Please join us on Monday, March 9 at 4:00 PM ET to learn how to navigate the CLIMB 2026 product in AHRA's Online Institute, how to access live sessions during CLIMB, and then how to view the on-demand library of content so that you can earn over 20 CE credits!

Date/Time:

Monday, March 9 - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET*

*A recorded version will be available after this session takes place. 

Description: 

Join us for an informative webinar designed to equip CLIMB registrants with the essential knowledge and skills to seamlessly navigate the conference platform. Whether you are a seasoned attendee or a first-time participant, this webinar will provide you with invaluable tips and tricks to make the most out of your virtual conference experience. AHRA staff will walk you through the various features and functionalities of the virtual platform, including how to access live sessions, engage with speakers and fellow attendees, and participate in networking opportunities. You will learn how to save sessions to your calendar, complete session evaluations and post-tests, and troubleshoot common technical issues, ensuring that you can fully immerse yourself in the conference content without any hiccups. Don't miss this opportunity to gain confidence and proficiency in using the virtual conference platform, empowering you to connect, learn, and collaborate effectively throughout the event. And don't worry if you can't make it to this webinar on March 9—the recording will be available for you to watch at your convenience!

Cost:

This session is free for CLIMB registrants.

Kick off CLIMB Online 2026 with our keynote presentation, "From Burnout to Breakthrough: Reimagining Radiology Leadership for Well-Being, Innovation, and Impact" presented by Chris Salem, Award Winning Executive Coach & Author and CEO of Sustainable Success Coaching & Consulting (CRS Group Holdings, LLC). The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 9:30 AM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Speaker: Chris Salem, Award Winning Executive Coach & Author and CEO of Sustainable Success Coaching & Consulting (CRS Group Holdings, LLC)

Radiology stands at a pivotal crossroads. Across the field, departments are facing relentless workloads, persistent staffing shortages, and widespread burnout—all while navigating rapid technological change, reimbursement cuts, and evolving business models. Yet beneath these challenges lies immense, untapped potential.

In this engaging and thought-provoking keynote, attendees are invited to confront the very barriers holding their departments back—inefficient workflows, disengaged teams, outdated financial strategies, and cultures where too many voices go unheard.
This keynote dares radiology leaders to imagine what’s possible beyond survival mode. Together, we’ll explore how bold, people-first leadership can transform staffing models, strengthen inclusion, and build cultures where well-being and excellence go hand in hand.

Through real-world case studies, powerful storytelling, and actionable frameworks, participants will discover how to:
• Prioritize team wellness as a strategic advantage.
• Leverage technology as a force multiplier for innovation.
• Streamline operations to drive efficiency and engagement.
• Foster diverse, resilient teams united by purpose and pride.

Because the future of radiology isn’t just about reading images faster—it’s about leading with vision, empathy, and heart to create a thriving specialty prepared for whatever comes next.

Session Category:

• Leadership

Join us for Established Leader Session #1: Fix the Friction: Implementing an Employee Feedback-to-Action Program. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 10:45 AM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Speaker: Natalie Hurst, MTDA, Business Operations Consultant (The Ohio State University)

Every workplace has them – those small, recurring frustrations that slow us down, chip away at morale, and quietly erode productivity. We call them “pebbles in the shoe.” They’re not catastrophic, but left unaddressed, they accumulate into real barriers to efficiency and engagement.

This session introduces a practical, people-centered approach to identifying and resolving these everyday issues through a structured feedback-to-action program. Whether it’s a clunky process, a missing resource, or a communication gap, this model empowers employees to speak up, take ownership, and drive meaningful change – one small fix at a time.

Participants will explore how to design a lightweight, transparent system that captures staff feedback, prioritizes issues based on impact and effort, and tracks resolution through simple tools like dashboards or checklists. You’ll hear real-world examples, learn how to build leadership support, and discover how to foster a culture of continuous improvement that sticks.

The session includes an interactive activity where attendees will identify their own “pebbles” and collaborate with peers to categorize and brainstorm solutions. Live polling and open Q&A will keep the conversation dynamic and relevant.

