Introduction to Health Center Board Roles:
A Training Program for New Board Members 

Sponsored by: 
              

Overview

Are you a new health center board member? Do you want to learn about the role of the board and your responsibilities as a board member? This program – designed with the needs of new health center board members in mind – starts with an overview of health center board roles. This offering also introduces effective board functioning, and several areas of board oversight including quality and financial. Participants will also learn how they can use their story to advocate and build relationships for the health center, and will gain an understanding of where to access additional on-demand resources to continue their learning.

Who Should Attend?

Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members is designed for new health center board members. Participants that want a refresher on board roles may also find attending to be helpful.**

What to Expect

Board members will:

• Have an opportunity to meet fellow health center board members from across the country
• Learn typical health center board responsibilities
• Identify the importance of the board and CEO partnership
• Learn the fundamentals of effective board functioning
• Discuss how they would respond to specific board scenarios
• Gain an introduction to certain key forms of oversight – including financial and quality
• Learn about the role of the board and board members in advocacy, and practice sharing their story in support of the health center mission

Schedule* (All times are Central Time)

8:30am - 10:30am: Overview of Health Center Board Roles
The opening segment includes:

• Welcome and Orientation to the program including a chance to meet fellow health center board members
• An Introduction to the three major categories of board roles: Strategy, Oversight and Policy, and Board Functioning
• A high-level overview of board-focused requirements that are part of the Health Resource and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Center Program
• Discussion of individual board member duties
• An introduction to some fundamentals related to effective board functioning (meetings, committees, norms)

Moderator:

• Avni P. Shridharani, MHS, President, Community Health Strategies LLC

Speakers:

• Steven Sera, AAMS®, Immediate Past Board Chair, MHC Healthcare
• Alecia Cyprian, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Southeast Community Health Systems
• Emily Heard, MA, Associate Vice President, Health Center Governance, NACHC

10:30am - 10:45am: Break

10:45am - 12:15pm: Essential Components of Health Center Board Oversight
This segment will address how a board carries out its oversight role. It will address key areas of board oversight – including financial and quality – in some detail including the important intersection between these two components.

Moderator:

• Avni P. Shridharani, MHS, President, Community Health Strategies LLC

Speakers:

• Steven Sera, AAMS®, Immediate Past Board Chair, MHC Healthcare
• Alecia Cyprian, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Southeast Community Health Systems
• Gervean Williams, MSMIT, Director, Health Center Finance Training, NACHC

12:15pm - 1:30pm: Lunch on Own

1:30pm - 2:45pm: Supporting the Health Center Mission: Introduction to Advocacy and Storytelling for Health Center Board Members & Program Wrap Up
Patient-majority, community-based health center boards and their members play a critical role in advocating for and building relationships to support the health center mission. This segment will define advocacy, as well as discuss the role of the board and the individual board member in allowable forms of advocacy. It will also include time for participants to practice sharing their own story to support the health center mission.

Moderator:

• Emily Heard, MA, Associate Vice President, Health Center Governance, NACHC

Speakers:

• Steven Sera, AAMS®, Immediate Past Board Chair, MHC Healthcare
• Alecia Cyprian, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Southeast Community Health Systems
• Sarah Francois, Deputy Director, Grassroots Advocacy, NACHC

Pricing

• NACHC Member Rate $250 
• Non-Member Rate $500 

Important Information

• * Initial schedule as of March 2025. Subject to change.
• Some in-person audience participation will take place via the NACHC Mobile App. In-person attendees are strongly encouraged to bring a smart phone or tablet, and to download the NACHC Mobile App in advance of attending Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members.
• Meals will not be provided on-site during Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members.
• ** Please note this program does not go into detail about co-applicant board roles or governance structures for public agencies, such as county or city health departments and universities, among others, that may receive grant funding under the Health Center Program.
• Additional topics will be addressed during the CHI - Community Health Conference & Expo. Please consider registering for that event if you have previously completed Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members or wish to continue your learning.