BATON ROUGE, La. — Leadership Louisiana, a statewide leadership development initiative operated by Leaders for a Better Louisiana, announced the launch of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, a new program focused on advancing understanding and collaboration in the state’s health care sector.
The initiative builds on Leadership Louisiana’s nearly 40-year mission to develop informed and connected leaders by addressing one of Louisiana’s most critical and complex areas — health care.
“Leadership Louisiana remains committed to connecting leaders across the state, and we see an opportunity to foster a deeper awareness of both health care and health outcomes,” said Adam Knapp, CEO of Better Louisiana. “It’s also an opportunity for business, policy, and community leaders to see and learn more about the breadth of Louisiana’s health assets.”
The Health Fellows program is designed for leaders from business, policy, education, and health-related fields. Participants will gain firsthand insights into the systems, challenges, and opportunities shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. Modeled on the established Leadership Louisiana framework, the new program will feature site visits, expert discussions, and cross-sector engagement to explore the state’s health landscape.
“The Health Fellows will allow Leadership Louisiana to go further and connect people in new ways, and enhance their capacity to effectively address key state issues,” said Sheree Blanchard, director of Leadership Louisiana. “It’s exciting to offer both business leaders and health practitioners the chance to see the whole state’s resources, while digging into the most complicated data on our health outcomes.”
Participants will visit academic medical centers, hospitals, research institutions, clinics, public health agencies, and workforce training programs across multiple metropolitan regions. The curriculum will examine topics such as chronic disease, mental health, rural access to care, workforce shortages, long-term care, public health preparedness, and the economic impact of the health sector.
Graduates will join Leadership Louisiana’s statewide network of alumni, expanding collaboration among leaders focused on improving health outcomes, supporting evidence-based policy, and strengthening the health workforce.
Leadership Louisiana is partnering with the Louisiana Hospital Association and other health care and community organizations to develop the Health Fellows program content. Additional program details, including application timelines, will be available in March at www.betterla.org.