SHSMD’s annual conference is coming up, and we’re excited for the return of in-person events! With so much to see and do in just a few days, we made a list of five must-see programs you won’t want to miss.

Mark your calendar for these sessions:

1. Reimagining Diversity & Inclusion: A Pathway to Courageous Conversations

Sept. 19, 4:15 – 5:30 p.m. CST

Kick off SHSMD Connections with an eye-opening presentation from Derreck Kayongo, founder of the Global Soap Project. Kayongo will reveal how upbringing and unconscious biases result in net negatives to organizational growth and the bottom line. This session will focus on the importance of understanding the cost of discrimination and the value of all employees.

2. Challenges and Successes: Entering a Competitive Market

Sept. 20, 10:30 – 11:20 a.m. CST

Diving into an intertwined market full of fierce competition is no small feat. Get first-hand insight from two business development directors at Atlantic Health System (AHS), a robust physician network that entered the market seven years ago with zero infrastructure. Don’t forget to take notes on their data-driven decision making and cutting-edge best practices you’ll want to implement within your company, too.

3. Making Your Content Work Harder for You—Not the Other Way Around

Sept. 20, 1:30 – 1:50 p.m. CST

Learn how to strategically find and build a strong, consistent content brand—separate from but still supportive of your organizational brand. Thoughtful processes for planning, creating and distributing content will help you avoid conflicted messaging, wasted budgets and lower marketing ROI. If you find you’re working unnecessarily hard for your content, this is the session for you. Get a head start here.

4. Leadership Post-COVID: How to Reengage Staff and Manage a Geographically Diverse Team

Sept. 20, 2 – 2:50 p.m. CST

Following 18 months of unprecedented challenges across all industries, Stamp & Chase Founder and President Burl Stamp will explore how to effectively lead going forward. Now more than ever, geographically diverse teams need to be reengaged, reinvigorated and properly managed in new ways fit for our changed world. Come with questions and ideas—this session is interactive!

5. Humanizing Social Media for Meaningful Connections that Matter

Sept. 21, 8:30 – 9:20 a.m. CST

This session will focus on how to establish meaningful relationships with your audience—and the importance of social moments. Learn how to create authentic human connections while remaining true to your brand strategy. Social media is powerful and influential—use it to blend brand experience with human needs.

LEARN MORE: Check out our podcast on social media trends to ditch and adopt, and read our blog on the 3 must-have components of your Instagram strategy.

Check out the full agenda here. And if you’re attending SHSMD Connections in person, be sure to stop by our booth, #301, to say hi, grab a FREE bottle of Essie nail polish and snag your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Content Calendar!