ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce that Elizabeth England-Kennedy will be awarded the Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity Award during the 2026 SOPHE Annual Conference in Portland, April 22-24.
“I was surprised to learn that I had been selected for the honor of receiving the Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity Award,” said England-Kennedy, an assistant professor at New Mexico State University. “While I believe that my work is important and addresses the needs of populations that are highly marginalized, I also know that many, many people are also addressing health inequity and working hard to empower people and increase social and environmental justice. Because of this, I feel very honored and humbled to have received it. I am grateful to my community and professional partners and my students who have helped in this work and proud to have accomplished all we have!”
This award is given each year to recognize an individual or group who embodies and promotes health equity through research, practice, and/or teaching. Recipients may use the scholarship to cover costs associated with event registration, travel, accommodations, meals and incidentals to the conference or Summit.
“Health is a human right,” she said. “Whenever we act on this belief, we are working to make our world a more equitable place. No action is insignificant as together we move toward establishing Dorothy Nyswander’s Open Society and our common goal of health equity for each person, every community. It isn’t always easy, but it is often gratifying and is always important. Together we are a self-sustaining movement that will succeed despite the obstacles we face. Thank you all for the work that you do.”
Dr. England-Kennedy’sprofessional specialties include One Health, infectious diseases and their impacts on marginalized populations, homelessness, intersections of health and culture, health equity, social and environmental justice, suicide prevention, and behavioral health. She has also been awarded SOPHE’s Karen Denard Goldman Health Education Mentor Award.
“In addition to addressing health inequities that impact the health of individuals and local communities, I have also participated in a team to create a state-level policy and procedure to prepare for the emergence of unexpected health crises at regional and state levels,” she said. “These types of efforts are not often combined, yet for me they are naturally intertwined: In order to achieve health equity for all, we must simultaneously address the needs of the many and of the one. For me, my work at integrating so many levels of the socioeconomic model means that what I do has long-term and far-reaching impacts to increase health equity for all, as well as for members of specific populations. I join a humbling list of people who have been granted this award honoring Dr. Nyswander and her multifaceted work in public health education.”
SOPHE will present all awards and scholarships to public health professionals, health education researchers, faculty, programs, and practitioners at the 2026 SOPHE Annual Conference in April in Portland. These awards and scholarships recognize significant advancements in the profession of health education and health promotion and outstanding contributions of well-established and rising stars to improving the public’s health.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.
