Health and Medicine Policy Research Group has announced the recipients of the 2014 HMPRG Awards representing leaders in the fields of medicine, policy, public health, and advocacy. University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health professor Dr. Jesus Ramirez-Valles, and Professor Emeritus Mr. Daniel Swartzman, are among the nine 2014 winners and both received the Health Award for their work advancing the improvement of population health in Chicago and the wider community.

The HMPRG Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose work exemplifies Health & Medicine’s mission to promote social justice and challenge inequities in health and health care. Since their inception in 2006, 28 awards have been presented to leading health professionals as well as “emerging leaders” under 30 and a “young activists” between the ages of 16 and 20. Dr. Ramirez-Valles, Mr. Swartzman, and their fellow 2014 honorees will be celebrated at an awards event on October 14 in Chicago.

“Dr. Jesus Ramirez-Valles is a leader in public health and embodies the Health & Medicine values of social justice and cultural relevance in health and well-being,” Dr. Joseph Zanoni, a research assistant professor at the School of Public Health and a member of Health & Medicine’s Board of Directors said, “In research, teaching, and service he excels in addressing critical health care needs, promoting community participation, and documenting innovative methods for reaching vulnerable and underserved populations.”

Mr. Swartzman was also recognized for his health work marked by his decades of mentorship and scholarship at UIC where he designed and taught a “social ethics in public health” course exposing students to the building blocks of an ethical framework that can result in policies and practices that focus on improvements in health for vulnerable populations.

To read more, click here: http://hmprg.org/News/HMPRGAwardWinners.