Civic Health Fellowship
The Vot-ER Civic Health Fellowship is designed for nurses, physicians, medical students, social workers, and other health professionals who want to make a bigger impact in their communities. If you've always wanted to knock down the walls between healthcare and civic engagement, this is the program for you!
Learn how to integrate voter access into your healthcare institution and leverage community organizing as a tool to address the political determinants of health.
Applications for our 2023 fellowship program are closed. Sign up for our email list to receive updates when the next application period opens.
Learn how to integrate voter access into your healthcare institution and leverage community organizing as a tool to address the political determinants of health.
Applications for our 2023 fellowship program are closed. Sign up for our email list to receive updates when the next application period opens.
Fellowship Highlights
Organizing 101
Nobel Peace Prize-nominated activist Srdja Popovic and health organizing leader Pedja Stojicic teach tried-and-true organizing tactics that can be used inside and outside of the healthcare system.
All-star guest lecturers
Hear from some of the brightest minds in health equity and civic engagement.
Civic engagement project
Collaborate with healthcare peers to launch a local civic access project at your health institution or school. Past participants have used this space to workshop pitches to hospital leadership, partner with faculty to integrate voter access into the medical school curricula, and more.
Narrative-building workshops
Your story is an incredibly powerful mobilizing tool. Learn how to craft your "public narrative"—what makes you who you are and why you do this work—and how to share it with colleagues, organizational leadership, and the media.
Course Details
Deadline
The priority application deadline is March 15, 2023. The final deadline is April 1, 2023. Apply now.
Faculty
Nobel Peace Prize-nominated activist Srdja Popovic and health organizing leader Pedja Stojicic teach the course, along with a group of all-star guest speakers.
Cost
Our generous sponsors cover most costs; course fees cover the remainder. Last year we did not turn anyone away because of the cost, and everyone who needs help this year will receive an appropriate discount. Please do not let the cost discourage you from applying to the program. If you need financial assistance, select the "Financial Assistance" option on the application.
Course fees are based on a sliding scale. The discounted rate for healthcare professionals who’ve used Vot-ER tools or attended our programs is noted in parentheses.
Community health workers: $10 ($5)
Medical, nursing, or social work students: $100 ($50)
Social workers, nurses, residents, interns, admin staff, and other: $200 ($100)
Physician assistants: $500 ($250)
Attending physicians: $1000 ($500)
Teams
We are accepting a limited number of applicants, and priority will be given to those who apply as part of a team. The fellowship curriculum is intended to be applied to a real-time project. Previous fellows have shared that they benefited most from their time in the fellowship when working as part of a team.
Individual applications are not automatically ineligible, but if you are accepted without a team, we will pair you with other fellows.
Individual applications are not automatically ineligible, but if you are accepted without a team, we will pair you with other fellows.
Schedule
Classes meet online approximately twice a month on Wednesdays at 6pm ET from April to October 2023.
The total time commitment is 5-10 hours per month, including attending lectures, small group work, and collaborating on team projects.
The total time commitment is 5-10 hours per month, including attending lectures, small group work, and collaborating on team projects.
FAQs
We’ve heard from past fellows that this program has connected them to the community of like-minded professionals that they’ve long sought.
Plus, you’ll leave the course with:
- Deeper knowledge of health disparities and medical racism—and how we can fight against it in our daily work
- Insights into what obstacles affect voter engagement and how to address them
- A richer understanding of the relationship between health outcomes and democratic participation
- Practical community organizing skills to mobilize colleagues and leaders at your institution or school
- Lots of laughs, inside jokes, and most importantly: a network of passionate, like-minded healthcare professionals who, like you, are committed to making a bigger impact in their community
Nobel Peace Prize-nominated activist Srdja Popovic and health organizing leader Pedja Stojicic teach the course, along with a group of all-star guest speakers.
E-mail Leah Ford at leah@vot-er.org or message us on Twitter and we’ll get back to you right away!
You can indicate on your application that you need financial assistance. Last year we didn’t turn anyone away because of the cost, and we expect that everyone who needs help will receive an appropriate discount.
If you have additional questions about financial assistance, please email Leah Ford, Vot-ER Organizing Director, at leah@vot-er.org
Nope! Just come ready to learn and collaborate.
