15 Selected As 2012 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars

NEWS RELEASE
May 24, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has elected 15 individuals as the 2012 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars. These Scholars will have the opportunity to learn first-hand about health policy and the policymaking process during 11 weeks in Washington, DC, working in Congressional offices, participating in seminars and site visits organized by the Foundation, and completing a health policy analysis project.

The Foundation established the Barbara Jordan Scholars Program in memory of former U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan — the first African American woman elected to Congress from Texas and a member of the Foundation’s board of trustees when the modern day Kaiser Family Foundation was established in the early 1990s.

“The Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program helps today’s promising students become tomorrow’s health policy leaders,” said Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman. “This program honors Barbara’s legacy by providing real-world opportunities in public service for these outstanding Scholars.”

The program introduces rising college seniors and recent graduates with an interest in issues affecting racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities to the federal legislative process and current issues in health policy. In addition to working on Capitol Hill, Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in seminars and site visits organized by the Foundation to broaden their knowledge of health care issues. Under the guidance of the Foundation’s staff, the Scholars will also write and present a policy memo that provides an in-depth analysis of a health care issue.

This year’s Scholars were chosen from about 200 applicants. The program operates in partnership with Howard University, which provides administrative support and houses the scholars in D.C.

More information about the Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program is available online.

The 15 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars for 2012 are:

Mr. Robiel Abraha
Hometown: Houston, Texas
School: University of Texas, Austin
Major: Sociology
Placement: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. Maria Abrica
Hometown:Watsonville, California
School: University of California, LA
Major: Sociology
Placement: Rep. Karen Bass

Ms. Huda Adem
Hometown: Tracy, California
School: University of California, Berkeley
Major:Int’l Health & Development
Placement: Rep. John Lewis

Ms. Brittany Brathwaite
Hometown:Brooklyn, New York
School: Syracuse University
Major:Women and Gender Studies
Placement: Rep. Edolphus Towns

Ms. Jessica Broadus
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia
School: U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Major: Health Policy Management
Placement: Sen. Olympia Snowe

Ms. Lovelee Brown
Hometown:Roseville, California
School: Stanford University
Major:Anthropology
Placement: Rep. Barbara Lee

Mr. James Calderwood
Hometown:Chevy Chase, Maryland
School: University of Pennsylvania
Major:Nursing and Health Care Mgmt
Placement: Sen. Tom Udall

Mr. Brandon Ibarra
Hometown:Blackfoot, Idaho
School: Seattle University
Major:Nursing
Placement: Rep. Joe Baca

Ms. Noereem Mena
Hometown:Providence, Rhode Island
School: University of Rhode Island
Major:Nutrition and Dietetics
Placement: Rep. Joseph Crowley

Ms. Natasha Murphy
Hometown:Harlem, New York
School: Howard University
Major:Health Management Sciences
Placement: Rep. Charles Rangel

Mr. Bryan Rodriguez
Hometown:Dorchester, Massachusetts
School: Tufts University
Major:International Relations
Placement: Senate HELP Committee
(Sen. Harkin)

Mr. Edward Smith
Hometown:Hampton, Virginia
School: University of Virginia
Major:Government and Foreign Affairs
Placement: Rep. Bobby Scott

Ms. Whitney Tucker
Hometown:Elgin, South Carolina
School: Vanderbilt University
Major:Public Policy Studies
Placement: Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Ms. Mai Vang
Hometown:Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
School: Minnesota State University, Mankato
Major:Community Health Science
Placement: Rep. Keith Ellison

Mr. Trenton White
Hometown:Hahira, Georgia
School: Mercer University
Major:Int’l Health and Development
Placement: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton

The Kaiser Family Foundation, a leader in health policy analysis, health journalism and communication, is dedicated to filling the need for trusted, independent information on the major health issues facing our nation and its people. The Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation, based in Menlo Park, California.

Publish Date: 2012-05-24