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State of Metro Atlanta Health

Breakout Sessions

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

From Policy to Possibility: The 2026 Midterms & the Future of Health in Georgia

Making sense of the 2026 election landscape and considering how changes in leadership and policy could shape health, funding, and equity across Georgia—and where cross-sector leaders can turn uncertainty into opportunities for action.

Panelists

  • Georgia State Representative Michelle Au, MD (D)

  • Georgia State Representative and Chairwoman Darlene Taylor (R)

  • Ryan Loke, Chief Policy Officer, Grady Health System

  • Whitney Griggs, Director of Health Policy, Georgians for a Healthy Future

  • Dr. Alicia Johnson, Regional Director, Health Management Associates and Member, Georgia Public Service Commission

  • Teri Anulewicz, Vice President of Public Affairs, Capital City Public Affairs

  • Chris Denson, Director of Policy and Research at Georgia Public Policy Foundation

  • Chris Perlerla, Principal and Founder, Critical Point Consulting (moderator)

Housing + Health: Creating Conditions for Thriving Communities

Moving beyond housing as a standalone issue to identify strategies that simultaneously improve housing stability, neighborhood conditions, and health outcomes.

Panelists

  • Dr. Alan Ferguson, Chief Housing Officer, Dekalb County

  • Dr. Erin Bradley, Associate Professor of Public Health, Agnes Scott College

  • Natallie Keiser, Executive Director, HouseATL

  • Maureen Freehill, Deputy Commissioner for Housing Assistance and Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs

  • Greg White, Executive Director, A Home for Everyone in Dekalb

  • Dr. Christie Cade, Vice President, Enterprise Community Partners (moderator)

Funding What Matters

Aligning philanthropic, health care, public, and private investments around the vital conditions that give people and communities the opportunity to thrive.

Panelists

  • Gabby Sheely, Executive Director, Tull Foundation 

  • Katrina Mitchell, Director, Atlanta Civic Site, Annie E. Casey Foundation 

  • Brittany Collins, Executive Director, Fitzgerald Foundation 

  • Jason Terrell, Executive Director, Dobbs Foundation 

  • Renay Blumenthal, Senior Director, Corporate Giving and Community Relations, Genuine Parts Company (moderator)

Technology for Good: Advancing Health Equity

Examining how AI and emerging technologies can reduce barriers, strengthen connections, and improve health—while ensuring innovation does not deepen existing inequities.

Panelists

  • Dr. Muhammed Idris, Co-Director, Morehouse School of Medicine's Center of Excellence for Digital Health Innovation 

  • Radhika Subramanian, CEO, TechBridge 

  • Donell Woodson, Executive Director, City of Atlanta's Housing Help Center 

  • Dr. Jon Duke, Director, Georgia Tech's Center for Health Analytics and Informatics 

  • Dr. Evan Orenstein, Chief Medical Information Officer, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta  

  • Dr. Elizabeth Ford-Steward, Consultant, BFT Consulting (moderator) 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

From Policy to Possibility: The 2026 Midterms & the Future of Health in Georgia  (Encore Session)

Making sense of the 2026 election landscape and considering how changes in leadership and policy could shape health, funding, and equity across Georgia—and where cross-sector leaders can turn uncertainty into opportunities for action.

Panelists

  • Georgia State Representative Michelle Au, MD (D)

  • Georgia State Representative and Chairwoman Darlene Taylor (R)

  • Ryan Loke, Chief Policy Officer, Grady Health System

  • Whitney Griggs, Director of Health Policy, Georgians for a Healthy Future

  • Dr. Alicia Johnson, Regional Director, Health Management Associates and Member, Georgia Public Service Commission

  • Teri Anulewicz, Vice President of Public Affairs, Capital City Public Affairs

  • Chris Denson, Director of Policy and Research at Georgia Public Policy Foundation

  • Chris Perlerla, Principal and Founder, Critical Point Consulting (moderator)

Beyond Referrals: Building a More Connected System of Care

Rethinking how health care, social services, and community organizations connect people to resources—and what it will take to create a truly coordinated regional system.

Panelists

  • Dr. Ja'len Husband, Manager of Community Health Programs, Emory Healthcare

  • Maxine Elliot, Deputy Executive Director of Medical Assistance Plans, Georgia Department of Community Health

  • Lisa Porter, Director of Medicare Market Solutions, Humana

  • Jeff Taylor, CEO, MedCura

  • Dorothy Davis, President and CEO, Visiting Nurse Health System

  • Aisha Williams, Deputy Director, ARCHI (moderator)

The Power of Belonging, Opportunity & Community Voice

Connecting community voice, belonging, resilience, and economic opportunity to build stronger communities where people have the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to thrive.

Panelists

  • Pastor Eric Thomas, Senior Pastor, Ministerial Alliance of Metro Atlanta 

  • Dr. Stan Sonu, Medical Director for Child Advocacy at CHOA and Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine

  • Dr. Emily Anne Vall, Executive Director, Resilient Georgia

  • Kellie Bryson, ARCHI's Advisory Community of Practice

  • Ann Carpenter, Chief Research and Innovation Officer, Atlanta Regional Commission

  • Christine Wiggins, Chief Operating Officer, Fulton-Dekalb Hospital Authority (moderator)

Wellbeing By Design

A candid look at how healthcare leaders are sharing resources, redesigning systems, and tackling interconnected challenges that no organization can solve alone.

Panelists

  • Heather Dexter, Hospital Division President, Emory Healthcare

  • Kathryn Lawler, CEO, Mercy Care

  • Shannon Sale, Chief Administrative Officer, Grady Health System

  • Elise Lockamy-Kasim, AVP and Director of Community Health and Center for Health Equity, Wellstar

  • David Donohue, Market President, CareSource

  • Aviva Berman, Director, Strategic Initiatives, ARCHI (moderator)

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