12th Annual Culture Of Health Conference

 

 

 

About the 12th Annual Culture of Health Conference

The Culture of Health Conference is one of New Jersey’s largest annual convenings of state and local public health leaders, practitioners, and changemakers. At the heart of the conference lies our calling toward achieving health equity, the principle that all community members should be provided a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health, while ensuring that systemic barriers and disparities are addressed. Our shared aim for New Jersey is to create a vibrant place where all people and communities thrive, and where a person’s zip code no longer predicts their ability to live a healthy life.

This year’s theme of “Belonging For A Better Us.” emphasizes the need for social connectedness and inclusion in shaping the evolution of public and community health. Our theme incorporates the YMCA vision for the future, in which all people are empowered and have access to the necessary supports to reach their full potential. Conference topics will be explored in the context of the Seven Vital Conditions for Well-Being popularized by the Rippel Foundation. This framework helps to conceptualize the factors that affect our health and play a critical role in building thriving communities. Breakout sessions will be designed to promote intentional connection and engagement with the vital conditions, with practical takeaways to advance health equity within attendees’ respective communities and spheres of influence. The Seven Vital Conditions of Well-Being include:
o Belonging & Civic Muscle
o Humane Housing
o Lifelong Learning
o Thriving Natural World
o Meaningful Work & Wealth
o Basic Needs for Health & Safety
o Reliable Transportation

Agenda at a Glance

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM Formal Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Opening Keynote

Communities Working Together for Measurable Change

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Gail C Christopher
Executive Director
National Collaborative for Health Equity

10:30 AM – 10:40 AM Grounding & Intention Setting

10:50 AM – 11:40 AM Breakout Session One

Increasing Accessible Mobility to Promote Health; The Bus Stops Here

NJ's Mount Laurel Framework: Advancing Health Through Affordable Housing Policy

Belonging Begins Before Birth: Advancing Maternal Health Equity Through Community Birthwork, Higher Education, and Civic Muscle

Speaker

Dr. Natasha Patterson
Professor of Public Health
The College of New Jersey

 

No Need to Discard the Good: How to Maintain Inclusive Excellence and Belonging While Keeping Your Organization Compliant

Speaker

Dr. Nicole R. Stokes
Owner & Lead Strategist
INclusive Solutions Consultancy, LLC

 

From the Capitol to the Community: How Youth Are Shaping New Jersey's Policy Future

 

Belonging by Design: From Empathy to Action in Public Health

Speaker

Jarrod Harden
Founder
The Belonging Guy

 

 

11:50 AM – 12:40 PM Lunch

 

12:50 PM – 1:40 PM Breakout Session Two

Feeding Change: Community-Driven Solutions for Food Security in New Jersey

 

 

Community-Led Mental Health: Building Belonging Through Local Innovation

 

Stronger Together: Building Community Health Support for Dementia-Affected Families

 

Unleashing A Culture of Aliveness

Speaker

Alisha De Lorenzo
Engagement Strategist, Speaker, and High Performance Coach
Living YES, LLC

 

Safe Homes, Strong Communities: YMCA Housing and Belonging

 

1:50 PM – 2:20 PM Networking Break

2:30 PM – 3:20 PM Breakout Session Three

Infinite Growth: Reimagining Lifelong Learning for Transformational Leadership

Speaker

Ebony Young
Deputy Borough President
Queens, NYC

 

 

What's Your Climate Story? Strengthening Community Bonds and Inclusivity through MyCoast: New Jersey

Speaker

Kaitlin Gannon
Education Coordinator, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve
Rutgers University

 

 

Building Belonging: How Vital Conditions Fuel Community Transformation

 

Building Pathways to Meaningful Careers: How Work-Based Learning Creates Belonging for Youth

 

 

 

 

Wraparound: A Delivery Model for Community-Based Integrated Care

Speaker

Kelly Kopec
Health and Wellness Educator
Bergen's Promise

 

 

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Today’s Insights, Tomorrow’s Inspiration

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

 

 

If you'd like more information about the Culture of Health Conference or to sponsor in another way, please email conference@njyalliance.org.