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Fellowship in Health Policy and Media

The Fellowship in Health Policy and Media has two aims: 

  1. To increase the health policy knowledge, skills and scholarship of Fellows
  2. To increase the visibility of nurses in the media by improving the skills of healthcare professionals, researchers, and journalists in disseminating their expertise. 

The Fellowship is a year-long (beginning July 1), non-residential, unpaid program in which each Fellow is paired with a GW Nursing faculty mentor with similar areas of scholarship. Fellows design and execute their own fellowship projects relevant to health policy, media, nursing, and healthcare.

The application cycle for the 2025-2026 Fellowship in Health Policy and Media is now closed. Notifications of acceptance will be sent to applicants by April 25th.

Questions? Email [email protected]. 

2023-2025 Fellows

We are excited to welcome and congratulate our current cohort of fellows!

Lilian Bravo, PhD, RN

Mentor: Barbara Glickstein

Project: Suicide prevention awareness among Latinx youth and young adults

Outcomes: 

Anna Dermenchyan, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K

Mentor: Y. Tony Yang

Project: Examining heart failure, respiratory vaccination rates, policies, and the impact of nursing

Outcomes: 

Taneika Duhaney, MHAP

Mentor: Melissa Batchelor

Project: Examining the intersection of cycling, micromobility, and nursing

Outcomes: 

  • Conducted research on the history of nursing and micromobility, including cycling
  • Created a podcast to highlight nurses + cycling – Watts the Angle
    • Ep 1 - Ify Okoye, Director for Outpatient Continuing Care at Kaiser Permanente, talks about cycling, health outcomes, and team building
    • Ep 2 - Vlada Nedak, CEO of Project Kesher, an NGO in Ukraine that uses Ukrainian-made e-bikes and nurses to deliver care to 11,000 patients / month
    • Ep 3 - Colin Browne, Washington Area Bicyclist Association Communications Director, discusses how federal workers can leverage biking to make commuting easier, given the EO eliminating remote and hybrid federal work
Sterling Wilmer, BSN-RN, BA

Mentor: Karen Drenkard

Project: The Community Resiliency Project

Outcomes: 

  • Ted Talk x JHU - Resilience is Rooted in Community
  • Submitted application for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant for Health Equity for Slowtalk NRP Initiative 
  • Community centered mental health social media initiative with Miss America
  • Approved to write two pieces for the Johns Hopkins Nursing Magazine online blog “On the Pulse”
    • Policy Erosion and Mental Health: Protecting Queer Youth Autonomy
    • Global Health in Flux: Nursing Practice Amid WHO Withdrawal

Fellowship Presentations

Join us for the Health Policy and Media Fellowship final presentations to hear about the impactful reseach and unique projects being done by our 2023-2025 Fellows. 

Date: June 11th, 2025 - 4:00-5:30 PM ET

Presenters: 2023-2025 Health Policy and Media Fellows

Register Now

2024 Final Fellowship Presentations

Date: June 13th, 2PM-4PM ET

Presenters: 2023-2024 Health Policy and Media Fellows

View Recording

2023 Final Fellowship Presentations

Date: June 6th, 12PM-1:30PM ET

Presenters: 2022-2023 Health Policy and Media Fellows

View Recording

2022 Final Fellowship Presentations

Date: June 24th, 11AM - 2PM ET

Presenter: 2021-2022 Health Policy and Media Fellows

View Recording

Past Fellows and Accomplishments

Nikki E. Akparewa, RN, MSN/MPH (2023-2024)

Mentor: Julianna Gonzalez McLean

Project: Breaking Barriers Masterclass: Navigating Health Equity

Outcomes: 

Blandine Augustin, DNP, FNP (2023-2024)

Mentor: Laurie Theeke

Project: Adopting the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit into Clinical Practice

Outcomes: 

