At an Inflection Point for Healthcare, Salk Health Activist Fellows Look Upstream
Type: News
Focus Area: Workforce Development
Voters are heading to the polls this fall for one of the most consequential elections in decades. Decisions being made now will have profound long-term consequences on the health and flourishing of our communities, determining whether people can afford food and housing, travel to work and medical appointments, and find reliable information to make decisions about their health.
Against that backdrop, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) welcomed its newest cohort of Salk Health Activist Fellows on September 9, launching a nine-week exploration of thestructural conditions that shape health, and how emerging health leaders can help change them.
Led by JHF Policy Director Carolyn Byrnes, MPH, CPH, the 2026 Salk Health Activist Fellowship focuses on the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) — or the social drivers of health — including housing, transportation, food access, economic opportunity, healthcare access, and the information environment. Throughout the fall, fellows will examine how policies supporting or hindering these conditions influence health long before an individual enters a doctor’s office.
“This is an especially important moment for emerging health leaders to understand how decisions made outside of the healthcare system ultimately show up in the health of individuals and communities,” said Byrnes. “Our goal is for fellows to leave this program not only understanding those connections, but feeling equipped to engage in the policy process, build coalitions, communicate effectively, and advocate for themselves and the communities they serve.”
Over the course of the fellowship, participants will hear directly from leaders in policy, advocacy, healthcare, and community organizations about how change happens in practice. Fellows will explore the policymaking process and the role of state government; examine advocacy strategies, coalition building, storytelling, and public engagement; and take a closer look at specific social determinants affecting communities across Pennsylvania. They will also work alongside peers from different professional and academic backgrounds, building relationships, and learning to approach complex health challenges from perspectives beyond their own disciplines.
The cohort includes 28 graduate students and early-career professionals, including 13 returning fellows who have participated in other JHF fellowships, and all together representing 14 universities and organizations and 19 different health-related areas of study.
“I’m super excited for my second Jewish Healthcare Foundation fellowship. I wouldn’t be the hospice and palliative care social worker I am today if not for the JHF Death & Dying Fellowship at the start of my career a decade ago,” said Tanisha Bowman, LSW, APHSW-C. “I’m looking forward to leveling up my advocacy game through this fellowship, and I really enjoyed meeting my new cohort.”
New this year, fellows will put civic engagement into practice through an individual activity designed to strengthen their skills in community participation and leadership. In addition to supporting nonpartisan voter participation, each fellow will choose an experience such as engaging with an elected official, contributing to public dialogue, attending a local government meeting, or volunteering in the community. Fellows will then reflect on what they learned and share their experiences with the cohort, connecting civic participation back to the policies and community conditions that shape health.
The fellowship will conclude in November with groups of fellows developing policy recommendations aimed at improving social determinants of health in Pennsylvania. Each group will translate its research and recommendations into a two-page advocacy brief designed as a practical tool for engaging policymakers and other decision-makers around opportunities for legislative or administrative change.
