Health Policy Advocate Courtney Lang, JD, to Moderate Session Panel on Advancing Equitable Data Standards at the 2026 NMQF Leadership Summit

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Courtney Lang, JD, Founder and Principal of Langco + Partners, will present during the 2026 National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) Leadership Summit on April 27 at 4:00 PM, under the Summit theme, "ACCESS: Advancing Community-Centered Care through Environment Sensitive Standards."

Lang will moderate the session titled "State Data Disaggregation: Implementing SPD 15 to Improve Equitable Health Outcomes," exploring how states can adopt federal standards and expand data practices to strengthen representation and data quality.

The panel discussion will examine the recent update to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (SPD 15), the minimum federal standard for race and ethnicity data, and the importance of advancing data collection categories, including the integration of language, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity, as critical to delivering effective care.

"Accurate, comprehensive data is key to improving health outcomes," said Courtney Lang. "When states prioritize disaggregated data, they strengthen data integrity, better understand communities, and address disparities with greater precision."

The panel will also address advocacy priorities that recognize intersectionality as essential to advancing equitable health outcomes.

"Modernizing how we collect and use demographic data is not a technical exercise—it is foundational to building a healthcare system that actually works," said Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum.

"The body operates according to physical laws, and when our data systems fail to capture the real conditions people live in, we fail to design care that aligns with those realities. At this year's Leadership Summit, we are advancing community-centered, environment-sensitive standards that reflect how people actually experience health and disease. This is how we begin to break down generational barriers in access and outcomes—by translating data into precise, timely, and accountable action that drives innovation and delivers better care for every community."

The NMQF Leadership Summit brings together policymakers, healthcare leaders, researchers, and advocates to address the most pressing issues in health quality and outcomes. The April 27^th data session will offer practical insights and real-world examples to support the sustainable adoption of enhanced data disaggregation standards nationwide.

For more information about the 2026 NMQF Leadership Summit, visit: https://nmqf.org/annual-summits/2026-annual-leadership-summit/

About Langco + Partners

Langco + Partners is a health justice public affairs firm that represents a dynamic cross-sector of stakeholders, convening coalitions of multi-disciplinary leaders, advising c-suite executives, and mobilizing grassroots and public health advocates. Learn more: www.langcopartners.com

About the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF)

Founded in 1998, the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is a United States-based health care research, education, and advocacy organization whose mission is to reduce patient risk and advance health equity by ensuring optimal care for all. NMQF utilizes data and research to support and mobilize healthcare organizations, leaders, policymakers, and patients in advocating for biologically aligned care that reduces hospitalizations, disabilities, and deaths while promoting high-quality, long lives, particularly for the most vulnerable. For more information, visit www.nmqf.org.

SOURCE Langco + Partners