The University of Iowa College of Public Health is recognizing four leaders whose contributions across a range of disciplines are helping to promote better health and prevent disease throughout the state of Iowa.
The 2014 Iowa Public Health Heroes Awards will be presented to Karen Crimmings of Manly, Iowa, head of the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health; Ronald Eckoff, M.D., of Cumming, Iowa, retired medical director for the Division of Health Promotion, Prevention, and Addictive Behaviors at the Iowa Department of Public Health and member of Iowa’s Public Health Advisory Council; Binnie LeHew of Des Moines, head of the Iowa Department of Public Health Office of Disability, Injury, and Violence Prevention; and Laurie Zelnio, director of Environment, Product Safety, Standards and Energy/Climate for Deere & Company.
College of Public Health dean Sue Curry says the annual Iowa Public Health Heroes Awards celebrate the exceptional efforts of Iowa’s public health practitioners and recognize individuals from diverse career paths who have worked to improve health and wellness throughout Iowa.
"All Iowans benefit from the efforts of these outstanding individuals,” says Curry. “They are tireless and effective champions of public health who are dedicated to promoting environmental responsibility, preventing injuries, safeguarding against disease, and advocating for effective health policies for all Iowans.”
The award recipients, who were nominated by their peers in the Iowa public health practice community, will be honored at the 15th annual Iowa Public Health Practice Colloquium, “Putting the Pieces Together: Leveraging Your Organization’s Assets for Performance Improvement.” The colloquium will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Iowa City.
Additional information about the 2014 Iowa Public Health Heroes Award recipients follows.
Crimmings is known and respected throughout north central Iowa for her work in disease prevention and investigation. She created a surveillance tool for use in Cerro Gordo County that outlines higher rates of school absence as an early indicator of childhood illness or a potential disease outbreak. Crimmings has also spearheaded hugely successful initiatives in the areas of childhood immunization, rabies education, and foodborne illness.
Eckoff has spent nearly a half century advancing the cause of public health. In 1965, he began a career at the Iowa Department of Public Health in which he served as medical director, division director, and acting director of the department. Eckoff still serves as a member of the Dallas County Board of Health, the Iowa Public Health Association, and the Public Health Advisory Council.
LeHew has been a long-time public health advocate in Iowa, particularly in the area of injury, violence, and disability prevention. In addition to her role with IDPH, she currently serves as president-elect of the Safe States Alliance, the nation’s largest professional organization representing injury and violence prevention practitioners, and is past chair of the State and Territorial Rape Prevention Education Director’s Council. She has been active with groups such as the Iowa Prevention of Disabilities Policy Council, Iowa Trauma System Advisory Council, Iowa Sex Offender Research Council, the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the Polk County Domestic Abuse Coordinating Council. In 2011, she received a Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Zelnio has spent her career promoting a culture of environmental responsibility through John Deere corporate initiatives targeted to protect the air, land, and water for its employees, customers, and the communities in which the company operates. She was instrumental in establishing John Deere’s 2018 EcoEfficiency Goals focused on reducing the company’s and its customers’ environmental footprints through energy and water efficiency, waste recycling, and product sustainability activities. Zelnio’s dedication to employee health and safety have made a lasting impact on John Deere’s manufacturing operations in Iowa and around the globe.
Photos and additional information about the Iowa Public Health Heroes Awards can be found here.
Although there is no charge to attend the colloquium, participants wishing to attend need to register by Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Kate Check in advance at 319-335-8451.