GLMA Announces the First Cohort of the LGBTQ+ Health Equity and Advocacy Leadership (HEAL) Fellowship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2025

Contact: Eli Duffy
Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships
eduffy@glma.org

WASHINGTON, DC – GLMA announces the first cohort of the LGBTQ+ Health Equity and Advocacy Leadership (HEAL) Fellowship, a national program that supports LGBTQ+ and BIPOC health professionals in developing the skills needed to advance health equity. The two year fellowship includes in person retreats, monthly virtual workshops, peer community building, and structured training in policy, advocacy, and systems change.

Selected from a competitive pool of over 500 applicants, the 2026 HEAL Fellows represent disciplines and communities from all across the country. Their fellowship begins with an orientation retreat in December 2025 and continues throughout 2026 with seminars, networking, and a capstone policy project. In 2027, fellows will complete a mentored leadership placement within a healthcare organization to put their training into practice.

“HEAL was designed with a simple belief at its core: when we invest in relationships, we transform institutions,” said Alex Sheldon, MA (they and them), Executive Director of GLMA. “LGBTQ+ health professionals do not just navigate systems of power in health care – they influence them. And with the right support and training, our fellows will continue to make space and carry the wisdom of our communities into the rooms where decisions are made.”

“My early career mentorship experiences helped me find my footing as a new clinician, and showed me that my voice belonged in this work,” said Jona Tanguay, MS, PA-C, AAHIVS, CAQ-Psych (they/them), President of GLMA. “That kind of support should not be rare or left to chance. The HEAL Fellowship is creating intentional space for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC leaders to learn, connect, and lead. It is an investment in people who are ready to influence policy, strengthen communities, and drive lasting systems level change in health care.”

2025–2027 HEAL Fellows:
Catalina Camacho, MS, C-FSD
Ben Pickus, MD
Elle O’Rourke, MSN, APRN, PMHNP
Fiona Miller, MD
Genevieve Hutchings    , BSN, RN
Hailey Greenstone, MD/MPH Candidate
Javier Zatocki, LMHC
Joey Bahng, MD
Eli Taliaferro, MD
Julia Case, PhD
Kabir Parikh, LMSW
Kara Chaudhary, MD
Ky Albert, AMFT
L. Winley, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist, HSP-P
Luis Miguel Navarro-Ramirez, MD
Manuel Cortez, PharmD, BCOP
Michael S. Argenyi, MD, MPH, MSW
Michelle Darmary
Miguel Valdez
Shernae A. Hughes, LMSW
Victoria Ho, MSPAS, PA-C

For more information about the HEAL Fellowship, visit: https://www.glma.org/HEALFellowship

About GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments.  To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research. www.glma.org