Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit 2025: Policy to Practice: Advancing Systemic Well-Being in Healthcare
2025-09-29 10:00 - 2025-09-30 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Rochester Art Center, 30 Civic Center Dr SE, STE 120, Rochester, MN, 55904, United States
Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit: Policy to Practice: Advancing Systemic Well-Being in Healthcare
Presented by the Well-Being Index
We hope you can and join us in Rochester, Minnesota on September 29th-30th, 2025.
Live and in-person from the heart of medical innovation—Rochester, Minnesota, home of the renowned Mayo Clinic. Join us at the event for leaders focused on leadership tactics, structural frameworks, and frontline interventions to effectively support clinician wellness.

SPACE IS LIMITED, get your ticket now.
Buy Tickets on Eventbrite Register Now!
RegistrationAgendaAccommodationsTravelSponsor & Exhibitors

Registration
The 2025 Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit will be held at the Mayo Civic Center & Rochester Arts Center in Rochester, Minnesota, home of Mayo Clinic.
Space is limited; reserve your spot!

Registration price:

$499.00 currently on sale for a limited time!
Discounts up to $60 off for Champions of Wellness members

2025 Healthcare Summit Agenda

Day 1 – Monday, September 29th

Time (Central)
Event Type
Description

7:00 am – 9:00 am
Setup
Exhibitors set up in Sponsor Hall

7:00 am – 9:00 am
Day Start
Registration open / Breakfast refreshments / Seating in event hall

9:20 am – 9:30 am
Kickoff

Welcome from Champions of Wellness President PJ Calkins

9:30 am – 10:15 am
Keynote

Kimberly Williams, Vice President of People, Culture & Compliance, Walker Advertising, Advisory Council Member & Spokesperson for End Workplace Abuse
Topic: Building Safer Workplaces: Strategies to End Abuse and Foster Psychological Safety

10:15 am – 10:45 am
Break
Refreshments and Exhibitor visits / Join our sponsor, Direct Wealth Care, as they interview summit attendees about important subjects like personal finance that can’t remain taboo in our well-being initiatives.

10:45 am – 11:30 am
Plenary 1

John McMahon, Director of Client Experience for the Well-Being Index
Topic: From Shot-in-the-Dark to Strategy – Building Effective Clinician Wellness Solutions

11:35 am – 12:20 pm
Plenary 2

Dr. Lois Greene, Senior Vice President of Wellness, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at University Hospital
Topic: Resilience and Compassion: Building Well-Being into Leadership Practices

12:20 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch
Provided Lunch & Exhibitor Visits

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Plenary 3

Josie Suser, Assistant Director of Institutional Research at Upstate Medical University
Topic: Tackling Burnout Through Efficiency: The Impact of SUNY Upstate’s GROSS Committee on Healthcare Workflows

2:20 pm – 3:05 pm
Plenary 4

Dr. Andres Flores, Director of People, Culture and Strategy at UChicago Medicine, AdventHealthValerie Gonzalez, Regional Employee Health Manager and Wellness Coordinator at UChicago Medicine AdventHealthCherese Chery, Vice President and Chief People Officer at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth
Topic: Clinical Ecosystems as Environments of Nurse Well-Being and Retention

3:05 pm – 3:35 pm
Break
Refreshments and Exhibitor visits / Join our sponsor, Direct Wealth Care, as they interview summit attendees about important subjects like personal finance that can’t remain taboo in our well-being initiatives.

3:35 pm – 4:20 pm
Plenary 5

Janelle Banat, Founding CEO and Executive Coach, Footlamp Consulting
Topic: Amygdala Management for Physicians: Creating New Neural Pathways to React Differently when Under Stress

4:20 pm
End of Day
Day is over for general attendees

Day 2 – Tuesday, September 30th

Time (Central)
Event Type
Description

7:30 am – 8:45 am
Day Start
Breakfast refreshment station & exhibitor visits in Sponsor Room

8:45 am – 9:30 am
Keynote

Craig Ogurek, System Director of Employee Health & Wellness for Aspirus Health
Topic: Do Your Workers Feel You Have a Genuine Interest in Their Wellbeing?

9:30 am – 10:00 am
Break
Refreshments and Exhibitor visits / Join our sponsor, Direct Wealth Care, as they interview summit attendees about important subjects like personal finance that can’t remain taboo in our well-being initiatives.

