Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy advancing your community’s health
Become a leader in advancing your community’s health—learn more about public health topics and how to better shape laws, policy and programs. Enrollment for this nine-week professional development opportunity occurs in February each year.
Welcome leaders
Note to visitors: The Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy was hosted within the Bob Graham Center for Public Service until 2026.
Exciting health, science and tech advances are happening across Florida and the nation. These advancements are creating a steep learning curve for community leaders and locally elected officials who may bear responsibility for basic health care policy.
Policy
Community Leaders
The Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy is an initiative to empower communities with leaders who are knowledgeable and skilled in public health policy making. Participants will learn skills to measure and monitor population health, gain understanding of pressing issues in public health, and make enduring connections with other community leaders.
About The Instructors
The core instructors include UF faculty members, along with a UF-trained Medical Anthropologist from FSU. Together they hold years of experience developing and implementing health policy. In addition, state and national public health experts contribute to select classes and activities. Importantly, the fellows will participate in group activities and panels that will serve as peer-teaching.
If you have any questions, please contact the Academy Director, Dr. Christopher R. Cogle, at christopher.cogle@medicine.ufl.edu.
The Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy receives additional funding from the Florida Department of Health.
Who Should Apply
The Academy seeks current or future executives, elected officials, business leaders, policymakers, nonprofit executives, journalists, and other community leaders who may be new to health policy and are interested in expanding their knowledge.
Each year of the Academy is focused on one region within Florida. In 2026 we are focused on Florida’s Nature Coast, from Hernando County to Levy County. In 2025, our area of focus was Volusia and Flagler counties. Previously, our cohorts have been based in and around Gainesville, North Central Florida (Marion, Lake, and Sumter), Jacksonville, and the Panhandle.
Participation involves a weekly four-hour Academy session, with about one-hour reviewing supporting materials or preparing for individual community health improvement goals.
There is no cost to participate in the Academy. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend for professional development.
