Our recent Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI) staff retreat in September was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and how important it is to stay grounded in our mission and vision as we work toward health equity for all children. From our collective efforts in advocacy and policy to our deep commitment to community engagement, education, and data measurement, this retreat gave us a moment to reflect, strategize and celebrate.

Grounding Ourselves in Our Mission and Vision

As we kicked off the retreat, we started with a critical reflection on CHAI’s mission and vision. Our vision of a world where equity is embedded in all programs, policies, and systems to ensure every child thrives, and our mission to drive programs, policies, and system changes to achieve health equity for all children through advocacy and policy, community engagement, education, and data resonated strongly with everyone in the room. We both felt it was important to reconnect with these principles to frame the important discussions ahead.

We provided an overview of our strategic priorities, focusing on CHAI’s leadership role in with the 2025-2028 CHNA/CHIP framework. We also recognized the ongoing significance of our efforts in education, healthy food access, workforce development, health insurance coverage, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and financial stability. Aligning CHAI’s work with Children’s National Hospital’s broader strategic goals will be critical to our success, and it was clear from the conversations that every team member is committed to making an impact.

Prioritizing and Engaging Across Departments

One of the key outcomes of the retreat was a shared understanding of the role each department within CHAI plays in advancing our collective goals. From Community Health Improvement Week to Intern Advocacy Day, every department contributes to the success of our signature programs and events. We explored how everyone’s work connects to CHAI’s priorities, particularly as we move into the next phase of the CHNA/CHIP planning process.

We both appreciated the openness in the room as we discussed resource allocation, capacity building, and how best to define roles and scopes to maximize effectiveness. The importance of clear communication and collaboration was a theme that kept surfacing, and we left with a sense of shared purpose.

Strengthening Communication and Storytelling

We also had the opportunity to focus on improving our internal and external communication. We have been working hard to ensure that key information is shared across the team, and this retreat was a critical step toward improving that communication even further. We discussed the importance of telling CHAI’s story—both within the organization and out in the community.

Thanks to Patty O’Brien, Leadership and Develop Consultant at Children’s National, and her leadership. She helped us explore ways to better track our progress and ensure alignment with our goals through a scorecard that will document resources, partnerships, and key outcomes. We also talked about launching an annual report to capture our achievements and using creative storytelling, such as blog posts and social media, to share our advocacy work, community partnerships, and CHNA/CHIP updates.

Team-Building and Celebrating Our Collective Spirit

We closed the retreat with a fun and creative team-building activity. The rock painting competition, led by Dr. Chaya Merril, Director of the Data Lab, was a hit! It was a wonderful way to end the day, reminding us of the importance of bringing joy and friendship into our work. Even though some of our painted rocks looked nothing like the animals we were asked to paint, the activity underscored how much our team spirit contributes to our success.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, we are excited about what lies ahead for CHAI. We are committed to embedding equity in everything we do and to continuing the momentum from this retreat.

A heartfelt thank you to the CHAI team for their hard work and dedication. It is their passion for this work that makes CHAI’s mission possible, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.

With gratitude,

Desiree and Tonya