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Annual Meeting & In-House Counsel Program

Schedule

Saturday, June 27, 2026

9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Conference Attendee Assistance: Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

Check-in early! Come to the AHLA Registration area to print out your badge.

10:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Leadership and Career Development Program (Day 1) PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FEE

The AHLA Leadership & Career Development Program (LCDP) is an immersive experience designed to strengthen leadership skills, support professional growth, and foster meaningful connections across the health law community. The program begins on Saturday at 10:00 AM and ends on Sunday at 5:00 PM.

6:00 - 9:30 PM

AHLA Awards Dinner, hosted by the Board of Directors, sponsored by PYA PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FEE

Please join us to recognize AHLA's esteemed Leadership and Awardees this year.

Sunday, June 28, 2026

7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Conference Attendee Assistance: Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

Come to the AHLA Registration area to print out your badge.

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Leadership and Career Development Program (Day 2) PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FEE

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM

In-House Counsel Program PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FEE

The day is designed to be interactive, candid, and immediately applicable — equipping in-house counsel to lead with confidence as they head into the Annual Meeting.

9:00 - 10:00 AM

State of the Association / Membership Meeting

Mark Kopson, AHLA President
David S. Cade, AHLA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer

5:30 - 6:30 PM

Welcome Reception — Celebrating Our Professional Community and Building Connection, sponsored by VMG Health

This event is included in the conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests are welcome.

6:30 PM

Dine-Arounds, hosted by Early Career Professionals Council and Women's Leadership Council

More information on how to sign up. Dinners are self-pay.

Monday, June 29, 2026

7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Conference Attendee Assistance: Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

Come to the AHLA Registration area to print out your badge.

7:00 - 8:30 AM

Conference Breakfast

This event is included in conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests are welcome. Interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsor.

8:00 AM - 11:45 AM

General Session

8:00 - 8:30 AM

Welcome and Member Awards and Recognition Celebration

Mark Kopson, AHLA President
David S. Cade, AHLA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer

8:30 - 9:30 AM

Keynote Address, sponsored by FTI Consulting

9:45 - 11:45 AM

Year In Review, sponsored by Greater New York Hospital Association

Robert G. Homchick, Davis Wright Tremaine
Kim Harvey Looney, K&L Gates
Cynthia F. Wisner (Ret.), Trinity Health

12:00 - 1:30 PM

Lunch and Learn, sponsored by Fredrikson & Byron PA PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

This is not included in the conference registration; there is no additional fee; limited attendance; and pre-registration is required. Continuing Education Credits are not available.

1:45 - 2:45 PM

2. Evolving Rules, Expanding Risks: Regulatory and Compliance Challenges in Life Sciences (not repeated)

Tynan O. Kugler, PYA, PC
Jonathan A. Porter, Husch Blackwell LLP
Mara Smith-Kouba, Senior Counsel, Regulatory Law, Bristol Myers Squibb

3. The NLRB General Counsel's Agenda–Déjà Vu All Over Again Acting (not repeated)

Jon Anderson, Husch Blackwell
Crystal S. Carey, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
William Cowen, Acting General Counsel, National Labor Relations Board

4. From Hype to Accountability: Compliance Frameworks for Safe and Lawful AI in Health Care (not repeated)

Jennifer Eilemberg, Managing Director, Stout
Janice Suchyta, Buchalter

5. Whose Job is MA Compliance Anyway? Differing Expectations for Plans and Providers

Annie Shieh, OptumHealth
Judith A. Waltz, Foley & Lardner LLP

6. To Defer or Not to Defer—The Evolving Role of Agency Deference in Health Care Disputes

Daniel J. Hettich, King & Spalding

7. False Claims Act Enforcement in Year 2 of Trump 2: What's Changed, What's Next

Denise Barnes, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Mary Inman, Whistleblower Partners LLP
Benjamin C. Mizer, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP

2:45 - 3:15 PM

Coffee and Networking Break, sponsored by Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Exhibits Open — Meet the Exhibitors.

