Igniting Hope Conference
The annual Igniting Hope Conference brings together community leaders, community members, University at Buffalo faculty, and trainees from multiple UB schools to focus on addressing health equity and the social determinants of health. The conference is co-sponsored by the Buffalo Center for Health Equity, the Erie County Department of Health, the University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), and the University at Buffalo Community Health Equity Research Institute
The 2025 Igniting Hope Conference will be held on September 20 at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Visit the Community Health Equity Research Institute Igniting Hope Conference page for updates.
Past Conference Agendas
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:30 - 8:45 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Timothy F. Murphy, MD Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute
Satish K. Tripathi UB President
Allison Brashear, MD, MBA Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 8:45 - 8:55 a.m. | Perspective and Report on Progress | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 8:55 - 9:00 a.m. | Introduction of Keynote:
| Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. | Title: "Rooted in Justice: Growing a Future of Environmental Equity for All’. | Hanaa Hamdi, PhD Keynote speaker Visiting Scholar, FRBNY |
| 9:45 -9:55 a.m. | Questions | |
| 9:55 - 10:05 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:05 - 11:05 a.m. | Plenary Session
| Moderator: Stan Martin, Founder & CEO Stan Martin Consulting, LLC
Panelists:
Franchelle Parker, Executive Director, Open Buffalo Josh Wilson, Director, Sustainability, Environmental Compliance Services Division, Erie County Department of Environment & Planning Eun-Hye Enki Yoo, PhD, Associate Professor of Geography, UB College of Arts and Sciences |
| 11:15 - 12:10 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| |
| 12:10 - 1:10 p.m. | Networking and Lunch | |
| 1:10 - 1:15 p.m. | Plenary Session
Introduction of Keynote:
| Timothy F. Murphy, MD Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute) |
| 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. | Title: “Our Healthy Futures: Women’s Health Equity, Toxics in Our Environment & How We Can Take Action” | Kizzy Charles-Guzman Keynote speaker Chief Executive Officer, Center for Environmental Justice, Oakland, CA |
| 2:00 - 2:10 p.m. | Questions | |
| 2:10 - 2:20 p.m. | Transition to Breakout Sessions | |
| 2:20 - 3:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| |
| 3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Reports from Breakout Sessions | |
| 3:30 - 3:40 p.m. | Next Steps and Closing Remarks | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 3:40 p.m. | Adjourn |
*See video highlights from the 2023 Igniting Hope Conference on the Buffalo Center for Health Equity Facebook page. Photos from the 2023 conference are available on the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences photo database.
September 30, 2023: Building a Healthy, Just Community for All
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:30 - 8:45 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Satish K. Tripathi UB President
Allison Brashear, MD, MBA Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 8:45 - 8:55 a.m. | Perspective and Report on Progress | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church; Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 8:55 - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Introduction of Keynote | Marcelo W.B. Araujo, DDS, PhD Dean, School of Dental Medicine |
| 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. | Oral Health: An Evidence and Data-driven Approach to Achieve Better Health, Equity, and Fiscal Responsibility | Natalia Chalmers, DDS, MHSc, PhD Keynote speaker Chief Dental Officer, Office of the Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services |
| 9:45 -9:55 a.m. | Questions | |
| 10:05 - 11:00 a.m. | Breakout Sessions
| |
| 11:10 - 11:45 a.m. | Plenary Session | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church; Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity
Kelly Wofford, MS Director, Office of Health Equity, Erie County Department of Health
Timothy F. Murphy MD SUNY Distinguished Professor; Director, UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute; Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute |
| 11:45 - 12:45 p.m. | Networking and Lunch | |
| 12:45 - 1:40 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| |
| 1:50 - 1:55 p.m. | Plenary Session Introduction of Keynote | Jamal B. Williams, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 1:55 - 2:55 p.m. | Social Justice and Medical Ethics: What Have We Learned From the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks? A Moderated Discussion | Veronica Robinson and David Lacks, Jr Great granddaughter and grandson, respectively, of Henrietta Lacks
Moderator: Jamal B. Williams, PhD |
