HIMSS has announced the 2026 AI Advisory Group, a select group of healthcare leaders who will help shape and strengthen AI-focused education and the Future of AI in Healthcare series programming throughout the year. The AI Advisory Group will play a key role in ensuring HIMSS AI initiatives remain at the forefront of the evolving healthcare landscape.

The 2026 AI Advisory Group includes:

• Ashley Beecy, Chief AI Officer, Sutter Health
• Alexander Ryu, Attending Physician and Vice Chair of AI Innovation, Mayo Clinic
• Robbie Freeman, Chief Innovation Officer, Mount Sinai
• Tina Esposito, Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer, Advocate Health
• Patrick Thomas, Medical Director of Innovation, Trauma Medical Director and Director of Digital Innovation in Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Nebraska
• Sanjeev P. Bhavnani, Senior Cardiologist, Scripps Clinic (Former Senior Medical Officer – Digital Health Center of Excellence FDA)
• Deepti Pandita, CMIO and Vice President of Clinical Informatics, UCI Health
• David Newman, Chief Medical Officer of Virtual Care, Sanford Health
• Leeda Rashid, Former Senior Physician - FDA Digital Health Center of Excellence

The AI Advisory Group’s mission is to elevate and advance AI education across healthcare. AI Advisory Group members will contribute to HIMSS AI programming by shaping event content, recruiting speakers and developing presentations that reflect the most pressing topics and emerging trends in the field.

The group will support a 12-month AI Digital Series, featuring monthly webinars, along with the AI in Healthcare Forum in Boston and San Diego.

The AI Healthcare Forum in Boston will take place June 25-26, and the AI in Healthcare Forum in San Diego will continue the conversation on October 22-23.