Keynotes That Translate Lived Experience Into System Design
Cynthia Overton delivers keynotes that move beyond inspiration and into implementation. Drawing from lived experience navigating sudden disability, hospitalization, insurance appeals, and long-term system interaction along with research in person-centered care, she helps audiences see healthcare differently.
Her talks connect human experience to structural realities, showing how what happens between visits shapes outcomes, trust, and cost.
Audiences leave with:
- A clearer understanding of the “between visit” gap in care
- Practical insights for integrating patient context into workflows
- A shared language for person-centered care that moves beyond buzzwords
- Concrete ideas for aligning patients, providers, and payers
Signature Keynotes
The Hidden Curriculum of Being a Patient: What patients learn that systems overlook.
This keynote explores the invisible education patients receive while navigating complex care: coordinating providers, translating symptoms, managing insurance decisions, and rebuilding identity between appointments. Cynthia connects this lived reality to system design, medical training, and healthcare incentives — offering insight into how organizations can reduce hidden burdens and improve outcomes.
Best suited for: medical education programs, healthcare conferences, quality improvement initiatives, and health system leadership events.
Person-Centered Care Beyond Buzzwords: Moving from philosophy to practice
Person-centered care is widely endorsed but inconsistently operationalized. This talk examines why good intentions stall and how organizations can embed dignity, continuity, and context into real workflows. Cynthia draws on established frameworks and lived experience to bridge values and execution.
Best suited for: clinical teams; healthcare leaders; payer and policy audiences; medical, nursing, and allied health education and training programs (including students); and conferences focused on person-centered care and care delivery transformation.
Becoming Disabled: Navigating Identity, Independence, and Care Over Time
Disability is often treated as an outcome rather than a transition. This keynote explores what it means to move from health to disability — not just clinically, but socially, professionally, and psychologically. Drawing on lived experience, Cynthia examines how healthcare systems support (or fail to support) people as they relearn their bodies, renegotiate independence, and rebuild their lives beyond acute care.
The talk reframes disability as a dynamic life transition and highlights practical ways clinicians, educators, and organizations can better support continuity, dignity, and long-term person-centered care.
Best suited for: disability awareness and inclusion initiatives; healthcare and allied health education programs; employee resource groups; leadership development settings; and conferences focused on transitions and person-centered care.
What People Are Saying
My approach blends authentic storytelling, practical tools, and a supportive learning environment—helping audiences and teams translate person-centered care principles into everyday action.
