Women trying to make sense of midlife health changes will have a rare opportunity to hear from specialists across several disciplines in one place at the 2026 Northwest Ohio Women's Health Summit, comes to the Glass City Center on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The full-day program is designed to help attendees connect questions about menopause, hormones, metabolism, sexual health, gut health, and longevity, then identify practical next steps for conversations with their own healthcare professionals.
The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Glass City Center Grand Ballroom, 401 Jefferson Ave. in downtown Toledo. It is open to the public; attendees do not need a healthcare background. Women who are newly noticing changes, already receiving treatment, or supporting a family member can attend in person, while a livestream extends access to people who cannot travel.
The summit arrives as menopause and midlife women's health are receiving greater attention as both healthcare and workforce issues. A 2023 Mayo Clinic study of employed women ages 45 to 60 estimated that menopause-related symptoms account for $1.8 billion in lost work time each year in the United States, and $26.6 billion annually when medical expenses are included. In the study, 13.4% of participants reported at least one adverse work outcome related to menopause symptoms.
Research has also documented gaps between the prevalence of symptoms and the care women receive. The Menopause Society reported in 2024 that, among 229 women in a primary care setting who described moderate to very severe hot flashes, only 22.7% had those symptoms documented in their electronic health records. A separate national survey found that only 31.3% of responding obstetrics and gynecology residency program directors reported any menopause curriculum in their programs.
Against that backdrop, the Northwest Ohio Women's Health Summit offers what can be difficult to obtain during a single medical visit: extended education from clinicians in urology, gynecology, pharmacy, nursing, functional medicine, and preventive care. The goal is not to diagnose attendees or prescribe a universal solution. It is to help women recognize how symptoms may overlap, understand where evidence is established or still developing, and ask more focused questions when they seek individualized care.
The morning keynote will be delivered by Dr. Kelly Casperson, a board-certified urologic surgeon, founder of The Casperson Clinic, and host of the “You Are Not Broken” podcast. The author of “You Are Not Broken” and “The Menopause Moment” is also a TEDx speaker, Harvard continuing medical education faculty member, and an advocate who has testified before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about testosterone access for women.
Afternoon keynote Dr. Maria Sophocles is a gynecologist, author of “The Bedroom Gap”, and public advocate focused on menopause, midlife sexual health, and gaps in care. Her virtual clinic serves women in 11 states and internationally, and she is developing a documentary about sex and menopause.
Featured speaker Mia Scott, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a family nurse practitioner, functional medicine provider, summit speaker, and co-founder of Rixa Health. Her experience spans conventional and functional medicine, with clinical work focused on metabolic health, weight management, hormone optimization, thyroid disorders, gut health, and preventive medicine. As host of the "Health Without the System" podcast, she also shares practical information about health, longevity, and quality of life.
"Women are often left trying to connect symptoms, short appointments, and conflicting health information on their own," Scott said. "This summit gives them time to hear several clinical perspectives, understand where the evidence is strong, and leave them better prepared for productive conversations with their own healthcare professionals."
Featured speaker Kristi Lorenc, FNP, is a family nurse practitioner certified in functional medicine through the School of Applied Functional Medicine. Her clinical perspective is informed by her own experience with chronic illness and by working with patients who feel caught in cycles of symptom management. Lorenc sees patients of all ages, from newborns through adults, across Ohio and Michigan.
Featured speaker Dr. Melody Hartzler, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, ABAAHP, is a functional and integrative medicine pharmacist specializing in hormone health and root-cause care for women. Her work includes hormone replacement therapy, thyroid health, metabolic dysfunction, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and stress physiology. A nationally recognized speaker and educator, Hartzler bridges conventional pharmacotherapy with functional medicine and is the founder of PharmToTable and FunctionalMedicineCE.com.
The range of specialties is central to the attendee experience. Concerns such as poor sleep, changing body composition, low energy, brain fog, or sexual discomfort may raise questions involving more than one body system or type of clinician. The program will examine those connections without suggesting that every symptom has the same cause or that one treatment fits everyone.
Sessions will cover perimenopause and menopause, metabolic health, insulin resistance, thyroid function, inflammation, gut health, sexual wellness, and lifestyle factors. Speakers will discuss conventional, functional, integrative, and lifestyle medicine perspectives, including areas where approaches or the strength of evidence differ. That context can help attendees evaluate health information instead of simply following a trend or social media claim.
The practical value is that multiple specialists and related topics come together in one day. Participants can compare how disciplines frame the same concern, develop questions for upcoming appointments, and identify issues that may warrant further discussion with a qualified clinician. In-person guests can also meet vendors and community partners to learn about regional resources.
The $129 Summit Experience includes all presentations, both keynotes, event parking, lunch, snacks, and beverages, vendor access, and a gift bag. The $389 Summit Experience VIP, limited to 40 tickets, adds VIP seating, a post-conference question-and-answer session with Sophocles, and a 5:30 p.m. dinner with Casperson.
The $79 Summit Live Stream includes remote access to all presentations and both keynotes, AI-generated summaries, and a vendor list with applicable discounts. Organizers note that pricing may increase as October 10 approaches, and spaces continue to fill.
The summit is educational and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Presentations may include established guidance, current research, professional experience, and areas of functional or integrative medicine in which evidence or consensus varies. Attendees are encouraged to consider the quality of evidence, their personal medical history, and guidance from a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.
Tickets, speaker biographies, the video invitation, and complete event details are available at https://summit.rixahealth.com/. Standard and VIP tickets include event parking at the Glass City Center. Final schedule and check-in information will be communicated through official summit channels as the event approaches. Mia Scott has released a one-minute video invitation for people deciding whether the summit is relevant to them.
Rixa Health is a nationwide integrative and functional medicine practice focused on personalized health and preventive care. Its clinical and educational work includes metabolic health, hormone health, thyroid function, gut health, and lifestyle-related factors. Rixa Health provides information and services intended to help patients better understand their health and participate in informed conversations with qualified healthcare professionals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FECcHFxEbps
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For more information about Rixa Health, contact the company here:
Rixa Health
Dr. Tim Scott
4192199805
contactus@rixahealth.com
150 W S Boundary Perrysburg, OH 43551
