Kresge’s second cohort of Emerging Leaders in Public Health gathered in New Orleans, Louisiana, to begin a journey of transforming the role of the local public health agency in their community. Forty local public health leaders from across the country came together for two days of learning, networking and planning.

As part of their participation in Emerging Leaders in Public Health, each pair of leaders will receive coaching in leadership, entrepreneurship and more. The convening was the first step to prepare the leaders to create a concept that will transform the role of their public health agency in their community. The teams will apply the lessons learned through the initiative with a $125,000 grant.

Dr. Phyllis Meadows, senior advisor to The Kresge Foundation’s Health Program and lead for the Emerging Leaders in Health Initiative welcomed the participants to the cohort.

“We have a great opportunity to innovate when it comes to the role of public health in our communities,” Meadows told participants. “Our goal is to help you further develop leadership skills and give you the tools to help you succeed in an environment of rapid change.”

Participants were also challenged to think about the role of public health and their roles as leaders in an era filled with uncertainty by Dr. Jim Johnson, Jr, the director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Johnson encouraged participants to embrace change and to remember that effective leaders recognize the value of partnership and collaboration.“The more we trust each other, the further we can go,” he said.

The Emerging Leaders in Public Health curriculum is designed to encourage the participants to become stronger leaders and to think beyond the traditional roles of a public health agency.

“During the convening, Phyllis and Jim set the stage for how to lead in uncertain times and I am excited to grow as a leader with this type of support system,” said Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Alexander-Scott and her co-leader Julian Drix, asthma program manager, already recognize the impact of the first convening on the design of their transformational concept.

“Our approach to our transformational concept has been enhanced. We’re going to be working on creating a safe environment for our colleagues to embrace our proposed changes,” Alexander-Scott added.

Cohort II participants will start the development of their transformational concepts and will work with coaches from the national program office, The UNC Gillings School of Public Health, over the next 18 months.

Look at the gallery below to get a glimpse into this cohort’s first meeting.