Leadership characteristics and success factors for the advancement of women leaders in public health

With health reform investments, public health is looking to work closer than ever with commercial healthcare. Ultimately, public health will need to identify synergies and areas of compatibility in order to ensure success and push the envelope of innovation. A possible study of the “other side” is a closer look at leadership characteristics, and even more importantly at women's stride into leadership roles nationally. Some believe that leadership in public health is a challenge because many have a scientific background, and have not necessarily gone through the management training or experience of corporate leaders. The questions are: Does one have to have such management skills to be a successful leader? What types of characteristics make a leader? There are different types, those that inspire movements and those that drive organizations, which are needed to move public health to the next level? And how do men and women compare as leaders? What are the cross-over characteristics across industries and genders? Who are the women models within and outside of public health? We may have an idea of what leadership is, but what does it look like in everyday action and public health service? These are the questions that my presentation will address in order to provide strategies, identify competencies, and discuss success factors for successful women leaders driving public health impact.