Appalachian Food is Medicine Summit

Food as Medicine conference on improving Appalachian health through nutrition-focused healthcare, agriculture, and community partnerships.
About this Event

This one-day Food as Medicine conference will bring together medical students, community organizations, community leaders, and healthcare systems for a practical, place-based exploration of how food can be integrated into communities and healthcare to improve health outcomes in Appalachia. The day will feature a mix of keynote talks, panel discussions, and applied case studies that outline a clear roadmap for advancing Food is Medicine strategies—highlighting successful partnerships that bridge healthcare, agriculture, and food access systems. Sessions would examine how hospitals and health systems can move beyond traditional clinical walls to function as community health hubs, leveraging local farmers, food retailers, and community organizations to address food insecurity and nutrition-related disease.

Discounted room rates are available at the Hampton Inn in Pikeville for the night of Sunday, October 18th. Book your room at the link below to receive the Food is Medicine Summit discount.

Available Rooms - Hampton Inn Pikeville

Agenda

🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration & Refreshments

Info: Check-in, grab your badge, and enjoy light refreshments.

🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:15 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks - Dr. Nika Larian, PHD

Info: Welcome from our host and an overview of the day.

🕑: 09:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Keynote Session

Info: Dr. Seth A. Berkowitz, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Author of Equal Care: Health Equity, Social Democracy, and the Egalitarian State

🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Setting the Stage: FIM in Kentucky - Morgan Bray

Info: What IS Food is Medicine? Learn how the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), are working to integrate nutrition into healthcare to improve health outcomes and strengthen local food systems.

🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Fireside Chat - Commissioner Jonanthan Shell & Scott Thompson

Info: Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell and Russell County Hospital CEO Scott Thompson discuss the roles of agriculture and healthcare in advancing Food is Medicine.

🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Panel: Clinical Interventions That Work

Info: Learn how food is medicine patient interventions (medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, produce prescription, etc.) have been successful from:
Food as Health Alliance (UK, ARH, and UofL Program), Cane Kitchen, Mountain Comprehensive Health Centers, and WellCare

🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch and Healthy Cooking Demonstration
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Breakouts (Parallel Sessions)

Info: Community Track - Lobby Level
Food Insecurity and the Role of Food Banks in Food Is Medicine: Driving Food Security & Health Impact Through Healthcare Collaboration
Moderator: Dr. Serenity Wright, University of Kentucky
Danielle Bozarth, God’s Pantry
Melissa McDonald, Feeding Kentucky
Shanda Oakley, God’s Pantry Food Recovery Program

Nutrition Education Track - UPike Pavillion Main
Educating Future Medical Professionals
Moderator: Dr. Curtis Koons, Pikeville Medical Center
Dr. Sarah Police, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Dr. Natalie Freeman, Lincoln Memorial University
Dr. Ayesha Ghayur, University of Pikeville School of Osteopathic Medicine

Funding and Partnerships Track - 7th Floor Pavillion, Exterior
Grant Writing Workshop w/ Dr. Alison Gustafson
Learn to write a compelling proposal, identify funding opportunities, and work alongside key partners for grants such as HRSA, Veterans Affairs, USDA GusNIP, and private foundations.

🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:15 PM
Break and Facilitator Share Out
🕑: 02:15 PM - 03:15 PM
Breakouts (Parallel Sessions)

Info: Community Track - Lobby Level
The Role of Farmer’s Markets in Community Health
Moderator: Jennifer Weeber, Northfork Local Food Coordinator
Dana Feldman, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Adam Hudson, Community Farm Alliance
David Walker - Pike Co Farmers MarketNutrition Education Track- UPike Pavillion Main
Changing Nutrition for the Workforce and Community
Moderator: Danielle Harmon, ARH
Andy Lockwood, Sodexo
Anna Haas, What Chefs Want
Dr. Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Kentucky

Funding and Partnerships Track - 7th Floor Pavillion, Exterior
State and Philanthropic Funding Sources and the Partnerships Created
Lisa Arvin, Dept of Public Health
Claire Snyder, The Pallotine Foundation
Michelle Howell, Need More Acres Farm

🕑: 03:15 PM - 03:30 PM
Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways