Association of Immunization Managers Recognizes Winners of the 2023 Immunization Champion Award
41 Immunization Advocates Receive National Recognition for Contributions to Vaccine Access
(PRUnderground) August 28th, 2023
Forty-one immunization advocates across the country have been named Immunization Champion for their outstanding efforts to promote immunization in their state, city, or territory. These awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of individuals who go above and beyond ensuring vaccination access in their communities and increasing their community’s immunization rate coverage.
The 2023 Immunization Champion Award winners (read their full profiles here), organized by jurisdiction, include:
- Alaska: Jo Miller, PA-C
- Arizona: Amanda Aguirre, BS, MA, RD
- Arkansas: Catherine Smith, MEd
- California: Silvia Diego, MD
- Colorado: Julissa Soto
- Connecticut: Sasa Harriot, RN
- Delaware: Jonathan Miller, MD
- District of Columbia: Dorka Compusano, CMA
- Illinois: Susan Latocha, BSN, MS
- Indiana: Deb Robarge, BSN, RN
- Kansas: Connie Satzler
- Kentucky: Eva Stone, DNP, APRN
- Louisiana: Ashley Politz, LMSW
- Maine: Shila Hammond, CMA
- Massachusetts: Kevin Myers, NP, MSN, ACRN
- Michigan: Anita Butler, CPhT
- Minnesota: Charmaine Branchaud, RN, BSN, PHN, CDE, LSN
- Nevada: Tammy Crabtree, RN
- New Hampshire: Jim Keady
- New Jersey: Setu Patel, PharmD
- New York City: Rasheed Ali, RN
- North Carolina: Katherine A. Poehling, MD, MPH
- North Dakota: Kelsey Nefzger, RN
- Northern Mariana Islands: Laura Ogo, RN
- Ohio: Scott Foley, PharmD
- Oklahoma: Heather Moiser, APRN-CNP
- Oregon: Betty Brown
- Palau: Beketaut Lorraine, BSN
- Pennsylvania: Crystal Perez, MSN, RN, CSN
- Philadelphia: Charna Blake, BSN, RN
- Puerto Rico: Olga Pérez Quiñones, BA
- Rhode Island: Beata F. Nelken, MD
- South Carolina: Jacqueline Talley, Ph.D
- South Dakota: Tammy Baer, RN
- Tennessee: Brandi Jack, M.Ed., BS
- Texas: John Hellerstedt, MD
- Utah: Allison Landis, BSN, RN
- U.S. Virgin Islands: La’Tonya Nesbitt, BSN, RN
- Virginia: Anna Peoples, PharmD
- Washington: Mehr Grewal
- Wisconsin: Noel Deep, MD, MACP, FRSPH
Immunization Champion award recipients are selected by their jurisdiction’s immunization program from a pool of health professionals, coalition members, community advocates, and other immunization leaders. Immunization programs across the U.S. and affiliated territories coordinated the nomination process and submitted their chosen awardee to AIM for final review. One winner is selected in participating states, cities, and territories.
“The Immunization Champion awards provide immunization programs an opportunity to thank community members who strive to keep us safe from vaccine-preventable diseases. AIM proudly acknowledges the passion, hard work, and commitment to immunization that these 41 winners have repeatedly demonstrated,” said AIM Executive Director Claire Hannan.
Background:
Before the pandemic, each year during National Infant Immunization Week, the CDC and AIM honored health professionals and community leaders from around the country with the CDC Childhood Immunization Champion awards. Last year AIM was given the opportunity to lead the Champion awards and expanded the program to include opportunities to recognize Immunization Champions in multiple areas of immunization.
About Association of Immunization Managers
The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association, is dedicated
to establishing a nation free of vaccine-preventable disease. AIM members are the leaders of
state, local, and territorial immunization programs—directing the public health efforts designed to
keep children and adults vaccinated and protected against disease. Since 1999, AIM has
provided a national voice for immunization programs and a forum for program managers to learn
from each other, confront challenges, and achieve success. Since its inception, AIM has gathered
and shared information with its members on policy implementation, legislative issues,
programmatic successes, and more. For more information on AIM, please
visit www.immunizationmanagers.org.
Note: The inside story of the race to save lives and end a pandemic is featured in a new book
entitled Vaccinating America, available now from the American Public Health Association Press.
Brent Ewig, AIM’s Chief Policy and Government Relations Officer, is a co-author.
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