  • Develop a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit program and policy implementation strategy using Kotter’s 8 step change model - implemented at an FQHC in the DMV
  • Conducted and wrote a policy analysis and literature review, looking at the AWV policy's value added and the feasibility of implementation (submission pending)
  • Submitted a 60-minute presentation proposal to the AANP for the 2025 AANP National Conference
Carrie Ann Langley, PhD, MPH, PMHNP-BC, DNP (2023-2024)

Mentor: Tony Roberson

Project: Transitions from Incarceration: A Health Policy Analysis

Outcomes: 

  • Conducted policy analysis to examine the policies of  probation and offer some courses of action that could support individuals on probation in making those health-illness and situational transitions during re-entry. 
  • Submitted op-ed to Arizona Public Media exploring her policy analysis on reentry
  • Submitted to Public Health Nursing – policy analysis: health policy and reentry
  • Developing curriculum for DNP program focused on justice and reentry
  • Got challenge funding from NIDA for researching the role of primary care in drug abuse prevention / mental health support post-reentry
Milisa Manojlovich, PhD, RN, FAAN (2023-2024)

Mentor: Diana Mason

Project: Learning how to leverage Op-eds and radio interviews to create impact beyond traditional academic products

Outcomes:

Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C (2021-2023)

Mentor: Melissa Batchelor

Project topic overview:

  • Create a podcast

Outcomes:

  • That’s Healthful Podcast
    • Target audience – providers & general public
    • 80 + fully produced episodes, tracking with metrics for success
    • Promotion with social media, utilize graphic design
    • Soliciting funding
    • Had other fellows / mentors as guest speakers
    • Expert content guests from all over the country
    • Use of social media for promotion:
Hildegart Gonzalez, PhD (2021-2023)

Mentor: Ric Ricciardi

Project topic overviews and outcomes:

  1. The journalistic narrative and the nursing narrative around nursing in the media and on social networks
  2. The nursing sector in media and Social Media: knowledge, uses, expectations, attitudes, risks and opportunities. Nurses’ mass media and social media communications competencies development
  3. Political and decision-making competence in nurses
    • Interprofessional team received Nursing Management Research award in Spain given by national association of nursing managers
    • Systematic review to identify what scientific evidence exists on the training nurses receive for participation and political decision making

Named a finalist, by the Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Enfermeria de Espana, for "person outside the profession who has contributed most to the field of nursing"

Kasey Jordan, RN, PhD (2021-2023)

Mentor: Joyce Pulcini

Project topic overview:

  • School nurse innovation leadership during the COVID-19 response and how school nurse leadership uses media

Outcomes

Danielle Altares Sarik, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC (2021-2023)​

Mentor: Ashley Darcy-Mahoney

Project topic overview:

  • Using media to emphasize the role of innovative nurse-led interventions in addressing barriers to care in pediatrics

Outcomes:

Kristen Choi, PhD, MS, RN​ (2021-2022)

Mentor: Tony Roberson

Project topic overview:

  • Lessons on leveraging media for mental health policy advocacy
  • Policy to increase access to mental health care / telehealth expansion

Outcomes:

Brittany DiNatale RN, BSN​ (2021-2022)

Mentor: Karen Drenkard

Project topic overview:

  • Workplace violence against nurses

Outcomes:

  • American Nurse publication, “Workplace violence: What Can Nurses Do?”
  • ANA End Nurse Abuse Campaign – nurse stakeholder on steering committee
  • That’s Healthful podcast guest
  • Creation of “What Can I Do” resource providing actionable steps for nurses to combat workplace violence
Naila Russell, DNP, CRNP​ (2020-2022)

Mentor: Sherrie Wallington

Project topic overview:

  • The responses of nursing organizations to address/acknowledge structural racism and racial justice (following the death of George Floyd)

Outcomes:

Ashley Waddell PhD, RN (2019-2021)

Mentor: Joyce Pulcini

Project topic overview:

  • Conduct a research project examining content shared by national nursing organizations on social media in the months/weeks preceding the 2018- midterm elections and/or the 2020 US Presidential election. 
  • Titled "Nursing Organizations' Health Policy Content on Facebook and Twitter Preceding the 2020 US Presidential Election"

