Interviewed by Vanessa Lim, member of CHI FLYING; Assistant Director, Learning & Organisation Development, Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Singapore
Professor Hahrie Han is a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University and Director of the P3 Lab at the SNF Agora Institute and is part of the CHI Leadership Council. Her work focuses on social movements, civic engagement, and how communities mobilise to create social change. She is known for connecting theory with practice, partnering with grassroots organisations to strengthen their ability to organise and transform systems.
What’s your role? What motivated you to come into healthcare (or the role you have taken on)?
I am a Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, where my work focuses on research, teaching and building institutions that strengthen the practice of organising and movement building.
I grew up in Texas in a Korean immigrant family that was not political at all. But being the daughter of immigrants meant confronting discrimination and exclusion, without a framework to understand it. Everything changed when I went to college and became involved in activism. For the first time, I realised that the problems I saw around me were not inevitable. I took a class in community organising by chance and discovered that people had built a whole discipline around understanding the world’s problems and figuring out how to take collective action.
Working with others who believed in a better world was powerful. Even when we did not win, the experience of shared purpose stayed with me. That feeling has motivated much of my career. Today, I partner with grassroots organisations around the world to integrate data and learning into their work, helping them build their power and achieve their goals.
What are the key leadership messages you want to get out to the BMJ Leader readership?
One characteristic of 21st century society is that we have learned to outsource our outrage. We see something that feels wrong but assume someone else will address it. Young leaders have an energy and hope that rejects this instinct but realising that the system is not always on your side can dim that flame.
The key is to stay committed not only to issues, but to the people around you. When motivation falters, it is often the desire not to let your peers down that brings you back into the work. Motivation is social. Build a community that sustains you, challenges you and reminds you why you care. Find the people who will help you keep your flame alive.
Tell us a little bit about your leadership role and how it is changing as a result of the pandemic? Or what did you reflect about leadership as you observed life pre and post COVID?
My definition of leadership comes from Marshall Ganz: the work of enabling others to find shared purpose in the face of uncertainty. When COVID hit, I had only just begun my role as the Director of the SNF Agora Institute. Our mission is to bring people together for dialogue and learning, so the pandemic forced us to rethink everything.
We had to return to first principles. How do we foster community when people cannot gather. How do we help people stay connected when the world feels chaotic. COVID taught us to create new forms of connection, to lean on technology without losing the human element, and to build a culture where people feel held together by shared purpose even when physically apart.
What events in your past experience are most informing your leadership in this pandemic and aftermath?
One of the biggest lessons has been learning to exercise judgment when decisions are not clear. The hardest problems are the ones with no formulaic answer. Over time, I have developed a few guiding instincts: choose inclusion unless there is a strong reason not to, choose people before principles, and choose change over the status quo when the case for keeping things the same is weak. These principles help me navigate uncertainty with humanity and courage.
What are you finding the biggest challenges at the moment?
The biggest challenge for our institute was defining our identity in the middle of uncertainty. COVID created confusion everywhere. In response, I realised that our faculty were our core strength. Leaning into the expertise within our community, rather than trying to become something else, allowed us to respond to the moment in a grounded and purposeful way.
Any particular surprises?
I mean, I was surprised the pandemic happened.
Are you seeing any behaviours from colleagues that encourage or inspire you?
Yes. One of the most inspiring moments came from my own experience as a patient. Between my two children, my husband and I lost a baby at birth. I felt like I was in a black hole. What made a difference were small acts of deep humanity. A cousin who was a doctor simply came to offer a hug. A nurse who had lost one of her twins cared for me not just as a patient but as a fellow mother. She helped us create memories that were invaluable in the immediate aftermath.
Healthcare professionals meet people in their most vulnerable moments. Remembering that the person in front of you is a human being first is powerful. That nurse taught me what compassionate, human-centred care truly looks like.
How are you maintaining kindness and compassion?
After graduating from college, I spent a long time asking what I wanted my life to mean. I realised I wanted to fully explore my humanity, both individually and in community with others. That has become a guiding value for me. Even when bureaucratic pressures push us toward dehumanising processes, I try to create environments where people can connect with their own humanity and the humanity of those around them. That is how I sustain compassion.
Are there any ideas or readings that you find helpful, for inspiration and support, which you would recommend to others?
I loved “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese. It tells the story of a family in India over generations as they navigate an affliction they do not fully understand. It is beautifully written and deeply human, exploring suffering, resilience and connection.
Why would you want to work with CHI? What value did you see?
I am drawn to people who feel urgency for change and who believe in the possibility of a better world. When I met Eugene and others at CHI, I sensed a community eager to learn, experiment and act. I found people I genuinely enjoyed being around, and a shared purpose that made me want to contribute.
Would you have any words of encouragement or advice to the council, or anybody else doing the things that CHI is trying to drive?
Own your power. Every movement in history has been led by young people with a critical eye and a hopeful heart. I see that same spirit here, but I also see hesitation. Do not wait for someone else to act. Believe in what you can achieve with the resources you have.
Trying to link it back to CHI, how do you see the elements of social movements coming together to bring about health transformation and innovation?
Movements challenge the world as it is and broaden the horizon of what is possible. They give people the skills and confidence to act. CHI is doing similar work: equipping people to imagine and create a transformed health system. Transformation is at the heart of both movements and health innovation, and CHI sits squarely in that space.
How do we mobilise partners around CHI to make it a platform for transformation?
The job of CHI is not to own the change but to enable others to become agents of change. Movements are networks of many players working across different arenas. CHI must act both as an enabler and a coalition builder, helping partners align around a shared purpose.
Do you have any advice for leaders and innovators building a greener and more sustainable healthcare future?
Do not let sustainability become purely technical. Metrics matter, but they must be anchored in values that move us from individualism to community, from extraction to co-creation. Sustainability and population health share the same core: collective well-being. Keep those values at the centre.
Do you have a final message in a bottle for individuals passionate about improving health?
There is a saying in America: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Real change does not come from waiting for the perfect leader. It comes from people who decide to act. Find others who share your hopes and begin the work together. You already have the power you need.
Leading Across the Commonwealth and Beyond captures vital conversations between global health leaders and emerging voices. In this blog, we explore how to redefine how we lead with compassion, connectivity, and courage in an increasingly complex world.
This blog is coordinated and contributed by the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Singapore
Declarations of Interest
No conflicts of interest to disclose