2025 Regional Affiliate Symposium

Ken Garff University Club @Rice-Eccles Stadium, 451 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 | 801.581.5445

AGENDA

Day 1 – Thursday, April 17th, 2025

7:30 –  Breakfast for Workshop Attendees

8:00 – 11:30 am Pre-symposium Workshop (Optional)

Innovative Leadership Through Conflict: Harnessing the Power of Collaboration and Healthy Disagreement

Session Summary:
This interactive, in-person learning session focuses on equipping leaders with the tools and insights to effectively manage conflict, fostering innovation and collaboration in their teams. Participants will explore their personal results of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), learning how to navigate different conflict modes and dimensions for better decision-making and team dynamics. Through assessments, reflective exercises, and peer interactions, participants will gain a deeper understanding of their own conflict styles and leave with actionable strategies for improving their conflict-handling skills.

Learning Objectives:
Throughout this session, participants will gain:

• Personal insights into their conflict-handling tendencies; strengths and limitations of those tendencies.
• Practical strategies for leveraging conflict to foster innovation, improve collaboration, and strengthen team dynamics.
• A personal growth plan for improving their conflict-handling skills, supported by peer dialogue and recommendations.
• Increased confidence in addressing and navigating conflict situations in a healthy, productive way, driving better results within their teams.
• A comprehensive understanding of the TKI model and how to apply different conflict modes to leadership challenges.

12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch and getting settled

• Call to order – Nate Gladwell

12:30 – 2:30 pm  Keynote Speaker: Matt Ranen, Navigating Change and Uncertainty in Healthcare

2:30 – 2:45 pm  Break

2:45 – 4:15 pm  Medical Innovation in Technology, Cancer, and Beyond, Panel Discussion, Moderated by Nate Gladwell

• Brian Mitzman, MD, MSCI, FACS, FCCP — University of Utah Health, Robotic Surgery
• Vivek K. Reddy, MD, MMM — IT Innovation in Health Care
• Chakravarthy B. Reddy, MD — ION Robotics and Lung Cancer at Huntsman Cancer Institute
• Thomas K. Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS, MAMSE — Advancing Care Transformation
• Mindy Gurley, NP — (UNHS) Innovations in Screenings 

4:30 – 5:30 pm  Networking social with hors d’ouevres and drinks @ Terrace Patio

5:30 – 8:00 pm  Dinner @ Ken Garff Field Club

• Legacy of Leadership Award — Etta Shumway, UNHS
• Field Games & Networking  

Day 2 - Friday, April 18th, 2025

8:00 am  Breakfast

8:30 am  Welcome to Day 2 - Nate Gladwell

8:45 – 9:30 am  U of U Health Leadership: 

• Bob S. Carter, MD, PhD
• Dan Lundergan, MHA
• Gina Hawley, DrPH, MHA

9:30 - 10:00 am  Health Care Champion Awards

• Joleen Perez, MSN, RN
• Vivek Reddy, MD, MMM
• Kari Quickenden, PharmD
• Larry Kraiss, MD

10:00 – 11:00 am  The Future of Workforce Stability, Panel Discussion, Moderated by Benton Lyons

• Kari Koehler, BSN, MS, Chief Nursing Officer, St. Peter's Health - Virtual Nursing
• Ted Kimball, MD, Medical Director, ONDT, U of U Health
• Brent Klev, MBA, BSN, RN, Senior Director, Cardiovascular Services, U of U Health

11:00 – 11:30 am  Lunch Buffet - Grab lunch to take to breakout sessions

11:30 am – 1:00 pm  Partnership Breakouts - Working Lunch

Strategy Breakout – Navigating Complexity: Unlocking Strategic Insight Through Problem Finding

• Ruchi M. Watson, Managing Director, Goff Strategic Leadership Institute

Research shows that 61% of executives feel unprepared for the strategic challenges they face. In an increasingly complex and unpredictable world, leaders encounter obstacles that don’t have clear solutions—and the key to sustained value creation isn’t just problem-solving, it’s problem finding.

This session goes beyond traditional strategy frameworks to help leaders sharpen their ability to identify hidden challenges, reframe problems, and uncover new opportunities. Through hands-on exercises you can tailor to your organization, we’ll unlock the strategic insights that drive meaningful action and lasting impact.

Quality Breakout – From Pieces to Progress: Crafting a Culture of Innovation with Mr. Potato Head and Lessons Learned from Wile E. Coyote 

• Cindy Spangler, MEMS, ASQ, LSBB
• Joleen Perez, MSN, RN
• Whitney Matson, MHA, RN

In healthcare, continuous improvement isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. With increasing patient demands, rising costs, and complex processes, we can’t afford to work in disconnected pieces—we need a system that brings everything together. Much like assembling Mr. Potato Head, building a culture of innovation requires the right pieces: structured problem-solving, daily improvement routines, and psychological safety.

Leadership Breakout – Strengthening Regional Partnerships: Strategic Approaches to Capacity, Access, and Outreach

• Dan Lundergan, MHA, University of Utah Health
• Ted Kimball, MD, University of Utah Health

This session will focus on building stronger, more collaborative partnerships between the University of Utah (UofU) and regional affiliates, emphasizing the importance of mutual recognition, support, and shared goals. Attendees will engage in constructive discussions around enhancing regional access, capacity, and outreach, with a focus on fostering long-term, positive relationships that benefit both rural healthcare communities and academic institutions.

1:00 – 2:30 pm  Closing Keynote, Georgi Rausch, PhD, Leadership Communication: Key to Collaborative Solutions

2:30 pm Symposium Conclusion