Outcomes: 

Eileen Fry-Bowers PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN (2019-2020)

Mentor: Ric Ricciardi

Project Overview:

  • Conduct a research project examining the relationships between the political beliefs, religiosity, and ethical values of nurses and their civic and media engagement using surveys and interview

Outcomes: 

Carole Myers PhD, RN, FAAN (2018-2020)

Mentor: Diana Mason

Project Overview:

  • Submit and publish national Op-eds and policy briefs
  • Collaborate on planning of the Strategic Use of Media by Nursing Organizations Summit

Outcomes:

Fellowship sponsored webinars

Policy Analysis Processes

Date: December 7, 2023
Presenter: Ric Ricciardi, GW Nursing

View Recording

Professional Use of Social Media in Healthcare

Date: September 20, 2023
Presenter: Melissa Batchelor, GW Nursing

View Recording

Perspectives on Policy: Writing Op-Eds, Blogs, and Commentaries

Date: March 24, 2022 -  11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Presenter: Diana Mason, GW Nursing

View Recording

Disseminating The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report: Strategies and Challenges

Date: January 26, 2022 - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Presenter: Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, GW Nursing

View Recording

Using Social Media to Influence Policy

Date: Wed, October 20, 2021 - 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Presenter: Melissa Batchelor, GW Nursing

View Recording

Fellowship Application Information

Fellowship Overview

Applications are invited from individuals with a record of accomplishment in healthcare practice, research, leadership, media, and/or policy and a demonstrated interest in health policy and media. Each Fellow develops and implements a project focusing on a specific policy and/or media area relevant to nursing / healthcare. Suggested areas of scholarship are proposed below.

This unpaid, non-residential Fellowship is one year in length (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026) but may be extended for up to one additional year. Conditions permitting, fellows may be encouraged travel to Washington, D.C. at least once during the year to meet with Center faculty and staff. Other work is conducted through distance technology. Fellows work with their faculty mentor to identify deliverables and participate in Center activities.

Fellows are provided with:

  • Mentorship with a Center faculty member
  • Opportunities to network
  • Opportunity to expand knowledge of a specified area of health policy and enhance media accumen with the support of GW faculty expertise
  • Development of expertise in the translation of research findings into policy recommendations
  • Continuing education opportunities, including participation in Center sponsored webinars and conferences
  • Access to GW library resources and research support
  • Courtesy appointment as a GW Senior Research Service Professor
Who Can Apply

The Fellowship is open to healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, social workers, pharmacists, dentists, psychologists, physicians, public health professionals), journalists, media professionals, policy analysts and researchers. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in and commitment to health, healthcare, and influencing health policy and media at the international, federal, state or local levels.

New to this application cycle, we are offering the opportunity for a Spanish speaking scholar, with some proficiency in English, to apply with a project focused on media and health communication strategies. It is acceptable for the application to be written in either English or Spanish. If you have questions, please contact [email protected].

Suggested Areas of Scholarship
  • Aging
  • AI in healthcare
  • Chronic condition management
  • Dementia
  • Gerontology
  • Health communications (Spanish speaking applicant)
  • Health disparities
  • Healthcare simulation
  • Informatics
  • Inter-professional education
  • Long-term care
  • Maternal / child health
  • Media and nursing (Spanish speaking applicant)
  • Nursing workforce
  • Oncology
  • Pediatrics
  • Primary care
  • Tobacco policy
  • Vaccine policy
  • Veteran health
  • Workforce burnout
Application Requirements

To be considered for this Fellowship, please complete the online application below by March 14th, 2025. Be prepared to submit the following:

  • A current Curriculum Vitae
  • A Statement of Purpose, no more than two pages, outlining:
    • Professional background, including policy and/or media experience
    • Interest in the Fellowship
    • Scholarship topic of interest (preferably related to one of the suggested topics above)
    • A proposal - including deliverables - for a project to be completed during the Fellowship

Click to Apply