January 21, 2018

2018 Summit Sessions

At PHA, we’re making it part of our mission to drive and showcase innovation with the intent to accelerate change. Speakers and sessions for the 2019 PHA Summit have not yet been announced. Please see below for 2018 Summit plenary and breakout session information, including sessions that been approved for 5 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Be the first to learn about registration and speaker announcements for the 2019 PHA Summit by signing up for our mail list.


Logo for Novo Nordisk, a sponsor of Partnership for a Healthier America's 2018 Innovating a Healthier Future Summit, taking place May 2-4 in Washington, DC.

2018 Opening Remarks

Dr. Todd Hobbs, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Novo Nordisk North America. Novo Nordisk is the Premier Sponsor of the 2018 Innovating a Healthier Future Summit.




2018 Plenary Sessions


The Happy Meal: Driving Innovation and Impact

Image of a McDonald's Happy Meal. How do one of the nation’s leading child health organizations and the world’s largest restaurant company come together to drive innovation and impact? H. Melvin Ming, Former President and CEO, Sesame Workshop will moderate a discussion between Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and Silvia Lagnado, Global Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s. They will give their perspectives on how these two organizations are combining strengths to impact kids’ well-being.


"Better stuff, fewer dollars" is a phrase Brandless lives by. Ido Leffler, Co-Founder and Chairman, will speak at Partnership for a Healthier America's 2018 Innovating a Healthier Future Summit, May 2-4 in Washington, DC.

Brandless

Beyond the Brand

Ido Leffler, Co-Founder, Brandless

Approved for .25 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

What’s in a brand? According to Brandless co-founder Ido Leffler, a sneaky “brand tax” – the extra money you pay for a product’s slick advertising and marketing.

From olive oil to kitchen essentials, Brandless made news headlines by charging $3 for all its products, offering a new twist in online retailing and private labeling.

Hailed as the “Procter & Gamble of Millennials,” hear from Leffler on how Brandless is making waves in the consumer packaged goods industry, how the company is addressing food access and his predictions for the future of retail and food.


The Future is Fresh

David McInerney, Co-Founder and Chief Food Adventurer at FreshDirect

Approved for .25 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Headshot for David McInerney, Co-Founder and Chief Food Adventurer at FreshDirect, and a speaker at Partnership for a Healthier America's 2018 Innovating a Healthier Future Summit. To say David McInerney is obsessed with food is an understatement. For 15 years, David worked as a chef alongside top restaurateurs, including the late Bernard Loiseau in Burgundy, and David Bouley in New York.

Today, as co-founder and “Chief Food Adventurer” for FreshDirect, David and his team spend more than half the year travelling around the globe to learn, investigate and explore, as part of a mission to find the very best food. In David’s view, understanding what we’re eating and who’s growing it are the most important—yet often forgotten—details when it comes to what we feed our families.

Hear from McInerney on why he believes that kids will eat better if their food tastes amazing and how being educated on where our food comes from can change how we all eat.


The Future of Food

Mike Lee, Founder, The Future Market

Approved for .16 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

This session provides an overview of some of the innovations and trends disrupting our food system today, with insights on how we can shape the food system for a better, healthier population and planet.

Mike Lee, founder of the Future Market and Alpha Food Labs, will share his thoughts and observations on the state of the industry and how we might need work to build a better food future.

Image from The Future Market.

The Future Market

Fit for Business

Approved for .33 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Sponsored physical activity break at the 2016 Building a Healthier Future Summit.

Sodexo

Surveys find that 75% of consumers want employers to offer incentives to support and improve their health. Why aren’t companies seeing results? It’s time to start thinking differently about employee wellness. From employee satisfaction to job functions, what contributes to effective employee wellness initiatives and most importantly, what’s missing? Learn from leading companies as they share their individualized approach to encouraging employees to take charge of their personal health, as well as inspiring stories of impact.


Big Food’s Big Bets

Approved for .25 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

From plant-forward products and artisanal, small-batch snacks to purpose-driven start-ups, a wave of niche brands have entered the marketplace, and established brands are investing, incubating and accelerating these new players. Can the two co-exist? From ROI to sustainability, learn how and why organizations are investing and building the better-for-you brands of tomorrow, embracing entrepreneurship and adapting for future growth.


Interview: Congressman Jim McGovern and Lisa Osborne Ross

Join Congressman Jim McGovern, who has represented the 2nd District of Massachusetts in Congress since 1997, to learn about how effective current nutrition programs have been and how the FARM bill will impact access to benefits. He also will share his perspective on how this legislation could impact the health of American families who struggle to put food on the table.


