Milbank Fellows

Dr. Amosun oversees the offices and divisions of Family Health and Wellness, Minority Health and Disparities Elimination, Vital Records and Statistics, Population Health Assessment, Primary Prevention, and the State Chief Medical Examiner. She sits on several state and national boards to advocate for familie and address social determinants of health and their impact on the […] More

Dr. Avula was appointed commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services in February 2022. He spent 2021 leading Virginia’s unprecedented COVID-19 vaccination effort, helping Virginia become one of the top 10 most–vaccinated states in the country. He previously served as the director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Departments.  Dr. Avula is […] More

Representative Barlow was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 2013, and served as House Majority Floor Leader from 2019-2020. He served as the speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 2021 and 2022 and now serves as State Senator representing District 23. He is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  More

Dr. Cogle is a physician, professor, and chief medical officer at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, the lead health policy organization for the State of Florida. Dr. Cogle is also a grant-funded professor at the University of Florida, where he directs the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy in the Bob Graham Center for […] More

Dr. Donahue is the state epidemiologist at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. He has supported and led responses to gastrointestinal, vector–borne, and respiratory disease outbreaks. Dr. Donahue has developed surveillance systems for novel health emergencies, and supported national, statewide, and local COVID-19, Monkeypox, and Ebola response efforts, as well as international disease […] More

Dr. Edney became state health officer in August 2022, after serving as deputy state health officer and as chief medical officer for the agency. Before joining the Mississippi State Department of Health, Dr. Edney was in private practice in Vicksburg for more than 30 years. Dr. Edney is a Milbank Emerging Leaders Program graduate.  More

Representative Eliason has served in the Utah House of Representatives since 2011. He represents House District 43, which includes parts of Sandy. Cottonwood Heights, Midvale, and White City. He has served as the chair of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and is currently the House co-chair of the Public Education Appropriations Committee.  More

Senator Gillespie represents Illinois’ 27th district. Since joining the General Assembly in January 2019, she has championed reforms in health care, affordable housing, career and technical education, ethics, and property taxes. She serves as chair of the Senate Women’s Caucus, the Senate Appropriations Committee for Health and Human Services, and on the Medicaid Working Group. […] More

Senator Hatathlie, who is a member of Bįįh Bitoodnii clan, represents District 6 in Arizona. She is a member of the Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Transportation and Technology Committees. She was formerly a logistics coordinator and legislative liaison with Yee Ha’ólníi Doo Navajo and Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund, the human resources director […] More

Along with serving as chief medical officer for Wyoming Medicaid, Dr. Johnson maintains an active part-time medical practice as a physician and holds a clinical instructor position with the University of Washington Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Johnson plays key leadership roles in various medical organizations, including the Wyoming Medical Society, […] More

Dr. Kruse joined Iowa Health & Human Services (HHS) as the state medical director in 2022. Prior to joining HHS, Dr. Kruse served as the medical director of Occupational Health at MercyOne in Des Moines. Dr. Kruse is board certified in Family Medicine and completed his residency training program at Rutgers University. Dr. Kruse prioritizes […] More

Dr. Mahaniah’s portfolio includes MassHealth (Medicaid), Departments of Public Heath, and Mental Health, as well as several commissions (i.e., Behavioral Health) and quasi-governmental organizations such as Center for Health Information and Analysis and the Betsy Lehman Center.  More

Senator Mann represents Minnesota’s District 50 (Edina and Bloomington). Dr. Mann is an emergency room physician, former state representative, immigrant, and Latina, who focuses on community health to reduce racial, gender, and health disparities. She is the vice chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.   More

Representative McCarthy Vahey is a fifth-term legislator and social worker, who recently completed her first year serving as the co-chair of the Public Health Committee. She is also a member of the Transportation, Planning, and Development, and Government Administration and Elections committees. Locally, she serves as a leader of a prevention council, addressing youth substance […] More

Representative McMahen is a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing District 10. He assumed office in 2018, citing his concern for health care needs in rural Louisiana as the primary reason he chose to run for the legislature. Dr. McMahen is also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  More

Mr. Moran is a key member of the Maryland Department of Health’s senior leadership team. He oversees the state’s commitment to its Medicaid program, serving more than 1.7 million Marylanders receiving critical acute, outpatient, and behavioral health services. Previously, Mr. Moran served as chief executive officer at Whitman-Walker Health System, a community-centered enterprise committed to […] More

Representative Moser is passionate about health care and medical legislative issues and has been an effective leader on local, state and national levels. She was elected to the State Legislature in 2016 and serves the 64th House District in the Kentucky General Assembly. Representative Moser chairs the Health Services Committee and serves on the Judiciary […] More

Dr. Schwarz oversees Massachusetts’ Medicaid accountable care organization program and its 1115 demonstration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which includes new authorities to address health–related social needs and improve health equity. He previously served as the clinical lead for the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Command Center. Prior to his time in state government, […] More

Ms. Trolio is a public health social worker with 20 years of experience serving, supervising, and managing in not-for-profit human service organizations and directing statewide public health programming. She is currently the director of the New York State Public Health Corps Fellowship Program, which works to bolster the public health workforce and infrastructure decimated by […] More

In this role at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Mr. Walker leads project and change management work associated with initiatives coming through Governor John Carney’s Family Services Cabinet Council. These include the state’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program, strategic planning for unhoused Delawareans, and the service model reimagination initiative. He also […] More

Senator Watson was first elected as a state senator in 2006, having previously served as a state representative. He represents the 11th district, which encompasses part of Hamilton County. In 2017, he became chairman of the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. He is also a member of the Commerce and Labor Committee, Health and […] More

Commissioner Weaver has more than 25 years of experience working within state agencies and with external partners. She previously served as deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services and as associate commissioner of operations, overseeing all operational aspects of the state’s largest department.  More

Senator Wilbur, is an elected tribal leader of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, located in Washington state. He is one of 11 members elected by the Swinomish people who serve five-year terms in the Swinomish Senate, the community’s official governing body. He works in collaboration with municipal, county, state, and federal officials to help them […] More