2025 CHA Annual Meeting: Celebrating Healing and Hope

The 2025 Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) Annual Meeting took place on Tuesday, June 17, at the Bristol Event Center with the theme Celebrating Healing and Hope. CHA welcomed nearly 400 leaders and healthcare workers from Connecticut’s hospitals and health systems, state health officials, and community partners to honor this year’s award winners and hear from this year’s keynote speaker.

CHA Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick Charmel, president and chief executive officer, Griffin Health, addressed the gathering, remarking that hospitals’ and health systems’ shared mission is captured in the event’s theme.

“Healing and hope. These two words aren’t just poetic — they’re powerful. They are the foundation of what we do, and more importantly, why we do it. Hope and healing are ever present in hospitals across Connecticut. In the quiet reassurance of a nurse at a patient’s bedside. In the skilled hands of a surgeon. In the warmth of a caregiver holding a family member’s hand,” Charmel said.

Charmel commended the healthcare workers and clinical teams who demonstrate unshakeable dedication to supporting patients and families through their most joyous and challenging experiences.

CHA Board President Jennifer Jackson, CEO, CHA, also spoke about the opportunities to strengthen collaboration with community-based partners and collectively advocate for state policies that plan for our future. Jackson discussed the importance of teamwork and how it is critical to advancing shared goals, not only within an organization but also together through CHA.

Keynote Speaker Rebecca Lobo

The keynote speaker for this year’s Annual Meeting was WNBA All-Star and championship-winning college basketball player Rebecca Lobo. Having previously served on Hartford Hospital’s Board of Directors, Lobo was introduced by Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Jeff Flaks. Lobo reflected on her mother RuthAnn’s breast cancer diagnosis in 1994 and the monumental part Connecticut hospitals played in her battle with the disease — a journey detailed in their co-authored book, “The Home Team: Of Mothers, Daughters, and American Champions.” Interwoven between humorous anecdotes of her children’s sports-induced visits to Connecticut hospitals, Lobo also mused on the evolving landscape of women’s sports and ongoing advocacy to advance gender equity. Lobo has been actively involved in the community with various philanthropic endeavors, including founding the RuthAnn and Rebecca Lobo Scholarship in Allied Health at UConn. She has also served on UConn’s Board of Trustees since 2004.

Lobo’s remarks were followed by a Q&A led by Meghan Culmo, longtime commentator for the UConn Women’s Basketball team, known as the “Voice of the Huskies,” who has been part of UConn Women’s Basketball for more than three decades — from player to assistant coach to analyst.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 CHA Awards!

The event also celebrated the winners of the 2025 Connecticut’s Hospital Community Service Award and the 2025 John. D. Thompson Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Healthcare Through the Use of Data, as selected by judging panels, and recognized a cohort of exceptional healthcare workers with the 2025 CHA Healthcare Heroes Award.

Sponsors

CHA gratefully acknowledges the generous Annual Meeting sponsorship of Platinum Sponsors Kaufman Hall and SKAE Power Solutions.