As the Phoenix sun rose over the city, Day 2 of Thrive Summit 2026 began with movement, reflection, and renewed energy. From rooftop yoga and guided walks through the city to early‑morning conversations over coffee in the Exhibit Hall, the day opened with a shared sense of intention — a reminder that how we begin matters.
With minds engaged and community fully activated, the Thrive journey continued into a day centered on human agency, innovation, and what it truly means to help people flourish.
Starting the day grounded in wellbeing
Morning wellness experiences set the tone for the day ahead. Attendees greeted the morning with:
- Sunrise yoga, overlooking the Phoenix skyline
- Rucking through downtown Pheonix and chatting 1:1 with today’s main stage speaker: Angus Collins
- A history walk through the city, blending movement and connection
- Early access to the Partner Exhibit Hall, activations, and coaching moments
These intentional starts reinforced a core Thrive belief: wellbeing isn’t something we talk about — it’s something we practice together.
Reimagining health on the main stage
The morning mainstage opened with a moving tribute to last year’s celebrity keynote, James Van Der Beek, who recently lost his battle with cancer. We are all grateful to have shared space with James and benefitted from his storytelling and experiences.
Attendees then paused for a guided intention setting exercise, led by a Personify Health coach. Those in Phoenix and on the livestream took a moment to define their Thrive “Why”, grounding the week in personal purpose and presence.
The missing health ingredient: Agency
Our first mainstage speaker of the day was Dr. David Shaywitz, Harvard professor and physician‑scientist, who challenged the audience to rethink what it means to support human flourishing. His framework centered on agency — empowering people not just to access care, but to actively shape healthier, more fulfilled lives. It was a great follow-up to yesterday’s session with Dr. Alok Patel! Dr. Shaywitz advised that flourishing health is built on function, connection, and agency. But agency isn’t about tracking metrics – it’s about optimism and believing in yourself – which is proven to correlate to better health. He reminded us, “Life is so much richer than we might appreciate.” Cheers to that!
Engagement + outcomes = Personify
Next, Personify’s Ed Liebowitz, President & GM of Health Engagement, followed with an Innovation Spotlight, outlining how engagement can translate into measurable health and cost outcomes. He explained that engagement is the foundation, but it must be brought together with cost containment and clinical outcomes – just as Shohei Ohtani is an all-star pitcher and hitter.
Ed went on to share examples of how our PercyIQ intelligence engine turns insights into action for Personify itself. We were able to identify MSK as our 3rd largest condition among our employee population and then did targeted outreach to members to direct them to effective options like Hinge Health. Emphasizing our platform’s ability to be predictive, Ed commented, “You can’t change outcomes if you show up after the fact.”
Courage, connection, and creativity
The morning continued with deeply human stories and creative energy:
- Repeat Thrive speaker and fan favorite Angus Collins, ultra‑endurance athlete and mental health advocate, shared reflections from his Great British Odyssey — a 2,000‑mile mission that sparked candid conversations around men’s mental health and the importance of surrounding ourselves with the right people. Angus shared insights from when he ended his row and what that meant to him. He talked about the importance of finding balance when trying to manage your mental health needs and recognizing when you need to lean on others – something that remains a challenge for many. He posed an important question, “Am I being stubborn or am I being resilient?” It’s something we should all ask ourselves from time to time.
- Bradley Rapier, Emmy‑award‑winning choreographer and author, brought the room to life with his Step in the Circle methodology, challenging leaders to rethink engagement through creativity, culture, and shared purpose. The circle is about collaboration and self-belief – not giving in to impostor syndrome. During his energizing session, Bradley told the audience, “There’s something powerful about stepping in the circle, taking the pressure off yourself and allowing the groove to guide you.” He went on to say, “You are not gravity or a math equation. Stop trying to prove yourself. In the circle we don’t prove, we offer.” An energizing performance from the Groovaloos wrapped up our morning session, setting all of us on our way full of spark and intention!
Breakouts, insights, and innovations in action
Late morning and early afternoon brought fresh perspectives through Breakout Sessions Blocks 3 and 4, where attendees once again chose their own path across five tracks. These sessions delivered practical insights across engagement, advisory strategy, experience design, and transformational change — offering real‑world lessons attendees could take home and apply immediately.
Between sessions, the Exhibit Hall and activations buzzed with conversation, creativity, and connection — reinforcing Thrive’s belief that some of the most impactful moments happen between sessions.
- MemorialCare, alongside Insurance Office of America, explored what happens when a fully connected, personalized health experience comes to life, sharing the real stories and meaningful outcomes that happen when people get healthier.
- Children’s Mercy Hospital, alongside Personify clinical leaders, shared about their experience offering Transform, our digital therapeutics weight management solution, and how the combination of clinical expertise and 1:1 support provides lasting impact.
- PSEG and Personify’s data experts shed light on how analytics can be used to shape program strategy, boost engagement, and deliver measurable outcomes.
