Press Release: 48 Immunization Advocates Receive National Recognition for Advancing Vaccine Access
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2026
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48 Immunization Advocates Receive National Recognition for Advancing Vaccine Access- Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) Recognizes New Winners of the 2026 Immunization Champion Award
[ROCKVILLE, MD] – August 5, 2026 –Forty-eight immunization advocates across the country have been named Immunization Champion for their outstanding efforts to promote immunization in their state, city, or territory. These awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of individuals who go above and beyond ensuring vaccination access in their communities and increasing their community’s immunization rate coverage.
The 2026 Immunization Champion Award winners (read their full profiles), organized alphabetically by jurisdiction, include:
- Alaska- Brian McMahon, MD
- Arizona- Brianne Spaeth, PharmD
- Arkansas- Megan Repp, MD
- California- Daniel Brennan, MD, FAAP, CLC
- Chicago- Thomas D. Huggett, MD, MPH
- Colorado- Kathy Lancaster
- Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands- Michael Do, MD
- Connecticut- Katherine Noble, MD
- District of Columbia- David Esquith, M.Ed., BA
- Federated States of Micronesia- Eliaser Johnson, MD
- Georgia- Paige Lightsey, RN
- Hawaiʻi- Kelly Go, RPh
- Houston- Elizabeth Trevino
- Indiana- Lisa Robertson, MS
- Iowa- Laura Knockel, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA
- Kansas- Nandhini Sehar, MD, FAAP
- Kentucky- Steve Davis, MD
- Los Angeles- Sherri Cherman, PharmD
- Maine- Maura Lockwood, BS
- Maricopa County- Machrina Leach, BSN, RN
- Massachusetts- Jill Sweet, MSN, RN
- Michigan- Farah Jalloul, PharmD, MBA
- Minnesota- Mary Langworthy, M.Ed., BSN, RN, LSN, NCSN
- Mississippi- Anita S. Henderson, MD
- Missouri- Ashley Coussens, LPN
- Nevada- David Wuest, RPh
- New Hampshire- Bryan L’Heureux, MPH, BS
- New Jersey- Doug DeStefano, PharmD
- New Mexico- Anna Rutins
- New York- Steven D. Blatt, MD
- New York City- Saul Feldman, MD
- North Dakota- Renae Henderson, BSN, RN
- Ohio- Darla Fickle, MA
- Oklahoma- Valerie Ritter, DO
- Pennsylvania- Sharon Wardlaw, MSN, RN
- Philadelphia- Sharifah Garvin, BSN, RN
- Puerto Rico- Edna M. Lopez Sanfeliz, PharmD
- Rhode Island- Courtney Paquin
- South Carolina- Maritere Nazario, MD
- South Dakota- Ashley Sands, MD
- Tennessee- Gail Jarnigan, BSN, RN
- U.S. Virgin Islands- Ronette Nesbitt
- Utah- Caitlyn Jasumback, MPH
- Vermont- Tracy Tyson, MD
- Virginia- Louisa Johnson, MSN, RN, NBCSN
- Washington- Alyssa Caucci, MHA
- Wisconsin- Sheray Wallace, BA, CNA
- Wyoming- Darcey Cowardin, BSN, RN
Immunization Champion award recipients are selected by their jurisdiction’s immunization program from a pool of health professionals, coalition members, community advocates, and other immunization leaders. Immunization programs across the U.S. and affiliated territories coordinated the nomination process and submitted their chosen awardee to AIM. One winner is selected for each participating state, city, or territory.
“The Immunization Champion Awards honor individuals who are dedicated to protecting their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. AIM and its members proudly celebrate the immunization advancement accomplishments that these 48 winners have achieved,” said AIM Executive Director Claire Hannan.
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About the Association of Immunization Managers
The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) is a nonprofit membership association comprised of the directors of the 66 federally funded state, territorial, and local public health immunization programs. AIM is dedicated to working with its partners nationwide to reduce, eliminate, or eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases. AIM also works to ensure the success of its members by providing support in their programming interests. Since 1999, AIM has enabled collaboration among immunization managers to effectively control vaccine-preventable diseases and improve immunization coverage in the United States. For more information on AIM, please visit www.immunizationmanagers.org/.