Shaping Young Leaders’ Futures: Health Career Connection Oct 1, 2026 Denver Health Career Connection builds generations of health leaders and professionals who are from and reflect the communities they serve. Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email GreenLight launched Health Career Connection (HCC) in Denver in January 2026 to address multiple needs. Local college students and recent graduates face continued challenges in securing jobs that pay enough to afford the rising cost of living and that lead to professional careers. Health is a high-growth, high-need sector in Colorado. Across all 21 of the state’s health regions, the workforce of primary care, behavioral health, and mental health workers is insufficient to meet resident needs. HCC can serve as a vital bridge, connecting local talent to key vacancies. Health Career Connection builds generations of health leaders and professionals who are from and reflect the communities they serve and have the capabilities and commitment to improve health for all. By partnering with local educational institutions, community-based nonprofits, and other healthcare organizations, HCC matches students from many backgrounds – including low-income to middle-income, first-generation college, and those from medically underserved communities – with paid, hands-on internships and professional development that lead to high-demand, living-wage careers. Host Site Experience “Given the fast-paced environment at Tepeyac Community Health Center, we need to be very selective regarding interns that we assign to the various departments within our organization. All of our HCC interns were extraordinarily well prepared and were ready to contribute as part of our day-to-day operations and provide meaningful support to our managers and directors. In one instance, our HCC intern conducted an extensive series of patient interviews (in Spanish) and summarized the data for the Tepeyac Director who was managing this project. Needless to say, our experience with HCC exceeded all of our expectations!” Jim Garcia CEO and Founder of Tepayec Community Health Center “Hosting interns through HCC’s inaugural Denver cohort with Greenlight Fund has been an incredibly valuable experience for DDPHE. The interns have brought fresh perspectives, curiosity, and a strong commitment to public service. Their contributions supported meaningful work across workforce development, mentorship, opioid abatement, food access, data collection, community engagement, and youth public health programming. They did not simply observe our work, they helped move important projects forward while gaining hands-on experience and strengthening their confidence as emerging professionals. We are grateful for the opportunity to support their growth and for the lasting impact they have made at DDPHE.” Veronika Hanna Denver Department of Public Health & Environment
