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Vital Village Networks National Community Leadership Summit - October 23 to 24, 2025
The goal of the Summit is to strengthen the capacity of professionals to drive community-led systems change through equity-centered leadership, participatory research, and policy advocacy. Participants will gain knowledge and skills to implement anti-racist, culturally affirming practices; foster interdisciplinary collaboration; utilize community-driven data for impact; and advance food, education, and health justice. The Summit emphasizes applied learning and provides tools for attendees to integrate community leadership frameworks into their professional practice, with measurable improvements in competence, strategy, and performance.
Target Audience
The National Community Leadership Summit is designed for interdisciplinary professionals and community leaders across the fields of health, public health, early childhood education, K–12 education, social work, housing, and food justice. This includes healthcare providers, early educators, public school teachers, birth workers, community organizers, researchers, policy advocates, artists, and data storytellers who are advancing equity-centered, community-led solutions.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this activity, the learner or the healthcare team should be able to:
1. Community-Driven Systems Change & Leadership Development:
o Identify at least three power-sharing strategies to enhance community-driven leadership.
o Apply collective leadership and coalition-building approaches to foster sustainable, equity-driven change.
2. Democratizing Data for Social Impact:
o Describe two participatory data collection methods to strengthen community-led research and advocacy.
o Develop a narrative strategy or data storytelling framework to translate research into impactful narratives for policy and systems change.
3. Birth Equity & Justice, Maternal and Child Health, and Dyad Group Care:
o Outline three key components of anti-racist, culturally affirming perinatal health care models.
o Develop an action plan for integrating dyadic care and birth justice principles into their practice.
4. Community Leadership in Food Systems Transformation:
o Identify two frameworks for building equitable and resilient food systems in historically marginalized communities.
o Apply community-driven strategies to address food apartheid, and increase food sovereignty, access, and security.
5. Strengthening Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
o Apply effective cross-sector collaboration techniques to address social determinants of health.
o Use a structured framework to integrate public health, education, housing, and food justice efforts.
o Name strategies for improving equitable governance and coalition sustainability.
6. Advancing Policy & Advocacy for Community-Led Solutions:
o Develop a policy advocacy plan that aligns with community priorities.
o Identify at least two legislative or policy strategies to drive change in systems of care and/or education for children and families.
The Summit provides actionable and measurable learning outcomes for participants, enhancing both their individual competencies and the collective impact of their organizations.
Course Directors
Program Manager: Naomi Moeller
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Vital Villages Networks. Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 11.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurses
Nursing Contact Hours: 11.50 of which 0 are eligible for pharmacology credit.
Social Work
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 11.50 general continuing education credits.
NEW YORK STATE:
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Barry M. Manual Continuing Medical Education Office is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0589.
Social Workers must attend all sessions for credit. Partial credit is not allowed.
National Board for Certified Counselors
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Barry M. Manuel Center for Continuing Education has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7205. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Barry M. Manuel Center for Continuing Education is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. 11.50 NBCC hours
Available Credit
- 11.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 11.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 11.50 ANCC
- 11.50 Social Work (ACE)
- 11.50 NBCC
- 11.50 New York State Social WorkBoston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Dr. Barry M. Manuel Continuing Medical Education Office is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0589.
- 11.50 Participation