Call for Speakers

AHF National Conference > Call for Speakers

The 2025 Call for Speakers is Now CLOSED

Thank you to everyone who submitted proposals for our upcoming conference! The RFP is now closed, and the Conference Planning Committee is hard at work reviewing submissions.

What’s Next?

  • Speakers will be notified once the committee has made its final selections.
  • Please check your email for updates in the coming weeks.

Other Opportunities:

  • Operator Scholarships: Operators can apply for scholarships to help offset conference costs. Stay tuned for more information and application deadlines.
  • Culinary Competition Finalists: Selected finalists will receive complimentary conference registration and travel support.
  • Award Winners: Award recipients receive complimentary conference registration and travel support. Consider nominating a colleague or applying for an award yourself!
Operator Scholarships
National Culinary Competition
AHF Industry Awards

Educational Content

Based on attendee feedback, AHF has identified key topics that are sure to make the 2025 AHF National Conference the must-attend event for operators and business partners alike. These topics focus on actionable insights, innovative technology, leadership development, sustainability, staff engagement, and more.

Use the list below as inspiration to craft a proposal that will educate and inspire attendees:

Operations

  • Eco-friendly practices: Sessions on sustainable menu design, purchasing, and operations to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare foodservice.
  • Sustainability and plant-forward operations: Emphasis on environmentally responsible practices, including equipment electrification and sustainable packaging.
  • AI and robotics: Increased focus on AI, robotics, and smart kitchen equipment, with distinctions between practical tech and futuristic innovations.
  • Patient engagement tech: Discussions on how technology can improve patient meal selection and service. Technology in operations: Exploring the use of AI, autonomous equipment, and other tools for efficiency and labor savings.
  • Food product innovation: Exploration of new food products and how manufacturers can support operators.
  • Pediatrics & senior living: Sessions on pediatrics and senior dining, with practical strategies to prevent chronic disease.
  • Culinary demos: Live cooking demos, especially incorporating local cuisine such as Cajun/Creole.

Finance & Efficiency

  • Financial stewardship: Improving quality metrics for patient satisfaction and budget strategies.
  • Business of Foodservice 101: Understanding the numbers behind foodservice operations.

Regulatory & Safety

  • Regulation updates: Insights on new regulations like FSMA 204, food traceability, and healthcare specific rules impacting operations.
 

Team & Talent

  • Staff engagement & retention: Strategies for recruiting, retaining, and engaging a diverse workforce, and addressing language barriers.
  • Labor defense: Guidance on justifying labor costs and improving productivity metrics.
  • Recruitment and retention: Focus on staffing challenges, engaging unmotivated workers, and creative ways to do more with less.
  • Ethics: Ethical practices in the workplace and sessions to fulfill RD CEU requirements.

Personal & Professional Development

  • Leadership skills and time management: Sessions on fostering highly functioning teams, time management, emotional intelligence, and leadership fundamentals.
  • Work-life balance: Topics on balancing personal and professional lives while staying engaged.

Promoting Self-Op Success

  • Acute care & long-term care collaboration: Focus on improving the transition from patients to residents to enhance care during a significant life change.
  • Small hospital operations: Case studies on how smaller hospitals are navigating challenges, such as avoiding contract management.
 

Additional Topics:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Menu Innovation & Menu Cross-Utilization
  • Clinical Nutrition, Functional Nutrition, & Culinary Medicine
  • Catering, Retail, & Non-Patient/Resident Operations
  • Food Safety, Specialty Diets, & Allergens
  • Safety & Sanitation
  • Benchmarking
  • Change Management, Emotional Intelligence, & Leadership Trends
  • C-Suite Engagement & Relationship Management
  • Current Trends within the Industry Across All Job Functions
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“AHF conference is time we’ll spent. Great opportunities for refreshing my perspective to daily operational challenges with innovative ideas and solutions. Always appreciate this opportunity!”
2022

M. C.
Operator - Senior Dining - Pennsylvania

“I personally loved this opportunity! There is much information and help that is required for someone like me to grow as a foodservice individual. I was able to learn so much, and meet so many different people. I even made a few new friends. This was an amazing time for myself, and I would love to attend next year!”
2022

J. B.
Operator - Critical Access Hospital - Indiana

“The AHF National Conference never disappoints! If you can dream it, an operator or business partner at the conference is willing to share their wisdom and help you succeed.”
2022

M. V.
Operator - Pediatric Hospital - Tennessee

“The 2023 AHF Conference: The Great Journey. Such a fitting theme to encompass the experiences I had during this conference. This was the first professional conference I have attended and the bar has been set high. I left feeling inspired and validated-with many great ideas to implement. My confidence as a leader was restored and the networking experience was outstanding. I cannot wait to attend the next AHF National Conference!”
2023

E. L.
Operator - Acute Care - Texas

“Best Conference Ever!!!”
2023

T. R.
Operator - Specialty Hospital - Texas

“The AHF Annual Conference is fabulous! I look forward to attending each year to network with clients and friends, meet new people, and do a lot of learning. #BestWeekoftheYear!”
2023

S. M.
Business Partner

“AHF is an amazing organization, and I am in awe of the strength and knowledge base of the members. I learn something new every time I interact with both operator and business partner members. It gives me the lift I need to continue to drive my program forward for my patients and customers.”
2023

E. B.
Operator - Acute Care - Illinois

“I feel that the 2023 Conference was AHF’s best one yet; we continue to raise the bar and deliver impactful, engaging content and opportunities to connect with core Industry thought leaders, subject matter experts and friends. Thank you for an exceptional event, all around! Great job!”
2023

S. G.
Business Partner

“The annual AHF conference always allows me to build my network, learn and grow as a leader. The takeaways were many and so very useful.”
2023

A. O.
Operator - Acute Care & Senior Dining - New Jersey

“AHF National Conference is an incredible experience. It is very helpful to meet so many people faced with similar challenges in the industry and to be able to non-competitively share best practices. The collaboration is amazing and something I truly look forward to.”
2023

J. G.
Operator - Acute Care - Ohio