Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity Announces its 2026 Cohort

The Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity (AFHE), based at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, is proud to announce its 2026 cohort — 14 remarkable leaders from around the world who are driving bold solutions to improve health in their communities and beyond.

These fellows bring deep experience across areas including, but not limited to health economics and financing, mental health, youth development, community health programs, oncology, nursing, food security, social work, health services and education, nephrology and occupational health. Representing Australia, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Peru, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States, their work reflects a broad, interdisciplinary approach to advancing health outcomes and reducing disparities.

“The 2026 cohort represents the promise of principled leadership,” said Dr. Guenevere Burke, Executive Director of AFHE and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “We look forward to seeing their perspectives inspire new possibilities for health worldwide.”

AFHE was launched in 2016 as Leaders for Health Equity and is one of seven interconnected Atlantic Fellows programs worldwide. The one-year, non-residential fellowship selects 15 to 20 emerging leaders annually to participate in a curriculum designed to deepen their leadership and strategic thinking. It’s grounded in collective learning and sustained through a growing network that now spans 35 countries and six continents.

With the addition of this cohort — the ninth to join the program — AFHE now includes 151 fellows whose work continues to shape health systems, inform policy, and build community power across sectors and geographies.

“We need health leaders who are prepared not only to respond to inequities but to build systems that prevent them,” said Dr. Patricia (Polly) Pittman, Director of the Mullan Institute. “The 2026 cohort brings the passion and perspective required to do just that, and to support one another in the process.”

Beginning in January 2026, fellows will participate in a hybrid learning experience that includes in-person convenings and virtual sessions throughout the year. With support from faculty, mentors, and global thought leaders, fellows will develop and advance individual projects tackling real-world challenges in their local contexts. After completing the program in November, they will join the broader AFHE Senior Fellows and Global Atlantic Fellows communities, a network of over 1,000 leaders working toward a fairer, healthier world.

“We are excited to walk alongside the 2026 fellows as they take on this transformative year,” said Selam Bedada, AFHE Program Director. “This fellowship is just the beginning. What follows is a lifetime of connection, collaboration, and leadership in pursuit of better health for all.”

Applications for the 2027 fellowship will open in early 2026. Sign up for more information.