Washington County celebrates local community work and public health success stories in 22nd annual Public Health Awards

During National Public Health Week 2025 from April 7-13, Washington County Public Health (WCPH) shared appreciation for key people, partners and staff, celebrating them and their contributions to promoting healthy lives and supporting communities’ well-being.

More than 110 guests came together April 11 for a celebration and storytelling event, recognizing this year’s honorees through awards and stories that shine a light on how they make a difference locally in their own unique ways.

This year’s honorees:

• Angela Perry and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Oregon Chapter received the Public Health Ambassador Award. This award recognizes those in the community who raise awareness of public health issues, develop projects with a lasting impact and/or influence systems or policy changes. Angela and AFSP were both nominated for their role in February's annual Advocacy Action Day at Oregon’s capitol, teaching teens, young adults and others how to safely and effectively advocate for suicide prevention, as well as how to find mental health resources.
  
• Project Access NOW received the Partner in Public Health Award. This award recognizes an organization/business that develops innovative public health programs that positively affect its employees and/or the community at large. Project Access NOW was nominated for their Community Health Worker Program, in which community health workers (CHWs) assist people in underserved communities with enrolling in the Oregon Health Plan, navigating pharmacy benefits, and addressing gaps in care through connections to vital services.
  
• WCPH Senior Program Coordinator Magdalena Ramirez received the Washington County Employee Award. The Washington County Employee Award recognizes an exemplary staff member who goes above and beyond their regular work responsibilities to make a difference in public health. This year’s award went to a WCPH staff member and recognizes a significant body of work in WCPH. Under Magdalena’s leadership, WCPH created its first CHW and traditional health worker (THW) capacity-building space in Spanish, providing support for professional growth while strengthening ties between public health and CHWs/THWs in the process.

In addition to the awards, the event provided guests a glimpse into public health work that often takes place behind the scenes. From describing how CHWs bridge the gap between people and the health care support they need to explaining how the county’s recently updated 9-1-1 system works, key speakers shared stories with the hope of spreading awareness about available community resources in the region.

“Understanding what’s out there can be a huge help in knowing where to go if you need support with your health and well-being,” said Community Partnerships Coordinator Genevieve Ellis. “Whether you just started a family, are looking to prepare for future emergencies or need access to more nutritious food, WCPH strives to help people and communities live their best possible lives through equitable access to local public health programs.”

WCPH would also like to express gratitude for partner organizations that hosted a table during the community event to promote local resources, as well as partners who volunteered to tell their stories. These include Centro Cultural de Washington County, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, Doulas Latinas International, Providence Care Management, Unite Oregon, Health Share of Oregon, Washington County Kids, Promotores Aliados Por Equidad y Liderazgo, Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency, Solvita and Beaverton City Library.

More information on past Public Health Week Award honorees is available at the County’s Public Health Week page.