The 2026 Women's Health Summit: Setting the Standard for Clinical Excellence
From Perimenopause to Power Years: Join the Next Chapter in Women's Health
The Women's Health Summit brings together leading clinicians and healthcare professionals for three days of innovative education focused on women's health, hormone balance, menopause, perimenopause, and healthy aging. Explore emerging clinical strategies designed to improve patient outcomes across every stage of a woman's health journey.
Real conversations.
Real connections.
Who Should Attend the Women's Health Summit?
Designed for clinicians advancing the future of women's health: physicians, NPs, PAs, OB-GYN clinicians, functional medicine providers, hormone specialists, longevity medicine practitioners, and other healthcare professionals focused on midlife, metabolic, and longevity-centered care.
What You’ll Master
The summit curriculum is built to help clinicians sharpen their understanding, strengthen decision-making, and leave with practical insight they can use in patient care right away.
Key Topics Include
Our Speakers
Learn from leading voices in women's health
Hear from respected clinicians and educators bringing practical insight, real-world experience, and forward-thinking perspectives to today's most important conversations in women's health.
Schedule
Day 1
October 8, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Perimenopause 101: Physiology, Symptoms, and Diagnostic Pitfalls
- Describe the hormonal and physiologic changes that define the perimenopause transition.
- Identify common symptom patterns and diagnostic pitfalls in midlife women.
- Apply a practical clinical framework for evaluating patients with suspected perimenopause.
Tara Scott, MD, FACOG, FAAFM, ABOIM
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Hormone Transitions in Midlife: Estrogen, Progesterone, Androgens, and the Brain
- Explain how changes in estrogen, progesterone, and androgens influence brain function, mood, sleep, and cognition in midlife women.
- Recognize common clinical presentations associated with hormonal transition.
- Discuss individualized strategies for supporting neurologic, emotional, and hormonal health during perimenopause.
Erika Schwartz, MD
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Sex-Steroid and Peptide Hormone Testing in Saliva and DBS (Dried Finger-Stick Capillary Blood) (Non-CME)
David Zava, PhD
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Morning Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Perimenopause and Cardiometabolic Risk: Weight Gain, Insulin Resistance, and Cardiovascular Health
- Identify cardiometabolic changes commonly seen during perimenopause.
- Explain the relationships among insulin resistance, weight gain, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk in midlife women.
- Apply practical strategies to support metabolic flexibility, weight management, and cardiovascular prevention.
Jim LaValle, RPh, CCN, MT, DHM, DHPh, B.SPharm
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Midlife Metabolic Remodeling: Food Noise, Visceral Fat, and the Triple-Satiety Hormone Cascade in the GLP-1 Era
Monique Class, MS, APRN-BC, FMCP
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
The 3 E's of Women's Cognitive Health: Estrogen, Exercise, and Eating for Brain Longevity
Kathryn Retzler, ND
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Supporting Women's Health Across the Lifecycle Through a Genetic Lens
Marla Feingold, MS, CNS, CKNS, LDN
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Endometriosis After 35: Rethinking Pain, Perimenopause, and Hormone Support
Jolene Brighten, ND
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Midlife Metabolic Makeover: Practical Strategies for Energy, Weight, and Resilience
- Identify key metabolic challenges women commonly face in midlife.
- Discuss practical nutrition, movement, and lifestyle strategies that support energy, body composition, and resilience.
- Translate metabolic health concepts into clear, actionable recommendations for patients.
JJ Virgin, CNS, BCHN, EP-C
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Afternoon Break
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Midlife Hormonal Chaos or Missed Thyroid Dysfunction? A Systems-Based Reframe
- Recognize overlapping symptoms of perimenopause and thyroid dysfunction.
- Identify thyroid patterns that may be overlooked in midlife women.
- Apply a systems-based approach to evaluating fatigue, weight changes, mood shifts, and metabolic symptoms.
McCall McPherson, PA-C
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Food as Hormone Information: Nutrition and Phytochemicals for Perimenopausal Women
- Describe how nutrition and phytochemicals influence hormonal signaling, inflammation, and metabolic health.
- Identify food-based strategies that may support perimenopause symptoms and long-term resilience.
- Apply practical nutrition recommendations for midlife women in clinical practice.
Deanna Minich, PhD
Day 2
October 9, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Beyond Hormones: A Systems Approach to Midlife Health Through Circadian, Environmental, and Nutritional Medicine
- Explain how circadian rhythms, environmental exposures, and nutrition influence midlife health in women.
- Assess circadian disruption, environmental burden, and metabolic function during the menopausal transition.
- Apply personalized nutrition and lifestyle interventions to support sleep, mood, and cardiometabolic health.
Deanna Minich, PhD
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Environmental Toxins: Practical Approaches to Menopause and Bone Health
- Identify environmental exposures that may influence hormone health, inflammation, and bone health in midlife women.
- Explain how toxin burden can affect menopause-related symptoms and long-term health risks.