10:00 am – 10:45 am
Plenary 6

Dr. Steven Defossez, VP, Clinical Integration at Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, Principal at DefoSays Consulting LLC
Topic: Credentialing Best Practices: How to Remove Barriers to Behavioral Healthcare Statewide

10:55 am – 11:40 am
Panel

Champions of Wellness Panel (Featuring Brian Case of Direct WealthCare, Derek Bell of VITAL WorkLife, Kathy Perno of Wellness Pathways, Dr. Prasanna Tadi of PeerPulse, and DeAnna Santana Cebollero of AdventHealth’s Coalition for Physician & APP Well-Being)
Topic: Policy to Practice

11:40 am
Wrap-Up

Final Words from Champions of Wellness President PJ Calkins

Accommodations

Join us in beautiful Southeast Minnesota for a relaxing and energizing getaway, surrounded by a community of healthcare leaders committed to advancing clinician well-being.
Special hotel rates are available at our partner hotels:

Discounted rates at both summit hotels are available through September 8. Marriott Rochester – $209/night – click here to book online!For those who prefer to make their reservations by phone, guests may call our reservations line at (833) 320-3141 and reference your group name to receive the special rate.Group Name: Champions of WellnessEvent Dates: Sunday, September 28 through Wednesday, October 1, 2025Cut off Date to Make Reservations by: Thursday, August 28, 2025

— — — — — — — — — —

Hotel Indigo – $149/night – click here to book online!For those who prefer to make their reservations by phone, guests may call our reservations line at 507.252.8200 and press 1 for the reservation line. Then reference the Champion of Wellness Summit block to receive the special rate.

Rooms are limited and our hotel blocks sold out more than six weeks before last year’s summit, so secure your spot early to stay close to the action. You won’t want to miss this impactful event!

Travel
The Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit will be held at the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Arts Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Address 30 Civic Center Dr SE STE 120 Rochester, MN 55904 Flights into Rochester Flights are available into Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) or Rochester International Airport (RST). Getting to the hotel Recommended shuttle service from the airport to the hotel is Rochester Shuttle Service. Lyft and Uber are also available in the Rochester area. Getting to the event venue The Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Arts Center is located in the heart of downtown Rochester, within short walking distance to numerous hotels. Skyway access is also available to the event venue.
Buy Tickets on Eventbrite Space is limited; register today to reserve your spot!

2025 Sponsors

Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit: Cultivating a Culture of Clinician Well-Being
2024-09-17 12:00 - 2024-09-18 17:00
Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit:
Cultivating a Culture of Clinician Well-Being
Presented by the Well-Being Index
Purchase your tickets and join us in Rochester, Minnesota on September 17th and 18th, 2024.
Live and in-person from the heart of medical innovation—Rochester, Minnesota, home of the renowned Mayo Clinic. Join us at the event for leaders focused on cutting-edge system approaches and organizational strategies to cultivate a thriving healthcare environment.

RegistrationSpeakersAgendaAccommodationsTravelSponsor & Exhibitors

Registration
The 2024 Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit will be held at the Mayo Civic Center & Rochester Arts Center in Rochester, Minnesota, home of Mayo Clinic.

Space is limited; reserve your spot!
Register Today

Registration includes:

Dinner & Networking Reception evening of September 17th
Breakfast before sessions begin and lunch to end day on September 18th
Refreshments and exhibitor visits throughout the event
Discounted hotel rate

Registration price:

$399.00 $299.00 early-bird discount per attendee
Discounts up to $60 off for Champions of Wellness members

2024 Healthcare Summit Speakers

– – – Keynote speakers – – –

Colin P. West, MD, PhD, FACP | Director of Mayo Clinic’s Program on Physician Well-Being
Dr. Colin West is a quantitative health sciences researcher whose work focuses primarily on physician well-being, evidence-based medicine and biostatistics, and medical education. Dr. West collaborates extensively with scientists and groups both outside and within Mayo Clinic. External collaborations include members of leadership in the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association, among others. Results of research conducted by Dr. West and his team have been published in multiple top-tier journals, including the Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Annals of Internal Medicine, and JAMA Internal Medicine.

Viji George, DNP, MA, RN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC | Magnet Program Director, Clinical Excellence Program Manager at Texas Health Resources
Dr. Viji George is a multi-hospital system-level change management leader with extensive clinical and leadership roles in multinational healthcare organizations. She has implemented various wellness-related initiatives and led projects promoting joy and meaning at work resulting in outperforming benchmarks for staff engagement, job satisfaction and work culture. As a champion for workplace wellness, she has conducted nurse leader well-being research, implemented various evidence-based projects (EBP) and is a certified resiliency training facilitator. Her achievements include a doctorate in nursing practice (nurse executive leadership), certified EBP faculty and a co-founder of Indo-American EBP fellowship academy through collaboration with Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP. She has presented in many national and international forums. She was nationally highlighted by Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation, received awards such as DFW Great 100 Nurse, Nurse Excellence in Leadership, and Visionary Leader.

