2023 Schedule

Storytelling is a uniquely human activity, helping us to make sense of the world, cultivate empathy, honor the past, and pass on traditions. Everyone has a story to tell, and sharing them can be an act of love, an expression of compassion, and a way to explore our humanity more fully. Careful listening also builds health-promoting connections among caregivers, family members, healthcare providers,...

Scientists and policymakers all agree that another pandemic is inevitable—and that we are still not prepared. Whether it is a COVID mutation, a bird flu, or something entirely unforeseen, the extent of the dangers we will face depends on public health, clinical capacity, the lethality of a new virus, and the ease of its transmission. Early warning systems and an equitable supply chain can reduce t...

The trauma associated with natural disasters, refugee flight, teenage bullying, or gun violence can endure for a lifetime if appropriate mental health services are not provided. Just as we don’t wait for a wound to become infected before providing treatment, so too we must act quickly to curb emotional damage before it festers. Models of mental health first aid training show us how we can equip fi...

Visionary leaders question established patterns, work collaboratively across disciplines and hierarchies, and trek fearlessly into uncharted territory. By encouraging risk-tasking, nurturing creativity, and championing unconventional thinking, they push the boundaries of what’s possible. Hear from a panel of trailblazers in health about what is required in a century that has already seen an histor...

Constrained neither by the private sector’s quest for profit nor the political structure of government, foundations have tremendous leeway to pioneer ideas, pilot novel strategies, and pivot to meet unanticipated needs. Philanthropic funds can influence the health agenda by informing policy, advancing cutting-edge research, contributing to thriving communities, supporting workforce training, reduc...

Mocktails, non-alcoholic beers, and zero-proof bars are popping up everywhere, offering the social pleasures of alcohol-fueled gatherings without some of the risks. Abstaining from alcohol is no longer a sign of a drinking problem on the mend, but rather a commitment to wellness, a cultural shift, a rejection of a vast and manipulative industry, and even a way to find a different kind of buzz. Rec...

Eighty percent of what impacts our health happens outside of the doctor's office: from education and employment opportunities to access to housing, transportation, and quality food. A panel of global experts will explore actionable solutions to address the root causes of disparities and how to build a path forward for collaboration, community co-creation, and a shared vision of a world without hea...

Environmental stewardship has become as much a watchword in the business sector as it has among activists and advocates. When corporate executives start talking about the importance of ecosystems, regenerative agriculture, and responsible product sourcing, and NGOs promote innovative financing mechanisms that forgive national debt in exchange for funding conservation activities, a shared sense of...

This interactive session led by Ideo.org recognizes that little is more personal than the health of our minds and bodies and that deciding to seek out healthcare is to acknowledge vulnerability. Our cultural backgrounds and intersecting identities, often combined with prevailing stigma or previous experience with insensitive systems, complicates the ability to trust those who should be helping us....

During this intimate evening of storytelling, hear directly from health workers who are innovating and advocating every day to deliver better care to their communities. Five storytellers will share their personal stories on the challenges they face; how they are driving solutions; and how we can better support their needs to ensure that everyone has access to quality care. These storytellers inclu...

It sometimes feels like we can do nothing to stop gun violence. But easy access to mental health services, widely available trainings to identify individuals at risk, school curricula that elevate social and emotional learning, and community outreach and mentoring programs are all strategies for interrupting gun violence before it occurs. Despite often-angry rhetoric, there is a lot of common grou...

Medicare covers 65 million people, pays out $829 billion in annual benefits, and accounts for 21% of total national health spending. An aging population, increasing costs, and coverage expansions all raise questions about the long-term financing of this hugely popular national insurance program. The availability of sophisticated home-based medical interventions, a new law lowering the price of ins...

Twenty years ago, under the administration of George W. Bush, the US government established the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). With allocations exceeding $110 billion, it represents the largest investment ever made by any nation in a single disease. The resulting package of testing, prevention, and treatment is credited with saving more than 25 million lives. Learn how PEPFAR...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atlantic lambasted the US Food and Drug Administration for moving too slowly to approve vaccines with the provocative headline “The Death Toll of Delay.” Not long before, National Public Radio had run a piece titled “One-Third of New Drugs Had Safety Problems After FDA Approval.” As the agency tries to move safe and effective drugs as quickly as possible to patien...

Declining cancer death rates, promising research, and innovative technology suggest the tide may be turning in the long war against cancer. Clinical trials using CRISPR technology to modify immune system cells are increasing, cancer vaccines are the next frontier for immunotherapy, and blood tests capable of detecting early signals of multiple types of cancer appear promising. Optimism is percolat...

Although essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and devices, clinical trials tend to be costly and slow to reach conclusions, and there is often an imbalance in the race, gender, and age of participants. Efforts to reinvigorate the research ecosystem aim to broaden access to trials, increase their diversity, and make it more efficient to capture protected patient health dat...

Sleep, perchance to dream—and to awaken restored, energetic, and prepared to meet the challenges of the day. The evolutionary gift of sleep lowers the risk of chronic disease, and supports brain health, immune function, and emotional regulation. Yet one in three adults say they don’t get enough sleep and as many as 70 million Americans suffer from insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or another slee...

Today’s kids are facing a mental health crisis unlike any before them, with rates of severe loneliness, anxiety, and depressive episodes reaching new heights. It’s an urgent concern with far-reaching impacts, especially for those in historically marginalized communities who too often do not have access to the help they need. How can organizations leverage their scale to make sure every child can a...

When we vote, speak out at local meetings, volunteer to build a park, advocate for a cause, or create opportunities to connect with others, we take on the shared responsibility of nurturing our collective well-being. Civic engagement allows us to participate in the life of our communities, have our voices heard, and share power over the decisions that affect our lives. Inclusiveness is the watchwo...

Vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell are the five human senses most of us are fortunate enough to know intimately. We like to say that intuition is our sixth sense, but Emma Young, an award-winning journalist who writes extensively about science and health, delves into research that has uncovered many others. In Super Senses: The Science of Your 32 Senses and How to Use Them, she explains the...