2025 Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Forum

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Renee Wilde

Director of Affiliated Brands

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573-893-3700| ext. 1347

Event Details

Starts: October 2, 2025
Ends: October 3, 2025
Courtyard by Marriott
3301 LeMone Industrial Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65201

Audience

staff responsible for marketing, public relations, advertising, strategic planning, physician relations, media relations and guest relations

Overview

Join fellow marketing and public relations professionals for a dynamic and insightful event focused on the evolving landscape of health care communications. This gathering offers a unique opportunity to explore innovative strategies, share best practices, and gain practical tools to elevate your organization’s brand and engagement efforts. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to health care PR and marketing, this event offers something for everyone. Network with peers, hear from industry leaders, and leave with fresh ideas and tools to strengthen your communications strategy.

General Information

Thursday, Oct. 2
7:30 a.m. - Registration / Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - Welcome
8:45 a.m. - AI: Practical Applications for Marketing Teams
This will be a presentation and interactive workshop focused on artificial intelligence. The session will provide a high-level overview of AI concepts, along with practical, hands-on exercises demonstrating how to leverage the latest AI tools and features relevant to marketing and PR staff in the health care industry.
Objectives
- present a clear, concise introduction to AI fundamentals tailored to marketing and PR professionals
- provide an interactive workshop experience, allowing participants to explore real-world applications of AI in their daily tasks
- equip attendees with actionable insights and best practices for adopting AI tools responsibly and efficiently
Jarad Johnson
CEO
Mostly Serious
Springfield, Mo.
10:45 a.m. - Networking Break
11 a.m. - Crisis Communications and Media Relations: Lessons Learned
Gene Therapy National Coverage | Crash Course in Crisis Communications from Mosaic Life Care and Trozzolo
In 2024, Mosaic Life Care faced a communications crisis when an insurance denial for gene therapy gained national media coverage. In this presentation, Mosaic Life Care will share how having a clear crisis communication plan, roles and escalation processes in place can make a critical difference in response effectiveness. Additionally, the organization will outline why relationships with key executives and board members are important, and how to gain trust and prevent misinformation with consistent, honest communication.
Joey Austin
Media/Community Relations | Public Information Officer
Mosaic Life Center
St. Joseph, Mo.
Mercy/Anthem Negotiations
When contract negotiations between Mercy and Anthem made headlines, the marketing and communications team found themselves navigating a high-stakes, high-visibility challenge. In this candid session, Mercy staff will share key lessons learned from managing communications during the months-long dispute.
Jordan Larimore
Senior Media Relations and Communications Specialist
Mercy Joplin Communities
Joplin, Mo.
Noon - Exploring HIDI’s Optics Platform
Join HIDI for a focused look at the Optics platform, featuring Market Optics and Care Optics®. Discover how Market Optics helps hospitals track patient flow, physician referral patterns, market share and growth opportunities through interactive, curated dashboards.
We’ll also explore Care Optics®, which empowers clinicians to monitor quality performance, benchmark against peers and analyze outlier cases for targeted improvement. Learn how HIDI’s proprietary risk adjustment modeling brings clarity to key metrics like 30-day readmissions, hospital-acquired conditions and AHRQ measures.
This session will showcase how Optics delivers actionable insights to support smarter strategy, stronger clinical outcomes and market growth.
Steve Warchol
Senior Director of Client Outreach
Hospital Industry Data Institute
Jefferson City, Mo.
12:30 p.m. - Networking Lunch
1:30 p.m. - Tools of the Trade: Time-saving Tips & Tricks for Hospital Marketers and PR Pros
In today’s fast-paced health care landscape, marketing and PR professionals are expected to do more with less — faster and smarter. This dynamic panel will explore essential tools and strategies that can help hospital communicators streamline their workflows, make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve. Panelists will share real-world insights and practical tips on using analytics to refine messaging, integrating AI to boost productivity, managing complex projects efficiently and automating digital tasks for maximum impact.
