UNC Asheville Hosts Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt and Regional Leaders for 2026 WNC Health Policy Initiative Legislative Summit

The University of North Carolina Asheville hosted the fourth annual WNC Health Policy Initiative Legislative Summit on Friday, March 13, featuring remarks from North Carolina Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt. The summit included more than 100 healthcare, nonprofit, academic, and government leaders from across Western North Carolina to discuss the region’s evolving healthcare landscape. It highlighted UNC Asheville’s role as a regional leader committed to fostering collaboration and advancing solutions that benefit Western North Carolina.

The summit was organized by the WNC Health Policy Initiative of the NC Center for Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville in partnership with the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). Funded by Dogwood Health Trust, it focused on building rural health resilience, workforce sustainability, and policy challenges affecting the region.

“When you have people from healthcare, universities, nonprofits and government all in the same room, that’s when real progress starts to happen,” said Lt. Gov. Hunt. “Access to care, workforce development, and community health systems are all part of building a state that’s prepared for the future.”

UNC Asheville Chancellor Kimberly van Noort opened the summit along with Dr. William Hathaway, CEO of MAHEC and Dr. Susan Mims, President and CEO of Dogwood Health Trust.

“When you invest in healthcare research capacity, you are investing in the economic vitality of every community in this region,” said Chancellor van Noort. “UNC Asheville’s Health Policy Research Consortium brings together institutions across Western North Carolina to generate the kind of evidence-based strategies that attract resources, inform policy, and drive measurable improvements in regional health outcomes and economic resilience.“

The keynote address, “Transforming for Resilience: How Western North Carolina is Reimagining Rural Health,” was provided by Laurie Stradley, CEO of Impact Health, who highlighted innovative cross-sector partnerships and policy strategies advancing coordinated, prevention-focused care throughout the region. 

A legislative and policy panel featured members of the North Carolina General Assembly and senior health leaders, including WNC Health Policy Initiative Expert-in-Residence Senator Ralph Hise; Representative Timothy Reeder; Senator Jim Burgin; Melanie Bush, Interim Deputy Secretary for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; Katherine Martin, Vice President of Health Affairs for the UNC System; and Josh Dobson, President and CEO of the North Carolina Healthcare Association.

After the panel, breakout sessions connected attendees with health policy researchers from UNC Asheville, Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University, and the WNC Health Network to provide input on research priorities that will inform future policy development and address identified regional health needs.

About UNC Asheville

Founded in 1927, UNC Asheville is a proud member of the University of North Carolina System. With award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and 90+ academic programs in the natural sciences, human sciences, humanities, arts, and social sciences, the University is recognized for its robust paid internship programs to prepare students to immediately enter the workforce. In the US News & World Report 2025 edition of Best Colleges, UNC Asheville is ranked No. #9 in Top Public Schools, and No. #7 in Princeton Review’s 2025 Top 50 Guide to Green Colleges. Known as the Bulldogs, UNC Asheville student-athletes compete in 16 NCAA Division I Teams in the Big South Conference. For more information, please visit: www.unca.edu.