Dileep Gopal Bal Fellowship FUND

Dr. Dileep Gopal Bal is a trailblazer in the public health world. Over the course of his 40 plus year career as a physician, epidemiologist, and public health administrator, Dr. Bal's life's work always centered on people.

As Chief of the California Department of Health Services’ Cancer Control Branch for 25 years, Dr. Bal pioneered the strategy of countering the tobacco industry’s marketing with aggressive anti-tobacco messaging. This model has been replicated worldwide and Dr. Bal’s work with the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the adoption of strong tobacco-control policies in countries across the globe. Dr. Bal has been the principal investigator on several national cancer prevention and control projects. He has published articles on various topics including the relationship of diet, tobacco, and cancer with social justice and health equity. He has received awards from the Asian American Research Center on Health, the American Medical Association (AMA), and Harvard School of Public Health for his contributions to public health throughout his career. Dr. Bal served as the former president of the American Cancer Society (ACS), as district health officer for the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and as special adviser to the state’s Department of Health from 2005 until his retirement in 2016. He is currently a clinical professor at the University of Hawaii’s Cancer Center and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.

Dr. Bal's commitment to social justice and health equity extended into his involvement in the Praxis Project Board of Directors. His expertise helped Praxis build healthy communities by transforming the power relationships and structures that affect our lives. Tales of his passion, tenacity, and indescribable personality continue to bring joy and inspiration to those at Praxis who had the honor of working with him.

the next generation of public health warriors

Praxis has had a long-running internship program that is designed to provide young professionals with a very real experience of health justice policy, public health training and capacity building, and field organizing. For candidates with extensive training and experience, it is an opportunity to apply their skills to national projects impacting various communities; for candidates with less direct experience and training, it is an opportunity to learn the current national landscape of community-based organizing, people-centered training methodologies and grassroots campaign strategy, while exploring the fields of public health.

We are honored and proud to grow and improve our program as the Dileep Gopal Bal Fellowship. This fellowship will be committed to supporting young public health warriors from diverse backgrounds wanting to gain experience in addressing root-cause public health issues nationally. Fellows will be given the opportunity to help build power within communities that are too often marginalized.  A passion for health equity and social justice will be a driving force for individuals selected for this fellowship.

Our Health Justice Interns and Dileep Gopal Bal Fellows bring incredible ideas, perspectives, and energy to our team every summer. Learn more about their work over the years:

• 2021 Health Justice Interns and Dileep Gopal Bal Fellow

• 2020 Health Justice Interns

In 2022, the Dileep Gopal Bal Fellow will be working closely with our Training & Research team as well as our Fiscal Sponsorship team to support Praxis’ work at the intersection of public health and advocating for community power building.

Please contact Blair Franklin at blair@thepraxisproject.org for questions or more information about this fellowship fund.