Closing General Session & Keynote Address Featuring Dr. Jessica Houston

Leading Through the Chaos: Thriving When Crisis Becomes the New Normal Session Description: What happens when "getting back to normal" is no longer the goal, because crisis mode has become your everyday reality? For infection preventionists navigating concurrent outbreaks, resource scarcity, and constantly shifting priorities, the old playbook of "work-life balance" and "stress management" simply doesn't cut it anymore. In this high-energy, practical session, Dr. Jessica Houston delivers real-world strategies for leaders who are operating in perpetual urgency without the luxury of downtime between challenges. Drawing from her expertise in resilience and self-leadership, Dr. Houston helps participants develop the mental agility, emotional stamina, and strategic focus required to make sound decisions when everything feels urgent, prioritize effectively when resources are limited, and sustain their effectiveness when there's no finish line in sight. This is not about surviving until things calm down; it's about building the capacity to lead well when calm isn't coming. Participants will leave with practical tools to maintain clarity amid chaos, recover quickly between crises, and protect their long-term sustainability while meeting the relentless demands of infection prevention work.

Jessica Houston

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Dr. Jessica Houston, PhD, LMSW, is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, professor, and leadership expert who has spent more than a decade helping healthcare professionals strengthen resilience, improve team dynamics, and lead with clarity under pressure. Named one of the Top 50 Speakers by Real Leaders, she delivers high-energy, research-informed sessions that help clinicians and leaders perform with confidence in demanding environments. With over 15 years of experience in social work supporting high-stress teams and vulnerable populations, Dr. Houston understands the realities of burnout, compassion fatigue, and the emotional and physical strain faced by healthcare professionals. Her approach combines evidence-based self-leadership principles with practical strategies that enhance well-being, psychological safety, and sustainable performance. Her message is rooted in her lived experience of overcoming poverty, depression, low confidence, and intimate partner violence, which allows her to connect authentically with diverse audiences. Dr. Houston is committed to helping healthcare professionals lead from within, protect their well-being, and create environments where both staff and patients can thrive.