3:15 - 4:30 PM

8. From Concept to Care Delivery: Legal Strategies for Opening Innovative Health Care Facilities (not repeated)

Jeffrey Jowers, Deputy General Counsel, University Health
Kim McWhorter, Associate General Counsel, Duke Health System
Jeff Wurzburg, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

9. Private Equity and Health Care: Navigating the False Claims Act Risk

George B. Breen, Epstein Becker Green
Candace Deisher, Attorney General's Office, Virginia
Marc S. Raspanti, Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP

10. Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire? Hot Topics in Antitrust Under the Trump Administration

Aimee DeFilippo, Jones Day
Alexis Gilman, Alston & Bird LLP
Rohan Pai, Assistant Director, FTC Mergers IV Division

11. Health Care AI is Hot, Legal Risk is Not

Andrea Frey, Hooper, Lundy & Bookman
Brenton Hill, Head of Operations & General Counsel, Coalition for Health AI
Julia Michael, Deputy General Counsel, K Health

12. From Insight to Oversight: Using Investigations to Drive Effective Auditing and Monitoring

Jason Ehrlinspiel, Chief Compliance Officer, Ardent Health
Maria Joseph, Chief Privacy and Clinical Compliance Officer, Weill Cornell Medicine
Dhara Satija, Healthcare Consulting Leader, Paul Hastings LLP

13. Medicaid Transformation under H.R.1: Legal, Policy, and Implementation Implications

Caroline Farrell, Foley Hoag
Charles Luband, Dentons US LLP
Anne Winter, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting

4:45 - 5:45 PM

14. Behavioral Health Integration: Legal and Regulatory Hurdles (not repeated)

Melissa Barlett, JD, Senior Vice President, Health Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee
Brad Lerner, Director, Public Policy, Behavioral Health, Elevance Health
Deepti Loharikar, Senior Policy Advisor, Venable LLP

15. Molecules to Markets: Compliance Challenges in R&D Partnerships (not repeated)

Rebecca Merrill, Holland & Knight, LLP
Audrey Pike Wilson, Deputy General Counsel, Dartmouth Health

16. What's New in Health Privacy

Mario Meeks, Assistant General Counsel, Head of Privacy, CareDx, Inc.
Sara Pullen, Alston & Bird

17. Employer Pitfalls: Effective Practices for Discrimination and Retaliation Claims in a Shifting EEOC Regulatory Environment

Greg Northen, Aegis Legal Advisors, PLLC

18. Real or Imagined – Ethical Issues in Providing F&A Advice

Lisa Noller, Foley & Lardner
Felicia Sze, Athene Law LLP

19. The Carrot and the Stick: The Legal Implications of Incentivizing Physician Employee Loyalty

Erin Smith Aebel, Trenam Law
Melissa Mora, Divisional Chief Legal Officer, Primary Health Division, AdventHealth

7:00 - 9:30 PM

Museum of Modern Art Off-Property Reception, sponsored by AHLA's Members' Law Firms

This event is included in the conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests are welcome. Learn More. Interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsor.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

6:30 - 7:30 AM

Exercise Class PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

For attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests who pre-registered.

Fun Run PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

For attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests who pre-registered.

7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Conference Attendee Assistance: Check-In and Badge Pick-Up

If you haven't checked in, come to the AHLA Registration area to print out your badge.

7:00 - 8:30 AM

Conference Breakfast

This event is included in the conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests are welcome. Interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsor.

