The Spirit of Excellence: Celebrating CDC's 73rd Annual Honor Awards

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently celebrated its 73rd Annual CDC/ATSDR Honor Awards. Through its participation in this annual event, the CDC Foundation recognizes outstanding leadership in public health, amplifying the life-saving work of CDC.

The CDC Honor Awards represent the highest recognition bestowed upon CDC employees, highlighting exceptional service and dedication to public health. Among these, the William C. Watson Jr. Medal of Excellence stands as the agency's highest honor, awarded to individuals who demonstrate remarkable leadership and contributions that have made a significant impact on public health.

Distinguished honorees were recognized across five prestigious award categories, which included the CDC Foundation Awards. The five awards in this category were named in honor of CDC staff members who exemplified excellence in their respective fields:

• William C. Watson, Jr. Medal of Excellence Award: The agency's highest honor, recognizing transformative contributions to public health
  • Recipient: Kathleen Basile, for vision, leadership and dedication to preventing sexual and intimate partner violence. See related story Dr. Linda Saltzman: A Pioneer in Violence Prevention.
• Gerald R. Cooper Laboratory Safety Award: Recognizing outstanding contributions to laboratory safety and quality
  • Recipient: Christy L. Ottendorfer, for excellence in improving biosafety practices within poliovirus-essential facilities within the U.S. and globally.
• Thomas A. Bartenfeld Excellence in Public Health Practice Award: Celebrating exceptional achievements in public health practice and implementation
  • Recipient: Meeyoung Park, for excellence in development and successful pilots of standardized response summary tables and the ORR Response Dashboard.
• Katherine Lyon-Daniel Award for Integrity in Communication: Honoring excellence in public health communication and outreach
  • Recipient: Laura Whitlock, for exceptional leadership and coordination in delivery of risk communication during emergency responses and outbreaks in the U.S.
• Schuchat Berger Excellence in Leadership Award: Acknowledging outstanding leadership and commitment to CDC’s mission
  • Recipient: J. Erin Staples, for exceptional and unequalled leadership in prevention and control of emergent and domestic arboviral diseases.

The awards ceremony also recognized innovative initiatives, including the CDC Washington's Public Health Academy, which has successfully worked to rebuild relationships with Congress and strengthen support for CDC's mission through educational outreach and bipartisan engagement.

As CDC moves forward, these awards serve as a reminder of the agency's commitment to excellence and the dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to protect public health. The ceremony not only celebrated current achievements but also set the stage for future innovations and advancements in public health service.