August 18, 2026
20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPOTLIGHT
Health affects everyone, yet women continue to encounter disparities in leadership, career advancement, research and healthcare treatment. EWIH was created to confront these inequities by turning awareness into action.
What happens when women are not only encouraged to enter health, but empowered to lead it? Empowering Women in Health (EWIH) was founded in 2020 by students who recognized that representation and equity in health leadership are not optional. Led by Tatiana Espinosa-Merlano, EWIH brings women from diverse educational, societal and biological backgrounds together to challenge barriers, build community and imagine a more inclusive future for health.
Built around the mission of rewriting female leadership in health, EWIH creates opportunities for students to see themselves not simply as future health professionals, but as future leaders. Through monthly educational campaigns, professional panels, interviews with health leaders, community challenges and interactive activities, the organization creates spaces where students can learn, connect and grow.
Its programming has brought the experiences and perspectives of women in health directly to students. Conversations with leaders such as Dr. Beverly Essue, Onome Ako, Dr. Shamara Baidoobonso and Dr. Rochelle Burgess have explored perseverance, opportunity, leadership and the power of challenging existing systems. EWIH has also partnered with women-owned, health-oriented local businesses, strengthening connections between students and the wider community.
At its heart, EWIH is about connectivity. Students from different majors and backgrounds come together around a shared belief that meaningful change happens when people recognize their collective power.
As the Faculty of Health celebrates 20 years of transforming health education and advancing meaningful change, EWIH reflects a future where leadership is more representative, connected and inclusive. Its legacy is not simply the women it empowers today, but the leaders they will become tomorrow. By creating space for women to lead, EWIH is helping change the face of health leadership itself.
