Seven Health Professionals Selected for RWJF Health Policy Fellows Program at the IOM

September 8, 2014

National Academy of MedicineWASHINGTON — The Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today named the 2014-2015 class of RWJF Health Policy Fellows. Beginning in September, the seven health professionals selected will spend a year in Washington, D.C., working on health-related legislative and regulatory issues with members of Congress and the executive branch. They will also engage in seminars and discussions on health policy and participate in leadership development programs.

The fellows were chosen in a national competition for highly accomplished health, behavioral, and social science professionals who have an interest in health policy. Their experiences in Washington will enrich their understanding of public policy formation and the ways federal and state government relate to the mission of their home institutions and local communities. The fellows will undertake a three-month orientation program, followed by a nine-month assignment in a congressional office or in the executive branch where they will be involved in health legislation and programs. After their Washington assignment, fellows will continue to receive support to sustain their development as health policy leaders.

“The year ahead promises to be both a critical and challenging time in federal health policy, and that will bring great opportunities to our seven fellows,” said Marie Michnich, director of the RWJF Health Policy Fellows Program at IOM. “These exceptionally talented individuals will bring a level of expertise to their congressional or executive office assignments that will help policymakers shape the future of health and health care. They will learn a great deal this year as well as become valuable contributors.”

The 2014-2015 fellows are:

  • Karen Armitage, M.D., associate clinical professor, department of family and community medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
  • Lemuel Dent, M.D., associate professor and chair, department of surgery, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tenn.
  • Marian Grant, D.N.P., assistant professor, department of family and community health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore
  • Kimberlyn Leary, Ph.D., M.P.A., chief psychologist, Cambridge Health Alliance, and associate professor of psychology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Mass.
  • Colleen Ann Leners, D.N.P., traumatic brain injury program manager, Combat Casualty Care Center (C5), Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego
  • Karen Matthews, M.D., acting branch chief of Health Information Exchange, Information Delivery/HIT of the Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va.
  • Anh Nguyen, M.D., M.B.A., medical officer, office of device evaluation, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Silver Spring, Md.

RWJF Health Policy Fellows is a national program of the foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by IOM. Established in 1973 at the IOM with a grant from RWJF, the fellowship program develops the abilities of outstanding mid-career health professionals in academic and community-based settings by providing them with an understanding of the health policy process. More than 250 fellows from universities, colleges, and other health-related organizations across the nation have participated in this program. Additional information can be found at https://healthpolicyfellows.org.

Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies.

 

Contacts:

Jennifer Walsh, Senior Media Relations Officer
Chelsea Dickson, Media Relations Associate
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu
http://national-academies.com/newsroom
Twitter: @NAS_news and @NASciences
RSS feed: http://www.nationalacademies.org/rss/index.html
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalacademyofsciences/sets

# # #

Posted in Press