Turn Conference Conversations into Career Opportunities, with Keynote Speakers Kelly Miller and Janine Walker

On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host and senior editor Daniel Williams sits down with Kelly Miller, product manager for Enterprise Information Systems Business at Fujifilm, and Janine Walker, senior vice president of sales and business development at Human Assets.

Ahead of their session at The MGMA Annual Conference in San Antonio, Miller and Walker explain how authentic networking can create friendships, expand professional perspectives, and open unexpected career opportunities. They share practical ways to navigate conferences when introducing yourself does not come naturally. Their advice includes preparing before an event, setting manageable goals, moving beyond familiar professional circles, and using informal conference moments to form genuine connections.

Episode takeaways

• Networking can shape a career in ways that are difficult to predict. Walker traces her current leadership role to relationships built through the Radiology Business Management Association, while Miller explains how maintaining a connection with a Fujifilm representative ultimately helped her move from healthcare operations into product management.
• The most valuable conference conversations often happen outside formal sessions. Receptions, meals, vendor-hall visits, coffee breaks, and other informal gatherings give attendees room to connect as people rather than job titles.
• Preparation makes an unfamiliar room feel more manageable. Reviewing the conference app, identifying a few people or organizations of interest, and learning about exhibitors in advance can provide natural starting points for conversation.
• A small networking goal is often more productive than trying to meet everyone. Walker and Miller recommend aiming for one or two meaningful introductions. One new contact may then introduce you to several others, allowing a network to grow organically.
• Good networking is relational, not transactional. Instead of immediately launching into a sales pitch or exchanging business cards, begin with an approachable question about the event, a restaurant, a session, or even the coffee line. Listen closely and look for common ground.
• The vendor hall can be a useful practice environment. Exhibitors are ready to begin conversations, which removes some of the pressure from attendees. Conversations with other people visiting the same booth can also reveal shared operational needs and interests.
• Moving beyond your usual professional circle creates new possibilities. Connecting with people from different specialties, disciplines, or roles can broaden your understanding of healthcare and lead to opportunities that would not emerge inside a familiar peer group.
• Relationships require continued investment after the conference. Staying connected, offering support, listening for what another person needs, and contributing value are what turn a brief introduction into a durable professional relationship or friendship.

Connect with Our Guests

• Kelly Miller on LinkedIn, and learn more about Fujifilm
• Janine Walker on LinkedIn, and learn more about Human Assets and Radiology Business Management Association

MGMA Networking Opportunities

• Connect with peers at the 2026 MGMA Annual Conference | September 27-30, 2026 | San Antonio, TX
• MGMA Member Community
• MGMA Resource Groups

Related MGMA Resources

• How MGMA’s Early Careerist Group builds the future of healthcare leadership (podcast)
• Member Spotlight: Delores McNair and Bryana Blanco on the impact of mentorship (podcast)
• The human side of networking: Why connection matters more than ever in healthcare administration (article)

MGMA members: Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts!

This episode is sponsored by ModMed.
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