WOMEN'S HEALTH CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 11, 2025 || 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM || WSU- Vancouver Campus
**CALL FOR PROPOSALS** Deadline: August 15th, 8:00PM
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Odyssey World International Education Services is thrilled to announce the Women's Health Equity Conference: Pathways to Flourishing.
This one-day event will bring together a diverse group of community leaders, health professionals, activists, and researchers to share, learn, and discuss strategies for advancing health equity for women, particularly women of color, in Clark County and beyond.
Our goal is to address the deep-rooted disparities that exist in healthcare for women and elevate solutions and strategies for positive change.
Through thoughtful discussions, shared experiences, and collaborative work, we hope to build pathways to a flourishing future for all women in our community and elevate practices that advance health equity.
What does "Women's Health Equity" mean to us?
Women’s health equity means making sure all women—regardless of race, income, or where they live—have a fair chance to live healthy lives. It acknowledges that women often face unique challenges in getting care, such as being misdiagnosed or not taken seriously. True equity means closing the gaps so that underserved women, including Black, Indigenous, rural, and low-income women, receive the same quality of care as others. This goes beyond doctor visits—it includes access to safe housing, nutritious food, clean air, and support for mental and reproductive health. When women are healthy and supported, entire families and communities benefit.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS - DEADLINE: AUGUST 15th, 2025 8:00PM
Conference Themes
We welcome submissions that align with the following themes:
Confronting Institutional Harm and Medical Racism:
Advancing Healing, Accountability, Equity in Health Care
Examples of Topics
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Community-Based Approaches to Health Equity
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Reproductive Justice and Maternal Health
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Exploring root causes of health disparities
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Health Policy and Systemic Change
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Healing from Racial and Gender-Based Trauma
Expanding Access to Culturally Responsive Care:
Initiatives, Innovations, and Improvements for Building a Diverse Health Workforce
Examples of Topics
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Recruitment: Strategies for Building a Diverse Health Workforce
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Language Matters: Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services
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Provider Identity and Patient Trust
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Training and Education around Culturally Responsive Care
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Mentorship/resources for medical students of color
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Culturally Congruent Care Programs (ex. Doulas, Culturally-Specific Health Care Providers)
Championing Environmental Justice Efforts for Healthier Communities:
Exploring Community-Led Solutions for Health Equity and Sustainable Wellbeing
Example of Topics
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Partnering for Environmental Health: Building Effective Local Government and Non-Profit Collaborations
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Local Efforts to Increase Food Sovereignty
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Improving Green Space Access as a Mental Health Intervention
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Impacts and Examples of Environmental Injustice
Financial Support and Health:
Financial Wellness Programs and Resources
Examples of Topics
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Financial Aid and Resources for Low-Income Students to Attend Medical school
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Matched Savings for Health Emergencies: Local Programs Supporting Low-Income Households
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Culturally-Grounded Financial Wellness Programs That Improve Women's Health
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Financial Literacy as Preventative Care
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Healing Through Wealth Building
Submission Requirements and Selection Criteria
Types of Sessions
Oral Presentation with Q&A or Discussion (45 minutes): Oral presentations should appeal to a wide public health audience, relevant to the conference themes, and offer actionable steps forward. Discussions should be related to gathering input on best practices, opportunities to take action, or storytelling.
Poster: Posters are visual presentations displayed on 8’ x 4’ bulletin boards. The poster session will occur during the lunch hour, from 12:25-1:25 pm. Posters will be entered in the Poster Contest and the winner will be announced after the final Accountability Partners Panel. Poster presentations create opportunities for dialogue, feedback, and shared learning between the presenter(s) and attendees.
Lightning Talks (10-12 minutes): These “TED Talk” inspired presentations-- should explain a health equity initiative, it’s impacts, and what we can learn from it
Panel Discussion: A panel discussion (90-minute program session) includes a moderator and up to four panelists/presenters).NOTE: Panelists will be selected by invitation only.
Each Proposal should include:
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Preferred presentation format (from options above).
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Title of presentation.
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Presenter(s) Info
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a short bio (150 words each, max), contact information for all presenters.
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If you have more than one presenter, please designate a Primary Contact for your abstract submission. This person will be responsible for all communications regarding your proposal.
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Brief Abstract (2500 characters or less). Provide a description of your proposed presentation and include the following:
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Background, context, significance of the health equity problem
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Purpose of the work/study, including aims or research questions if relevant
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Relevance to women's health outcomes especially for women of color and/or low-income women
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Explanation for how your work can impact the community, outside of the conference
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Learning Objectives Provide at least two learning objectives. What will the learner be able to do after hearing your presentation?
All proposal submissions are due August 15, 2025, at 5:00 pm.
Proposals will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Presenters will be notified of selection at the end of August.
Program Schedule: All presenters must be available to present during any timeslot of the conference.
AV Needs: Presenters will be responsible for their own presentation slides and handouts. The standard audiovisual equipment provided in all sessions includes: a projector, computer, and screen. Microphones will be made available in all large session rooms.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed and accepted on the basis of the following criteria:
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Overall Merit – Abstract clearly describes the context, significance and innovation of the work, and the relevance to addressing women’s health equity issues in Clark County and beyond.
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Relevance to Conference Themes- Proposal is well aligned with the themes of the conference (outlined above). Submissions local to the Vancouver, WA/ Portland, OR metropolitan area may be preferred, but not required.
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Potential for Impact and Participant Engagement– The policies, programs, or practices in the proposal are actionable and clearly demonstrate they could be used to improve women of color’s ability to flourish outside of the conference.
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Cultural Humility and Inclusivity – Proposal demonstrates a commitment to cultural humility and inclusivity by incorporating an intersectional framework that acknowledges and addresses the diverse lived experiences of women of color. It reflects thoughtful engagement with issues of race, gender, class, ability, sexuality, and other intersecting identities.
