Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
The Institute is held annually in Kansas City bringing young talent from around the country for an overview of today’s healthcare landscape and its impact on health equity.
SPEAKERS
Presenters for the Institute include a wide range of executives from the fields of healthcare, business, law, and banking.
INTERNSHIP LOCATIONS
Scholars are placed in high performing health systems for continued mentoring and leadership development.
SPONSORS
Premier healthcare systems and individuals partner with the Institute to positively impact health outcomes.
BHLI VIDEOS
BHLI 2024 Experience – Hard Work Paying Off
BHLI 2024 Phase 1 Recap – A Commitment to Learning
Learn about our Scholars’ latest achievements and activities.
Internships
Sites
The Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute (BHLI) was pleased to host its first alumni conference, Lead the Change | Heal the Future, in April 2026 with 140 alumni scholars, friends, and supporters in attendance.
The event included an inspiring one woman show by Tony Award winning actor Sarah Jones, The Cost of Not Caring; an impactful presentation by Bruce Seigel, MD, MPH, immediate past President and CEO of America’s Essential Hospitals, A Nonlinear Career Path: Lessons to Lead the Future; a BHLI alumni panel moderated by Deanna Banks, Furst Group, titled Redefining Your Success Beyond the Traditional Career Ladder; and a presentation by Mercedes Givens, Creative Planning, Financial Planning and Generational Wealth: Long Term Tools, Precautions, and Preparations.
“Lead the Change underscored the value of investing in the next generation of healthcare leaders. As a pharmaceutical industry representative, I was impressed by the exceptional talent of the BHLI Scholars, who are well positioned to make significant and enduring contributions to the field of healthcare.”
Keith Gulley
“Lead the Change showed me there is no one single path to leadership. Hearing the journeys of healthcare leaders and discussing the future of healthcare challenged me to think beyond where healthcare is today. As one pursuing a career in healthcare administration and medicine, the experience reminded me that the possibilities for creating meaningful change are truly endless.”
Anthony Nicholson, 2023 BHLI Cohort, Morehouse School of Medicine
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute (BHLI) is a prestigious, intense professional development program designed to expose talented scholars with exceptional leadership potential to today’s challenging healthcare landscape, creating a pipeline of emerging leaders to address health disparities.
OUR SPEAKERS
Speakers for the BHLI include a wide range of healthcare professionals and executives from the nation’s top corporations.
JOHN W. BLUFORD III
John W. Bluford III is a nationally known healthcare innovator who has been recognized by Modern Healthcare and Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Most Influential People in Healthcare.
American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor
In 2019, John W. Bluford was awarded the American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor for his leadership in professional workforce development, diversity, and health equity through the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute. The award, presented at the AHA’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., is given to individuals or organizations in recognition of exemplary contributions to the health and well-being of our nation through leadership on major health policy or social initiatives.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute (BHLI) is a prestigious, intense professional development program designed to expose talented scholars with exceptional leadership potential to today’s challenging healthcare landscape, creating a pipeline of emerging leaders to address health disparities.
OUR SPEAKERS
Speakers for the BHLI include a wide range of healthcare professionals and executives from the nation’s top corporations.
JOHN W. BLUFORD III
John W. Bluford III is a nationally known healthcare innovator who has been recognized by Modern Healthcare and Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Most Influential People in Healthcare.
American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor
In 2019, John W. Bluford was awarded the American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor for his leadership in professional workforce development through the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute. The award, presented at the AHA’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., is given to individuals or organizations in recognition of exemplary contributions to the health and well-being of our nation through leadership on major health policy or social initiatives.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute (BHLI) is a prestigious, intense professional development program designed to expose under represented scholars with exceptional leadership potential to today’s challenging healthcare landscape, creating a pipeline of talent to address health disparities.
OUR SPEAKERS
Speakers for the BHLI include a wide range of healthcare professionals and executives from the nation’s top corporations.
JOHN W. BLUFORD III
John W. Bluford III is a nationally known healthcare innovator who has been recognized by Modern Healthcare and Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Most Influential People in Healthcare.
American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor
In 2019, John W. Bluford was awarded the American Hospital Association’s Award of Honor for his leadership in professional workforce development through the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute. The award, presented at the AHA’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., is given to individuals or organizations in recognition of exemplary contributions to the health and well-being of our nation through leadership on major health policy or social initiatives.
MEET OUR SPONSORS
DISCOVER THE POTENTIAL
Each year, executives from the region’s top corporations provide insight on the steps an individual must take to reach their goals. This intimate dialogue offers an invaluable opportunity to realize one’s own potential.
