Did you know that the community healthcare worker industry is expected to grow 13% from 2023 to 2033? In comparison, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has measured the average growth rate for all occupations at just 4%.
With high potential as a growing industry, healthcare workforce development programs are a key resource to drive lasting change. Access to job training provides women with essential skills, resources, and qualifications that enable them to pursue high-paying careers and enter industries with greater economic mobility.
Community Health Worker Certificate Program Transforming Lives
In February 2025, five women graduated from Asian Women for Health’s first Community Health Impact Short Program cohort.
Asian Women for Health (AWFH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of Asian women and people from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds through community engagement, education, and representation. Providing workforce development programming, AWFH educates and trains women with the necessary healthcare and job readiness skills needed to address health disparities firsthand and provide culturally responsive care to communities.
In 2024, AWFH received a three-year, $300,000 grant to support its fasttrack Community Health Impact Program, empowering the next generation of Community Health Workers (CHW). Over 2 weeks, program participants follow an in-depth Core Competencies curriculum required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for CHW certification, with program topics including:
- Professional Skills & Conduct
- Public Health Concepts
- Culturally Responsive Care
- Outreach Methods & Strategies
- Individual & Community Assessment
The impact of this program is twofold:
- Changing a Woman’s Trajectory through Career Advancement: Program participants gain access to career empowerment resources and specialized training, equipping them for opportunities within the growing healthcare field. After graduating from the program and receiving certification, graduates receive ongoing job placement support, with AWFH connecting them with major healthcare institutions.
- Improving Health Outcomes in Marginalized Communities: By training more women as Community Healthcare Workers, communities benefit from the expertise of professionals dedicated to reducing health disparities and addressing key social determinants of health.
“Our students came from backgrounds where they have often felt invalidated, unheard and unworthy. This program made them feel the complete opposite and I know with the confidence we have given them, they will continue to succeed after this program.” – Sofia Li, Program Manager and Trainer
Graduates Ready to Build Up Their Communities
The AWFH graduation kicked off with group presentations showcasing innovative solutions to community needs. Graduates proposed campaigns featuring outreach strategies, implementation timelines, budgets, evaluation methods, and key milestones. Their presentations reflected a true commitment to making an impact in their communities.
“I was so proud to see our graduates harness their passion for their communities to create meaningful action, using the tools from our class and their own lived experiences to drive impactful change.” – Kristen Killgore, Program Manager and Trainer
Each graduate was awarded a training certificate, celebrating their dedication and hard work. Several participants also shared their experiences, reflecting on how the program supported their goals and impacted their trajectory. Congratulations to all of the graduates on this incredible achievement!
“We are continuously finding ways to increase the impact we make for underserved women to find meaningful work that benefits them personally and provides services to their communities. We’re grateful to the Women’s Foundation of Boston for supporting us in these endeavors.” – Eric Braun, Chief Development and Innovation Officer
Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Community Health Workers, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/community-health-workers.htm
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.