A Celebration to Remember!  CPCA Celebrates 25 Years of Leadership at 2019 Annual Conference

At this year’s Annual Conference, which took place at the San Diego Sheraton Hotel and Marina on October 17-18, over 800 participants helped CPCA celebrate 25 years of leadership in the community health care movement, as well as the exceptional accomplishments of our member health centers and their staff, who work tirelessly, day-in and day-out serving their communities.

Throughout 2019, CPCA has highlighted the work of California’s community health centers (CHCs) and the essential role they play in the health care system in our state, especially in the areas of IMPACT, ACCESS, INNOVATION and VALUE.  At our 2019 conference, we brought these four themes together to offer leading-edge content, as we looked toward the next 25 years of health care delivery in California.

Over the course of the two-day conference, CHC leadership, staff, supporters and key stakeholders gathered from throughout the state and country to discuss the critical issues that impact California’s CHCs.  Nineteen learning sessions were offered, giving attendees an opportunity to hear presentations in areas such as Policy & Advocacy, Business Innovations, Strategic Leadership, and Care Innovations.  Friday morning’s “mini-sessions” were as popular as ever, offering specialized opportunities for peer learning through sharing of best practices related to caring for special populations and addressing Social Determinants of Health.

In addition to all of the great educational content, attendees were able to have some fun and network in our conference Tradeshow Pavilion, which featured over 80 sponsors and exhibitors! This year’s tradeshow theme, which focused on CPCA’s 25th Anniversary and what the next 25 years of health care may bring, provided a prime opportunity to envision the future of health care. We even had a life-sized, interactive robot named C.A.L.I.E (Conference Attendant for Learning and Interactive Entertainment) roaming the tradeshow floor, and a virtual reality station where attendees could take a “brain break” and kick up their feet on a virtual beach or play a game of basketball. If playing a game of virtual basketball was not your thing (motion sickness?) our traditional Exhibitor Bingo game was a more “present” option for those who wanted to stay in the here and now. Attendees filled up their bingo cards with stamps from participating exhibitors, and five lucky winners went home with some great prizes! Thank you to all of our sponsors and exhibitors who participated in this year’s tradeshow!

Thursday morning, our President and CEO, Carmela Castellano-Garcia kicked off the conference with welcome remarks followed by an update from new NACHC Board Chair, Lathran Woodard, CEO of the South Carolina Primary Care Association. Ms. Woodard also presented CPCA with a 25th Anniversary award on behalf of NACHC, celebrating CPCA’s excellence and recognizing our service to California and the nation.  Following Ms. Woodard’s address, CPCA honored and celebrated community health leaders, recognizing and honoring those who have provided leadership and expertise in our industry.

Congratulations to all of our awardees! CPCA was so proud to honor all of you for your dedication to the community health center movement. 

Thursday’s Luncheon began with the passing of the gavel, thanking CPCA’s 2018-19 Board Chair, Kerry Hydash, President & CEO, Family HealthCare Network, and welcoming CPCA’s 2019-2020 Board Chair, Louise McCarthy, MPP, President & CEO, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County.

Following the passing of the gavel, we heard from keynote speaker Cecile Richards, the former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Co-Founder of Supermajority. Cecile commanded the stage as she shared her inspiring insights related to social justice and grass roots advocacy with the audience. By the end of her address, we were all ready to “make some trouble!”

Following her presentation, Ms. Richards made her way to Tradeshow Pavilion where she signed copies of her New York Times Bestseller:  Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead.  Although the lines to meet Ms. Richards wrapped around the tradeshow, she so graciously stayed until every last person in line had a signed copy of her book.

The highlight of our conference was Thursday evening’s 25th Anniversary Party, where attendees enjoyed a “Modern Glow” theme, red carpet, networking with friends and colleagues, and regional California food and drink pairings. The party really got started when the live band, Andy Vargas and Souleros, took the stage. The futuristic theme continued as human glowing robots danced with attendees and eventually made their way up on stage to be back up dancers for Andy and the band! We hope that everyone had a great time at the party, and hopefully remembered to snap a picture at the photo booth to bring home as a keepsake.

Friday morning began with more educational sessions and was followed by a luncheon, where Dr. Mark Ghaly, MPH, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services, discussed the current administration’s goals and the future of health care in California. 

The conference concluded on Friday, with keynote speaker Alicia Garza, social activist and Co-Founder of #BlackLivesMatter. Alicia delivered her address to the room with quiet confidence, and the power behind her words inspired all of us to say “YES” to “being sick of being sick and tired” and to “speak our truths even when our voices tremble.”  These are exactly the words that we needed to hear as we continue our fight to make sure that every Californian has equitable access to quality health care.

CPCA leadership and staff would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s conference! We would also like to extend our gratitude to the sponsors and exhibitors who contributed towards making this event a big success. We look forward to the next 25 years of supporting California’s community health centers and we hope to see you at 2020 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, CA on October 15-16!

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