For event organizers
Practical talks on delivering big, complicated work
I speak to executives, healthcare leaders and project teams about what large programs take, based on hospital construction, company building and global supply chains.
Topics
What I speak about
Mission critical facilities: how to rebuild the plane while it's flying
How to deliver major construction around patients, clinicians and daily operations. Drawn from a $580M cancer center program on a working academic medical campus.
They leave with A practical way to plan shutdowns, phased moves and communication so care continues.
From construction complete to patient ready
A building isn't done until people can work in it. What facility readiness and activation take, and why they need to start long before construction ends.
They leave with A readiness framework that gets operations and construction working from one plan.
Leadership in a technology world
Even in a world changing quickly through technology and AI, leaders still need real relationships with their employees. Each person is different, and our job is to lead them, not just manage them.
They leave with A reminder to lead each person as an individual, however much the tools change.
Formats
Ways to book me
Keynote
30–45 minutes
Conferences and association meetings. My largest audience so far was more than 1,200 people from 45 countries.
Workshop
About an hour, or as needed
Leadership and project teams who want to work through a real plan together.
Panel or fireside
To fit your program
Industry events on healthcare construction, capital planning and operations.
Past talks
Where I've spoken
| Year | Event | Talk | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | A major hospital system | Mission Critical Facilities: How to Rebuild the Plane While It's Flying | Keynote |
| 2025 | American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) | Leadership in a Technology World | About 200 architects, engineers, project executives, contractors, and VPs and directors of design and construction |
| 2019 | Global Chamber | Manufacturing: What Are the Future Global Trends? | Keynote to 1,200+ participants from 45 countries |
| 2018 | NeoCon, Chicago | Global logistics for furniture, fixtures and equipment, from tracking items with video, photos and digital notes to crates that can be reused and recycled | Mostly architects and interior designers |
I've also spoken at AIA conferences, SmartCEO events and many non-profit events, and I've been a facilitator for UMMS Cares. As a business owner, I served two terms as president of my local BNI chapter.
Speaker kit
For your program
- Short bio
- Nicholas La Forest is a former founder and CEO who oversees capital programs at the University of Maryland Medical System, including the $580M Stoler Center for Advanced Medicine.
- Introduction
- Nicholas La Forest is a healthcare capital programs and operations executive who has worked on both sides of the construction contract. At the University of Maryland Medical System, he oversees capital programs that include the $580M Roslyn and Leonard Stoler Center for Advanced Medicine and a portfolio of more than $65M a year. He previously founded and ran two companies, including a construction firm that delivered more than 200 projects a year. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. He has spoken at American Society for Health Care Engineering and AIA events and delivered a keynote to more than 1,200 Global Chamber participants from 45 countries.
- Travel
- I'll travel anywhere in the US, as long as travel, food and hotels are covered. I present in English.
- Fee
- Speaking is a paid engagement, and the fee depends on the event. Please ask. For the right event, I'm open to a trade: a lower fee in exchange for public release of the video, so I can use it in my own marketing.
- AV
- I ran an AV production company, so I'll work with whatever your room has.
Planning an event?
Send me the date, the audience and what you want them to take away.