Congratulations to the 2022 NACHC Grassroots Advocacy Award Recipients!

We are incredibly grateful to honor 2022 recipients of the NACHC Grassroots Advocacy Awards. All recipients were nominated by their peers for this recognition. Please take a moment to learn more about these advocates and their work. 

Grassroots Hall of Fame inductees have all made lasting contributions to ensuring the creation, survival, and strength of Community Health Centers and the health center movement through their dedicated and tireless advocacy efforts over many years.


Awards Video


2022 NACHC Jose E. Camacho Grassroots Hall of Fame Awardees:

Lisa Rutledge, Special Projects Manager, Western Wayne Family Health Centers

Pamela Clark Cason, Corporate Communication Specialist, Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.

Elvin N. Plank, President and CEO, Indiana Health Centers

Carmen Velasquez, MA, Founder, Alivio Medical Center

Tariq Butt, MD, Vice President of Health Affairs, Access Community Health Network

Kim Mitroka, President and CEO, Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation

Tara McCollum Plese, (Former) Chief External Affairs Officer, Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers

Vicki Young, PhD, Chief Operating Officer, South Carolina Primary Healthcare Association


2022 Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Awardees:

Patricia E. Sarvela, Chief Development Officer, Partnership Community Health Center

Brendan Riley, Director of Policy, North Carolina Community Health Center Association

Joan Bondi, CPA, MBA, Chief Financial Officer, HealthLinc

Harvey Laas, Public Policy Officer, Access Health

Carrie F. Gordon, PhD, Board Member, Foremost Family Health Center

Steven Sera, AAMS, Chair of the MHC Healthcare Board of Directors

Bev Harbin, Chief Executive Officer, Wahiawa Health

Andrea DeMeo, MBA, President and CEO, Trillium Health

Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, FAAP, FACP, President and CEO, The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education

Jerry Isikoff, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Angel Harvey Family Health Center of The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago

Patricia Stubber, PhD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System

Nakeisha R. Cleveland, Deputy Director, Louisiana Primary Care Association

Yamilet Valladolid, MPH, Director of Government and Community Affairs, Golden Valley Health Centers


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