8th Annual Latino Health Conference

Uniendo Nuestras Voces | Uniting Our Voices

Resilience. Solidarity. Collective Care.

October 16-17, 2026 | Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Campus

The following program details are subject to change.

Friday, October 16, 2026

Time
Program
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Welcome & Opening Program

Opening remarks, conference logistics, and light lunch/coffee

1-5:30 p.m.

Symposium A: Connected Systems, Collective Care: Advancing Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Health (4.5 CMEs).

Symposium B: From Screening to Survivorship: Addressing Breast Cancer Inequities in LHS+ Communities (4.5 CMEs).

5:30-6:00 p.m.
Break & Sponsor/Exhibition Fair
6:00-6:30 p.m.
Welcome from Loyola & MOLA Leadership and MOLA Impact Awards
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Academic Poster & Networking Event

Poster presentations, networking, and reception-style gathering.

Symposium A: Connected Systems, Collective Care: Advancing Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Health

1:00-1:10 p.m.Welcome & Introduction

Speakers: Geraldine Luna, MD

1:10-1:45 p.m.Keynote: Understanding the CKM Continuum: Prevention, trajectory and gaps in care for Latino communities w/ Q&A

Speaker: Carlos Vergara Sánchez, MD, Cardiologist and Advanced Echocardiography Fellow, Mayo Clinic

1:45-2:20 p.m.Case-Based Prevention, Risk Identification & Early Intervention w/ Q&A

Speaker: Edgar Torres Fernández, MD, Cardiovascular Disease Fellow, Northwestern University

2:20-3:30 p.m.Emerging Therapies Across the CKM Continuum

Speakers:
2:20-2:55 p.m. - Monica Bianco, MD, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Lurie Children’s
2:55-3:30 p.m. - Rod Marianne Arceo-Mendoza, MD, Endocrinologist, Loyola University Medical Center

3:30-3:40 p.m.Break
3:40-4:25 p.m.Case-Based Management of CKM Disease

Speakers: Marco Bonilla, MD, Nephrologist, University of Chicago; Carla Valencia Ochoa, MD, Nephrology Fellow, University of Chicago

4:25-5:25 p.m.Interdisciplinary Panel: The Future of CKM Health & Q&A

Panelists: Carlos Vergara, MD; Edgar Torres Fernández, MD; Rod Marianne Arceo-Mendoza, MD; Diana Cabrales, MSN, APRN, FNP-C; Marco Bonilla, MD; Octavio Vega, MD.
Moderator: Geraldine Luna, MD.

5:25-5:30 p.m.Concluding Remarks

Symposium B: From Screening to Survivorship: Addressing Breast Cancer Inequities in LHS+ Communities

1:00-1:10 p.m.Welcome & Introduction

Speaker: Jonathan Moreira, MD

1:10-1:45 p.m.Keynote: The State of Breast Cancer Equity in LHS+ Communities: Challenges, Progress, and Opportunities

Speaker: Chantal Reyna, MD, General Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist, Loyola Medicine

1:45-2:20 p.m.Advancing Equity in Breast Cancer Screening, Early Detection, and Diagnosis

Speaker: Patricia Robinson, MD, Medical Oncologist, Northwestern Medicine

2:20-2:55 p.m.Closing the Gaps: Advancing Breast Cancer Equity Through Public Health, Policy, and Community Partnerships

Speaker: Abigail Silva, PhD, Public Health Epidemiologist and Health Equity Researcher, University of Illinois Chicago

2:55-3:15 p.m.Break
3:15-3:50 p.m.Breast Cancer Beyond Treatment: Supporting Patients After Chemotherapy and Endocrine Treatment

Speaker: Paola González, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

3:50-4:25 p.m.Supportive Care and Pain Management in Breast Cancer Survivorship

Speaker: Judith Paice, PhD, RN, Northwestern University

4:25-5:25 p.m.Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A: Beyond Treatment - Survivorship, Navigation, and Community-Centered Models of Care

Panelists: Chantal Reyna, MD, Patricia Robinson, MD, Abigail Silva, PhD, Paola González, PA-C, Judith Paice, PhD, RN
Moderators: Maria Leon-Camarena, MD, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University

5:25-5:30 p.m.Concluding Remarks

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Time
Program
7:30-9:00 a.m.
Morning activities
  • Mentorship Breakfast hosted by LMSA in Stritch/Cuneo Cafeteria
  • Sponsors/Exhibitors Arrive
  • Guests are welcomed to arrive for a registration & light breakfast in CTRE
9:00-11:20 a.m.
Opening Plenary

