Agenda - April 22, 2026
Breaks & Meals
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration, Light Breakfast & Visit Vendors
11:15 - 11:30 a.m. Break, Visit Vendors & Newborn Screening Video
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch, Visit Vendors & Newborn Screening Video
3:00 - 3:15 p.m. Break, Snack & Newborn Screening Video
See sections below for details on presentations and speakers.
Welcome
Joyal Meyer, MSN, RN, ND Department of Health & Human Services
Opening Remarks
Kristin Smedley, Thriving Blind
Transforming Newborn Screening: Today’s Landscape, Emerging Science and the Road Ahead
- Joyal Meyer, MSN, RN, North Dakota Health & Human Services (NDHHS)
- Amy Gaviglio, MS, CGC, Connetics Consulting
- Introduced by: Jordan Anderson, NDHHS
Hearing Screening, Diagnosis & Beyond: Panel Presentation
Moderator: Stacey Quesada, Center for Public Health Innovation
Panelists:
- Mallory Wilson, Sharing Newborn Hearing Screening story
- Marly Schnabel, Sharing Newborn Hearing Screening story
- Jerrica Maxson, AuD, Trinity Health
- Nicole Swartwout, M. Ed. D/HH & ECSE, North Dakota School for the Deaf, Parent Infant
Why is it Important to Talk to Families About Newborn Screening Prenatally?
Moderator: Amy Gaviglio, Connetics Consulting
Panelists:
- Stephanie Foughty, MD, Altru, Devils Lake
- Chelsea Sharp, MSN, CNM, Sacred Hearth Midwifery & Wellness
- Carlotta Holter, CGC, Sanford Health
Cystic Fibrosis Panel Discussion
Moderator: Yvonne Kellar-Guenther, Center for Public Health Innovation
Panelists:
- Jessica & Tim Smith, Sharing Newborn Screening Story
- Melissa Kunkel, MD, Sanford Health
- Marissa Taylor, MPH, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
- Pam Thompson, Cystic Fibrosis Association of ND
Advancing Patient-Centered Communication in Newborn Screening
- Marianna Raia, MS, CGC, Expecting Health (Introduced by: Sandy Fawbush, HealthTech Solutions)
Keynote: Thriving is a Team Effort
- Kristin Smedley, Thriving Blind (Introduced by: Amy Burke, ND HHS)
Evaluation & Closing Remarks
Joyal Meyer, ND HHS