Date and Time: Saturday, August 15, 2026, 8:30 AM - 2:45 PM Pacific Time

Separate registration is required!

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Overview

New to board service—or just looking to brush up on the fundamentals? This program equips health center board members with the knowledge needed to step into their role as a board member and remain focused on the board’s governance role.

Designed with new board members in mind, this training will cover: 

• health center board roles, 
• the legal duties of board members,
• governance vs. management,
• the board and CEO partnership,
• fundamentals of board functioning (meetings and committees),
• the board’s role in financial and quality oversight, and
• the board’s role in advocacy. 

Board members will have an opportunity to learn from board member, CEO, and subject matter expert faculty, as well as to meet fellow board members from across the country. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:  

• Describe key health center board roles 
• Explain the difference between governance and management and identify the elements of an effective board-CEO partnership 
• Discuss good practices related to effective board functioning at board and committee meetings 
• Describe the board’s role in financial oversight, quality oversight, and advocacy 

Who Should Attend?

Introduction to Health Center Board Roles is designed for new health center board members. Participants that want a refresher on board roles may also find attending to be helpful. **

Schedule* (All times are Pacific Time)

8:30am - 10:30am: Overview of Health Center Board Roles
The opening segment includes:

• Welcome and Orientation to the program including a chance to meet fellow health center board members 
• An Introduction to the three major categories of board roles: Strategy, Oversight and Policy, and Board Functioning 
• A high-level overview of board-focused requirements that are part of the Health Center Program 
• Discussion of individual board member duties 
• An introduction to some fundamentals related to effective board functioning (meetings, committees, norms) 

10:30am - 10:45am: Break

10:45am - 12:15pm: Essential Components of Health Center Board Oversight 
This segment will address how a board carries out its oversight role. It will address key areas of board oversight – including financial and quality – in some detail including the important intersection between these two components.

12:15pm - 1:30pm: Lunch on Own

1:30pm - 2:45pm: Supporting the Health Center Mission: Introduction to Advocacy for Health Center Board Members & Program Wrap Up 
Patient-majority, community-based health center boards and their members play a critical role in advocating for and building relationships to support the health center mission. This segment will define advocacy, as well as discuss the role of the board and the individual board member in allowable forms of advocacy.  

Faculty

• Dr. Craig Glover, Chief Executive Officer, FamilyCare Health Centers 
• Steven Sera, AAMS, Immediate Past Board Chair, Marana Health
• Avni Shridharani, MHS, President, Community Health Strategies 
• Emily Heard, MA, Vice President, Health Center Governance, NACHC 
• Sarah Francois, Director, Grassroots Advocacy, NACHC

Pricing

• NACHC Member Rate: $250 
• Non-Member Rate: $500 

Participants can just attend the pre-conference training or can add the pre-conference training to their full conference registration:

• Add training as part of the full conference registration: follow the conference registration link, and register for the entire conference by selecting "member category" and add "Introduction to Health Center Board Roles" before checkout, or 
• Register for the training only: follow the conference registration link, register only for "Introduction to Health Center Board Roles" by choosing "Pre/Post Conference Educational Opportunities ONLY." 

Important Information

• * Initial schedule as of March 2026. Subject to change. 
• Some in-person audience participation will take place via the NACHC Mobile App. In-person attendees are strongly encouraged to bring a smart phone or tablet, and to download the NACHC Mobile App in advance of attending Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members.  
• Meals will not be provided on-site during Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members.  
• ** Please note this program does not go into detail about co-applicant board roles or governance structures for public agencies, such as county or city health departments and universities, among others, that may receive grant funding under the Health Center Program. 
• Additional topics will be addressed during the 2026 Community Health Conference which will feature expanded programming for boards. Please consider registering for that event if you have previously completed Introduction to Health Center Board Roles: A Training Program for New Board Members or wish to continue your learning.