Matt Rainey, AdventHealth photographer
Matt Rainey, AdventHealth photographer
Matt Rainey, AdventHealth photographer
Matt Rainey, AdventHealth photographer
Body, mind, and spirit were at the heart of AdventHealth’s 36th annual Conference on Mission, August 20-22, 2026, gathering leaders from across AdventHealth for three days of reflection, celebration, and renewal.
Last year’s conference introduced the organization’s five missional pillars: Missional Leadership, Wholehearted Teams, Whole-Person Care, Serving Communities, and Healing Environments. This year, attendees focused on Whole-Person Care, exploring how care for the body, mind, and spirit shapes the experiences of patients, team members, and communities.
“Our mission motivates us to care, lead, and serve differently. When we say we want people to feel whole, it’s not marketing. That’s the truth,” said Olesea Azevedo, chief culture and transformation officer for AdventHealth.
Honoring Mission in Action
The conference began with an awards banquet on Thursday, recognizing AdventHealth team members and community partners through the Christian Service, Trustee of the Year, and Crystal Angel awards. Each honoree reflected AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ through extraordinary leadership, meaningful service, and compassion for patients and communities.
Rajiv Naval Srinivas, M.D., an internal medicine physician at AdventHealth Manchester, received the Christian Service Award for his deep care for patients and his work supporting communities facing food insecurity.
Serkan Sare, director of nutritional services at AdventHealth Lake Wales, received the Christian Service Award for nourishing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of patients and team members through the meals he prepares.
The third Christian Service Award recipient was Sandra Perry, nurse manager for the behavioral health unit at AdventHealth DeLand, recognized for her constant kindness and commitment to providing peace and healing to patients.
The AdventHealth hospice team in central Florida received the fourth Christian Service Award for compassion and clinical excellence during some of the most vulnerable moments in patients’ and families’ lives.
Monty Jacobs, executive director for global missions at AdventHealth, received the final Christian Service Award for his leadership and dedication to extending AdventHealth’s mission across borders.
The Trustee of the Year Award recognizes exceptional leaders who serve as board members within the AdventHealth family. Marcy Blair, chairman of the foundation for AdventHealth Castle Rock, and Arthenia Joyner, a member on the board of trustees for AdventHealth Tampa, received the first two awards for their service and support of their communities. Gary Thurber, former president of the Mid-America Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, received the final award for his thoughtful leadership and steadfast advocacy for AdventHealth’s mission.
The Crystal Angel Award recognizes exceptional faith-based leadership, and executives who demonstrate extraordinary dedication through mission-driven initiatives. Jessica Baird-Wertman, CEO of AdventHealth’s Primary Care Network, received the first award for leading with humility, wisdom, and unwavering compassion.
Brian Adams, president and CEO of the AdventHealth Central Florida Division, received the second Crystal Angel Award for advancing AdventHealth’s mission through community partnerships and programs such as the Most Vulnerable Patient (MVP) program, which connects vulnerable patients with community resources beyond the hospital.
In the awards banquet keynote address, Robert L. Klitzman, M.D., psychiatrist, bioethicist, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, and author of Doctor, Will You Pray for Me?, addressed the spiritual and emotional dimensions of illness and caregiving. He encouraged clinicians to recognize the internal questions patients may carry as they face illness, including questions about purpose, faith, and suffering.
“Being aware of the person and their story can make a huge difference,” said Klitzman. “The more we combine the scientific, the humanistic, and the spiritual, the better off patients will be.”
The Doorway to Whole-Person Care
The Friday morning business session kicked off with a three-part exploration of whole-person care. Before each section, the story of the Pool of Bethesda from John 5 was explored through the lens of body, mind, and spirit.
Starting with physical care, attendees were shown how Jesus first healed the sick man physically by restoring his ability to walk. Then through first-hand accounts, AdventHealth clinical leaders and medical professionals reflected on how physical healing is the doorway to whole-person care.
“A diagnosis may begin in the body, but it quickly reaches into every corner of a person’s life,” said Mike Cacciatore, M.D., chief clinical officer at AdventHealth. “It changes how they think. It tests their hope. It affects their relationships. It can even challenge their faith. Because, while whole-person care is our calling, it almost always begins with something very practical. It begins with exceptional clinical care.”
