HCLI

Health Communication Leadership Institute

Networking

Innovation

Management

Leadership

What is HCLI

The Health Communication Leadership Institute (HCLI) is the UT Center for Health Communication’s premier professional education offering. In this engaging advanced workshop, current and aspiring health communication leaders will evaluate their leadership practices and explore strategies and best practices for leadership, management, and innovation. Speakers include respected experts from diverse sectors and settings.

Agenda

All times are in CT

Wednesday, June 10

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Check-in and breakfast

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
Mike Mackert, Ph.D. | Center for Health Communication

9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Improv for Health Communication: Establishing a Growth Mindset
Shana Merlin | Merlin Works

10:45 – 11:00 a.m.
Break

11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Visual Storytelling: Introduction to Graphic Medicine
Grace Farris, M.D. | Dell Medical School

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Organizational Leadership and Strategy in Uncertain Times
Jeremi Suri, Ph.D. | University of Texas at Austin
Aliza Norwood, MD, FACP | UT Health Austin's Primary Care Clinic

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Health Communication Campaigns Panel
Melanie Susswein, MSW | Center for Health Communication
Katie Friel, MA | Department of State Health Services

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Case Study Breakout

Thursday, June 11

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Breakfast and networking

9:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Annual McGovern Lectureship
Bryan Sexton, Ph.D. | Duke Center for the Advancement of Well-being Science

11:00 – 11:15 a.m.
Break

11:15 – 12:00 p.m.
Emerging Digital Platforms & Strategies
Brooke Thadeus, MHA | Healthadminlife, LLC
Jordann Thomas, MBA, MPH | National Health Administration Network

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
TBD Title
Mike Devlin, Ph.D. | Mosaic Creative Solutions

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Tabletop Game for Public Health Communication Preparedness
Group exercise | Center for Health Communication

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Case Study Breakout

Friday, June 12

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Breakfast and networking

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Case Study Kick-Off

9:45 – 12:00 p.m.
Case Study

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Closing Keynote
Emily Ramshaw | The 19th, Co-founder & CEO

2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Closing Thoughts and Network Activation

Two attendees of the Health Communication Leadership Institute - a Black woman with short curly hair in a green blouse and black cardigan sitting next to an Asian woman with long dark hair wearing a black and white striped shirt. Both are looking off to the side at someone speaking.

Previous Agendas

HCLI 2026

June 10-12, 2026

Event Pricing

Join us June 10-12, 2026, for an engaging workshop on current strategies and best practices for health communication leadership, management, and innovation.
Group Rates: Email us at healthcomm@austin.utexas.edu.

Registration closes on May 15.
REGISTER NOW

Event Details

Dates:
June 10-12, 2026

Location:
G.B. Dealey Center for new Media
300 W Dean Keeton Ave
Austin, TX 78712

Registration deadline:
May 15, 2026