New group of leaders bring lived experience into health and social care advocacy and policy work

CAMDEN, NJ, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Camden Coalition announces the 15 individuals selected to make up the 2025/2026 National Consumer Scholar cohort as part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to facilitate partnerships between organizations across the country and people with lived experience.

In order for health and social care programs and policies adequately meet the needs of the people and communities most impacted, people with lived experiences must be equal partners in the work. The Camden Coalition works to build authentic, impactful, and mutually beneficial partnerships with people with lived experiences and to support our partners in the field to do the same. This commitment to community engagement spans our across our local, statewide, and national work.

Since 2016, the Camden Coalition has purposefully engaged leaders with lived experience from across the country as Consumer Scholars. Consumer Scholars have first-hand experience living with or caring for someone with complex health and social needs, as well as experience partnering with organizations in their communities as advisors and advocates. These individuals come from an array of backgrounds and many different types of lived and professional experiences.

The 2025-2026 Consumer Scholar cohort is a first: a cohort just for people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and/or family caregivers of people who are dually eligible, with a focus on empower program participants to play an active role in advocacy and policy work.

“It is always vital that people with lived experience are equal partners in the work of complex care,” says Evelyne Kane, Associate Director of Community Engagement and Capacity Building at the Camden Coalition, “But it is even more imperative in this moment that those most proximate to the impacts of state and federal policy changes are at center of efforts to advance health justice.”

To support this cohort, the Camden Coalition is working with INSPIRE partners Community Catalyst, PFCCpartners, and lived experience experts: Burt Pusch, Stephanie Burdick, Rebecca Esparza, Laura Carroll, and Alan Coker to bring even more knowledge and opportunities to the Consumer Scholars.
In April 2025, the Camden Coalition released a call for applications to join the new cohort. Through a challenging and competitive process, 15 individuals from across the United States were selected to form the new cohort of National Consumer Scholars.

This year’s Consumer Scholars cohort includes: Aracelis Quinones from Long Island City, NY; Ashley Weber from Longmont, CO; Charis Hill from Sacramento, CA; Charlotte Garner from Houston, TX; Gail Smith from Raritan, NJ; Gatsie Hanks from Steilacoom, WA; Janet Berkowitz from Mt. Laurel, NJ; Karen Edwards from Detroit, MI; Loren Brown from Belfast, ME; Michai Freeman from Berkley, CA; Nancy Santana from Philadelphia, PA; Quiana Mayo from East Hartford, CT; Ray Pizarro from San Pedro, CA; Shanice Sims from Denver, CO; and Tom Norris from Los Angeles, CA.

“I am deeply honored to participate in the National Consumer Scholars program. The recent passage of the Big Disastrous Bill will require individuals who rely on Medicaid and Medicare to be prepared to advocate to maintain their life sustaining services. I am glad to get this training.” says new Consumer Scholar, Michai Freeman.

Over the course of the program, Consumer Scholars will participate in robust training and skill development activities, attend the 2025 Putting Care at the Center conference and have opportunities to contribute to and lead a variety of projects and advocacy efforts. Most Consumer Scholar alumni then go on to join Amplify, the Camden Coalition’s consumer voice bureau where they continue to leverage their lived experience in partnership work with health and social care organizations.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Camden Coalition and other INSPIRE team members in this important and timely effort,” says Lindsey Galli, Vice President of Programs at PFCCpartners. “Building the capacity of people with lived experience to step into their meaningful role at the table, confidently, is perfectly aligned with our mission and with INSPIRE’s roadmap to advance authentic community engagement in healthcare.”

The projects and influence produced as a result of each National Consumers Scholars cohort help the Camden Coalition and our partners in the complex care field to strengthen our impact, improve health outcomes, and advance priorities for achieving health equity across the U.S.

To learn more about this year’s cohort, previous year’s achievements, and Amplify: A consumer speakers bureau, visit: www.camdenhealth.org.

About the Camden Coalition
The Camden Coalition works to improve care for people with complex health and social needs in Camden, NJ, and across the country. The organization implements person-centered programs and pilots new models that address chronic illness and social barriers to health and well-being. Supported by a robust data infrastructure, cross-sector convening, and shared learning, its community-based programs improve outcomes for some of society’s most vulnerable individuals. The Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs (National Center) connects complex care practitioners with each other and with data, tools, and other resources. For more information, visit www.camdenhealth.org

Teri Willard
Camden Coalition
+1 856-381-6333
twillard@camdenhealth.org

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