Panel Discussion During CHHSM Annual Gathering to Discuss Innovative Collaborations that Foster Community Sustainability

A more recent tradition at the CHHSM Annual Gathering — which takes place March 12-14, 2024, in St. Louis — is a plenary panel discussion on the gathering’s theme. This year, the panel takes place the afternoon of March 13, and will be a thought-provoking discussion on Innovation as the Gateway to Collaboration, where attendees will be inspired to cultivate collaborate ecosystems that lead to meaningful innovation where positive change is an inevitability.

The panel discussion is part of the overall presentation by Annual Gathering Platinum Sponsor Ziegler, a privately held investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm based in Chicago. Ziegler’s specialization in the healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance, enables it to generate a positive impact on the communities we serve. Dan Hermann, president and CEO of Ziegler, will give a short presentation and also serve as a panelist.

“We hope attendees leave the session understanding the challenges and opportunities facing senior living providers today and in the years to come,” Hermann said. “The panel is a great way to learn from industry experts on the headwind and tailwinds impacting senior living providers and services partners.

The panel discussion will be a broad discussion, and will include leaders from across the various CHHSM organizations. In addition to Hermann, panelists include the Rev. Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson, president and CEO of MOLO Village CDC and pastor of St. Peter’s UCC in Louisville, Ky.; the Rev. Donna Smith-Pupillo, executive director of Deaconess Nurse Ministry in St. Louis; and the Rev. Dr. Ken Daniel, chief executive officer of United Church Homes and Radiant Alliance, based in Marion, Ohio. Chris Cox, president and CEO of Hoyleton Youth & Family Services in Fairview Heights, Ill., is the moderator.

“I am honored to have been asked to moderate this panel about the importance of collaboration,” said Cox. “Our panel, made up of distinguished CHHSM members, represents the spectrum of CHHSM’s delivery system. Collaboration is now more important than ever. The complexities of the issues our children and families are struggling with can only be addressed through collaboration and partnership.”

Ferguson hopes the details of her journey to bring MOLO Village to reality will help attendees understand that community-wide collaboration is possible. “It is my hope that, as a panelist, I can help foster discussion on how the emerging church can partner with other nonprofits and organizations to provide social and health services, education, life skills coaching, advocacy, and activities to foster community unity.”

“MOLO Village envisions a community where residents are not merely surviving, but thriving — where health, engagement and productivity flourish … a collective rise that propels families and neighborhoods toward a path of sustained success,” she added. “This model goes beyond addressing surface-level needs; it delve into the intricate fabric of the community, weaving together support systems that uplift the entire neighborhood.”

For Smith-Pupillo, the panel discussion offers the opportunity to use the model of innovative collaboration among several St. Louis-based health and human service agencies — many of them CHHSM members — to more completely serve the region. “My hope in being a part of the panel discussion is to show how different service providers, each with their particular gifts and expertise can work together so that more aspects of care can be provided for those being service,” Smith-Pupillo said.

Smith-Pupillo cited as an example a conversation she had with Michael Brennan, CEO of Every Child’s Hope (ECH) in St. Louis, about the need for a nurse to serve the youth and families that work with ECH. “When each of us do our work as a collaborative team, more can be done to touch all the aspects of a person’s life in a wholistic way,” said Smith-Pupillo. “My hope is that our discussion together will highlight that.”

United Church Homes (UCH) is another CHHSM member that has not shied away from innovation and collaboration. CEO Daniel will bring the experience of UCH’s partnership with Radiant Alliance to the discussion.

“I am thrilled to be part of the panel discussion at the CHHSM Annual Gathering. In a world of evolving challenges and limited resources, the power of collaboration becomes more evident than ever,” said Daniel. “I am excited to share how strategic partnerships have been integral to our journey at United Church Homes, driving innovative solutions that are making a tangible impact.

“I hope attendees leave with an understanding of how collaboration can be a catalyst for meaningful, real-world innovation and ignite a collective drive to create positive change,” Daniel added.

Jamar Doyle, president and CEO of CHHSM, is encouraged by the innovation already taking place among so many CHHSM members. “CHHSM members are courageously facing the difficult challenges of serving their communities with innovative perspectives that lead to solutions,” he said. “I’m looking forward to hearing the stories of our panelists and the ways those experiences can provide information and inspiration to our entire CHHSM family.”