Pre Conference Gathering: May 23, 2023 at 7pm
An evening of Remembering Casey Quinlan at the Art Studio at 189 Main Street in Grantsville, MD 21536
Cinderblocks 2023: Conference Day 1
(Still need to register? Do so here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cinderblocks2023-tickets-528642011487?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
We thank our Sponsor: Learning Health Community
9:00am On Wednesday, May 24 we meet at the white chapel near the Spruce Artisan Village adjacent to Penn Alps and The Cornucopia Cafe. We will have refreshments and a few words from Regina Holliday.
9:30 Jan Russell is on the board of Casa della Fenice, Inc., d/b/a Reflection House, is a new nonprofit organization and the first to establish recovery housing in Garrett County Maryland.
Using a social enterprise model, residents receive training in life and relationship skills, job skills and real-world coping skills to support their sustained recovery.
10:00am Josh Rubin, Program Officer for Learning Health System Initiatives at University of Michigan Medical School
10:30 Jan Oldenburg Focused on digital & participatory health. Editor of Participatory Healthcare & Engage! janoldenburg.com
11:00am Benjamin Berlin, Patient Health Advocate - Promoting Empowerment, Ownership, for Better Health and Better Living with Peace of Mind
Noon Adjourn for Lunch
1:00pm Gail Zahtz is CEO of WiseCare Health, an integrated healthcare collaborative supporting healthcare organizations in the transformation from fee-for-service to value based care. Zahtz is an internationally recognized expert in value based contracting particularly in areas of applying the latest regulations, contracting successfully with alternative payment models, health equity and maximizing provider compensation. As a subject matter expert, acclaimed international speaker and executive advisor, Zahtz incorporates an inspirational personal understanding of the patient journey having brought her four children out of domestic violence to then face five years in a wheelchair, eventually legally blind and living in a nursing home basement with late stage cancer.
2:00pm Alex B. Fair, MS - is the Founder and CEO of MedStartr, Managing Member of MedStartr Ventures, and Organizer of one of the world’s largest communities focused on healthcare Innovation. He originally trained as a research scientist, first in Physics, then Pathology, publishing original research in cancer and heart disease. In the 90’s he had an idea for a medical expert system that took off so he finished off his last research paper and came into the world of business. MedStartr is his 7th startup and MedStartr Venture Fund II is his third fund. His goal is to help thousands of new ideas transform medicine and has helped several hundred already with the events, online platforms, contests, corporate innovation programs, accelerators, and investment funds he has been running since 2010.
Please see MedStartr.com, MedStartr.vc, and MedStartr.nyc for more information or follow him on Twitter or Instagram as @alexbfair
4pm end of educational conference sessionYou can now hang out in Grantsville and go to one of the many lovely dining establishments
or Attend
6pm-7:30pm Supper Church at Horner Lutheran Church, 415 Horner Church Road, Stoystown, PA 15563. Regina Holliday has been serving at this church for over 2 1/2 years. They began supper church this spring and offer a free community meal every Wednesday.
(There is also usually an art project during the service.)
Conference Day 2, May 25, 2022 begins at 2pm in Grantsville
If you do not want to sleep-in or enjoy morning nature hikes, Regina Holliday and her clergy friends from the Somerset Area Ministries and other folks focused on improving life for people who are sick and struggling will be at DUO in Somerset PA. If you want to see community organizing up close and personal this is a good meeting to attend.
D.U.O.
(“Do unto others” conference ) 9am-noon with lunch following
St. Paul Presbyterian, 1845 N Ctr Ave, Somerset, PA 15501
S.A.M. (Somerset Area Ministries) invites clergy, service organizations, non-profits, businesses working with disadvantaged populations, and individuals focused on helping people in our region to a seminar with panels focused on:
9:00 am The Church as a Resource and Help
9:30am Baby/Child Care• Single Parents Resources • Grandparents taking care of grandchildren • Foster Care • Resources in School
10:00 Food Access
10:30 Behavioral Health • Recovery • Medical Care • Senior Care
11:00 Transportation and Housing
11:30 Hospice • End of Life • Funeral Planning
Conference Day 2, May 25, 2022 begins at 2pm in Grantsville
2:00pm Regina Holliday on lessons learned from the morning event. 
3:00pm Fred Trotter on patient communities and how to do trust online
5pm Marsha Goodman-Wood will sing & play songs
Marsha Goodman-Wood leads Washington, DC-based kindie (kids+indie) band, Marsha and the Positrons, specializing in fun songs about science and how the world works with positive social messages! Marsha's award-winning songs are playful, educational, and entertaining -- mixing science facts with messages about kindness and friendship. Marsha is also a teaching artist with Wolf Trap and Arts for Learning Maryland and is a former cognitive neuroscientist. Website: www.marshaandthepositrons.com
Special thanks go to Gary Zwick for technical help.
At 6:00 pm concludes our conference day. We will take a group Walking Gallery
photo in front the chapel and spend the rest of the evening at the studio enjoying refreshments.
