RISE @ ESC CONGRESS 2026
RISE @ ESC Congress 2026
27 August – Munich
RISE @ ESC Congress returned in 2026 in partnership with the European Society of Cardiology for its third year. It offered women in cardiology the opportunity to add a full day of leadership development, community building, and career advancement to their week in Munich.
The 2026 theme, Growing and Thriving as a Leader in Cardiology, reflected our continued commitment to women in cardiology at every career stage and across every practice setting. Four global Program Directors shaped the conference, whose expertise and leadership anchored the experience: Pamela Douglas, MD (USA); Maria Rubini, MD (Spain); Zainab Samad, MD (Pakistan); and Malissa J. Wood, MD (USA). Their combined viewpoints reflect the global cardiology community and demonstrate RISE’s international reach and relevance. Together, they designed an agenda that addressed the real-world challenges women in cardiology face and the field’s emerging opportunities.
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Watch the full event highlight reel
Building community and connection
Turning conversations into action
Session summaries
RISE @ ESC Congress 2026: Building a future where every woman in cardiology can lead
News RISERISE @ ESC Congress 2026 explored women leading in cardiology, career development, equity, mentorship & the future of cardiovascular care.
From conversation to action: international cardiovascular leaders call for collective change
RISEAt RISE @ ESC Congress 2026, cardiovascular leaders discussed how collaboration, accountability & action are essential to make progress.
From guidelines to impact: making quality improvement a reality in cardiovascular care
RISEAt RISE @ ESC Congress 2026 encouraged us to assess and take action to ensure that all patients receive the best cardiovascular care.
Agenda
The new agenda was designed to be widely applicable, whether you work in academic medicine, community hospitals, private clinics, or research settings. The agenda included didactic sessions led by senior leaders in clinical care, scientific research, and business, as well as expert faculty from renowned leadership education programs. It offered fresh content, new perspectives, and practical strategies they could apply in their work.
Faculty
The RISE @ ESC Congress 2026 faculty was a distinguished, global network of leaders shaping the future of cardiology and business. With expertise in clinical practice, research, and leadership, they advance the field while championing and mentoring the next generation of women in cardiology.
What you said about RISE 2026
It’s so inspiring to be among such incredible women that are all connected by science, by their passion and how driven they are.
Elena Stoyanova
Medical Student, Ludwig-Maximillians-Univerität München, Germany
RISE 2026 Attendee
The panel discussion with the presidents of the different medical societies reinforced the fact that together we can solve the global burden of cardiovascular disease for women and men. That discussion was definitely inspirational, action-oriented, and it inspired optimism.
Jennifer H. Mieres, MD
Senior VP of the Center for Advancing Health for All, Northwell Health, USA
RISE 2024, 2025 & 2026 Attendee
You can find people from low-income countries, from the US, from China, from everywhere. And it’s very important because you learn how everyone works in their country, and you can learn how you can be of help, but also how people can help you.
Alessia Gimelli, MD
Editor in Chief, EHJ Imaging Methods and Practice, Italy
RISE 2024, 2025 and 2026 Attendee
I would like to spread the message I got at RISE to my young fellows, especially the women in cardiology, to tell them what I have learned and to tell them how we women can really change cardiology to help our patients and to help more young generations.
Yi-Hsin Hung, MD
Cardiology Fellow, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan
RISE 2026 Attendee
The connections that we make here today are just so important. It’s really important to understand that we all face very similar challenges, and that it’s not unique to you and your country. It’s something that others have faced in countries throughout the world. And in fact, if you have that problem, somebody else has that problem too, and maybe that person has some advice for you on how to get through that.
Angela McInerney, MD, PhD
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, University Hospital Galway, Ireland
RISE 2026 Attendee
Instead of saying, women need to have a space in cardiovascular science, it’s actually giving steps of what to do. It was really nice to see leaders in the field explain how to approach the subject and how to get into the spaces that women have not always been as welcome to. And especially hearing from journal editors, to gauge their perspectives on AI since it’s something that the younger generation that’s just now going into research is struggling with.
Natalia Cotic
PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, Kings College London, United Kingdom
RISE 2026 Attendee
RISE @ ESC Congress 2026 sponsors
Thank you to the generous sponsors who support RISE @ ESC Congress 2026.
