Press Release: Association of Immunization Managers Announces the Six 2024 AIM Award Winners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2024
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Association of Immunization Managers Announces the Six 2024 AIM Award Winners
[ROCKVILLE, MD] – December 19, 2024 –The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), representing the 64 federally funded state, territorial, and urban area immunization programs, announces the winners of the following annual AIM Awards: The Natalie J. Smith, MD, Award for Excellence in Program Management, the AIM Rising Star Award, the AIM Impact Award, and AIM Partnership Award.
The Natalie J. Smith, MD, Award for Excellence in Program Management recognizes visionary immunization program manager leaders who significantly advance city, state, territory, and national vaccine-preventable disease goals. Award winners also demonstrate Dr. Smith’s noble ideals, innovation, and commitment to excellence in immunization practices. This year’s winner is a demonstrated and passionate leader in the AIM community, having previously received the AIM Impact Award and served in various leadership positions over the past 20 years, including AIM chair, secretary-treasurer, and multiple terms on the Executive Committee. This program manager’s accomplishments in their home state include the establishment of a statewide school-located vaccination program, HPV school requirement, and a comprehensive pandemic vaccination program involving more than 150 stakeholders from over 90 organizations.
- Winner: Ron Balajadia, MS, Immunization Branch Chief, Immunization Branch, Hawai’i Department of Health
The AIM Rising Star Award recognizes new immunization program managers who demonstrate effective leadership and potential for growth within AIM. Both of this year’s Rising Star Award recipients engage with peers and partners nationwide. They are both members of multiple AIM committees and have shared their program’s work and lessons in the AIM Quarterly Peek, AIM webinars, and roundtable discussions.
- Winner: Emman Parian, MPH, Immunization Program Manager, Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Division of Public Health Services, Northern Mariana Islands
- Winner: Merideth Plumpton, RN, Immunization Program Manager, Vermont Department of Health
The AIM Impact Award recognizes immunization program managers who dedicated significant time and expertise to advance AIM’s goals. The two 2024 Impact Award recipients are no strangers to AIM. They have served on numerous AIM committees, working groups, summits, and were featured speakers in webinars. They serve as mentors to new members and speak as voices for program managers with wisdom. They are true leaders for program managers in their regions and beyond.
- Winner: Dave McCormick, Immunization Division Director, Indiana Department of Health
- Winner: Sarah Leeds, MPH, Immunization Program Manager, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
The AIM Partnership Award recognizes a collaborator who, with AIM, implements a project that delivers a valuable resource or service to AIM members. The winner of this year’s Partnership Award has been integral to immunization programs in supporting their use of immunization information systems (IIS) and continuing the advancement of the nation’s leading public health information infrastructure. Founded in 1999, the American Immunization Registry Association, or AIRA, serves the IIS community and works tirelessly to bring the IIS and program manager communities together. AIRA continues to foster collaboration among IIS and immunization programs, organizations, communities, and public health professionals and provide valuable resources to all awardees, partners, and stakeholders.
- Winner: American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA)
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 AIM Awards!
Visit the AIM awards webpage for additional information and to learn more about the inspiring work of this year’s recipients.
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About Association of Immunization Managers:
The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) is a nonprofit membership association comprised of the directors of the 64 federally funded state, territorial, and local public health immunization programs. AIM is dedicated to working with its partners nationwide to reduce, eliminate, or eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases. AIM also works to ensure the success of its members by providing support in their programming interests. Since 1999, AIM has enabled collaboration among immunization managers to effectively control vaccine-preventable diseases and improve immunization coverage in the United States. For more information on AIM, please visit www.immunizationmanagers.org/.