Food is Medicine

Approved for .25 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

The old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” may be more prescriptive than we think. Research shows positive social and economic impacts of healthy food systems, including lower healthcare costs, greater sustainability, reduced disparities, and improved economic competitiveness. Hear from leading experts in research, policy, and practice as they explain how this bipartisan, cross-cutting issue is currently being addressed and the critical priorities to move legislation and policies forward. 

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–> Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, is a speaker at Partnership for a Healthier America's 2018 Innovating a Healthier Future Summit, May 2-4 in Washington, DC.
Want to Fix America’s Health Care? First, Focus on Food — Dr. Dariush Mozaffarion 

What drives poor health in the U.S., and what can be done about it? Food is the number one cause of poor health in America. Poor diet is not just about individual choice, but about the systems that make eating poorly the default for most.

PHA Fireside Chat: The State Of Childhood Obesity

The recent release of NHANES survey results has made the public health community ask some tough questions about the current state of obesity prevention and intervention strategies. We’re bringing the conversation to PHA’s Summit main stage for a candid conversation with national health and obesity experts Dr. William Dietz, Chair of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, and James R. Gavin III, MD, Ph.D., clinical professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and clinical professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.


Braeden Mannering of 3B.

Braeden Mannering of 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags

Kids’ Secrets on Impacting Kids

Approved for .33 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

When it comes to health, happiness and the latest YouTube sensation, no one has more impact on kids’ opinions and actions than… kids. This session uncovers how and why kids listen and are inspired by other kids and creative ways to communicate and motivate them.

We’ll gather influential kid leaders in non-profit and health to get their advice on how industry professionals can best help kids encourage their generation to be their healthiest, best selves.


Breakouts

Thursday, May 3, 10:45 a.m–11:45 a.m.


Community-Led Partnerships That Work

Approved for .25 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Mercedes-Benz USA and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation youth program in New Orleans.

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation/Mercedes-Benz USA

Using sport as an intentional tool to address critical challenges facing children and youth from historically marginalized communities is game changing, but it requires multi-faceted, sustainable, and innovative partnerships. This session will highlight Laureus USA’s collective impact model, which identifies key partnership areas required to drive community-led, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable change.


Image of the Fresh EBT app, produced by Propel.

Propel/Fresh EBT

Tipping the Scales – Evidence-Based Strategies to Help All People Eat Better

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Low income families face many challenges to healthy eating. A growing number of nonprofit and government programs and for-profit businesses have emerged in response as has a significant body of evidence. This panel will discuss innovative programs and technology that leverages key insights to generate impact. Initiatives highlighted include Brighter Bites, a program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to families in schools, Open Hand’s work in Atlanta, and the Fresh EBT mobile application.


Community Spotlight: Hagerstown, MD

Logo for One for Good Initiative.

Consumer Goods Forum

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

There’s a clear opportunity for local businesses to create a culture of health in their city or town. In Hagerstown, Maryland four leading retailers and nine manufacturers partnered to work collaboratively with public health authorities to educate and inspire residents to adopt a healthier lifestyle by eating better and moving more. Leaders of the One for Good initiative will share how it was developed, its goals, successes and promising practices.


U.S. Access to Nutrition Spotlight Index

In summer 2018, the Access to Nutrition Foundation (ATNF) will publish the first U.S. Access to Nutrition Country Spotlight Index. Following the Global Indexes that ATNF published in 2013, 2016 and 2018, assessing the largest F&B manufacturers globally, ATNF with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) developed the first US Index. This Index will assess the largest 10 F&B manufacturers in the US market on their contribution to making healthy food affordable and accessible to all consumers in the United States. The report will also include an analysis of the healthiness of companies’ product portfolio’s in the U.S. market. In the break-out session ATNF will further explain the approach that has been applied to assess the 10 companies, nutrition issues relevant for the U.S. and the usability of the Index for companies and other important nutrition stakeholders, including investors, non-profit organizations and researchers. After a presentation by the Director of ATNF, a panel discussion with nutrition stakeholders/experts will be held. The audience is welcome to participate.


Thursday, May 3, 2:15 p.m–3:15 p.m.

Image of three children playing a Blue Goji virtual reality game.

