2025 HPM Healthcare Conference Agenda
Friday, April 25, 2025
9:00am-5:00pm
The Forum at Columbia University
Agenda
8:15-9:15am – Check In and Coffee
9:15-9:30am – Welcome
9:30-10:30am – Morning Keynote
10:30-10:45am - Coffee Break
10:45-11:45am – Morning Panel
11:45am-1:00pm – Lunch
1:15-2:15pm – Afternoon Sessions (Select One: Panel, Roundtable Discussion or Fireside Chat)
2:15-2:30pm - Break
2:30 -3:30pm - Closing Keynote
3:30-4:30pm – Networking Reception
Session Descriptions
The Morning Keynote: The opening keynote session will focus on the roles of local health departments (LHD) in the evolving public health system. Lori Freeman, Chief Executive Officer at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and Morgan McDonald, National Director of Population Health and Health Equity Leadership at the Milbank Memorial Fund, will come together to discuss national trends in the structure, activities, priorities, and funding of LHDs. Our speakers will provide a birds-eye view of how LHDs are operating in the United States, setting the stage for other sessions in our program on topics including financing, partnerships, and legal challenges.
Moderated by: Dr. Morgan McDonald, National Director of Population Health and Health Equity Leadership, Milbank Memorial Fund
Featuring: Lori Freeman, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
The Morning Panel: This session will feature representatives from local health departments in Oregon, New York, and Kentucky, sharing firsthand perspectives on public health challenges and successes in their communities. Panelists will discuss innovative strategies, policy implications, and lessons learned in addressing pressing public health issues at the local level. Attendees will gain insight into how regional contexts shape public health responses and explore opportunities for cross-jurisdictional collaboration.
Moderated by: Dr. Lawrence Brown, Professor of Health Policy & Management
Dr. Georgia Heise, District Director, Three Rivers District Health Department, Kentucky
Sarah Ravenhall, Executive Director, New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO)
Rachael Banks, Public Health Director, Multnomah County, Oregon
The Afternoon Fireside Chat: Local health departments (LHDs) play a critical role in protecting and improving public health, yet they continue to face persistent funding challenges. This fireside chat will bring together Chelsea Cipriano, Managing Director of Common Health Coalition, and Sami Jarrah, Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, Executive Director for Public Partnerships at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, for a candid discussion on innovative funding strategies to create a more stable financial future for LHDs. The conversation will explore emerging funding models and will examine how LHDs determine spending priorities, the variation in approach across jurisdictions, and how a more reliable funding base could transform public health services. This engaging discussion will offer insights into new financial strategies, policy opportunities, and practical approaches for ensuring that LHDs have the resources they need to meet evolving public health demands.
Moderated by: Sami Jarrah, Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, Executive Director for Public Partnerships, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Featuring: Chelsea Cipriano, Managing Director, Common Health Coalition
The Afternoon Roundtable Discussion: Across the country, public health systems face different constraints, priorities, and opportunities for local-level partnerships. What unites most health departments, however, is the goal of using their available resources and connections to address their most critical population health needs. This roundtable discussion will explore how unique local public health challenges require creative, collaborative solutions. Panelists will share insights from their regional experiences in building public-private programs to improve community health, highlighting both successes and challenges. The discussion will also examine best practices for governance, coordination, and financing across public-private initiatives, drawing on lessons learned from initiatives in Iowa, Michigan, and beyond.
Moderated by: Dr. Becky Sale, Managing Director of Academics & Innovation, Health Policy & Management
Panelists:
Kelli Gerdes, Health Promotion Manager, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Department of Public Health
Steve Hall, Health Officer, Central Michigan District Health Department
Brittany Giles-Cantrell, Program Director, de Beaumont Foundation
The Afternoon Panel: Health care leaders are increasingly prioritizing non-clinical factors—food, transportation, housing, and much more—in their efforts to promote better and more equitable health outcomes. Health-related social needs (HRSN) are widely seen as important, though creating programs and policies to address them can be complex. The afternoon panel will bring together a panel of leaders to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and diverse perspectives involved in addressing health-related social needs. With expertise from a large health system, a tech-enabled care management company, and a local public health department, our panelists bring a wide range of ideas, solutions, and innovations to the forefront. We will dive into the issue of "who does what?" when it comes to HRSN, discussing models of collaboration for public health, hospitals, private companies, nonprofits, and community partners.
Panelists:
Moderated by: Mitch Stripling, Director, NYC Pandemic Response Institute, Columbia University
Dr. Julia Iyasere, Executive Director, Dalio Center for Health Justice at NewYork-Presbyterian
Dr. Toyin Ajayi, Co-founder and CEO, Cityblock Health
Dr. Virginia Caine, Director, Marion County Public Health Department, Indiana
The Closing Keynote: Acting New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse joins Department of Health Policy & Management Chair Dr. Michael Sparer in conversation about the role of the NYC Department of Health. Dr. Morse will discuss key initiatives, partnerships, and goals of the department. The speakers will explore the evolving role of local health department in light of emerging challenges and opportunities.
Moderated by: Dr. Michael Sparer, Director, Center for Public Health Systems, Professor and Department Chair, Health Policy & Management
Featuring: Dr. Michelle Morse, Interim Commissioner of Health, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health); Chief Medical Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner, NYC Health
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