The White House Fellows were announced this week, and they included an Alabama native.
After a national search, 15 fellows were chosen, including Birmingham’s Zachary White II, who has been placed in the Department of Veteran Affairs where he will get firsthand experience working in the federal government.
“Founded in 1964 by Lyndon B. Johnson, the White House Fellows program is one of America’s most prestigious programs for leadership and public service,” the White House Fellows website says.
White is also a radiation oncology resident physician and cancer researcher at Stanford University where he co-chairs Stanford Medicine’s GME Diversity Committee. He graduated from Ramsay High School and then Tuskegee University where he earned a B.S. in biology. He also graduated from UAB with an M.S. in biomedical and health sciences, and the University of South Alabama where he received his M.D.
“Hailing from Alabama, where I observed prevalent health inequities, especially in rural areas, I am committed to making a positive impact on my home state,” White told AL.com. “While living in Tuskegee, I witnessed several residents having to travel several miles to obtain healthcare. We have to get to a point where every resident has access to cancer screenings to detect malignancies in their earliest states, aiming for a cure.”
During the year-long paid fellowship, White will work with senior White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other top-ranked officials, working to become better-equipped to lead in their respective communities.
The White House Fellows website says fellows will also “participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with leaders from the private and public sectors, and potential trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and internationally.”
“The purpose of the White House Fellows program is to provide gifted and highly motivated emerging leaders with some first-hand experience in the process of governing the Nation and a sense of personal involvement in the leadership of society,” the official White House Fellows website says. “The White House Fellowship has been and continues to be a non-partisan program. This tradition has been strictly maintained during both Republican and Democratic administrations and, through the cross-fertilization of ideas and experience, has resulted in an enriched practice of public policy for more than five decades.”
Notable alumni include presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and former Secretary of State and Gen. Colin Powell.
“My ultimate goal is to eventually return to Alabama and contribute positively to both rural and metropolitan communities,” White said. “This experience will not only allow me to grow as a leader but also equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a transformative leader. I’m eager to leverage this opportunity to contribute meaningfully to address the health disparities that persist in Alabama’s communities.”
Applications for the 2025-2026 Fellowship open next month.
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Publish date : 2024-10-05 00:00:00
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