- Children’s Health and Lockton shared their first-hand experiences leveraging data from surveys, claims, and program engagement to create truly personalized wellbeing experiences.
- Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan Inc joined our clinical leaders for an inside look at their integrated approach to prediabetes prevention, sharing how they saw measurable member impact – and controlled rising costs before they escalated.
- Quartz Health Solutions Inc., The Solutions Group, and Select Health Discover gave an inside look at how they drove engagement without big budgets and achieved measurable ROI/VOI.
- Banner Health and Helen of Troy shared proven strategies and best practices that enabled them to optimize our solutions and services for maximum program impact and success.
- Danaher joined sponsor Sword Health to explore how predictive data helped transform their musculoskeletal strategy and claims management from reactive to proactive, unlocking better access, better outcomes, and better business.
- Experts from Aon and Benecept Consultants, alongside Personify CCO Kirk Rosin, reviewed what they’re seeing in the market and how they partner with Personify Health to guide clients with strategic, forward-thinking solutions that address key needs.
The future of healthcare takes center stage
AI, engagement, and mental health at scale
The afternoon mainstage continued with a forward‑looking lens:
- David Calello, McKinsey partner, demonstrated real‑world applications of AI in healthcare (especially moving from agents to agentic AI), equipping attendees with the confidence to engage with emerging technologies thoughtfully and responsibly. He recognized that healthcare is uniquely primed for AI due to the abundance of data, and emphasized, “This is not just a technology story. It’s a chance to improve healthcare and healthcare productivity to improve costs and the patient experience.”
- Dr. Jeff Jacques, Chief Medical Officer at Personify Health, joined members of the Personify Clinical Board to unveil the company’s next‑generation clinical model. They began with an overview of the issue of systemic chronic inflammation, and its “cousin,” insulin resistance, noting that 70% of disease is caused by insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Lifestyle changes can make a big difference here, and walked through members examples, exploring how earlier risk identification, more precise interventions, and integrated care can help shift both health outcomes and costs in the right direction. An important part of being successful in changing behavior is through coaching, “When support shows up in the right way at the right time, change becomes doable.”
- Laura Hiebert, Wellness Program Administrator, Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry, joined us for a fascinating interview on supporting the mental health of inmates and corrections staff. She explains that both populations can be challenging, as there is immense stigma on mental health and asking for help. But both can benefit greatly from support. She explains the critical nature of personalized support – that working with each group in a way that feels comfortable for them is a key to success.
- Our Diamond Sponsor, Spring Health, joined mutual client Intuit for an insightful session, Heat Check: Advancing Workforce Mental Health. This conversation offered an honest look at how Intuit is evolving its mental health strategies to meet changing employee expectations. It has been important for Intuit to partner with companies that can truly support their global populations, as well as regularly provide the data they need to understand those geographies and members and make the right decisions. She noted that with the right partners, “Your mental health and wellbeing can be a disciplined investment instead of an uncontrolled cost.”
Celebrating impact: 5th Annual Thrive Awards
Next came one of the most meaningful moments of the day: the 5th Annual Thrive Awards, presented by Kristen Larson, SVP of Client Growth. This year’s recipients were recognized for their commitment to innovation, prevention, and the people they support — and for staying true to their why.
Many of our worthy recipients gave shout-outs to their Personify account team! We love hearing that our partnership and collaboration is making an impact. Our Thriving in Year One winner Maricopa Community College District noted, “Our team always provides fresh ideas to help our employees make small changes and support their health goals.”
Most importantly, a majority of our award recipients expressed their passion and commitment for helping their people live healthier lives. Global Impact winner Hubbell Inc., commented, “My why is to do something every day that impacts my employees in a meaningful way, and my own wellbeing bucket gets filled when I do that. Personify has been instrumental in bringing together our global populations.” And Engagement Award winner Arthur J. Gallagher said, “Personify doesn’t feel like a typical benefits platform. It feels personal to your journey.” That’s what it’s all about!
Congratulations to all our honorees!
An evening to unplug and reconnect
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Thrive community gathered once more — this time outdoors — for Thrive Unplugged at Arizona Center. With boho‑inspired spaces, desert‑sunset hues, and blankets spread across the turf, attendees slowed down, shared stories, and connected in a way that felt both grounding and celebratory.
Co‑sponsored by Spring Health, the evening was a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful progress happens when we pause, unplug, and simply be present together.
Momentum, meaning, and what comes next
Day 2 of Thrive Summit 2026 was a powerful blend of insight and inspiration — pairing innovation with humanity, and strategy with soul. As conversations deepened and ideas took shape, one theme remained clear: when we empower people with agency and lead with purpose, better outcomes follow.
Tomorrow, we bring it home — with rapid‑fire breakouts, hope‑driven leadership, and a final reflection on the power of asking why.
The journey continues…
Share your Day 2 moments using #ThriveSummit2026 and tag Personify Health.