
Awards
Each year, MPHA recognizes excellence in public health by awarding the following distinctions to organizations and individuals who make a difference in Maine.
MPHA’s 2020 Awards Ceremony was held virtually on Thursday, October 15th from 4:00pm-5:30pm, as part of our fall conference. Congratulations to all of our award winners! To view the Ceremony, please visit our YouTube station.

President’s Award
The President’s award is the highest award given by MPHA. Nominations are solicited and vetted by MPHA past presidents.
Award Recipients:
William Bredenberg (1991) Lani Graham (1992) Darylen Cote (1993) Mabel Wadsworth (1994) Ed Miller (1995) Sharon Rosen (1996)
Karen O’Rourke (1997) Robert McAfee, MD (1998) Peter Doran, Ph.D. (1999) Judy Feinstein (2000) Lisa Belanger (2001)
Nate Nickerson (2002) Randy Schwartz (2003) Barbara Leonard (2004) Dora Anne Mills, MD (2005) Lisa Letourneau, MD (2006)
Warren Kessler (2007) Tina Pettingill, MPH (2008) Julie Sullivan (2009) Reverend Bob Carlson (2010) Stephen Sears (2011)
Hugh Tilson, PhD (2012) Doug Michael (2013) Becky Smith (2014) Gordon Smith (2015) Joanne Joy (2016) Brownie Carson (2018) Maine Families for Vaccines (2019) Carol Kelly (2020)
Public Health Program of Excellence Award
MPHA recognizes effective, efficient, evidence-based and creative public health programs that you know of in your community, district or throughout Maine. The goal of the Program of Excellence Award is to increase the visibility of public health initiatives in Maine, to promote adoption of effective public health programs, and to provide recognition to organizations involved in successful collaborative public health initiatives.
Award Recipients:
1997 Greater Portland Water Fluoridation Initiative, Portland Public Health;
Are You Man Enough to Stop? Portland Public Health Division &
School Based Adolescent Immunization, Community Health Services
1998 Move and Improve, Eastern Maine Medical Center; Outer Island Initiative, Mt. Desert Island Hospital; Kids and Transportation, Greater Portland Council of Governments & Take a Breather! Work Smoke Free, Portland Public Health Division
1999 Ellsworth Area PATCH Exercise Programs; March Into May Greater Portland; Special Screening Day for Women, Portland &
Nursing and Wellness Center, Bath Housing Authority
2000 Saddleback Youth Initiative & Farmington Healthy Community Coalition
2001 Parents are Teachers Too
2002 AH! Asthma Health Program
2003 ME Cares Program at Medical Care Development & Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Public Health, UNE
2004 Maine Comprehensive Cancer Control Initiative
2005 Maine-ly Nutrition; PTM Treatment Initiative & The Maine Tobacco Free College Network
2006 Raising Readers, MaineHealth & Power Up! Healthy Portland, City of Portland
2007 The Smoke-Free Housing Coalition of Maine
2008 Let’s Go!
2009 Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative (MYOC)
2010 Maine Newborn Hearing Program & the Mt. Desert Visiting Nurses Program
2011 United Somali Women of Maine
2012 Diversion Alert Program
2013 Healthy You
2014 Portland Defending Childhood
2015 Muskie Public Health Education Corps & Camp Adventure
2016 WinterKids
2018 The Locker Project
2019 Maine Department of Transportation: My Maine Sign
2020 Wabanaki Public Health: Colored Paper Project
Ruth S. Shaper Memorial Award
The Ruth S. Shaper Memorial Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution in the area of public health. The individual will have demonstrated a broad orientation to health promotion and disease prevention that extends beyond his/her specific profession or field of interest. For example, the individual may have made a meaningful impact in health legislation, health education, health policy development, or consumer advocacy at either the community or state level. Professional rank or status in an organization is not an important factor.
