healthcare + emergency solutions & the Public health club present
The Business Of Public Health Summit
For entrepreneurs & professionals
April 10th, 2026 | 1:00pm-7:00pm | Atlanta, GA
It’s Time to Step Fully Into Your Role as a Public Health Entrepreneur
You’re not standing at the starting line anymore.
You’re already in motion.
You’ve built something. You’ve tested your ideas. You’ve stepped beyond traditional public health roles — and now you can feel it:
the pull toward more clarity, more strategy, and more sustainability.
This is the moment where your work becomes more intentional.
Where your expertise turns into influence.
Where your business moves from doing the work to leading the space.
This isn’t just another summit.
This is a room for builders.
2026 isn’t about starting — it’s about refining, expanding, and positioning your public health business for long-term impact and income.
The future of public health will be shaped by entrepreneurs who are bold enough to build — and strategic enough to sustain.
This is your space to sharpen your vision, deepen your influence, and move with intention.
Are you ready to step into what’s next?
Interested in Sponsoring The Summit?
Get Ready! This Isn’t Your Normal Public Health Event!
Public health is entering a new era — and it’s not a calm one.
Programs are being dismantled. Funding streams are shifting. Systems that once felt stable are being restructured in real time. And as history has shown us, when public health infrastructure weakens, solutions are demanded fast.
America is reactionary.
And reaction creates opportunity — for those who are prepared.
This summit is designed for public health consultants and entrepreneurs who understand what’s coming next and want to be positioned before the demand hits, not scrambling after it does.
01 | Build a Consulting Business That Can Withstand Disruption
Strengthen your business model so it’s resilient, adaptable, and positioned to respond when organizations need immediate support. This is about sustainability — not one-off contracts.
04 | Lead With Confidence in Uncertain Times
When organizations are under pressure, they look for leaders who can move decisively. Strengthen your presence, credibility, and decision-making as a consultant in high-stakes environments.
02 | Position Yourself for the Next Wave of Public Health Demand
As systems react, organizations will seek consultants who can step in quickly. Learn how to align your expertise with emerging needs and evolving priorities in 2026 and beyond.
05 | Prepare for Innovation, Not Just Change
Public health innovation isn’t optional anymore. Learn how consultants are integrating technology, data, and systems thinking to meet urgent needs more efficiently.
03 | Navigate the New Reality of Public Health Entrepreneurship
From shifting funding landscapes to increased demand for external expertise, this summit will explore how consultants can lead during instability — without burning out or underpricing their work.
06 | The Public Health Pitch Competition
Pitch your boldest public health idea to industry experts!
Form a team, develop your concept, and compete for top prizes—with live feedback, networking opportunities, and recognition to kickstart your vision.
Meet Our Speakers!
Desiree Strickland, Drph, MPH (Dr.Des)
Founder/CEO Strickland Health Consulting, LLC &
The Public Health ClubDr. Des is a public health entrepreneur, consultant, and the founder of The Public Health Club and Strickland Health Consulting. With a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from Florida A&M University, she has built a consulting practice serving top-tier clients including the CDC Foundation, NACCHO, and ASTHO, while simultaneously building one of the most active communities for public health professionals in the country. Through The Public Health Club, she has helped thousands of public health professionals launch consulting businesses, land contracts, and create income outside of traditional government roles.
Bruce A. James II, Pharmd, rph
Founder/CEO Healthcare & Emergency Solutions
As the founder of Healthcare & Emergency Solutions (HCES), Dr. Bruce James II, built a firm that crossed $10M in annual revenue by 2024 — serving government agencies across Georgia, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through clinical staffing, emergency preparedness, and behavioral health services. A Tuskegee and FAMU alum, Dr. James knows what it takes to go from vision to multi-million dollar impact. At the Business of Public Health Summit, he'll break down what it really takes to build and scale in this space.
Kehnesha Mitchell, MHA, PMP
Founder/CEO Rhythm Homecare NC &
BizCoWorksKehnesha Mitchell is a public health consultant, entrepreneur, and healthcare strategist who has built not one but two businesses — Rhythm Homecare NC, an integrated care agency, and BizCoWorks, a consulting firm supporting healthcare and social impact entrepreneurs. She has secured over $18M in funding, led multi-state consulting teams, and helped launch 13 healthcare businesses from the ground up. With an MHA and PMP behind her name and deep experience in Medicaid transformation, CQI, and value-based care, Kehnesha knows how to build systems that last. At the summit, she will break down what it actually takes to build and scale a public health business.
Chasity Robertson, M.Ed.
