Vaccinate Alaska Coalition

Award Recipients

2008 Excellence in Immunization Award Recipients

Dr. Rosalyn Singleton is ANTHC Immunization Consultant, CDC Arctic Investigations Researcher, and ANMC pediatrician. Dr. Singleton’s Award certificate states, “for exemplary commitment to protecting Alaskans from vaccine-preventable disease. Through a network of partnerships, her work has guided immunization practice not only in Alaska but also worldwide.”

Three Kenai Peninsula Rotary Clubs receive 2008 Excellence in Immunization Community Partnership Awards. The award was accepted by Wilma Manual PHN Bethel, Cliff Baker, Sarah Riley, Marcy Custer Nurse Consultant Child Health, Gina Carpenter RN Vaccinate Alaska Coalition (VAC) President, Ellen Farrell RN VAC Secretary.  Each club, Kenai River, Kenai, and Soldotna, received certificates that state, “for their collaboration in providing resources to rural Alaskan clinics so that vaccines can be stored properly allowing local access, and for preparing communities for mass dispensing of vaccines”

2007 Excellence in Immunization Award Recipient

Jennifer KalmakoffJennifer Kalmakoff CHP is the recipient of the 2007 Vaccinate Alaska Coalition Excellence in Immunization Award. Jennifer is a Community Health Practitioner (CHP) with Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (BBAHC) practicing in Chignik Lake, Alaska. Jennifer exemplifies how immunization rates can be improved and maintained at a village level. Jennifer has created her own tickler file with a separate card for every person who lives in the village where she works. Her tickler system is set up to remind her for all infant doses at two, 4, 6, 12 and 15 months 2 years, etc. She knows the day an infant turns one year old and calls them in to be vaccinated. Almost all the children in her village receive kindergarten doses at age 4. She keeps a list of all elders who need their flu vaccine. When 10 years is up for someone’s tetanus booster she knows, and contacts them to come in for an update.

Jennifer Kalmakoff is a vaccine champion. She represents what the Vaccinate Alaska Coalition states as their mission: All Alaskans are protected from vaccine preventable disease. Her communities sure are!

2006 Excellence in Immunization Award Recipients

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Children's Hospital of Providence received the Private Provider Vaccinate Alaska Coalition 2006 Excellence in Immunization Award for a quality improvement effort to improve immunization rates of the 450-500 ill neonates admitted to the NICU annually. The goal of the initiative is to have all babies immunized with hepatitis B vaccine prior to discharge and to have 2-month immunizations completed on any child hospitalized longer than 60 days. The NICU at Providence has been successful in consistently having greater than 90 percent of babies immunized prior to discharge.

The 2006 Vaccinate Alaska Coalition's Public Provider Excellence in Immunization Award was presented to Jennifer Meyer RN Bethel State Public Health and Christine Desnoyers of Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation of Bethel. They brought YKHC and the State Division of Public Health together in partnership in Bethel in developing an ambitious influenza vaccine initiative. Chris and Jennifer have a commitment to immunization and a desire to make sure that residents are healthy and protected from vaccine preventable disease. It is truly the grassroots partnerships, as demonstrated here, that lead to improvement of health for many and one that Vaccinate Alaska Coalition is proud to recognize.

2006 VAC Award Recipients
Children's Hospital of Providence Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Jack Jacobs and Juanita Stram, NICU Clinical Manager, accept the 2006 Private Provider Excellence in Immunization Award from VP/President-elect Gina Carpenter RN at the Alaska Immunization Conference Recognition Luncheon on November 16, 2006. 
Photo by John Callahan, PH&SA

2005 Inaugural Excellence in Immunization Award Recipient

In 2005 the first Award recipient was Amy Dressel, MD, Juneau pediatrician and life-span immunization advocate extraordinaire. Dr. Dressel has been an active member of the Vaccinate Juneau's Kids Coalition (VJK) for many years. She volunteers at nearly all VJK immunization events, Super Shot Saturdays, and Health Fairs. She did not hesitate to promote adult immunization during 2005 "Year of the Booster" by donning the campaign mascot costume to become the "Booster Rooster" and strut her stuff on the runway at the 2005 Juneau Wearable Art Show urging the audience to check their immunization status and head to their health care provider if need be. She has written editorial letters, published in the Juneau Empire, and has been on numerous radio shows to promote the necessity of timely and appropriate immunization for children and adults.