2026
FLORIDA VOICES FOR HEALTH
SUMMIT
Reclaiming Community in an Era of Change
MAY 5 & 6
Lake Mary Events Center
260 N Country Club Road, Lake Mary, Florida 32746
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Sponsored by:
ABOUT
Our annual health policy and advocacy conference is a great opportunity to learn about Florida's health landscape and connect with participants from a cross section of health care including advocates, health care providers, policy makers, and community members.
This year's Summit will focus on better understanding the rapidly changing health care landscape and strengthening our collective ability to advocate.
Keynote Speaker:
Wendell Potter
Wendell Potter’s career in communications spans more than four decades, half of which he spent as a communications and public affairs executive for major health insurers, Humana and Cigna. After witnessing firsthand how these corporations use strategic PR and lobbying to tilt the scales toward corporate interests, Wendell abandoned his corporate career to advocate for meaningful health care reform.
In 2009, Wendell appeared before Congress to offer his expert testimony on health insurance in the U.S. He pulled the curtains back to reveal business practices and propaganda tactics that contribute to spiraling health care costs and the growing number of uninsured and underinsured Americans.
No one understands better than Wendell how a few insurance companies have grown to gargantuan size; how they continue to mislead all of us, including our employers and the people we vote for, and spend huge sums of our taxes and premium dollars to enrich their executives and shareholders.
Wendell leads the nonprofit Center for Health and Democracy and the Lower Out-of-Pocket NOW Coalition, an organization that advocates for health insurance that doesn’t leave families buried under mountains of medical debt. He is also the publisher and executive editor of HEALTH CARE un-covered.
SCHEDULE
DAY 1 - Tuesday, May 5
DAY 2 - Wednesday,May 6
08:30
Networking Breakfast
Join us for a light breakfast. You'll also have the opportunity to meet other attendees and visit our tabling partners.
09:00
Conference Welcome
Learn what to expect at the 2026 Florida Voices for Health Summit and logistics for the two days.
9:15
Panel Discussion
Reclaiming Care: Countering Corporate Influence in Health Policy
This session examines the growing role of big money, corporate consolidation, and private equity in health care and what it means for patients and communities. Panelists will explore emerging trends, discuss how these forces are affecting access to care and community health, and outline practical steps stakeholders can take to promote transparency, accountability, and patient-centered care. Panelists: • Rachel Madley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Health and Democracy • David Thereux, CEO, Hendry Regional Medical Center • Miriam Straus, JD, Policy Advisor, Georgetown Center for Health Policy and the Law
10:20
Presentation
The Benefits Cliff: Why Working Harder Can Mean Falling Behind
Many working people face a paradox: earning a little more can mean losing critical public benefits, leaving them worse off than before. This session will explain the “cliff effect,” how it affects workers and families, and why it undermines economic mobility. The speaker will walk through the major policy areas where benefits cliffs occur, including health care, nutrition, housing, and child care, and discuss policy solutions that can smooth transitions and support families as they work to get ahead. Presenter: • Lynette Fields, MSW, Executive Director, Poverty Solutions Group
11:00
Panel Discussion
Tackling High Drug Prices: Policy Solutions and Advocacy in the States
High prescription drug costs continue to challenge patients, providers, and health systems across the country. In this session, panelists will examine the evolving policy landscape around prescription drug affordability, highlighting reforms being pursued in Florida and in states across the country. Attendees will learn about promising policy and gain practical insights into how advocates can build effective campaigns to advance prescription drug reform.
12:00
Networking Lunch & Awards
Join us as we recognize Florida's 2026 Health Advocates of the Year. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network.
12:45
Keynote Speaker
Wendell Potter
Wendell Potter leads the nonprofit Center for Health and Democracy and the Lower Out-of-Pocket NOW Coalition, an organization that advocates for health insurance that doesn’t leave families buried under mountains of medical debt. He is also the publisher and executive editor of HEALTH CARE un-covered.
