The Journey Health Foundation Research Center (JHFRC), housed within the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, will host its inaugural Data Summit on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the UTC Wolford Family Athletic Center. The event will bring together faculty, students, community organization leaders and business partners to explore how data can help communities better understand and respond to the everyday factors that influence health and wellbeing across Chattanooga and the surrounding region.
“The Data Summit is about making data useful, accessible and relevant to the real challenges our community faces,” said Shelley Kay, operations manager at JHFRC. “By bringing together research, data and on-the-ground experience, JHFRC hopes to support practical solutions that improve health outcomes for people and neighborhoods across Hamilton County and beyond.”
The half-day summit will highlight JHFRC’s role as a hub for community-engaged research. Sessions will focus on how neighborhood-level data can illuminate issues related to economic stability, access to education and healthcare, transportation, and other factors that shape opportunity and well-being.
Attendees will also get a sneak peek at several JHFRC initiatives designed to support data-informed action across the region. These include:
- JHFRC Data Hub: A new platform that brings together census-tract-level data and reporting to help organizations better understand community conditions
- REACH Fund: A seed grant program that supports applied research focused on understanding and addressing community health challenges
- Student internship program: A new initiative to connect UTC students with community partners to build data capacity and support local projects
These initiatives provide the foundation for the rest of the summit. Speakers from UTC and the broader community will share how data is already being used to guide programs, inform decisions and strengthen partnerships across Chattanooga and beyond. Together, the sessions are designed to highlight both the tools being built and the community-based work they support — and to spark new ideas for collaboration.
Following the event, attendees are invited to stay for lunch provided by JHFRC and informal networking with faculty, speakers and community partners.
This event is free to attend, and registration is required.
About the Journey Health Foundation Research Center
The Journey Health Foundation Research Center at UTC supports community-engaged research, data access and cross-sector collaboration focused on improving health and quality of life through evidence-informed action.
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