Change Maker in Action Series
The NAM Change Maker Campaign advances the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being and the national movement to support health workforce well-being. This webinar series, among other campaign activities, aims to facilitate information-sharing and collaboration in a dynamic way, document the impact of ongoing initiatives, and amplify effective solutions to common challenges.
Meetings and Materials
Access the guides that resulted from each event below. Join the Change Maker network to receive access to recordings of the series.
11/12/25 Event
- Highlights specific communications strategies for different health care audiences (e.g. trainees, faculty, frontline staff, etc.)
- Discusses institutional variations and successful, on-the-ground practices to communicate well-being work in uncertain times and to new generations of health workers
- Explains cross-cutting tactics for breaking silos and encouraging collaboration between well-being departments and other partners
Featured Change Maker Accelerators
- Megan Furnari, MD, MS, Associate Chief Wellness Officer, Oregon Health and Science University
- Cori McClure Poffenberger, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Wellbeing, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
- Mark Speicher, PhD, MHA, Senior VP of Research, Learning and Innovation, American Association of Osteopathic Colleges
- Evan Thoman, MS, PMP, CWP, Chief Well-Being Officer, Emory Healthcare
9/25/25 Event
- Chronicles how various organizations have strategically evolved their well-being programs over time while staying true to their well-being missions
- Offers lessons learned that they wish were available in their first years as well-being leaders
- And more!
Featured Change Maker Accelerators
- Maureen “Mo” Leffler, DO, MPH, Chief Wellbeing Officer, ChristianaCare
- Elizabeth Harry, MD,Chief Well-Being Officer and Clinical Associate Professor, Michigan Medicine
- Amy Locke, MD, FAAFP,Chief Wellness Officer and Professor at University of Utah Health
11/6/24 Event
- Discusses well-being recognition and credentialing programs as a tool for improving organizational culture and shares various pathways to a successful application
- Identifies ways to leverage recognition and credentialing programs as a strategy to communicate the value of well-being programming to leadership and employees
Featured Change Maker Accelerators
- Thomas Campbell, MD, Chief Wellness Officer, Allegheny Health Network
- Nadia Charguia, MD, Executive Medical Director of Health and Well-Being Program, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Debbie Newman, MA, LMFT, Senior Consultant, Physician Wellness and Peer Support, Southern California Permanente Medical Group
- Katrina Wright, MBA, Administrative Director, Faculty and Academic Wellness, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Recognition programs can serve as
a national benchmark and show how we can
shape our programs and initiatives to rise to
that. There are fantastic, embedded tools in
recognition programs.
Guide Highlights
Recognition and credentialing programs are voluntary ways that organizations can signal their commitment and excellence in promoting the well-being of their health workforce. Some programs were designed
for subsets of the health workforce, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, while other programs are dedicated to the entire health workforce. Recipients and awardees claim recognition programs go beyond rewards; they are strategic tools for education, evaluation, and improvement that can have positive impacts not only for the intended health workers but also employees across an organization as they strengthen their overall strategies and processes.
Deciding Which Recognition & Credentialing Programs To Apply For
As many organizations transition from individual solutions to a systems-based approach for addressing well-being, recognition programs provide a valuable way to assess progress and serve as a roadmap for continuous improvement in programming. When applying for recognition and credentialing programs, organizations take into account the application requirements, such as extensive data reporting, which stretch available time and human resources.
Therefore, not every award is best suited for every organization. According to several well-being leaders, the primary goal of achieving recognition is to underscore the importance of continuing current investments in well-being--but not detract from developing an integrated organizational strategy for fostering positive work and learning environments for health workers.
Leveraging the Application Process & Recognition
Collaboration & Communications
The process of applying for recognition and credentialing programs provides an explicit occasion for collaboration across various departments within an organization. As collaborators work to gather components of the application, this process can increase awareness of well-being initiatives internally and promote lasting relationships and channels of communication. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to
engage leaders in conversations about well-being, providing additional motivation for committing to the health and welfare of the workforce.
Roadmap & Framework
These programs can foster open and honest dialogue by encouraging organizations to use the award criteria as a tool for self-assessment. Organizations can use these frameworks as a roadmap to track their progress and identify areas for improvement. Though organizations may feel unprepared to apply or may not attain the recognition level they were expecting, these frameworks help identify areas for improvement. In addition, communicating results among team members is crucial for longitudinal progress. It ultimately promotes transparency.
The funding support extended by the NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative’s sponsors makes work like this possible.