- Apply practical strategies to reduce exposure and support patient education.
Aly Cohen, MD
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Morning Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Perimenopause Isn't the Villain: Hormone Testing and Interpretation in the Zone of Chaos
- Explain why hormone patterns during perimenopause can be variable and difficult to interpret.
- Identify appropriate testing strategies and common interpretation pitfalls.
- Apply clinical reasoning to connect lab results with symptoms, timing, and treatment decisions.
Carrie Jones, ND, FABND, MPH, MSCP
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
An Evidence Based Guide to Dosing MHT: Beyond the Basics- Optimizing Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone
Jaclyn Smeaton, ND
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
The Female Longevity-Gut Axis: Clinical Pearls for Personalized Immune, Gut Barrier, and Supplement Strategies in Healthy Aging (Non-CME)
Monique Class, MS, APRN-BC, FMCP-M
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
The Midlife Female Brain: How Immune, Hormonal, and Gut Signals Shape Cognition and Behavior
Jolene Brighten, ND
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Extending Fertility Span, Advancing Longevity, and Shaping the Health of the Next Generation
Ann Shippy, MD
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
From Labs to Treatment: Building Perimenopause Protocols from Real-World Data
- Interpret hormone and metabolic lab findings in the context of perimenopause symptoms.
- Translate clinical data into individualized treatment strategies.
- Develop practical protocols that support symptom relief, metabolic health, and long-term resilience.
Tara Scott, MD, FACOG, FAAFM, ABOIM
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Afternoon Break
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
As If: Navigating Perimenopause with Unapologetic Grace
Valerie Richards, PharmD, FAzPA
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Whole-Person Perimenopause: Bridging Conventional Gynecology, Integrative Care, and Patient Agency
- Describe how conventional gynecology and integrative care can work together in perimenopause management.
- Identify strategies that support patient agency, shared decision-making, and individualized care.
- Apply a whole-person framework to common midlife concerns, including symptoms, risk, and quality of life.
Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Laughing Through the Libido Dip: A Real-Talk Tour of Sex and Desire in Midlife
- Describe common emotional, relational, and psychosocial factors that influence desire in midlife.
- Identify communication strategies that help normalize patient conversations around sex and desire.
- Apply practical counseling approaches to support confidence, intimacy, and sexual well-being.
TBD
Day 3
October 10, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Sexual Health in Perimenopause: Desire, Pain, and Practical Treatment Pathways
- Identify common sexual health concerns during perimenopause, including desire changes, pain, and genitourinary symptoms.
- Discuss evaluation strategies for sexual pain, libido concerns, and hormonal contributors.
- Apply practical treatment pathways that support sexual function and patient quality of life.
Adeeti Gupta, MD
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Redefining Sexual Vitality and Aging: Hormones, Regenerative Therapies, and Confidence in Midlife Women
- Describe how hormones, tissue health, and aging influence sexual vitality in midlife women.
- Discuss regenerative and integrative strategies that may support sexual health and confidence.
- Apply a patient-centered framework for addressing sexual vitality, aging, and treatment expectations.
Amy Killen, MD
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Break and Exhibitor Hour
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Breast Health in Perimenopause: Estrogen, Risk, Screening, and Patient-Centered Counseling
- Explain how estrogen, perimenopause, and risk factors intersect in breast health counseling.
- Discuss screening considerations and patient-centered risk communication.
- Apply practical strategies for supporting breast health and informed decision-making in midlife women.
Jennifer Simmons, MD
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Health Coaching as the Missing Link in Perimenopause Care: Behavior Change, Patient Agency, and Sustainable Outcomes
- Explain how health coaching can improve adherence, behavior change, and patient engagement in perimenopause care.
- Identify coaching strategies that support lifestyle change, resilience, and sustainable outcomes.
- Discuss how clinicians can integrate coaching principles into a whole-person care model.
Sandra Scheinbaum, PhD
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Diversity and Disparities in Women's Health: How Perimenopause Care Misses the Mark
- Identify disparities in access, diagnosis, communication, and treatment for midlife women.
- Describe how culture, race, socioeconomic factors, and identity can shape the perimenopause experience.
- Apply more inclusive and patient-centered strategies to improve perimenopause care.
Ben Gonzalez, MD
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Ask the Experts
- Audience Q and A and clinical pearls from faculty.
Panel
Registration
Lock in your early bird rate—the best pricing closes July 31.
Register by July 31
Register by September 15
Register by October 8
*Ondemand will give you access to the recorded content post event.
Recordings available approximately 4-6 weeks post-event
CME & Continuing Medical Education
Earn CME credits while gaining practical, evidence-based education in women's health, menopause care, hormone replacement therapy, healthy aging, and preventive medicine. Programming is designed to support real-world clinical application and improved patient outcomes.
Venue
La Cantera Resort & Spa
16641 La Cantera parkway
San Antonio, TX 78526
