ASPPH Teaching Excellence Award
The ASPPH Teaching Excellence Award recognizes faculty who demonstrate outstanding contributions to public health teaching and mentorship.
Congratulations to the 2026 ASPPH Award Winner
2026 Award Recipient
Christine M. Arcari, PhD, MPH
Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Award Criteria
Nominations should include a description of the nominee’s outstanding contributions in:
- Development of impactful educational resources, methodologies, and evidence-based assessments
- Innovative leadership in academic public health instruction
- Exceptional mentorship across degree levels
- Contributions to teaching outside traditional programs (e.g., continuing education, public outreach)
- Scholarly contributions to pedagogy and national leadership in teaching
- Recognition as a national/global leader in education
Eligibility
The nominee must have the following:
- Full-time faculty with a primary teaching appointment in an ASPPH-member, CEPH-accredited school/program
- Minimum 10 years of teaching experience
Required Materials
All nominations must contain the following materials:
- Contact information for both the nominee and nominator
- An overview statement (max. 800 words) summarizing the nominee’s qualifications and impact
- The nominee’s curriculum vitae
- Two letters of support, preferably highlighting the nominee’s contributions across multiple dimensions
Award Details
$1,000 Cash Prize
Complimentary registration and travel reimbursement for the ASPPH Annual Meeting.
Formal recognition at the ASPPH Awards Luncheon
Commemorative award trophy
Review & Selection Process
Each nomination is reviewed by a dedicated selection committee cEach nomination is reviewed by a dedicated selection committee composed of:
- Previous award recipients
- ASPPH Section leaders
- Reviewers nominated by deans of ASPPH-member institutions
Nominations are scored using a standardized rubric based on:
- Overall impact
- Promise to improve public health
- Strength of supporting letters
- Quality of experience as outlined in the CV
The committee ranks candidates and forwards a recommendation to ASPPH leadership, who determine final awardees.
Past Winners
2025
Mike Stoots, EdD, MPH
East Tennessee State University College of Public Health
2024
Laura E. Liang, DrPH, MPH, CHES, CPH
Rutgers School of Public Health
2023
Dawn L. Comeau, PhD, MPH
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
2022
Catherine Sherwood-Laughlin, HSD, MPH
Indiana University School of Public Health – Bloomington
2021
Michael Kramer, PhD
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
2020
Karin B. Yeatts, PhD
University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health
2019
Jaime A Corvin, PhD, MSPH, CPH
University of South Florida College of Public Health
2018
Matthew Fox, DSc, MPH
Boston University School of Public Health
2017
Deborah A. McFarland, PhD, MPH
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
2016
Leona Kay Bartholomew EdD, MPH
University of Texas School of Public Health
2015
Joel Lee DrPH, MPH
University of Georgia College of Public Health
2013
Melissa Begg ScD
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
2012
Robin Sawyer PhD, MEd
University of Maryland School of Public Health
2011
Nancy Kane DBA, MBA
Harvard University School of Public Health
2010
Marie Diener-West PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2009
Mark Robson PhD, MPH, MS
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Public Health
2008
Lisa Sullivan PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
2007
Richard Riegelman MD, PhD, MPH
George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services
2006
Lu Ann Aday PhD, MS
University of Texas School of Public Health
2005
David G. Kleinbaum PhD
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health