Awards

Each year, the MCH Section recognizes leaders in the Maternal and Child Health field at the APHA Annual Meeting. These awards are in addition to APHA-sponsored awards such as the Martha May Eliot Award.

The Young Professional of the Year Award

The Maternal and Child Health Section recognizes and encourages the development of new leadership with its annual Young Professional Award, which is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the field of maternal and child health through a specific, particularly creative endeavor or through outstanding achievement over a number of years.

  • 2025: Colleen Payton, PhD, MPH, CPH, MCHES
  • 2023: Brittany Chambers Butcher, PhD. MPH

The Effective Practice Award

The Effective Practice Award recognizes individuals or groups whose work has made a significant contribution to effective public health practice within maternal and child health at the community, state, tribal. national or global levels.

  • 2025: Kimberly Arcoleo, PhD, MPH
  • 2025: Marlene Bewa, MD, PhD
  • 2023: Jennifer Marshall, PhD, MPH, CPH 
  • 2023: Victoria Revelle, MPH

The Outstanding Leadership/Advocacy Award

The Outstanding Leadership/Advocacy Award recognizes leaders who serve at local, state or national levels and who have made significant contributions to the field by creating the political will to improve the health of mothers and children.  

  • 2025: Sarah Verbiest, DrPH, MPH, MSW
  • 2023: Carrie Shapiro-Mendoza
  • 2023: Halida Akter, DrPH, MPH, MBBS, MCPS(Gyn 

The MCH Section Distinguished Service Award

The Maternal and Child Health Section Distinguished Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of Section members and leaders for their dedication and exemplary efforts to the work of the Section and APHA.

  • 2025: Jessie Hood, ScD
  • 2023: Briana Jegier, PhD, MS

The Martha May Eliot Award

Every year, APHA’s president presents the Martha May Eliot Award at a luncheon sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Section. The recipient is selected by an APHA committee, which includes a representative from the Section. Nominees for the Martha May Eliot Award must be professional workers from the field of maternal and child health who have made unusual contributions to education, administration or research in the field. The first award was presented at the 1964 APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition. 

  • 2025    Carol Sakala, PhD, MSPH
  • 2024    Elaine Abrams, MD
  • 2024    Kenn Harris
  • 2023    Jeannette Ickovics, PhD
  • 2022    Arthur James, MD, FACOG
  • 2021    Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH
  • 2020    Claire D. Brindis, DrPH
  • 2019    Michael D. Kogan, PhD
  • 2018    Magda G. Peck, ScD, ScM, PA
  • 2017    Maxine D. Hayes, MD, MPH, FAAP
  • 2016    Hani Khalil Atrash, MD, MPH
  • 2015    Kay Johnson, MPH, EdM
  • 2014    Robert Wm. Blum, MD, MPH, PhD
  • 2013    Eugene Declercq, PhD
  • 2012    Deborah Klein Walker, EdD
  • 2011    Peter C. Van Dyck, MD, MPH
  • 2010    Milton Kotelchuck, PhD, MPH
  • 2009    Ruth Lawrence, MD
  • 2008    Jonathan B. Kotch, MD, MPH, FAAP
  • 2007    Greg R. Alexander, RS, MPH, ScD (Posthumously)
  • 2006    Ruth Watson Lubic, CNM, EdD
  • 2005    Katherine S. Lobach, MD
  • 2004    Charles S. Mahan, MD
  • 2003    Bernard Guyer, MD, MPH
  • 2002   Antoinette P. Eaton, MD
  • 2001    Linda A. Randolph, MD, MPH
  • 2000    Allan G. Rosenfield, MD
  • 1999    Naomi Minner Morris, MD, MPH
  • 1998    Sarah S. Brown
  • 1997    Nafis Sadik, MD
  • 1996    Lorraine Klerman, DrPH, MPH
  • 1995    Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH
  • 1994    Margaret C. Heagarty, MD
  • 1993    Judith P. Rooks, CNM, MPH
  • 1992    Patricia T. Schoesser, MD
  • 1991    Earl Siegel, MD
  • 1990    Jean Pakter, MD, MPH
  • 1989    Frederick C. Green, MD
  • 1988    Mary C. Egan
  • 1987    Vince H. Hutchins, MD
  • 1986    George A. Silver, MD
  • 1985    Marian Wright Edelman
  • 1984    C. Arden Miller, MD
  • 1983    Kathryn E. Barnard, PhD
  • 1982    Edwin M. Gold, MD
  • 1981    Eunice K.M. Ernst, CNM, MPH
  • 1980    Pauline G. Stitt, MD
  • 1979    Donald A. Cornely, MD
  • 1978    Helen M. Wallace, MD, MPH
  • 1977    R. Gerald Rice, MD, MPH
  • 1976    Robert J. Haggerty, MD
  • 1975    Sidney Shaw Chipman, MD
  • 1974    Henry K. Silver, MD
  • 1973    William M. Schmidt, MD
  • 1972    Eleanor Pavenstedt, MD
  • 1971    Cicely D. Williams, MD
  • 1970    Julius B. Richmond, MD
  • 1969    Sir Dugald Baird
  • 1968    Jessie M. Bierman, MD
  • 1967    Elizabeth P. Rice, MSW
  • 1966    Hazel Corbin, RN
  • 1965    Arthur J. Lesser, MD
  • 1964    Harold Coe Stuart, MD

To learn more, visit APHA Awards.