The Region 8 Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change is an opportunity for public health professionals to grow their knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to excel in public health leadership roles. This six-month program offers a dynamic learning experience, combining facilitated and interactive live sessions with subject matter experts, small group coaching with a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, self-paced learning, and the opportunity to apply systems thinking skills to a complex challenge facing your community.

This Leadership Institute is focused on systems change. During the Institute, you will be asked to identify a challenge impacting the health of the community your organization serves. Often, these challenges have already been identified and are outlined in your organization’s Strategic Plan or a Community or State Health Assessment. Through this Institute, we will be focused on building the skills needed to address complex challenges - the recurring or entrenched issues that inhibit our community’s ability to reach its highest level of health. During the Institute, we will seek to gain a deep understanding of the challenge, see the challenge from different perspectives, and change elements of the system (policies, practices, resources, relationships, power, and mental models) to produce improved health outcomes.

Participants in the Region 8 Leadership Institute will collectively grow in leadership competencies, cultivate their capacity to influence systems change, and build their network of peer leaders.

Ideal for:

The Region 8 Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change is open to individuals who have decision-making authority over budgets, projects, programs, people, or departments. We anticipate accepting 40 participants in the 2026 cohort.

It is open to leaders working in:

• Local, state, or tribal public health agencies
• Community health centers or Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Nonprofit agencies addressing public health issues

Cohort participants must work in one of the Region 8 states of CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, or WY.

Cost

• $400
• The remaining costs for this Leadership Institute are covered through funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The cost includes the CliftonStrengths assessment and cohort participants will receive their Full 34 and Leaders Reports (valued at $110). A limited number of scholarships are available.

Limited Scholarships Available

We are pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships (5) to support participation in the Region 8 Leadership Institute for Systems Change. Scholarships are intended for individuals who have not had the chance to participate in other leadership training programs, would most benefit from the training, and would not otherwise be able to attend, due to cost. We are also seeking to achieve geographic diversity in the Leadership Institute cohort and will take that into account when selecting scholarship recipients.

If you're interested, please complete the short scholarship application.

What to Expect

The commitment of participants is important to the success of the Leadership Institute. The Region 8 Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change occurs over the course of six months, from January 22nd, 2026 - June 6th, 2026. Participants engage in a variety of learning activities, both live and self-paced, for a total of 50 contact hours.

Monthly activities include:

• 3-hour live sessions (during business hours)
• 4 hours of independent work between live sessions (1 hour per week)
• 90 minutes live coaching circles among peers (during business hours)

6 Live Learning Sessions

Held via Zoom, these facilitated and highly-interactive 3-hour sessions provide learners an opportunity to learn from experts, practice skills, and engage with their peers.

Learning Session Schedule (all times in Mountain Time - MT)

Please make sure you are available on the following dates:

• Module 1: Getting Ready - Thursday, January 22nd, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Module 2: Identifying the Challenge & Setting a Vision - Thursday, February 5th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Module 3: Understanding the Problem - Thursday, March 5th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Module 4: Listening & Communicating - Thursday, April 2nd, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Module 5: Changing the System - Thursday, May 7th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• Module 6: Action Planning - Thursday, June 4th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Course Access

After submitting an application for the Leadership Institute, participants will be notified by the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center of their acceptance status by December 1st, 2025. If accepted, participants will be provided with a link to enroll and request a seat at the Region 8 Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change. After enrolling through the provided link, the Leadership Institute for Systems Change 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 mya.adrianzen@cuanschutz.edu.

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

All 4 components are required for a Certificate of Completion:

1. CliftonStrengths Assessment - participants will receive both their CliftonStrengths 34 report ($60 value included in cost of training) and CliftonStrengths for Leaders report ($50 value included in cost of training).
2. 6 Live Sessions - held via Zoom, these facilitated and highly-interactive 3-hour sessions provide learners an opportunity to learn from experts, practice skills, and engage with their peers.
3. Pre-Work and Post-Work - consists of videos, short readings, practice activities, and discussion boards that help participants learn about systems thinking and tackle a complex challenge applicable to their current work. This work is completed on your own in between live sessions. Participants should plan on approximately 1 hour of work each week.
4. Coaching Pods - participants will receive 5 group coaching sessions from a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Coaching Pods will meet for 90 minutes the week following the live sessions.

Learning Objectives

• Apply systems thinking practices to complex community challenges
• Identify and leverage personal strengths to lead systems change
• Integrate coaching strategies to support staff, colleagues, and partners
• Establish supportive relationships with other public health leaders

Length of Learning Opportunity

6 months.

Primary Competency

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

Development Partner(s)

This training was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

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

Submit your application now:

Region 8 Public Health Leadership Institute for Systems Change - Online Application