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 connections into real impact.
Thank you
			
	
				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 connections into real impact.
Thank you
			
	
				“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
2025 Sponsor Booklet
			
2025 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