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Meet Our Fellows

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HHS Office of Minority Health

For More Information:
Simone Perez-Garcia
Program Coordinator
[email protected]

Maria Portela, MD, MPH
​Director, OMH HELDI
[email protected]

About the Program

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) Health Equity Leadership Development Initiative (HELDI) at the Mullan Institute aims to develop and support future federal leaders in public health and health equity, with a focus on recruiting individuals from groups that have been underrepresented in federal government leadership positions. The program is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and led in partnership with the Office of Minority Health. For more information on the OMH HELDI, click here. ​

​The OMH HELDI is a one-year residential fellowship program in the Washington, DC area that will include the following program activities:

• Initial, mid, and final in-person convenings
• Monthly in-person sessions involving Health Equity and Leadership curriculum and training
• Health equity, health policy, and leadership seminars. 
• Site visits
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) longitudinal placement and work experience
• Health equity policy analysis project
• Leadership, employment coaching, and peer-to-peer coaching
• Mentorship pairing with a health equity/health policy leader who has had federal leadership experience

We are accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Fellowship year!

APPLY NOW

​Applications are due January 17, 2025.

Questions? Watch Our Informational Webinar

• Fellowship Logistics
• Learning Objectives
• Fellowship Recruitment
• Application Process

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• This is a one-year (12-month) full-time residential (Washington, DC) fellowship from July 2025 through June 2026.
  
• Fellows will receive a one-year stipend of $60,000, including access to health insurance benefits. 

Please Note the Following:

• While Fellows are not employed by the federal government, candidates will need to undergo a background investigation prior to placement at a HHS host site. More information on this process is available here.
• Marijuana is illegal under federal law.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or national to apply.

• Develop comprehensive knowledge of fundamental issues related to health disparities, health equity, social determinants of health, and health policy.
• Study and apply strategic interventions to address health disparities and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations and society.
• Build and leverage individual leadership skills to enhance personal effectiveness in leading change in organizations and communities.
• Catalyze the growth of a network of leaders, working in federal and other public health sector organizations, committed to health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion in those organizations and society.

The OMH HELDI is seeking six (6) fellows for the July 2025 – June 2026 fellowship year. Recruited fellows will be:

• Graduate-level students or recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, their graduate degree. This includes individuals who are in or within two years of completing their graduate-level public health, health professional, or other related degree. Individuals currently in or within two years of completing health professional residency programs (e.g., graduate medical education, dental residency, nurse practitioner residency, etc.) are eligible.
• Committed to advancing health equity and addressing social determinants of health through health policies, programs, and practices.

Fellows will be selected based on their commitment to advancing health equity and addressing social determinants of health, and their interest in health policy and the federal government. The program, in collaboration with OMH, will select six (6) fellows for the July 2025 to June 2026 fellowship year. The application includes:

• Demographic information about you and your professional field/program;
• Statement of interest (500 word limit) on why you want to be an OMH HELDI fellow, including your major strengths and unique personal and leadership characteristics, and your interests, experience, and/or contributions in the health equity field;
• Three HHS agencies or offices that would be of interest to you for fellowship placement; and
• Supporting documents, including a curriculum vitae (CV) and two letters of recommendation. At least one of your letters of recommendations should come from an individual with whom you have worked professionally or is aware of your academic accomplishments. This can include community or volunteer work.

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