Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association MHA’s 2026 Communications Summit
October 29 | 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
$149 Per Person
$129 Groups of 3+
Breakfast, lunch, and networking opportunities included!
This event is closed-press.
REGISTER
FAX 781-262-6136
MAIL – Check Payable to MHA
MHA Education Department
500 District Ave
Burlington, MA 01803-5096
If you are experiencing any difficulties with the site or registration, please email Laurie Snelson at lsnelson@mhalink.org for assistance. In your correspondence, please include the registrant’s name, title, organization, and email for confirmation
Massachusetts healthcare has a powerful story to tell, led by a vibrant and deeply experienced network of communications professionals. MHA’s second Communications Summit will bring those leaders together in one place to explore some of the topics defining today’s landscape, from crisis management to the role of AI to a rapidly changing policy landscape.
This event is a valuable opportunity for healthcare communicators to hear from experts across the state, discuss shared challenges and opportunities, and build lasting connections with peers. Whether you are a VP or an emerging leader, this forum is built for you!
When Crisis Calls: Lessons from the Past Year
Hear from local communications leaders about how they navigated the unexpected, keeping workers, patients, and local communities informed through real-life events over the past year.
- John Looney – Vice President, Marketing and Communications, UMass Memorial Health
- Beth MacNeill – Vice President, Marketing and Development, Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital
- MODERATOR: Rich Copp – Executive Vice President, Issues Management Group
- Additional panelists to be announced
KEYNOTE – Prompts and Circumstance: How AI is Shaping Public Communications
John Wihbey, Professor of Media & Communications Technology, Northeastern University
With the arrival of AI facets of healthcare, communications teams are navigating how to best explore, utilize, and monitor automated technology while maintaining the trusted, authentic voice their organizations rely on. This session, led by Professor John Wihbey of Northeastern University, will provide attendees with an inside look at how AI is being adopted across the broader public communications landscape.
Professor Wihbey has conducted nationally-recognized research on AI’s emergence in media and public-sector communications – with important takeaways for credibility-driven sectors like healthcare.
State of the Art: A Roundtable of Government Communications Leaders
Much like the healthcare sector, state government is responsible for sharing essential messages to mass audiences – all while maintaining trust and transparency in a fast-moving environment. This panel will feature the communications leaders who help make it happen.
- Olivia James – Deputy Communications Director, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health & Human Services
- Molly McGlynn – Communications Director, Office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell
- Stacey Nee – Director of Communications, MassHealth
- Mickey O’Neill – Communications Director, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission
2026 Leadership Panel: The Voices Behind the Mission
Hear from local hospital and health system communications leaders as they discuss their career journeys and explore the trends, priorities, and dynamics shaping their work today.
- Terri Febo Robinson – Senior Director of Communications and Content, Hebrew SeniorLife
- Marcia Emerson – Vice President, Communications, Beth Israel Lahey Health
- Jennifer Wills – Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Baystate Health
- Additional panelists to be announced
Cancellation Policy (for in-person events only): Full refunds will be recognized when cancellations occur at least 5 business days prior to an in-person event. Any cancellation notices received after this time will result in $50 administrative fee. To avoid this penalty, you may send someone in your place by forwarding their full name, title and email address to the Director of Healthcare Education, Amy Smalarz at asmalarz@mhalink.org. No shows will be responsible for payment in full.
