The National Rural Health Association recently announced their selections for the 2014 Rural Health Fellows Program. Alison Davis, director of the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, was among 15 fellows chosen during a highly competitive national review process.

Davis is an associate professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics, part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. She will take part in a yearlong program described by the National Rural Health Association as focusing on the development of “leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling vision for rural America.” The program is now in its eighth year.

“We are very pleased to announce this new class of fellows,” National Rural Health Association CEO Alan Morgan said. “With the success achieved by the previous classes, we look forward to continuing the tradition of building rural health care leaders through this valuable program.”

“The Rural Health Fellows Program provides a venue to better understand health care policy and its implications for rural Kentucky,” said Davis, who admitted to being passionate about making sure rural hospitals can keep their doors open during implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

The fellows program provides an opportunity for health care leaders from around the country to network and to work collectively to advocate for rural communities’ health care needs.

“Once I graduate from the program, I hope that, through CEDIK, we can continue to build strong rural health care systems through new research projects and outreach initiatives,” she said.

Davis will be part of an ongoing and growing network of rural health fellows from around the country.

“I hope we can do a better job of informing policymakers about the needs of rural Americans and potential implications of new heath care policies,” she said.

The National Rural Health Association is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of rural Americans and providing leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education and research. The association’s membership is made up of more than 21,000 diverse individuals and organizations that share the common bond of an interest in rural health.