We extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our attendees, speakers, and sponsors for making Health Connect South 2025 such a success.
The meaningful connections, world-renowned speakers, and incredible venue would not have been possible without your support.
We’re already looking ahead to next year — let us know what topics, speakers, or experiences you’d like to see at future events! Please also remember the challenge on connections: let’s all follow through and turn these new relationships into real impact.
Please save the date for next year: September 16th, 2026.
A heartfelt thank you to all of our attendees, speakers, and sponsors for making Health Connect South 2025 such a success.
The meaningful connections, world-renowned speakers, and incredible venue would not have been possible without your support.
Thank you
We’re already looking ahead to next year — let us know what topics, speakers, or experiences you’d like to see at future events! Also remember the challenge on connections: let’s all follow through and turn new relationships into real impact.
Save the date for next year: September 16th, 2026.
“One of the region’s most influential health care conferences, underscoring the city’s role as an important health care hub in the Southeast.”
The Atlanta Business Chronicle
Read what our attendees will tell you:
Download
2026 Sponsor Booklet
2026 Sponsor Booklet
Our 2025 Featured Speakers
View Videos of our 2025 Panel Discussions
Dr. Mehmet Oz
AdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Tom Price, MD
23rd Secretary Health and Human Services
Corwin Harper
PresidentKaiser Permanente Georgia
Candice L. Saunders, FACHE
CEO & PresidentWellstar Health System
Shane Jackson
PresidentJackson Healthcare
Joon Lee, MD
CEOEmory Healthcare & EVP Health Affairs, Emory University
Neil L. Pruitt, Jr
Chairman & CEOPruittHealth
Caylee Noggle
President & CEOGeorgia Hospital Association
Jonathan Simons, MD
Chief Science Officer and Medical DirectorMarcus Foundation
Russell T. Keen, EdD
PresidentAugusta University
Kristy Klein Davis
President & CEOGeorgia Health Initiative
Nkem Chukwumerije, MD, MPH, FACP
President and Executive Medical DirectorThe Southeast Permanente Medical Group
Deep Shah, MD
Owner/Operator and PhysicianGwinett Clinic
Darcie Johnston
Principal Deputy DirectorU.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Wayne C. Glasgow, PhD
Senior Vice Provost for ResearchMercer University
Tim Lieuwen, PhD
Executive Vice President for ResearchGeorgia Tech
Matt Hanley, MD
President & CEONortheast Georgia Health System
Kathryn Lawler
Chief Executive OfficerSt. Joseph’s Mercy Care
Charles Elliott
Head of Industry Architects
Mary Klotman, MD
EVP for Health Affairs, Duke UniversityDean, Duke University School of Medicine
Tim Denning, PhD
President & CEOGeorgia Research Alliance
Austin Poole
General PartnerBIP Ventures
Alexander Despo
DirectorUnion Square Advisors, LLC
Cheryl Preheim
Anchor 11Alive NewsNBC Atlanta
Thomas J. Engels
Administrator Health Resources and Services AdministrationU.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Joselyn Baker
PresidentGrady Health Foundation
Moses Ike
PrincipalCatalyst by Wellstar
Bob Crutchfield
Managing Director1824 Health Ventures & Mainsail Venture Funds
Chris Lee
Chairman, CEO & Co-founderHuxley Medical
Jesse Goodwin, PhD
Chief Innovation OfficerMedical University of South Carolina
David C. Hess, MD
Dean, Medical College of GeorgiaAugusta University
Donald Mueller
President & CEOSiskin Children’s Institute
Sweta Sneha, PhD
Founder & Chair Digital Health TransformationsKennesaw State University
Greg Jungles
HealthTech Startup CatalystAdvanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)
Vicki Lewis
President & CEOCoffee Regional Medical Center
Chris Spears
FounderOrderly Wellness
Joni Collins, DMS, PA-C, CAC
FounderTwelve Twenty Eight
Jimmy Childre, Jr., FACHE
Former Chair and CEOWashington County Regional Medical Center & President, Childre Ford, Inc.
Ellen Donahue-Dalton
Chief Growth OfficerVillageMD
Paul Weintraub
Senior Vice PresidentCoker
Kristin Higgins, MD
Chief Clinical OfficerCity of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta
Josh Hargraves, MD
Divisional PresidentApolloMD
Steve McCune, MD
Oncology Service Line Physician LeadWellstar Health System
Debora Bruno, MD, MS
Thoracic Medical Oncologist & Medical Director of Clinical ResearchCity of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta
Lynn Durham, EdD
President and CEOGeorgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (Georgia CORE)
Dean Anason
Editor-in-ChiefAtlanta Business Chronicle
Shannon Sale
Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative OfficerGrady Health System
Lucienne Ide, MD, PhD
CEO & FounderRimidi
Sumayah Rahman
Director of AI & MLCedar
Jeff Myers
President & CEOVitruvian Health Care System
Rick Lambert, MD
Senior AdvisorSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Jeff Arnold
Co-Founder & Executive ChairmanSharecare
Alex Krinsky
Senior Director, Healthcare PartnershipsCLEAR
Travis Smith, DO
Senior AdvisorHRSA/IOA
Matt Pearson
Head of Healthcare BDAmazon Web Services (AWS)
Chad Purcell
Chief Information OfficerGeorgia Department of Community Health
Health Connect South could not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
We have a passion for connection
and collaboration.
and collaboration.
We have a passion for connection
and collaboration.
and collaboration.
The mission of Health Connect South is to serve the health community as a platform to promote regional health collaborations. Through our collective work, we seek to define and advance the Southeast’s role in the future of health. Serving as a gateway between health industry silos, we seek to facilitate unique and meaningful partnerships. Together, health advances.
Health Connect South is known for our signature annual gathering, which has become the largest healthcare gathering in the Southeast to hear and talk about “the new” in health, the current challenges, and possible solutions.
The content of our gatherings draw from the incredible pool of premier healthcare institutions in the Southeast, including; The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), The American Cancer Society, leading Research Universities, Governmental and Industry leaders and top-ranked Health Systems.
The platform for health leaders
Attendance map and attendee breakdown
36%
CXOs, Executive Directors
and Senior VPs
and Senior VPs
21%
Dean, Professors, Researchers
and Grad Students
and Grad Students
22%
President, Principals, Directors,
Senior Directors and Regional VPs
Senior Directors and Regional VPs
21%
Physicians, Managers,
Research Coordinators and Other
Research Coordinators and Other