| 2:55 - 3:05 p.m. | REACH Buffalo, COVID-Flu Vaccination Efforts | Ebony White Community Health Engagement Manager, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 3:05 - 3:25 p.m. | Reports Back From Breakout Groups | |
| 3:25 - 3:30 p.m. | Conference Evaluation | Heather Orom, PhD Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions |
| 3:30 - 3:40 p.m. | Next Steps and Closing Remarks | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church; Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 3:40 p.m. | Adjourn |
August 13, 2022: Advocating in a New Reality: Breaking Barriers, Maintaining Resilience and Reconstructing a Community of Care
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:30 - 8:45 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Satish K. Tripathi UB President |
| 8:45 - 8:55 a.m. | Perspective and Report on Progress | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church; Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 8:55 - 9:05 a.m. | Welcome and Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Allison Brashear, MD, MBA Vice President for Health Sciences; Dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 9:05 - 9:55 a.m. | Dismantling Structural Racism: The Path to Achieving Mental Health Equity (Video) | Ruth Shim, MD, MPH Associate Dean of Diverse and Inclusive Education, Luke & Grace Kim Professor in Cultural Psychiatry and director of cultural psychiatry, University of California, Davis |
10:05 - 11:25 a.m. | Breakout Sessions:
| |
| 11:25 - 12:20 p.m. | Plenary Session Beyond Food Charity: How Black Churches Are Organizing for Health, Wealth & Power (Video) | Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III Former pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network |
| 12:20 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 1:00 - 1:05 p.m. | Plenary Session Morning Recap and Welcome to Afternoon Session | Timothy F. Murphy, MD |
| 1:05 - 1:25 p.m. | Talk and Survey/Poll on COVID-19 | Stan Martin, MM Buffalo Office Director/Senior Trainer, CAI |
| 1:25 - 1:30 p.m. | Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Henry-Louis Taylor, Jr., PhD Professor of Urban and Regional Planning; Director, UB Center for Urban Studies; Associate Director, UB Community Health Equity Research Institute |
| 1:30 - 2:20 p.m. | Where Do We Go From Here: Racism in the U.S. Since the Summer of 2020 (Video) | Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, PhD Leon Forrest Professor of African American Studies, Northwestern University |
| 2:20 - 2:30 p.m. | Reporting Back From Workshop Groups | |
| 2:30 - 2:55 p.m. | Community Response Panel | |
| 2:55 - 3:00 p.m. | Conference Evaluation | |
| 3:00 p.m. | Closing Remarks | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv |
August 14, 2021: Healing Historical Trauma from Racist Research, Policies and Practices
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:00 - 8:15 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Satish K. Tripathi UB President |
| 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. | Perspective and Report on Progress | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity; Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church |
| 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. | My Journey to Discover Why Disparities Exist … and What to Do About It | Thomas LaViest, PhD Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Health |
| 9:45 - 10:25 a.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
10:25 - 10:40 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:40 - 11:40 a.m. | The Anchor Mission: Tackling Economic and Racial Disparities to Create Equitable Health Outcomes | Heidi L. Gartland Chief Government and Community Relations Officer, University Hospitals, Cleveland |
| 11:40 - 12:20 p.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
| 12:20 - 12:55 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 12:55 - 1:05 p.m. | Welcome | A. Scott Weber, PhD Professor and UB Provost, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences |
| 1:05 - 2:05 p.m. | Historical Trauma: A Contemporary Conundrum | Donald E. Grant, PsyD Executive Director, Mindful Training Solutions |
| 2:05 - 2:45 p.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
2:45 - 2:50 p.m. | Conference Evaluation | |
| 2:50 - 3:05 p.m. | Reporting Back from Workshop Groups | |
| 3:05 - 3:30 p.m. | COVID-19 Pandemic: Community Response (Panel Discussion)
Closing Remarks | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity; Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church |
| 3:30 p.m. | Adjourn |
September 30, 2023: Building a Healthy, Just Community for All
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:00 - 8:15 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Satish K. Tripathi UB President |
| 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. | Perspective and Report on Progress | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity; Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church |
