The RISE Healthy Communities Summit, formerly known as the RISE Summit on Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), will take place March 23-25 in Orlando. The event brings together leaders from across health care, public health, community organizations, government, and philanthropy for three days of learning and action-packed programming.
Below is a definitive list of can't‑miss sessions, workshops, and experiences—spanning keynotes, preconference events, track sessions, and interactive forums.
Inspiring keynotes
Laurie Stradley, DrPH, CEO at Impact Health, Brandon Wilson, COO at ABCCM, and Kody Kinsley, senior advisor, Milken Institute and former secretary, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, will provide the opening keynote on Monday. They will highlight emerging approaches and innovations reshaping Medicaid programs nationwide.
Professional speaker Dr. Heather Denniston will kick off Tuesday’s sessions.
She will share a set of “secret tools” for building resilience as a renewable resource—one that fuels influence, adaptability, and joy without glorifying burnout.
Patient advocate Erica Olenski will provide the closing keynote on Wednesday.
She will demonstrate how patient and caregiver narratives can drive innovation, anchored in her own personal journey and using the Monarch Model as a guide.
Spotlight: Women’s Day
Included with all‑access passes (but registration is required), the debut Women’s Day invites professionals at every level to learn from leadership coaches, executives, and motivational speakers. The day-long event on Monday will feature sessions on:
- Trauma‑informed leadership in a post‑crisis world
- Turning personal perspective into professional power
- Balancing multiple identities
- Hands‑on negotiation skills
- Roundtable discussions tailored to personal career journeys
Workshops
Monday will also feature a choice of two afternoon workshops prior to the main conference. Registration is required:
- Workshop A: From Intent to Impact is a hands‑on session using INSPIRE’s framework to help organizations better engage people with lived experience (PWLE). Participants will assess their current practices, collaborate with peers, and build a customized roadmap to strengthen PWLE integration.
- Workshop B: AI, Ethics, and Smarter Decisions will provide a grounded, hype‑free look at AI in whole‑person care. This workshop provides a decision framework—SEEDS of Innovation™—to help leaders evaluate AI tools, address risks, strengthen governance, and meaningfully integrate lived experience into responsible AI deployment.
In-depth general sessions
The three-day event will include sessions of general interest to all:
- Panel: A Rose by Any Other Name—Changing Language, Continued Care: A timely discussion on evolving language around health equity and SDoH—and the downstream effects on care and communication.
- Financing the Future—Funding Programs for Social Drivers of Change: A deep dive into funding strategies, relationships with policymakers, and building winning proposals supported by data.
- Community Health Needs Assessment: Lessons From a 10‑County Region: A case study on public‑private partnerships, leadership roles, and replicable strategies for effective community health needs assessments.
Track sessions
The summit’s core content spans major areas of community health strategy:
Track A includes sessions on:
- Federal Medicaid work requirements
- Interoperability between health and social care
- Food, housing, and social needs hub models
- Medically tailored meals
- Language as data
- Amplifying community voices
Track B sessions will explore:
- SDoH data governance and risk
- Nutritional equity collaborations
- Integrating Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP
- Designing care with patients
- Avoiding unintentional inequities
Track C focus areas include:
- The ACTION Pathway for career pivots
- Neurosignatures for talent activation
- FLOURISH framework for high performance without burnout
Health Care Hero award presentation
Don’t miss the presentation of the 2026 RISE Health Care Hero award and help celebrate an exceptional leader who is advancing health equity and serving underserved communities. The annual award recognizes a person who has had a significant impact on the lives of underserved populations through health care and/or social services interventions, and through superior example of the RISE mission to promote health equity among all patients.
Interactive roundtables—Choose your own adventure
If your goal is to learn from peers and dig into real‑world challenges, this is your moment. With 15 topic‑specific roundtables, you can explore everything from food‑as‑medicine programs to supporting foreign-born communities to fast nervous‑system regulation for leaders. These small‑group facilitated conversations are consistently cited by attendees as one of the most valuable networking and learning opportunities at the summit.
Networking receptions, give back opportunities
Join us for several special events, including a:
Volunteer food packing to, support U.S. Hunger The event is free to attend but additional registration required.
Assembly of mental wellness and self-advocacy kits—a meaningful, hands-on service event to support Women on the Rise International, Inc. for women navigating workforce and life transitions across Central Florida.
Networking receptions: Celebrate the spirit of March Madness with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and vendor networking on Monday, March 23, and a cocktail reception on Tuesday night.
The RISE Healthy Communities Summit will take place March 23-25 Orlando World Center Marriott. Click here to see the full agenda, roster of speakers, and how to register.