By Dana Kazel
St. Louis County Public Health is seeking nominations from the public to recognize individuals or groups who have made significant effort to improve the health of residents or communities in St. Louis County. The Public Health Achievement Awards will be presented during the St. Louis County Board meeting on Tuesday, April 7.
Winners will be selected based on their leadership, Public Health contributions, community health improvement outcomes, collaboration and advocacy. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, March 6.
The nomination form and instructions are available online at stlouiscountymn.gov/phaward or by calling (218) 725-5210.
Previous winners include:
2025: Dr. Jan Baldwin, Nathan Kesti, Mel Alvar, and Christina Trok
2024: Divine Konnections, Teri Morrison, the Youth Mental Health Days Committee, and Mallory Cummings
2023: Ely Community Health Center, Rural Aids Action Network (RAAN), First Ladies of the Hillside, and Duluth City Councilor Terese Tomanek
2020: Rachel Doherty and Barbara Hinsz (Mesabi East Environmental Education Center), Dr. Jennifer Jones and Dr. Jordan Blessing; and the South St. Louis County Veterans Treatment Court
2019: Dr. Laura Palombi, the Ely Community Care Team, Dementia Friendly Duluth, and Ashley Grimm
2018: The Rutabaga Project, and Heather Hemphill Keely
2017: Verne Wagner, and the Diabetes Prevention Program partners (Duluth Area and Mesabi Family YMCAs and Essentia Health in Duluth and Virginia)
2016: Ruby's Pantry, and Eversmiles Pediatric Dentistry
To learn more about the work of St. Louis County Public Health, visit stlouiscountymn.gov/publichealth.
