2026 Georgia State of Reform Health Policy Conference

Hear from the newly appointed HHS Regional Director of the Atlanta region Samantha Brown-Parks, MD, MPH, about her priorities for the agency moving forward.

Samantha Brown-Parks, MD, MPH: Regional Director, Atlanta Region, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

The use of AI across the entire healthcare ecosystem has progressed at a remarkable pace, and is becoming a welcomed, essential capability within some organizations. Taking AI adoption to the next level still hinges on a lot more than selecting technology solutions and service providers. In this plenary, healthcare leaders from academia and industry will share how they are adopting and, if applicable, promoting the use of AI, what impacts they believe can be realized across the ecosystem, where adoption barriers remain, and suggested measures for removing these barriers.

Jason Bearden: Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Confluence Health Strategies

Jon Duke: Director, Center for Health Analytics & Informatics, Georgia Tech Research Institute

Patty Lavely: Founder & Principal Consultant, CIO Consulting, LLC

Kwamane Liddell: Chief Executive Officer, ThriveLink

Jeff Skolnick: Co-Founder, GeneHealth.AI

Moderator: Juan Montanez: Managing Director, Health Management Associates

Georgia’s managed care system is undergoing significant change. As contracts renew, federal guidelines shift, new populations such as the aged, blind, and disabled join, and more attention is paid to value, quality, and population health, the state is redefining the way managed care works for both members and providers. This panel will bring together state officials, leaders from managed care organizations (MCOs), and provider representatives to discuss Georgia’s evolving approach to managed care design and oversight.  

Jason Bearden: Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Confluence Health Strategies

Barbara Corey: Senior Vice President, Managed Care, WellStar

Lynnette Rhodes: Chief Health Policy Officer, Georgia Department of Community Health

Moderator: Alicia Johnson: Regional Director, Health Management Associates

This panel discussion will examine Georgia’s innovative approaches to supporting justice-involved individuals with mental health conditions. In recent years, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) has expanded a range of partnerships, services, and supports. This includes co-responder mobile crisis teams, jail in‑reach programs staffed by peer support specialists, forensics competency restoration initiatives, and other emerging models designed to improve outcomes across the justice and behavioral health systems. 

Dana Glass: Chief Executive Officer, ASPIRE Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Services

Kevin Tanner: Commissioner, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities

Moderator: Monica Johnson: Managing Director, Health Management Associates

This panel will confront the complex realities facing leaders charged with rural health transformation in Georgia, where hospital closures, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, constrained financing, and rising chronic disease rates are placing sustained pressure on access, quality, and long-term system viability. Panelists will examine how these intersecting challenges complicate planning, investment decisions, and service delivery in communities already operating with limited infrastructure and fiscal flexibility. The discussion will also highlight forward-thinking solutions, including the expansion of broadband-enabled care to extend clinical reach, sustainable financing approaches to stabilize rural providers, stronger behavioral health integration to address unmet needs, and targeted workforce pipeline strategies to recruit, develop, and retain clinicians.   

Keri Conley: Chief Health Policy Officer, Georgia Hospital Association

Kevin Denmark: Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health, Bamboo Health

Kristy Thomson: Chief Operating Officer, HomeTown Health

Moderator: Jeff Booth: Principal, Health Management Associates

Across Georgia, value-based payment (VBP) models are reshaping how care is delivered, measured, and rewarded. From Medicaid and managed care innovations to provider-led initiatives, the state is advancing toward a system that prioritizes outcomes, population health, and sustainability over volume. Panelists will highlight current initiatives, emerging payment models, and lessons learned in aligning financial incentives with better health outcomes. The conversation will also explore how data infrastructure, digital quality measures, and cross-sector partnerships are enabling Georgia’s transition to value. 

Andre Greenwood, MBA: Vice President, Network Management, AmeriHealth

Becky Kurtz: Director, Metro Atlanta Area Agency on Aging

Peter Morrison, MPH: Head of Growth & SVP Strategy, Pair Team

Stuart Portman: Executive Director, Medical Assistance Plans, Georgia Department of Community Health

Moderator: Jay Reiser, MBA: Principal, Health Management Associates

Georgia is intensifying its focus on improving maternal and child health outcomes, addressing long-standing disparities, and strengthening supports for families across the state. From expanding access to prenatal and postpartum care to investing in early childhood health and community partnerships, Georgia is working to ensure every mother and child can thrive. Join this panel for a robust discussion about what the state health sector is doing to improve healthcare for these populations and the work that still needs to be done. 

