American Public Health Association and Project UNITY announce partnership to empower future public health leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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The American Public Health Association is pleased to partner with Project UNITY and its flagship program, Catalyst Academy, as a recognized youth public health education initiative aligned with APHA's foundational mission of championing optimal, equitable health and well-being for all.

This youth-led nonprofit has spent five years building the next generation of public health leaders. The partnership positions Catalyst Academy alongside the organizations and initiatives committed to the public’s health.

"Public health has never needed its next generation more urgently than it does right now,” Dr. Nandi Marshall, DrPH, MPH, President of APHA said. “Project UNITY is doing the hard, patient work of making sure that generation is ready. APHA is proud to stand behind Catalyst Academy and the young leaders it is building."

“We are living through a period when public health needs champions, and young people need to know the field is still worth fighting for. APHA's endorsement of Project UNITY sends both messages at once. It tells the next generation that their work is seen, their leadership is legitimate, and the institutions that have carried this field for generations are ready to share it," added Morish Shah, Executive Director of Project UNITY.

The partnership will culminate on August 8 at the UNITY in Research Conference 2026, Project UNITY's annual convening of emerging and established leaders across public health, medicine and digital health. APHA will deliver the keynote address, marking the formal occasion of the two organizations sharing a stage and a platform for the first time.

Applications to Catalyst Academy Summer 2026 are being accepted through March 29. For more information about the program and this partnership, visit www.projectunitynfp.org.

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The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. With our broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, we influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.

About Project UNITY

Project UNITY is a youth-led nonprofit transforming how the next generation prepares to lead healthcare, public health, and digital health. Founded in 2020, Project UNITY operates as a national innovation lab and training ecosystem where high school students, college students, and young professionals build solutions that address urgent public health challenges, combat misinformation, and advance health equity. Through personalized education, mentorship, and scalable community innovation, Project UNITY builds interdisciplinary leaders at the intersection of public health, medicine, and digital health to not just to enter the system but to shape its future.