Session Category:

• Employee Engagement
• Leadership

Rarely a year goes by when a medical imaging administrator does not have a project to manage, whether it be replacing legacy equipment or starting a new service. Regardless of the scope of the project, its successful implementation is dependent on effective project management. Some projects are organization-wide, and the medical imaging administrator will be a member of the team; other projects are “imaging-centric” so the administrator leads the project. This presentation will include basic terminology and tools used to manage any project. A case study will be presented to illustrate all the steps. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 10:45 AM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Speaker: Elyce Wolfgang, MHA, CRA, RT(R), Senior Director, Imaging (WellSpan Health)

Session Category:

• Leadership
• Employee Engagement

This session will provide a detailed look at how our health system launched and scaled a phased approach to remote MRI and CT scanning across inpatient and outpatient settings. With more than twenty hospitals and imaging centers in our network, we are building a connected imaging model that expands services, strengthens quality, and improves efficiency across the region.

Content will include our strategy for remote scanning deployment, the operational framework that supports it, and the key steps taken to standardize protocols and elevate imaging performance. Topics will cover advanced imaging support, protocol management, the use of expert level resources throughout the system, and how we are now completing studies at local facilities that previously required transfers.

The session will also outline our development of MRI safety trained clinical staff, including Level 2 trained CMAs who provide on site patient care and support MRI safety within the remote scanning model. We will review the policies that define safety expectations, roles, and responsibilities, and describe how our team of expert technologists integrates with remote operations.

Attendees will learn how remote imaging has changed our approach to staffing, onboarding, and competency development, including rapid training for new hires and overnight support for smaller hospitals. This presentation will offer practical insights for health systems that are looking to expand remote imaging and build unified and efficient imaging departments.

The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 12:00 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Speaker: Hart Jones, MBA, R.T.(R)(ARRT) (Deaconess Health System) & Susan Brumley, MBA, CRA, RT(R)(CT) (Deaconess Health System)

   

Session Category: 

• Leadership
• Patient Experience

Join us for Aspiring Leader Session #2: Budgeting for Business - Part 1. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 12:00 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

A medical imaging administrator wears many hats; one of which is the complicated hat of budgeting. In the financial world of imaging, there are many different types of budgets. This session will give participants an overview of these different types of budgets and an understanding of how to plan and design them, especially the operating budget. Attendees will also learn about capital planning and how to plan for staffing additions and will see several examples of how to monitor important financial data with respect to their department of responsibility. Other topics to be addressed include staffing analysis, productivity measures, business plans and proformas, and capital planning. 

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET

Speaker:  Luann Culbreth, CRA, FAHRA, Sr Director, Corporate Advocacy & Outreach (United Imaging)

Session Category: 

• Finance

An overview of radiology nursing's role and the interdisciplinary approach to patient care within the interventional and diagnostic space. Join us for Established Leader Session #3: What Radiology Nursing Brings to the Table. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Speakers: Whitney Utt, Vice President (ARIN) & Karen Green, President (ARIN)

Session Category: 

• Leadership

Join us at CLIMB Online 2026 by joining us for Aspiring Leader Session #3: Budgeting for Business Management - Part 2. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

A medical imaging administrator wears many hats; one of which is the complicated hat of budgeting. In the financial world of imaging, there are many different types of budgets. This session will give participants an overview of these different types of budgets and an understanding of how to plan and design them, especially the operating budget. Attendees will also learn about capital planning and how to plan for staffing additions and will see several examples of how to monitor important financial data with respect to their department of responsibility. Other topics to be addressed include staffing analysis, productivity measures, business plans and proformas, and capital planning.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Speaker:  Luann Culbreth, CRA, FAHRA, Sr Director, Corporate Advocacy & Outreach (United Imaging)

Session Category: 

• Finance

What if outpatient imaging centers operated with the same precision, consistency, and service ethos as In-N-Out Burger? This presentation explores how the fast-food chain’s renowned simplicity, process design, and customer loyalty principles can be applied to radiology operations. Attendees will examine parallels between drive-thru efficiency and patient throughput, menu simplicity and service line focus, and employee culture and technologist engagement. The session highlights how applying “In-N-Out thinking” could enhance patient satisfaction, operational performance, and staff retention across imaging services. Join us for the Established Leader Session #4: If In-N-Out Operated Outpatient Imaging Centers: Lessons in Efficiency, Quality, and Culture. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 3:30 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