April DeGraff
Senior Advisor, Integrated Marketing and Communications
MU Health Care
Columbia, Mo.
AJ Templin
Director of SEO and Analytics
Onspire Health Marketing
Danielle Torbet
Director of Digital Operations and Engagement
AdvantageTrust
Nashville, Tenn.
Josie Melton
Manager of Communications and Engagement
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.
3 p.m. - Networking Break
3:15 p.m. - Visual Storytelling Breakouts
Graphic Design for Beginners
In this beginner-friendly session, participants will receive a practical introduction to the core principles of visual storytelling and graphic design, specifically tailored to health care marketing and communications. Instead of focusing on individual software platforms, the session emphasizes transferable fundamentals such as alignment, contrast, hierarchy and balance, which can be applied to create more engaging and effective visual materials for social media, internal communications and print.
Through interactive exercises, real-world health care examples and simple design frameworks, attendees will learn how to organize information, use design elements purposefully and craft compelling visual narratives. This session serves as a clear launch point for beginners and offers a practical refresh for those already involved in health care communication.
Objectives
- introduce participants to the fundamental principles of visual storytelling and graphic design, such as alignment, contrast, hierarchy, balance, proximity, repetition, white space and unity
- highlight how applying these concepts can humanize health care brands, foster trust and emotional engagement, and make complex medical information more accessible — regardless of the software or medium used
- start participants on the path to critically assessing, organizing and creating clear, accessible visuals by introducing essential design principles that are relevant for health care communications
- introduce participants to universal design best practices and demonstrate how these principles can be applied to real-world health care marketing scenarios, which will lay the foundation for improved information retention, audience trust, and the effectiveness of various materials, including social posts and printed materials
Bil Brown
Creative Services Strategist - Marketing & Public Relations
Liberty Hospital
Liberty, Mo.
Advanced Graphic Design
This session will explore how design can enhance patient understanding, trust and engagement not just within hospital settings, but throughout the community. The presentation emphasizes a patient-first approach, where clarity, empathy and accuracy drive every visual decision.
Objectives
- describe the core principles of health care design, such as accessibility, honesty, accuracy and emotional tone
- identify advanced tools and techniques, including Adobe Creative Suite, high-quality photography and data visualization to communicate health care topics
- discover patient-focused design assets, such as advertising, educational materials, signage, patient portal graphics and public health infographics
- learn about case studies showing how design improvements can boost patient comprehension and experience
- collaborate with medical departments, marketers and other staff to ensure brand consistency and HIPAA compliance
- discover common challenges and solutions, like simplifying complex information while maintaining accuracy
- identify future trends in health care design, such as AI-driven personalization, multilingual content and interactive technology
- reinforce the idea that great health care design is not only about visual appeal, but also about making medical experiences more human, accessible and empowering for patients
Cameron Menley
Senior Communication Coordinator/Graphic Designer
Phelps Health
Rolla, Mo.
4:15 p.m. - #MoHospitalsCare: Helping You Tell Your Hospital's Community Stories
Gain insight on how to uncover, shape and share compelling stories that reflect your organization's mission and community impact. Attendees will learn practical strategies to communicate authentic stories across diverse platforms, along with how MHA's Missouri Health Matters brand can help amplify these stories.
Farrah Fite
Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications and Marketing
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.
4:45 p.m. - Adjournment

