# 2025 LFDP Conference May 21, 2025 The Leadership and Faculty Development Program (LFDP) Conference and Health Policy Annual Meeting was held in-person on the Harvard Medical School campus from May 7 - 9, 2025. The three-day conference was hosted by the Harvard Medical School Office for Culture and Community Engagement (recently renamed as OCCE) and co-sponsored with academic engagement offices and faculty development offices from HMS-affiliated hospitals, the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership at Harvard University, and the Joseph Henry Oral Health Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership. The conference focused on themes including: mental health care and mental health policy; health disparities; health policy; the role of AI in health policy and practice; and career development training on “resilience and well-being." Over 60 alumni attended the conference during the course of three days. The first day's program featured featured research project summaries presentations by seven HMS Faculty Fellows during the morning session. Carlos Estrada, Jr., MD, Urologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital, served as commentator and provided his insightful comments on each presentation. In the afternoon that same day, the Mental Health Policy Forum explored the financial impact of unmet mental health needs in the US, strategies for engaging marginalized and disadvantaged communities, the burden of mental health on emergency care, and opportunities for improvement. Additionally, the panel addressed the current and future needs of the mental health workforce. In the evening, alumni and current fellows, Fellowship Advisory Committee members, and Commonwealth Fund leadership gathered for the Annual Meeting Dinner. Garth Graham, MD, MPH, Head of YouTube Health, served as this year’s dinner speaker. Graham is a cardiologist, researcher and public health expert. The topic of his presentation was *“Advancing Change: Lessons Learned from the Academic, Government and Private Sector."* ![Four panelists and the moderator for the mental health forum stand in front of a projector with the HMS logo. ](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2025-06/Screenshot%202025-06-17%20at%2010.13.02%20AM.png?itok=ZH9axip0) On May 8 and the second day of the conference, the Annual Health Policy Meeting exposed health professionals, students, residents, staff and individuals from community agencies and organizations to health care and health disparities issues impacting the nation’s most vulnerable populations through practicum presentations from six of the Commonwealth Fund Fellows. One Dean’s Postdoc Fellow also presented his research project findings. Martín-J. Sepúlveda, MD, FACP Distinguished Professor at Florida International University, delivered this year’s Annual Meeting Luncheon Keynote on "Well-Being and Space." Dr. Sepúlveda, emphasized the impact of extreme weather on health, social determinants, and personal well-being, urging a shift from place-based thinking to a broader understanding of space. He concluded with three key messages: broadening health concepts, considering space, and thinking differently to transform communities. Following the keynote address, the 2025 Reede Scholars Annual Symposium focused on “The Role of AI in Health Policy and Practice." The symposium gathered experts from diverse fields to discuss how AI can be leveraged to address disparities in health policy and practices. Key discussions focused on the ethical use of AI, data governance, and the implementation of AI-driven solutions to improve health outcomes for marginalized populations. The third and final day of the conference featured a Career Development Training on *“*Well-being and Resilience in Times of Uncertainty." The session explored the science of resilience and provides actionable strategies for transforming challenges into opportunities. It equipped participants to stay true to their values, thrive under pressure, and navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity. Participants to the Conference included faculty, fellows, students and administrators from the Harvard community, alumni of three health policy fellowship programs (The Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership at Harvard University, the California Endowment Scholars in Health Policy at Harvard University, and the Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership), researchers and health professionals from Boston area institutions, and representatives from community-based organizations. ![Seven Commonwealth Fund Fellows pose in the Pechet Room. ](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_5_4__480x385/public/2025-06/Screenshot%202025-06-17%20at%2010.14.20%20AM.png?itok=UAkwhvmD) ![Martin-J Sepulveda stands in a crowded room next to a projector showing the layers of the atmosphere.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_5_4__480x385/public/2025-06/Screenshot%202025-06-17%20at%2010.14.30%20AM.png?itok=p4rZc0Qj) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)