All healthcare professionals are eligible for the Civic Health Fellowship, including:
- Medical, nursing, or social work students
- Interns and residents
- Fellows
- Social Workers
- Physicians
- Physician Assistants
- Nurses
- Public health or community health workers
2022 Fellows
Etta Conteh
Medical student
University of Central Florida
Kylar Wiltz
Medical student
Howard University
Stefan Kovac
Medical student
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Elizabeth Crenshaw
Community Health Worker Training Specialist
Wayne State University
Sarah Newman
Nursing Teacher
Orange Technical College
Nicole Biddinger
Physician Assistant
Community Health Connection, Inc
Daniel Orlan
Medical student
Florida International University
Justice Spriggs
Medical student
University of Minnesota
Vineet Raman
Medical student
University of Minnesota
Christopher Davis
Physician
Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert
Jazmine Noles
D.O Student
Michigan state University
Kreager Taber
Medical Student
Duke University
Supriya Reddy
Medical Student
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Allysha Bryant
Social Work Intern
Yeshiva University Wurzweiler School of Social Work
Laura B Grogan
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Ariana Charnisha Johnson
Alcohol Recovery Mental Health Outreach Coordinator
Northern Ohio Recovery Association
Desiree Edmondson
Medical Student
St. George's University
Diana Tran
PGY2 Family Medicine
Loyola MacNeal Hospital
Carolina Brea
Resident EM
Ohio State University
Breeanna Lorenzen
Intern/Resident
Carolinas Medical Center (Atrium Health)
Neal Sinha
Social Worker
The Pride Center, RECO Intensive, Active Community Health Center
Liz Lendrum
Resident
Cincinnati Children's Medical Center
Hadley Walsh
Medical Student
Wake Forest School of Medicine (Atrium Health)
Imogen Clover-Brown
Resident Physician - PGY1
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Shannon Cunningham
Osteopathic Medical Student
A.T. Still University
Ashish Bibireddy
Medical Student
University of Central Florida
Dorothy Tang
Osteopathic Medical student
A.T. Still University School
Arathi Ponugoti
Medical Student
Duke University
Tyler George
Medical Student
Wake Forest School of Medicine (Atrium Health)
Mara Havard
Medical Student
A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Margaret Carney
Resident
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Kayla Blanchard
Community Health Worker
Otero County Community Health Council
Carli Zegers
Assistant Professor, School Of Nursing
University of Kansas
Irene Mynatt
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
The Ohio State University
Kendra Gantt
Social Worker
Jourdon Robinson
Medical Student
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kristen Humphrey
Resident
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Holly Mata
Board Member
New Mexico Public Health Association
Stacey Bevan
Doctoral student; public health nurse
University of Pennsylvania
Jason H Zibart
Community Connected Health Manager
Benson Hospital
Isaiah A Cochran
FM Resident
Halifax Health FMRP
Jon Kusner
Resident
Duke University
Danielle Casher
Emergency Department Pediatrician
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Rachel Graham
Medical Student
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Carolyn Dixon
Social Worker, Emergency Department
OSU Hospitals Wexner Medical Center
Carlos Rubiano
Physician
Mercy Health
Miguel Angel Blancarte, Jr.
COVID-19, Pandemic Response
Annet Miranda
Associate Director of Community Engagement
Erie Family Health Centers
Anna Jurlina
Medical Student
University of Central Florida
Anna Sicilia
Medical Student
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
J. Aaron Allgood
Chair of Clinical Science Education in IM
A.T. Still University
Claire Abramoff
EM Physician
Einstein Healthcare Network
Libby Ireson
Resident
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Jacqueline Dash
Physician
Einstein Medical Center
Sarah Wright
Social Worker/Emergency Department Behavorial Health
Baystate Medical Center
Monica Patten
Medical Student
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Faculty
Srdja Popovic
Founder and Executive Director
Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies
Srdja Popovic (he/him) is the Founder and Executive director of the Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies (CANVAS), a non-profit organization based in Belgrade, Serbia that aims to teach the use of nonviolence to make a change. Apart from being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, Popovic is the author of the recent book Blueprint for Revolution.
Dr. Pedja Stojicic
Executive Lead
People Power Health
Dr. Pedja Stojicic (he/him) is passionate about enabling health leaders to use community organizing practices to advocate for equitable health and well-being. He currently serves as an executive lead for People Power Health. Dr. Stojicic is also an instructor for the DrPh Program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Stojicic completed a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School studying Leadership and Organizing with prof. Marshall Ganz and later worked as a member of Ganz’s HKS Teaching Team.
Leah Ford
Organizing Director
Vot-ER
Leah Ford (they/them) is the Organizing Director at Vot-ER. Leah began their organizing journey working on a ballot initiative campaign and leading issue advocacy campaigns around reproductive health/rights in Tennessee. Most recently, Leah served as the Campaign Manager for a state legislative candidate who made healthcare access a central part of her platform, helping her to secure a strong primary win. In 2021, Leah was honored to be named as a member of the Memphis Flyer’s 20 Under 30.
Brian Archie
Co-Chair
Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative
Brian Archie (he/him) is co-chair and change agent for the Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission for the city of Niagara Falls, works in patient financial services at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Business with a focus in Project Management. Brian was born and raised in Niagara Falls, and currently lives in the North End/Highland area.
Aliya Bhatia
Executive Director
Vot-ER
Aliya Bhatia (she/her) is the Executive Director at Vot-ER. She previously worked at the crossroads of education, housing, and health & wellness at Purpose Built Communities. Aliya has worked in education from early childhood through workforce development, starting with her 11th grade math classroom in New Orleans. She has also consulted to major nonprofits and supported corporate diversity & inclusion efforts through her work at the Boston Consulting Group.