Award-Winning Staff
Staff practice awards are given annually by the Office of Public Health Practice and Training in recognition of outstanding public health practice efforts. Read more about our award-winning staff below.
Excellence in U.S. Public Health Practice
Jen Pauliukonis, MPH
Partner Organization: Coalition for a Safer Delaware
Jen Pauliukonis, as leader of the Safer States Initiative, collaborated with the Coalition for a Safer Delaware to build a policy engagement and education campaign in Delaware to enact handgun purchaser licensing to reduce gun violence.
Spencer Cantrell and Lisa Geller
Partner Organization: Everytown for Gun Safety
Spencer, Federal Affairs Advisor, and Lisa, State Affairs Advisor of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions partnered with Everytown for Gun Safety to host a convening of ERPO experts and implementers from around the country to review emerging data and identify promising practices that can be disseminated via an ERPO implementation guide.
Nick Moran, Lindsay Smith Rogers, and Melissa Hartman
Partner Organization: Various media and social media platforms
Nick, Lindsay, and Melissa produced and disseminated credible evidence-based COVID-19 content in an engaging and accessible way to help inform the public and advance COVID-19 protections.
Ruth Maiorana
Partner Organization: Maryland Association of County Health Officers (MACHO)
As Executive Director of MACHO, Ruth played a critical role in MACHO's COVID-19 response efforts and helped improve the capacity of local health departments to deliver public health services to Maryland’s citizens.
Rebecca G. Williams, MSPH
Partner Organization: The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research
Rebecca played a key role in the design, development, and execution of the Center’s Summer Youth Institute on Reducing Gun Violence in America. The Institute engages and empowers youth by strengthening their gun violence prevention advocacy efforts using evidence-based research, fostering peer relationships, and imparting a sustainable advocacy model that promotes healing and builds resilience.
Excellence in International Public Health Practice
Graziele Grilo, MSc
Partner Organization: National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP) (data collection and dissemination)
Graziele Grilo led data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings from a study of health warning label compliance on cigarette packs sold in Mexico. Her work informed revised guidelines from Mexico’s Ministry of Health to improve tobacco warning label visibility and reduce tobacco product appeal.
Emma Joo, MSGH
Partner Organization: Bugando Medical Center, Tanzania
Emma partnered with the Bugando Medical Center on two key initiatives: Time to ACT: Implementing strategies for breast cancer control in Africa and A.C.T. NOW, a breast cancer patient navigator program in Tanzania.
Fitri Putjuk
Partner Organization: The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Indonesia
As the Indonesia Country Representative for CCP, Fitri provides technical assistance to local, governmental, and NGO partners and donors on family planning and reproductive health, maternal and child health, and hygiene-improvement programs. Her work through the MyChoice project and in partnership with Indonesia’s National Population and Family Planning Board have contributed greatly towards improving reproductive health and quality of life for Indonesian women and their partners.
Excellence in Baltimore Public Health Practice
Patricia Bell Waddy
Partner Organization: International Rescue Committee
Patricia Bell Waddy partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to create a Women Infants and Children (WIC) referral system for newly arrived Baltimore refugees and immigrant women, infants and children. Patricia’s collaboration with the IRC has improved access to nutrition education, nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals for eligible Baltimore immigrants and refugees who are pregnant or post-partum, infants, and children up to the age of five.
Lindsay Smith Rogers
Partner Organization: Fells Point Main Street Association / Center for Harm Reduction Services, Maryland Department of Health
Lindsay partnered with the Fells Point Main Street Association and the Center for Harm Reduction Services at the Maryland Department of Health to conduct a series of overdose prevention trainings geared towards hospitality workers in the Baltimore Fells Point neighborhood.
Morgan Prioleau
Partner Organization: The Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health / HeartSmiles
Morgan plays a key role in engaging and mentoring young people through her role in HeartSmiles and the Center for Adolescent Health. She works closely with HeartSmiles to coordinate programming for impoverished youth in Baltimore city as well as support the organization's infrastructure and operations. The programs create a safe space for young people to share struggles and successes, learn leadership skills, and get guidance from caring adult mentors.
Katrina L. Brooks
Partner Organization: The Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health
Katrina’s work as facilitator and first line of support to the Center’s youth advisory and community advisory boards and citywide partnerships has helped to raise greater awareness of and increase positive practice in adolescent health and youth development. She embodies the Center’s commitment to promoting the health and well being of urban youth through opportunities for connection, collaboration, and engagement.