Welcome to NAVREF’s 28^th Annual Conference

Colleagues:

As the members of the NAVREF Conference Planning Committee, we welcome you to NAVREF’s 28^th Annual Conference, a virtual event designed for the entire VA research community, from Associate Chiefs of Staff for Research to VA-affiliated Non Profit Corporation executives and staff to VA Central Office leaders and specialists.  Our theme for this year’s event is “Building, Bridging, and Connecting to Advance Veteran’s Health.” This theme speaks to our shared vision to improve the lives of Veterans through scientific discovery and our inability to achieve this vision without the coordinated effort of the entire community.  It does indeed take a village. 

This year’s conference is the first one in history to be virtual, a shift we did not foresee when we established the Planning Committee in early February.  Nevertheless, we adjusted direction and sought to design a program that would still enable networking and relationship-building (in addition to powerful content!).  Take this opportunity to connect with your colleagues and peers, be they VA or NPC or industry, to better understand each other and find innovative ways to work together.

We are confident that we’ve developed a strong slate of plenary speakers and break-out presenters who will challenge, educate, and inspire you. 

Our program is designed to limit your time staring at a talking head on your screen.  All sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes and intended to include at least 10-15 minutes of Q&A.  We’ve inserted 30 minutes between educational sessions to allow attendees to relax and engage with their colleagues, spend time with the exhibitors, or just get out of your chair.  Following the last session of each day, we’ve established informal meeting rooms to socialize with colleagues and make new connections.

We encourage you to actively participate in each of the sessions, primarily through the chat feature.  Please ask questions, raise issues, and engage the speaker and fellow attendees. 

We want you to have an optimal virtual conference experience.  If you need assistance at any time, please do not hesitate to reach out to Rick Starrs, Hawk Tran, or one of us via email, text, or the conference app.  We look forward to building, bridging, and connecting with all of you.

Sincerely, the 2020 Conference Program Committee,

Ziyad Al-Aly   Hanna Bloomfield     Peggy Bradley          Mary Powell            Mark Riddle          

Mary Sano       Gery Schulteis         Mary Thornton           Allison Williams        Cary Zink   

Grant Huang       Hawk Tran