Colloquium

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Tentative Schedule

Thursday, March 19, 2026

• 7:30 am–4:00 pmColloquium Registration
• 8:45–8:55 amWelcome Roger A. Mitchell Jr., M.D. - 126th President, National Medical Association
• 9:00–10:00 amAdvocacy Teams’ Huddle for Congressional Office Meetings/Debrief on TopicsAdvocacy Teams will consist of - 4 or 5 physician members per assigned congressional office
• 10:00 am–12:30 pmCongressional Office Visits
• 12:30–1:30 pmNMA Lunch Reception on Capitol Hill2044 Rayburn HOB
• 1:30–2:00 pmPhoto Session – Capitol Hill
• 2:00–2:00 pmBus Departs Capitol Hill for Capitol Hilton
• 5:00–7:00 pmNetworking Event

Friday, March 20, 2026

• 7:00–8:00 amBreakfast and Networking w/Exhibitors
• 7:00 am–5:00 pmColloquium Registration
• 8:00–8:30 amWelcome & Introduction of the Keynote Speaker
• 8:30–9:30 amVaccine Science, Policy, and Advocacy
• 9:30–10:30 amChronic Diseases: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity/GLP1’s
• 10:30–11:00 amNetworking Break with Exhibitors
• 11:00–11:30 amRare Diseases
• 11:30 am–12:00 pmFireside Chat: Environmental Justice Microplastics
• 12:00–1:00 pmPhysician Workforce Diversity and Medical Pathway/Pipeline Programs
• 1:00–3:00 pmLunch and Mentorship Activity
• 1:00–6:00 pmBoard of Trustees Meeting
• 3:00–5:00 pmGeneral Membership Break Wellness/Exhibitor
• 6:00–8:00 pmWelcome ReceptionThe Morrow Hotel

Saturday, March 21, 2026

• 7:00–8:00 amBreakfast Networking with Exhibitors
• 7:00 am–5:00 pmColloquium Registration
• 8:05–8:50 amKeynote: Voting as a Social Determinant of Health
• 8:50–9:50 amHealth Equity Policy
• 9:50–10:15 amNetworking Breaks with Exhibitors
• 10:15–11:00 amOncology & Hematology: Cancer, Sickle Cell
• 11:00–11:30 amDiversity in Clinical Trials
• 11:30 am–12:30 pmMedicaid
• 12:30–1:30 pmWorking Lunch: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine- Death in Custody
• 1:30–2:30 pmMen’s and Women’s Health in Rural Communities/Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program
• 2:30–2:45 pmNetworking Breaks with Exhibitors
• 2:45–3:30 pmNutrition and Health: Plant-Based Diets vs. Inclusion of Dairy
• 3:30–4:30 pmRegulating Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• 4:30–4:45 pmSummary/NMA’s Call to Action
• 5:00–6:30 pmCorporate Circle Roundtable(Invite Only)
• 7:30–9:30 pmGary C. Dennis, M.D. 25th Annual Health Policy Awards Dinner

Sunday, March 22, 2026

• 8:30–9:00 amBreakfast
• 9:00 am–1:00 pmInterim Meeting of the House of Delegates

Participating Speakers

• Oluwakemi Adeola, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N., IFMCP

  Oluwakemi (Kemi) Adeola is a nutrition and dietetics expert, dedicated educator, and researcher committed to advancing clinical nutrition, public health, and health equity. She currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Howard University, where she plays a pivotal role in teaching, precepting, research, and mentorship. With over a decade of experience in the field, Kemi has made significant contributions to clinical nutrition, food security, and health disparities. She earned her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Howard University, a Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of the District of Columbia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN), she brings a wealth of expertise in medical nutrition therapy, functional nutrition, and evidence-based dietary interventions. Kemi’s research centers on the intersection of clinical and public health nutrition, health disparities, and culturally responsive dietary strategies to improve outcomes among underserved and high-risk populations.