Friday, Oct. 3
7:45 a.m. - Welcome
8 a.m. - Crisis Comms: Because "Ope" Isn't a Preparedness Strategy
Lately, it seems we're all greeted by a new day and a new crisis or disaster. How do we keep the main thing the main thing and help our team and partners prepare to respond? We'll discuss differences in crisis and emergency communications, types of preparedness, strategic planning, and case studies in this hour-long presentation that gives tools to help you get ready since "ope" is just Midwest nice — not a strategy.
Objectives
- compare and contrast emergency and crisis communications
- defining preparedness and preparedness strategies
- discover how good strategic communications and preparedness planning aid organizations and communities
- learn about case studies: what works and what doesn't
Jessica Sexton
Deputy Preparedness Division Manager
Missouri State Emergency Management Agency
Jefferson City, Mo.
9 a.m. - Beyond Patient Stories: How to Infuse Doctors and Employees In Your Content Strategy
There’s no shortage of incredible humans inside a health system — the challenge is uncovering their stories (and unique expertise) and making it easy for them to share. In this session, MU Health Care’s director of brand, creative and content will break down how their team cultivates ideas to feature doctors and staff and creates content that’s easy to repurpose and amplify across marketing, PR and internal channels. We’ll cover opportunities, challenges, workflows and post-production management so participants can walk away with practical tips (and a few lessons learned) to help generate ideas, streamline production and make content go further.
Objectives
- discover ways to generate content ideas that feature employees
- improve workflows to engage physicians and staff and efficiency produce content
- learn how to better amplify content across multiple channels
Amanda Oleiro
Director of Brand, Creative and Content
MU Health Care
Columbia, Mo.
10 a.m. - Networking Break
10:15 a.m. - Navigating the Legislative Landscape
From Medicaid changes to hospital transparency laws, today’s legislative environment is shifting rapidly — and health care marketing and PR professionals need to be prepared. This panel will break down the current policy landscape and offer practical guidance on how communicators can stay informed and anticipate challenges. The session will conclude with an open Q&A, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and share insights.
Kelly Brueggen
Director of Strategic Engagement
Washington County Memorial Hospital
Potosi, Mo.
Casey Burton, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Research and Governmental Affairs
Phelps Health
Rolla, Mo.
Jane Drummond
General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Governmental Relations
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.
11:15 a.m. - Video Tips You’ll Actually Use in Health Care Marketing
Video is a powerful tool for connecting with patients and communities — but many health care marketers feel unsure about how to begin or make it sustainable. In this session, we’ll explore simple, approachable strategies for planning and creating effective video content, with recommendations that fit a range of skill levels and budgets. We’ll touch on ideas for what kinds of videos to make, how to capture stories authentically, and ways to simplify filming and editing. Whether you’re part of a small rural team or a larger health care system, you’ll leave with practical tips and inspiration to start (or continue) using video in a way that feels doable.
Objectives
- describe at least two approachable strategies for planning and/or capturing video content to support health care marketing goals
- identify one or more tools or techniques — such as gear recommendations, interview techniques, storytelling tips or editing strategies — that could help them feel more confident incorporating video into their workflow
Jill Dudley
Owner & Video Producer
34th Street Marketing
Columbia, Mo.
Noon – Closing
12:15 p.m. - Adjournment
Jarad Johnson is the CEO and founder of Mostly Serious, a digital products agency based in Springfield, Mo. With a background in design and an obsession with emerging technology, Johnson leads a team that builds web platforms and custom software for mission-driven organizations.
His early experiments with GPT-2 in 2019 evolved into a conviction that we’re at an unprecedented moment in human history — one where AI can fundamentally change how work gets done. Through MSAI, Mostly Serious’ dedicated AI division, Johnson and his team have trained thousands of people across 50-plus organizations to use generative AI tools effectively. They focus on the practical: helping teams save four to 12 hours weekly while ensuring no one gets left behind.
Johnson believes AI should amplify human creativity, not replace it. He regularly speaks at conferences about building AI-first cultures, responsible adoption strategies, and why the gap between AI adopters and nonadopters is becoming dangerously wide. When he’s not helping organizations navigate this technological shift or building custom AI solutions, Johnson can be found exploring the Ozarks with his family.
Joey Austin has more than 25 years’ experience in media relations, crisis communications and public relations. She currently is the spokesperson and public information officer for Mosaic Life Care and directs media and community relations. She also is the liaison for the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp for Mosaic.
In her community relations role, Austin serves as a board member on behalf of Mosaic for various organizations. As a member of the executive leadership team, Austin navigates crisis communications situations with Mosaic executives and the Mosaic Life Care Board of Trustees.
Jordan Larimore is the primary media relations contact and social media specialist for Mercy's Joplin communities, which encompasses Joplin and Carthage in Missouri, as well as Columbus, Galena and now Pittsburg in southeast Kansas. Larimore was born and raised in Joplin and graduated from the Joplin Area Catholic Schools.
Prior to working at Mercy, he was a reporter and assistant editor at The Joplin Globe where he primarily covered business but also reported on anything from local elections to natural disasters to multistate criminal human trafficking enterprises.
Steve Warchol is the senior director of client outreach for the Hospital Industry Data Institute of the Missouri Hospital Association. Warchol engages hospital team members to provide education and insights on market analysis, data collection, and quality domains at both rural and metropolitan health systems.
He provides education and awareness of HIDI’s services to all levels of hospital leaders and ensures HIDI’s alignment with hospitals’ data needs. Additionally, he supports the deployment and training of hospitals in adjoining states and HIDI’s state partner associations. Warchol holds an MBA from Saint Louis University and a DBA from Walden University.
