Health Journalism 2026
2026-05-27 00:00 - 2026-05-30 23:59 (America/New_York)
Pack your bags for the City of Lakes! The Association of Health Care Journalists and the Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism are thrilled to bring Health Journalism ’26 to Minneapolis from May 27–30. Expect four energizing days of immersive field trips, standout sessions, hands-on workshops and abundant opportunities to connect with colleagues from across the country.

“I’m excited that we’re returning to the middle of the country for our annual conference, after holding the last two in LA and New York,” said Gideon Gil, AHCJ board president. “This year, we’re starting the conference a day earlier, on a Wednesday, and ending on Saturday afternoon, to make it easier for attendees to stay through the last sessions before having to head home.”

At a moment when truth and accountability matter more than ever, we’ll bring together journalists, health care professionals, policymakers and industry experts for timely discussions. Be a part of the conversation (and pitch your ideas for sessions until Jan. 30, 2026) as we explore health care’s biggest challenges and examine emerging opportunities and solutions. As always, you’ll walk away with plenty of story ideas and new contacts.

This year’s conference will also feature the 22nd annual Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, a celebration of the best work in health care reporting.

“AHCJ is committed to moving our conference around the U.S. to make it more accessible to our members,” said Kelsey Ryan, AHCJ executive director. “We’re excited to give a national lens to local places each year, and Minneapolis has a lot that everyone can learn from.”

Beyond the sessions, Minneapolis offers so much to see and do. Visit George Floyd Square at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, which will soon have a memorial. Listen to live music on First Avenue or wander through the legendary Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to Claes Oldenburg’s iconic “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture. Dive into the city’s vibrant art scene at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Mill City Museum, the Weisman Art Museum and the Walker Art Center. And don’t forget to schedule a guided tour of Paisley Park, Prince’s former home and recording studio.

More details coming soon — but for now, save the dates, submit a session pitch and start making plans to be in Minneapolis!

Behind the Ebola outbreak: An expert backgrounder for journalists
2026-06-30 12:00 - 13:00
As a widespread outbreak of the little-known Ebola Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda continues to command global attention and generate controversy, accurate and nuanced reporting has never been more important.

Join the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) and the Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (EVAT) for a one-hour briefing and discussion that will help journalists and other communicators build a deeper understanding of the virus — including its epidemiology and spread, strategies for containment, what the US needs to do to be prepared, and the latest advances in vaccines and treatments.

This one-hour webinar brings together prominent, experienced voices in infectious disease, public health, and vaccines to walk reporters through the core science in plain, accessible terms, including:

Craig Spencer, M.D., MPH, an emergency medicine physician and Associate Professor at Brown University. He was deeply involved in the 2014 Ebola response in Guinea, both as a physician responding to the outbreak and then, as a survivor of the disease.

Daniel Jernigan, M.D., a former CDC leader of multiple responses to public health emergencies, including the 2014 Ebola response in Sierra Leone and in the US.

Mary Bassett, M.D., MPH, Professor at the Harvard University School of Public Health who was New York City’s Health Commissioner from 2014–2018, leading its Ebola response.

Philip Krause, M.D., a virologist and infectious diseases specialist who serves as Chair of WHO COVID Vaccines Research Expert Group. He was formerly Deputy Director of FDA’s Office of Vaccines Research and Review.

The session will be moderated by AHCJ’s Tara Haelle and incorporate ample time for Q&A.

Who Should Attend?

Science, health, and international affairs journalists seeking authoritative background for their Ebola coverage.

Public health professionals and others who want a better understanding of the current Ebola landscape.

Moderator

Tara Haelle

AHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases and Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist, author, speaker, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic, Scientific American, Texas Monthly, Science News, Medscape/WebMD, The New York Times, Wired, and O Magazine, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research, particularly vaccines, infectious disease, maternal and pediatric health, mental health, healthcare disparities, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly, NPR, the, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere.

Mary Bassett, M.D., MPH

Professor of the practice of health and human rights, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthMary T. Bassett is the Director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, as well as the FXB Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health. With more than 30 years of experience in public health, Dr. Mary Travis Bassett has dedicated her career to advancing health equity. Prior to her directorship at the FXB Center, Dr. Bassett served for four years as commissioner of Health for New York City. As commissioner, she worked to ensure that every New York City neighborhood supported the health of its residents, with the goal of closing gaps in population health across the city.

Daniel Jernigan, M.D., MPH

Former director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDCDaniel B. Jernigan, M.D., MPH, recently resigned his position as Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Jernigan completed training at Duke University and Baylor College of Medicine and has completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine.

He entered the CDC in 1994 as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer, and has been studying respiratory and emerging diseases since that time. He is a retired Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and was the recipient of the 2019 Service to America Medal.

Philip Krause, M.D.

Chair, WHO COVID Vaccines Research Expert GroupDr. Krause was for the past decade Deputy Director, Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). Dr. Krause is currently Chair of the World Health Organization COVID Vaccines Research Expert Group, and most recently he shared responsibility for regulatory authorizations of COVID-19 vaccines in the US.

In a 30-year career at FDA Dr. Krause has collaborated at the highest levels with international and US domestic stakeholders including the European Medicines Association (EMA), Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Craig Spencer, M.D., MPH

Public health professor and emergency medicine physician, Brown University School of Public HealthCraig Spencer, M.D., MPH is an emergency medicine physician, public health researcher, and Associate Professor of the Practice of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University School of Public Health. His work spans global health and domestic community engagement — connecting nearly two decades of frontline humanitarian experience to an emerging body of research and practice focused on rebuilding public trust in American health institutions.

Dr. Spencer’s field work has taken him across Africa and Southeast Asia as a physician and epidemiologist with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), including leading outbreak investigations in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Chad, and serving as a coordinator of MSF’s national epidemiological response during the West Africa Ebola epidemic.
