The Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health announces its 2021 cohort of Bloomberg Fellows, each drawn from organizations working on one of five critical health challenges facing the nation: addiction and overdose, adolescent health, environmental challenges, obesity and the food system, and violence. Fifty have been awarded full scholarships to earn a Master of Public Health, and eight individuals have been selected to pursue a Doctor of Public Health. The Bloomberg American Health Initiative was established in 2016 with a $300 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies in honor of the centennial of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Through education, research, and practice, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative works to tackle critical 21st-century challenges to health in the United States, aiming to improve health and save lives nationwide. The Initiative has since its founding emphasized advancing equity, using evidence, and changing policy. This year’s fellows come from a wide array of organizations, including tribal, community-based organizations, schools, advocacy organizations, a national health news service, and community health clinics. Examples include:
- Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Inc., a nonprofit that provides specialized health services in tribal communities.
- Buro Happold, a Los Angeles-based international consultancy focused on sustainability in the built environment, infrastructure, city planning, and building operations.
- From Prison Cells to PhD, a Baltimore-based nonprofit that provides mentoring and educational counseling to current and formerly incarcerated men and women.
- Kaiser Health News, a national news service that focuses on health care.
- Patachou Foundation, an Indianapolis-based meal service that combats food insecurity among youth.
The 2021 cohort represents fellows and organizations spanning 22 states and the District of Columbia: California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. “At this critical moment for the health of our nation, we are excited to welcome this new class of Bloomberg Fellows to the School,” says Bloomberg School Dean Ellen J. MacKenzie, PhD, ScM. “We look forward to fostering a new generation of leaders committed to addressing these critical challenges.” “The pandemic has intensified America’s starkest health disparities, so even as we get COVID-19 under control, the need for innovative public health leadership is only growing,” says Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. “It’s exciting to welcome a new class of fellows from diverse backgrounds to the Bloomberg School—and I look forward to the life-saving work they’ll do in communities across the country.” Launched in 2017, the Bloomberg Fellows Program provides full scholarships for full- or part-time study. Fellows are supported by their current employers, which become collaborating organizations that play an important role in the program. Upon completion of their degrees, fellows will work for at least one additional year with their employer to apply the skills and tools gained during the fellowship program. Information about requirements and the application is available online. The next application deadline is December 1, 2021.
MPH Fellows
Addiction and Overdose
- Jennifer Black – U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Washington D.C.
- Illaria Dana – Tapestry – Springfield, MA
- Michelle Gaffaney – Denver Health Center for Addiction Medicine – Denver, CO
- Augusta Gribetz – Charm City Care Connection – Baltimore, MD
- Wahji Kasten – Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe – Klallam Counseling Services – Port Angeles, WA
- Dionna King – Vital Strategies – New York, NY
- Alyssa Kitlas – North Carolina Division of Public Health – Raleigh, NC
- Crister Moynahan – Rebel Recovery – Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Jason Piotrowski – New Jersey State Police – Trenton, NJ
- Daniel Schwartz – S. Department of Health & Human Services – Washington D.C.
- Zion Shekinah – Downtown Emergency Service Center – Seattle, WA
- Elisha Sneddy – Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Inc. – Albuquerque, NM
- Sarah Windels – California Bridge Program, Public Health Institute – Oakland, CA
Adolescent Health
- Anthony Betori – Healthy Futures of Texas – San Antonio, TX
- Armonte Butler – Advocates for Youth – Washington, D.C.
- Emma Fay – Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County – San Luis Obispo, CA
- Stacia Friedman-Hill – National Institute of Mental Health – Bethesda, MD
- Sarah-Michael Gaston – Youth Forward – Sacramento, CA
- Monica Huang – Transition Ready Agency Collaborative Initiative – Chapel Hill, NC
- Eean Logan Thomas – No Boundaries Coalition – Baltimore, MD
- Edward McWilliams – NYC Center for Court Innovation – New York, NY
- Joshua Ogburn – Nemours Children’s Health System – Washington, D.C.
- Aneri Pattani – Kaiser Health News – Washington, D.C.
- Terry Yau – MERIT Health Leadership Academy – Baltimore, MD
- Julia Zigman – National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) – Washington, D.C.
Environmental Challenges
- Mae Hanzlik – Smart Growth America – Washington, D.C.
- Kathleen Hetrick – Buro Happold – Los Angeles, CA
- Judy Olsen – Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department – Tacoma, WA
- Paula Torrado Plazas – Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles, CA
- Katherine Uhde – University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension – San Jose, CA
- Rebecca Wolf – Food & Water Watch – Washington D.C.
Obesity and the Food System
- Matthew Feltrop-Herron – Patachou Foundation – Indianapolis, IN
- Erin Franey – San Francisco Department of Public Health, Food as Medicine Collaborative – San Francisco, CA
- Chloe Green – American Public Human Services Association – Arlington, VA
- Tiffany Ingram – American Diabetes Association – Arlington, VA
- Denerale Jones – Penn Center for Community Health Workers – Philadelphia, PA
- Jordan Smith – Hawaii State Department of Health – Honolulu, HI
- Jeffrey Wells – Chickasaw Nation – Ada, OK
- Alison Wohlgemuth – Bay Area Community Resources – San Rafael, CA
Violence
- Sinmidele Badero – Baltimore City Health Department – Baltimore, MD
- Erin Boguski – Maryland Department of Health – Baltimore, MD
- Wendy Calderón-Payne – Urban Youth Alliance (BronxConnect) – New York, NY
- William Freeman – From Prison Cells to PhD – Baltimore, MD
- Yaniris Gomez – Center for Court Innovation – New York, NY
- Nargus Harounzadeh – NYC Health & Hospitals – New York, NY
- Lynnsey O’Rourke – Polaris – Washington D.C.
- Caroline Palmer – Minnesota Department of Health – Minneapolis, MN
- Carley Pysher – Task Force on Domestic Violence, HOPE Inc. – Fairmont, WV
- Kristina Singleton – Center for Court Innovation – New York, NY
- Jennifer Styles – International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) – Alexandria, VA
DrPH Fellows
Addiction and Overdose
- Melanie Racine – Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program – Boston, MA
- Lindsey Sizemore – Tennessee Department of Health – Nashville, TN
Adolescent Health
- Avanthi Jayasuriya – Cardea – Pocatello, ID
Obesity and the Food System
- Camille Grant Valentine – Duke Raleigh Hospital – Raleigh, NC
- Regis Whaley – Three Square Food Bank – Las Vegas, NV
Violence
- Loren Adams – Philadelphia Department of Health – Philadelphia, PA
- Alyzza Hudson – DC Department of Health – Washington, D.C.
- Sarah Shewbrooks – Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board – Rapid City, SD
More about the Bloomberg American Health Initiative is available online at http://americanhealth.jhu.edu and in a special supplement to Public Health Reports at http://bit.ly/amhealth.
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