The Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) is gearing up for its highly anticipated 2025 Annual Meeting, slated for August 3-6 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. This flagship event for medical imaging professionals promises to deliver a blend of top-tier education, leadership development, industry insight, and invaluable networking – all set against the vibrant backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip.
Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a seasoned AHRA member, this year’s meeting offers something for everyone looking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of imaging administration.
Why Attend the AHRA Annual Meeting?
The AHRA Annual Meeting is not just another industry conference – it’s a premier gathering for leaders in imaging management. Each year, hundreds of radiology directors, imaging supervisors, operations managers, and administrators come together to share best practices, explore innovations, and learn strategies to drive clinical and operational excellence.
This year, AHRA is taking feedback seriously by designing a program that maximizes impact while minimizing the time attendees are away from their departments. With tailored content tracks, a restructured schedule, and new networking opportunities, the 2025 meeting is more focused and efficient than ever.
Workshops That Make an Impact
To kick off the event, AHRA will host several deep-dive workshops on Saturday, August 2, allowing participants to gain certification prep or leadership insights without missing a minute of the general conference. These include:
- CRA Exam Workshop: Ideal for those preparing to earn their Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) credential, this comprehensive review will help candidates navigate key topics and exam strategies.
- Executive Leadership Workshop: Targeted at senior professionals and those aspiring to C-suite roles, this session focuses on high-level leadership skills, strategic planning, and healthcare transformation.
- Imaging Negotiation Workshop: A newer addition to the lineup, this session helps attendees develop negotiation techniques for vendor contracts, internal budget discussions, and interdepartmental collaboration.
These workshops are designed not only to educate but to empower imaging leaders to return to their organizations with actionable knowledge.
Educational Sessions for Every Level
The heart of the Annual Meeting lies in its robust educational programming. AHRA 2025 will feature dozens of breakout sessions and keynotes across a variety of critical focus areas, including:
- Leadership and Professional Development
- Operational Efficiency
- Quality and Safety
- Finance and Budgeting
- Technology Trends and Innovation
Each session is led by experienced professionals and subject matter experts, ensuring that attendees leave with evidence-based tools to implement change and drive performance improvements.
In keeping with AHRA’s commitment to inclusivity and development, many sessions will also be eligible for continuing education credits, including those needed for CRA and ARRT renewals.
Keynote Speakers That Inspire
No AHRA Annual Meeting is complete without compelling keynote speakers. While the full speaker lineup will be announced closer to the event, past years have featured prominent voices in healthcare leadership, motivational speakers, and industry disruptors. Attendees can expect to hear from experts who will challenge them to think differently about leadership, resilience, and the future of imaging.
The keynote sessions are often standing-room only, as they set the tone for each day and ignite the energy for the rest of the program.
The Gathering Place: Exhibit Hall and More
The Gathering Place serves as the central hub of the Annual Meeting – a dynamic space where attendees can interact with exhibitors, network with peers, and explore emerging technologies. With extended hours in 2025, including Sunday access and earlier daily openings, attendees will have more time to:
- Demo cutting-edge imaging equipment and software
- Meet with vendors and service providers
- Discover innovative solutions for clinical and operational challenges
- Participate in sponsored learning labs and mini-sessions
This year’s exhibit hall is expected to host over 100 exhibitors, offering attendees a unique chance to evaluate products and services that can enhance performance and patient care.
Networking Reimagined
One of the standout features of the AHRA Annual Meeting is its focus on meaningful connection. From structured networking events to informal gatherings, the 2025 conference will include:
- New Member and First-Time Attendee Reception: A welcoming environment for those new to AHRA or attending their first meeting, providing a chance to connect with leadership and peers early in the event.
- Drinks on ICE at Beer Park is set for Sunday, August 3 from 7 to 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by IAC. RSVP online at theicecommunity.com/ahra-rsvp
- Regional Meetings: A space for attendees to connect with others from their geographic area, fostering local networks that last long after the conference ends.
- Women in Imaging Leadership: A growing initiative that highlights the contributions of women in the field and creates space for mentorship and dialogue.
- The Closing Party: Scheduled for Tuesday evening, August 5, from 7 to 10 p.m., this signature celebration features food, music, and fun in a relaxed setting – perfect for unwinding and reflecting on the week’s learnings.
Travel and Lodging Made Easy
The Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino offers a central, luxurious venue for this year’s event. Attendees can book within the official AHRA room block to enjoy discounted rates and convenient access to all meeting events. Staying at the host hotel also enhances networking opportunities and makes it easier to participate fully in the experience.
Conference programming will end by 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6, allowing ample time for travel home – a thoughtful adjustment designed with East Coast participants and those with tight schedules in mind.