– – – Plenary session speakers – – –

Kristen Gradney MHA, RDN, LDN | Chief Wellness Officer at LCMC Health System
Kristen obtained a B.A. in Sociology and B.S. in Nutritional Science from Louisiana State University, completed a dietetic internship at the Medical University of South Carolina, and later earned a Master of Health Administration from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. After several years of direct care experience as a registered dietitian, she went on to take on acute care and ambulatory senior leadership roles within the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge, LA. For the past 10 years, she has successfully led and developed leadership teams, and improved team member and patient engagement and clinical outcomes by employing innovative community-based solutions, communication, and inclusion strategies. In addition to being a care transformation consultant for several Louisiana-based healthcare systems, she has developed and administered worksite well-being programs for industrial process plants. Most recently, she serves as the Chief Wellness Officer for LCMC Health in New Orleans, LA. Kristen has a passion for service and ongoing education in transformation of healthcare systems leading to improved equity and outcomes for all. She was selected as a participant in the Louisiana Public Health Institute Racial and Health Equity Learning Lab and elected as an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Nominating Committee member. In the past she has been selected as a Diversity Leader and past National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Alumni Healthcare Hero, and InRegister magazine Woman with a Cause. She has also served as former President of the Capital Area American Heart Association, 2024 Capital Area Go Red for Women Chair, and Lay Reviewer. Kristen is currently on the Franciscan University Family Nurse Practitioner Community Advisory Board and is an inaugural member of the board of the Franciscan University Center for Professional Development. She is a wellness expert as a member of the Prevention Medical Review Board and has been featured in many publications including Huffington Post, Oprah.com, SELF, The Chicago Tribune, Consumer Digest, New York Times, and has spoken across the nation at conferences, corporate events, and training in areas of nutrition, healthcare leadership, and wellness.

Prasanna Tadi, MD, MBBS, FAAN, FAHA, ACC | Stroke Neurologist & Founder and Partner of Peer Pulse Coaching Program
Dr. Tadi is a Certified Coach and stroke neurologist. He completed his certified professional coach training and focuses on addressing physician burnout through evidence-based interventional programs. In March 2019, Prasanna was accepted for AAN’s prestigious “Live Well Lead Well program” which recognizes 16 (out of 34,000 total) neurologists selected for their prior history of contribution and accomplishment in Physician Wellness advocacy. He currently works with national organizations regarding physician wellness and decreasing burnout and has presented his findings at national and international conferences.

John McMahon | Director of Client Experience, Well-Being Index
As Director of Client Experience for the Well-Being Index, John leads the team providing support and strategy to help organizations and individuals get the most out of their interactions with the Well-Being Index. Since 2015, he has personally worked with over one hundred organizations to launch the tool to hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals. His expertise in healthcare employee well-being and wellness programming implementation has provided teams with the data and resources needed to Go Beyond Burnout.

MacKenna Regenbogen | Well-Being Specialist, Well-Being Index
MacKenna Regenbogen is a Well-Being Specialist for the Well-Being Index, the comprehensive online self-assessment tool invented by Mayo Clinic. As a Product Strategist, MacKenna has been personally involved in helping hundreds of healthcare organizations from around the world successfully implement and use the tool to Go Beyond Burnout. Her expertise in I/O Psychology, clinician well-being, and wellness initiatives has provided leadership teams with the data and resources needed to improve well-being and reduce the causes of distress.

Gregory Guldner, MD, MS (Clinical Psychology), FACEP | Vice President of Academic Affairs at HCA Healthcare
Dr. Guldner serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs for HCA Healthcare Graduate Medical Education. He previously served as the Designated Institutional Official for HCA Healthcared Riverside in Southern California and as the program director for the HCA Healthcare Riverside Emergency Medicine Residency Program, which received the 2022 ACEP EM Wellness Center of Excellence Award. He holds the title of Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine. Prior to earning his medical degree at Stanford University, Dr. Guldner completed a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Purdue University and undergraduate degrees in philosophy and psychology from Colorado State University. He practiced emergency medicine for 25 years in both academic and community settings and has 25 years in the Army Medical Corps (reserve) including combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. His research focus involves developing evidence-based systemic, individual, and leadership interventions to improve resident physician well-being. He studies well-being with the HCA/Claremont Graduate University Physician Well-Being Research Lab and the psychologists at Immersyve Health.

Sapna Singh, MD | Medical Director of Physician Wellness at Texas Childrens’ Pediatrics
Dr. Sapna Singh is the Medical Director of Physician Wellness for Texas Childrens’ Pediatrics and Urgent Care (the largest Pediatric Primary Care group in the country), and is Chair of the Physician Engagement and Wellness Committee. TCP/TCUC is a network of over 400 Physicians and APPs in Houston/College Station/Austin, TX with over 70 clinics and 30 urgent cares across Texas. Including her career as a Board Certified Pediatrician for almost 20 years, her work on physician burnout includes an award from Harvard Medical School for her capstone project in 2018, and her partnership with the AMA Health Systems Program which allowed TCP/TCUC to apply for the Joy In Medicine recognition this year. She is also a proud member of the Texas Medical Association and Fort Bend Medical Society and works to support legislation that would improve the lives of patients, families, and healthcare workers across the State of Texas.

