Ohio Public Health Association (OPHA) Awards Dinner 2023
The Ohio Public Health Association presented a series of awards that recognized excellence among our members and partners; and highlighted outstanding achievement in public health at the annual OPHA Public Health Awards Dinner on April 25, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio.
The John D. Porterfield Award – recognizes a public health professional who has provided outstanding leadership and has demonstrated outstanding performance and accomplishment relating to public health throughout their career. This award was established in honor of John D. Porterfield,M.D. who served as Director of Health for the State of Ohio from 1947-1954. It has been awardedsince 1976 and is OPHA’s most prestigious award. Awarded to Jennifer Barga, MSN, MHA - Greene County Public Health
Distinguished Public Health Nurse Service Award - recognizes a public health nurse who has demonstrated outstanding performance and accomplishment in public health nursing. This award was first presented by OPHA in 1993 in recognition of the centennial year of public health nursing in the United States. Awarded to Jody Eckler, BSN, MHA - retired, Ottawa County Health Department, Huron County Public Health
Distinguished Achievement in Health Equity Service Award – recognizes a public health professional who has demonstrated outstanding performance and accomplishment in providing services to those at highest risk to include communities of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, people experiencing housing instability, etc. Awarded to Andrew Snyder, BSN, MPH, PhDc – Kent State University
Early Career Professional Award – recognizes an individual who is new (five years or less) to the field of public health or a field that impacts public health policy or practice; and has contributed by challenging traditional public health policy or practice in a creative or positive manner. Awarded to Stephanie Sanders, BSN – Greene County Public Health
Public Health Organization of the Year Award - recognizes a group, agency, or organization that made an outstanding contribution to public health in the past year. Awarded to First Church of Christ, East Palestine, Ohio for their unending work in the community following the train derailment.
Outstanding Leadership and Service Recognition – awarded to Sherry Smith, BSN, MS – Richland Public Health for her leadership and ongoing service with the Public Health Nursing Section of OPHA during the pandemic years (2019 – 2023)