal career design and a “live lab” using an AI tool, participants will consider what will change, what will be new, what strategists will be held accountable for, and why their role is imperative to ensuring AI is successful. Participants will leave with a broader understanding of industry and role changes, insights from their peers, and practical tools and techniques to continue designing and managing their own careers as AI reshapes how strategists think, work and lead.

• Liz Vogel, The Byrnes Group
  Included with conference registration. Separate registration is required, and the form will be sent after you register for the conference.

5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Conference Registration Open

5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Pre-Conference Networking Drop-In

Thursday, November 12

7:30 a.m.
Registration & Networking Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Healthcare Reimagined: Leading What’s Next

Healthcare is entering a new era—one shaped by rapid innovation, emerging technologies and new expectations from patients and communities. Rasu Shrestha, MD, MBA, will explore how healthcare leaders can move beyond responding to change and take an active role in shaping what comes next.

Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience across strategy, innovation, technology, investment and commercialization, Dr. Shrestha will share how health systems can turn bold ideas into meaningful solutions. Attendees will gain insights into building strategic partnerships, accelerating innovation and creating a culture that brings new discoveries to life—ultimately improving care for patients and communities.

• Rasu Shrestha, MD, MBA, Chief Innovation and Commercialization Officer, Executive Vice President, Advocate Health

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
The Last Mile: Closing the Gap Between Strategy and Execution

Why do some strategies deliver measurable results while others stall before reaching the finish line? This panel will examine the critical "last mile" between strategic planning and operational execution—and the habits, structures and decisions that help organizations close the gap.

Drawing on perspectives from operations, strategic planning and ambulatory strategy, panelists will explore what it takes to execute effectively in a competitive market; how leaders can evaluate initiatives that outperform or underdeliver against their projections; and how data can guide decisions around ambulatory growth, access and service-line performance. Through real-world examples, the discussion will challenge attendees to distinguish between a flawed premise, an execution gap and a changing market—and determine when to stay the course, recalibrate or stop.

• David Cato, Vice President of Operations, Florida Market, Cleveland Clinic
• Lynda Barrett, Vice President of Strategic Planning and Chief of Governance, Emory Healthcare
• Jonathan Waller, Vice President of Strategy, University of Florida Health System
• Chriss Papayannis, MBA, Vice President Advisory, Realty Trust Group

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Road to Nowhere? Health Care Reform After the 2026 Election

What will the 2026 elections mean for the future of U.S. health care policy? This session will examine the evolving political and policy landscape, what the election results could mean for health care reform, and the implications for health systems navigating an increasingly complex environment.

• Jonathan Oberlander, PhD, Professor of Social Medicine and Health Policy & Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Community Partnerships Panel

• Tiffany DiTullio, Vice President, Partner & Community Relations, Salinas Valley Health
• Callie Dobbins, Senior Vice President Women's & Children's Service Line, Advocate Health
• Shannon Sale, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Grady Health System

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Networking Lunch

1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Transforming Rural Health: Connecting Innovation and Sustainability for Lasting Impact

Rural health systems face distinct challenges—from workforce shortages and access barriers to financial pressures and rapidly changing community needs. In this session, leaders from Advocate Health will explore how innovation, clinical transformation and sustainable operating strategies can strengthen care delivery in rural communities.

Drawing on perspectives from strategy, virtual health, and rural operations, Molly McColl and Brian Freeman will discuss how technology, new care models and strategic partnerships can help extend access while supporting long-term organizational sustainability. Attendees will gain practical insights into connecting innovation with the realities of rural healthcare—and creating solutions that deliver meaningful, lasting impact for patients and communities.

• Brian Freeman, SVP, Rural Area President, Advocate Health
• Molly McColl, VP Virtual Health & Clinical Transformation, Advocate Health

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Session To Be Announced

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Strategy Cannot Outrun the Organization: A CEO-CHRO Conversation on Designing for Execution

• Speakers to Be Announced

4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Day 1 Closing Remarks

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Networking Reception

Friday, November 13

8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Breakfast & Welcome

9:15 a.m. – 10 a.m.
CEO & CSO Keynote Discussion

Join David W. Zaas, MD, MBA, CEO of Duke University Health System, and Morgan Jones, MSPH, FACHE, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, for a conversation about leading strategy in a changing healthcare landscape. They will share perspectives from their roles as CEO and CSO and discuss how leadership and strategic thinking shape the future of healthcare.

• David W. Zaas, MD, MBA, CEO, Duke Health
• Morgan Jones, Chief Strategy Officer, Duke Health

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
From Strategy to Scoreboard: Building Accountability into Service Line Execution

This session provides a practical framework for creating accountability around departmental and service line priorities. Attendees will learn how to turn a high-level strategic plan into a focused operational roadmap by identifying key initiatives, assigning ownership, establishing milestones, and selecting meaningful performance metrics.

Through a real-world example, the session will show how quarterly accountability meetings increase transparency, identify obstacles, and maintain momentum. Participants will leave with a repeatable approach for developing operational plans, tracking progress, and keeping leaders and teams aligned on the priorities that matter most.

• Deborah Wang, MHA, Office of Strategy, MUSC
• Hudson Breaud, MBA, MPH, PMP, Manager, Strategy Operations, MUSC

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Session To Be Announced

12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Closing Remarks & Sponsor Trivia

12:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Box Lunch Pickup

1 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tour of The Pearl innovation district in Midtown Charlotte

Join us for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of The Pearl, Charlotte’s premier medical innovation district. Home to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, IRCAD North America and Connect Labs, The Pearl brings together medical education, research, emerging technology and entrepreneurship in one dynamic campus. Attendees will learn more about the district’s collaborative approach to healthcare innovation and its role in shaping the future of medicine. Specific tour stops will be determined closer to the event.

Space is limited to 30 attendees. This is included with conference registration. Separate registration is required, and the form will be sent after you register for the conference. The tour is schedule for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and additional time has been allotted in the schedule for travel.