The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today named the 2020-2021 class of RWJF Health Policy Fellows. Beginning in September, six health professionals will spend a year in Washington, D.C., working on health-related legislative and regulatory issues with members of Congress and the executive branch.
The fellows were chosen in a national competition for highly accomplished health and behavioral/social science professionals who have an interest in health policy. Their experiences in Washington will enrich their understanding of federal policy formation and how federal and state governments relate to the mission of their home institutions and local communities. The fellowship program will commence with an intensive three-month orientation, followed by a nine-month assignment in a congressional office or the executive branch, where the fellows will be involved in health-related legislation and policy development. After their Washington assignment, the fellows will continue to receive support to sustain their development as health policy leaders.
“COVID-19 has been a jarring reminder of the central role that public health, health care, and health policy play in all of our lives. Now, more than ever, it is essential that policy decisions are informed by people with extensive front-line experience,” said Gregg Margolis, director of the RWJF Health Policy Fellows Program at NAM. “We are proud to bring these six exceptional and accomplished professionals to Washington, D.C., at this critical time. Their deep experience offers an essential perspective, and will help create better policy options, and improve the health of the nation for years to come.”
The 2020-2021 fellows are:
- Catherine Cerulli, JD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, and director of Laboratory of Interpersonal Violence and Victimization & the Susan B. Anthony Center at the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
- Michael Dulin, MD, PhD, professor, department of public health sciences, and director of Academy for Population Health Innovation, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Stephanie Gibbs, JD, director of system transformation and innovation, long-term services and supports, division of TennCare, State of Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee
- Walter Greenhalgh, MD, director of National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, National Capital Region Medical Directorate, Defense Health Agency, Bethesda, Maryland
- Carolyn A. Mendez-Luck, PhD, MPH, associate professor, health management and policy, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
- Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA, chair and chief of service of pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine & Jackson Health System, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
The RWJF Health Policy Fellows program is the nation’s most prestigious learning experience at the nexus of health, science, and policy in Washington, D.C. Since 1973, this non-partisan fellowship has offered exclusive, hands-on policy experience with the most influential congressional and executive offices in the nation’s capital. Over 280 fellows from across the nation have worked hand-in-hand with the best and brightest in federal health policy to gain an insider’s perspective of the political process, develop unmatched leadership skills, and build a professional network that lasts a lifetime. As chancellors and deans at major academic institutions; presidents of professional societies and voluntary health organizations; leaders in local, state and federal government; and experts at think tanks and advocacy groups, fellows transform the nation’s health care policy and practice. For more information, visit www.healthpolicyfellows.org.
For more than 45 years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. RWJF is working alongside others to build a national Culture of Health that provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.
The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the nation and the international community. Through its domestic and global initiatives, the NAM works to address critical issues in health, medicine, and related policy and inspire positive action across sectors. The NAM collaborates closely with its peer academies and other divisions within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
