Advancing equity within a public health agency requires leadership, knowledge, skills, and relationships to create systemic change through policies, programs, plans, and practices. However, there are limited spaces where emerging leaders can gather for tangible and direct support in how to overcome obstacles to advancing equity. Human Impact Partners convened the first of its kind leadership development program called the “Public Health and Equity Cohort” to build participant capacity in advancing equity primarily from within health departments. Over the course of the fifteen-month program, participants received training to bolster their leadership, risk-taking, and confidence; increased their understanding of privilege and power, narrative and worldview, structural racism, and community organizing; and gained concrete skills in building relationships, communicating about equity, and analyzing power dynamics. Public health leaders with reputations for advancing equity co-developed the curriculum and mentored participants. Using their newly developed leadership, knowledge, skills, and relationships, Cohort members worked to advance strategies within their departments and build outside demand for department responsiveness and leadership in social justice policy campaigns. Outcomes include members starting action-oriented health equity initiatives within their departments; disseminating curriculum to colleagues; building new relationships with community organizations in support of policy campaigns; and providing data to support campaigns. This session will describe the Cohort as an effective intervention to advance health equity; the experiences of one Cohort member; and Cohort successes.