Speaker: Leslie Jebson, MHA, MBA, FACHE, FACMPE (Prisma Health)

Session Category:

• Employee Engagement
• Leadership

The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 3:30 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

This session will define what negotiation is and describe situations where good negotiating skills may come in handy. The session will focus on important negotiations that occur in the imaging work environment and more specifically on negotiating for services, supplies, and capital purchases. Participants will learn the importance of and how to prepare for negotiation. Attendees will understand needs vs. wants vs. desires and what can be negotiated. Some negotiating styles, strategies, and tactics will be explored, and body language also will be discussed. The session will wrap up with a discussion on completing and reviewing your negotiation result. 

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

Speaker:  Becky Allen, R.T.(R), MS, CRA (Independent)

Session Category: 

• Leadership

Kick off Day 2 of CLIMB Online 2026 by joining us for the Established Leader Session #5. The session will take place live on Friday, March 20 at 9:30 AM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library. 

Staying compliant with accreditation standards can feel like a moving target for radiology leaders. This session, “Stay Out of Compliance Jail: Best Practices for Accreditation Radiology Readiness,” equips directors and managers with practical strategies to keep their departments inspection-ready every day of the year. We will begin with an overview of the most critical accreditation requirements specific to imaging services, highlighting areas that routinely trigger findings. Participants will learn how to use a comprehensive readiness checklist to identify gaps in documentation, equipment maintenance, and staff training before surveyors arrive. Real-world examples will illustrate common pitfalls that lead to citations and how to avoid them.

This webinar emphasizes a proactive approach to ensure accreditation survey readiness. Special attention will be given to radiation safety practices, equipment quality control, and the documentation standards surveyors scrutinize most closely. This presentation will not be addressing MQSA preparedness due to time restraints. Attendees will gain insight into creating a culture of continuous compliance rather than last-minute preparation. Throughout the presentation, best practices and proven tactics will be shared to help your team maintain confidence and control. By the end of the session, you will have actionable tools to safeguard your department and keep it well out of “compliance jail,” helping to ensure smooth, successful, accreditation surveys

Date/Time: Friday, March 20 - 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Speaker: Kenneth Repking, BS, CNMT, NMTCB(RS), Practice Associate (Landauer Radiation Safety Support Services)

Session Category:

• Regulatory

Join us at CLIMB Online 2026 by joining us for Aspiring Leader Session #3: Budgeting for Business Management - Part 2. The session will take place live on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

A medical imaging administrator wears many hats; one of which is the complicated hat of budgeting. In the financial world of imaging, there are many different types of budgets. This session will give participants an overview of these different types of budgets and an understanding of how to plan and design them, especially the operating budget. Attendees will also learn about capital planning and how to plan for staffing additions and will see several examples of how to monitor important financial data with respect to their department of responsibility. Other topics to be addressed include staffing analysis, productivity measures, business plans and proformas, and capital planning.

Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Speaker:  Luann Culbreth, CRA, FAHRA, Sr Director, Corporate Advocacy & Outreach (United Imaging)

Session Category: 

• Finance

Join us for Established Leader Session #6: Building Resilient Teams: Strategies for Psychological Safety, Belonging, and Burnout Prevention. The session will take place live on Friday, March 20 at 10:45 AM  ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

This session explores actionable strategies for building resilient leadership teams in healthcare, focusing on psychological safety, belonging, and burnout prevention. Attendees will learn to identify key indicators of burnout, including emotional and cognitive distancing, and understand the impact of chronic work-related stress on both leaders and patient care. The session reviews evidence-based assessment tools, such as the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and demonstrates how targeted interventions can reduce exhaustion and disengagement among leaders. Real-world examples and case studies from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center illustrate the benefits of leader standard work initiatives and wellness programs. Participants will gain practical insights into fostering connection, promoting work-life balance, and implementing organizational strategies that enhance engagement and morale. Survey results and outcome data highlight measurable improvements in well-being, stress manageability, and team support. Join us to discover how shifting burnout from an individual to a collective challenge can transform your leadership culture and drive sustainable improvement.

