AHVAP names 2026 award winners at Grapevine conference

The Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals recognized its 2026 award recipients this week at its annual conference and industry expo in Grapevine, Texas. The honors spotlight leaders, early-career professionals and fellowship graduates whose work links clinical evidence, patient outcomes and financial stewardship.

Why it matters: - AHVAP’s awards highlight the people shaping how hospitals evaluate products, equipment, technology and services used in patient care. - The honorees reflect a field where clinical evidence and financial stewardship directly affect patient outcomes and organizational spending. - The recognition also signals AHVAP’s focus on leadership development across every career stage, from emerging professionals to senior executives.

What happened: - AHVAP presented its 2026 member awards during the AHVAP Annual Conference & Industry Partner Expo in Grapevine, Texas. - The association named Amanda Conner the Brooke Berson Award recipient, honoring AHVAP’s highest award for healthcare value analysis contributions. - AHVAP inducted Mary Harpole-Snider as a 2026 AHVAP Fellow. - AHVAP gave two Rising Star Awards, three Making a Difference Awards and three Presidential Citation Awards. - AHVAP also recognized seven graduates of the 2026 AHVAP Executive Leaders Fellowship Program.

The details: - Amanda Conner is Director-at-Large on the AHVAP Board of Directors and co-chairs the Membership Committee. - Amanda Conner also serves on the Education and Clinical Practice Committee and was faculty for the inaugural AHVAP Pediatric Healthcare Value Analysis Summit. - Amanda Conner is Manager of Clinical Value Analysis and Strategic Sourcing for Children's Healthcare of Alabama. - The Brooke Berson Award honors collaboration, innovation and leadership in driving positive change. - The AHVAP Fellow designation recognizes sustained leadership, scholarship and contribution to the profession. - Susan Wigglesworth and Andy Preising received the Rising Star Award for early-career impact within the first five years of their value analysis careers. - Andy Preising also serves on the AHVAP Nominating Committee and the Education and Clinical Practice Committee. - Susan Wigglesworth and Andy Preising are graduates of the AHVAP Executive Leaders Fellowship Program. - Robin Lane, Rhonda Reeder and Dr. Cassandra Self received the Making a Difference Award for evidence-based innovation that transformed patient care. - Robin Lane served on the 2026 Annual Conference Committee and is a past president of AHVAP. - Rhonda Reeder serves on the AHVAP Education and Clinical Practice Committee. - Dr. Cassandra Self serves as AHVAP’s healthcare finance expert and is a healthcare executive. - Jasmine Jarrett, Amanda Conner and Andrew Loehr received Presidential Citation Awards. - Jasmine Jarrett and Amanda Conner both serve as Directors-at-Large on the AHVAP Board of Directors. - Andrew Loehr is senior vice president and chief operating officer of Children's of Alabama. - The 2026 AHVAP Executive Leaders Fellowship Program is a ten-month, 100-plus-hour program focused on strategic, financial and leadership skills for healthcare value analysis executives. - The 2026 fellowship graduates are Dawn McWhorter, Ross Cleveland, Dr. Danielle Molina, Seth Klockmann, Jennifer Houff, Thomas Snyder and Allyson Easterling. - AHVAP also thanked outgoing board members BJ McCluskey, Jasmine Jarrett and Sandy Wise for their service. - Dr. Hudson Garrett said healthcare value analysis professionals work at the intersection of clinical evidence, patient outcomes and financial stewardship. - Dr. Hudson Garrett said every recipient was nominated by peers who saw the difference they make for patients and organizations. - Ruth Carrico presented the Fellow designation as chair of the AHVAP Fellows Review Committee. - Anne Marie Orlando presented the Presidential Citation Awards as president of the AHVAP Board of Directors.

Between the lines: - The awards list shows AHVAP using peer recognition to reinforce standards for leadership and evidence-based practice. - The mix of board members, committee leaders and fellowship graduates suggests the association is building a pipeline of internal talent. - Recognizing industry partners alongside clinicians points to AHVAP’s broader view of value analysis as a cross-functional discipline.

What’s next: - The 2026 fellowship graduates now hold the AHVAP Executive Leader Fellow Graduate designation. - The award recipients are positioned to carry more influence inside AHVAP committees, board work and professional education. - AHVAP will continue using its annual conference as a stage for leadership recognition and profession-building.

The bottom line: - AHVAP used its annual conference to spotlight the people driving evidence-based healthcare value analysis and to reinforce the profession’s leadership pipeline.