  Her current project, Nourishing Futures, uses mixed methods to explore how nutrition behaviors and health risks affect academic and health outcomes among college students, informing sustainable, equity-driven approaches to improving healthy eating habits and chronic disease prevention. Beyond research, Kemi has played a key leadership role in fostering dialogue on health equity. For four consecutive years, she successfully led the planning and execution of Howard University’s Health Disparities Symposium, a widely attended event that brought together national experts to address pressing issues in health disparities, social determinants of health, and nutrition equity. Her strategic vision and organizational expertise were instrumental in securing funding, coordinating speakers, and ensuring impactful discussions that have influenced both academic and policy-driven conversations on these topics. Kemi’s dedication to education is evident in her role as an instructor and mentor. Passionate about student success, she actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, guiding them in research, professional development, and leadership within the field of dietetics. In addition to her academic work, Kemi is also engaged in professional consulting and has collaborated with organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Camille A. Clare, M.D., M.P.H., C.P.E.

  Camille A. Clare, M.D., M.P.H., C.P.E., FACOG is a board-certfied obstetrician and gynecologist. She received her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She obtained a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at New York Medical College. In 2012, Dr. Clare received the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence in Teaching award. In May 2018, Dr. Clare was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, Iota Chapter, New York, New York Medical College as a Faculty member. From 2021–2025, Dr. Clare served as Chair and Tenured Professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Downstate Health Sciences University (DHSU) College of Medicine and Professor of Health Policy and Management of DHSU School of Public Health. She has also previously served as Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at New York Medical College from 2016–2020. She most recently served as Vice Chair, Faculty Mentorship and Community Engagement and Outreach at Montefiore Medical Center, and is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine

  Dr. Clare has received numerous awards for teaching of medical students and residents in her academic career. Her clinical research interests include perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and health inequities, particularly in breastfeeding, maternal mortality and morbidity, community and public health, and health care advocacy. Dr. Clare is a medical educator, and clinician-researcher/scientist.

  Dr. Clare is an active member of the National Medical Association (NMA), and has served in leadership roles on the local, regional and national levels. Her past roles in the NMA include Region 1 Trustee, NMA Obstetrics and Gynecology Section Chair, and Finance Chair of the NMA Board of Trustees. Dr. Clare has received the National Medical Association Scroll of Merit award in 2016, which is the highest honor that the NMA bestows. She also received the NMA Region 1 Service award in 2012, and the National Medical Association Obstetrics and Gynecology Section Award for Best Practices in Breastfeeding in 2017.

  Dr. Clare is an active member of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), serving in leadership roles on the section, district, and national levels, and on several national committees. She was recognized as an ACOG Mentor of the Year in 2017, and received Distinguished Service award on behalf of ACOG District 2 in 2021. Dr. Clare is currently ACOG President Elect of ACOG and will be installed as President in May 2026 as the first Black woman president as a milestone for the 75th anniversary of ACOG this year.

• Dial Hewlett, Jr., M.D.

  Dial Hewlett, Jr., is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He was recruited to attend the University of Wisconsin on a track scholarship and went on to receive an MD from that University in 1976. He completed an internal medicine residency at Harlem Hospital Center – Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City. He then served for an additional year as Chief Medical Resident at Harlem Hospital Center. Following internal Medicine training at Harlem Hospital, Dr. Hewlett completed a two-year clinical and research fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein Affiliated Hospitals in the Bronx, New York.

  Following post-graduate medical training, Dr. Hewlett was appointed to be Chief of the Infectious Disease Division at Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center in the Bronx, New York and Assistant Professor of Medicine with NY Medical College Valhalla, NY. He subsequently became an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and served for a total of nine years at Lincoln prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry at the end of 1996.

  During his 23 year career in the Pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer Inc. Dr. Hewlett simultaneously served on the voluntary medical staffs as an Infectious Disease consultant at Lawrence Hospital Bronxville, New York (now NY Presbyterian Westchester), and Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, NY

  Following retirement from the pharmaceutical Industry in 2019, Dr. Hewlett served as Medical Director for the Westchester County Department of Health Clinics  . Between March, 2020 and June, 2023, he supported the Health Department activities aimed at COVID education / prevention including the COVID mass vaccination initiatives for adults and children.

