The 2026 Wharton Healthcare Alumni Association (WHAA) Annual Conference brings together healthcare leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and Penn/Wharton alumni to explore how we can make bold, informed bets at a pivotal moment for the industry. The speaker slate features 16+ Wharton/Penn alumni, alongside leading voices from Penn Medicine and other key stakeholders.
Four Keynote Sessions
Opening Fireside Chat: Industry Leaders on Conference Theme
Craig E. Samitt, MD, MBA (WG’95), Founder & CEO, ITO Advisors, former President & CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and former President of Carelon
Jean-Bernard Simeon, SVP, ViiV Healthcare
Evaluating and Deploying AI in US Health Systems
Srinath (Sri) Adusumalli, MD, MSHP, MBMI, FACC, Vice President & Chief Health Information Officer, Penn Medicine
Murray Brozinsky, Partner, Aegis Ventures
Michael Han, MD, MBA (WG’24), Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
Global Health and International Models
Eric Cioe-Pena, MD, MPH, Founding Director, Center for Global Health, Northwell Health / Zucker School of Medicine
Plus a Wharton Global Health Volunteers Spotlight
Closing Fireside Chat: Evolving the Healthcare System: Rethinking Incentives, Innovation, & the Path to Better Outcomes
Amol Navathe, MD, PhD, Professor, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine and Professor, Healthcare Management, Wharton School
Aaron Martin, WG’97, President, Insurance, Humana
Six Breakout Sessions
Care Delivery Transformation
AI-Enabled Care Solutions: From Clinical Workflow to Care Management
Population Health and Value-Based Care Transformation
Healthcare Financing & Coverage
Evolving Payment Models: Affordability and Benefit Design
Life Sciences, Medicine & Therapeutics
Leading the AI Transformation from Pipeline to Patient
Women’s Health and Underfunded Therapeutic Areas
Navigating Uncertainty
Policy, Ethics, and Trust in Healthcare — featuring Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, who founded Penn’s Center for Bioethics and the Department of Medical Ethics in 1994 and helped establish Penn as a leading institution in bioethics.
More than a conference!
We kick off Thursday afternoon with a Pitch Competition, which generated tremendous engagement at its inaugural launch last year. This year’s five judges include Anna Turetsky, General Partner of the Penn-BioNTech Innovative Therapeutics Seed Fund (PxB Fund), the $50M fund focused on early-stage life sciences companies originating from Penn.
Startups can now submit their application to the pitch competition
The conference also includes a sit-down alumni dinner at The Inn at Penn, offering a more intimate opportunity to connect directly with speakers, fellow Penn/Wharton alumni, and healthcare leaders.
Who should attend?
The conference is open to current Penn/Wharton Master’s and PhD students and Penn/Wharton alumni working in healthcare.
When
Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 3:00pm to
Friday, October 30, 2026 at 5:00pm
Where
Huntsman Hall
3730 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
To register and for full details, visit www.whartonhealthcare.org/2026_annual_whaa_alumni_conference.
Four Keynote Sessions
Opening Fireside Chat: Industry Leaders on Conference Theme
Craig E. Samitt, MD, MBA (WG’95), Founder & CEO, ITO Advisors, former President & CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and former President of Carelon
Jean-Bernard Simeon, SVP, ViiV Healthcare
Evaluating and Deploying AI in US Health Systems
Srinath (Sri) Adusumalli, MD, MSHP, MBMI, FACC, Vice President & Chief Health Information Officer, Penn Medicine
Murray Brozinsky, Partner, Aegis Ventures
Michael Han, MD, MBA (WG’24), Chief Medical Officer, Ambience Healthcare
Global Health and International Models
Eric Cioe-Pena, MD, MPH, Founding Director, Center for Global Health, Northwell Health / Zucker School of Medicine
Plus a Wharton Global Health Volunteers Spotlight
Closing Fireside Chat: Evolving the Healthcare System: Rethinking Incentives, Innovation, & the Path to Better Outcomes
Amol Navathe, MD, PhD, Professor, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine and Professor, Healthcare Management, Wharton School
Aaron Martin, WG’97, President, Insurance, Humana
Six Breakout Sessions
Care Delivery Transformation
AI-Enabled Care Solutions: From Clinical Workflow to Care Management
Population Health and Value-Based Care Transformation
Healthcare Financing & Coverage
Evolving Payment Models: Affordability and Benefit Design
Life Sciences, Medicine & Therapeutics
Leading the AI Transformation from Pipeline to Patient
Women’s Health and Underfunded Therapeutic Areas
Navigating Uncertainty
Policy, Ethics, and Trust in Healthcare — featuring Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, who founded Penn’s Center for Bioethics and the Department of Medical Ethics in 1994 and helped establish Penn as a leading institution in bioethics.
More than a conference!
We kick off Thursday afternoon with a Pitch Competition, which generated tremendous engagement at its inaugural launch last year. This year’s five judges include Anna Turetsky, General Partner of the Penn-BioNTech Innovative Therapeutics Seed Fund (PxB Fund), the $50M fund focused on early-stage life sciences companies originating from Penn.
Startups can now submit their application to the pitch competition
The conference also includes a sit-down alumni dinner at The Inn at Penn, offering a more intimate opportunity to connect directly with speakers, fellow Penn/Wharton alumni, and healthcare leaders.
Who should attend?
The conference is open to current Penn/Wharton Master’s and PhD students and Penn/Wharton alumni working in healthcare.
When
Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 3:00pm to
Friday, October 30, 2026 at 5:00pm
Where
Huntsman Hall
3730 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
To register and for full details, visit www.whartonhealthcare.org/2026_annual_whaa_alumni_conference.