The Membership Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
The NOSORH Awards honor and celebrate the exemplary work and leadership of State Offices of Rural Health, individuals and organizations dedicated to rural health.
It’s time to nominate a deserving individual/organization for a NOSORH Award!
Selections will be made solely on the basis of the narrative submitted (500 words or less) in the online nomination form. There are no limits to the number of nominations submitted.
Award Categories
This award is presented to a State Office of Rural Health that has made outstanding contributions in the field of rural health, including broad benefits to rural health, innovative programs and activities that have advanced State Offices of Rural Health.
This award honors an experienced rural health individual leader in a State Office of Rural Health who has a sincere interest in emerging leaders’ professional growth and has played a key role in developing future leaders within the national rural health movement.
This award is presented to an individual State Office of Rural Health staff member, new or existing, who has demonstrated new leadership, initiative, involvement or commitment to the mission of NOSORH or State Offices of Rural Health. This individual will have shown exemplary communication, passion, or understanding of an issue to enhance education, advocacy or partnerships to improve rural health.
This award recognizes an individual or organization who has made significant contributions to rural, frontier, or border health, demonstrating deep commitment to health equity and improving the health of underserved populations.
This award recognizes an outstanding individual federal legislator for her/his work and support of rural health initiatives that address national rural healthcare needs. Individuals who meet the following criteria should be considered: introduced or supported an existing piece of significant legislation that addresses an identified rural health need or issue; made a special effort to effect change in rural health policy and/or legislation that benefits SORH, rural health outcomes; OR demonstrated leadership that benefits rural communities.
Congratulations to the 2018 NOSORH Award recipients! Awardees were honored at a ceremony during the NOSORH Annual Meeting in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A special thank you to the NOSORH Awards Committee, co-chaired by Margaret Brockman (NE) and Cathleen McElligott (MA)! We appreciate all who took the time to nominate a deserving colleague!
Emerging Leader Award:
Kirby Lecy, Massachusetts Office of Rural Health
“Kirby has become an emerging leader in NOSORH in the few short years that she has been with the Massachusetts Office of Rural Health. Facilitating partnerships, creating opportunities for collaboration, and dynamic problem-solving and planning are a few of the strengths that she has successfully brought to her role in the SORH. She is an active member of NOSORH’s Communications and Educational Exchange Committees. Her ideas are strategic and innovative, while always incorporating the big picture. She also has provided assistance to other states in her region and is always eager to share thoughts and opinions.”
The James D. Bernstein Mentoring Award:
Ernie Scott, Kentucky Office of Rural Health
“Ernie’s office door is always open. (And, he’s very often standing at our doorways as well!) He’s always willing to answer questions and provide guidance. If he’s been there, he’ll tell you about his experiences. If he knows someone who can help, he’ll share a contact. If he’s got questions for you, he’ll ask as well. On top of all of that, he is one of the few bosses – if not the only boss –who, at the end of the workday, thanks us, individually, for the work that we do. That is unheard of in the typical workplace. But, its effect is nothing short of magical: It provides ownership and investment to each of us – we feel that we are part of a solid team that is doing good work for the rural communities of Kentucky.”
Values Recognition Award
Michelle Rathman, Impact! Communications, Inc.
“Michelle’s boundless energy, creativity, and innovation has led her team to deliver beautiful, professional images and messages that have made National Rural Health Day a national campaign. This work helped National Rural Health Day earn NRHA’s Outstanding Rural Health Program award as well as national respect and visibility. She has a great understanding and appreciation of the work of State Offices of Rural Health and NOSORH and is a true rural health advocate.”
The Distinguished Andrew W. Nichols Rural Health Advocate Award and the Legislator of the Year Award will be announced later this year.
Congratulations to this year’s NOSORH Award recipients! Special thanks goes to the NOSORH Awards Committee, co-chaired by Margaret Brockman (NE) and Cathleen McElligott (MA), and to Keith Clark (NV) for volunteering his time to take pictures of the awardees! We appreciate all who took the time to nominate a deserving colleague!
The deadline to submit nominations for the 2017 NOSORH Awards is quickly approaching! Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the incredible work and leadership of individuals and organizations dedicated to rural health. Awards will be presented during a ceremony at the NOSORH Annual Meeting on September 6th. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, August 4th at 5:00 pm EDT.
