Public Health Summit 2026

Join the Kate Marmion School of Public Health and Bexar County Public Health for a dynamic, one-day Public Health Summit, held in observance of National Public Health Week 2026.

The Summit is your opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research, discuss local public health challenges, and collaborate on solutions that can make a tangible difference in our community.

Monday, April 6, 2026 |  UT San Antonio Downtown Campus

8:00 - 8:45 a.m.
Registration & Poster Setup

9:00 – 9:20 a.m.
Welcome Address featuring Judge Peter Sakai

9:20 - 10:20 a.m.
Keynote Address featuring Hazel James-Tohe
Hazel James-Tohe brings generations of cultural wisdom and a deep commitment to community health to this year’s Public Health Summit. Grounded in the values and teachings of her ancestors, she centers healing, unity, and the well-being of families and future generations. Hazel serves as coordinator for a health collaborative, where she partners with community nonprofits to address environmental health challenges, support community planning, and host youth summits that empower the next generation to design their own solutions.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Morning Breakout Sessions
Tracks: Youth Systems, Women & Maternal Health, Community Building, Community Investment, Health Access

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 
Lunch & Poster Session

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. 
Intersection of Art & Health featuring Mark Menjivar
Mark Menjívar is a San Antonio-based artist and Associate Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His practice centers on participatory projects rooted in photography, oral history, and social action. Mark holds a BA in Social Work from Baylor University and an MFA in Social Practice from Portland State University, and his work has been exhibited at venues including the Rothko Chapel, El Museo del Barrio, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and FOTOFEST. He currently has a mid-career survey exhibition on view at the Contemporary at Blue Star in San Antonio.

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Tracks: Youth Systems, Place-Based Public Health, Behavioral Health, Community Investment, Community Needs & Resources

3:45 – 4:05 p.m. 
All Hearts on Deck featuring Nadege Souvenir - Closing
Nadege Souvenir is the CEO of the San Antonio Area Foundation, the region’s largest community foundation stewarding over 600 funds and $1.3 billion in assets, with more than $900 million granted to close opportunity gaps across the region. Recently named to the 2026 Texas 100 list of Influential Professionals to Know and recognized as a 2025 South Texas Power Player, Nadege is helping shape the region’s future through bold philanthropic leadership. Nadege serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foundations and advises Catchafire and the Center for Effective Philanthropy, contributing thought leadership on nonprofit capacity building and philanthropic effectiveness. Previously, she was COO at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. A former litigator and arts leader, she has served on regional and national arts boards and received OPERA America’s 2023 National Opera Trustee Recognition Award.

3:45 – 4:05 p.m. 
Closing featuring Bexar County Pct. 1 Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Networking Reception

Questions? Contact: Shama Tajani, tajani@uthscsa.edu