Great Plains Leadership Institute

Originally the Great Plains Public Health Leadership Institute, the Institute began in 2005 as an initiative of the Nebraska Educational Alliance for Public Health Impact — a group of representatives from academic and practice organizations concerned with supporting Nebraska’s public health workforce training and education. Initial funding for the Institute came from the Nebraska Health and Human Services System’s Health Care Cash Fund, Robert Wood Johnson, and the University of Iowa’s Upper Midwest Public Health Training and Upper Midwest Public Health Preparedness Centers. 

The Institute underwent significant curriculum revisions and officially became the Great Plains Leadership Institute in 2015-2016. The new, modernized curriculum allowed the Institute to capture the emerging needs of professionals who desire to lead in today’s public health and healthcare landscape. 

Since its inception, the Institute has trained over 375 professionals in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Minnesota who are passionate about the future of public health. Housed within the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health, GPLI is entering its 19th year of providing cutting-edge leadership development for a broad cohort of leaders from governmental public health to insurance companies, from community health centers and non-profits to civic and elected leaders. Everyone has a part to play in building safe, healthy, and thriving communities. The Institute empowers leaders in their leadership journey.