The BCBSMA Foundation Announces 2025-26 Class for Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership (MICHL)

We are pleased to announce the Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership (MICHL) 2025-2026 class, a group of 15 health care and public health professionals, who will strengthen their leadership skills, deepen their awareness of structural, cultural and institutional racism and expand their influence across organizations in public and private health settings.

MICHL has helped develop 214 emerging leaders since it started in 2005. Over the course of nine months, cohort participants will engage in a series of classroom, peer-to-peer and professional learning opportunities designed to equip them with tools to address the health care needs of Massachusetts residents who are economically, socially, ethnically and racially marginalized.

Please join us in congratulating the newest group of talented emerging leaders. The 2025-26 MICHL participants are:

• Oanh Bui, CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) Lead Coordinator, Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

• Courtney Chelo, Director of Government Relations, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

• Catherine Chung, Director of Operations & Strategy, Asian Women for Health

• Leslie Diaz, Director of Helpline and Public Programs, Health Care For All

• Margaret Eichner, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Policy, Massachusetts Office of Medicaid (MassHealth)

• Malinda Ellwood, Acting Senior Director for Member Engagement and Experience, Massachusetts Office of Medicaid (MassHealth)

• Lissette Gil-Sanchez, Director of the Office of Sexual Health & Youth Development, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

• Samara Grossman, Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Boston Public Health Commission

• Sedruola Maruska, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center

• Shavel’le Olivier, Executive Director, Mattapan Food & Fitness

• Marisa Otis, Manager of Community Programs, Boston Children’s Hospital

• Taylor Rich, Senior Project Manager, Partners In Health

• Andrew Tarbox, Manager of National Strategy, Community Care Cooperative

• Morgan Taylor-McFadden, Director of Boston Healthy Start Initiative, Boston Public Health Commission

• Emma Tzioumis, Epidemiologist and Program Planning & Evaluation Specialist, Cambridge Public Health Commission

MICHL was developed in 2005 by Michael McCormack and is now led by Sharon Bueno Washington, the director of the program. Daniel Michaud Weinstock serves as the program’s co-director.  

For more information about MICHL, please visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation MICHL page.