COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: COMMUNITY LEADERS INSTITUTE
The Community Leaders Institute (CLI) is a leadership development training program offered over five consecutive weeks in February–March. The goal is to build research and leadership skills that the individual can use to improve or develop a health program. Training sessions are designed to build leadership and research/program evaluation skills in the following areas: Grant Writing; Accessing Public Datasets; Program Evaluation; Quality Improvement; Survey Development & Assessing Community Health Needs; Design Thinking; and Research Ethics. Participants receive a small grant ($1,500–$2,000) and have the opportunity to apply the skills learned to a health-related project (to be completed over the next 12 months).
Program administrators, organizational leaders, community physicians and other key program staff who want to gain skills in program evaluation/research and network with other community agencies/practices should apply as Community Leaders. Unpaid volunteers at community organizations or agencies should apply as Community Health Advocates. Members of CCTST partnering institutions (University of Cincinnati, CCHMC) may apply as Auditors and are accepted on a limited basis.
Apply for the CLI
The 2024 CLI class will be conducted virtually on 5 consecutive Fridays from February 23 – March 22, 2024.
Application Deadline: Friday, December 15, 2023 | Click Here for the Application Submission Link
Applicants Notified: End of January 2024
Grant Project & Budget Period: April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
Past CLI Projects
The lists below feature the name and project title of past CLI graduates. The names on this list include community leaders, community health advocates, and class auditors. Click here to download a PDF of past awardees.
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2018
Jasmine Humphries - Heal n Build
Jodi Cunningham - The Community Builders
Michael Vinegar - Gabriel’s Place After-School
Mildred Patterson - Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
Nkem Kayla Iheukwu - Soulful Change
Ruth Kelly - Families First
Shermikao Datcher - Beech Acres Parenting Center
Tara Jimison - Clermont County Public Health
Tyra Scherer - Clermont County Public Health
Valerie Bairnsfather - Safe Pastures Family Home
Tina Briggs-Brown - The Community Builders
Jennifer Foster - The Community Builders
Jeneya Lawrence - The Community Builders
Audrey Scott - The Community Builders
Priscilla Nash - SO-ACT
Dana Boll - Woven Oak Initiatives
Andrea Meisman - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Adolescent & Transition Medicine
Angela Molloy - University of Cincinnati Acute Care Research Council/CCTST
Angela White - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital & Cincinnati Debate Society
Emily Johnson - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Community Relations
Maya Wallace - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Community Health
Rhemecka Graham - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Community Relations
Stephanie Williams - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2017
Rhyanne McDade — Apple of His Eye
Kiana Trabue — YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Heather Cockram — Habitat for Humanity
Candice Tolbertq — Super Seeds
Sheila Nared — Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
Aaron Grant — People Working Cooperatively
Jack Theurling — Lighthouse Youth Services
Latisha Owens — Guiding Light Mentoring
Aprina Johnson — Walnuts Hills Redevelopment Foundation
Reginald Brazzile — Project Nehemiah
Nikki Steele — Winton Terrace Resident Council
Marsha Thomas — Black Nurses Association of Greater Cincinnati
Chevelle Clayton — Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
Lynmari Lopez — Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
Angelica Hardee — Cancer Justice Network
Luwana Pettus Oglesby — West End Community Council
Dominique Love — CCHMC All Children Thrive
Natasha Miles — CCHMC
Julie Wijesooriya — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Reuben Battley — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Christina Klein — University of Cincinnati
Laura Sheldon — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Marilyn Dew — CCHMC/Cradle Cincinnati Connections
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2016
Laura Allen — Prevention FIRST!
Chanel Bayless — Families Connected
Sherman Bradley — Consider the Poor
Ernest Ciambarella — Queen City Physicians
Cynthia McCarthy — Cincinnati Health Department
Jamie-Lee Morris — The AMOS Project
Angela Pancella — Woven Oak Initiatives
Steve Schumacher — Environmental ALI
Megan Schmittauer — Giving Kids a Fighting Chance
Lisa Marie Watkins — Santa Maria Community Services
Beth YantekSpina — Bifida Coalition of Cincinnati
Lisa Meatchem — Sickle Cell Alliance Foundation
Jalisa Holifield — Freestore Foodbank
Nakeisha Sloan — Winton Terrace Resident Council
Keith White — AED Heartsavers
Kristin Loiselle — CCHMC – Adherence Center
Jessica Seeberger — CCHMC – Cradle Cincinnati
Lauren Stenger — UC Medical Center – Emergency Medicine
April Mack-Williams — CCHMC – James M. Anderson Center
Michelle Hudgens — CCHMC – Heart Institute
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2015
Rigel Behrens — Working In Neighborhoods
Aalap Bommaraju — Cincinnati Health Department
Carmen Burks — Cincinnati Public Schools
Julian Collins — American Lung Association
Jonathan LamSt. Vincent de Paul — Charitable Pharmacy
Stacey Hall — Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati
Joseph Landers — The Children’s Home of Greater Cincinnati
Sara Sheets — Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation
Jonathon Sherwood — Easter Seals Tristate
Elizabeth Waite — Walnut Hills Redevelopment Fund
Patricia Youngblood — Peaslee Center
Ryan Hall — Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health
Marlene Ostrow — Independent Community Health Advocate
Natashia Conner — Trinity Outreach
Nancy LairdLower — Price Hill Caring Connections
Tori Ames — Cincinnati Children’s
Shakeyrah Elmore — University of Cincinnati
Donnetta Jackson — UC Health
John Scott — Cincinnati Children’s
Jerusha Clark — University of Cincinnati
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2014
Emilie Graham - Great Miami Rowing Center
Jada Harris - National Black MBA Association
Barry Isaacs - HOPE4CHANGE
Shawn Jeffers - Public Allies Cincinnati
Gregg Kottyan - Avondale Moves!
