11/21/2025

2025 Award Recipients

MHOA presents six Distinguished Service Awards each year during this conference, and for 2025 added a seventh special one, the Health/Inspectional Services Department of Distinction. Nominations are solicited from our membership, and the Awards and Scholarship recommends winners to the MHOA Board of Directors who votes on the final recipients. Thank you to our scholarship and awards committee members, and to all of our members who took the time to nominate a colleague. We received more nominations than ever before, and strongly encourage members to continue nominating colleagues in future years, even if they weren’t chosen this year. You can read more about the awards, and see a list of past recipients here. The 2025 winners are:

Curtis M. Hilliard Award - Andrea Briggs

Health Department of Distinction - Chelmsford Health Department

John D. Crowley Award - Amy Donovan-Palmer

Sandra Collins Public Health Nursing Award - Taylor West

Michael D. Saraco - Randy Crochier

Jeffrey P. Stephens - Nancy Porter

President's Award - BIDLS Division of Epidemiology Local Public Health Internship Program

Upon retirement, MHOA members may be considered for Emeritus status. Current or former MHOA members who have:

• Held an important leadership role in MHOA
• Made significant contributions to MHOA and to the field of public health
• Engaged in volunteer or advocacy activities while serving on the Board of Directors
• Fully completed the Board term(s) for which they were appointed
• Participated in one or more MHOA committees 
• Or contributed other duties to the growth of MHOA

 The Board of Directors voted to recognize the following individuals with Emeritus Status:

• Dawn Sibor
• Joanne Belanger 
• Charlie Kaniecki 
• John Coulon
• Kathleen MacVarish

Congratulations and thank you for your service to MHOA! They're all now lifelong members, and no longer have to pay membership dues.

Members who have retired during the past year were also recognized during the conference. Best wishes for relaxation to the retirees!

Joanne Belanger, Lexington

Patricia Crafts, Andover

Rosemary Decie, Groveland

Beth Hallal, Seekonk

Robin Magner, Hingham

Dave Mason, Sandwich

Gina McNeeley, Montague

Marybeth McKenzie, Barnstable

Valorie Sibley-Daigle, Northland Engineers

Amy Von Hone, Brewster