Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan
San Antonio | November 1-4, 2026
As the largest public health gathering of the year, APHA’s Annual Meeting and Expo convenes approximately 12,000 public health professionals and partners from around the world. Join us for this can’t miss opportunity to make lasting connections and learn from exhibitors, peers and today’s leaders. Together, let’s ensure health for all across the lifespan.
APHA Women’s Leadership Institute
The Untamed Path: Trailblazing Through Change
Leadership is rarely a smooth road — it’s a rugged, ever-changing path that requires courage, clarity and connection. Join a community of women leaders at APHA’s Women’s Leadership Institute as we explore how to lead through change with authenticity and resilience. This year’s theme, The Untamed Path: Trailblazing Through Change, invites attendees to define their personal leadership philosophy and learn how to apply it in these uncertain times in public health. Through interactive sessions, inspiring stories from those who’ve faced difficult transitions and opportunities for reflection and networking, you’ll gather the tools and strength needed to navigate even the toughest terrain.
Together, we’ll find joy in the journey and blaze new trails — one step at a time.
Register to join us
Saturday, Nov 1, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Session 1: Finding Your North Star: Defining Your Leadership Philosophy on the Trail of Change
Every trailblazer needs a compass. In this interactive session, you’ll define your personal leadership philosophy — the values and beliefs that guide you — and learn how to apply it during times of uncertainty and change. Through reflection, storytelling and peer discussion, you’ll gain clarity on what grounds your leadership and how to stay true to it when the path gets tough. Walk away with a stronger sense of direction and confidence to lead through any terrain.
Hosted by: Magda Peck, ScD
Session 2: Voices from the Trail: Lessons in Leading Through Change
You’ve identified your philosophy. Now, let’s learn how to lean on it when things get tough. The path through change can feel isolating, until you hear from those who’ve walked it before. In this powerful session, you’ll hear from women leaders who have navigated storms, detours and unexpected forks in the road. Through candid storytelling and conversation, these trailblazers will share how they stayed grounded in their leadership philosophies, made tough decisions and found resilience in the face of uncertainty. Their journeys will inspire you, challenge you and remind you that even the hardest trails can lead to new heights.
Moderator: Susan Polan, DrPH
Panelists: Ndidi Amutah-Onukagha, MPH, PhD; Juliet K. Choi and Ayanna Bennett, MD, MSPH, FAAP
Session 3: Rest Stops and Revelations: Finding Joy and Celebrating the Journey
Even the most rugged trails have moments of beauty, if we pause long enough to notice them. In this closing session, we’ll shift our focus to joy, gratitude and the power of celebrating small wins along the way. Attendees will explore strategies for cultivating joy in leadership, especially during times of change, and learn how to recognize and honor progress — both personal and collective. Through reflection and connection, we’ll end the day focused, energized and ready to carry that joy forward on the journey ahead.
Keynote: Jasmine Brett Stringer, MAPP
Meet the Speakers
Jasmine Brett Stringer, MAPP
Jasmine Brett Stringer is a keynote speaker, award-winning author, TV personality, and founder of Carpe Diem with Jasmine LLC, who blends positive psychology and lived experience to help individuals and organizations thrive with purpose, resilience, and authenticity.
Magda G. Peck, ScD
Dr. Magda Peck is a nationally recognized public health leader and founder of MP3 Health, dedicated to advancing equity, innovation, and leadership in maternal and child health.
Juliet K. Choi, JD
Juliet K. Choi is the president and CEO of APIAHF, a national health justice leader with a background in civil rights, immigration, and healthcare, who served in the Obama administration and has led across government, nonprofits, and the private sector.
Keep the Conversation Going
Join us for the Champion Conversation: Women Leaders Making the Public's Health a National Priority on Monday, Nov. 3 from 8:30-10 a.m.
Women leaders across the nation are at the forefront of shaping policies and driving change to elevate public health as a national priority. This dynamic session will bring together trailblazing women in politics, heads of influential organizations and other prominent changemakers to share how they have stayed grounded in their leadership philosophies while navigating the complex challenges of advocacy, policymaking and systemic reform. Through powerful storytelling and candid conversation, these leaders will reflect on their personal journeys, the strategies they've employed to push public health to the center of the national agenda and the lessons they've learned along the way. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped with insights into how values-based leadership can transform communities and systems for the better.
Moderator: Carmen R. Nevarez, MD, MPH - Consultant, CRN Health Consulting
Panelists:
- Nadine Burke Harris, MD, MPH - ACE Action Network
- Congresswoman Lauren Underwood - Illinois’ 14th Congressional District