Lenoir-Rhyne Healthcare Symposium

The 12th Annual Lenoir-Rhyne University Healthcare Symposium, "Called to Care: Holistic Health in Changing Times," provides a day of insight, innovation and inspiration.

Healthcare is evolving rapidly — and so are the needs of the people we serve. This symposium brings together practitioners, public health leaders, students and community partners to explore holistic, whole‑person approaches to care in a shifting world.

Grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and practical application, the symposium is designed to equip participants with strategies that strengthen patient care, professional resilience and community health outcomes.

Symposium Objectives

Participants will:

• Apply interdisciplinary approaches to support aging adults, patients with serious illness and their family caregivers.
• Integrate physical, psychosocial, spiritual and cultural dimensions into comprehensive care planning across diverse clinical contexts.
• Evaluate the role of narrative medicine in strengthening empathy, clinical reasoning and therapeutic relationships.
• Identify strategies to support well-being, resilience and professional sustainability in healthcare careers.

Tentative Schedule

Welcome
9:15-9:30 a.m.

• Summer McGee, Ph.D. (via video), president, Lenoir-Rhyne University
• Michael McGee, Ed.D, dean, College of Health Sciences, Lenoir-Rhyne University

Keynote Speaker
9:30-10:45 a.m.

• Dr. Virginia Wright, educator, minister and internal medicine physician with expertise in geriatric care

Panel session on Narrative Medicine
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Dr. Carlos Vargas, family medicine physician with expertise in palliative care
• Dr. Gordon Magonet, family medicine physician with an interest in mind-body medicine
• Laura Hope-Gill, MFA, poet, artist and professor in narrative healthcare, Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lunch
12-12:45 p.m.
Lunch is provided for all paid registrations. Participants registering with a promo code must make their own lunch arrangements.

Panel Session on Well-being for Healthcare Professionals
12:45-1:45 p.m.

• Cara Reed, human resources, employee relations and behavioral health
• Representative from Carolina Caring (TBD)
• Astra Czerny, Ph.D., licensed clinical mental health counselor and associate professor with expertise in trauma counseling

Speaker and Breakout Session
2-3 p.m.

• Mary Mitchell, family caregiver support administrator

Intended Audience

The symposium is designed for professionals and students committed to advancing compassionate, whole-person care, including:

• Healthcare professionals
• Public health practitioners
• Mental and behavioral health providers
• Community health workers
• Faith-based health ministries
• Holistic wellness and integrative health professionals
• Students in health disciplines