NACHC to Spotlight Community Health Innovation at ViVE 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Michael King at

Bethesda, MD-The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) will bring the voice and innovation of America's health centers to ViVE 2026 in Los Angeles, showcasing how health centers are using technology and partnerships to deliver affordable, effective, comprehensive primary and preventive care to populations with limited access to health care.

At ViVE 2026, NACHC leaders and community health center (CHC) executives will participate in featured sessions on technology and innovation, value-based care, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and payor-provider partnerships. NACHC also partnered with Direct Relief on an attendee community service activity and with AltaMed, the country's largest CHC, to provide on-site health screenings.

"Community health centers are where digital health and TechQuity become real for patients who need it most," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC. "At ViVE 2026, we're excited to show how health centers and their partners are using tech innovation to drive efficiency and improve health outcomes for the communities they serve."

CHCs make up the largest primary health care system in the United States, serving 52 million people, or 1 in 7 Americans. With a workforce of 326,000 FTEs, CHCs deliver affordable, comprehensive, and effective primary care to patients in rural, urban, frontier, island, mountain, and suburban communities ensuring access to primary, dental, and behavioral health care.

NACHC will host multiple sessions featuring CHC leaders during the event, which takes place from February 22-25.

Community Health Centers 101: Purpose Meets Innovation and Partnership (Feb. 22, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

This session, featuring a dynamic panel of leaders, will provide a foundational overview of Community Health Centers (CHCs) and how innovation, technology and strategic partnerships have shaped the path of CHCs as Partners of Choice and vital leaders in innovative care design. Speakers:

• Elisa Nichols, MD, MSPH, CEO, TCC Family Health
• Louise McCarthy, CEO, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
• Gina McFarlane-El, CEO, Five Rivers Health Center
• Sparkle Barnes, CEO, CNECT
• Gracy Trinoskey-Rice, Chief of Staff, VP, Strategy, NACHC

Rural Health in Crisis: The Race to Save Access (Feb. 22, 2:30-3:10 p.m.)

Rural hospitals and health systems are at a breaking point, as workforce shortages, rising costs, and declining margins fuel closures and growing healthcare deserts across the country. Facilities that disproportionately serve older adults, low-income patients, and medically underserved populations are especially vulnerable to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement cuts, which threaten the financial viability of essential community providers. Speakers:

• Brian Hoerneman, MD, President & CEO, Sanford Health Marshfield
• Gulshan Mehta, Chief Digital and Information Officer, Blanchard Valley Health System
• Joe Dunn, Chief Policy Officer, NACHC
• Moderator: Katie Adams, Associate Editor, MedCity News

Reaching 1 in 7: A Design Sprint for Health Center-Industry Partnership & Scale (Feb. 23, 8-9 a.m.)

A 90-minute, high-octane Design Sprint Workshop dedicated to unlocking the massive, mission-aligned market opportunity within Community Health Centers, which collectively serve nearly 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. and command an annual purchasing power exceeding $57 Billion. Speakers:

• Sean Roddy, EVP & Chief Growth and Financial Officer, NACHC
• Camila Silva, MSE, Director, Innovation, NACHC
• Matt Willis, Co-Founder and GTM, Attuned Intelligence
• James Sinkoff, MBA, CPA, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Sun River Health

Medicaid-Medicare Integration for a High Cost, High Need Era (Feb. 23, 4-4:30 p.m.)

Millions of Americans are losing coverage as emergency protections end with dual-eligible beneficiaries bearing the greatest risk. Forced to navigate two separate programs with different rules, formularies, provider networks and payment models, this already vulnerable population is experiencing fragmentations that drive higher costs, poorer outcomes, and administrative burden for both clinicians and plans alike. The good news? New technology-enabled care models are showing promise in managing complex populations. Speakers:

• Sanjay Doddamani, MD, MBA, Founder and CEO, Guidehealth
• Verlon Johnson, MPA, EVP, Acentra Health
• Joe Dunn, Chief Policy Officer, NACHC
• Moderator: Randi Seigel, JD, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
  

Bridging Value and Innovation: Transforming Care in America's Safety Net (Feb. 23, 4:15-5 p.m.)

Centene and NACHC share how they're advancing value-based care and maternal health innovation across Community Health Centers to drive data-driven care at scale. Speakers:

• Dawn Steiner, MD, MS-HQS, FACOG, National Medical Director of Clinical Initiatives, Centene Corporation
• Luis Padilla, MD, Chief Health Officer, NACHC

The Plight of Primary Care (Feb. 24, 11:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m.)

Primary care, the foundation of an effective, equitable health system, is under strain. Clinician shortages are worsening as providers leave traditional settings for concierge and virtual-first models, while rural and safety-net clinics struggle to keep their doors open. The result: millions of patients are losing access to the preventive, relationship-based care that keeps communities healthy and costs down. Speakers:

• Aditi Mallick, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Hopscotch Primary Care
• Hemalee Patel, DO, Sr. Medical Director, Cardiometabolic Health, One Medical
• Luis Padilla, MD, Chief Health Officer, NACHC
• Moderator: Lawrence Cohen, PhD, CEO, Health2047

Building Bridges: AI Collaboration Lab (Feb. 24, 2-3 p.m.)

AI holds immense promise, yet its deployment in the safety net is filled with challenges related to data trust, readiness, and missed opportunities. This high-value, structured roundtable bypasses hypotheticals and puts industry leaders directly alongside health centers to actively co-design a blueprint for high-impact AI utilization.

• Camila Silva, MSE, Director, Innovation, NACHC
• Thomas Osborne, MD, FAIM, Chief Medical Officer, Microsoft Federal

America's Dreamers + America's Health Centers: Working Together for Our Nation's Health (Feb. 24, 3-3:20 p.m.)

Direct Relief, Time Magazine Dreamer of the Year in 2025, celebrates organizations and individuals who protect, restore, and champion their communities in the face of adversity. For the past 60 years, Community Health Centers have grown to become our nation's largest primary care system with a workforce of 330K in over 17K locations that serve 52 million or 1 in 7, including 1 in 3 in rural America. Direct Relief and the NACHC have worked together to support and build rural and urban communities across our country. Speakers:

• Byron Scott, MD, MBA, Chief Health Officer, Direct Relief
• Dr. Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC

Direct Relief Emergency Response Hygiene Kit Assembly (Feb. 23 and 24, 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. show floor)

Health Screenings by AltaMed at NACHC Booth (Feb. 22 and 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

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About NACHC

NACHC's mission is to champion Community Health Centers delivering affordable, effective, comprehensive primary care that is community-driven and improves health for all. For more information, visit https://www.nachc.org.