Melissa Haberlen DeWolf: Research & Policy Director, Voices for Georgia Children

Jemea Dorsey: Chief Executive Officer, Center for Black Women’s Wellness

Ky Lindberg: Vice President of Community Engagement, Georgia Health Initiative

Margaret Master: Interim Executive Director, Health Mothers, Healthy Babies

Moderator: Zipatly Mendoza: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates

Georgia Medicaid plans are working to “carve-in” older adults and people with disabilities into managed care. This shift will reshape how essential care, supports, and community-based services are accessed for these Medicaid members. This panel will examine what a carve-in could look like for Georgia. Speakers will discuss national models, potential risks and opportunities, and needed quality and accountability mechanisms, in the context of the unique needs of these populations. 

Deke Cateau: Chief Executive Officer, A.G. Rhodes

Dave Lamb: Interim Director, Three Rivers Area Agency on Aging

Moderator: Marcey Alter: Associate Principal, Health Management Associates

This panel will examine the profound implications of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act on Georgia’s counties and cities, particularly how its Medicaid‐cutting provisions threaten local safety-net systems. Panelists will explore how reduced reimbursements, rising cost-sharing, and new “community engagement” requirements for Medicaid enrollees risk destabilizing hospitals in rural counties, undermining access to care, and exacerbating health inequities in cities and towns already grappling with narrow budgets. They will also consider possible policy responses—from state-level advocacy to federal reforms—to mitigate these issues and protect Georgia’s most vulnerable populations. 

Sen. Derek Mallow: Member, Committee on Children & Families, Georgia Senate

Van Johnson: Mayor, City of Savannah

Robin Rau: Chief Executive Officer, Miller County Hospital

Moderator: Alicia Johnson: Regional Director, Health Management Associates

This panel will explore actionable strategies to improve population health in Georgia by addressing the interconnected drivers of health outcomes across rural, suburban, and urban communities. Experts will discuss approaches to reducing chronic disease, strengthening behavioral health supports, and advancing maternal and child health through evidence-based interventions. Panelists will highlight opportunities to integrate healthcare and social services, expand community health worker programs, leverage data to target resources, and promote equity through policies that address housing, transportation, food access, and other social determinants. 

Moose Alperin: Associate Professor, Director, Executive MPH Program; Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral, Social, & Health Education Sciences, Emory University

Leah Chan: Director of Health Justice, Georgia Budget & Policy Institute

Laura Colbert : Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future

Moderator: Marilyn Johnson: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates

This panel will highlight collaborative efforts across Georgia to address the social determinants of health that drive inequities in outcomes, including housing stability, food access, transportation, education, and economic opportunity. Panelists will share how cross-sector partnerships, data-informed strategies, and community-led solutions are being used to improve health where people live, work, and learn. The discussion will examine successful initiatives underway across urban and rural communities, lessons learned from implementation, and opportunities to align policy, funding, and practice to create sustainable change. 

Glen Chambers: Senior Vice President, External Relations, Findhelp

Jeffrey Collins-Smythe: Executive Director, The Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement

Katie Keating: Vice President, Solutions Engineering, Unite Us

Christine Wiggins: Chief Operating Officer, Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority

Moderator: Cindy Zeldin: Vice President of Health Policy & Government Affairs, Georgia Health Initiative

Hear from several leaders on health policy reform in the Georgia Legislature. These lawmakers will discuss the main priorities for this year’s session, legislation they’re supporting, and their perspectives on various challenges in the Georgia healthcare system.

Sen. Sonya Halpern: Vice Chair, Democratic Caucus, Georgia Senate

Rep. Carolyn Hugley: Democratic Caucus Leader, Georgia House of Representatives

Rep. Sam Park: Minority Whip, Georgia House of Representatives

Moderator: Robin Preston: Senior Regional Vice President, Health Management Associates

To close the day, HMA leaders will synthesize the day’s most consequential insights into a clear, forward-looking narrative for action. We will distill the big ideas shaping Georgia’s health and human services landscape, highlighting the policy, financing, and delivery trends that demand immediate and strategic response. We want participants to leave with not just reflections, but a decisive lens for navigating complexity and leading change in a rapidly evolving environment.