2026 Community of Human and Organizational Learning 32nd Annual Conference

In October 2024, I underwent a heart transplant after a long and complex battle with heart failure. What no one expected was what came next: when my heart was removed, surgeons discovered a large, cancerous sarcoma — a one‑in‑ten‑million finding that had gone undetected through years of testing, procedures, and clinical assumptions. This presentation uses my medical journey as a real‑world case study in how deeply held paradigms can shape — and sometimes limit — human judgment, even among highly skilled professionals.
For two years, I was treated for Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), a condition expected to heal in months. Despite ten heart attacks, bypass surgery, and mounting evidence that the diagnosis didn’t fit, the paradigm held. My experience illustrates how cognitive anchors, organizational norms, and diagnostic momentum can prevent teams from seeing emerging information clearly. These same dynamics appear in every industry: when people lock onto a narrative, contradictory signals are often minimized or missed.
Through this deeply personal story, participants will explore how to recognize paradigm traps, create space for dissenting data, and build cultures where learning from anomalies is not just encouraged but expected. The session also highlights the profound gift of organ donation — the reason I am here to share this journey — and invites attendees to consider the life‑changing impact donors make.
Attendees will leave with renewed insight into how human beings interpret information, how organizations can better support adaptive thinking, and how embracing uncertainty can lead to better decisions, better outcomes, and, sometimes, a second chance at life.