Date/Time: Friday, March 20 - 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Speaker: Laura Bergstrom, Associate Director of Imaging Services (The Ohio State University)

Session Category: 

• Leadership

Join us for Aspiring Leader Session #6: Introduction to Imaging Informatics. The session will take place live on Friday, March 20 at 10:45 AM  ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Imaging informatics is a distinct subspecialty of radiology that endeavors to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of radiologic services within the medical enterprise. Although picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are a major focus of imaging informatics, there are many other ways in which technology can improve the efficiency of individual radiologists and of the entire department. Understanding informatics principles is important because these principles affect major purchase decisions, not only for PACS but also for other supporting software and for modalities themselves. Virtually every aspect of a radiologist’s workday involves some form of communication: calling a colleague for patient history, calling a technologist to apply a protocol or check an image, reviewing images with a clinician, teaching a trainee, producing a formal report, justifying an examination to a third- party payer. All of these events fall under the purview of imaging informatics, and all of them, along with image interpretation itself, can become more efficient, more effective, and more reliable with the proper tools.

Date/Time: Friday, March 20 - 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET

Speaker: Ken Fazzino, BA, FAHRA (Retired)

Session Category: 

• Coding and Compliance

Join us for Established Leader Session #7: The View of a Patient. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 12:15 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library. 

To bring into perspective what it feels like to be a patient, who has spent his entire career in Healthcare and what it feels like from the other side of the x-ray tube as well as being given care. The idea of needing care, the journey through investigative medicine and the multiple doctors and testing through the right surgeon, hospital for the procedure and then the after effects and multiple events after retirement. It is endless and a challenge dues to the changes in healthcare, protocol verses what we all know is the end game how ever you realize this is the insurance companies and to some degree AI running healthcare and the patient is in someway at their mercy.

Date/Time: Friday March 20 - 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET

Speaker: Enrico Perez, BS, RT, CRA, FAHRA (Retired)

Session Category:

• Patient Experience

Join us for Aspiring Leader #7: Managerial Communication: Communicating More Effectively in the Workplace. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 12:15 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Communication is an essential leadership tool; if you learn to communicate well, you will be more credible and effective. This session will help you to build your communication strengths and identify areas of opportunity and improvement. We will focus on several aspects of business communication including verbal and non-verbal messages. You will assess your current listening skills and learn tips for improving your ability to listen attentively. We will also discuss the art of persuasion and explore the use of hypnotic language and powerful words. The ability to speak confidently in a variety of business settings, both formal and informal is the mark of effective communicators. In this session, you will learn methods to systematically prepare materials for presentations or written proposals. We will also focus on the importance of translating your messages for your target audience.

Date/Time: Friday March 20 - 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET

Speaker: Kernesha Weatherly, DHA, MHA, CRA, CNMT, RT(CT), VP Imaging Services (Ochsner Health System)

Session Category:

• Employee Engagement
• Leadership

Join us for Established Leader Session #8: Building an Imaging Operating System for Sustainable Excellence. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 2:15 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

This session focuses on Tampa General Hospital Imaging’s two-year transformation to improve performance, enhance patient experience, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Beginning with an enterprise-wide value stream mapping event, the Imaging Division identified systemic inefficiencies across scheduling, authorization, procedure execution, reporting, and billing workflows. These insights became the foundation for a comprehensive strategic and tactical plan designed to align operational priorities with organizational True North goals.

Through the disciplined application of Lean methodologies and leadership engagement, the division implemented Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI) across 5 key imaging centers, empowering site administrators and frontline teams to own performance at the local level. MDI huddle standard work, visual management, and leader standard work were embedded to drive daily accountability, transparency, and problem-solving. This approach led to a notable improvement in patient experience. Additionally, the streamlined processes have reduced appointment cancellations, improved our rescheduling rate, reduced our no-show rate, and improved our overall patient satisfaction scores and patient engagement. A division-wide True North Dashboard now provides daily/monthly/yearly visibility into key site-level and division-level metrics related to service, outcome, cost, and quality, ensuring alignment between strategy and execution and bringing us closer to achieving the Triple Aim of improved patient experience, better health outcomes, and reduced costs.

