Health Policy in Your Hands: Equipping Religious Leaders for the Issues
February 10-11, 2008
Austin, TX

Religious leaders are strong and compelling voices for change. As health care reform takes center stage both nationally and statewide, please join us for a conversation that will provide clear, concise policy information and theological reflection on health care and health care reform.

Conference Location and Times:
Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest
606 Rathervue Pl
Austin, TX 78705

Registration begins at 3:00 on Sunday, February 10. The conference ends Monday, February 11 at lunchtime.

Overnight Accommodations:
There are limited overnight accommodations at the Episcopal Seminary and several hotels near the campus. Please contact Beth Olson at the Christian Life Commission for more information (512-473-2288 or beth.olson@bgct.org)

Cost:
$30 per person
Scholarships are available

SPEAKERS

Gordon Atkinson is the pastor of Covenant Baptist church in San Antonio. Rev. Atkinson started a blog in 2002 called Real Live Preacher (www.reallivepreacher.com <http://www.reallivepreacher.com/> ) as an honest and open chronicle and commentary of life as a pastor, father and husband. In October 2004, Eerdmans published a collection of Atkinson's essays in the book, "RealLivePreacher.com." Mr. Atkinson writes regularly for The Christian Century, The High Calling, and occasionally for The Wittenburg Door. His wife, Rev. Jeanene Atkinson, was a hospital chaplain in the Baptist healthcare industry for 20 years.

Beaman Floyd is a consummate lobbyist with more than a decade of experience inside the State Capitol. His broad experience in Texas governmental affairs includes work on such issues as insurance reform, workers’ compensation, health care benefits, public education reform, higher education, local government issues, retirement issues, and other public policy matters. Mr. Floyd’s extensive knowledge base ranges from issues facing Texas’ personal lines insurers to state tax policy. He provides clients with valuable insight into the policy-making process, its rules and procedures. Floyd successfully builds coalitions of interested parties to pursue legislative and regulatory change.

Camille Miller is the President and CEO of Texas Health Institute, a non-partisan organization that provides leadership in the development of health care solutions to shape the Texas health care environment. Ms. Miller has extensive experience in Health and Human Services policy research and development through her work with several Texas state officials including two governors and two lieutenant governors. Ms. Miller serves on numerous health care-related boards. She currently chairs the State Health Policy Centers Collaborative and is the chair-elect of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. Ms. Miller is also a member of First Baptist Church, Austin.

Bee Moorhead is the Executive Director of Texas Impact, a statewide religious grassroots network whose members include individuals, congregations, and governing bodies of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. Before coming to Texas Impact, Ms. Moorhead spent seven years as a senior fiscal analyst for the Texas State Comptroller. In this position, she was responsible for public policy issues related to health and human services and health care.

Dr. Eduardo Sanchez is the Director of the Institute for Health Policy in The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, an entity dedicated primarily to the study of health policy in Texas. Prior to this position, Dr. Sanchez was the Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Dr. Sanchez is a board-certified family practice physician and also served as Health Authority and Chief Medical Officer for the Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services Department from 1994-1998.

Rev. Linda Hanna Walling is the founding Executive Director of Faithful Reform in Heath Care, an organization that seeks to expand the depth and breadth of support for health care reform within the religious community, educate people of faith about the issue, and activate the prophetic voice to promote affordable health care for all the United States as a moral value. Before coming to Faithful Reform in Health Care, Rev. Walling served as the Faith Project Director of the Universal Health Care Action Network for seven years and is co-author and editor of Seeking Justice in Health Care: A Guide for Advocates in Faith Communities.

AGENDA

Sunday, February 10

3PM    Registration

4PM     Welcome Address: Dr. Eduardo Sanchez

6PM    Dinner. Address: Camille Miller

7PM    Theological Framing Part 1. Reverend Linda Walling

9PM     Adjourn

Monday, February 11

8AM     Breakfast. Address: Beaman Floyd

9AM    Theological Framing Part 2. Reverend Gordon Atkinson

10AM    Group Discussion. Reverend Linda Walling

11AM    Next Steps. Bee Moorhead

NOON    Lunch