The APHA Award for Excellence is given each year to a living individual in recognition of his/her exceptionally meritorious contribution to the improvement of health of the people. It honors creative work of particular effectiveness in applying scientific knowledge or innovative organizational work to the betterment of community health. Individuals nominated for the award have made significant and well-recognized contributions to the improvement of public health, but should be at a point in their career where they can reasonably be expected to make further contributions.

The APHA Award for Excellence is now funded by the APHA Awards Endowment, which was established in 1978 through private donations and philanthropic contributions as a means for continuing recognition and encouragement of accomplishments in public health, and to assure perpetual capability to recognize achievement, to express our gratitude, and to urge forward current enterprise and initiation of new effort. 

Nomination Form

Previous Winners

2023    Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, PhD, RDN, LD, CSCS
2022    Prabhat Jha, MD, DPhil, FRSC
2021    Carlos del Rio, MD
2020    Robert J. Cramer, PhD
2019    Rachel A. Davis, MSW
2018    Melissa A. Simon, MD, MPH
2017    John M. Auerbach, MBA
2016    Ross C. Brownson, PhD
2015    Oliver Fein, MD
2014    XinQI Dong, MD, MPH
2013    Andrea Carlson Gielen, ScD, ScM
2012    Antronette "Toni" K. Yancey, MD, MPH
2011    Howard Hu, MD, MPH, ScD
2010    Shu-Hong Zhu, PhD
2009    Daniel R. Hawkins, Jr.
2008    Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH
2007    Stephen Havas, MD, MPH    
2006    Aaron B. Katz, CPH
2005    David J. Graham, MD, MPH
2004    David L. Heymann, MD
2003    Laurence G. Branch, PhD
2002    David Lawrence, Jr., BS
2001    Ronald J. Anderson, RhP, MD, FACP
2000    David R. Smith, MD
1999    Susan P. Baker, MPH, ScD (Hon)
1998    Rosalia Rodriguez-Garcia, MSc, PhD
1997    Linda Burhansstipanov, MSPH, DrPH, CHES
1996    M. Harvey Brenner, PhD
1995    J. Michael McGinnis, MD, MPP
1994    Lawrence W. Green, DrPH, MPH, CHES
1993    Arnold E. Greenberg, MS, SM
1992    Alton B. Cobb, MD, MPH
1991    Abram S. Benenson, MD
1990    Alfred Yankauer, MD, MPH
1989    Faye Wattleton, RN, MS, CNM
1988    C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD
1987    Victor W. Sidel, MD

International Award                                     
1979-1986 (Inactive)
1978    A. Helen Markikainen, SD, MPH   
1977    Milton Roemer, MD, MPH            
1976    David J. Sencer, MD, MPH
1975    Donald A. Henderson, MD
1974    Nevin Stewart Scrimshaw, MD, MPH
1973    James Westland Wright, MPH                              

Domestic Award
1978    Dorothy P. Rice, ScD (Hon)
1977    Sam Shapiro, BS
1976    June Jackson Christmas, MD
1975    Kurt W. Deuschle, MD
1974    John D. Rockefeller, III
1973    H. Jack Geiger, MD