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Advancing Community wellness in the Coachella Valley

Desert Healthcare District names 2 keynote speakers for annual Coachella Valley health summit

Summit logo consists of one large and one small purple palm tree on a mound of purple sand with a large half-sun setting behind them. There's a teal half-arc above the trees, with the words "Healthy Desert Healthy You" in two lines under the image. First text line is purple; the second is teal.

How many times have you attended a conference or other community event, where you felt fired up and inspired in the moment -- only to leave that event wondering, What can I do to help?


Organizers of the Third Annual Healthy Desert Healthy You Summit on Sept. 10 are committed to ensuring attendees gain useful information throughout the day. In fact, one of its two keynote speakers is officially the summit's Call to Action Speaker.


Dr. Takashi Wada of the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) will fill that role. As the vice-president of population health and CalAIM, Dr. Wada provides clinical strategic leadership in developing and implementing IEHP's population health efforts and fulfilling requirements under the state CalAIM initiative.


 


"Coachella Valley residents are grappling with many healthcare challenges including Medicaid or Medi-Cal cuts, so it's important that the summit prominently feature a representative from a not-for-profit health plan that is focused on affordable care for underserved residents in our region," said Donna Craig, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Interim CEO. "Dr. Wada of IEHP brings a wealth of knowledge about addressing health disparities and more than 20 years of experience in medicine to Healthy Desert Healthy You. We are excited to present him as our Call to Action Speaker."


 


Prior to Dr. Wada's summit address, many other regional thought leaders in the health and wellness arena will share their experience and expertise on a variety of topics. Dr. Angelica Geter is included on the roster as the first speaker. She brings more than 20 years of experience across government, healthcare, corporate leadership, and community systems. Dr. Geter is a leading public health expert and the first chief health officer of the city of Atlanta, Georgia. 


To learn more about Dr. Takashi Wada, Dr. Angelica Geter (also a keynote speaker), and the many prominent panelists and moderators who have been confirmed as summit participants, please visit healthydeserthealthyyou.com.




The summit's focus this year will be four social determinants of health, and all panels will be a presentation on one of these topics:


  • Healthcare Access
  • Behavioral/Mental Health
  • Workforce Development
  • Housing





These social determinants of health align well with the pillars of the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation's newly adopted, five-year strategic plan. The plan is a roadmap the District & Foundation Board is following to inform all funding, programmatic, and policy decisions through 2031 and possibly longer. Read the strategic plan.


More About the Summit


The Healthy Desert Healthy You Summit is a free, one-day event at The Omni Rancho Las Palmas in Rancho Mirage. Presented by the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation with the support of generous sponsors, its objective is to bring together healthcare professionals, health advocates, community leaders, Coachella Valley residents, and many other stakeholders to identify a path forward in solving health and wellness challenges in the community. Register today.