| 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. | The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Magnifying Lens for Health Disparities | Alan J. Lesse, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 9:45 - 10:15 a.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
10:15 - 10:30 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | The FDA Perspective: Enhancing Racial and Ethnic Minority Representation in Clinical Trials | RADM Richardae Araojo, PharmD, MS Associate Commissioner for Minority Health, Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Food and Drug Administration |
| 11:30 - 12:00 p.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. | Covid-19, Working With the Community to Shape Better Healthcare in Light of a Pandemic | Raul Vazquez, MD, FAAFP President and CEO, G-Health Enterprises |
| 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. | Breakout Discussions:
| |
2:30 - 2:35 p.m. | Conference Evaluation | Heather Orom, PhD Associate Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, School of Public Health and Health Professions |
| 2:35 - 2:50 p.m. | Reporting Back from Workshop Groups | |
| 2:50 - 3:15 p.m. | Next Steps (Facilitated Open Discussion) Closing Remarks | Pastor Kinzer M. Pointer Pastor, Liberty Missionary Baptist Church; Co-Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force
George Nicholas, MDiv Co-Convener, African American Health Equity Task Force; Chair, Buffalo Center for Health Equity |
| 3:15 p.m. | Adjourn |
August 16-17, 2019: Building a Culture of Health and Ending African American Health Disparities
Friday, August 16, 2019 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
| Registration | |
Introductory Session: Keynote Speaker Evidence for the Cause, Effect, and Mitigation of Social Determinants of Health in People of Color | Moro Salifu MD MPH MBA Professor and Chair of Medicine, Director of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center |
| Networking and Meet and Greet |
Saturday, August 17, 2019 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
| Registration | Breakfast | |
| Opening Remarks | Charles Zukoski PhD Provost, University at Buffalo | |
Plenary Session: Keynote Speaker The Best Thinking to Mitigating Health Disparities: Operationalizing Meaningful Collaborations, Structures and Strategies | John Ruffin PhD Founding Director National Institute on Minority Heath and Health Disparities | |
| Information to Action Workshop 1 | Facilitated root cause breakout sessions. These sessions will pose scenarios, allowing participants to discuss social determinants of health disparities in Buffalo and begin to brainstorm on strategies to approach solutions. | |
| Working Lunch | ||
Plenary Session: Keynote Speaker Women’s Health and Gender Equity | Lisa Nicholas MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California Los Angeles Ronald Reagan Medical Center | |
| Information to Action Workshop 2 | Self-selected Roundtable Discussions with Experts. Small groups will discuss barriers and solutions to education, insurance gaps, access to healthcare (including prenatal care and care for the elderly), poverty and nutrition. | |
| Reporting Back from each Roundtable | ||
| Next Steps: Facilitated open discussion | ||
| Closing Remarks | Rev. George Nicholas MDiv Convener AAHDTF |
April 28, 2018: Building a Just Community with a Culture of Health and Equity
Time: | Title: | Presenter: |
8:45 - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Opening remarks | Charles F. Zukoski, PhD Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University at Buffalo |
| 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. | Morning Kickoff/Framing – Root Causes | Rev. George Nicholas, MDiv Conference Convener, African American Health Disparity Taskforce Pastor, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church |
| 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. | Facilitated Root Cause Breakout Session One – Processing Social Determinants of Health is an on-going process; this session will allow the participant to understand the impact of social determinants of health on health outcomes through one of following lenses:
| |
| 11:15 - 12:00 p.m. | Lunch | |
12:00 - 12:40 p.m. | Debrief from Session One | |
| 12:40 - 1:15 p.m. | Keynote Building a Culture of Health and Equity: How It’s Done in Other Cities | Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins Executive Director, Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, Associate Professor of Medicine at both Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College |
| 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. | Case Study: Community Impact | Stephen Thomas Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland |
| 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. | Next Steps/Action Group Sessions Break up into Selected social determinant of health/root cause groups, to plan action steps for continuing the movement. (Self-Selected Groups)
| |
| 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. | Debrief |
|
| 4:00 p.m. | Adjourn |