2026 Annual Meeting – BerryDunn General Session
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | Monterey Marriott
Steering the Course: Your Role in Charting Strategic Success
Presented by BerryDunn
Presenters: Michelle Kennedy, Senior Manager & Maddi Powers Spencer, Senior Consultant, BerryDunn
Session Description: A strong strategic plan should do more than define an organization’s vision—it should provide a practical roadmap for decision-making, accountability and measurable progress. In this session, BerryDunn will explore how healthcare district leaders can shape, implement and sustain strategic plans that remain relevant and actionable over time.
Participants will examine the roles of boards and executive leadership in the strategic planning process, including how to distinguish strategic governance from operational decision-making. The session will also address how to establish clear, measurable goals and performance expectations that connect an organization’s long-term priorities to meaningful action.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies for strengthening implementation, monitoring progress and maintaining accountability so strategic plans do not simply sit on a shelf. Learn how to keep your district’s strategic plan a living document that guides leadership, supports informed decisions and adapts as community needs and organizational priorities evolve.
Michelle Kennedy is a Senior Manager in BerryDunn’s Local Government Practice Group with more than 30 years of government-sector management and consulting experience. She specializes in organizational development, strategic and business planning, leadership development, organizational change, performance measurement and process improvement. Michelle has provided consulting and project leadership for state and local government agencies across the country and has facilitated the development and writing of strategic plans for more than 70 public-sector organizations. She is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, an Organization Development Certified Consultant and is certified in the ICA ToP facilitation methodology.
Maddi Powers Spencer, MPA, ODCP is a Senior Consultant in BerryDunn’s Local Government Practice Group, where she focuses on strategic initiatives, organizational change and development, and community and employee engagement. Drawing on firsthand public-sector experience, Maddi helps clients assess their current environment, analyze data and facilitate groups to turn organizational priorities into actionable strategies. She has assisted with the development of nearly 40 local government strategic plans for municipalities and special districts and is certified in the ICA ToP facilitation methodology and organization development.
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