Updates, Highlights, and What’s Ahead for Our Chapter

Dear CTAHE Members,

As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, I am excited to connect with you and share the latest updates from our vibrant chapter. Fall is a season of reflection, gratitude, and renewed energy, and I am grateful for all that we have accomplished together this year.

Recent Events Recap

Over the past few months, CTAHE has hosted several outstanding events that brought our community together for learning, networking, and professional development. Here are some highlights:

• CTAHE 2025 Annual Golf Outing: In May, we hosted our 10^th annual golf outing and enjoyed yet another beautiful day of golf and networking. This year, funds from the golf outing went towards our Women’s Forum Scholarship.
• 2025 Annual Meeting: In June, we hosted our annual member meeting with an impactful panel on Artificial Intelligence and the Impact on Healthcare. Thank you to Jasper Tolarba, FACHE of Nuvance Health, Gretchen Jackson of Intuitive Surgical, and Barry Stein of Hartford Healthcare. We approved and celebrated our new slate of board officers, directors, committee members and members at large for 2026, presented our chapter awards and recognized members with service awards.
  • 2025 Physician Leader of the Year: Christopher Bauer, MD
  • 2025 Education Advocate of the Year: Tami McCumons, FACHE
  • 2025 DEIB Advocate of the Year: Stephen Liebowitz, DHA
  • 2025 Leadership Advocate of the Year: Janaya Hernandez, DSL
  • 2025 Presidents Award: Siobhan Blancaflor, MHA
  • 2025 Regent Senior Healthcare Executive Award: Leslie Zucker, FACHE
  • 2025 Regent Early Careerist Award: Alex Ofer, FACHE
  • 2025 Regent Student Award: Victoria Baez, MHA
  • ACHE Exemplary Service Award: Michael Novak, FACHE and Susan Prior
  • ACHE Distinguished Service Award: Claudio Capone, FACHE
  • ACHE Service Award: Crista Durand, FACHE, Janaya Hernandez, Stephen Liebowitz, Greg Murphy, FACHE, Oladayo Sule, FACHE and Leslie Zucker, FACHE
• Networking Events: From Stamford to New London and many stops in between, we hosted several networking sessions this summer. Thank you to all who participated.
• Mentoring Events: On July 15^th, we hosted ‘Managing Conflict and Having Courageous Conversations’ which offered tips and tricks and emotional intelligence development

Member Spotlights

We are proud of the many accomplishments of our members. Congratulations to those who have recently achieved board certification, taken on new leadership roles, or led impactful initiatives in their organizations. Your commitment to excellence continues to inspire us all.

Upcoming Highlights

Looking ahead, CTAHE has an exciting lineup of events and initiatives for the remainder of the year and beyond:

• HEN Fall Workshop: Join our HEN Workshop this fall focused on Communication in the Workplace!
• October Mentoring Event: Join our October Mentor Event focused on Develop Others and learn how to coach and mentor your staff and/or peers, plan for career development, and tools to use for mentoring and coaching.
• Breakfast with Leaders: The Big Beautiful Bill: How to Manage Forward: Join us at the Connecticut Hospital Association to hear from our panelists Susan Halpin, Shawn Frick, and Paul Kidwell as they discuss The Big, Beautiful Bill. Pamela Sutton-Wallace, President, Yale New Haven Health will open the day with a fireside chat and Bimal Patel, EVP and COO of Hartford HealthCare will offer closing remarks. This event will be moderated by Brian Fisher of BRG.
• Women’s Forum Relaunch: The Women’s Forum Lunch & Learn has been reimagined to engage more women in healthcare. Our new format kicks off in October! Hear from exceptional women in leadership positions as they share their journey in healthcare.
• October HEN Exploration Event: Join us for an inside look at healthcare supply chain management with executives from Yale New Haven Health, Vizient, and Medline. This event will feature a panel discussion followed by a guided tour of the Medline distribution center.
• Maintaining Focus and Managing Interruptions Throughout the Day: In partnership with CHA, this program explores the principles and practices professionals need to improve personal and team productivity and eliminate lost time.

Visit us at ctahe.org/events to register for any of the events above and more!

Sponsorship

Thank you to our current sponsors! Without your support, we would not be able to offer the programming and networking that makes our chapter stand out amongst the nation’s best. Presidents Circle Sponsors: BRG and Exact Sciences

Platinum Sponsors: Hartford HealthCare and Yale New Haven Health

Gold Sponsors: Berry Dunn, Bristol Health, Montefiore Nyack, Novo Nordisk, Quest Diagnostics, Trinity Health of New England, Sebela Pharmaceuticals

For those interested in 2026 sponsorship, please visit our site at ctahe.org/sponsors

Chapter Leaders’ Message

Our leadership team remains committed to fostering deeper connections, sharing knowledge, growing our membership and celebrating our collective achievements. We encourage you to take advantage of our programs, volunteer for committees, and share your ideas with us. Together, we will continue to advance healthcare leadership in Connecticut and beyond.

As always, please visit CTAHE.org for the latest news, event details, and resources. Your involvement makes our chapter strong and our mission possible.

Thank you for your continued engagement and dedication. Wishing you a wonderful fall season filled with learning, connection, and inspiration.

With gratitude,

Austin B. Potter, FACHE
President, Connecticut Association of Healthcare Executives (CTAHE)