Join Us in Honoring Excellence in Care and Advocacy for Underserved Populations at Our Conference
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved is honored to represent clinicians and advocates working to improve health equity for underserved populations, and we recognized leading individuals and organizations in our field with awards at our 2021 Virtual Conference, “Mission: Health Equity,” on Nov. 1-2.
Learn more about each winner of our health equity awards below, and thank you again for joining us at #ACUConf to learn and network with clinicians, administrators, and advocates from across the U.S. who are united in working to eliminate health disparities in underserved populations.
Dr. Marco Angulo, MD, MSS
Clinician of the Year Award
This award represents the heart of our work and is awarded to a clinician who has demonstrated their commitment to improving the health of underserved communities through compassion and excellence in healthcare delivery. ACU is proud to honor Dr. Marco Angulo, Medical Director at the AltaMed Institute for Health Equity, for his dedication to eliminating disparities in healthcare access and outcomes in the Latinx medically underserved community.
Brandon W. Moritz
Health Professional in Training Award
This award recognizes a student or resident who goes above and beyond in their commitment to caring for underserved populations. ACU proudly honors Brandon W. Moritz, a third-year medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and President of the Oklahoma University Community Health Alliance. Moritz led an effort to train and mobilize volunteers to administer over 50,000 COVID-19 vaccinations.
Tess Kuenning, CNS, MS, RN
Marc Wetherhorn Advocate of the Year Award
This award honors an advocate who has contributed to improvements to policies and systems that impact the health of underserved populations. ACU proudly recognizes Tess Kuenning, President & CEO of the Bi-State Primary Care Association, for her tireless advocacy in support of the NHSC and other key healthcare workforce initiatives. As a result of her collaborative advocacy, these programs have reached new heights in funding and support.
Senator Dick Durbin
Congressional Champion Award
This award recognizes a member of Congress who serves as a champion for increased access to care, improvements to healthcare delivery, and support for the healthcare workforce. ACU is proud to honor Dick Durbin, Senior U.S. Senator from Illinois, for his unwavering commitment to addressing health care disparities and workforce shortages through his tireless support of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Organizational Excellence Award
This award recognizes organizations that have implemented innovative and effective strategies to improve healthcare in underserved communities through efforts including but not limited to sustaining a skilled and capable workforce and programs and collaborations to increase access to services and improve patient outcomes. ACU is proud to recognize Callen-Lorde Community Health Center for their outstanding commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Max Kanner
Congressional Staff MVP Award
The Congressional Staff MVP award recognizes a Congressional staffer who works tirelessly to lead and support increased access to care, improvements to healthcare delivery, and support for the healthcare workforce. ACU proudly recognizes Max Kanner, Health Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, for his efforts to address healthcare disparities and workforce shortages through his support of the NHSC. His dedication and leadership truly reflect our shared values and mission.
Dr. Kyu Rhee
25th Anniversary Award
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s 25-year history of striving to achieve health equity for all. ACU proudly recognizes Dr. Kyu Rhee, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Aetna at CVS Health for his tireless leadership and contributions not only to ACU but to the cause of health equity and for underserved populations across the United States.
Dr. Barbara Fifield Brandt
25th Anniversary Award
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s 25-year history of striving to achieve health equity for all. ACU is honored to recognize our co-founder and architect Dr. Barbara Fifield Brandt, Director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota (UMN) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, College of Pharmacy at UMN, for her unparalleled work to both create ACU and establish its vision as a trandisciplinary network uniting and supporting all clinicians and advocates working with and for underserved populations.