AUPHA’s 2021 Annual Meeting, held virtually again this year, was a resounding success. Special thanks go to the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC), chaired by Suzanne J. Wood, PhD, MS, FACHE, for putting together this event. Nearly 400 registrants attended the meeting over a three week period this past June to participate in over 26 educational sessions; 34 poster sessions; 4 keynote sessions, including a special pre-conference session; 17 track sessions, featuring a doctoral track, an undergraduate track; and a global track; and AUPHA sessions including the Graham Prize presentation, the Annual Business Meeting, the Awards Presentation session, and the Undergraduate and Graduate Program Town Halls. In addition, this year’s Annual Meeting included a “lighter side” of events to add value and complement the more serious sessions above, including yoga, a wine education session, a teaching using improvisation session, a trivia and a match the people with their pets session, and a presentation focused on mental health and well-being. Special thanks go to Julie Carmalt, PhD (yoga instructor); Steve Meurer, PhD (wine educator); Mike Eppehimer, MHSA (teaching through improv); and Joy D. Calloway, MBA, MHSA, for her presentation - One Crisis from Crazy.
A special pre-conference keynote featuring Adaeze Enekwechi, PhD, MPP, was held in late May and included in the registration fee. Special thanks to the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) for their generous support of this presentation on Reflections on Recent Lessons in Advancing Health Equity in a Public Health Emergency. We are grateful for our continuing and collaborative relationship with NAHSE and for Dr. Enekwechi’s participation.
The meeting formally opened on Tuesday, June 8th with the Pattullo Lecture given by Julio Frenk, MD, MPH, PhD, President of the University of Miami. His lecture, The Future of Higher Education: Instructional and Institutional Transformations, drew a huge crowd and garnered high remarks on the post-meeting evaluation form, including these: “This was the best Pattullo Lecture I have ever heard. Absolutely superb!” and “Best Pattullo lecture and presenter in a very long time. Excellent.” Other presentations that week included sessions from the Undergraduate, Doctoral, and Global tracks.
The gavel was passed to the new Board Chair, Jason S. Turner, PhD, at AUPHA’s Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, June 10th. Outgoing Board members Leigh W. Cellucci, PhD, MBA; Jeffrey Helton, PhD, CMA, CFE, FHFMA; and William A. Tuttle, DSc, MHA, FACHE, were recognized for their outstanding service to and support of the association. Newly elected Board members Rhonda BeLue, PhD; Cathleen Erwin, PhD, MBA; Mario Garner, EdD, MHA, FACHE; Darren Liu, MHA, MS, DrPH; and Monica C. Vargas-Mahar, MHA, FACHE, were welcomed to the Board. Current members of the Board and staff look forward to working with all of you.
The week of June 14th began with the Undergraduate Program Town Hall, led by Jullet (Jaye) Davis Weaver, PhD, MHA, and Michael Matthews, PhD, MHA, followed by the Graduate Program Town Hall, led by Laurie Shanderson, PhD, MPH, FACHE, and AUPHA President and CEO Dan Gentry, PhD, MHA. The highlight of this week was the 2021 William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research Presentation by Sherry Glied, PhD, Dean of New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.
Another key session this week was the presentation by keynote speaker Jay Bhatt, DO, MPH, MPA, the Chief Clinical Product Officer and Medical Director for the Medical Home Network. Bhatt’s presentation focused on Public Health: Accelerating Innovation for a Better Nation. Sincere appreciation goes to AcademyHealth for their sponsorship of Dr. Bhatt’s presentation.
The last week of the meeting included the annual Awards presentation on Tuesday, June 22nd, where the following individuals were recognized for their excellence and achievements: Leonard H. Friedman, PhD, MPH, FACHE, the Gary L. Filerman Award for Educational Leadership recipient; Chris Louis, PhD, MHA, for the John D. Thompson Prize; John Brady, DHA, FACHE, for the Glandon Family Scholarship; and Ana Paula Gonzalez Lopez Soriano, for the Bachrach Family Scholarship.
Congratulations also to these award winners, also recognized during the Awards presentation:
AUPHA Faculty Engagement Award: Sue M. Boren, PhD, MHA, University of Missouri
AUPHA New Program Engagement Award: West Virginia University
AUPHA Established Program Engagement Award: University of Washington
1st Place Poster Winners for
Why Wait to Innovate? Finding a Different View of the Prism
Chris Nesser, PhD, FACHE, CHFP, University of the Incarnate Word
Lynn Downs, PhD, University of the Incarnate Word
Patrick D. Shay, PhD, MSHA, Trinity University
Edward J. Schumacher, PhD, Trinity University
2nd Place Poster Winners for
Career-Ready Graduates: A Curricular Pathway
Sarah Johnson, MSEd, Indiana University
Keely Floyd, MA, Indiana University
3rd Place Poster Winners for
Emergency Preparedness for Health Profession Students Entering the Healthcare Industry
Ruiling Guo, DHA, MPH, MLIS, AHIP, Idaho State University
Richard Ginnetti, DHA, MBA, University of Michigan – Dearborn
Lori R. Astill, EdD, MSEd, Idaho State University
Liang Yan, PharmD, MS, University of Utah
AUPHA Trivial Pursuit Winners
1st Place: Richard Culbertson, PhD
2nd Place: Anthony Stanowski, DHA, MS, MBA
3rd Place: Bernardo Ramirez, MD, MBA
Match Game Winners
1st Place: Linda J. Mast, PhD, FACMPE
2nd Place (Tied): Leigh W. Cellucci, PhD, MBA
Zachary Pruitt, PhD
Pia Woodley, DBA
The meeting closed with the AUPHA Forum Speaker, Donna E. Shalala, PhD, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, university president, and former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the state of Florida. Shalala was interviewed by Steven Ullmann, PhD, University of Miami. Sincere appreciation and gratitude go to Dr. Ullmann for his assistance in securing Dr. Shalala as the closing keynote speaker. Comments on the evaluation included these: “Dr. Shalala is authentic and speaks to the realities of what we are facing to build effective leaders for the future. Really great facilitated discussion with Dr. Ullman!” and “Up front and bold in her strategies in addressing our social issues in the delivery of healthcare.” Sincere appreciation and gratitude go to Dr. Ullmann also for his assistance in securing Dr. Shalala as the closing keynote speaker.
Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to these Annual Meeting sponsors who generously sponsored the meeting. We are very grateful for your support and participation.
Results from the 2021 Annual Meeting Evaluation showed an overall satisfaction rate of 4.74 out of 5.00, with 97% of respondents planning to attend the 2022 Annual Meeting next June.
A reminder that all sessions of the 2021 Annual Meeting were recorded and can be accessed by registrants here through August 31, 2021. Information on AUPHA’s 2022 Annual Meeting, scheduled to be held in Salt Lake City next June 7 - 9, will be available on the AUPHA website in late September. We look forward to seeing you there!