Award Recipients:
Merle Nelson Eleanor Irish Jane Root Mal Leary Cameron Duncan Natural Resources Council of Maine Diane Atwood
Michael Chitwood Charlene Rydell Mercy Hospital Parker Harris ME Senate, House of Reps, Exec Branch Portland City Council
Judith Peavey ME House/Senate/Executive Branch Pat Pierson Jean Lavigne Richard Batt Maroulla Gleaton Sean Faircloth
Steven Rowe Rebecca Matusovich James Cohen Betsy Sweet Dora Anne Mills Lauri Sidelko/UM Tobacco-Free Campus Comm.
Portland Board of Education Dr. Jon Fanburg Megan Rochelo Wendy Wolf Andy Smith Lani Graham Rebecca Hoffmann Frances
Phebe Conrey King Access to HealthCare Award
The Phebe Conrey King Access to Healthcare Award recognizes an individual or individuals who have made a significant contribution to improving access to healthcare in Maine. The individual(s) will have demonstrated leadership abilities in promoting increased access to healthcare by all Maine residents. He or she will have made a significant contribution toward meeting the needs of the uninsured and medically under-served. The nominee need not be a member of the Maine Public Health Association. Programs are not eligible as MPHA has previously established an award to recognize exemplary programs.
Eligible recipients will have made a significant contribution to improving access to healthcare in Maine. Nominees will be judged on the following criteria:
- Proven leadership abilities in promoting increased access to healthcare by Maine residents.
- Evidence that their efforts have led to the actual provision of healthcare services to the under-served.
- A deep commitment to the goal of healthcare access by Maine residents.
Past recipients of the Phebe Conrey King Access to Healthcare Award:
2005: Gov. John E. Baldacci
2006: Chris Carpenter
2007: Leah Binder
2008: Mike McCarthy Special mention to Portland Public Schools Board
2010: Patsy Leavitt
2011: Jane Pringle, MD
2012: Peter McQuire, MD
2013: Kathy Martin, RD, MS
2018: Natalie Morse
2019: Carol Zechman
2020: Kate Ende
Pam M.B. Studwell Tobacco Policy Award
The Pamela M.B. Studwell Tobacco Policy Award is given to an individual whose dedication, persistence, and passion for improving lives has significantly advanced best practice tobacco policies in Maine.
Past recipients of the Pamela M.B. Studwell Tobacco Policy Award:
2010: Jo Linder, MD
2011: John Archard
2012: Dennise Whitley
2014: Carol Coles
2018: MaineHealth Health Index Team (Tim Cowan, Nancy Mooney, Kate Allerding)
2019: Becky Smith
2020: Amber Desrosiers
Public Health Policy Champion Award
This award recognizes a policymaker who has made a significant contribution to public health in Maine. This award was new for 2018. Past recipients of the Public Health Policy Champion Award:
2018: Representative Jay McCreight (D-Harpswell)
2019: Senator Rebecca Millett (D-Cape Elizabeth)
2020: Nathan Poore (Town Manager, Falmouth)
Public Health Journalism Award
This award recognizes a journalist who has made a significant contribution to public health in Maine. This award was new for 2018. Past recipients of the Public Health Journalism Award:
2018: Matt Stone (Bangor Daily News)
2019: Joe Lawlor (Portland Press Herald)
2020: The Maine Monitor
Public Health Business Champion Award
This award recognizes a business for its leadership and commitment to integrating and promoting public health values into business practices. This award was new for 2018. Past recipients of the Public Health Business Champion Award:
2018: Sterling Rope
2019: MaineWorks
2020: Hannaford Supermarkets
Public Health Rising Star Award
This award recognizes a young professional (<40 years old) in Maine who has made a significant contribution to public health in Maine. This award was new for 2018. Past recipients of the Public Health Rising Star Award:
2018: Erin Guay (Healthy Androscoggin)
2019: Emma Bond (ACLU, Maine)
2020: Hawa Shir (City of Portland Public Health)
Unsung Hero Award
Public health is at its best when we don’t realize it’s serving us – this award is for those who work hard every day to protect and promote public health in whatever capacity is needed, and with a commitment to excellence. The new award recognizes an individual, department or organization who has positively influenced public health in Maine from behind the scenes. This award was new for 2019.
2019: Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
2020: Jesse Harvey