The 2026 Willcoxon Innovation in Health Sciences Summit will bring together leading national and local health experts March 27. It will take place in the Taylor Performing Arts Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus.

The keynote address will be delivered by Mary Joy Garcia-Dia, program director for nursing informatics at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where she leads enterprisewide digital innovation within the Institute for Nursing Excellence and Innovation. Her presentation, “The Evolution of Care Through Innovation,” will focus on the evolving role of informatics and digital transformation in advancing patient care and nursing practice.

Yayun Du, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Vanderbilt University, will present “From Bench-top to Bedside: Translating Wearable Technologies into Real-World Healthcare Impact.” According to MSSU, her research centers on bridging engineering innovation with clinical applications to improve patient outcomes.

Crystal Lemmons, dean of the College of Health, Life Sciences and Education at MSSU, will provide an overview of the university’s health science mission and facilities, outlining how new programs are supporting the institution as a statewide leader in health-focused education.

Participants also will experience a virtual tour of campus facilities featuring MSSU’s immersive learning environments and hear from Willcoxon Scholars, who will present their current projects and answer questions.

Rural health care leaders from around the region also will take part in a panel discussion on challenges and solutions facing their communities.

Panelists for the rural health care discussion include:

• Don McBride, CEO of Access Family Care.

• Linda Davis, a registered nurse who serves on the Quapaw Nation Business Committee.

• Sean Guiheen, nurse manager for the emergency department and medical-surgical unit at Cox Barton County Hospital in Lamar.

• Renee Denton, CEO at Freeman Neosho.

• David Smith, administrator for Mercy Pittsburg.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by the keynote address at 8:30 a.m. and expert-led sessions throughout the day.