Registration remains open until November 10 for Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Indiana Regional Medical Center’s 2025 Pennsylvania Mountains Rural Health Conference, “Healthcare Innovation,” on November 20.
Open to the community, the day-long event will be held at IUP’s Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex; check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. and presentations conclude at 3:30 p.m., with closing remarks from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.
The conference features members of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s cabinet, Pennsylvania senators and representatives, and key healthcare and industry leaders, including the president and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.
Speakers and panelists include Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh; Department of Health Secretary Debra Bogen; Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich; Pennsylvania Commissioner of Insurance Michael Humphreys; Senate Majority Leader Senator Joe Pittman, 41st District; Senator Michele Brooks, 50th District; Representative and Chair, Appropriations Committee Representative Jim Struzzi, 62nd District; Representative Arvind Venkat, 30th District; and Office of the Governor Deputy Chief of Staff Lindsey Mauldin.
President and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania Nicole Stallings will offer the keynote presentation, “Our Communities’ Futures Depend on Strong, Rural Hospitals,” addressing rural health opportunities and challenges and what they mean for communities.
There are three opportunities for continuing education credits for persons attending the conference: 5.5 face-to-face Continuing Legal Education credits are available for attorneys practicing in Pennsylvania, four American College of Healthcare Executives Qualifying Education Credits are available for persons wishing to obtain or achieve FACHE status, and six hours of Act 48 credits are available for persons seeking CPE (Continuing Professional Education) credits.
Preregistration for the conference is required; additional details, including information about the continuing education credits, can be found on the conference website.
Sessions address a wide range of topics important to rural health, including legislation and funding.
The conference is coordinated by IRMC Chief Operating Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer for the Pennsylvania Mountains Care Network Jim Kinneer and IUP Director of Strategic Partnerships Christina Koren. IUP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans and Kinneer will be emcees for the Conference.
The event closes with presentation of the second annual Rural Health Impact Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to improving the health and well-being of rural community residents, and a presentation of state rural health awards by the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.
The annual Conference, in its fourth year, celebrates National Rural Health Day and builds on the IRMC-IUP Day tradition of celebrating its many partnerships.
Indiana County Commissioner Bonni Dunlap will join IUP President Michael Driscoll and IRMC CEO Steve Wolfe for welcome remarks.
Conference programming includes a display of research posters by researchers; the authors of the research posters will be present for a question-and-answer session from noon to 1:00 p.m. A panel with leaders of the Advancement League, a membership organization for health professionals looking to advance their careers and communities, is planned for students and other early-career professionals.
IUP proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose will join Karin Rhodes, special advisor to Arkoosh, for a breakout session for rural healthcare leadership, “Mobilize and Execute: Post Department of Human Services-Department of Health Regional Rural Health Summit Action Session.”
This session will be a discussion with representatives from the 2025 Rural Regional Health Summits held across Pennsylvania, providing an opportunity to share status updates, highlight progress made since each summit, and discuss next steps for continued collaboration and impact in rural health initiatives statewide.
Additional conference sessions, designed for all levels of knowledge, include:
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“Healthcare Innovations in Pennsylvania,” featuring Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Office of the Secretary Director of Innovation Michael Roth, Nulton Diagnostic and Treatment Center President Larry Nulton, Graystone CEO Jeff Long, Small Town Hope’s Treehouse Founder and CEO Mandi Paronish, and Gloria Gates CARE Founder and CEO Zane Gates. IUP Vice Provost Hilliary Creely will moderate the session.
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“Building Sustainable Rural Health Systems: Policy and Practice for Cost Reduction,” featuring Pennsylvania Mountain Care Network CIO and COO Mark Volovic, Rural Health Redesign Center Director of External Affairs Steven Davis, and Jake Muskovitz from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. Punxsutawney Area Hospital President and CMO Clark Simpson will moderate the session.
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“Rural Health Innovation to the Classroom, K-12 Educator Workshop,” with Armstrong-Indiana Intermediate Unit 28 Curriculum Specialist Lacie Cook and Training and Consultation Team member Mariha Shields. ARIN IU 28 Director of Curriculum and Educational Technology Susan Griffith will moderate the session.
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“Rethinking Rural Health—Preparing for the Future,” featuring Sheetz Employee Benefits and Wellness Senior Manager Travis Eckles, Wayne Maynard from Angel Flight, IUP Department of Professional Studies Associate Professor Jacqueline McGinty, Janice Miller from the Pennsylvania Nurse Practitioners Association, and Rural Health Redesign Center Executive Director Janice Walters. IRMC CMO Richard Neff will moderate the session.
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“Pediatric Readiness in Rural Communities,” featuring Kristin Juhasz, from Indiana, an IUP graduate who works in emergency medicine at UPMC Hammit. IRMC Family Medicine Residency Program Director Amanda Vaglia will moderate the session.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.