Milbank State Leadership Program Cohorts Selected

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). The members of the 2022–23 cohorts of both programs were selected this month.

“We were excited and honored by the expertise, insight, and diverse lived experience of the candidate pool this year — the largest ever,” said Milbank program officer Kate McEvoy, who oversees the leadership programs. “We look forward to partnering with the members of the new cohorts of ELP and MFP and to learning from them.”

The Milbank Fellows Program (MFP) is a 10-month leadership program, now in its second 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 sixth cohort of the Milbank Memorial Fund’s ELP. This 9-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. 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 by 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

	Jonette Arms, Assistant Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Public Health
	Danny TK Avula, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services
	Heather Borski, Assistant Deputy Director of Community Health & Well-Being, Utah Department of Health & Human Services
	Brooke Cunningham, Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity, Minnesota Department of Health
	Jatin Dave, Chief Medical Officer, MassHealth, Massachusetts Department of Health and Social Services
	Debra Farrington, Deputy Secretary and Chief Health Equity Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
	Morissa Henn, Associate Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
	David Iseminger, Director, Employees and Retirees Benefits Division, Washington State Health Care Authority
	Monica Johnson, Director, Georgia Division of Behavioral Health
	Tonya Joiner, Deputy Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health
	Morgan Medlock, Commissioner, Colorado Behavioral Health Administration
	Breanca Merritt, Chief Equity and ADA Officer, Indiana Family and Social Services Department
	Cassandra Pasley, Chief of Staff, Florida Department of Health
	Matt Yancey, Deputy Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
	Ralph Alvarado, State Senator, Kentucky
	Fred Baldwin, State Senator, Wyoming,
	Sara Gelser Blouin, State Senator, Oregon
	Laura Fine, State Senator, Illinois
	Mark Lawson, State Representative, Oklahoma
	Mark Pearson, State Representative, New Hampshire
	Marcus Riccelli, State Representative, Washington
	Dylan Roberts, State Senator, Colorado
	Ed Stafman, State Representative, Montana

Emerging Leaders

	Markay Adams, Assistant Director, Division of Fee-for-Service Management, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
	Elizabeth Adkins, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Aging and Adult Services, Louisiana Department of Health
	Jennifer Avegno, Director, New Orleans Health Department
	Grant Beebe, Project Manager II, Human Resources, Mississippi Division of Medicaid
	Jamie Carmichael, Chief Health Opportunity Advisor, Ohio Department of Health
	Machaela Cavanaugh, State Senator, Nebraska
	Kimberly Chen, Assistant Secretary, Office of Programs and Fiscal Affairs, California Health and Human Services Agency
	Ava Crawford, Director for Office of Health Equity, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
	Meghan Elledge-LeVota, Policy Team Manager and Equity, Inclusion and Justice Senior Advisor, County of San Diego, California
	Eva Forrest, Nurse Consultant, Connecticut Department of Social Services
	DaShawn Groves, Special Projects Officer, Office of State Medicaid Director, DC Department of Health Care Finance
	Emily Gruber, Health Equity Manager, Maryland Primary Care Program
	Diamond D. Hanson, Outreach Program Manager, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Team, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
	Erin Healy, Representative, South Dakota
	Martin Hickey, State Senator, New Mexico
	Mark Martin, Acting Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Maryland Department of Health
	Genevieve Mina, Legislative Candidate, Alaska House of Representatives
	Tade Mengesha, Manager, Integrated Fiscal Strategy, MassHealth
	Ruth Richardson, Chair, Education Policy Committee, Minnesota House of Representatives
	Shawn Smith, Managed Care Oversight Director, TennCare
	Michelle Strinden, State Representative, North Dakota House
	Ann Vermilion, Representative, Indiana House of Representatives
	David Ward, Long Term Services and Supports Director, Oklahoma Health Care Authority
	Janeana White, Chief Physician, Deputy Health Authority, Houston Health Department