Dear ,

A New Chapter Begins — Welcome to 2026!

As we begin a new year, I want to pause and express my deepest gratitude to Robin Shapiro and Beth Droppert, the visionary co-founders of HealthAdvocateX. Your dedication, insight, and fierce commitment to building this organization from the ground up have created a legacy that has empowered countless advocates, patients, and families. I am humbled to follow in your footsteps—and grateful to call you both not only mentors but dear friends. I know your presence and wisdom will continue to guide us.

As the newly appointed Chair, I’m honored to be joined by an incredible leadership team. Amy Calder (Treasurer) and Megan Landry (Secretary / Education Committee Chair). Each brings deep experience, creativity, and heart to our Executive Team. I’m equally thrilled to welcome our two newest board members, Donna Gurule and Kathleen Lertzman, whose energy and perspectives will be vital as we shape the future of HealthAdvocateX together.

This year, we remain committed to providing our members and the broader community with engaging education, meaningful connections, and expanded opportunities to grow and lead. Kicking the year off with an incredible Community Conversation with special guest Andrew Gordon, offering a discussion on Three Power Moves for Patient Advocates. Registration is now open (additional information below). We are also excited to announce two new educational series for 2026. First, the quarterly Skills Lab offers actionable skills and tools that all advocates and caregivers can apply. Second, we have created an inspiring Founder’s Journey series, prerecorded discussions with longtime advocates who share their experiences and advice to guide and motivate all of us doing this work. These events, in addition to our Case Studies, seek to deepen our impact while staying true to our mission: to transform how people access and experience health advocacy. 

Thank you for being part of this work. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or just joined last month, your voice matters. Let’s make 2026 a year of connection, courage, and collective growth.



With appreciation,

Malynnda Stewart and the entire HealthAdvocateX Team 

Upcoming Events

January 12 - Community Conversation - Three Power Moves for Patient Advocates

REGISTER HERE



When: Jan 12, 2026 | 11am-12pm (PT)

Where: Online via Zoom - Registration Link COMING SOON

Cost: Free to the general public. Purchase 1.0 CE Credit for $10 for HealthAdvocateX Members; $30 for Non-Members. 

We’ll keep this a practical, open conversation. I’ll walk through three moves advocates can use right away: when small claims court makes sense, how cash/self pay pricing can beat insurance rates, and simple ways to spot price gouging. We’ll also touch on how to frame and escalate appeals so denials get reversed before you ever consider court. We’ll trade real stories, swap scripts that work, and leave with a few next steps you can use tomorrow. Bring your cases and questions! 

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand when small claims court can create leverage, and what a short pre-suit demand letter should do. 
2. Know how to ask for a cash price, compare it to posted hospital and insurer “allowed” amounts, and use those figures inside an appeal. 
3. Be able to spot common gouging red flags and name one immediate step to push back or appeal in the moment. 

About The Speaker –

Andrew Gordon, LSW / Marshall Allen Project 

Andrew is a Licensed Social Worker, writer, advocate, and researcher dedicated to advancing transparency, affordability, and value in health care for patients, providers, and purchasers. He leads interview-driven research, engages industry leaders, and translates real patient experiences into clear insights that challenge the status quo. Nationally recognized, his current work is funded by a National Science Foundation grant through Princeton University. 

Andrew has a blend of health care and business training — a master’s in social work from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s in marketing & entrepreneurship from Rider University. Before finding health care, he worked at tech startups, including early sales roles at a Khosla Venture backed Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company. 

He writes patient victory stories for the Marshall Allen Project Substack, reaching nearly 10,000 readers each month, spotlighting how everyday people push back and win against unfair bills and opaque processes. His goal: elevate voices, surface what’s broken, and equip stakeholders with actionable findings that improve access and value. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT – FABULOUS CONTENT STILL AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR ON-DEMAND/ CLASSROOM 

Community Conversation: It’s Time for a GenAI Oath in Healthcare

ACCESS HERE

This session provides an overview of the issues involved in integrating GenAI into healthcare. Because of its importance and the possibility of risks to patients, it argues that developers and users should take an oath similar to those taken by physicians. These issues are essential for advocates to understand and contemplate because GenAI is rapidly becoming ubiquitous in every aspect of healthcare.



Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and describe at least three specific risks that GenAI poses to patients and explain how an oath-based approach addresses each risk.
2. State the three essential components of an oath and the key difference between oaths and ethics statements.
3. Assume your organization decides to draft an Oath tailored to its mission. List the elements you believe should be included.

Explore Our Online Classroom

Did you miss one of our past events? Our online classroom is always open! Browse all courses, available for free viewing and for purchase with BCPA CE credit. 

Welcome New Board Members

OUR COMMITMENT

Approved by the Board September 21, 2022

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Statement

Our mission is to help people transform into active participants and partners in their own health care. To make this possible, we must advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) for all individuals.

We recognize that:

• Racism is a public health issue that impacts various intersections and communities differently.
• Each person is unique and therefore experiences health care differently.
• Every individual deserves health advocacy regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, spiritual practice, financial status, education, geography, disability, mental and physical status, age, weight, substance use disorder or other factors. 
• Our organization is uniquely positioned to raise awareness on IDEA in health and health care.

We are committed to:

• Raising awareness about the importance of IDEA in health and health advocacy in all aspects of care.
• Expanding diverse representation within our organization, expert presenters, and educational offerings.
• Intentionally messaging our values, sharing IDEA expectations for ourselves, affiliated advocates, and partnering groups.
• Creating space for respectful dialogue about representation, equitable access, and inclusive practices in health care and health advocacy.
• Educating our community and participating in opportunities about IDEA events and exercises to keep these issues in the forefront of our work.
• Implementing systems to ensure IDEA is pervasive in our organization.

We will reflect on our accomplishments with humility and grace. We will recognize our limitations and remain open to what we may not see or realize so that we can improve and or repair any harm. 



HealthAdvocate^X is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. We acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, and Muckleshoot People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and each tribe. We invite you to join us in acknowledging and thanking indigenous people for their ongoing stewardship wherever you are located.