Omayra Mansfield, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer for AdventHealth Celebration, and Valerie McKinnis, vice president of innovation and chief medical informatics officer for the AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region, continued the conversation, sharing examples of how trust is what allows for physical healing to take place.
“Trust is at the core of how our patients experience us, and fuels fulfilment in our relationships,” said Mansfield. “Our patients and communities experience trust with us when we intentionally connect with them and communicate consistently, transparently, and authentically.”
Lightening the Load
At the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus asked the sick man, “Do you want to get well?”
It was an invitation to renew his hope for experiencing healing. This was the background set for attendees as Julie Rish, vice president and chief experience officer at AdventHealth, invited them to explore the role of mental health in whole-person care. Ravindran Sabapathy, psychiatrist at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission; Brian Adams, president and CEO of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division; Mike Griffin, senior vice president for advocacy and public policy; and JB Boonstra, executive director of community advocacy, explored the importance of peace of mind and mental well-being in a patient’s healing journey, and the importance of strengthening the health of the communities AdventHealth serves.
“The true measure of our work is not simply how effectively we manage performance indicators, but how faithfully we honor the person those indicators represent,” said Rish. “It becomes our ministry. It is our mission.”
Encounters That Heal
The story of the sick man at the Pool of Bethesda concludes when Jesus later finds the man at the temple, tells him that he is healed, and to sin no more, giving him accountability on his journey in spiritual healing. With this conclusion to the story, Trish Celano, senior vice president and associate chief clinical officer for AdventHealth, highlighted the importance of spiritual care in the healing journey of patients.
“If we focus on physical healing — and fail to meet a patient’s spiritual needs — we haven’t lived our mission. We leave people broken,” said Celano. “The spirit is not limited to a specific religious practice. It’s a dimension of our humanity.”
Jocelyn Shaw, vice president of mission and ministry for the Southeast Region; Sherrie Smith, senior manager of spiritual integration; and Joshua Reyes, director of consumer access at AdventHealth Winter Park, discussed how there is a shared commitment to treat one another as whole people, with compassion and love.
Reyes shared how something small can sometimes create impactful moments.
“When we slow down and see the person in front of us, we help create a space where fear can soften, grief can be acknowledged, and hope can return,” he said. “That’s the opportunity all of us have every day. At AdventHealth, we’re called to care for the whole person. And sometimes that care starts right at the front desk.”
Tim Cook, senior vice president and chief mission integration officer, and Garrett Caldwell, vice president for mission integration, closed the morning by reflecting on the lasting impact of this care.
“The legacy we’ve inherited of whole-person care is not simply excellent clinical practice and prayer. It begins with seeing those we serve in the way they were created — a sacred integration of body, mind, and spirit,” said Cook. “How we see the ones we care for is what positions us to participate in Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ.”
To conclude the conference on Sabbath morning, attendees saw how whole-person care is alive today through compelling stories, impactful art, and moving musical performances.
The AdventHealth Orchestra and Choir performed select compositions together with the debut of AdventHealth Healing Voices, a select team member vocal ensemble. The Illuminations of Faith Art Gallery, a curated collection of personal artwork created by AdventHealth team members from across the system, also returned. This year, music submissions, such as lyrics and fully produced songs, were added to the gallery on top of a variety of fine art, photography, and poetry that represented team members’ unique reflections on faith.
Tim Gillespie, vice president of mission and ministry for AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain Region, delivered a message on access as a central expression of mission.
“Mission is removing obstacles every single day. It is the daily work of access,” he said. “Every barrier we remove becomes a testimony.”
AdventHealth’s mission is reflected in whole-person care: seeing the totality of each person, and responding to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
“This divine calling broadens the definition of true health. We don’t see people in just clinical terms. Rather, we see the sum of their seen and unseen parts,” said David Banks, president and CEO of AdventHealth. “Whole-person care is not simply a spiritual component layered onto clinical excellence or patient experience. It is the sacred integration of all we do for those in our care.”
AdventHealth | November 2026
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