Obama Foundation Fellowship

 Navdeep Kang, Psy.D. among diverse set of 20 civic innovators from around the world to scale impact of community-driven work 

CHICAGO, IL -- Today Mercy Health – Cincinnati’s Director of Operations for Behavioral Health Services Dr. Navdeep Kang was selected by the Obama Foundation to join the inaugural 2018 Fellows class. Selected from more than 20,000 applicants from 191 countries, Dr. Kang will join a two-year, non-residential program that brings together 20 leaders representing 11 countries around the world who are creating transformational change on many of the world’s most pressing problems. The Obama Foundation selected Dr. Kang to continue his work at Mercy Health building a regional collaborative network to treat addiction and develop a comprehensive continuum of care for patients struggling with opiate addiction.

“I am honored and humbled to be a part of the very first Obama Foundation Fellows class and look forward to joining a diverse class of community-minded civic innovators,” said Dr. Kang. “I’m thankful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from Mercy Health to build the Mercy Health Addiction Treatment Collaborative and in particular from my mentors, Dr. Larry Graham, President of Mercy Health’s Behavioral Health Services, and Dr. Stephen Feagins, Mercy Health East Market Vice President of Medical Affairs. With the Obama Foundation, I am looking forward  to continuing and strengthening our work as leaders in building collaborative addiction treatment services for residents of Greater Cincinnati and the communities we serve across Ohio and Kentucky.” 

“Mercy Health has as one of its main goals making a significant, positive impact on the opiate epidemic,” said Mike Garfield, Mercy Health – Cincinnati Senior Vice President and CEO. “Dr. Kang’s efforts have been instrumental in helping us meet that goal and we could not be more proud of the recognition he’s receiving today for this important work.”

The Fellowship will offer hands-on training, leadership development, and a powerful network for Fellows to amplify the impact of their work and inspire a wave of civic innovation. 

Over the course of the two-year program, Obama Foundation Fellows will participate in four multi-day gatherings to collaborate with one another, connect with potential partners, and break down silos to advance their work. The first Fellows gathering will be in Chicago in May. 

Each Fellow will also develop and pursue with the Foundation a personalized plan to leverage the fellowship and Obama Foundation resources to take their work to the next level. As Fellows put their plans into action, the Obama Foundation will assist with access to mentors, coaches, and additional resources.

“The 2018 Obama Foundation Fellows come from diverse backgrounds but share a common desire to make positive change and create the world as it should be,” said David Simas, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “By bringing these individuals together, we hope to help amplify the work of our Fellows so it has a widespread impact. On behalf of President and Mrs. Obama and the Obama Foundation family, I congratulate our new Fellows and look forward to working with them.”

The work of the 2018 Fellows will support the Obama Foundation’s broader mission to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of civic leaders. Geographic diversity, commitment to the Obama Foundation’s values, and existing work all factored into the selection process.

To learn more about the Obama Foundation Fellowship, please visit www.obama.org/fellowship. A list of 2018 Obama Foundation Fellows can be found at https://www.obama.org/fellowship/2018-fellows/.

For more information on the Mercy Health Addiction Treatment Collaborative and Dr. Kang’s work, please visit https://www.mercy.com/about-us/mission/mission-programs/substance-abuse/navdeep-kang-obama-fellow.