Two prominent public health leaders will headline the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation’s third annual Healthy Desert, Healthy You Summit, bringing decades of experience in health equity, healthcare access and population health to our valley. The event takes place Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage and registration is free.

Together, the two speakers will help frame this year’s focus on addressing the social determinants of health that shape the well-being of Coachella Valley residents, including healthcare access, behavioral and mental health, healthcare workforce development and housing.

Angelica Geter, DrPH, a nationally recognized public health strategist, will open the day’s keynote presentations. She served as chief health officer for the City of Atlanta and senior health and equity advisor for 26Health’s Atlanta expansion, where she helped expand healthcare access for more than 300,000 residents.

As one of the consultants guiding the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation’s new five-year strategic plan, Dr. Geter has spent months meeting with nonprofit organizations, community leaders and residents throughout the valley.

Later, attendees will hear from Takashi Wada, MD, MPH, vice president of population health and CalAIM, California’s initiative to improve Medi-Cal services, for the Inland Empire Health Plan. As the summit’s “Call to Action” keynote speaker, he will challenge the audience to turn inspiration into action and answer the question: What can I do to help?

Local media personalities will serve as panel moderators, including NBC Palm Springs’ Thalia Hayden and Olivia Sandusky; KESQ’s Katie Boer, Patrick Evans and Laurilie Jackson; KUNA Telemundo’s Herán Quintas; The Palm Springs Post’s Kendall Balchan and Desert Health’s Lauren Del Sarto.

For more information and registration, visit www.HealthyDesertHealthyYou.com.