WSPHA 2021 Annual Award Recipients
Each year WSPHA’s annual awards recognize distinguished individuals for their contributions to improving the public’s health in Washington. Nominations for the annual awards are solicited from our membership and the broad public health community. Celebrate the contributions of your public health colleagues by submitting nominations for the WSPHA Annual Awards. Awards will be presented at the WSPHA Annual Conference.
Below are the 2021 Annual WSPHA Award winners!
Watch the Ceremony
Public Health Leadership Award
This award recognizes leadership competence and demonstration in the areas of public health advocacy, research, education, and/or equity and social justice. The nominee must have substantive experience in the public health field.
Dr. Scott Lindquist
Acting Chief Science Officer/State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases
Washington State Department of Health
Dr. Shirlee Tan
Lead Toxicologist
Public Health - Seattle & King County
Exceptional Student Award
This award honors a student in public health or a related field who has shown leadership and commitment to public health in the areas of advocacy, research, academia, and/or community involvement. The nominee may be an undergraduate or graduate-level student.
Lori Mae Yvette Calibuso Acob
Bachelors in Public Health - Global Health
University of Washington School of Public Health
Brooklyn Arroyo
Chiawana High School
Pasco
Bruce Bello
MPH-Epidemiology
University of Washington Department of Epidemiology
Rachel Collins
MPH and ND
Bastyr University
Sabrina Do
Bachelors of Applied Science in Public Health
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Kathleen Moloney
MPH-Global Health
University of Washington, Department of Global Health
Jeff Taylor-Kantz
MPH-Epidemiology
University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology
Ashley Tseng
PhD-Epidemiology
University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology
Public Health Excellence Award
This award honors a public health employee who is not in a high level management position and who has shown excellence in public health practice. Demonstrated excellence could include skills that go above and beyond expected standards; professional commitment that has positively impacted fellow employees and /or the community; outstanding professional service in working with fellow employees and/or the public; or other professional actions that bring credibility and respect to the public health agency.
Dr. Maayan Simckes
Epidemiologist
Washington State Department of Health
Nicole Thomsen
Health Policy Analyst
Snohomish Health District
Health Equity Award
This award recognizes and honors a person who has championed the cause of equity and undoing of racism in their community. Examples of this work could include policy change, leadership, activism, community mobilization, or research.
Sebrena Chambers
Strengthening Families Division Director
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Van Kuno
Executive Director
Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest
WSPHA President’s Award
Presented to someone who has demonstrated a holistic approach to the achievement of health. The recipient is selected and awarded this honor by the current president of WSPHA. There is no nomination process for this award.
Dr. Julie Osgood, WSPHA Board President:
Each year our annual awards recognize distinguished individuals for their contributions to improving the public’s health in Washington State. Nominations are solicited from our members and the broader public health community. I am excited that we get to honor some amazing people, especially at a time where public health is more challenging than ever. I’d like to begin with the President’s Award.
The WSPHA President’s Award is ‘typically’ presented to an individual who has demonstrated a holistic approach to the achievement of health. The recipient is selected by the current president of WSPHA. This year is not at all typical, so as I thought about who should receive the President’s award, I felt a strong need to deviate from the norm.
When the pandemic hit, I remember being filled with a feeling of dread, knowing that we didn’t have a vaccine and thinking it would take a couple years to develop one. Then, we saw this incredible coordination among scientists, pharmaceutical distribution companies, supply chains, healthcare providers, pharmacies, etc. to get not one, but several safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines onto the market.
I work at Valley Medical Center and oversee our COVID vaccine clinic, and I will never forget the day that we rolled a metal cart full of vaccine into the clinic on opening day. Vials of liquid gold, I thought. It was one of the most joyful moments in my 27-year career in healthcare.
But here’s the thing. Getting safe and effective vaccines was just the start to a long road toward ending the pandemic. What we needed most, and still do, is the willingness of the people in Washington State to get vaccinated. We need truth to overcome misinformation. We need trust to overcome skepticism. We need love and caring for our communities, to overcome fear and the unknowns.
By any measure, the citizens of our State have done a remarkable job in fighting the pandemic- we have led the way in many regards. Currently, 95% of people aged 65 and up in Washington have had at least one dose and 89% are fully vaccinated. Overall, 68% of Washingtonians have received one dose and 62% are fully vaccinated. Compare that to states like our neighbor Idaho, where only 43% are fully vaccinated.
We still have a way to go to beat this pandemic. We need to continue to spread truth to everyone, in a way that is accessible and understandable. We need to thwart efforts by the anti-vax industry, who is profiting off their efforts, as over 700,000 people faced death in this country, and far more family members and loved ones are left with grief and devastation.
Washingtonians stepped up and are contributing to the end of the pandemic. It is my honor to award the Washington State Public Health Association’s 2021 President’s Award to the People of Washington State who have received the COVID-19 vaccine as well as to all the people who have devoted countless hours ensuring that the vaccine is available.
Thank you.
Julie Osgood, MS DrPH
WSPHA Board President
June Robinson Public Health Funding Award
Presented to an elected official in Washington who has demonstrated ongoing support for public health and courageous leadership among his or her colleagues related to public health funding. The recipient is selected and awarded this honor by the WSPHA Board of Directors. There is no nomination process for this award.
Senator Christine Rolfes
(23rd Legislative District)
Representative Joe Schmick
(9th Legislative District)
Laurie Jinkins Public Health Champion Award
Presented to an elected official in Washington who has demonstrated ongoing support for public health and courageous leadership among his or her colleagues. The recipient is selected and awarded this honor by the WSPHA Board of Directors. There is no nomination process for this award.
Senator Emily Randall
(26th Legislative District)
Representative Jamila Taylor
(30th Legislative District)
VIEW RECIPIENTS OF THE 2017 AWARDS
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