Photos from the 2026 FHLI Legislative Breakfast: FHLI President and CEO Dr. Rachel Keever with North Carolina Representative Deborah Ross (NC-02); attendees gathered at the Park Alumni Center in Raleigh, NC; and the breakfast buffet.
This past Tuesday, June 2, 2026, the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation (FHLI) hosted our annual Legislative Breakfast at the Park Alumni Center in Raleigh. Elected officials, key stakeholders, and community leaders gathered to hear firsthand about the realities of rural health from those working on the front lines. It was a meaningful morning filled with innovative ideas, valuable networking, and thoughtful conversation.
To open the morning, Dr. Shannon Dowler shared insights from her experience as a clinician and advocate practicing in rural Western North Carolina. Dr. Dowler emphasized what it truly means to “live rural,” reminding the standing-room-only crowd of more than 160 leaders that North Carolina still “has places to get to.”
Dr. Shannon Dowler, MD, CPE, FAAFP, shares her insights on what it means to truly “live rural” in Western North Carolina.
Building on Dr. Dowler’s local perspective, Zil Joyce Dixon Romero, Senior State Government Affairs Manager with the National Rural Health Association, provided an overview of the current federal policy landscape impacting rural communities. Romero praised North Carolina’s leadership in the Rural Health Transformation Program through the NC Department of Health and Human Services, noting that North Carolina is one of only four states to already have funding agreements in place or to have distributed awards.
Zil Joyce Dixon Romero, Senior State Government Affairs Manager at the National Rural Health Association, praised North Carolina’s leadership in the Rural Health Transformation Program, noting that North Carolina is only one in four states to already have funding agreements in place, or to have distributed awards.
The program then transitioned to the first round of rural health discussion, “What Are We Seeing on the Ground?”, in which frontline rural health leaders shared their experiences and perspectives from across rural North Carolina. Panelists included Shannon Meadows Allison, WHNP Student at Duke University School of Nursing; Dr. Shawn Howerton, Chief Executive & Chief Medical Officer at Sampson Regional Medical Center; Jessica Williams, Founder and Owner of Broken Things Farm; and Dr. Alex Green, Chief Dental Officer at Appalachian Mountain Health.
Later in the morning, the second panel, “What Will It Take to Move Forward?”, focused on leadership, partnerships, and policy changes needed to strengthen rural health systems statewide. Panelists included Stephanie Kiser, Executive Director of Rural Health Initiative and Professor at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy; Dr. Luisa McLean, Family Medicine Doctor, Resident, and Primary Care Doctor at Duke Primary Care Oxford; Marguerite Peterseim, Government Affairs and Policy Coordinator at the National Rural Health Association; and April Cook, Chief Executive Officer at the NC Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.
During the discussion, Kiser highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in rural communities, noting that while “we [rural North Carolinians] don’t have all that we need, if we work more collaboratively, we might.”
Pictured from left to right: April Cook, Dr. Alex Green, Dr. Shannon Dowler, Dr. Shawn Howerton, Dr. Luisa McLean, Zil Joyce Dixon Romero, Marguerite Peterseim, Jessica Williams, Shannon Allison, and Stephanie Kiser.
FHLI extends sincere thanks to all the speakers, panelists, legislators, partners, sponsors, and attendees who joined us for this year’s Legislative Breakfast. Your presence helped cultivate a space for meaningful dialogue around the future of rural health in North Carolina. The conversations, ideas, and partnerships ignited throughout the morning reinforced the importance of working together to improve health outcomes in every community across our state.
For more information about our policy priorities, see the 2026 Policy Priorities located within the 2026 Legislative Breakfast Resource Bank.
Connect, Collaborate, Advocate for a Healthier NC
There are many opportunities to engage with NCRHA and other FHLI programs in advocating for equitable health care access for all North Carolinians, regardless of their ZIP code. If you want to be part of the solution to make our systems work better for more people, sign up for our newsletter.
If you’d like to continue championing rural North Carolina, join NCRHA on July 24, 2026, at Impact Alamance in Burlington for the Rural Assembly Everywhere celebration, featuring in-person conversation and activities. This is a FREE event, but space is limited, and registration is required.
Would you like to relive the 2026 Legislative Breakfast? Check out the full photo gallery here.