President's welcome; keynote speakers Lilia Cervantes, MD, Colorado School of Medicine, and Senator Celina Villanueva, Illinois State Senate; and members of the Illinois Latino Legislative Caucus:

  • Representative Dagmara Avelar

  • Senator Graciela Guzmán

  • Senator Javier Loera Cervantes

  • Representative Angélica Guerrero Cuellar

11:20-11:30 a.m.
BREAK
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
  1. Latinx Nurses Advancing Healthcare: Research, Leadership & Career Pathways, Co-hosted by: MOLA, National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), Loyola, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (2 CNEs).
  2. Beyond the USMLE: The Hidden Curriculum of the IMG Pathway.
  3. LMSA's Blueprint for Community Healing, Advocacy, and Collective Power, Led by David Rodríguez and Daniela Maciel, LMSA Midwest Co-Chairs
  4. Health Management & Leadership Symposium (Part 1)
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Lunch and Exhibition Fair

Annual MOLA Board Meeting and Conference Awards Ceremony.

2:30-5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
  1. Mental Health: Caring for Ourselves While Caring for Others;
  2. Immigrant Health: Where Medicine, Law, Policy & Advocacy Meet;
  3. Health Management & Leadership Symposium (Part 2);
  4. LMSA House of Delegates Meeting (invitation only).
5:00-6:00 p.m.
Networking Reception hosted/led by National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) & Concluding Remarks
Exhibition Fair Continued

Health Management & Leadership Symposium

The second annual symposium brings together emerging and established LHS+ healthcare leaders to explore leadership development and the financial, technological, regulatory, workforce, and equity challenges shaping healthcare.

11:30-11:40 a.m.Opening: Leadership Across Generations

Speaker: Óscar Iván Zambrano, MPH, MBA

11:40 a.m. -12:15 p.m.Keynote

Speaker: Iris Romero, MD, inaugural Executive Vice Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, “Cambiando los Cuartos: Individual Courage, Institutional Change”.

12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m.Leadership Across Generations

Speakers: Ana Victoria Ortiz, MHA, Cleveland Clinic; José Escalante, MHA, Northwestern Medicine; Mervin Dino, MPH, DrPHc, Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity, Chicago Department of Public Health; Rocío Olvera, DNP, RN, Supervisor, Inpatient Nursing Relief, Advocate Health; Iliana Mora, President, Advocate Condell Medical Center
Moderator: Paola González, DMSc, PA-C.

1:30-2:30 p.m.Lunch
2:30-3:20 p.m.AI & Healthcare Innovation

Speakers: Francisco Iacobelli, PhD, Loyola University; Erick Tarula, MD, Neurologist, UW Health; Gilmer Rodríguez, MD, MPH, Director, Pre-Med Transitional Care Program and Post-Discharge Clinic, University of Chicago Medicine

3:20-3:30 p.m.Break
3:30-5:00 p.m.Panel - Leading Systems, Shaping Futures: Managing the Future of Healthcare

Speakers: Heidi Ortolaza-Alvear, CEO, IWS Family Health; Mervin Dino, Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity, Chicago Department of Public Health; Richard Griego, VP of Strategic Development, Aramark Healthcare and NALHE Chicagoland Chapter President; Juan Morado, Jr., Partner and National Co-Chair of Inclusion and Opportunity Committee at Benesch Law; Dr. Dona Perry, Strategic Medical Director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Co-Moderators: Paola González and Óscar Iván Zambrano.

Latinx Nurses Advancing Healthcare: Research, Leadership & Career Pathways (2 CNEs)

11:30-11:35 a.m.Welcome & Introduction

Speaker: Arielle Guzman, MPH, MSN, RN

11:35-12:35 p.m.Research & Innovation in Nursing

Speakers:
Jamia Thomas, MSN, RN, NE-BC, PED-BC, AMC-BC, Building Collective Resilience Through Heritage, Mentorship, and Asset-Based Leadership
Cynthia Gonzalez, MSN, APRN, OCNS-C, CMSBN, Strengthening Bone Health: Exercise Education and Osteoporosis Prevention in Postmenopausal Latina Women
Josefina Alanis Corral, MSN, RN, CNL, ACRP-CP, Intergenerational Transmission of Health Behaviors Among Latinas: A Classical Grounded Theory Study

12:35-1:00 p.m.Nurses at the Table: Advancing Representation, Leadership, and Advocacy.

