Milbank Memorial Fund Welcomes its 2023-24 Leadership Program Cohorts

Expert state and local leadership is core to advancing population health and health equity in the United States. Each year, the Milbank Memorial Fund invests in the development of state and county leaders who are committed to advancing population health and health equity through its Milbank Fellows Program (MFP) and Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). A recent video highlights the impact the program has had on participants and alumni.  

“The leadership classes represent the best of health policy leadership from across the country,” said Morgan McDonald, MD, National Director of Population Health and Health Equity Leadership at the Fund. “They bring an exceptional blend of perspective and expertise, and their experience in the programs will augment their impact and that of their colleagues for years to come.”  

MFP is a 10-month leadership program, now in its third year, for senior executive branch and legislative state leaders who are committed to improving population health in their communities. Convened by the Milbank Memorial Fund in partnership with the Colorado Health Institute and the Public Leadership Group, MFP aims to equip participants with new knowledge and evidence-based approaches to specific population health issues, expand their personal insight and leadership capacities, and create meaningful connections with a network of colleagues from across the country. 

This upcoming session reflects the seventh cohort of the Milbank Memorial Fund’s ELP. This 10-month program engages early and mid-career legislative and executive branch state and large-county government officials who are committed to bringing a health equity lens to their work to improve population health. Like MFP, ELP focuses on development of personal insights, hands-on leadership skills, sharing of best practices from public health and leadership experts, and the opportunity to connect with colleagues across states. ELP is facilitated in partnership with nationally recognized academic and leadership consultant Rich Callahan. 

Congratulations to the members of this year’s cohorts for both MFP and ELP, who are listed below. 

Milbank Fellows Program 

	Tobi Amosun, Deputy Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health
	Danny Avula, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Social Services
	Eric Barlow, State Senator, Wyoming Senate
	Corrin Buchanan, Deputy Secretary for Policy and Strategic Planning , California Health & Human Services Agency
	Christopher Cogle, Chief Medical Officer for Florida Medicaid, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
	Matthew Donahue, State Epidemiologist, Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
	Daniel Edney, State Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health
	Steve Eliason, State Representative, Utah House of Representatives
	Ann Gillespie, State Senator, Illinois General Assembly
	Theresa Hatathlie, State Senator, Arizona State Legislature
	Paul Johnson, Chief Medical Officer; Medicaid, Wyoming Department of Health
	Robert Kruse, State Medical Director, Iowa Department of Health & Human Services
	Kiame Mahaniah, Undersecretary of Health, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services
	Alice Mann, State Senator, Minnesota Senate
	Cristin McCarthy-Vahey, State Representative, Connecticut House of Representatives
	Wayne McMahen, State Representative, Louisiana House of Representatives
	Ryan Moran, Deputy Secretary, Healthcare Financing and Medicaid Director, Maryland Department of Health
	Kimberly Moser, State Representative, Kentucky General Assembly
	Ryan Schwarz, Chief of Office of Payment and Care Delivery Innovation, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services
	Laura Trolio, Deputy Director, New York State Office of Public Health
	Daniel Walker, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Social Services and Innovation Lead, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
	Bo Watson, State Senator, Tennessee General Assembly
	Lori Weaver, Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
	Jeremy “JJ” Wilbur, Senator, Swinomish Tribal Senate

Emerging Leaders Program

	Asad Bandealy, Bureau Chief, District of Columbia Department of Health
	Bethany Blackson, Director of Legislative and Governmental Relations, Louisiana Department of Health
	Nichole Brathwaite-Dingle, Deputy Medical Director, Fort Bend County Health and Human Services
	Sean Cleary, State Senator, North Dakota Senate
	Charlie Conrad, State Representative, Oregon State Legislature
	Michael Echols, State Representative , State of Louisiana
	Martha Farlow, Policy Director, Office of Payment & Care Delivery Innovation, MassHealth
	Maria Finnell, Chief Medical Officer, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
	Pamelya Herndon, State Representative, New Mexico House of Representatives
	Jason Hughes, State Representative, Louisiana House of Representatives
	Evan Klein, Special Assistant, Legislative & Policy Affairs, Washington State Health Care Authority
	Jakenna Lebsock, Assistant Director, Division of Health Care Services, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
	Echohawk Lefthand, Administrator, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
	Bianca Lopez, Chief Operating Officer for Office of Children and Family Services, NYC Administration for Children’s Services
	South Moore, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina
	Pavel Payano, State Senator, Massachusetts State Senate
	JW Randolph, Director of Office of Strategic Initiatives, Tennessee Department of Health
	Liz Reyer, State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives
	Emily Shetty, Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates
	Kirsten Siegenthaler, Director of Division of Family Health, New York State Department of Health
	Sara Stolt, Deputy Commissioner, North Dakota Health and Human Services
	Liz Taing, Deputy Director of Integrated Planning Team, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency
	Jenna Takenouchi, State Representative, Hawaii State House of Representatives
	Jessie Tenenbaum, Chief Data Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
	Justin Turner, Chief Medical Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health
	Martjin Van Beek, Quality Director, Division of Medicaid, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
	Arvind Venkat, State Representative, Pennsylvania House of Representatives