Judith Rhodes, PhD, LMSW, Named to Inaugural Class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows

BATON ROUGE, LA – Judith Rhodes, PhD, LMSW, was named to the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, a program designed to bring together leaders from across healthcare, business, public policy, higher education, philanthropy and community organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the systems, opportunities and challenges shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. 

“I’m honored to join the inaugural Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows class and to learn alongside leaders working to improve health outcomes across our state.” Rhodes said. “My work has long centered on building research-informed, cross-sector solutions for children, families, and communities, and I look forward to bringing that perspective to this group.”

Rhodes was recently named acting associate dean of research centers & institutes at the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education. In that role, she oversees the LSU Early Childhood Education Institute, Health Aging Research Center, Leadership Development Institute, Social Research & Evaluation Center, and the Integrative Community Studies Program. Since 2018, she has served as the director of LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center (SREC), where she uses her expertise in social work and education for program design, implementation, evaluation and grant writing. Her work investigates the school-to-justice pathway through research in school social work, school-based interventions and educational attainment youth placed at risk. She has led U.S. Department of Education funded interventions with particular emphasis on cross-sector collaboration. 

Under her leadership, SREC was named the internal evaluator for LSU-led Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) partnership, a $160 million National Science Foundation award to develop a sustainable, innovative energy ecosystem in Louisiana to create solutions for energy challenges, create jobs and train the world’s energy workforce. SREC’s projects have been funded by the Gates Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

Throughout the year, Rhodes and her cohort of health fellows will participate in immersive sessions across the state, engaging directly with healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, workforce leaders, and innovators while exploring the issues that influence the health and well-being of Louisiana’s people and communities. The inaugural class represents a broad cross-section of Louisiana’s healthcare and civic leadership, with participants serving in hospitals, health systems, higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community-based organizations throughout the state. Together, they bring diverse expertise and perspectives that will strengthen dialogue and collaboration around Louisiana’s health challenges and opportunities.