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In 2021, the California Health Care Foundation incorporated a significant new tool into our efforts to address systemic health inequities in California by establishing its Health Equity Fellows program. The vision was to cultivate and empower the next generation of California health care leaders from Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, enabling them to become catalysts for health equity. This program had significant effects on the work of our community partners, in the broader health care sector, and within our organization.
The program reflected our recognition that the health care system needs leaders who have experienced its profound inequities firsthand. California can benefit from the expertise of individuals who can leverage lived experience to drive systemic changes that make health care more accessible and equitable.
We sought out candidates who brought passion to their work and who were poised to make noteworthy contributions to the foundation’s mission. Following a competitive selection process, we selected four extraordinary individuals:
Janet Boachie, Impact Investing. Through her fellowship, Boachie increased diversity in the health tech ecosystem. As a former entrepreneur and the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, she was instrumental in building connections with innovators and delivery system leaders of color. Since completing her fellowship, Janet continues to serve as co-host of the CHCF Innovation Fund’s Making Waves in Health Tech podcast.
Kenna Chic, State Health Policy. Chic leveraged her background in government, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector to target societal barriers for historically marginalized communities, including people with disabilities. She focused on behavioral health as well as the equity implications of artificial intelligence in health care. The fellowship also expanded her expertise in grantmaking and state-level health reform.
Dalma Diaz, Homelessness and Health Care. Diaz blended lived experience helping her family navigate life in Southern California as immigrants from Mexico with her expertise in building people-centered systems of care. She focused on strengthening the health care safety net for people experiencing homelessness and worked to drive the implementation of reforms, such as those created by the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. Emphasizing the importance of having diverse representation in health care and philanthropy, Diaz honed her strong communication skills by moderating panels in English and making television appearances in Spanish.
Sequoia Hall, Improving Access. Hall traced her path back to her upbringing in East Salinas, where agricultural workers, including her own family members, struggled with inadequate health care. During her fellowship term, she concentrated on workforce programs to enhance the health and well-being of Californians with low incomes. Those efforts included helping young people find routes to the health care workforce and supporting medical school programs that prepare future physicians to meet the needs of underserved populations.
Fellows Program: A Key Asset in Health Equity Work
In their two and a half years at CHCF, the fellows became integral members of the organization who challenged colleagues to rethink methodologies and embrace more inclusive and effective practices. They developed the confidence and skills necessary to take on future leadership roles through professional coaching; mentorship; and staff trainings in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The fellows’ growth and success not only benefited the foundation, it also enriched and diversified California’s health leadership pipeline.
Across CHCF’s bodies of work, the fellows advocated for health equity and set strategies to address the realities of racial and ethnic disparities.
Hall concentrated on forging pathways into the health workforce for ethnically diverse young people.
“It was no surprise, given her background, that Sequoia immediately contributed to our early efforts to strengthen the health care workforce pipeline,” said Chris Perrone, Hall’s supervisor and director of the Improving Access team. “She led numerous projects and helped develop our overall health workforce strategy. In all her work, Sequoia leaned in with her commitment to centering the communities we serve, including building and nurturing strong and trusting relationships with grantees who take on difficult work.”
Boachie drew from her experience as a health tech founder to invest in underrepresented entrepreneurs through the CHCF Innovation Fund. Her supervisor, Melissa Buckley, director of the foundation’s Innovation Fund, emphasized how Boachie developed new and diverse networks of investors and entrepreneurs, accelerator programs, and partnership and grant strategies.
The program touched every corner of our organization and elevated the issues we care most about. It exemplifies what is possible with investments in emerging leaders who are committed to equity and justice.
“Janet’s passion for health equity has been the guiding force behind her work. She understands that Black, Latino/x, and female founders bring invaluable insights into creating technology solutions that align with our mission of improving health care delivery to all Californians,” Buckley said.
Diaz’s experience interpreting and navigating complex systems for her family and community laid the groundwork for her to lift up the voices of people experiencing homelessness and to fund projects that zero in on their needs.
“Over the course of the fellowship, Dalma evolved from being a mentee to being my true partner in our work on homelessness and health care,” said her supervisor, Michelle Schneidermann, MD, director of the CHCF People-Centered Care team. “Her thoughtful and creative ideas, masterful networking, incisive questions, attention to detail, charm, and giant heart have infused our collaborations, strategy, and projects with so much goodness.”
Chic came to CHCF having worked across the government, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors, which enabled her to dive headfirst into health policy reform.
“Kenna’s positive energy, federal perspective, lived experience, and personal advocacy in the behavioral health and disability rights spaces were incredible assets,” said Katie Heidorn, CHCF director of state health policy and Chic’s supervisor. “I also appreciated how she embraced CHCF’s learning culture. She led training sessions on disability rights and greatly expanded our knowledge on the subject.”
What CHCF Learned from the Program
CHCF’s experience with the inaugural cohort of the Health Equity Fellows program provided several key lessons.
First, robust support systems are crucial for fellows to thrive. The fellows met with the CHCF executive team every other month and benefited from direct access to leaders and their diverse management styles. They engaged in professional development opportunities by attending conferences, building grantmaking strategies, and participating in peer-review processes.
To better understand how their lived experiences informed their work, the fellows received professional coaching in which they learned how to communicate that unique expertise to a broad audience. One fellow said that having a presentation and storytelling consultant enhanced her ability to convey impactful narratives during panels and conferences.
The program confirmed CHCF’s belief in the power of personal narratives. By sharing their experiences and perspectives with staff and partners, the fellows inspired others to join the fight for health equity.
The fellowship program touched every corner of our organization and elevated the issues we care most about. It exemplifies what is possible with investments in emerging leaders who are committed to equity and justice.
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