The School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago is pleased to extend an invitation to public health professionals to participate in a unique educational opportunity.  The Mid-America Regional Public Health Leadership Institute, now in its Eighteenth Year, is accepting applications to its twelve-month fellowship program, which is designed to promote organizational, professional and personal leadership skill development.  MARPHLI fellows develop greater effectiveness in carrying out the core public health functions of assessment, policy development and assurance not only within their agencies, but also throughout the wider public health system in their community.

The theme of Year 18 is "The Role of Public Health Leadership in Health Reform." Information on featured presenters will be available soon.

MARPHLI conferences feature cutting edge public health issues that are discussed in the context of personal, organizational and community leadership development. Fellows will work on teams and create projects that build public health infrastructure in their home communities. By participating in MARPHLI, your staff and community partners will have the opportunity to build personal skills, strengthen local infrastructure, and develop professional networks regionally and nationally.

The Institute will begin with a four-day conference to be held October 19-22, 2008, at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, Illinois.  The conference will bring together a select group of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin practitioners, and a cadre of faculty, Mentors and members of the Institute's Advisory Board (several other states may also participate).  Together this group will examine the characteristics, skills, attributes and successful practices of effective public health leadership during the twelve months of the Institute.