Dinah Meister - Nurse Advocacy Center for the Underserved
Lakisha Porter - FamiliesFORWARD
Paul Rudolph - Growing Well Cincinnati
Evelyn Sears - Manifested Glory Ministries
Gauri Shevatekar - Cincinnati Health Department
Amanda Conn Starner - Coalition for a Drug Free Greater Cincinnati
Jamie Stoneham - Gorman Heritage Farm
Ennis Tait - CWFF Child Development
Corinn Taylor - Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program, Cincinnati Health Dept.
Claudia Velez - Santa Maria Community Service International Welcome Center
Martha Walter - Reproductive Health and Wellness Program, Cincinnati Health Dept.
Brittany Wells - Nutrition Council
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2013
Laura Brinson - Santa Maria Community Services
Charisse Brown - Gabriel’s Place
Katie Chadwell - YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Ozie Davis III - Avondale Comprehensive Development Corporation
Joellen Grady - Whole Again International
Eric Hall - Coalition for a Drug Free Greater Cincinnati
Donna Jones - Urban Appalachian Council
Donald Jordan - Cincinnati Police Department
Alexis Kidd - Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
Patricia Lee - Reviving the Human Spirit (RTHS)
Lisa Newton - REAL Women of Cincinnati
Stephanie Russo - BLOC Ministries
Gene Seay - Cincinnati Police Department
Brieanne Sheehan - Starfire Council of Greater Cincinnati
Kareem Simpson - Cin-Ham County Community Action Agency
James Alice Stringer - The Midwest Trans* and Queer Wellness Initiative
Stephanie Vogel - Northern Kentucky Health Department
Beth Wentz - Talbert House School Based Services
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2012
Joann Avant - YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Ellen Berninger - Cincinnati Health Department
Gwendolyn Brown - Sickle Cell Affected Families of Greater Cincinnati
Monica Burns - HealthCare Access Now
Melissa Cornelius - Urban Appalachian Council
Nikki Fannin - Center for Great Neighborhoods
Sarah Halloran-Barnett - The Children’s Home of Cincinnati
Kimberly Hauser - Wyoming Youth Services
Gail Lewis - Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church
Alfredo Mann - Cincinnati Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center
Katrina Wyche - Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati
Cathy Rafales - Santa Maria Community Services
Mary Sehlhorst - Freestore Foodbank
Leslie Stevenson - Gabriel’s Place
Karen Walker-Jones - Cincinnati Public Schools Early Childhood Education
Michon Woods - Freestore Foodbank
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2011
Denisha Garland - Cincinnati Health Department
Cara Good - YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
Erin Hamilton - Girls on the Run of Greater Cincinnati, Inc.
Stephanie M. Harris - Complete Wellness & Associates, LLC
Jeanne Haungs - Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati
Sara Lewis - Community Services YMCA, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
Jenni Miller-Francis - Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington
Becky Montenegro - Santa Maria Community Services
Lydia Morgan - Juneteenth Cincinnati
Angela Robinson - Growing Well Cincinnati
Jennifer Roehm - The HealthCare Connection
Michael Roman - Gorman Heritage Farm
Nicole Schiesler - Coalition for a Drug Free Greater Cincinnati
Cynthia Smith - Women & Infant Vitality Network
Carrie E. White - Urban League of Greater Cincinnati
Terresa Adams - The James M. Anderson Center
Community Leaders Institute - Class of 2010
Giovanna Alvarez - Su Casa
Elaine S. Beeler - Healthy Beginnings
Robin Brandy - Project Nehemiah
Carla Butler - Avondale Community Council, Inc.
O'Shea Gamble - The Healthcare Connection
Lauren Neimes - Nutrition Council
William Parr - Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency
Maria Piombo - Central Clinic - Child & Family Treatment Center
Phyllis Shelton - Urban Appalachian Council