Keynote: Red, White, and YOU: The Heart of Service
April Lewis, President and CEO of A. Lewis Academy, Inc

Session Description: April Lewis is a combat Army veteran and a nationally recognized leadership and well-being expert. As Director of the National Center for Workforce Development and Training, she empowers healthcare professionals serving marginalized communities. April’s “human first, employee second” approach inspires leaders to prioritize people, foster resilience, and create cultures of service at every level.

Panel: Federal Policies, Health Centers, and the Supply Chain
Vincent Aguilera, Senior Director of Assurance and Continuity, Vizient
Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO, Advocates for Community Health

Session Description: Not in a generation has there been a cascade of policy decisions that have had a direct impact on health center finances and operations. A panel of policy experts will review the year that was and what they anticipate the continued impact will be of 2025 policy decisions into the new year.

Panel: How to Design and Manage an RFP
Shigeyuki “Shige” Murota, Facktor
Nayantara Venkataraman, Facktor

Session Description: This session offers a practical, experience-based look at how to design and manage Request for Proposals (RFPs) that support strategic goals, improve vendor outcomes, and streamline internal collaboration. We’ll cover the five main procurement methods, how to select the right one for your situation, and what to include in an RFP to promote clarity, compliance, and vendor engagement. You’ll also learn about common challenges that slow down or complicate the process—and how to address them early. Whether you’re managing complex service contracts or navigating cross-functional input, this session will give you tools to make your RFP process more effective and aligned with your organization’s priorities.

Panel: Inventory Management: Tactics and Strategies
Tim Malloy, Senior Director of Procurement and Materials Management, Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinic
Faisal Akar, Director of Procurement, Hope Health
Terry Brooks, Director Community Health Center Development, McKesson
Jeff Lawrence, Vice President of Business Development, Envi
Tim Snowball, Director of Procurement and Supply Chain, El Rio Health

Session Description: A sound inventory management strategy can yield great results resulting in increased efficiency and lower costs while never having to compromise (internal and external) customer needs. There are several proven tactics that can help health centers achieve their inventory management objectives. Learn from a panel of purchasing and material management experts from health centers, IT and distribution companies on their favorite approaches to creating a winning inventory management strategy.

Panel: GPO Affiliation and Federal Guidance for Procurement
Don Daniel

Session Description: Federal procurement guidance is constantly evolving and can be confusing. Health center operational and procurement staff are responsible to establishing organizational policies that serve health center objectives while adhering to federal rules. Learn from an expert as to how health centers can comply with federal policies while utilizing the benefits of GPO affiliation to contain costs in service to the health center’s mission.