To honor someone who has made outstanding contributions in the field of administrative support for public health.
Guidelines: Nomination must demonstrate exceptional service.
2024 Recipient: America Wayne
2023 Recipient: Kenneth Fiser
2022 Recipient: Naseera Lewis
WIC Medical Assistant
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness
The 2022 awardee is described as one who exudes positive energy and is an inspiration to staff. She has taken on a leadership role on committees, learned new skills, and led a number of initiatives. She was a critical force in rebuilding the Employee Engagement Committee after a 1 ½ year hiatus due to the pandemic, volunteering to chair it. This was her first leadership role in her organization. In this role, she led the planning and preparations for the annual holiday party, organized two charity drives, co-organized a blood drive, and most recently, planned a staff appreciation event for National Public Health Week.
Her passion for supporting and uplifting her coworkers, and her organization, is said to have been a massive boost to morale at a time when a boost is sorely needed. The pandemic robbed us all of so many things, and she has been a catalyst for rebuilding some of the human touches into our work life.
2021 Recipient: Gregory Ramey, BBA
Information Technology Manager
Franklin Co Health Dept
Nominated by Judy Mattingly
This year’s awardee has provided exceptional service to both public health professionals as well as to local community members for over 15 years in the position of Information Technology Manager. He has provided administrative support to KPHA, KHDA and NALBOH state associations. He has ensured an organized online platform for statewide meetings, continually monitors and alerts the state of potential or imminent security threats to various systems and coordinates public health education commercials.
A colleague says this about him, “he is constantly bailing out someone from their speakers not working, telling someone for the 6th time to see if it is plugged in, throwing together a quality improvement project from scratch because EVERYTHING includes IT, and checking to see if he can hack a website to determine if its security is up to par. He is willing to help his fellow co-worker no matter what time of day or night.”
Not only is he described as a wealth of knowledge but described as a fun person to work with, and also an excellent problem solver. He takes on challenges with an attitude of determination and persistence. You can depend on him to be responsive, creative, and effective when something goes wrong, or an update is needed.
With the onset of the COVID pandemic, he has been managing the IT aspect of two health departments, which encompasses 4 counties. His IT know-how has allowed his HD to efficiently schedule testing and vaccination appointments for thousands of residents, provide them with their test results via text message, and enter their vaccination data into the state immunization registry within 24 hours of administration. He has offered to work with numerous health departments across the state to help streamline and automate KYIR entries - freeing up their staff to focus on the vaccination efforts, contact tracing, other job duties.
He assisted another HD in entering up to 1,300 vaccinations (in one day) into the Kentucky Immunization registry in 24 hours. In a time where time was of the essence and manpower was limited his contribution was priceless.
His nomination letter included this statement, “to even consider not having him [on staff] gives me heart palpitations.” As one of his colleges put it, “his fan club keeps growing - and that is a testament to his expertise”.
2020 Recipient: Amanda Clark, PsyM
Administrative Coordinator
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness
The Administrative Support Staff position is crucial because it touches everything in an agency. The position demands efficiency, organization, interpersonal skills, leadership abilities, coordination, support, navigation skills, patience and the list go on. This year’s recipient encompasses all the necessary skills to be dynamite in this role. She is described as being adept at completing tasks quickly, creating work products on very short notice and has become the go-to support staff person when the team is on a deadline. After seeing her incredibly detailed minutes, several meeting facilitators have asked her to support their meetings. She has also been enlisted in helping with project management, interviewing prospective administrative employees, and contributing to research projects because of her exceptional organizational skills and valuable insights.
Originally hired as her Public Health Director’s Executive Assistant, she now supports the entire Senior Directors Team to varying degrees. She has volunteered to participate in additional trainings, which have increased her ability to contribute to the organization. Most importantly, she believes in the mission and vision of LMPHW to achieve health equity and it shines through in everything she does.
This year, the Administrative Support Staff Award recipient is Amanda Clark, Administrative Coordinator for Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
Past Winners
2019: Carolyn Young
2018: Melinda Carey
2017: Angel Thompson
2016: Becki Casey
2015: Rachel Dermon
2014: Carol Huckelby
2013: Barbara Casey
2012: Heather L. Anderson
2011: Anna Graves
2010: Susan Landers
2009: Patricia Porter
2008: Cathy Meredith Roby
2007: Rosalie Wright
2006: Suzie Hamm
2005: Thelma Streetman
2004: Janet Overstreet
2003: Terri Cox
2002: Paula Taylor
2001: Vera Campbell
2000: Robin Finzer
1999: Pat Kees
1998: Vivian Gaines
1997: Jenny Thomas
1996: Paula Vincent
1995: Libby Sammons, ART
1994: Linda Kirtley & Marietta Ricketts
1993: Jena Hill
1992: Carolyn Moulder
1991: Flo Pittmam, RS RHIA