Agenda

• 8:30-9:30 a.m.
  Board Member Orientation
  Kevin Reed, J.D., Partner, Reed, Claymon, Meeker, Krienke & Spurck, PLLC, Austin and Fletcher Brown, J.D., Phelps Dunbar LLP, Austin
  Whether you’re new to a hospital board role or just want a governance refresher, this session is for you. Attendees will gain essential knowledge and practical skills to confidently handle their responsibilities. The speakers will cover the core duties of hospital board members, what makes high performing boards successful, and proven strategies for effective governance. Join us to build your governance foundation and make a greater impact on your hospital’s success.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Quality 101 for Health Care Boards
  Laura Cornelson, MSN, RN, Vice President, Clinical Initiatives and Sheila Dolbow, MSN, RN, CFN, CPHQ, Project Improvement Manager, Texas Hospital Association Foundation, Austin
  Strengthening your board’s role in ensuring high quality patient care starts with a solid understanding of quality oversight. This session equips board members with the knowledge and confidence to interpret key quality metrics, ask insightful questions, and apply effective oversight practices that promote continuous improvement. Discover practical tools and strategies to support your organization’s commitment to excellence in care delivery—and elevate your board’s impact on patient outcomes.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• 10:30 – 11 a.m.
  Morning Break
  Texas Ballroom DEF

• 11 a.m.-Noon
  Introduction to Hospital Finance
  Deborah Whitley, CPA, Partner, Healthcare, FORVIS, Waco
  This session provides an overview of key concepts in healthcare finance, focusing on helping board members understand the essential elements of hospital financial statements and core financial metrics. The presentation will highlight how hospitals are reimbursed for the services they provide, the major categories of cost unique to healthcare organizations, and the financial information most critical for effective board oversight.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours; CPE: 1.2 hours
  Presentation

• 1-2:30 p.m.
  Compliance Update – What’s New in Texas Health Care
  Heather De La Garza-Barone, J.D., Associate General Counsel; and Nicole Lusardi, J.D., Associate General Counsel, Texas Hospital Association, Austin
  This session will highlight the most pressing legal and compliance challenges facing hospitals today, with a focus on new laws and revisions emerging from the 89th Texas Legislative Session that will take or have taken effect during the interim. Speakers will emphasize high risk areas for hospitals, outlining the potential operational and regulatory consequences of non compliance and what board members need to watch closely.
  ACHE (Qualified), MCLE, CHTL: 1.5 hours; CPE: 1.8 hours
  Presentation

• 2:30-3 p.m.
  Afternoon Break
  Texas Ballroom DEF

• 3-4 p.m.
  Advanced Hospital Finance
  Anna Stelter, Vice President of Policy, and Matt Turner, Ph.D., Senior Director of Quality and Payments, Texas Hospital Association, Austin
  This session provides an in depth look at hospital reimbursement, including Medicare, Medicaid, and other essential payment structures. Speakers will also share updates on state and federal policy changes and discuss how these shifts influence hospital financial operations. Attendees will gain practical insights to better navigate the evolving reimbursement landscape and support the long term financial stability of their organizations.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours; CPE: 1.2 hours
  Presentation

• 4-5 p.m.
  Managing AI at Scale: Understanding Oversight Challenges and Solutions
  Darren Skyles, J.D., Partner, Nelson Mullins, Houston; David Hilderbrand, Chief Commercial Officer, Ferrum Health; and Jamie Bergen, Director of Customer Success, Ferrum Health
  As healthcare organizations rapidly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) across clinical, operational, and administrative functions, a new challenge has emerged: how to manage a growing ecosystem of AI tools in a coordinated, transparent, and accountable way. Many organizations now face fragmented deployments, limited visibility into performance, and difficulty aligning AI use with governance expectations. The speakers will examine the need for centralized oversight, focusing on technological approaches to inventorying AI tools, monitoring performance, managing risk, and integrating governance into day-to-day operations.
  ACHE (Qualified), MCLE, CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

Jon Carmichael, Photographer and Keynote Speaker
Jon Carmichael’s journey to capturing one of history’s most breathtaking images of a solar eclipse wasn’t just about photography—it was about perspective, audacity, and the relentless pursuit of possibility. In this inspiring keynote, Jon shares how embracing The Eclipse Mindset—one that sees beyond obstacles and reimagines limitations—allowed him to turn uncertainty into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Through captivating storytelling and stunning visuals, Jon takes audiences on his journey from a childhood dream to a high-stakes mission at 39,000 feet, where teamwork, intuition, and bold thinking led to a breakthrough moment. Just like an eclipse reveals a hidden beauty that’s only visible for a fleeting moment, Jon shows how our biggest opportunities often emerge from the shadows of challenge and change.
ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.5 hours

