by Anne Tate
For the Executive War College
Stefanie Davidson
Laboratory Director,
Foundation Health
Session:
Breaking the Traveler Cycle: How to Replicate Proven, High-Impact Workforce Strategies to Achieve Sustainable, Long-Term Laboratory Staffing and Operational StabilityTitle
Stefanie Davidson, Laboratory Director at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Alaska, will present at the 31st Executive War College 2026, sharing a proven approach to breaking the laboratory technologist traveler cycle without relying on temporary or contract staffing.
Through use of cost data, strong leadership practices, and a deliberate grow-your-own workforce strategy, Stefanie has successfully maintained full laboratory staffing while reducing dependence on external personnel. As she explains, her success reflects “the combination of data-driven decision-making, leadership engagement, and intentional workforce development.”
In this session, attendees will learn how to:
- Distinguish between short-term staffing gaps and structural workforce design challenges that create long-term reliance on travelers
- Implement a replicable grow-your-own workforce framework, including career ladders and internal development pathways, to strengthen recruitment and retention
- Understand the outsized role of leadership presence, culture, and trust in sustaining permanent staffing, often outweighing market conditions
This is a must-attend session for laboratory leaders facing persistent staffing challenges and seeking practical, long-term alternatives to traveler dependency.
Join us at Executive War College 2026 to gain insight into field-tested workforce strategies that support resilient laboratory operations.
The Ultimate Event for Helping Solve Your Diagnostics, Clinical Lab and Pathology Management Challenges
Executive War College is the world’s largest event focused exclusively on the management of medical laboratories. In 2025, more than 1,100 lab executives and pathologists attended this high-energy event to learn, connect, and collaborate. The Executive War College (EWC) is the greatest goldmine of easy to implement, practical solutions for the modern clinical laboratory.
The healthcare landscape is always changing so it’s critical to stay informed. If you’ve attended Executive War College in the past, you know how valuable the experience is to your business, and if you haven’t attended, we welcome you to join hundreds of your peers at the best and the largest Clinical Lab management event of the year!
