Three Clinicians Join Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership

July 17, 2026 - 04:48

Two physicians and a nurse practitioner have been selected as the newest fellows in a prominent health equity leadership program. The incoming cohort brings diverse clinical backgrounds and a shared commitment to addressing systemic disparities in American healthcare.

Dr. Maria Santos, a family medicine physician from Chicago, has spent the last decade working in community health centers serving predominantly immigrant populations. Her fellowship work will focus on developing culturally competent care models for non-English speaking patients. Dr. James Okonkwo, an internist practicing in rural Mississippi, plans to study barriers to preventive care access in underserved Southern communities. His research has already shown that transportation and clinic hours remain major obstacles for working families.

The third fellow, nurse practitioner Lisa Tran, has specialized in maternal health in the Pacific Northwest. She aims to create scalable interventions for reducing racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes, particularly among Black and Indigenous women. Tran's previous work involved training doulas in low-income neighborhoods.

The fellowship provides these clinicians with intensive training in health policy, leadership development, and community engagement strategies. Over the next year, they will work with mentors and participate in projects designed to translate clinical insights into actionable policy changes. Program directors noted the selection committee was impressed by each fellow's track record of grassroots advocacy and their clear vision for systemic reform.

All three will begin their fellowship term in September, joining a network of alumni who have gone on to lead hospital equity initiatives, advise federal health agencies, and direct nonprofit organizations focused on closing the health gap.