The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) today announced the selection of recipients of its 2019 Immunization Champion Awards recognizing individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions toward improved vaccination rates within their communities.  Pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians, public health officials, and other immunization stakeholders, are recognized as important members of the immunization neighborhood, with millions of vaccinations administered by pharmacists each year.

 “The APhA Immunization Champion Awards program helps us tell the story regarding pharmacists’ contributions to and impact on the health of communities and as valued members of the immunization neighborhood, according to Mitchel Rothholz, RPh, MBA, APhA Chief Strategy Officer. We applaud the more than 340,000 pharmacists trained to administer vaccines and who are making a difference in their communities.”

The APhA Immunization Champion Awards consist of six categories of recognition, including individual practitioners, friend of pharmacy’s immunization efforts, corporation/institution, community outreach, pharmacy team member, and travel health (new for 2019). In addition, the awards program this year will recognize career achievement.  Nominees were evaluated based on the areas of impact, collaboration, communication, coordination, originality, and overcoming challenges and creating opportunities for pharmacists.

The 2019 Immunization Champion Awards are as follows:

Individual Practitioner

Honorable Mention

• Cherokee Layson-Wolf (Baltimore, MD)
• Sarah Mahdy (Tulsa, OK)

National Winner

• Kimberly McKeirnan (Spokane, WA)

Corporation/Institution

Honorable Mention

• FDA PHS Vaccine Clinic (Silver Spring, MD)

National Winner

• Oklahoma City Indian Clinic Pharmacy (Oklahoma City, OK)

Community Outreach

Honorable Mention

• Elizabeth Skoy (Fargo, ND)
• Melvin Baron (Los Angeles, CA)

National Winner

• Leslie Hurst (Goshen, KY)

Travel Health

National Winner

• Crockett Tidwell (Lubbock, TX)

Pharmacy Team Member

National Winner

• Casey Haycock (Boise, ID)

Friend Of Pharmacy

National Winners

• Dr. Kyle Pohl and Dr. Jay Flynn (Nome, AK)

Outstanding Career Achievement

• Jeffery Goad (Irvine, CA)

Additional information on each of the award recipients is available at https://www.pharmacist.com/apha-immunization-champion-awards

The American Pharmacists Association established these special awards in 2008, and made the first presentations in 2009, to recognize the value and extraordinary contributions pharmacists provide to improving the vaccination rates in their communities.