This session will take participants through Tampa General Hospital Imaging’s transformation journey, detailing the shift from initial diagnostic assessment to system-wide implementation. It will emphasize how the division built an imaging operating system using Lean methods, highlighting lessons learned, challenges faced, and measurable results. Participants will gain practical insights into operationalizing Lean transformation at scale, linking strategic vision to daily execution, and sustaining progress through leadership development.

Date/Time: Friday March 20 - 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM ET

Speaker: Sherri Lewman, CNMT, MHA, ACC (Tampa General Hospital)

Session Category:

• Leadership

Join us for Aspiring Leader Session #8: Patient Satisfaction in Today's Healthcare Environment. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 2:15 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Communication is an essential leadership tool; if you learn to communicate well, you will be more credible and effective. This session will help you to build your communication strengths and identify areas of opportunity and improvement. We will focus on several aspects of business communication including verbal and non-verbal messages. You will assess your current listening skills and learn tips for improving your ability to listen attentively. We will also discuss the art of persuasion and explore the use of hypnotic language and powerful words. The ability to speak confidently in a variety of business settings, both formal and informal is the mark of effective communicators. In this session, you will learn methods to systematically prepare materials for presentations or written proposals. We will also focus on the importance of translating your messages for your target audience.

Date/Time: Friday March 20 - 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM ET

Speaker: Becky Allen, R.T.(R), MS, CRA (Independent)

Session Category: 

• Patient Experience

Join us for Established Leader Session #9: Support and Succession Strategies for Radiology Leaders. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 3:30 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Remember the first time you had to make a decision as a new leader—and you had no idea what you were doing? No context, no coaching, no clue? Maybe you felt like you were set up to fail by someone who never taught you the rules of engagement, the politics, or even the basics. Or maybe you’ve been the one who can’t fully unplug on vacation because you’re the only one who knows how to keep the wheels turning.

This session is your invitation to break that cycle.

The Final Promotion is a practical, empowering blueprint for leaders who want to build something that lasts—and reclaim their time in the process. You’ll learn how to grow confident, capable staff who can lead without you, create a culture of shared ownership, and design a succession plan that multiplies your impact instead of draining your energy.

You’ll walk away with tools to:

• Build backups for your day-to-day so you can take a real weekend
• Teach your team the technical, emotional, and political skills they’ll need to thrive
• Let go of control without losing your confidence
• Create a legacy that speaks long after you’ve moved on
• Because the real promotion isn’t the next title—it’s the freedom to know your work will keep working, even when you’re not in the room.

Date/Time: Friday March 20 - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

Speaker: Holly Adkins, Owner (Life in Color) & Lauri Redus, Regional Imaging Administrator (Hilo Benioff Medical Center)

Session Category:

• Employee Engagement
• Leadership

Join us for Aspiring Leader Session #9: Employee Continuum Part 1. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 3:30 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Soup to nuts. This session will cover key ways to recruit, interview, hire, coach and retain talent in your imaging departments. Definition of Continuum: a continuous extent, succession, or whole, not part of which can be distinguished from neighboring parts. Does this sound easy to achieve when discussing staff who report to you? This session will offer you strategies to help you approach human resource matters with understanding and patience. Work force continuums will quickly become models to others by demonstrating how candidates can enter a workforce, develop in their careers and stay put. Part 1 will emphasize the first step in seamless succession of career development focusing on interviewing with a mission to hire a person with the right fit, building the workforce through appropriate orientation measures, team building skills, relationship building, competency assessments and performance evaluations to reward approaches that will help develop a sound team
(Recruit, Interview, Onboarding, Orientation and Training).

You will learn to:

• Match your needs with the right candidate by interviewing and hiring smartly.
• Develop your team with seamless approaches to the “next step”.
• Produce an atmosphere of commitment and communication with a focus on quality, safety, and customer service.
• Reward and retain employees effectively.
• Align behavior to goals.
• Develop shared expectations.

Date/Time:

Friday March 20 - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

Speaker: Jennifer Kirkman MHA, RT(R)(VI), CRA, FAHRA, Imaging Manager, High Point Medical Center

Session Category: 

• Employee Engagement

Come together with AHRA one final time for our closing keynote session. The session will take place live on Friday March 20 at 4:45 PM ET and a recording will be available as part of the CLIMB 2026 On-Demand Library.

Date/Time:

Friday March 20 - 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM ET

More information coming soon!