Omisade Burney-Scott Joins the Rural Forward NC team as Partnership Manager

Omisade Burney-Scott joined the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation as partnership manager on the Rural Forward NC team in October. She brings years of experience in community engagement to Rural Forward. Read more to learn about Omisade:

Q:  What experiences or jobs have led you to work at the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation?

I think my ability to hold transformative spaces and support individuals, organizations and communities in navigating growth and deep change in an intentional and grounded facilitated manner brings me to the Foundation. My professional experience of working in rural communities around a myriad of issues such as community development, economic development and leadership development over the past 15 years is also a key factor. Additionally, I had the opportunity to support healthy eating and active living projects across the country in my previous role as a Program Officer with Active Living by Design (an intermediary of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).

Q:  What role do you play in the Foundation?

I am a Partnership Manager with the Rural Forward NC team. I work with the director and associate director to design, organize, and implement capacity-building services for Healthy Places NC in rural central and eastern North Carolina.

Q. What is most rewarding about your job? What is most difficult?

The most rewarding part of my work is seeing community members and groups become self-sustaining in the ways they come together to do their work (self-facilitated, clear lines of communications and accountability). It’s also rewarding to see the long-term impact of shared leadership processes that lead to innovation and tangible outcomes. The most difficult part of my job is learning the alphabet soup of new health field lexicon (lol)