Dr. Longjohn is a nationally recognized leader in public health and health systems innovation. For over 25 years, he has led non-profit organizations to integrate community resources into equitable, effective, and sustained population health initiatives. Notably, he was identified by the Obama Administration as one of the top 100 health innovators in the country.

After running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, Dr. Longjohn focused on improving health care systems. At Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine (WMed), he co-directs a course on community engagement and health systems science and leads WMed’s FRAME project. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Committee to Protect Healthcare (CTP) and the CTP Education Fund. Through his consulting business, Epiphany, he works with clients like the CDC and the Administration for Community Living to address Social Drivers of Health.

Dr. Longjohn’s previous roles include National Health Officer and Vice President for Community Integrated Health at YMCA of the USA, where he directed ~$100M in grants and led a team to scale evidence-based health interventions. He spearheaded a $12M Health Care Innovation Award project that certified the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program as a cost-saving intervention for Medicare, leading to nationwide insurance coverage for diabetes prevention.

He was a Fellow at the Altarum Institute and served on faculty at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He has a bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College and an M.D. and MPH from Tulane University. Dr. Longjohn and his wife, Valerie, are longtime residents of Kalamazoo County.

Endorsements from Unions

AFSCME Council 25

IBEW 131

International Brotherhood of Teamsters MI

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades

MI AFL-CIO

Michigan Education Association (MEA)

MI Laborers/LiUNA!

MI Nurses Association

Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters

Sheet Metal Workers Local 7

Southwest MichiganI Building/Construction Trades Council

UAW

Endorsements from Community Leaders

State Senator Sean McCann 

State Representative Julie Rogers 

Former State Representative Dave Maturen

County Prosecutor Jeff Getting 

Kalamazoo County Sheriff Rick Fuller

Kalamazoo County Commission Chair Tami Rey 

Kalamazoo County Commissioner Vice Chair John Taylor

Kalamazoo County Commissioner Dale DeLeeuw 

Kalamazoo County Commissioner Monteze Morales 

Kalamazoo County Commissioner Jen Strebs 

Portage Mayor Patricia Randall 

Portage City Councilmember Chris Burns 

Portage City Councilmember Nikki Miller 

Portage City Councilmember Vic Ledbetter

Portage City Councilmember Jihan Young 

Portage City Councilmember Jim Pearson 

Kalamazoo City Vice-Mayor Jeanne Hess

Kalamazoo City Councilmember Don Cooney 

Oshtemo Township Trustee Neil Sikora

OutFront Kzoo Executive Director Tracy Hall 

Texas Township Trustee Barb Hammon

WMU Professor, Paul Clements

Endorsements from Interest and Advocacy Groups

314 Action

Committee to Protect Healthcare – Care for MI 

Equality PAC

Kalamazoo County Democratic Party (KCDP)

Mental Health Now Candidate 

Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus 

MI League of Conservation Voters

Michigan Realtors Association

MI Sierra Club

Mom’s Demand Action

Michigan State Medical Society

Planned Parenthood Advocates of MI

Voters Not Politicians

We the People Action Fund

WMU College Democrats