In his letter published in the January edition of EyeNet, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Alan Kimura encourages physicians to shape their futures by shifting their “perception of health care reform and value-based care from externally imposed burdens to internally driven improvements.” He describes autonomy, mastery and meaning as the pillars of engagement with one’s work – all practical applications he derived from his experience in the Physician Leadership Skills Series presented by RIHEL to members of the Colorado Medical Society with funding from the Physicians’ Foundation. Kudos to Dr. Kimura for deriving strong practical and principled applications from the leadership lessons of the workshop, and for inspiring others with this letter!
On October 15, 2017 I completed my first marathon.
The latter is a direct result of the first.
I’ve been a runner since moving to Colorado in 2007. Over the years I’ve completed numerous short and mid-distance races, including six half marathons. I never planned to run a marathon. I’d joke “I’m such a slow runner that I’d have to stop mid-race for a meal.” I feared injuring myself, abhorred the time commitment, and was dubious that I could physically complete a marathon even if I wanted to. In short, marathons held no appeal to me.
Fast-forward to April 2017, when I was in the homestretch of the RIHEL Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP). Since attending college in Boston, I find myself glued to Boston Marathon results and human-interest stories each Patriot’s Day. Unlike previous years, some part of my brain wondered if I could conquer 26.2 miles. In a row. I confessed this thought to a friend on a long run the following weekend. Having completed multiple marathons and a full ironman, she assured me that with proper training I could finish a marathon. That evening I thought, Maybe I should run a marathon.
Last September, Aimee Voth Siebert (Advanced Leadership Training Program 2014), was deployed to Puerto Rico to lead a team of 11 behavioral health responders who were providing much needed aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Aimee urges others to “please find ways to remind yourself of Puerto Rico now, in six months, in a year, and in five to 10 years
A RIHEL alumna’s vision for stakeholder engagement in the redevelopment of a recently completed Superfund Site comes to life in Libby, Montana.
For 18 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been conducting asbestos cleanups in Libby, Montana as part of the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site. In September of 2016, the EPA determined that the 400-acre industrial park owned by the Lincoln County Port Authority was complete. As an EPA Remedial Project Manager assigned to the Libby Site, Dania Zinner chose to focus her RIHEL leadership project on the community planning efforts for this property. Dania’s vision, and the vision shared by her project partners, was to engage all stakeholders in a collaborative event
to discuss the economic redevelopment of the Port Authority property, with the intention that these discussions would result in a long-term vision and action plan for the site.
Please help us congratulate several members of the RIHEL family on their hard work and recent awards from the 2017 Public Health in the Rockies Conference. The purpose of this conference is to provide an opportunity for education, networking and skill development of the professionals in Colorado, Wyoming and neighboring regions, and to build a more competent public health workforce. The 2017 conference theme highlighted the ongoing importance of promoting health equity.
On October 29, 2015, the the historic Denver Mestizo-Curtis Park was honored as a Neighborhood Gem at the 2015 Mayor’s Design Award ceremony. The effort to redevelop and revitalize this park can be credited in large part to the leadereship of Geraldolyn Horton-Harris (ALTP 2014 & LHCD 2015).
The Vail Daily gives a nod to four RIHEL alumni for the visioning survey they conducted with residents of the town of Gypsum, Colorado. These four alumni, Katie Haas, John-Ryan Lockman, Jeff Pieper, and Kris Valdez, came together as an Eagle County Team to participate in our Leadership for Healthy Community Design (LHCD) Program. The survey was a part of their LHCD program community project to improve health and the environment through the built environment. Kudos to this group of dedicated alumni and community leaders!
In March 2015, Julissa Soto, Director of Latino Initiatives for the American Diabetes Association, received the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s prestigious William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities for her work helping the immigrant community. Congratulations Julissa!
Aimee Voth Siebert (ALTP 2014) recently shared with RIHEL about some recognition she received for the leadership project that she seeded in her ALTP.
…[my RIHEL] leadership project is now blossoming in new and unexpected ways! The project (mapping community inclusion indicators) received a very humbling recognition from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network as a “promising practice” in emergency management that is inclusive of people with disabilities. …I thought it was high time that I reconnected, and added a story to the many others you have about how RIHEL is an empowering program that can do great things.
Several RIHEL Alumni and a former Board Member were recognized this fall at their annual professional conferences. Congratulations to you all! You make us proud!
Yolanda Duran, alumna of the ALTP Class of 2008, receives Supervisor of the Quarter award. Yolanda is the Data Management Bureau Chief at the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and was formerly employed at the New Mexico Department of Health as the Health Systems Preparedness Coordinator.
In the early part of each year, the Public Health Nursing Association of Colorado (PHNAC) holds an annual conference to educate and train public health nurses from across Colorado. This past February 19-20, PHNAC held their 2014 Annual Winter Conference for more than 80 public health nurses and other public health professionals at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood, Colorado. We are pleased to acknowledge the RIHEL graduates and friends who contributed to this successful conference:
The 
In March 2015, Julissa Soto, Director of Latino Initiatives for the American Diabetes Association, received the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s prestigious William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities for her work helping the immigrant community. Congratulations Julissa!
Several RIHEL Alumni and a former Board Member were recognized this fall at their annual professional conferences. Congratulations to you all! You make us proud!
Yolanda Duran, alumna of the ALTP Class of 2008, receives Supervisor of the Quarter award. Yolanda is the Data Management Bureau Chief at the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and was formerly employed at the New Mexico Department of Health as the Health Systems Preparedness Coordinator.
In the early part of each year, the