  Between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2023, Dr Hewlett served as Principal Investigator for a 3.7 million dollar grant from the U.S.  Health and Human Services aimed at improving Health Literacy in the underserved areas of Westchester County which were heavily impacted by the COVID pandemic.

  Dr. Hewlett is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, The Infectious Disease Society of America and the New York Academy of Medicine. He is chair of the National Medical Association Task force on the COVID Vaccines and Therapeutics,

  In September, 2021, Dr. Hewlett received an Infectious Disease Society of America Citation Award which commemorated exemplary contributions to the Infectious Disease Society of America during the COVID pandemic.

  In February, 2022 Dr. Hewlett received the Dr. Valiere Alcena Award for his contributions in the field of Health & Human Services to the People of Westchester County New York.

  Dr. Hewlett has been married to Janice Marie Chance-Hewlett BSN RN for 44 years. They have four adult children and 7 grandchildren.

• Tamara McCants, Pharm.D.

  Tamara McCants, Pharm.D., is a nationally recognized advocate for health equity and a champion for expanding the role of pharmacists in improving outcomes for underserved communities. She currently serves as President of the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA), a national organization committed to advancing Black and other underrepresented pharmacy professionals and addressing disparities in healthcare.

  Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. McCants earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida A&M University. She is a Medical Science Liaison with Abbott Diabetes Care and brings nearly 25 years of experience across diverse pharmacy practice settings, including managed care, ambulatory care, operations and management, and academia. Throughout her career, she has led and executed millions of dollars in grant-funded initiatives focused on reducing disparities in HIV/AIDS, diabetes, immunizations, and mental health.

  A respected leader within the profession, Dr. McCants has held numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy, and in 2008 received the prestigious Bowl of Hygeia Award, one of pharmacy’s highest honors. She currently serves on the boards of Community Education Group (President) and Homes for Hope, remains actively engaged with the FAMU Alumni Association, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Rho Mu Omega Chapter. Dr. McCants is the devoted mother of two sons, whom she raises with her life partner.

• Leah N. C. Perry

  Ms. Leah N. C. Perry is a distinguished legal professional with over 20 years of experience in artificial intelligence (AI), privacy, cybersecurity, technology regulation, and international trade law. Her career bridges public service, private industry leadership, and academia—making her a leading authority in AI governance, privacy, information security, and product development legal matters.

  In her current capacity as Vice President of Legal – Chief Privacy Officer, and Global Head of Public Policy & AI Governance at Box, Inc., Ms. Perry oversees four global critical legal and compliance functions for the company, which proudly serves over 70% of Fortune 500 companies, along with numerous foreign and domestic government entities worldwide. Her responsibilities cover the full range of privacy and information security laws, and related product review matters thereby ensuring the company complies with changing global regulations. In addition, she successfully manages foreign and domestic public policy issues, and incident response, as well as supporting government procurement and multimillion dollar mergers and acquisitions initiatives.

  Ms. Perry’s most notable achievement includes the creation, implementation, and management of Box’s comprehensive AI Governance Program. This initiative directly supported the successful product launch of Box AI, demonstrating her ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into actionable business strategies. She regularly briefs the Board of Directors on AI governance, public policy, regulatory and privacy matters—highlighting her strategic importance within the organization’s leadership structure. In addition, Ms. Perry successfully led the development and launch of several of Box’s product offerings, such as Box Shield, Box Sign, AI Agents, and Metadata Extraction initiatives, amongst others. She also supported the business and engineering team in its shift to GCP.

  Before joining Box, Ms. Perry held senior privacy, information security, and regulatory legal roles at major tech and financial services firms, including Meta (formerly Facebook), Change Healthcare, and S&P Global (formerly McGraw Hill Financial). While in these roles, she led privacy legal and privacy compliance departments at each respective company, as well as led product launches such as Meta’s Portal, Messenger Kids, Dating App, and Marketplace, as well as incident response and leading complex multibillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions. In each respective role, she also navigated major regulatory investigations and compliance with US and foreign governments privacy and information security laws, and related consent decrees/settlement agreements.