Founder/CEO The Chasity Nichole AgencyChasity Nichole is a strategic marketing consultant and advisor who helps businesses sharpen their messaging and build marketing systems that actually drive growth. She's partnered with global brands like Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, and CrowdStrike, led campaigns generating over $1M in quarterly revenue, and advised multi-six-figure business initiatives. A two-time Tennessee State University graduate, Cornell-certified Women's Entrepreneurship alum, and Nashville Black 40 Under 40 honoree, Chasity knows how to connect strategy to execution. At the summit, she's bringing that same expertise to public health — and showing you how to market your business in a way that gets results in 2026.
Khristen Holmes, PhD, MPA
Founder/CEO Whole Health Solutions, LLCDr. Khristen Holmes is a public health advocate, consultant, and founder of Whole Health Solutions, LLC — a strategic consulting firm helping organizations tackle health disparities with real, actionable plans. With a PhD in Public Affairs and over a decade in the field, she's done the work in healthcare startups, hospital systems, and government agencies while building her own business at the same time. At the summit, she's getting into how to make entrepreneurship work without letting go of the stability of a 9-5.
Georgina Dukes-Harris, MHA
Founder/CEO SwishvoGeorgina is the Founder and CEO of Swishvo, a health tech company building the financial and operational infrastructure for holistic and alternative health providers — starting with maternal health. She knows pitch competitions from the inside out, having won and placed in the top five across some of the most competitive stages in the country — including Black Girl Ventures, the NBA Foundation, Invest Fest, the Fearless Fund, and more. A former first employee at Unite Us (which scaled to a $2B valuation), Rock Health Fellow, and Google Data Center Community AI Fellow, Georgina brings serious credibility to the room. She'll be hosting our Pitch Session and showing you exactly what it takes to step on a stage and walk away with a check.
Brittny Wells, Drph, DBA
Dr. Brittny Wells is a DrPH, systems strategist, and public health powerhouse with 15+ years of experience at the intersection of health equity, workforce development, and community-centered innovation. A longtime speaker with The Public Health Club and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt-trained leader, Dr. Wells has built programs that move the needle in higher ed, healthcare, and government — all while navigating the real world of doing it while still employed. At the summit, she's bringing the blueprint for making entrepreneurship work without burning everything else down.
Founder/CEO Insights Consulting, LLC
Raquel Hammonds NMD, MPH
Dr. Raquel Hammonds is a naturopathic physician, public health professional, TEDx speaker, and femtech innovator working at the intersection of reproductive health, digital health, and health equity. She's served as Chief Medical Officer at HUED, Director of Care Coordination at Carrot Fertility, and was recognized as the first naturopathic doctor fully integrated into a fertility clinic. Her AI experience spans building AI-integrated learning modules focused on disparities in Black men's health for the City of Philadelphia, designing websites using AI, and informing wearable health tech solutions centered on equity, engagement, and accessibility. At the summit, she'll break down how AI is reshaping public health and how professionals can use it as a tool to drive real impact.
Founder/CEO Rivulet
Let’s be honest — public health is evolving faster than ever, and professionals are experiencing this shift in very different ways.
Some see what’s happening clearly: an increased demand for expertise, leadership, and external solutions.
As systems change and programs are dismantled, organizations will need experienced consultants who can step in quickly, guide strategy, and drive impact. You recognize this moment as an opportunity to strengthen your business and expand your influence.
For others, the uncertainty feels heavier. Questions around funding cuts, policy changes, and workforce instability are becoming part of everyday conversations. The pace of change can make it tempting to wait, to hold steady, or to delay decisions until things feel more predictable.
But here’s the truth: this moment isn’t defined by what’s happening around you — it’s defined by how you prepare. Sustainable impact and long-term success come from building a business that can adapt, respond, and lead through change.
At The Business of Public Health Summit, you’ll gain the strategies, insights, and connections needed to thrive — not just now, but in 2026 and beyond.
This isn’t about waiting for stability to return.
It’s about positioning yourself to be ready when solutions are urgently needed.
Because if not now — when?
April 10, 2026 · Atlanta, GA
The Business of Public Health Summit
Doors Open + Entrepreneur Networking
Welcome & The Business Mindset Shift
Scaling Your Public Health Business
Break
Building While Employed: Launching Without Burning Out
Break
Leveraging AI to Grow Your Public Health Business
Break
Marketing & Visibility for Public Health Entrepreneurs
Selling & Pitching Your Public Health Services
Collaborative Pitch Development
Networking + Judge Deliberation
Live Pitch Competition + Winner Announcement
If you are serious about building a profitable public health business,
this room is for you.
April 10, 2026 · The Gathering Spot, Atlanta, GA · 1:00–7:00 PM