D.A. Henderson Award
The D.A. Henderson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Health recognizes a lifetime of achievement in public health. Dr. Henderson’s role in leading the successful eradication of smallpox will stand forever as a shining example of the profound impact that infectious diseases physicians and scientists can have in preventing disease and relieving human suffering. By naming this award in his honor, we hope to inspire others to become champions for public health throughout the world.
D.A. Henderson (1928-2016) was an American physician, epidemiologist and public health expert. He is widely regarded as a hero in the global eradication of smallpox, leading the World Health Organization’s smallpox eradication campaign from 1966 to 1977. Henderson’s strategic leadership and tireless efforts resulted in the successful eradication of smallpox, marking one of the greatest achievements in public health history.
Awardee
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David B. Ross, MD, PhD, MBI
David B. Ross, MD, PhD, MBI, is a strategic and transformational leader whose tenure as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Viral Hepatitis Program led to a paradigm shift in hepatitis treatment and a healthier veteran population. His work in spearheading VA’s hepatitis C elimination program from 2006 to the present day represents a landmark achievement in public health.
Past D.A. Henderson Award winners
| 2024 | Denise Cardo, MD, FIDSA, FSHEA |
| 2023 | John F. Modlin, MD |
| 2022 | Nimalie Stone, MD |
| 2021 | Lawrence C. Maddoff, MD, FIDSA |
| 2020 | Carol Dukes Hamilton, MD, MHS, FIDSA |
| 2019 | Catherine M. Wilfert, MD, FIDSA |
| 2018 | William Schaffner, MD, FIDSA, FSHEA |
| 2017 | F. Marc LaForce, MD, FIDSA |