• Building Blocks of a Hospital Compliance Program
  Kenya Woodruff J.D., Partner and National Chair, Health Care Practice and Deputy General Counsel, Katten, Dallas
  Presidio ABC
  An effective compliance program doesn’t happen by accident, it requires intentional design, consistent oversight, and active engagement from the governing board. This session explores the foundational building blocks of a robust hospital compliance program, from written policies and procedures to training, auditing, internal reporting mechanisms, and response protocols. Board members will gain a clearer understanding of how these elements work together to create an organization-wide culture of integrity. Beyond program structure, attendees will examine the board’s distinct oversight responsibilities, including how to evaluate whether the compliance program is adequately resourced, functioning as intended, and producing meaningful results.
  ACHE (Qualified), MCLE, CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Governance Best Practices: Effective Board Meetings
  Lindsay Thompson, President/CEO, Texas Healthcare Trustees, Austin
  Republic ABC
  This session will address the essential elements of conducting effective board meetings. As the key venue for governance decision making, it is vital that board meetings lead to successful outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on critical components such as optimizing meeting efficiency with consistent materials and processes, agenda development and meeting organization, and engaging board members with focused presentations to ensure that relevant information is available to support informed decisions.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Governing AI in Healthcare: First-Year Perspectives and Insights (Livestreamed)
  Darren Skyles, J.D., Partner, Nelson Mullins Houston; Sara Thomas, J.D., Chief Legal Officer/Division Director, Harris Health System, Houston; and Cornelius Sabastian Berry, J.D., MPH, Assistant County Attorney, Harris County Attorney’s Office
  Seguin AB
  Over the past year, healthcare organizations have moved beyond planning for artificial intelligence (AI) governance to actively implementing and operationalizing governance frameworks across their enterprises. Building on last year’s discussion of governance structure and design, the speakers will share lessons learned from the first year of AI governance in practice. Attendees will gain insight into how governance functions under real-world pressures, including managing expanding AI use cases (e.g., revenue cycle, clinical tools and ambient documentation), navigating often-fragmented regulatory expectations as they evolve and addressing workforce adoption challenges.
  ACHE (Qualified), MCLE, CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Traits of a High-Performing Board: What the Best Boards Do Differently
  Dillon McKinney, Regional Director, The Governance Institute; and Keith Wysocki, Vice President, The Governance Institute
  Travis CD
  Most boards are made up of highly accomplished leaders; community leaders, physicians, executives, and entrepreneurs who bring deep expertise and strong judgement to the table. What sets the best boards apart isn’t talent or experience, it’s intention. High-performing boards are clear about their role, disciplined about where they focus, and thoughtful about how they partner with executive leadership. They know what belongs in the boardroom, what doesn’t, and how to use their time to make decisions that truly move the organization forward. This session is about what separates strong boards from stuck ones. We’ll look at where boards tend to lose momentum, what high-performing boards do instead, and how small shifts in focus, structure, and dialogue can create big gains.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Being an Effective Hospital Champion
  Jenifer Sarver, Principal, Sarver Strategies
  Presidio ABC
  Hospital trustees play a critical role in shaping how their organization is understood in the community—but there isn’t always a clear roadmap for how to do it well. This session will equip board members with practical tools to serve as confident, aligned ambassadors for their hospitals. From strengthening personal credibility (including how and when to communicate affiliation) to delivering a clear, consistent story, participants will learn how to use their voice to support hospitals and their missions. Through real-world examples and actionable takeaways, attendees will leave better prepared to represent their hospital with clarity, consistency, and impact in every interaction.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours

• AI Use Cases for Rural Hospitals
  Richard G. Greenhill, DHA, CPHQ, HACP-CMS, PMP, FACHE, Principal & Founder, SmartSigma AI; and Mark Biscone, Ph.D., MPH, FACHE, President and CEO, American College of Healthcare Executives – South East Texas Chapter and The Education Foundation of the South East Texas Chapter
  Republic ABC
  Rural hospitals face persistent pressures: thin staffing, limited access to specialists, and the constant demand to do more with less. This panel explores how AI is being used in rural settings to address these challenges head-on. Panelists will share practical applications for extending limited workforces, reducing administrative burden, and improving clinical decision support at the point of care.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours; CPE: 1.2 hours
  Presentation

