This week, I had the honor of presenting two WSHA awards – the second-annual Ben Lindekugel Governance Excellence Award and the Joe Hopkins Memorial Award. The WSHA awards recognize the excellent work of individuals who make health care better for the residents of our state. This year, the Washington health care community has faced unprecedented challenges. Our award recipients reflect the dedication shown by hospitals and providers across the state to rise to the occasion and continue caring for Washington residents.
The 2020 recipient of the Ben Lindekugel Governance Excellence Award is Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics Board Chair Cherry Alice Van Tine. Cherry Alice is especially recognized for her continuing commitment to health care leadership in the Eastern Washington community of Colfax. She is also active with WSHA, serving as a member of the association’s Hospital Governing Boards Committee and advocating for health care at the state and federal levels of government. Cherry Alice is a tremendous board member who is an exemplary leader in her community and an inspiration to her peers across the state. Great health care governance leads to great health care, and Cherry Alice’s expertise and drive make her incredible deserving of this honor.
The 2020 Joe Hopkins Memorial Award was presented to Providence Community Ministry Board Chair and previous Washington State Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. Mary has also served as administrator for the Northeast Tri-County Health District and was the first non-physician health officer elected to serve as the president of the Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials. Mary has been an institution in the Washington State health care community for decades. This award is the association’s highest honor, with the recipient chosen by a committee of past winners. It was presented to Mary to commemorate her years of service and the many lives she’s directly improved.
It was my pleasure to have the opportunity to present both of these awards during the final session of WSHA’s virtual Annual Meeting eSeries. I know Cherry Alice and Mary personally, and am delighted that they are both being recognized for their dedication to improving the lives of those they serve.