8:00 - 9:00 AM

20. Gender-Affirming Care for Minors and Adolescents–Federal and State Developments (not repeated)

Jennifer Nelson Carney, Epstein Becker & Green PC
Patrick O'Rourke, Children's Hospital of Colorado
Hoyt Sze, Sheppard Mullin

21. Structuring and Scaling Telehealth: Tax, Legal, Regulatory, and Strategic Considerations (not repeated)

Jeremy Herman, Plante Moran
Andrea Musker, Bricker Graydon LLP

22. Enforcement Insights: Advanced Strategies to Minimize Risk in Health Care Compliance (Advanced)

Rob DeConti, King & Spalding
Greg Radinsky, Northwell Health
Spencer Turnbull, Branch Chief, Office of the Inspector General, HHS

23. Across the Table: Hospital and Physician Counsel on the Front Lines of Health Care Transformation

Serj Mooradian, Mooradian Law PLLC
Valerie S. Rup, Senior Associate General Counsel, WellSpan Health

24. Going Off Script: Legal Considerations in the Emerging World of Prescription Drug Pricing

Dorothy Shuldman, Associate Legal Counsel, Catholic Health System
Amanda Smith, K&L Gates LLP

25. The JOA Is Back: Structuring Strategic Partnerships in a Post-Merger Environment

Brad Dennis, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Colin McDermott, VMG Health

9:15 - 10:15 AM

26. It's A New World for Hospices and Home Health Agencies (not repeated)

Rachel Hold-Weiss, Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan and Aronoff LLP
Hillary Loeffler, National Alliance for Care at Home

27. Caught in the Middle: Ethics, Whistleblowers and Dual Roles in Health Care (not repeated)

Caitlin Forsyth, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Ally Kjellander, Associate General Counsel, Life Flight Network

28. Mission vs. Margin: Tax Policy Challenges for Exempt Hospitals

Amy Ciminello, CPA, MT, Plante Moran
Michael N. Fine, Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP

29. Accountable AI in Health Care: Takeaways from URAC's New Artificial Intelligence Accreditation

Ally Bremer, Miller Johnson Attorneys
Madhu Reddiboina, Founder and CEO, RediMinds
Jennifer Richards, PhD, Pharm.D., J.D., URAC Senior Director of Product Management

7. False Claims Act Enforcement in Year 2 of Trump 2: What's Changed, What's Next (repeat)

Denise Barnes, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Mary Inman, Whistleblower Partners LLP
Benjamin C. Mizer, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP

19. The Carrot and the Stick: The Legal Implications of Incentivizing Physician Employee Loyalty (repeat)

Erin Smith Aebel, Trenam Law
Melissa Mora, Divisional Chief Legal Officer, Primary Health Division, AdventHealth

10:15 - 10:45 AM

Coffee and Networking Break

Exhibits Open — Meet the Exhibitors. Interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsor.

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM

30. Navigating the Women's Health Triumvirate: Access, Research, and Investment in a Volatile Regulatory Era (not repeated)

Priya Bathija, CEO and Attorney, Nyoo Health
Chelsea Daniels, General Counsel, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington
Laura Koman, Jones Day

31. Back to the Future of JVs – Explore Practical Solutions to Regulatory & Legal Challenges in Forming Joint Ventures through Hypotheticals (Advanced) (not repeated)

William Mathias, Bass, Berry & Sims

32. Key Considerations in Responding to a Health Care Corporate Criminal Investigation (Advanced)

Anthony J. Burba, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Henry Leventis, Holland & Knight

10. Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire? Hot Topics in Antitrust Under the Trump Administration (repeat)

Aimee DeFilippo, Jones Day
Alexis Gilman, Alston & Bird LLP
Rohan Pai, Assistant Director, FTC Mergers IV Division

11. Health Care AI is Hot, Legal Risk is Not (repeat)

Andrea Frey, Hooper, Lundy & Bookman
Brenton Hill, Head of Operations & General Counsel, Coalition for Health AI
Julia Michael, Deputy General Counsel, K Health

13. Medicaid Transformation under H.R.1: Legal, Policy, and Implementation Implications (repeat)

Caroline Farrell, Foley Hoag
Charles Luband, Dentons US LLP
Anne Winter, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting

12:00 - 1:30 PM

Lunch and Learn, sponsored by Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

The lunch is not included in the conference registration; there is no additional fee; limited attendance; and pre-registration is required. Continuing Education Credits are not available.

