CMB’s Equity Initiative Announces 2017 Fellows

China Medical Board is proud to announce that 19 young leaders and role models from Southeast Asia and China have been selected for the second fellowship cohort of The Equity Initiative. The Equity Initiative aims to develop a community of 500 leaders for health equity over the next two decades. The young professionals in the 2017 cohort come from 9 countries and represent a range of sectors—academia, government, nongovernmental organizations, social enterprises and private business—and diverse areas of expertise, including computer science, clinical medicine, anthropology, finance, economics, communications, and public health. The 2017 Equity Fellows, like their predecessors in the inaugural 2016 cohort, all have demonstrated strong commitments through their work to social justice and health equity.

The Equity Initiative’s program year is designed to energize and empower talented young health professionals with the skills, tools, and networks that will enable them to pursue their own quest for social justice in health. Over the course of the year, the Equity Fellows will participate in sessions designed to expand their understanding of health equity, build leadership skills, increase their exposure to innovative models of healthcare delivery in the Southeast Asia region and globally, and engage in discussion with leading experts in health equity and development.

The 19 Equity Fellows were selected through a competitive process, with over 80 applications received from professionals throughout the region. Candidates applied online and were selected through a two-stage committee process by National Nominating Committees (NNCs) in Thailand and Viet Nam and a Regional Selection Committee (RSC). The 2018 application process is expected to open in May 2017.

2017 Equity Initiative Fellows (listed in alphabetical order by country)

• Channe Suy Lan (Channe) – Cambodia – Regional Lead, InSTEDD iLab Southeast Asia.
• Shi Nan (Harry) – China – Deputy Governor, Midu County
• Deng Rui (Rita) – China – Associate Professor, Kunming Medical University’s School of Public Health
• Satiriantinah Bur Rasuanto (Sati) – Indonesia – Managing Director, Endeavor in Indonesia
• Lynna Chandra – Indonesia – Founder, Rachel House
• Deradjat Ginandjar Koesmayadi (Ginan) – Indonesia – Founder, Rumah Cemara
• Alay Phonvisay – Lao PDR – Lecturer, Faculty of Economic and Business Management at the National University of Laos (NUOL)
• Tharani Loganathan – Malaysia – Medical Doctor, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
• Wai Wai Han (Wai) – Myanmar – Research Officer, Department of Medical Research, Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar
• Pan Myat Mon (Pan) – Myanmar – Country Health Coordinator, Malteser International
• Benjamin Lawrence Patrick E. Aritao (Law) – Philippines – National Director for Strategic Support-Legal and Aftercare, International Justice Mission (IJM)
• Beverly Lorraine C. Ho (Bev) – Philippines – Chief of the Health Research Division, Philippines Department of Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau
• Ariel Caringal Hernandez (Ayi) – Philippines – Managing Director, Bangko sa Balay Foundation Inc.
• Santi Lapbenjakul (Tom) – Thailand – Director, Lam Sonthi Hospital
• Somporn Pengkam – Thailand – Community Health Impact Assessment Practitioner / Affiliated researcher at Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute
• Kanapon Phumratprapin (Tum) – Thailand – CEO and Co-founder, Health at Home
• Luong The Huy (Huy) – Viet Nam – LGBT Rights Program Manager, Institute for Studies of Society, Economy, and Environment
• Do Thuy Duong – Viet Nam – Founder and CEO, TalentPool
• Nguyen Thi Lan Anh – Viet Nam – Founder and Director, Action to the Community Development Center

Click here to view the fellows' photos and short bios.