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Last night I attended the ACHE of North Texas Better Together event, hosted at CHRISTUS Health’s new corporate office in Las Colinas. This annual gathering is described as “an inspiring evening dedicated to advancing community, culture and inclusion within the healthcare industry,” and it certainly delivered on that promise.

The event, organized by ACHE of North Texas (ACHENTX) in collaboration with CHRISTUS Health and the North Texas Association for Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ), brought together professionals, advocates, and allies committed to building a more equitable healthcare landscape. It was also co-hosted alongside leading healthcare organizations including NALHE, NAHSE, HIMSS, HFMA, HDAA-DFW, AHLC, and WHEN—a true reflection of the “Better Together” theme.

The program opened with Tanya Stinson, MHQS, CLSSMBB, MCBA, CRP, Founder/CEO/Master Consultant of Leaning Towards Change, LLC, who engaged the audience with questions about professional memberships, highlighting the depth of leadership involvement across multiple associations.

Jared Shelton, FACHE, President of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, then welcomed the group, pointing out how valuable this event is—one attendee even drove 91 miles to attend. He reminded us of the value of showing up.

Kris Sanders, FACHE, Senior Vice President, Northern Market Growth & Development, Children’s Health Plano, delivered one of the evening’s most memorable talks—a TED-style presentation titled Bigger. She challenged us to think critically about our legacy with a powerful exercise: If you won the Mega Millions Powerball, what would people say about you when your story was told? Would it be “He spent every waking hour at the office,” “She was resistant to change,” or “He was an awful leader but had a great golf game”? Or would it be something more meaningful?

Kris reminded us that we each have the ability to shape our own narrative. Her message was clear: “Don’t forget the impact you are making. You are living the life of someone else’s prayers. You were not put in this role by accident – make it count.” Her passion and daily commitment to this principle inspired the room to think bigger, embrace change, and lead with purpose.

Ajith Pai, PharmD, FACHE, President of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth, emphasized the importance of finding common ground before introducing the evening’s keynote.

The keynote speaker, Patrick Hart, Founder of PDPMEDIA, shared a raw and powerful personal story of resilience, from childhood hardship and Army service to career highs, recession setbacks, and ultimately the legacy he is passing to his family. His authenticity and perseverance left the audience deeply moved.

In addition to the inspiring talks, the evening provided me with excellent networking opportunities. Attendees connected with the speakers and with leaders from CHRISTUS, Parkland Health, Foremost Health, Texas Health, AdventHealth, Quest, LabCorp, Encompass, and many others—all coming together under the shared banner of Better Together.