1:45 - 2:45 PM

33. Risks Surrounding DEI Programs (not repeated)

Margia Corner, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
Brandon Helms, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman PC

34. What Every Health Lawyer Needs to Know About Rural Hospital Partnerships (not repeated)

Jeff Sommer, Stroudwater Associates

35. PSL (Stark Law) Pitfalls & Possibilities (Advanced)

Nicholas F. Alarif, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Matt Edgar, CMS DTPP

5. Whose Job is MA Compliance Anyway? Differing Expectations for Plans and Providers (repeat)

Annie Shieh, OptumHealth
Judith A. Waltz, Foley & Lardner LLP

6. To Defer or Not to Defer—The Evolving Role of Agency Deference in Health Care Disputes (repeat)

Daniel J. Hettich, King & Spalding

22. Enforcement Insights: Advanced Strategies to Minimize Risk in Health Care Compliance (Advanced) (repeat)

Rob DeConti, King & Spalding
Greg Radinsky, Northwell Health
Spencer Turnbull, Branch Chief, Office of the Inspector General, HHS

2:45 - 3:15 PM

Networking Snack Break

Exhibits Open — Meet the Exhibitors. Interested in sponsoring this event? Sponsor.

3:15 - 4:15 PM

36. Mind the Gap: Structuring Earnouts and Other Variable Compensation in Health Care Deals (Advanced) (not repeated)

Stephen Angelette, Polsinelli PC
Jennifer Kreick, Haynes and Boone, LLP

37. ICE Worksite Raids, Immigration Compliance, and New Immigration Staffing Options for a New Era of Enforcement (not repeated)

Marissa Marquez, Labor & Employment Legal Counsel, Methodist Hospital System
Dustin O'Quinn, Ballard Spahr LLP

38. Emerging Trends and Strategic Challenges in Managed Care

Christi Grimm, Managing Director, BDO
Giselle Joffre, Arnold & Porter

39. Physician Arrangements and How to Mitigate Risk with Pre-payment Audits!

Mark Despoth, Internal Audit Director, Bon Secours Mercy Health
Mike Pazzo, Chief Legal Officer, Roper Saint Francis Healthcare

16. What's New in Health Privacy (repeat)

Mario Meeks, Assistant General Counsel, Head of Privacy, CareDx, Inc.
Sara Pullen, Alston & Bird

25. The JOA Is Back: Structuring Strategic Partnerships in a Post-Merger Environment (repeat)

Brad Dennis, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Colin McDermott, VMG Health

4:30 - 5:30 PM

40. No Surprises Act – Latest Guidance, Quirks, and Practical Approaches (not repeated)

Steven Chiu, Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP
Trestney Manning, Vice President, Northwell Health
Suzanne Strothkamp, Senior Corporate Counsel, Centene Corporation

41. Practitioner Professionalism Concerns – Should We Use the Medical Staff or Employment Process? (not repeated)

Ellie Bane, Chief Legal Officer, Cook County Health
Charlie Chulack, Horty Springer

24. Going Off Script: Legal Considerations in the Emerging World of Prescription Drug Pricing (repeat)

Dorothy Shuldman, Associate Legal Counsel, Catholic Health System
Amanda Smith, K&L Gates LLP

17. Employer Pitfalls: Effective Practices for Discrimination and Retaliation Claims in a Shifting EEOC Regulatory Environment (repeat)

Greg Northen, Aegis Legal Advisors, PLLC

23. Across the Table: Hospital and Physician Counsel on the Front Lines of Health Care Transformation (repeat)

Serj Mooradian, Mooradian Law PLLC
Valerie S. Rup, Senior Associate General Counsel, WellSpan Health

28. Mission vs. Margin: Tax Policy Challenges for Exempt Hospitals (repeat)

Amy Ciminello, CPA, MT, Plante Moran
Michael N. Fine, Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP

5:30 - 6:30 PM

Networking Reception, sponsored by LawVu

This event is included in the conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adults, teen, and youth guests are welcome.

