Strategic Network Annual Meeting – Oversight Advisory Committees

The meeting will be held at the Renaissance Denver Hotel & Conference Center
3801 Quebec Street
Denver, CO 80207

ALL ATTENDEES (awardees, fellows/trainees and OAC) MUST REGISTER for the Strategic Awards Annual meeting BY AUGUST 7, 2026.

All key Center personnel (Directors/Coordinating Center PIs, Training Directors, Project PIs and Fellows/Trainees) and Oversight Advisory Committee members are expected to attend.

Refer to Programming for specific details. If you are part of two separate Strategic Awards, please register for both meetings.

REGISTER HERE FOR SEPTEMBER 24-25:

• Chronic Stress SFRN
• Inflammation in Cardiac & Neurovascular Disease SFRN
• Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome SFRN
• Valvular Heart Disease SFRN

REGISTER HERE FOR SEPTEMBER 25-26:

• HERN Maternal & Infant Health
• HERN Rural Health
• HERN Community-Driven Research Approaches

IMPORTANT NOTE: Meeting registration is separate from booking your hotel reservation. It is important that hotel reservations are booked within the Strategic Awards room block and not directly through the hotel’s booking link or a third-party site.  Refer to Travel/Hotel Reservations for further instructions on how to make hotel reservations. Name tags will be created based on the name and credentials/degrees entered on the registration form; please ensure this is entered correctly.

For Strategic Award meetings September 24-25, plan your arrival to Denver International Airport on Wednesday, September 23, as programming will start at approximately 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026. Plan your departing flight after 5 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026.

• Chronic Stress SFRN, Inflammation SFRN, CV Kidney SFRN, and Valvular SFRN

• Maternal & Infant Health, Rural Health and Community-Driven Research Approaches HERN

Denver has a light rail system that attendees can ride from the airport to near the hotel. Light rail details (PDF)

AHA Travel Desk
All OAC members must use AHA’s travel desk to book their flights. After July 1, please email Irene Redwine at [email protected] or call (214) 706-1500 during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET) with the following information:

• Name of Meeting: Strategic Award Annual Meeting
• Full legal name (matching valid ID or passport)
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Contact information including email address and phone number
• Travel dates and time of day
• Departing and arriving city
• TSA Pre Check or Known Traveler # (if applicable)
• Travel preferences, if any (airline, aisle seat, etc.)
• AHA Staff Contact: [email protected]
  
  Important Note:  Please communicate the name of the meeting as “Strategic Network Annual Meeting” to the representative of the AHA travel desk.  
  
   

Hotel Reservation
Use this link to make hotel reservations by (TBA): 
(link to be posted soon)

Deposit: One-night deposit is due at the time of booking.
Cancellation Policy: Cancel 72 hours prior to arrival to avoid forfeiting one-night deposit.

Hotel Information
Renaissance Denver Hotel & Conference Center 
3801 Quebec Street
Denver, Colorado 80207
(303) 399-7500

Denver has a light rail system that attendees can ride from the airport to near the hotel. Light rail details (PDF)

The attire for the Strategic Network Annual Meeting is business casual. Jeans, slacks, khakis, polo shirts, other casual blouses and shirts are appropriate.  Hotel meetings rooms are often cool, so bring a jacket or sweater.

Each meeting room will have a charging station. Space will be limited; it is recommended that laptops be charged nightly.

The Oversight Advisory Committees (OACs) provide external oversight for the AHA Strategic Networks and serve in an advisory capacity to assure specific aims and goals are met.

These guides are helpful resources that govern the AHA HERN and SFRN awards. Please refer to the designated guide to answer the most commonly asked questions about procedures and policies of these AHA Research Programs.   

HERN OAC Handbook (PDF)
SFRN OAC Handbook (PDF)

The AHA will cover the costs associated with the OAC’s travel to the Strategic Network Annual Meeting. We will submit a reimbursement request on each of the OAC members’ behalf.  To ensure timely reimbursement, please read and follow the instructions below:

• Volunteer Expense Reimbursement Form (XLXS): Complete the spreadsheet and submit along with the appropriate receipts.  As a reminder, itemized receipts are required for all expenditures more than $25. AHA will reimburse for parking, cab/Uber, meals not provided at the meeting, etc.
  
  Important Note: Each AHA volunteer is required to complete this form in its entirety to ensure their travel reimbursement is processed in a timely manner.

• AHA Volunteer Travel and Expense Guidelines (PDF): Provides detailed information regarding allowable expenses. 

After the meeting, email [email protected] with the completed forms and receipts by Friday, December 4, 2026.