Speaker: Diana Ortega, BSN, RN

1:00-1:30 p.m.The Nursing Journey: Navigating School, Career Opportunities, and Professional Growth - Panel

Panelists: Stephanie Yohannan, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC; Jamia Thomas, MSN, RN, NE-BC, PED-BC, AMC-BC; Cynthia Gonzalez, MSN, APRN, OCNS-C, CMSBN; Josefina Alanis Corral, MSN, RN, CNL, ACRP-CP; Diana Ortega, BSN, RN
Moderator: Arielle Guzman, MPH, MSN, RN

Beyond the USMLE: The Hidden Curriculum of the IMG Pathway

11:30-12:10 a.m.The USMLE Journey: Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3, and OET preparation, realistic study planning, and navigating setbacks.
12:10-12:30 p.m.Getting to the Match: ERAS applications, U.S. clinical experience, letters of recommendation, interviews, research, and networking through conferences, professional societies such as ACP and ACS, and program open houses.
12:30-12:45 p.m.Understanding the U.S. Healthcare System: How care is organized and financed, patient access, teamwork, and ethical and professional expectations in U.S. clinical settings.
12:45-1:00 p.m.Life as a Resident and Attending: Daily responsibilities, adapting to training culture, receiving feedback, and transitioning to independent practice.
1:00-1:15 p.m.Alternative Careers for IMGs: Opportunities in research, public health, quality and safety, education, and healthcare operations while preparing for residency or pursuing another career direction.
1:15-1:30 p.m.Panel Q&A: Audience questions and practical next steps across the IMG pathway.

Speakers: Verónica Abraham, MD, Brenda César Cunningham, MD, Grace Nance, MD, Geovanny Gutierrez-Brito, MD, MS, Maria Gabriela Ycaza-Zurita, MD, MPH, CCRC, DHA(c)

LMSA's Blueprint for Community Healing, Advocacy, and Collective Power

11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.Interactive Workshop

Explore how the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) evolved into a national movement for advocacy, representation, and community empowerment. Through storytelling, interactive discussions, and community strengths mapping, participants will discover how local, regional, and national collaboration strengthens collective leadership and advances health equity.

Topics include coalition building, shared governance, community partnerships, and strategies for navigating challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Speakers: David Rodriguez, Carolina Morales, Ellaina Villarreal, and Lindsay Jordan — LMSA Midwest Region.

Immigrant Health: Where Medicine, Law, Policy & Advocacy Meet

This track explores how healthcare professionals, legal and policy advocates, community organizations, and trainees can work together to protect immigrant patients, strengthen welcoming healthcare environments, expand equitable pathways into healthcare careers, and advance immigrant health through advocacy and systems change.

2:30-2:40 p.m.Welcome & Introduction

Speakers: Stephanie Soriano-Cruz and Ángeles Almaraz Villanueva, Medical Students, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine

2:40-3:10 p.m.Health Justice at the Intersection of Medicine & Law

Speakers: Martha Laura García-Izaguirre, JD, Loyola University School of Law; Amy Blair, MD, Assistant Dean and Family Physician, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine

3:10-3:40 p.m.Protecting Immigrant Patients in Healthcare Settings

Speakers: Edith Ávila Hesser, MPP - Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights / Illinois Alliance for Welcoming Healthcare

3:40-3:50 p.m.Break
3:50-4:20 p.m.Pathways to Medicine: Immigration, Education & Advocacy

Speakers: Stephanie Soriano-Cruz and Ángeles Almaraz Villanueva, Medical Students, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Margarita Castellanos Llorca, M4 at University of Wisconsin-Madison

4:20-5:00 p.m.What Does Advocacy Look Like in Medicine?

Speakers: Multidisciplinary roundtable + audience Q&A.
Moderator: TBD

5:00 p.m.Closing Takeaways & Call to Action

Mental Health: Caring for Ourselves While Caring for Others

Mental Health & Wellness Track - Draft

2:30-3:15 p.m.Re-Authoring the Clinician's Narrative: Using Story to Transform Burnout and Cultural Conditioning

Speaker: Kelly Santoyo, PsyD

3:15-4:00 p.m.Care Starts With You: Boundaries, Resilience, and Sustainable Practice: Practical strategies for recognizing burnout, setting healthy boundaries, and caring for ourselves while caring for others.

Speaker: Alfredo Marulanda, LCSW

4:00-4:15 p.m.Break
4:15-5:00 p.m.Pause, Ground, Reconnect: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Those Who Care for Others

Speaker: Anthony Morales, MS, PhD Candidate