1:50
Panel Discussion
Charting Change: Florida, Federal Action & the Future of Health Policy
Join us for a comprehensive debrief of Florida’s most recent legislative session and a high-level analysis of federal health policy actions over the past year. Panelists will unpack key legislative changes, explore the political dynamics that shaped them, and highlight emerging trends in the health policy landscape. We’ll close with expert forecasts for 2026 and beyond, including what stakeholders across the health system should be watching next. Panelists: • Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, FL State District 42 • Sophia Tripoli, Senior Director of Health Policy, Families USA • Ron Watson, Founder & Lobbyist, Watson Strategies
3:00
Panel Discussion
The Impact of Medicaid Expansion: Lessons from State Experience
As debates about Medicaid expansion continue in non-expansion states, this panel offers a timely look at what expansion has delivered elsewhere. Speakers from expansion states will share their firsthand experience on what expansion has achieved, how it has affected patients and health systems, and what lessons policymakers and advocates can draw from their success. Panelists: • Abby Carter Emanuelson, MPA, Executive Director, North Carolina Alliance for Health • Cara Stewart, JD, Attorney, The Heinrich Firm (Kentucky) • Samantha Bunk, JD, Health Policy Strategist, Missouri Foundation for Health
4:00
Happy Hour!
Debrief and deepen relationships at our annual happy hour! Drinks included with ticket purchase.
08:30
Networking Breakfast
Join us for a light breakfast. You'll also have the opportunity to meet other attendees and visit our tabling partners.
09:00
Conference Welcome
A short reflection on the lessons learned from the first day of the Summit and a look ahead to Day 2's agenda.
9:15
Panel Discussion
Florida’s Oral Health Crisis: The Dental Therapy Debate & Other Solutions
Florida still faces a multifaceted oral health crisis. Among the range of available solutions, dental therapy has emerged as a workforce model in several states to expand access to oral health care. This panel will bring together diverse perspectives to discuss how dental therapy has worked in other states, the potential benefits for Florida’s oral health system, and alternative policies that will improve outcomes. Panelists: • Dr. Frank Catalanotto, President and Founder, Floridians for Dental Access • Dr. Aura Cisneros, Chief Dental Officer, Suncoast Community Health Centers
10:25
Presentation
Developing Leaders, Driving Change: Community Leader Training Models That Work
How do we equip community members with the skills and confidence to lead? This panel explores training programs designed to build advocacy capacity among organizers and community leaders. Panelists will discuss what they teach, how they teach it, and what they’ve learned about moving people from engagement to leadership. Panelists: • Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Project Coordinator, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. • Rachel Prestipino, Vice President of Policy and Community Engagement, Catalyst Miami • Nicole Grabner, Founder, One Voice Brevard
11:30
Presentation
Florida Decides Healthcare: The Ballot Initiative for Medicaid Expansion
Learn about the latest developments in Florida's Medicaid expansion ballot initiative campaign, including updates on the federal lawsuit, ongoing petition collection, and how to get engaged. Panelists: • Holly Bullard, Co-Chair, Florida Decides Healthcare • Mitch Emerson, Executive Director, Florida Decides Healthcare
12:00
Networking Lunch
During lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to network.
12:30
Keynote Conversation
Shaping the Future of Mental Health Policy in Florida
As policymakers continue to debate how best to respond to growing mental health needs, advocates have an important role to play in shaping solutions. In this session, experts will unpack Florida’s evolving behavioral health policy landscape, share insights from communities across the state, and discuss policy strategies that can help expand access, strengthen systems of care, and improve behavioral health outcomes.
1:30
Conference Concludes
Join us for a comprehensive debrief of Florida’s most recent legislative session and a high-level analysis of federal health policy actions over the past year. Panelists will unpack key legislative changes, explore the political dynamics that shaped them, and highlight emerging trends in the health policy landscape. We’ll close with expert forecasts for 2026 and beyond, including what stakeholders across the health system should be watching next. Panelists: • Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, FL State District 42 • Sophia Tripoli, Senior Director of Health Policy, Families USA • Ron Watson, Founder & Lobbyist, Watson Strategies
ACCOMMODATIONS
A block of rooms are reserved at Hyatt Place Lake Mary/Orlando-North. Conference pricing ends April 20th
INFO
PARKING
Free parking is available on location at the Lake Mary Event Center.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Masking will be optional. Temperature checks and COVID tests will be available on-site.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Florida Voices for Health is delighted to announce there are a limited number of scholarships are available for our 2026 FVH Summit.
