The College of Public Health presented the 2017 Champions of Public Health Awards on October 16 to five individuals and organizations for making strides in improving the health and well-being of Ohioans.

Among the awardees were the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, which received the Dean’s Award for adhering to the needs of poor children, those with disabilities and children of color; Robert Crane, MD, president and founder of the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, who received the Community Leader Award for his work preventing nicotine addiction in Ohio and across the nation; Catherine Hewitt, MPH, health educator and Medical Reserve Corps coordinator for Lake County General Health District, who received the Public Health Practitioner Award for her community health work to end tobacco use and other health education accomplishments; and Al Edmondson, who received the Organization Award for Making a Difference Inc., a non-profit he founded and of which he serves as CEO, that focuses heavily on personal awareness and well-being throughout urban areas of Columbus by holding health fairs and wellness clinics to educate the members of the community.

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