  Earlier in her career she served for over nine years in both chambers of the U.S. Congress, namely as Chief Investigative Counsel for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Chief Oversight Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform. She also worked as Legislative Counsel for the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, which grounded her deep understanding of legislative and investigative processes.

  Prior to her work with the U.S. Congress, Ms. Perry was a professor at Morgan State University and International Policy Commentator on WEAA 88.5 FM located in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as a Business Development Analyst, and Product Development Manager at Interbrand in New York (a subsidiary of Omnicom).

  Ms. Perry’s scholarship has been featured internationally—in publications such as Information Security Magazine, Informatique News (France), Vanguard, Modern Counsel—and various speaking engagements across international and domestic organization, such as the 2025 keynote speaker on AI and healthcare before the International Health Partnership and Global Health Innovation Cen

• Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H., M.P.A., M.B.A.

  Dr. Stanford is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics who practices and teaches at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/ Harvard Medical School (HMS) as one of the first fellowship-trained obesity medicine physicians worldwide. She is among the most highly cited obesity medicine physician-scientists, with over 275 peer-reviewed publications. Stanford has conducted 1200 media interviews, including with the New York Times, USA Today, Time, U.S. News & World Report, Glamour, and NPR. In 2023, Stanford appeared on 60 Minutes with Lesley Stahl, stating that obesity is a chronic disease and that there is physician bias against those with excess weight. In an interview with Deborah Roberts on addressing weight stigma, Dr. Stanford advocates eliminating bias towards those with higher weights. Oprah Winfrey interviewed Dr. Stanford as an obesity expert for her “The Life You Want Class: The State of the Weight” on Oprah Daily. In this interview, she teaches about the science of obesity as a chronic disease. In an interview with Sanjay Gupta for his CNN Chasing Life podcast, she coined the term “street corner medicine” to refer to the assumption that people judge people based on their size– they assume that heavier people are unhealthy and leaner people are healthy without investigating whether this is factual by evaluating metabolic health parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol, liver function tests, blood sugar, etc.

  Dr. Stanford received her B.S. and M.P.H. from Emory University as an MLK Scholar, her M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine as a Stoney Scholar, her MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a Zuckerman Fellow in the Harvard Center for Public Leadership and her executive M.B.A. as a merit-based scholarship recipient from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. She completed her Obesity Medicine & Nutrition Fellowship at MGH/HMS after completing her internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of South Carolina. She has served as a health communications fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a behavioral sciences intern at the American Cancer Society. Upon completing her M.P.H., she received the Gold Congressional Award, the highest honor Congress bestows upon America’s youth.

  Dr. Stanford has completed a medicine and media internship at the Discovery Channel. An American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation Leadership Award recipient in 2005 and an AMA Paul Ambrose Award for national leadership among resident physicians in 2009, she was selected for the AMA Inspirational Physician Award in 2015. The American College of Physicians (ACP) selected her as the 2013 Joseph E. Johnson Leadership Award recipient, and the Massachusetts ACP selected her for the Young Leadership Award in 2015. She is the 2017 recipient of the HMS Amos Diversity Award and the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Award for Women’s Health. In 2019, she was selected as the Suffolk District Community Clinician of the Year for the Reducing Health Disparities Award for MMS.

  She was chosen for The Obesity Society Clinician of the Year in 2020. In 2021, she was awarded the MMS Grant Rodkey Award for her dedication to medical students and the AMA Dr. Edmond and Rima Cabbabe Dedication to the Profession Award, which recognizes a physician who demonstrates active and productive improvement to the profession of medicine through community service, advocacy, leadership, teaching, or philanthropy. She is the 2021 Recipient of the Emory Rollins School of Public Health Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2022, the National Academy of Medicine selected her as a Scholar in Diagnostic Excellence. She was named to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA). The National Medical Association selected her for the Meritorious Award, which recognizes a physician with national and international achievement and prominence for exceptional work in medical service, medical research, and academic medicine.