As recruiting is underway for the next cohort of Baldrige Executive Fellows (approaching its 17th year!), we asked alumni about the value they received from the program.
Bridging Organizational Excellence with Public Health Practice
My Baldrige Executive Fellows capstone project ultimately evolved into two complementary components as my role changed during the program. First, I designed the structure and Organizational Profile for a new academic center focused on providing program evaluation services to community partners. Second, I explored how the Baldrige Excellence Framework could be applied to strengthen population health impact by aligning strategy, systems, and continuous improvement. These projects allowed me to bridge organizational excellence with public health practice. For the second piece, you can read more about my approach and can read about the population health paper I published.
One of the Most Transformative Experiences of My Professional Career
The one-year Baldrige Executive Fellows Program was one of the most transformative experiences of my professional career. It fundamentally changed how I think about organizations, leadership, processes, systems, and achieving sustainable excellence. I came away with a much deeper appreciation for alignment, systems thinking, and designing organizations to consistently deliver meaningful results.
The Baldrige Excellence Framework continues to influence how I approach my work, and I revisit it often as both a practical guide and a source of inspiration. Equally valuable were the relationships I built with my fellow Fellows. Those connections have endured well beyond the program, and I am currently collaborating professionally with one of my cohort members.
Investment of Time Is Well Worth It
If an organization’s leaders were considering sending an executive, what would I tell them?
Without hesitation—do it. The investment in time is more than worthwhile. The program challenges you to think differently, equips you with practical tools that can be applied immediately, and connects you with an exceptional network of leaders who continue to learn from and support one another long after the program concludes.
Baldrige Executive Fellows Alumnus
Julie M. Kapp, MPH, PhD, FACE
Professor & Chair
Principal Investigator, Adversity to Action
University of Missouri Department of Public Health
Baldrige Executive Fellow, 2014
One of the biggest impacts the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program had on me was giving me a practical framework for leadership. I already knew how to execute and operate, but the program helped me turn those skills into a flexible approach for leading organizations no matter where they are in their journey. It taught me how to connect an organization’s long-term vision to the everyday work happening across teams, making strategy something people can actually live out through daily actions.
Challenged to Reimagine the Future of Rural Health Care
My capstone project focused on the future of rural health care. While improving existing processes is important, I wanted to explore how health care organizations can think beyond incremental change and fundamentally transform how care is delivered and how patients access services. Rather than simply expanding outreach clinics, the project challenged me to think about entirely new ways of meeting community needs.
Systems Thinking and Different Perspectives
What has stayed with me most is the way the program encouraged systems thinking. Instead of solving one problem at a time, I learned to look at how people, processes, culture, and strategy all work together to create lasting change. Just as valuable was learning alongside leaders from health care and many other industries. Those different perspectives broadened how I think about leadership and continue to shape how I approach transformation and organizational excellence today.
Baldrige Executive Fellows Alumnus
Philip Zeccardi, MBA
Director
Pinnacle
Baldrige Executive Fellow, 2024
Connecting Vision to Everyday Work
Learn More
Discover how the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program can help you elevate your leadership and advance your organization's performance. You can also hear directly from past participants by exploring interviews with Fellows alumni and learning how the experience has influenced their leadership journeys.
Information about the 2027–2028 application process, important program dates, tuition, and what is included is available online. The program begins in March 2027 at the 38th Quest for Excellence® Conference.
Share This Opportunity
Please share this announcement with executives and senior leaders who would benefit from an immersive leadership development experience and a unique peer-learning community.
Contact
For additional information, please contact Dawn Bailey.
