The North Dakota Public Health Leadership Academy is an opportunity for public health professionals to build their capacity to influence change in their organizations and communities. This four-month program will bring together a diverse cohort of emerging and current leaders in state, local, and tribal public health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and similar types of public health and healthcare settings. Leaders will work individually and collectively to identify complex challenges facing their communities or organizations and to apply systems change strategies to address them.

The Leadership Academy will feature an in-person kick-off on May 27 (half day) and May 28 (full day) in Bismarck, North Dakota. The remaining four sessions of the Leadership Academy will be held virtually.

Participation in the North Dakota Public Health Leadership Academy will include a CliftonStrengths assessment and group coaching.

The Public Health Leadership Academy's first cohort will be comprised of 40 emerging public health leaders who work in public health (local, state or tribal), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), or similar types of public health settings. The Leadership academy is only available to individuals within the state of North Dakota or individuals who work for organizations within the state of North Dakota.

Cost

• Free for individuals within the state of North Dakota or individuals who work for organizations within the State of North Dakota.
• Participants who need their travel expenses reimbursed for attending the in-person event can apply for a travel reimbursement.

Commitment

The commitment of participants is important to the success of the Leadership Academy. The Public Health Leadership Academy occurs over the course of four months, from May 27 - September 24, 2026. Participants engage in a variety of learning activities, both live and self-paced, for a total of 35 contact hours. The estimated time commitment averages 1-2 hours/week over 18 weeks.

Monthly activities include:

• 60-90 minutes of pre-work
• 3-hour live sessions (during business hours)
• 60-90 minutes of post-work
• 90 minute coaching pods among peers (during business hours)

What to Expect

5 Live Learning Sessions

The Leadership Academy will consist of the following key components:

• Pre-work: readings, videos, and discussion board posts.
• Live session: these facilitated sessions will be highly interactive and will build on the content covered in the pre-work.
  • Session 1 in-person (split over two days)
  • Sessions 2-5 held virtually via Zoom
• Post-work:
  • Brief readings, videos, or activities to reinforce the content from the live session.
  • Participation in a group coaching session.

Learning Session Schedule (all times in Central Time - CT)

• Session 1: (in Bismarck) May 27 (12:30 - 4:30 PM) & May 28 (8:30 AM - 3:30 PM)
• Session 2: (via Zoom) June 25, 9 AM - 12 PM
• Session 3: (via Zoom) July 23, 9 AM - 12 PM
• Session 4: (via Zoom) August 27, 9 AM - 12 PM
• Session 5: (via Zoom) September 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

Course Access

After submitting an application for the Leadership Academy, participants will be notified by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services of their acceptance status in early May. If accepted, participants will be provided with a link to enroll in the Leadership Academy. After enrolling through the provided link, the Leadership Academy pre-work materials and any additional instructions will be available at least two weeks before the first live session.

If you don't receive the materials by two weeks before the first live session or have any difficulties, please contact us at lms.registration.rmphtc@ucdenver.edu.

For any other questions, please email phperformance@nd.gov.

Technology Requirements

You must have access to an internet capable device equipped with a camera and microphone. Computers (laptops/desktops) are preferred, but please let us know if you need to operate from a tablet or mobile phone so we can assist you.

We will be using Zoom for our Live Learning Sessions. You can join a Zoom test meeting here to check your audio, webcam, and to locate other Zoom features.

Successful Completion

• Attend at least 4 out of 5 live sessions.
• Participate in at least 4 out of 5 discussion boards.
• Complete the Leadership Academy workbook.

Learning Objectives

1. Apply systems thinking practices to complex community challenges.
2. Identify and leverage personal strengths to lead systems change.
3. Integrate coaching strategies to support staff, colleagues, and partners.

Length of Learning Opportunity

18 weeks

Primary Competency

• Leadership and Systems Thinking
• Communication
• Health Equity Skills
• Community Partnership Skills
• Policy Engagement

We strive to host inclusive and accessible events that enable all individuals, including those with disabilities to engage fully. Please let us know of any accommodations that will assist your full participation.

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Submit your application by Thursday, April 2 at 11:59 PM CT.

Apply for North Dakota Public Health Leadership Academy 2026