Blue Goji

The Future of Technology for Better Health

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Technology is often perceived as contributing to an increase in obesity rates for both children and adults. Video games and screen time often get a bad rap. But, what if they are the secret weapons to motivate movement in Americans to create long-term behavior changes? Hear from PHA partners and innovators who are using technology to create better health for American families.


Keep it Local: Innovations in Food Retail Growth and Distribution

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

A shift in consumer behaviors towards healthier choices has led to an explosion of growth in the food retail market, with produce leading the charge. Increased interests in local, sustainable options are driving innovations in growth and distribution.  From shortening the supply chain to expanding access to affordable, locally grown fruits and vegetables, these organizations are giving greater insight into how food is grown and delivered to consumers.


Creating Communications + Digital Strategies to Cut Through the Noise

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

From front-page worthy pitches to tried-and-true social engagement campaigns, we’re all trying to get in front of the masses to change consumer behavior and encourage health. But what’s the best approach for taking your communications and digital strategies to the next level? Bring your questions and challenges to this working session, and get ready to roll up your sleeves for a hands-on learning experience that delves into your current communications and digital strategies. Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet.


Who Runs the World? Girls!

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Image from Girls on the Run International.

Girls on the Run International

Studies show that girls’ confidence and physical activity levels sharply decline beginning at nine years old. But, not all girls have equal access to after school programming and the demand in communities of concentrated poverty is much higher than the national average. In this session, representatives from Target Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and Girls on the Run, an evidence-based after school program, will discuss how they are using their unique assets to comprehensively address access for girls through marketing campaigns, human capital, philanthropic funding, life-changing programming and more.


Community Change Starts with Food

with Brian Ebersole, Senior Director of Springboard Health at Geisinger

What’s one of the first thing that we all think of when we wake up in the morning… FOOD! What if we can improve the overall health of our community by focusing on FOOD? We will explore the efforts of Springboard Health to make Scranton, PA the healthiest place in the country. The starting point is healthy food access and the end point will be a healthier, happier Scranton. We will highlight the array of actions taken by our partners over a short period of time to change the dialogue and improve access to healthier food. We will talk about optimizing food pantries, allocating money differently, creating a Fresh Food Farmacy and helping people to think about food differently. Listen to the stories, see the successes and learn from our “learning opportunities” as we utilize a network of partners to put Scranton on the map and healthier food in the hands (and on the table) of all Scrantonians!


Friday, May 4, 9 a.m.–10 a.m.

Child’s Play: The Building Blocks of Physical Literacy

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

We’ve all heard of physical activity, but what do you know about physical literacy?  In this session, PHA partners uncover how to foster physical literacy throughout a child’s life - from their earliest days in child care to their newfound independence on a college campus.  Speakers will also tackle compounding challenges of access, financial investments and self-confidence.

Now Trending: Happy, Healthy Eating

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Studies show Americans by and large know what they should eat. Yet, obesity rates continue to rise. What’s the disconnect between knowledge and action? This insightful discussion focuses on how nutrition education often backfires and why a habits-approach is a better model for producing happy, healthy eaters with tangible examples and proven practices from the Delicious Nutritious Adventures program and Everytable.

Photo of Binghamton University students holding pamphlets at a campus health fair. The school is a PHA partner participating in the Healthier Campus Initiative.

Binghamton University

Partners Ending Commitments – Reflecting Back & Lessons Learned

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Over the past eight years, PHA partners have made bold commitments to improve the food supply, foster physical activity and create healthier environments. These commitments are not easy, to say the least, and while they have led to many successes, PHA and our partners have also learned many lessons along the way. Hear from various PHA partners as they share first-hand experiences, challenges and key learnings in completing their commitments.


What’s Next In CPG?

Approved for 1 hour of Continuing Professional Education credit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Representing some of the largest corporations in the world, consumer packaged goods executives will discuss their company’s efforts to address consumer demand for healthier products and their respective changes to marketing practices toward children and low-income families. Topics will also include reformulation strategies, new product category creation and portion control initiatives. Panelists will also touch on opportunities for their company to enhance its efforts and future plans related to nutrition, health and wellness.

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–> Image of Hank Cardello, Director, Obesity Solutions Initiative at Hudson Institute.
How A Billion Dollars Is Being Wasted In The War On Sugar — Hank Cardello  

Few dispute that too much sugar is bad for you. But as the war against it escalates and more food and beverage products are under siege, it’s a good time to examine what works and what doesn’t work in getting companies to sell healthier products.


Be the first to learn about registration and speaker announcements for the 2019 PHA Summit by signing up for our mail list.