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CHRT Policy Fellowship at the University of Michigan

Fellowship Overview

The CHRT Policy Fellowship at the University of Michigan offers selected state policy makers and University of Michigan (U-M) health services researchers a unique opportunity to explore and strengthen the connections between public policy and health services research.

The four-month fellowship program includes eight interactive seminars on health policy topics relevant to researchers and policy makers alike, led by a broad range of health policy leaders and subject matter experts from the University of Michigan and other key health policy stakeholder organizations. Invited speakers include top executives, administrators, senior health service researchers, and other stakeholders within the field of health policy.

Each class of CHRT Policy Fellows includes up to five policy makers, selected from the offices of Michigan’s senate majority and minority leaders, house majority and minority leaders, and governor’s office, and up to five U-M health services researchers.

Fellows define and complete a collaborative project that translates research for a policy audience, and at the conclusion of the fellowship, travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with policy-makers and gain exposure to the national policy-making environment.

Fellowship Goals

The goals of the CHRT Fellowship at the University of Michigan are to:

1. Build connections between Michigan policy-makers and University of Michigan health services researchers.
2. Provide health services researchers with a better understanding of the policy-making process and ways to increase the impact of University of Michigan health services research on public policy—with a special emphasis on health policy.
3. Provide Michigan policy-makers with increased knowledge of and access to the resources available at the U-M to support health policy work, and a better understanding of the ways that health services research can inform policy.

Fellowship Steering Committee

Rick Bossard, Government Relations Officer, University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers

Mark Cook, Vice President, Governmental Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Eileen Kostanecki, Senior Health Policy Adviser, Office of Federal Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Jenifer Martin, Government Affairs Manager, University of Michigan, School of Public Health

Deidra Wilson, Manager, Governmental Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Marianne Udow-Phillips, Director, Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation (CHRT)

Fellowship Staff

Melissa Riba, Program Manager

Phillip Stadler, Program Administrator

Patrice Eller, Staff Support

Joshua Fangmeier, Staff Support

Heather Guenther, Communications and Public Relations

Babette Levy, Staff Support