Don’t Miss Out
With so much to offer, the AHRA 2025 Annual Meeting promises to be a transformative experience for imaging professionals at every stage of their careers. Registration is now open, and early sign-ups are encouraged to take advantage of hotel discounts and secure spots in limited-capacity workshops.
To learn more and register, visit ahra.org.
Join your peers in Las Vegas and be part of shaping the future of medical imaging leadership.
Who better to ask about AHRA and the annual meeting than AHRA President Mario Pistilli? ICE Magazine Editor John Wallace reached out for information leading into the annual meeting and Pistilli graciously made time to share his thoughts.
Q: This year’s AHRA Annual Meeting is returning to Las Vegas. What makes this location and the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino the right fit for 2025?
Pistilli: Very excited to be returning the AHRA to Las Vegas which has been a highly attended location in the past. What will make the Paris so great is that it can house all attendees within the same hotel and offer easy access from the room to all conference events. We also got access to some really exciting spaces to hold our receptions that I know attendees will love. We will also be located right in the middle of the strip so easy access in either direction to all of the properties on the strip.
Q: AHRA is known for listening to its members. What feedback from past meetings helped shape the experience we’ll see this August?
Pistilli: We heard from members how much they loved the Ambassador program and how much new members and first-time attendees are included to make sure their first experience is as easy and meaningful as possible. We also moved the closing party so that more people could attend and still head home to get back to family or work obligations timely – as in the past to attend the party you had to stay past the conference end. This should open up the experience to everyone attending and this year’s party will be epic and I am really excited to try the specialty Mario-themed cocktail.
Q: Can you highlight a few educational or keynote sessions that you’re personally excited about? What themes do you expect to resonate most this year?
Pistilli: I always love the keynotes and this year will feature Alex Sheen. He is the founder of because I said I would, a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to bettering humanity through promises made and kept. Sparked by the loss of his father, Alex and his organization send “promise cards” to anyone anywhere in the world at no cost.
Alex is someone who truly honors commitment. He once walked over 240 miles across the entire state of Ohio in 10 days to fulfill a promise. In just two years, because I said I would has sent over 9.81 million promise cards to over 153 different countries. The promises written on these cards have made headlines around the world.
His charitable work has been featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, CNN, The Today Show, NPR, The Los Angeles Times and many other programs
We will also have plenty of sessions to help us all navigate the ever-changing healthcare financial and regulatory landscape, manage our staffs, and take care of ourselves.
Q: The Gathering Place is a major attraction for attendees and vendors alike. What can participants expect from this year’s exhibit hall experience?
Pistilli: The exhibit hall is already at capacity and we have many first-time exhibitors along with our long-term valued partners that we love to see each year. The design team has worked hard to make the exhibit hall a great place to gather and will incorporate some fun events for members. One thing I want to stress is that it is so important for attendees to engage with the vendors. Even if you do not intend on buying right now, take time to network and learn what’s new and our vendor partners also want to hear what your pain points are and the things you are working on. This is a great way for vendors to get the voice of the customer which helps inform future development. Visiting vendors is also a great way for you to help the AHRA mission as the more engaged members connecting with our vendors, the more vendors are excited to engage and support AHRA which turns into more products and services for all of you.
Q: AHRA has made great strides in community-building initiatives. How will networking opportunities — especially for new members — be elevated this year?
Pistilli: We are bringing back and expanding the Ambassador program and making sure that there are not many competing things going on so that more people can focus on meeting and welcoming new members and first-time attendees. Also moving the party will help more people participate. There will be an elevated President’s reception which offers a great kick-off networking event. The location being near so many fun things to do will also help networking tremendously.
Q: As AHRA President, how do you see the organization evolving to meet the needs of imaging leaders in today’s complex healthcare landscape?
Pistilli: The organization continues evolving and one major area of growth is in our collaboration with many other industry professional organizations to share ideas and support each other in advocating for policy change and in raising awareness of the profession of imaging nationwide. We also have so many methods of content delivery including webinars, podcasts, on-demand sessions, and the largest number of local area meetings in AHRA history. Coming soon will be enhancements to the educational web platform and more content on data and benchmarking.
Q: What message would you share with someone considering attending the AHRA Annual Meeting for the first time?
Pistilli: I would say do whatever you have to do to get to the annual meeting and make it a priority for your personal and professional growth. Your eyes will be opened to the rich variety of support and resources that will carry forward well beyond the annual meeting. If you put yourself out there you will gain tons of new colleagues and friends that will be invaluable as we all try and do our best for our patients and our teammates.
Q: Finally, what are you most looking forward to personally at this year’s Annual Meeting?
Pistilli: I always most look forward to seeing many long-time treasured friends and in meeting new ones. I love helping other leaders grow and prosper in their careers and I usually connect with a few new folks that I can collaborate with to get them more involved in AHRA. To me the AHRA annual is my family reunion and is the oxygen for my soul to carry me through when times are tough.
