Distinguished Fellow Award

The award recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to SOPHE and the profession of health education or public health.

A SOPHE Distinguished Fellow has:

  • Made significant contributions to health education and health promotion.
  • Contributed their creativity and/or exceptional nature to the field.
  • Received professional recognition (honors/awards, special appointments, offices held, research, writing, etc).
  • Demonstrated results and impact of the nominee’s work.
  • Performed in a leadership role within SOPHE.
  • Contributed to health education, SOPHE, and public health.


Past Distinguished Fellows

2023 Marlene Tappe, PhD, MS
2022 Lloyd J. Kolbe, PhD
2021 Kenneth R. McLeroy, PhD, MS
2020 Patricia Dolan Mullen, DrPH, MLS
2019 Linda Lysoby, MS, MCHES®, CAE
2018 David A. Birch, PhD, MCHES®
2017 Robert Simmons, DrPH, MPH, MCHES®, CPH,
2016 Stephen F. Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, MA, MCHES®
2015 Mohammad R. Torabi, PhD, MPH
2014 James H. Price, PhD, MS, MPH
2013 Kathleen R. Miner, PhD, MPH, MCHES®
2012 Frances D. Butterfoss, PhD; Robert S. Gold, PhD, DrPH
2011 Leonard Jack, Jr., PhD, MSc, CHES®
2010 James McKenzie, PhD, MPH, CHES®; David Sleet, PhD, FASHA; Marc Zimmerman, PhD
2009 Eugenia Eng, DrPH; Allan B. Steckler, PhD
2008 Nina Wallerstein, PhD, M. Elaine Auld, MPH, CHES®
2007 Collins Airhihenbuwa, PhD
2006 Kathleen Roe, DrPH, MPH
2005 Barbara Israel, PhD
2004 Robert M. Goodman, PhD, MPH
2003 Donald E. Morisky, ScD, MSPH; Bruce Simons-Morton, EdD, MPH
2002 Harriet Hylton Barr, MPH, CHES®; Emily T. Tyler, MPH, CHES®
2001 Brick Lancaster, MS, CHES®; Meredith Minkler, DrPH; Randy Schwartz, MSPH
2000 William C. Livingood, Jr., PhD, CHES®, Kate Lorig, DrPH, Edward J. Roccella, PhD, MPH
1999 John P. Allegrante, PhD; Ellen M. Capwell, PhD, CHES®; William A. Darity, PhD; John R. Seffrin,
PhD, CHES; Richard A. Windsor, PhD, MPH, MS
1998 Michael P. Eriksen, ScD; Florence B. Fiore, PhD; Robert D. Patten, EdD, MPH
1997 Alyson Taub, EdD, CHES®
1996 William B. Cissell, PhD, MSPH, CHES®
1995 No nominations
1994 Laura Carr Keranen, MPH; Virginia Cheng Li, PhD, MPH
1993 Carl Peter, PhD, MPH, CHES®
1992 Ann E. Nolte, PhD
1991 William H. Creswell, Jr., EdD; Marcia Pinkett-Heller, MPH; Marilyn Rice, MPH
1990 Marshall W. Kreuter, PhD
1989 Elizabeth McMahan, EdD
1989 Peter A. Cortese, DrPH; Lowell S. Levin, EdD
1988 Godfrey M. Hochbaum, PhD
1987 Noreen M. Clark, PhD; Marian V. Hamburg, EdD, CHES®; Clarence E. Pearson, MPH
1986 Helen P. Cleary, DSc, CHES; Paul R. Mico, MPH, CHES; Helen S. Ross, EdD, MPH, CHES®;
Beverly G. Ware, DrPH, CHES®
1985 Lawrence W. Green, DrPH; James P. Lovegren, MPH
1984 Stanley Rosenberg, MA, MPH; Wendy D. Squyres, PhD
1983 Charlotte Leach, MPH; Scott K. Simonds, DrPH, MPH
1982 Sigrid Deeds, DrPH, CHES®; Mary Alice Beetham, MPH
1981 Marshall H. Becker, PhD, MPH
1980 Jeannette J. Simmons, DSc, MPH
1978 Robert A. Bowman, PhD, MPH; Sarah Mazelis, MPH
1977 Helen Massengale, MSPH; Norbert Reinstein, MPH; Howard Ennes, MPH
1976 Edward B. Johns, EdD; Ruth F. Richards, MA, MPH;, Mary E. Spencer, PhD
1975 Marion T. Bryant, MPH; William Griffiths, PhD; Marjorie A. Young
1974 Anne M. Johnson; A. Helen Martikainen, DSc; Levitt B. Mendel, MPH
1973 Ira Hiscock, ScD
1972 Elena Sliepcevich, DPE
1971 Vivian V. Drenckhahn, MS, MPH
1970 Mayhew Derryberry, PhD; Ann W. Haynes, MPH; V. Ramakrishna, MD
1969 Ruth E. Grout, PhD; Mabel Rugen, PhD
1967 Lucy S. Morgan, PhD; Eunice N. Tyler, PhD
1966 Dorothy B. Nyswander, PhD; Claire E. Turner, DrPH
1965 Sally Lucas Jean; Sol S. Lifson, MPH