San Francisco is working to strengthen how its public health system delivers coordinated, integrated care by improving how internal systems support population health management and service alignment. The FUSE Executive Fellow will align workflows, clarify roles, and strengthen coordination within and across the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s (DPH) San Francisco Health Network and Behavioral Health Services to support more consistent and effective implementation of population health management strategies. Ultimately, this work will improve access to timely, coordinated care and strengthen long-term health outcomes for DPH patients. This fellowship is part of FUSE’s two-year model, with Year One focused on advancing coordination, strategy, and early implementation, and Year Two focused on building on this progress to deepen impact and support sustained, long-term outcomes.

This fellowship is pending legislative approval by the City & County of San Francisco.

Fellowship Dates: October 26, 2026 – October 20, 2028

Salary: This project is part of a collaboration between FUSE and Coro California in service to the City and County of San Francisco. The selected candidate will be hired as a FUSE Executive Fellow and will also have the opportunity to enroll in the Coro San Francisco Executive Fellows Experience, which provides additional networking, training, and leadership development designed to strengthen project impact.

The fellow will receive FUSE employment benefits and an annual salary of $95,000 from FUSE. Fellows who choose to participate in the Coro experience will receive a separate annual stipend of $70,000 from Coro. Participation in the Coro experience is optional. If participating in the Coro experience, the combined annual compensation would total $165,000 before taxes.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Across California, coordinated and integrated health service delivery systems are essential to improving outcomes, advancing equity, and ensuring that residents receive timely, appropriate care. These systems enable individuals to move seamlessly across physical health, behavioral health, and social services, supported by aligned teams, shared data, and clear care pathways. For residents with complex needs such as Medi-Cal enrollees, uninsured individuals, and those experiencing homelessness, effective coordination plays a critical role in reducing barriers to care and improving long-term health outcomes. In San Francisco, some communities of color and vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted by chronic conditions, behavioral health challenges, and structural barriers to access, underscoring the importance of building a more connected and equitable system of care that addresses both clinical and social needs.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health’s (DPH), San Francisco Health Network (SFHN), has launched a strategic plan to advance population health management, strengthen accountability and data, and ensure financial sustainability. This effort reflects a broader shift toward value-based care and a focus on improving outcomes while reducing disparities. In addition, DPH has identified ‘be[ing] the best health care delivery system in the world’ as one of its overall priorities. This involves quality of care and outcomes, care experience, integrated services and population-health based care. DPH has begun aligning leadership around shared priorities, identifying key metrics, and initiating efforts to improve coordination across divisions, including physical health and behavioral health services. At the same time, DPH operates across multiple divisions and locations, with services historically developed in silos. As the system continues to grow in scale and complexity, DPH has identified an opportunity to strengthen how programs work together by advancing a shared understanding of population health, improving integration across services, and translating strategic priorities into clear, actionable implementation pathways.

PROJECT APPROACH

Beginning in Fall 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work with the City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Public Health (DPH) to strengthen and advance population health integration within and across DPH. The fellow will focus on improving coordination across physical health and behavioral health, incorporating health related social needs in service delivery, helping to align teams, clarify implementation pathways, and support more consistent execution of DPH’s strategic priorities.

During the first 90 days, the fellow will conduct a comprehensive discovery phase to build a deep understanding of DPH’s current operating environment. The fellow will lead a structured listening tour with stakeholders across DPH, including leadership and staff from the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN), behavioral health, primary care, population health, and data and analytics teams, as well as select external partners where appropriate. This process will capture insights into how services are currently delivered, where coordination challenges exist, and how roles and responsibilities are defined and executed across divisions. The fellow will also conduct a landscape analysis and review key materials, including the SFHN strategic plan, operational workflows, performance metrics, and existing integration efforts. In parallel, the fellow will research best practices from comparable health systems and public sector agencies to identify effective models for population health management and integrated care delivery.

Using the insights gathered during discovery, the fellow will design and implement strategies to strengthen DPH’s population health approach and improve integration across services. This work will include translating strategic priorities into a phased, actionable roadmap, clarifying roles and responsibilities across divisions, and identifying opportunities to better align workflows and care pathways. The fellow will support the development of practical tools and processes such as frameworks for care coordination, data-informed decision-making approaches, and mechanisms to track progress and outcomes. The fellow will work closely with DPH leadership, program staff, and data teams to pilot and refine these approaches, ensuring they are effective and feasible within existing operations. The fellow will also facilitate ongoing collaboration across divisions to align stakeholders, support adoption, and build internal champions who can sustain the work.

By the end of the fellowship, DPH will operate with a more coordinated and integrated approach to population health management that strengthens alignment across programs and improves the consistency and effectiveness of service delivery. This scope reflects Year One priorities, and the fellow and City will collaborate during the fellowship to define the scope and focus for Year Two based on progress and emerging opportunities.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

By Fall 2027, the Executive Fellow will have produced the following:

Developed a Population Health Management Implementation Roadmap for DPH – Designed a comprehensive, phased roadmap that translates strategic priorities into clear goals, timelines, and responsibilities.
Designed an Integrated Care Coordination Framework – Established a framework that defines workflows, roles, and handoffs across physical health, behavioral health, and social services to support more seamless and consistent care delivery.
Created Data-Informed Decision-Making Tools and Metrics – Developed performance metrics, dashboards, and analytical approaches to strengthen accountability, track outcomes, and support population health management across the department.
Produced a Best Practices and Integration Strategy Report – Synthesized leading models from comparable health systems and identified tailored opportunities to strengthen integration and improve service delivery within DPH.
Established a Sustainability and Implementation Plan – Developed a structured plan to embed new processes, define ownership, and support ongoing refinement.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Executive Sponsor – Tangerine Brigham, SF Health Network, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer, SF Department of Public Health
Project Supervisor – Hillary Kunins, Director of Behavioral Health Services, SF Department of Public Health

QUALIFICATIONS

Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground. Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

FUSE Executive Fellow | Advancing Population Health Integration for Efficient Service Delivery

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