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

7:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Conference Attendee Assistance

Have questions or need assistance, we are here to help.

7:00 - 8:30 AM

Women's Networking Breakfast, sponsored by Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting, hosted by the Women's Leadership Council PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

This event is not included in the conference registration; there is no additional fee; limited attendance; and pre-registration is required. Continuing Education Credits are not available.

7:30 - 9:00 AM

Conference Breakfast

This event is included in the conference registration; attendees, speakers, and registered adult, teen, and youth guests are welcome.

8:30 - 9:45 AM

General Session

42. Panel Discussion

10:00 - 11:15 AM

43. AI as Evidence in Reimbursement: Audits, Investigations, Litigation, and Liability (not repeated)

Stephen Bittinger, Polsinelli PC
Gregory Demske, Goodwin Proctor, LLP
David Greenberg, Arent Fox Schiff, LLP

44. Health Care Transactions: Antitrust Landscape, Trends, Strategies, and Implications (not repeated)

Elizabeth M. Azano, Deputy General Counsel, Strategic Growth, Mass General Brigham
Desmond Jordan, Associate Chief Legal Officer, AdventHealth
Josh Soven, Paul Hastings

32. Key Considerations in Responding to a Health Care Corporate Criminal Investigation (Advanced) (repeat)

Anthony J. Burba, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Henry Leventis, Holland & Knight

9. Private Equity and Health Care: Navigating the False Claims Act Risk (repeat)

George B. Breen, Epstein Becker Green
Candace Deisher, Attorney General's Office, Virginia
Marc S. Raspanti, Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP

12. From Insight to Oversight: Using Investigations to Drive Effective Auditing and Monitoring (repeat)

Jason Ehrlinspiel, Chief Compliance Officer, Ardent Health
Maria Joseph, Chief Privacy and Clinical Compliance Officer, Weill Cornell Medicine
Dhara Satija, Healthcare Consulting Leader, Paul Hastings LLP

31. Back to the Future of JVs – Explore Practical Solutions to Regulatory & Legal Challenges in Forming Joint Ventures through Hypotheticals (Advanced) (repeat)

William Mathias, Bass, Berry & Sims

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

29. Accountable AI in Health Care: Takeaways from URAC's New Artificial Intelligence Accreditation (repeat)

Ally Bremer, Miller Johnson Attorneys
Madhu Reddiboina, Founder and CEO, RediMinds
Jennifer Richards, PhD, Pharm.D., J.D., URAC Senior Director of Product Management

35. PSL (Stark Law) Pitfalls & Possibilities (Advanced) (repeat)

Nicholas F. Alarif, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Matt Edgar, CMS DTPP

38. Emerging Trends and Strategic Challenges in Managed Care (repeat)

Christi Grimm, Managing Director, BDO
Giselle Joffre, Arnold & Porter

18. Real or Imagined – Ethical Issues in Providing F&A Advice (repeat)

Lisa Noller, Foley & Lardner
Felicia Sze, Athene Law LLP

39. Physician Arrangements and How to Mitigate Risk with Pre-payment Audits! (repeat)

Mark Despoth, Internal Audit Director, Bon Secours Mercy Health
Mike Pazzo, Chief Legal Officer, Roper Saint Francis Healthcare

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Conference Accessibility and Special Needs

AHLA is committed to ensuring equitable access to our educational content. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and offering accessibility accommodations for our in-person conferences.

Learn More

Thank You to Our Sponsors

If your organization is interested in sponsoring AHLA's In-House Counsel Program & Annual Meeting, please contact Valerie Eshleman.