• The Chair’s Role in a Time of Change – Leading the Board for Maximum Impact (Livestreamed)
  Keith Wysocki, Vice President, The Governance Institute
  Seguin AB
  The chair sets the tone for the room, the conversation, and the partnership with the CEO. When the chair leads effectively, the board is focused, engaged, and productive. When expectations are unclear, even strong boards can drift. This session examines how the chair’s role is evolving and how chairs, vice chairs, CEOs, and board leaders can collaborate to get more out of the boardroom. We’ll talk about what’s working, what quietly hinders progress, and how great chairs elevate (not control) the board. This will be a highly interactive session with facilitated dialogue, real scenarios, and shared learning across the room. You’ll leave with practical ideas to strengthen meetings, relationships, and results – whether you sit in the chair, support the chair, or partner with one.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Quality Compliance in Healthcare
  Laura A Dixon, BS, J.D., RN, CPHRM, President, Healthcare Risk Education and Consulting, LLC
  Travis CD
  Dixon will review the responsibilities and oversight obligations of hospital governing bodies and C-suite executives as defined by CMS Conditions of Participation, with a focused lens on reporting requirements, Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI), and patient safety. This session examines the parallel standards set forth by accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission and DNV Healthcare, highlighting how governing boards must actively engage in performance monitoring, adverse event oversight, and data-driven accountability structures.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

Sara González, Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy; John Hawkins, President and CEO, Texas Hospital Association; and John Henderson, President and CEO, Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, Austin
Join our expert panel for an in-depth discussion on key interim legislative work shaping the road to the 90th Texas Legislative Session and federal updates affecting the healthcare industry. Attendees will learn about the most pressing issues under consideration and their implications for Texas hospitals including cost of care, rural transformation, hospital payments, and more.
ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.25 hours; CPE: 1.5 hours

Attendees, guests, and sponsors alike are welcome to attend this special reception and silent auction. Enjoy food and beverages while browsing a variety of items and experiences available at the auction. THT uses funds raised from this auction to continue to provide high-quality governance programs for our members.

• Open Meetings Update
  Craig Carter, J.D., Co-Founding Partner; and Brian Jackson, J.D., Co-Founding Partner, Jackson & Carter, PLLC, Austin
  Presidio ABC
  Open board meetings play a vital role in promoting transparency, accountability, and public trust—but the rules governing them can be complex and difficult to navigate. This session will provide hospital trustees and leaders with essential guidance on proper documentation practices, compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, and key requirements of open meeting laws. Learn the best practices—and the common pitfalls to avoid—to ensure your board meetings are smooth, compliant, and effective.
  ACHE (Qualified), MCLE, CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Is Your Governance Model Keeping Up? When Strategy Evolves Faster Than the Board
  Craig Deao, MHA, Managing Director, Strategy & Organizational Transformation, Huron
  Republic ABC
  Healthcare organizations change over time as strategies evolve, care models shift, and expectations of performance and accountability grow. In many cases, however, governance models remain largely unchanged. This session explores how misalignment can develop when an organization’s strategy moves faster than its governance model, including board structure, committee architecture, member composition, meeting cadence, and core governance practices. The discussion will focus on how these design and practice choices can either support strategic direction or unintentionally constrain it as the organization changes. Participants will be offered practical guidance on how boards can periodically step back and assess whether their governance model is still fit for purpose, and what to consider when it may no longer be keeping pace.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours
  Presentation

• Physician/Hospital Compliance Standards (Livestreamed)
  Carol Carden, CPA/ABV, ASA, CFE, Managing Principal of Compensation Valuation, Planning and Design, PYA, Knoxville, TN
  Seguin AB
  As regulatory scrutiny of physician-hospital financial arrangements intensifies, governing boards must understand the compliance risks that land organizations in federal crosshairs. Drawing from real-world enforcement actions filed in 2025, this session examines the most common pitfalls in physician compensation arrangements — including failures around fair market value, commercial reasonableness, and the volume or value of referrals standard under the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours; CPE: 1.2 hours
  Presentation

• Responding Effectively to Cybersecurity Incidents
  Jamie Singer, Co-Lead, FTI Consulting Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Communications Practice
  Travis CD
  This session will provide key strategies for preparing communication plans before a cybersecurity incident, responding in real time, and rebuilding trust afterward. Attendees will learn practical, proactive approaches for engaging internal and external audiences and navigating the complexities of public and media scrutiny during a cybersecurity incident.
  ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.0 hours

Craig Deao, MHA, Managing Director, Strategy & Organizational Transformation, Huron
Healthcare is entering a period of meaningful change and opportunity. Assumptions about how care is delivered, how organizations grow, how work gets done, and how value is created are being re examined across the industry. This session steps back from day to day demands to look ahead at the major forces shaping the next chapter of healthcare. The focus is on understanding how these trends are redefining the environment in which boards and leadership teams operate — and how organizations can position themselves to own their future rather than be disrupted by it. The emphasis is on possibility, adaptability, and the role governance plays in helping organizations move forward with clarity and confidence.
ACHE (Qualified), CHTL: 1.25 hours; CPE: 1.5 hours
Presentation