April DeGraff brings more than a decade of experience in health care marketing, with a career that spans both client- and agency-side roles. For more than eight years, she has held various positions at MU Health Care, beginning as a marketing strategist and progressing to manager of marketing strategy. She currently serves as the senior advisor for marketing and communications, where she leads a marketing strategy and project coordination team that drives organizational and brand growth.
On the agency side, DeGraff served as an account director at Prairie Dog, a health care marketing firm. There, she worked with hospitals and health systems nationwide to address marketing challenges — from aligning brand and culture to promoting specific service lines.
AJ Templin is the director of SEO and analytics at Onspire Health Marketing, a data-driven marketing agency specializing in health care. His expertise spans website metrics, paid media analytics, hospital market share analysis and competitive market intelligence, all focused on helping health care organizations make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Templin has extensive experience helping Onspire's health care clients navigate the evolving world of tracking technologies and compliance requirements. He helps clients strike the right balance between gathering meaningful analytics and respecting patient privacy, ensuring health care organizations can harness the power of data while staying on the right side of regulations.
Josie Melton is a communication and engagement manager for MHA/HIDI. With a master's degree in organizational communication and a background in strategic communication and project management, she focuses on streamlining communication through strategy and smart automation. She’s a firm believer in working smarter — not harder — and loves finding tools that make workflows more efficient.
Bil Brown is a creative strategist and visual communicator who helps people tell better stories, whether it’s a hospital campaign or a honky-tonk poster. He has spent decades in marketing, design and brand strategy, translating complex ideas into visuals that connect with real people. Especially in health care, where the stakes are high and many of the brochures still look like they were designed in 1998.
His creative superpowers include turning chaos into clarity, explaining design in plain English, making Helvetica behave and surviving group edits with his sense of humor (mostly) intact. Brown believes good design doesn’t start with software. It starts with how we see, how we listen and how we choose to tell the story.
When he’s not building brands or refining communications, he’s probably scouring stores for vintage finds with his wife, Valerie, hanging out with his four adult kids, creating things in his art lab, or playing music with his band, The Bluebird Ramblers.
Cameron Menley is a graphic designer with a skill set in digital design, print production, brand development and visual communication. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, Menley brings about 10 years of hands-on experience to Phelps Health as the senior communication coordinator.
Menley is responsible for developing and executing high-quality digital and print materials that align with Phelps Health’s brand standards and marketing objectives. This role oversees the organization’s visual identity, ensures consistency across all materials and collaborates with internal teams to support marketing initiatives. She also provides photography services for various marketing needs.
Farrah Fite communicates and promotes — using traditional and new media — the wide range of services, education and resources MHA provides to help health care leaders better serve their patients and communities. She also works with the association's leaders when it comes to developing message maps for key issues and media training. Fite says she is most passionate about shaping messaging that makes sure audiences get WIIFM (what’s in it for me) and communicating with audiences on the platforms they prefer.
Fite joined MHA following 12 years of service to The Missouri Bar, first as media relations director and then communications director, where she grew member engagement and public education programs. Before joining the Bar world in 2012, she led communications for the Missouri Senate. She is a recovering journalist — who still loves to ask questions — having worked as a local TV reporter in Missouri and an associate producer at ABC News in Washington, D.C. She lives in #JCMO with her spouse, Gus Wagner, Reeny the cat, #BinnieCorgi, and J.B. (her 86 years-young dad).
Jessica Sexton is the deputy preparedness division manager with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, overseeing statewide planning initiatives including continuity of operations, medical countermeasures dispensing, medical materiel management and distribution, disaster fatality management, and public health community risk assessments.
Sexton has more than 20 years of varied, progressive experience, including 11 years serving as public information officer for the city of Cape Girardeau, Mo. Her experience as a PIO led to a love of all things emergency management and crisis/disaster communications. Sexton served as assistant emergency management director with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department (during COVID-19) before transitioning to the role of strategic national stockpile planner with SEMA.
During her time as a PIO and emergency management planner, Sexton has responded to myriad disasters and large-scale events at the local and state levels, including historic flooding, severe weather, regional air festivals hosting the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, a visit by a sitting U.S. president, national-level earthquake exercises, radiological preparedness exercises and more.
COVID-19 changed the game for everyone, providing Sexton with the opportunity to assist in the planning capacity in conjunction with her local public health agency, including additional duties as volunteer coordinator during the vaccination push in 2020-2021.
Sexton has served as a contract/staff instructor for FEMA public information courses with SEMA for six years. She completed the FEMA Master (now Executive) Public Information Officer program with the first-ever three-week cadre in 2016-2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in mass communication with an emphasis in public relations from Southeast Missouri State University.
Amanda Oleiro is a creative professional with 14 years of experience blending strategy, content and design to drive results and make connections. As MU Health Care’s director of brand, creative and content, she’s in charge of making sure the health system’s content looks and sounds the way it should to best represent the brand and meet audience needs. Oleiro is passionate about creating content that’s (actually) useful, relatable and enjoyable. Despite her love-hate relationship with AP style, she’s a proud, mostly self-proclaimed guru for tasteful puns, revamped jargon and humanized language.
