Dear ACHE of MA Members,

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the summer months and had a chance to unwind a bit from the stress of the healthcare world. As we approach a new academic year, I encourage you to take advantage of the many ACHE offerings to sharpen your skills needed to succeed in our changing landscape.

If you have not already registered for the 2026 Annual Healthcare Summit on Friday, October 16 at Gillette Stadium, I highly encourage you to sign up today. The theme, “No Final Buzzer: Leading in Healthcare When the Game Never Stops” is fitting for how many healthcare leaders feel in our current environment. The event will offer a total of 6.5 credits (4.5 in-person credits and 2.0 qualifying credits) in an information filled day designed to motivate you and change your thinking on how we move forward.

We will start the day off with motivation speaker and former NBA player, Chris Herren. Herren struggled with substance abuse for 14 years while playing college and professional basketball, including for the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics. Through friends and family, Herren was able to seek treatment and has been sober since August 2008. His experience motivated him to help support others and in 2011, he created the Herren Project, a nonprofit organization focused on helping individuals obtain the treatment they need to overcome their addictions.

The late morning will feature John McDonough, professor, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discussing his new book, “America’s Wrong Turn: US Health Care in the Neoliberal Era”. McDonough will offer insights to focus on overall public health and best serving the American people. After his remarks, we’ll have a reaction panel to further the discussion and provide their reflections.

The day will include morning and afternoon panels with key leaders across multiple healthcare sectors covering a wide range of topics. We’ll wrap up the day with our annual Innovation Showcase featuring three start-ups, followed by a networking reception. October 16 will be an action-packed day that is sure to give you take-aways to bring back to your respective organization.

The full agenda is below:

7:00–8:00 a.m. Registration & Breakfast NetworkingStudent Posters
8:00–8:05 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:05–9:00 a.m. Morning Keynote—Chris Herren
9:00–9:15 a.m. Break
9:15–10:45 a.m. Morning Concurrent Panels
Whole Health and New Models: How Integrative Care Is Closing Gaps and Delivering Value  Moderator: Becca McKay—New England Healthcare Lead, Slalom Consulting     Panelists: Jessica Gaulton, MD—Founder & CEO, FamilyWell Health Lauren Morton—SVP of Operations, Shields Advanced Therapies Ashley Reid—Founder & CEO, Wellist	The “Yes” List: What Healthcare Leaders Are Funding Right Now  Moderator: Jennifer Stevens, MD—Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School; Director, Center for Healthcare Delivery Science at BIDMC & BILH   Panelists: Elizabeth A. Gagliardi, MD—Chair, Division of Gynecology; Assistant Professor, UMass Chan Medical School; Lecturer, Harvard Medical School Paula Ferrada, MD—Chair, Dept. of Surgery, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus; Medical Director, Perioperative Services – IFMC; System Chief, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Inova Health System Eric Alper, MD—SVP, Chief Quality Officer / Chief Clinical Informatics Officer; UMass Memorial Health
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Afternoon Keynote & Reactor PanelJohn McDonough—Professor, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Author: America’s Wrong Turn: US Health Care in the Neoliberal Era   Reactor Panel: Tom Tsai, MD—Associate Professor, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Associate Professor of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School Richard Corder—Senior Principal, Partnerships & Growth, The Outcomes Institute Dominique Morgan—Chief Operating Officer, Health Leads
12:30–1:30 p.m. Lunch & Presentation of the Annual Torchbearer Inclusive Leadership AwardStudent Posters
1:30–3:00 p.m. Afternoon Concurrent Panels
How to Land Your Next Role    Moderator: Puneet Freibott, DNP, RN, FACHE—System Chief Nursing Officer, Beth Israel Lahey Health   Panelists: Stephen Davis—Senior Partner, WittKieffer Mim Minichiello—Chief Performance and Talent Officer for HUB International’s East Region Jackie Morgan—Vice President, Talent & Workforce Development, MaineHealth	The Cost of Inaction: Strategic and Cultural Misalignment in Health Systems  Moderator: Sanjay Pathak—Senior Consult, CFAR       Panelists: Jack Bailey, FACHE—Senior Director, Berkshire Health Systems Namita Seth Mohta, MD—Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, BWH Hospitalist, Executive Editor, NEJM Catalyst, Ariadne Labs Rachel Wilson—Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Bluebird Kids Health
3:15–4:15 p.m. Healthcare Innovation ShowcaseModerator: Lesley Solomon—Healthcare and Clinical Trials Entrepreneur   Featuring Series A startups: ·       FamilyWell ·       Ecton ·       Arbizal
4:15–4:20 p.m. Closing Remarks
4:20–6:00 p.m. Networking Reception

In addition to our local ACHE of MA chapter, there are several key updates on the National Level, including a new website as part of ACHE’s new digital experience effort. See summary below for full details:

 

National Updates
New Website	On August 3, ACHE launched their new digital experience that includes a redesigned website and a new Salesforce-powered CRM platform. The new website makes the following features easier to navigate with more tools offered:·       News & Insights ·       FACHE Credential ·       Education & Events ·       Publishing ·       Career Resources ·       Membership   Please take a moment to look and learn more about all the opportunities within ACHE.
Upcoming Clusters—great In-Person Education opportunities in cities across the country	·       Nov. 9–11: Scottsdale Cluster·       Dec. 14–16: Fort Lauderdale Cluster   ·       Jan. 25–26, 2027: San Diego Cluster ·       July 26–28, 2027: Boston Cluster ·       Sept. 27–29, 2027: San Antonio Cluster ·       Oct. 18–20, 2027: Charleston Cluster ·       Dec. 13–15, 2027: Fort Lauderdale Cluster
2027 ACHE Congress On Healthcare Leadership—March 22–24 in Nashville	·       Sign-up for details on future registration and hotel information—opening in October 2026: 2027 Congress on Healthcare Leadership·       Management Innovation Poster Session o   Calling for poster abstract submissions for the 42nd annual Management Innovations Poster Session to be held at the 2027 Congress. These innovations should fall into one of the following four categories: AI and Technology Rural and Critical Access Hospitals Safety and Quality Workforce Care Redesign o   Learn more about the full selection criteria and how to submit your abstract. Abstracts should be submitted by Sept. 30.
Check out our Podcast	ACHE’s Healthcare Executive Podcast features discussions and insights with experts and leaders in healthcare. Go to our podcast page, subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are released regularly.

I hope to see many of you at the October 16 Annual Summit, and please reach out if I can be of further help.

Best,
Jeff

Jeffrey M. Blackwell, FACHE
Regent (Interim) for Massachusetts
jeffrey.blackwell@umassmemorial.org