Sadie Elisseou, MD | Physician, Corporate Consultant, & Trauma-Informed Systems & Leadership Expert
Dr. Sadie Elisseou, is a primary care physician in the Boston VA healthcare system, a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Adjunct Instructor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and an internationally recognized expert in the field of trauma-informed care (TIC). Dr. Elisseou’s award-winning curriculum on ‘trauma-informed physical examination’ is now taught at medical schools across the US. During the pandemic, Dr. Elisseou partnered with colleagues to publish the first framework on trauma-informed telehealth. She has since published novel works on trauma-informed peer physical examination, a trauma-informed approach to burnout, and leading trauma-informed organizations. Dr. Elisseou is the co-founder of the National Veterans’ Health Administration TIC Collaborative and a member of the Trauma Informed Health Care, Education and Research (TIHCHER) collaborative and the Harvard Medical School TIC Steering Committee. She enjoys building platforms to train healthcare professionals in trauma-informed resilience.

Kara Pettinger, LMSW, CPC | Caregiver Well-Being Specialist at Corewell Health
Kara Pettinger is an LMSW and Certified Professional Coach. Kara currently works as the Caregiver Well-Being Specialist for BeWell, the Department and Center of Excellence for Well-Being at Corewell Health, the largest healthcare system in Michigan. Kara has extensive experience in workplace well-being within the healthcare sector, where she developed and implemented evidenced-based programs focused on physicians and advanced practice providers, served others through coaching and clinical mental health care, and developed and delivered a comprehensive well-being-based curriculum. One of Kara’s favorite achievements includes a curriculum and toolkit co-created and facilitated for mental healthcare providers across Michigan focused on providing advanced education on the nuanced issues facing healthcare workers today. Within the context of her licensure, Kara has received additional training and certification in trauma-based work including somatic therapy, EMDR, and polyvagal theory work. Beyond Kara’s work in systemic healthcare well-being, Kara has a private practice specializing in the support of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and beyond.

Agenda

Accommodations

The official hotel partnership with the 2024 Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit is the The Hotel Indigo: Mayo Clinic Area, located in downtown Rochester, and an eight-minute walk to the summit venue.

Discounted nightly rate for the Healthcare Summit: $129/night.

BOOK ONLINE: Click here or use coupon code: CWS
BOOK OVER PHONE: Call 507.252.8200 ext. 1 and reserve under Champions of Wellness Summit Block

Travel
The Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit will be held at the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Arts Center in Rochester, Minnesota.

Address
30 Civic Center Dr SE STE 120
Rochester, MN 55904

Flights into Rochester
Flights are available into Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) or Rochester International Airport (RST).

Getting to the hotel
Recommended shuttle service from the airport to the hotel is Rochester Shuttle Service. Lyft and Uber are also available in the Rochester area.

Getting to the event venue
The Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Arts Center is located in the heart of downtown Rochester, within short walking distance to the Hotel Indigo and numerous other hotels. The Rochester Art Center is a convenient 4 min walk from Hotel Indigo.

2024 Sponsors

Well-Being index
Invented by Mayo Clinic, the Well-Being Index is the comprehensive well-being assessment and analytics tool partnering with healthcare organizations to understand and promote professional well-being. Get essential insights, strategies, and expert guidance to foster a workplace culture of wellness.
Vital WorkLife
VITAL WorkLife is the leading mental health and well-being expert for healthcare organizations and their workforce. We’ve focused on healthcare since 2007, and today our innovative solutions are leading the way in helping physicians, nurses and entire care teams address professional burnout, life challenges and barriers to seeking help.
The Coalition for Physician Well-Being
The Coalition for Physician Well-Being is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt collaborative initiative focused on promoting programmatic knowledge-sharing for hospital systems, practices, and individual physicians and APPs. Committed to increasing wholeness and joy in the practice of medicine, The Coalition provides webinars, podcasts, resources, research, and support to innovate well-being programs that lead to systemic positive changes for physicians and APPs.
The Art of Living | Healing Breaths
Art of Living Healing Breaths offers evidence-based breathwork and meditation programs designed specifically for healthcare professionals. We offer powerful tools to manage stress, boost mental and physical well-being, and embark on a journey of lasting transformation. By inspiring and empowering individuals with wellbeing education and tools, we help professionals lead healthier, more balanced lives and reconnect with the joy in medicine.

FOOTLAMP
We exist to provide physicians and APPs with leadership development and stress management support through evidence-based professional coaching programs. We provide CME for every hour spent with us! We also have a team of over forty pro coaches who are dedicated to our mission of making physicians’ and APPs’ loads lighter. Come and chat with us!
