Overview
Welcome to the 2026 Women in Healthcare Leadership Collaborative (WHLC) Summit. Hosted by Sheppard, this year's theme is "Shaping Tomorrow: Navigating Emerging Healthcare and AI Trends." This exclusive event gathers trailblazing legal, compliance and healthcare executives who are actively redefining our industry.
As a premier event for women in healthcare, the summit empowers you to lead with confidence. You will connect with forward-looking innovators, sharpen your decision-making and learn how to guide your teams through regulatory changes in an AI-driven world.
What to Expect at the Summit
Our expert-led panels deliver practical, current guidance you can apply immediately. Whether you are a seasoned executive or building your next leadership step, our agenda covers the most critical topics facing healthcare leadership today:
State Healthcare Merger Control and Federal Enforcement
Strategic Approaches for Healthcare Success
Emerging Healthcare Trends and AI Impact
AI Risks in Government Enforcement and Litigation
AI Workplace Integration and Ethics
Healthcare Regulatory Developments and Compliance
AI Deployment and Health Information Privacy
Professional Development Spotlight: Building Executive Presence
WHLC Summit Through the Years
The healthcare landscape shifts daily. Navigating these complex changes requires strong leadership, actionable strategies and strategic foresight.
Past Attendees
CLE Details
Venue
Sheppard is excited to be hosting the 2026 WHLC Leadership Summit in our Los Angeles Office.
350 S. Grand Avenue, 40th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Accomodations
Agenda
Thursday, October 22
Breakfast
WHLC Welcome
The Ground-Level Reality of AI: A Strategic Guide for Healthcare In-House Counsel
While AI continues to evolve at an exponential pace, what does its integration look like on the ground? Join our expert panel for a practical exploration of the latest developments in AI, specifically tailored to provide actionable insights for healthcare in-house counsel. We will begin by demystifying the foundational architecture of Large Language Models (LLMs). From there, the panel will analyze how emerging AI use cases create distinct opportunities and challenges for in-house counsel in their critical role as strategic advisors to executive leadership. The panel will conclude with a discussion on cybersecurity considerations associated with the deployment of AI both inside the organization and outside – from threat actors.
Healthcare in Distress: Strategic Approaches for Success
Healthcare organizations are navigating unprecedented financial and operational pressure—driven by labor costs, reimbursement constraints, shifting payer dynamics, and heightened regulatory scrutiny. This panel will explore practical, high-impact strategies for stakeholders managing distressed healthcare assets, from early intervention and liquidity planning to restructuring alternatives and M&A solutions. This panel will also provide meaningful insights to stakeholders looking to acquire distressed healthcare assets.
Drawing on real-world lessons—including our experience working through recent 363 sales—panelists will discuss how to position a business for a successful outcome, manage critical constituencies, preserve enterprise value, and execute transactions on an accelerated timeline. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on mitigating risk, maintaining continuity of care, and achieving strategic objectives in complex distress scenarios.
Break
Take part in a hands-on workshop focused on strengthening influence, elevating communication skills and expanding your leadership impact.
Regulatory Roundtable: Compliance at the Intersection of AI and Payment Reform
As federal agencies accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence in clinical and administrative decision-making — from health plan use of AI in claims review to provider-facing clinical decision-support tools — healthcare leaders must understand both the opportunity and the mounting regulatory scrutiny that comes with it. Participants in this roundtable will discuss how CMS's Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is reshaping care delivery through technology-enabled alternative payment models, including the WISER and ACCESS models, and what these models mean for organizational strategy and operational readiness. Participants will leave with a practical understanding of current billing compliance priorities and fraud and abuse risks, equipping them with actionable strategies to strengthen their compliance programs in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Lunch
Take part in a hands-on workshop focused on strengthening influence, elevating communication skills and expanding your leadership impact.
AI Deployment: Successful Strategies to Navigate HIPAA and Health Information Privacy Landmines
As healthcare organizations accelerate adoption of AI—from clinical decision support and revenue cycle tools to chatbots and ambient documentation—the compliance stakes are rising just as quickly. This panel offers a practical roadmap for deploying AI while navigating HIPAA, other privacy laws, and evolving state AI laws. The discussion will unpack common “health information privacy landmines,” including data minimization and de-identification pitfalls, vendor and subcontractor risk, secondary use and intellectual property risks. Attendees will leave with practical steps for mitigating risk and avoiding pitfalls.
Presenting Solutions – Executive Workshop: Part One
Take part in a hands-on workshop focused on strengthening influence, elevating communication skills and expanding your leadership impact.
Cocktail Reception/Wine Tasting
Brief description of the panel goes here.
Friday, October 23
Breakfast
Brief description of the panel goes here.
Introductions by WHLC leadership
Presenting Solutions – Executive Workshop: Part Two
Take part in a hands-on workshop focused on strengthening influence, elevating communication skills and expanding your leadership impact.
Lunch
Brief description of the panel goes here.
On the Map: States New Healthcare Merger Control Regimes and Federal Enforcement
Explore the rapidly changing landscape of state healthcare merger regulations alongside the latest trends in federal enforcement. Gain actionable insights into how new policies impact transactions and compliance for healthcare organizations.
Workplace Best Practices in using AI & AI Ethics
AI is rapidly reshaping our workplaces and changing how employees are hired, evaluated, supervised, and disciplined, while raising new legal exposures and human impacts. This presentation will work through these issues from the perspective of a legal practitioner and a practicing psychologist to explore (1) legal compliance and litigation risk, (2) ethical governance and accountability, and (3) employee mental health and well-being.
Break
Take part in a hands-on workshop focused on strengthening influence, elevating communication skills and expanding your leadership impact.
Best Practices for Negotiating AI Vendor Agreements
This panel will examine the process for negotiating healthcare AI vendor contracts from the perspective of in-house and outside counsel. The panel will discuss relevant regulatory considerations impacting product choice and risk assessment, advise on best practices for pre-negotiation and due diligence strategies, and address strategic considerations in negotiating key contractual provisions for AI vendors and healthcare AI customers.
Non-HIPAA Privacy Risks Facing Providers and Plans
Brief description of the panel goes here.
Roundtable Two: AI Pitfalls in Government Enforcement and Litigation
From fabricated case citations and biased enforcement algorithms to deepfake evidence, artificial intelligence is reshaping government enforcement and litigation in ways the law is struggling to keep up with. Join us for a roundtable exploring the most pressing challenges facing legal practitioners today:
AI hallucinations in legal filings and the sanctions that follow
Algorithmic bias in enforcement targeting and charging decisions
Evidentiary pitfalls — admissibility, authentication, and deepfakes
Ethical and professional responsibility obligations for counsel
Come ready to discuss solutions to these challenges and leave better prepared.
Closing Remarks
Brief description of the panel goes here.
About WHLC
Sheppard’s Women in Healthcare Leadership Collaborative (WHLC) is a national leadership initiative dedicated to supporting women who are currently in or advancing into leadership positions within the healthcare and life sciences industries.
Join the WHLC Community
WHLC is an inclusive community that welcomes professionals of all genders who are committed to supporting women leaders and addressing gender disparities. Drawing on Sheppard’s nationally ranked healthcare practice, we build community through nationwide events, roundtables and skills-based programming.
Stay connected with the latest insights and news by joining WHLC and following our LinkedIn page.
Empowering women in healthcare leadership through nationwide networking, professional growth and inclusive collaboration to address gender disparity.
