Leadership Louisiana, the state’s premier leadership development program operated by Leaders for a Better Louisiana, is expanding its impact with the launch of a new program: Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows. This initiative extends the organization’s nearly four-decade legacy of developing informed, connected leaders by focusing on one of Louisiana’s most vital and complex sectors—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.”
Louisiana’s health care ecosystem is a cornerstone of the state’s well-being, economy, and future. Designed for leaders across business, policy, education, and health-related fields, Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows will provide participants with a deep, firsthand understanding of the systems, challenges, and opportunities shaping health outcomes across the state. Building on the proven model of Leadership Louisiana, the program will combine immersive site visits, expert-led discussions, and cross-sector engagement to bring Louisiana’s health landscape to life.
“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 engage directly with academic medical centers, research institutions, hospitals, clinics, public health agencies, and workforce training programs across multiple metro regions. The cohort will examine issues central to Louisiana’s health profile, including chronic disease, mental health, rural access to care, long-term care, workforce shortages, public health preparedness, and the economic impact of health care. Conversations with providers, innovators, and policymakers will explore funding structures, emerging technologies, workforce pipelines, and community-based strategies that influence health outcomes statewide.
Graduates of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows will join a growing network of leaders committed to improving health outcomes, strengthening the health workforce, supporting evidence-based policy, and advancing healthier communities across Louisiana. The program reinforces Leadership Louisiana’s mission to cultivate informed and engaged leaders—now with a focused lens on the health sector.
Better Louisiana is collaborating with its members across the health care industry as well as partnering with the Louisiana Hospital Association and other agencies and organizations on delivering the best content possible for the program.
Additional details about the Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows program, including application timelines and program structure, will be available in March at www.betterla.org.