The Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative: Leadership Development to Advance Public Health Practice

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Leadership Development
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Effective leadership is crucial for governmental public health agencies.
• The Kresge Foundation's Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative aimed to strengthen this leadership.
• Understanding leadership development practices is vital for the field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine lessons from the Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative.
• To contribute to a better understanding of leadership development practices in public health.
• To assess the impact and valuable components of the initiative.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of participant responses post-initiative.
• Utilized adaptive leadership principles to guide educational and experiential activities.
• Recruited 104 leaders from 52 governmental public health agencies across 30 states in 3 cohorts.

Main Results:

• Participants reported extremely high satisfaction (94%) and likelihood to recommend (96%).
• Unrestricted grant funding, peer learning, and in-person sessions were rated as most valuable.
• The initiative involved 104 diverse leaders from 52 agencies in 30 states.

Conclusions:

• The initiative provides valuable insights for future public health leadership development programs.
• Key components like funding, peer learning, and in-person sessions are critical for success.
• Strong participant satisfaction indicates the program's effectiveness.