Sanford Health to highlight workforce readiness at AI Summit
| April 8, 2026 |
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sanford Health’s chief transformation officer is joining leaders from Google and Augustana University for a one-day conference focused on preparing students for a world in which AI is increasingly ambient, but where human judgment, ethics and curiosity remain essential.
The Applied AI Summit: A Future-Ready Workforce at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convenes students, faculty, industry, civic leaders and health care professionals for a focused exploration of how artificial intelligence is transforming education, business and health care.
In collaboration with Google Public Sector and regional partners, this immersive experience moves beyond theory to practical application, equipping participants with hands-on exposure to AI tools, cross-sector insight and actionable strategies for responsible adoption. The summit centers students in the workforce conversation while advancing institutional and industry collaboration to ensure graduates are technically fluent, ethically grounded and prepared to lead in an AI-augmented economy
Tommy Ibrahim, M.D., executive vice president and chief transformation officer, is a featured speaker in the session entitled, AI & The Future Workforce: A Cross-Sector Conversation. Joining Ibrahim is Bishop Constanze Hagmaier and David Golemboski, Ph.D., MTS, associate professor of government and international affairs. Joel A. Johnson, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president at Augustana University, will moderate the session.
“I am looking forward to engaging with students and faculty on how we prepare for a future where AI is increasingly embedded in how we work,” said Ibrahim. “At Sanford Health, we are focused on building AI literacy, engaging our workforce early and implementing strong governance to ensure these tools are safe, trusted and aligned with our mission. We’re also taking a disciplined, problem-first approach to innovation – focusing on where AI can have the greatest impact in care delivery and operations. Ultimately, what we do in health care will not change, but how we do our work must – and when done well, AI can reduce administrative burden, enhance decision-making and strengthen the human connection at the center of care.”
A board-certified hospitalist, Dr. Ibrahim received his doctor of medicine degree from St. Christopher’s IMD College of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, an academic affiliate of Johns Hopkins and is licensed in multiple states. He holds a master of business administration degree from Columbia University, a master of healthcare administration degree from Seton Hall University and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a fellow in hospital medicine.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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