By Nikhil Singal
The California Association of Healthcare Leaders (CAHL) has experienced an exceptional year in 2024, marked by transformative programming, significant growth, and enhanced member engagement. As we look to 2025, we are poised to build on these successes, expand our reach, and continue advancing our mission to develop healthcare leaders across Northern and Central California.
Growth and Outreach
In 2024, CAHL achieved remarkable growth, with our membership rising to 1,751—a nearly 9% increase from the previous year. This growth can be attributed to our efforts to enhance member retention, expand in-person events, and raise awareness about the value of ACHE membership. As we look to 2025, we are committed to furthering this growth through continued outreach and engagement. We will continue to enhance our online presence, including our LinkedIn platform, where we saw a 60% increase in followers, ensuring that more healthcare leaders across Northern and Central California have access to CAHL’s educational resources and networking opportunities.
Expanding Local and In-Person Programming
CAHL made a significant effort to focus on in-person programming in 2024 in addition to providing virtual offerings. CAHL provided 31 virtual education and networking offerings and 18 in-person offerings in 2024. We had a 72% increase in attendee hours from 2023 and provided 79 programming hours which is a 14% increase from 2023. This is a fantastic feat and we hope to continue to grow in 2025. In 2025, we will continue to expand these in-person offerings.
Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
CAHL’s recognition with the District 5 Regent-at-Large Award for Chapter Accomplishments in Diversity in 2024 underscores our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In 2025, we will continue to promote DEI initiatives, providing platforms for underrepresented groups in healthcare leadership. We will build on the success of our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee by hosting more events that focus on critical issues, such as health equity and gender equity in healthcare. We also plan to expand our Heritage Month programming to further raise awareness and drive meaningful change within the healthcare sector.
Our First CAHL Congress!
The success of our inaugural CAHL Congress in October 2024 marked a major milestone for the chapter, drawing over 200 attendees and receiving exceptional feedback. We are excited to build on this success with an even more impactful event in 2025.
Expanding Engagement with Early Careerists
CAHL also launched and hosted its inaugural Case Competition on November 16, 2024, bringing together health administration students from across Northern California. The event featured 5 undergraduate and 2 graduate level teams, and CAHL partnered with a local health system to create the case study. Beyond the competition, students had the unique opportunity to receive one-on-one career coaching and resume reviews with senior executive leaders, gaining invaluable insights and guidance for their future careers. The day concluded with a networking event open to all CAHL members, allowing participants to connect with industry professionals and build meaningful relationships. In 2025, we will strengthen partnerships with colleges and universities across the region to further engage early careerists. We are committed to offering more scholarships, expanding mentorship opportunities, and providing students with access to career coaching and valuable networking opportunities.
Fostering Professional Development and Advancement
CAHL has several specialized programs including the mentorship program and the Board of Governor’s Exam preparation series. The CAHL Mentorship Program successfully completed its Spring and Fall Formal Programs with a cohort of 100 mentors/mentees ranging from early careerists to senior executives. To support member advancement to Fellow, we hosted two Board of Governors Exam Review and Preparation Series offerings which included educational sessions to help prepare our members to advance within ACHE. The events were well attended, and we are excited to help others advance to being a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. CAHL recognizes the opportunity to further support the advancement of our members in 2025 and will be exploring initiatives designed to enhance and facilitate their professional growth.
Strengthening Financial Health and Sponsorship Opportunities
Our efforts to secure sponsorships in 2024 were incredibly successful, generating approximately $100K in support for CAHL’s programming. As we look toward 2025, we aim to further cultivate relationships with our sponsors, ensuring that we provide them with valuable opportunities while securing the financial support needed to expand our offerings. By developing new sponsor partnerships, we will continue to enhance our programming and expand our capacity to offer members high-quality, impactful events and resources.
In 2025
In summary, this has been a landmark year for CAHL. We are excited about the continued membership and volunteer growth of the organization. We look forward to 2025 as we aim to building upon the success of CAHL Congress, identify additional sponsors, and help elevate our members in their professional development.
As we reflect on our achievements and look forward to the coming year, we remain deeply grateful to our dedicated board members, sponsors, and volunteers who help make CAHL’s mission a reality. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, more inclusive, and dynamic healthcare leadership community in California.
