Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate (HPHC) launched the inaugural Climate and Health Equity Leaders (CHEL) Fellowship cohort in fall 2023 as an experiential, skill-building program for health professionals to gain tangible experience in advocacy that promotes a healthy climate for all Minnesotans.
Today, the CHEL Fellowship is a unique leadership opportunity for health professionals to translate their climate concerns into action.
Through monthly learning sessions, peer connections, community speakers, advocacy opportunities, and personalized mentoring, fellows gain and fine-tune their skills for individual action, legislative advocacy, systems change, and supporting community-led efforts. Fellows join monthly learning sessions facilitated by Jessica Fisher, DNP and Laalitha Surapaneni, MD, MPH and receive personalized mentorship from an experienced climate health advocate within HPHC’s network.
For health professionals concerned about the public health impacts of climate change, the CHEL Fellowship is an opportunity to translate your concerns into action.
From January-June 2025, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Learn about the health impacts of climate change in addition to the health equity and climate justice issues facing Minnesotans.
- Receive skills training on climate change advocacy: Partnering with frontline communities, legislative advocacy, science communication skills, and more.
- Benefit from personalized peer mentorship from an experienced advocate in HPHC’s network. Mentors are well-versed in specific areas of public policy advocacy, organizing, and climate communications.
The advocacy fellowship is open to all practicing and retired health professionals from interprofessional fields including medicine, nursing, public health, behavioral and mental health, social work, veterinary medicine, research, and many other clinical, science, or health-related fields.
To apply to the 2025 CHEL Fellowship cohort, applicants should meet the following requirements:
- Be a Minnesota resident.
- Be a practicing or retired healthcare, public health, or science professional. At this time, the fellowship is not open to students.
- Have an interest in and passion for environmental sustainability, health equity, or social justice. While no prior advocacy or leadership experience is required, applicants should demonstrate their interests and passions for these areas via the fellowship application.
- Be able to commit to the engagement expectations outlined in the section below.
Applications are open now through November 30.