Seven Health Professionals Selected for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows Program at the National Academy of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today named the 2024-2025 class of RWJF Health Policy Fellows. Beginning in September, seven 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, D.C., 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-and-a-half- 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 assignment, the fellows will continue to receive support to sustain their professional development as health policy leaders.

“In an election year, the intersection of health policy, politics, and public health become front page issues,” said Gregg Margolis, director of the RWJF Health Policy Fellows program at NAM. “But we know that health policy decisions impact the lives of every American in every year. Our 2024-2025 cohort of fellows will impart their expertise in health and healthcare to the nation’s capital and provide new and needed perspectives to policy conversations occurring at the highest levels of government. We take pride in their unparalleled expertise and commitment to finding solutions to our nation’s most pressing health concerns.”

“For more than 50 years, RWJF Health Policy Fellows have gained hands-on policymaking experience in the halls of Congress and federal agencies that propelled their work as leaders in building a healthier and more equitable future for the nation,” said Osub Ahmed, policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Fellows bring their expertise in health-related disciplines and a deep commitment to improving health and wellbeing in the United States. We look forward to seeing how the 2024-25 class of fellows leverages their on-the-ground policymaking training to support RWJF’s vision for the future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.”

The 2024-2025 fellows are:

• Nicolle L. Arthun, B.S.N., R.N., M.S.N., C.N.M., FACNM, founder, Changing Woman Initiative, Albuquerque, N.M.
• Shamie Das, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., assistant professor, department of emergency medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
• A. Rani Elwy, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and human behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, R.I.; research career scientist, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Mass.
• Tracey L. Henry, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., associate professor of medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
• Tonya Moore, Ph.D., R.N., founder and chief executive officer, MooreNOW, LLC, Brandon, Miss.
• Sujith Ramachandran, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacy administration, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, University
• Michael T. Schmeltz, Dr.P.H., M.S., assistant professor, department of public health, California State University, East Bay, Hayward

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 nonpartisan fellowship has offered exclusive, hands-on policy experience with the most influential congressional and executive offices in the nation’s capital. Over 300 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.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, RWJF is working to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and justice opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

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.

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Dana Korsen, Director of Media Relations
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news@nas.edu

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