Boston, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) presented awards to five health equity leaders at its 20^th Anniversary Spring Awards Breakfast. The event, which was attended by more than 250 healthcare and public health leaders from around the Commonwealth, was held in the State Room at 60 State Street in Boston. 

The organization’s highest honor, the Paul Revere Award for Lifetime Achievement, was given to Ashish Jha, MD, PhD, who served as the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health until he was appointed recently by President Biden as Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response. He is recognized globally as an expert on pandemic preparedness and response as well as on domestic and global health policy. 

The Catalyst for Justice Award was presented jointly to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu “for centering equity in public health policy and practice”. Together, Mayor Wu and Dr. Ojikutu have championed transparency, reliance on clear data benchmarks, and a commitment to health equity in the city’s response to COVID-19.  They have also focused on achieving more equitable health outcomes by working to improve the social conditions in which Boston residents live, including access to healthy food and stable affordable housing.

Read the full release.