The Lead Fellowship Experience
Core Pillars
A Harvard LEAD fellowship is a transformative experience designed to empower and promote emerging leaders in global health. A highly personalized program, the fellowship is tailored to fit the unique goals and aspirations of each of our fellows. Over a 12-month period, fellows will have access to world-class faculty, classes, and executive education programs that will encourage and challenge them in new, inspiring ways.
The core pillars of the fellowship include:
- Executive Leadership training with a personal coach
- 1:1 mentorship by Harvard Faculty with aligned interests
- Speaking opportunities at Harvard and global events
- Enrollment in Harvard courses across different departments
- Private Skill-building Workshops led by leading experts
1:1 Mentorship:
Each fellow will be assigned two Harvard faculty mentors with aligned interests. After the introduction, fellows meet monthly with their mentors throughout the 12 month fellowship period. These meetings will serve as an opportunity for fellows to receive formal career advising, expand their networks and spark collaboration opportunities. Mentors that have been assigned to the previous cohorts of LEAD fellows include:
Dr. Kathryn Rexrode, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Chief, Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine Director, Office for Women’s Careers, Center for Diversity and Inclusion Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Dr. Shekhar Saxena, Professor of the Practice of Global Mental Health at the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Ana Langer, Director, Women and Health Initiative, Professor of the Practice of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Rifat Atun, Professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University and the Faculty Chair for the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program
Dr. Anne Becker, Dean for Clinical and Academic Affairs, Maude and Lilian Presley Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine
Dr. Salmaan A. Keshavjee, Professor in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine and Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and director of Harvard Medical School’s Center for Global Health Delivery–Dubai.
Dr. Wafaie W. Fawzi, Professor of Population Sciences and Professor of Nutrition, Epidemiology, and Global Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Chair, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Vikrim Patel, The Pershing Square Professor of Global Health in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Laurie S Pascal, Senior Lecturer on Health Management, Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Part-time, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Assistant Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Marcia Castro, Andelot Professor of Demography, Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Kevin Croke, Assistant Professor of Global Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Emily Wroe, Instructor in Medicine and Department of Global Health and Social Medicine Affiliate, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Margaret Elizabeth Kruk, Professor of Health Systems, Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Sarah Fortune, John LaPorte Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Barry R. Bloom, Joan L. and Julius H. Jacobson Research Professor of Public Health, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Megan Murray, Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Speaking Opportunities:
Fellows will have the opportunity to speak at global health events throughout the fellowship period and beyond. In previous years, fellows have served as panelists, speakers, topic experts and directed and organized in executing LEAD fellowship events. Speaking opportunities will allow the fellow to build networks, showcase their work and enhance their public speaking skills as a leader.
Harvard Courses:
Fellows will enroll in a variety of Harvard courses, depending on their interests. Examples of classes that the LEAD fellows have chosen in previous cohorts include:
- Emerging Leaders Program – Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School
- Women in Power – Harvard Kennedy School
- High Potential Leadership – Executive Education at Harvard Business School
- Negotiation and Leadership – Executive Education at Harvard Law School
- Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Strategies – Harvard Extension School
- Leadership Development in Global Health- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Leadership, Organizing and Action: Leading Change – Harvard Kennedy School
- Persuasive Communication- Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School
- Design Thinking and Innovation- Harvard Business School
- Women Leading Change- Harvard Kennedy School
Workshops:
Fellows will attend leadership workshops exclusively designed for the LEAD fellows. These small, highly interactive sessions address key leadership skills and are led by experts from Harvard and the global health community. In previous years, the workshop program covered topics including:
- Self – Promotion
- Public Speaking and Effective Communication
- Negotiation
- Crisis Management and Leadership
- Writing and Analysis for Persuasive Communication
- Navigating Bias and Designing Equitable Organizations as a Women Leader
- Leadership Decision Making
- Conflict Resolution
2023- 2024 Program Division and Information
Academic Appointment
For the duration of the fellowship period, fellows will be appointed as a visiting scientist through the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Fall Semester
(September through December)
During the fall semester, fellows will engage virtually in the fellowship program to plan their unique personal growth and leadership plan. For the duration of the fellowship, fellows will hold a visiting scientist appointment through the Global Health and Population Department at HSPH and throughout the fall semester, fellows will engage in 1:1 executive leadership coaching. Deliverables for this part of the fellowship will also include academic credentialing, obtaining a J-1 visa for travel, registering/ planning for spring semester courses, and participation in virtual events and mentorship meetings.
Spring Semester
(January through May)
During the spring semester, January through May 2024, fellows will participate in a variety of online executive education courses, monthly leadership workshops, mentorship, team-building opportunities and public speaking opportunities. In April 2024, fellow will have an in-person experience in the Cambridge, MA for 1 month. During their time in-residence, fellows will take an in-person courses, workshops and continue to meet their esteemed mentors. Fellows are only required to take a leave of absence from their work responsibilities during their time on campus, April 2023 for four weeks total.
Summer Semester – Leadership Development
(May through August)
During the final summer semester, fellows will work closely with their home organizations to execute their unique personal growth and leadership plan, with full support from their employers and institutional mentors. Deliverables for this part of the fellowship include hosting training events for their peers on specific leadership skills, participation in virtual events, progress updates to the LEAD team, a final presentation for HSPH and HGHI staff and mentoring a future LEAD fellow.
To hear more about the LEAD Fellowship experience, view this video from 2021 cohort fellow Bridget Msolomba Malewezi: