2026 NESHS Fall Conference and Annual Meeting

Thursday, November 12, 2026, 8:30 - 2:30pm

From Vision to Value:  
Building a Strategic Master Plan in an Evolving Technology Landscape. 

In today's rapidly evolving technology landscape, strategic master planning must move beyond static roadmaps to become adaptive, digitally enabled frameworks. This session explores how organizations can align technology investments with operational efficiency and clinical growth to drive measurable outcomes. Attendees will gain practical strategies to future-proof their plans while enhancing care delivery and organizational performance.

There will be opportunities for networking and the Lunch program will include NESHS Annual Meeting as well as presentation of Strategist of the Year and Early Careerist Awards.

Agenda:

8:15am   Check-in, breakfast and visit sponsor tables

9:00am   Keynote Speaker:  Chris Hyers - From Vision to Value: Building an Adaptive Enterprise Master Plan

Chris Hyers, VP, Marketing and Clinical Strategy Advancement, UConn Health

10:00am  Networking Break

10:30am  Speaker #2: - Charles Blanchette - Future-Proofing the Physical Environment 

Charles (Chuck) Blanchette, Manager, Research Facilities, Boston Children's Hospital

11:15am  Speaker #3: Colin FitzGerald - Choosing AI with Purpose: Governance, Prioritization, and Selection

Colin FitzGerald, AI Solutions and Product Lead, MaineHealth

12:00pm  Lunch and Networking

12:30pm  NESHS Annual Meeting and Presentation of Annual Strategist of the Year and Early Careerist of the Year Awards

1:00pm    Speaker Panel moderated by:  Lori Howley, VP, Marketing & Communications, Merrimack Health

• Panelists:  Chris Hyers, Chuck Blanchette and Colin Fitzgerald (see links to bios in agenda above)
  
  

2:00pm   Meeting Close and Close Sponsor raffle drawing (must be present at time of drawing to win)

Location

The Renaissance Framingham
1657 Worcester Road | Framingham, MA 01701
discounted $179 room rate available - must book by October 9, 2026 - Renaissance Framingham group rate link

Special Offer to non-members – If you would like to attend the Fall Conference and become a NESHS member, you can save $25 off your individual membership by joining now ($200 discounted member rate for conference + $125 discounted individual membership fee = $325). That’s only $75 more than the non-member conference fee). 

Refunds for events:  NESHS appreciates that you may register/pay for an event with every intention of attending, but something unexpected comes up and you can no longer attend.  If you need to cancel and request a refund, please contact our Administrator, Deb Fiumedora via e-mail at [email protected].  NESHS is not able to honor cancellation/refund requests within 30 days of an event as the funds are used to prepay for event expenses.