WellLink Welcomes Record Audience at Fourth Annual Conference, Featuring Chris Ronayne’s Vision for Cuyahoga County

On May 14, WellLink welcomed its largest ever gathering at ConnectNEO, its annual healthcare conference in Cleveland. With more than 275 registered attendees, the event featured panels, discussions and breakout sessions comprised of local healthcare and community leaders and culminated in a fireside chat between Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and WellLink President & CEO Brian Lane.

Their discussion spanned many of the critical issues facing the county, including the future of healthcare, the importance of addressing social determinants of health, and the impact of cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.

Ronayne stressed the importance of proximate leadership and the need to be present in the community to truly understand the needs and concerns of residents. Throughout the conversation, he emphasized the importance of preventive healthcare and the collective responsibility of leaders, healthcare organizations and residents to strengthen community well-being.

He spoke about the disparities in life expectancy across neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County, as well as the difficulties facing children related to housing, food and gun violence. He also spoke about the county’s broader vision for approaching health and wellness at the community level to improve the future of Cuyahoga County’s residents.

“We need to think of health as a framework for our county. We developed a multi-pronged approach to health, including the health of our community, our citizens, our justice system, our economy, our climate and the health of our government itself,” said Ronayne. “With that in mind, we developed the H.O.P.E. child wellness center and the office of violence prevention with the recognition that gun violence is the leading killer of kids in our community. We’re out in the communities listening to what is needed to actually curb violence. Simple things like gun safety and gun locks are now being distributed through libraries.”

Despite the many challenges facing Cuyahoga County and its residents, Ronayne expressed optimism about the next generation’s willingness to push for change and underscored the importance of collaboration in improving lives across our communities.

“My mom’s phrase was “let’s keep going,” and I use that every day. Let’s keep going,” he said.

Building a Stronger Future for Healthcare and Community Wellness

The themes of collaboration, innovation and community-centered care continued throughout the day’s programming, with sessions focused on AI, health policy, value-based care, health disparities, cybersecurity and building a more equitable and sustainable food system.

“We’re in an environment where the healthcare community is navigating growing pressure to contain costs, uncertainty and instability in reimbursement, and persistent workforce shortages. At the same time, we are seeing rapid transformation, from the increased use of data and artificial intelligence to the ongoing shift toward value-based care and expanded care delivery in primary and community-based settings,” said Brian Lane, in opening remarks. “These are complex challenges, and no single organization can solve them alone. Which is exactly why this year’s theme, “Stronger Together: Linking People, Lifting Communities,” is so important. It reflects the reality that collaboration is no longer optional; it’s essential.”

For the first time in its four-year history, this year’s ConnectNEO allowed attendees to customize their experience through multiple breakout sessions. During the event, WellLink recognized new members and reflected on its 110-year history. In recognition of that milestone, Chris Ronayne presented WellLink with a formal resolution honoring the organization’s legacy and impact.

Attendees were also welcomed by an opening video emphasizing the importance of connection and collaboration and participated in a fundraising drive benefiting the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, reinforcing the conference’s focus on strengthening community well-being.

Looking ahead, WellLink announced plans to take the event national in 2027 with the launch of WellLink Connect: The National Healthcare Summit, Linking Insight to Impact.

The expanded conference will be held on May 6 at the Huntington Convention Center and will feature a larger program with additional sessions and speakers. WellLink invites healthcare leaders, innovators and changemakers from across the country to submit proposals to share their expertise with a diverse, national audience.

Thank You, Speakers and Sponsors!

We at WellLink extend our thanks to all the speakers, moderators and panelists who contributed their time and expertise to a rewarding and engaging day of conversation:

• Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager, The MetroHealth System; Dr. Paul Hinchey, University Hospitals; Domonic Hopson, Neighborhood Family Practice; Leonard Stepp, Ashtabula Regional Medical Center, who discussed workforce issues, value-based care and linking hospitals with schools for easier access to care, with moderator Brian Lane.
• Kevin Gowan, Cuyahoga County Job and Family Services; Emma Messett, Hunger Network; Andy Trares, May Dugan; Kristin Warzocha, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, who discussed building a more equitable and sustainable food system.
• Jason Joyce, ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County; Daniel Lettenberger-Klein, WellLink; Eric Morse, The Centers; Christine Robinson, Stella Maris; Pam Budak, Bluestone Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital, who discussed how our region is responding to behavioral health needs.
• Kevin Goodman, Blueridge; Ali Pabrai, ecfirst; Lacy Rex, Oswald; Greg Journey, MetroHealth, who discussed protecting patients and data, and practical cybersecurity strategies for healthcare.
• Jason Ferri, Premier, Inc.; Mike Jones, The MetroHealth System; Dawn Motiejunas, WellLink Group Purchasing, who discussed creating savings and the power of buying together.
• Dr. Kristin Shelley, Aya Healthcare; Christopher Kunney, iotech; Sal Lo, Jorie AI; Jennifer Owens, Cleveland Clinic, NOHIMSS; John Paganini, Paguar Informatics, NOHIMSS AI Center for Excellence, who discussed AI guidance, compliance and best practices for healthcare organizations.
• Orion Bell, Benjamin Rose; Jane Carmody, John A. Hartford Foundation; Natasha Pietrocola, Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services, who discussed aging, reimagining care, house and community services.
• Joe Damore, Advisory Network; Cindy Hundorfean, Advisory Network; Tom Strauss, Advisory Network, who discussed the future of value-based care.
• Carlos Jackson, Cornerstone, who presented on the federal health policy landscape of today and beyond.

An important part of making the conference possible were the event sponsors, whose partnership and contributions were essential to its success. WellLink extends its gratitude to:

• Presenting sponsor, WellLink Group Purchasing.
• Platinum sponsor, Jorie AI.
• Lanyard sponsor, John Carroll University.
• Breakout sponsor, Global Furniture.
• Lunch sponsor, Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
• Raffle sponsors: Epic Business Essentials; The WiTT Group, Inc.
• Honorable mentions, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
• Bronze sponsors: ALCO Sales & Service; Carahsoft Technology Corp.; IOTECH Consulting; Sherwin-Williams; Sisters of Charity Health; Thompson Hine LLP; Spartan Chemical Company.
• Silver sponsors: Best Priced Products; MetroHealth; Cleveland State University; Modern Office Methods; Imageteq Technologies; Dart Container; PointClickCare; ecfirst; Premier, Inc.; TZMO USA/Seni; Gardiner; Remodel Health; Legacy Foundation Group.
• Gold sponsors: HealthCorum; Indivior.

At its core, the mission of WellLink’s Connect Northeast Ohio is to bring together members, partners, leaders and members of the community for a day of learning, information sharing and relationship building, all with the aim of advancing our collective efforts to serve and advance the well-being of our community.