Click here to submit a nomination!
Nominations can be made in any of the 7 Award Categories below:
Awards Requiring NOSORH Membership
Awards Which Do Not Require NOSORH Membership
Click here to see past award winners
The Awards Committee, co-chaired by Cathleen McElligott (MA) and Margaret Brockman (NE), is now accepting nominations for the 2017 NOSORH Awards! These awards are a special way to celebrate and recognize the hard work and leadership of individuals and organizations dedicated to rural health. Awards will be presented during a ceremony at the NOSORH Annual Meeting on September 6.
Click here to submit a nomination!
(Nominations will be accepted until Friday, August 4 at 5:00 pm EDT)
Award Descriptions
Awards Requiring NOSORH Membership
NOSORH SORH Award of Excellence
This award is to be presented to a State Office of Rural Health that has made an outstanding contribution in the field of rural health. The committee should consider broad benefits to rural health, innovative programs, unusual contributions, or activities that have advanced state offices of rural health.NOSORH Distinguished Service Award
This award is bestowed on an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to NOSORH, is a member of the organization, and is actively involved in a State Office of Rural Health.The James D. Bernstein Mentoring Award
This award honors an experienced, long-time rural health individual leader who is a member of NOSORH, is actively involved in a State Office of Rural Health, has sincere interest in emerging leaders’ professional growth, and has played a key role in developing future leaders within the national rural health movement.Emerging Leader Award
This award is presented to an individual SORH staff member who has demonstrated new leadership, initiative, involvement and commitment to the mission of NOSORH or State Offices of Rural Health. This individual may be a new staff member or an existing staff member who has newly demonstrated exemplary communication, passion, or understanding of an issue to enhance education, advocacy or partnerships to improve rural health.Awards Which Do Not Require NOSORH Membership
NOSORH Legislator of the Year Award This award recognizes an outstanding individual federal legislator for her/his work and support of rural health initiatives that address national rural health care needs. Individuals who meet the following criteria should be considered: Introduced or supported an existing piece of significant legislation that addresses an identified rural health need or issue; made a special effort to effect change in rural health policy and/or legislation that benefits rural health outcomes; OR demonstrated leadership that benefits rural communities in America.
NOSORH Values Recognition Award
This award recognizes any individual or group, including SORH leaders or others, who have demonstrated commitment to NOSORH’s values including: health equity for rural Americans, collaboration, trust in SORH capacity to make a difference, inclusiveness and accountability. Recipients of this award will have applied forward thinking and led efforts to envision and implement rural reforms including initiatives in telehealth, population health, quality improvement, alternative payment methodologies, policy and program changes, research or other areas which inform the work of SORH to improve rural health.The Distinguished Andrew W. Nichols Rural Health Advocate Award
This award recognizes an individual who is a member of NOSORH, the National Rural Health Association, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, and/or another national organization, and who has made significant contribution to rural, frontier or border health, has demonstrated deep commitment to social justice and improvement for the health of underserved populations.
Click here to see past award winners
If you are interested in joining the Awards Committee, please contact Ashley Muninger at ashleym@nosorh.org.
Congratulations to this year’s NOSORH Award recipients!
Thank you to all who took the time to nominate a colleague for an award.
The Awards Committee, Co-Chaired by Cathleen McElligott (MA) and Margaret Brockman (NE), is now accepting nominations for the 2016 NOSORH Awards! The Awards Committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and selecting award recipients. These awards are a special way to celebrate and recognize the hard work and leadership of individuals and organizations dedicated to rural health. The nomination process is easy and is done completely online. Awards will be presented during a ceremony at the NOSORH Annual meeting on September 7.
Click here to nominate a colleague! Nominations will be accepted until Friday, August 5 at 5:00 pm EDT.
Click here to see award categories and past award winners. If you are interested in joining the Awards Committee, please contact Ashley Muninger at ashleym@nosorh.org.
The Awards Committee is responsible for collecting nominations and selecting awardees for the annual NOSORH Awards.
Learn more about the NOSORH Awards
NOSORH Award Recipients (1994-2018)
Co-Chairs:
Margaret Brockman
Nebraska Office of Rural Health
Cathleen McElligott
Massachusetts Office of Rural Health