WHEN
September 16, 2026
8 AM to 1 PM
WHERE
Hilton Harrisburg
1 N. 2nd St
Harrisburg, PA 17101
The 2026 Pennsylvania State of The Union on Latino Health will bring added awareness and intentional, solution-focused discussions around its theme: Foundations for Equity: Housing, Infrastructure, and the Path to Latino Wellness.
Thank you to this year’s sponsors and partners!
Join us for dynamic and powerful conversations about the health of Latinos and other marginalized communities through the lens of policy. This is the perfect event for policymakers, organizational decision-makers, professionals in health and human services, and students interested in pushing the needle on health equity for minority communities. Bring your voice!
Agenda
7:30 – 9:30 AM
Registration & Breakfast
8:00 – 8:25 AM
Opening Remarks
8:30 – 9:30 AM
Morning Plenary in partnership with the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, House District 129
Ana Tiburcio, House District 22
Danilo Burgos, House District 197
Nikki Rivera, House District 96
9:40 – 10:40 AM
Breakout Session Track One
TBA
Jennifer Kyung, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
Inside and Out: Building Institutional Capacity and Community Partnerships to Advance Latino Health
Inginia Genao, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine
Steven M. Negron-Candelario, Director, Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Penn State College of Medicine
Preparing for Changes to Medicaid
Carl Feldman, Office of Income Maintenance Director of Policy, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
10:50 – 11:50 AM
Building the Foundation for Latino Wellness in Pennsylvania: Turning Community Experience into Change
David Heayn-Menendez, Health Campaign Senior Advisor for Communications, Children First
Connecting Communities for Latino Wellness: Strengthening Access to Housing, Health, and Community Resources through PA Navigate
LaKiesha Stewart, Community Engagement Manager, Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP)
Medicaid Beyond Medicine
Shaunte Penn, Community Outreach Specialist, Latino Connection Foundation
12:15 – 12:55 PM
Afternoon Plenary
Akbar Hossain, Secretary of Policy and Planning, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12:55 – 1:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Learn more about last year’s event
WHEN
February 20, 2025
7:30 AM to 3 PM
WHERE
Hilton Harrisburg
1 N. 2nd St
Harrisburg, PA 17101
About Latino Connection
Latino Connection is Pennsylvania’s premier marketing and communications agency that launches brands into the country’s most powerful multicultural market. Passion and experience drive our dual mission—to educate and support the Latino community while expanding the reach of the organizations we serve. Latino Connection is a catalyst of Color & Culture, along with PPO&S, which combines more than 50 years of marketing and advertising experience with transformative energy and innovation to reach the multicultural marketplace.
We know that an insightful, relevant approach must be strategic. Our non-traditional method offers flexibility, a firm network of resources, and high-quality translation and interpretation services—to ensure your message is ethical, accurate, and appropriate.
With founder and President George Fernandez at the helm, Latino Connection has served millions of Latinos and helped scores of organizations maximize their reach and protect their core operations. Clients range from billion-dollar, private sector businesses such as Integrity Staffing Solutions and UPS, to non-profit entities and government agencies such as Capital Area Head Start and The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Latino Connection is certified by the Eastern Minority Supplier Diversity Council and is recognized as a Hispanic Business Enterprise by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and as a Minority Certified Business by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.