Kelly Brueggen is the director of strategic engagement at Washington County Memorial Hospital. WCMH is a small, rural critical access hospital located in Potosi, Mo. The hospital’s vision is to be the first choice for health care in the community, while also offering high-quality, patient-first service that improves the health and well-being of the county.
As a former educator and mother of special needs children, Brueggen developed a passion for health advocacy and education. This passion inspired her to accept a position as a Delta Regional Health System Development Program Community Champion at Washington County Memorial Hospital in 2021.
Since then, Brueggen has continued to focus on expanding health programming and education, improving her organization's relationship with the community, and breaking down barriers to behavioral health access in Washington County. When not advocating professionally for her health system, Brueggen continues her advocacy and education work through her hobby of writing and illustrating children's books focused on health topics.
Brueggen is an Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.) alumna with a Bachelor of Arts in history and secondary education. A native of St. Louis, she now resides with her family of seven on their family farm in Washington County.
Casey Burton, Ph.D., is the executive director of research and governmental affairs at Phelps Health and an adjunct professor of chemistry at Missouri S&T. Dr. Burton has more than a decade of research aiming at the development and application of advanced analytical techniques for small molecule analysis to health care diagnostics, including early cancer detection and traumatic brain injury.
His work has led to multiple international collaborations, clinical trials and business ventures to develop innovative health care technologies. His efforts have been widely featured in scientific literature, with more than 30 peer-reviewed journal publications, and popular media.
His vision has helped establish several strategic research partnerships and consortia across Missouri, including the Ozark Biomedical Initiative and Acute Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium, to strengthen the state’s research enterprise and ability to improve the health and wellness of Missourians.
In his policy role, Dr. Burton has led several legislative reforms aimed at easing certain statutory burdens, maximizing public reimbursement models, and developing strategic funding opportunities for rural and governmental hospitals. Dr. Burton serves on the boards of several organizations addressing health care gaps and challenges in rural and underserved communities and contributes to several academic organizations and societies.
Jane C. Drummond is MHA’s general counsel and senior vice president of governmental relations. She joined MHA in 2014. She provides a full range of legal support to MHA, its related organizations and boards. Her duties include health care compliance, corporate advice and judicial advocacy.
Her responsibilities also include managing the association’s federal and state legislative and regulatory advocacy functions, interactions with accreditation agencies and the MHA Management Services Corporation’s role in administering the $1.1 billion hospital provider tax and associated Medicaid payments. Drummond also serves as liaison to a variety of legal professional groups involved in health care law and policy.
Drummond graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2001. Since then, she has worked in the public policy arena, while gaining additional experience in private practice. She has worked as the general counsel for the Department of Health and Senior Services under former Gov. Matt Blunt, and in that same capacity in the governor's office.
In 2007, Blunt appointed her to serve as the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, a cabinet-level position, which she held through the end of the Blunt administration. In addition to her Juris Doctor degree, Drummond earned a master's degree in strategic leadership from Stephens College in 2014.
Jill Dudley is the founder of 34th Street Marketing and an experienced video producer who has been helping organizations craft meaningful, results-driven video content since 2017. With a background in marketing, social media, sales and management, Dudley brings both strategic insight and a down-to-earth approach to her work.
She has created videos for health care organizations, nonprofits, small businesses and large corporate clients — always with a focus on helping people connect with their audience and share the heart behind what they do.
Dudley knows that creating video content can feel overwhelming, especially for those unsure where to start. Her passion is making the process feel simple, approachable and even fun. In her sessions, Dudley offers easy-to-understand strategies, practical tools, and encouragement to help anyone confidently build a video strategy that supports their goals — whether that’s increasing awareness, growing engagement or making a difference in their community.
Cancellation requests received in writing before the deadline date will receive a full refund — minus a processing fee per registrant. The deadline date and refund amount vary by event and are specified in the event confirmation details. Registrants who cancel after the deadline or those who fail to attend are responsible for the full registration fee. Substitutions are encouraged.
MHA reserves the right to cancel this event due to low enrollment, public health concerns, natural disasters or unforeseen weather conditions, or any circumstance that makes it illegal, impossible or commercially impracticable for the event to be held. In the unlikely event this occurs, a full refund for any registration costs will be provided. MHA is not responsible for nonrefundable items such as airfare, hotel or other travel costs.
Contact the event planner with any questions.

Register

Cost

$495 per person for MHA members
$395 per person for MAHPRM members
$480 per person for new or renewing MAHPRM members (includes 2026 MAHPRM dues)
$695 per person for nonmembers

This event is eligible for use of the MHA Health Institute coupon. Note: Coupons were emailed to MHA member hospital CEOs in January 2025.

This event reflects a reduced registration fee to MHA-member hospitals thanks to a generous contribution from the MHA Management Services Corporation.

Join the Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing and reap the benefits of membership.

Education Partners

Education partnership opportunities are available.

Event Planner

Alex Shikles

Director of Education

Send an Email
573-893-3700| ext. 1319