Contact:
Arnice Cottom, 202-777-3913
Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2019 – The American Public Health Association announces the 2019 recipients of its prestigious national awards, which recognize public health leaders for their innovation and excellence in the field. The awards will be presented Nov. 5 during APHA’s 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo in Philadelphia.
"We celebrate the accomplishments and commitment of these outstanding public health leaders," said Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of APHA. "Their contributions have helped strengthen the field and build a healthier nation."
F. Douglas Scutchfield, MD, Peter P. Bosomworth professor emeritus at the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health, will receive the Sedgwick Memorial Medal for Distinguished Service in Public Health for his outstanding accomplishments in academic medicine and public health. Scutchfield — who is the founding dean of both the San Diego State University School of Public Health and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health — is being honored for his work on public health accreditation, public health services research and mentorship, among other accomplishments.
Rachel A. Davis, MSW, executive director of the Prevention Institute, will receive the APHA Award for Excellence for her forward-thinking vision, leadership and commitment to creating thriving, equitable communities. Davis developed innovative tools and frameworks that contributed to a shift in how violence is approached both locally and nationally.
Glenn Flores, MD, FAAP, chief research officer and director of the Health Services Research Institute at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and associate chair of research and professor of pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, will receive the David P. Rall Award for Advocacy in Public Health. Flores is being recognized for work on public health policies and impact of community health workers on care in underserved communities, among other efforts.
Joyce R. Gaufin, APHA past president, will receive the Lyndon Haviland Public Health Mentoring Award for her dedication to the field of public health. Gaufin has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to mentorship at the university, state, national and international levels that has helped foster public health professionals.
Barbara E. Giloth, DrPH, MPH, will receive the APHA Executive Director Citation for her tireless efforts to advance APHA’s mission and vision. Giloth is being honored for her distinguished leadership through APHA Sections, boards and committees and as speaker of the Governing Council, which has helped build and strengthen the Association.
Michael D. Kogan, PhD, director of the Office of Epidemiology and Research within the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, will receive the Martha May Eliot Award for his lifetime service and commitment to maternal and child health. Kogan’s work has advanced the maternal and child health knowledge base and helped provide a stronger scientific basis for research, practice and policy.
Judith Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, will receive APHA’s Presidential Citation for her work to improve the health and well-being of people around the world. Monroe is also being recognized for her commitment to the future of public health for her service as a mentor to young physicians and public health students.
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, will receive APHA's 2019 Distinguished Public Health Legislator of the Year Award. Pallone is being honored for his ongoing leadership to improve public health, including his work to reduce the toll of tobacco on U.S. health, his dedication to protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and efforts to protect workers from asbestos.
Umair Shah, MD, MPH, executive director of Harris County Public Health, in Houston, Texas, will receive the Milton and Ruth Roemer Prize for Creative Local Public Health Work for his leadership, partnerships and innovations in the face of public health challenges. In particular, Shah is being honored for bringing public health services into the community after Hurricane Harvey, operating in neighborhoods that were most devastated by the storm.
Carmen M. Vélez-Vega, PhD, MSW, a professor of social sciences at the University of Puerto Rico’s Graduate School of Public Health, will receive the Helen Rodriguez-Trìas Social Justice Award. Vélez-Vega is being honored for her work focusing on how environmental factors are associated with preterm births in Puerto Rico.
Shelley K. White, MPH, PhD, Master of Public Health Program director at Simmons University and an associate professor of public health and sociology, is receiving the Victor Sidel and Barry Levy Award for Peace. White is being honored for her contributions in identifying war as a public health problem and her innovative MPH curriculum on health equity that includes a focus on militarism and war, among other work.
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APHA champions the health of all people and all communities. We strengthen the public health profession. We speak out for public health issues and policies backed by science. We are the only organization that combines a nearly 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public's health. Visit us at www.apha.org.