The Healthcare Forward Symposium, a regional forum focused on the future of Wisconsin’s healthcare workforce, will be Aug. 5 from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Culver Family Welcome Center, 625 Pearl Ave. on the UW-Oshkosh campus.
Hosted by the NEW Healthcare Alliance in partnership with UWO, the event’s confirmed attendees include Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary Amy Pechacek, along with prominent healthcare and education leaders from the New North region.
The symposium will explore challenges and opportunities related to digital transformation, emerging talent needs, rural healthcare, workforce innovation and regional collaboration. It brings together stakeholders committed to building a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
The formal program will begin at 8:15 a.m. with opening remarks from UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Dr. Manohar Singh and Dr. Ashok Rai, president and CEO of Prevea Health and a member of the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents.
A keynote address – “Healthcare in the Digital Age” – will be shared by Matt Kures, community economic development specialist and researcher for the UW-Madison Division of Extension, followed by healthcare student perspectives. Strategic discussions on “Designing the Healthcare Workforce of the Future” and “Breaking System Bottlenecks,” along with an update on the NEW Healthcare Alliance, are highlights of the morning programming.
A panel on rural healthcare, moderated by Marie Barry of the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, will take place in the afternoon. Panelists include Kristie McCoic of Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Dr. Ashwani Bhatia of BayCare Clinic and DWD’s Pechacek.
Those still interested in attending can contact Deschane at rebecca.deschane@thenewnorth.com.
The NEW Healthcare Alliance was formed in 2026 to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem within the New North region through collaboration between healthcare professionals, organizations and community partners using shared expertise.
