David B. Vliet Changemaker Award

The David B. Vliet Changemaker Award honors health professionals working in community health centers  and supporting affordable and access to health care for all.

Named after David B. Vliet, MBA retired chief executive officer of Lifelong Medical Care in Berkley, California, and founding member of Advocates for Community Health, this award honors growing community advocates who are changemakers and have advanced health care access and high-impact health initiatives while providing exceptional patient care.

This year’s 2025 Changemaker Award winner is Christy Trotter, CEO, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic!

Read the release.

Prior Awards

2024 Changemaker Award: Sherry Hoback, MBA, BSN, RN, President & CEO of Tampa Family Health Centers

Award Criteria:

• Nominee must be actively employed at a community health center within ACH’s member network.

• Nominee must have at least one year of work experience at the nominating health center, and three years of experience in public or community health.

• Nominee will have contributed significantly towards improvements and innovations in health equity, advocacy, patient access to care or other supports in service delivery in a community health center.

• Nominee will display demonstrated experience in advocating for health centers and the underserved, including but not limited to a focus on one or more of the following: health equity, health center funding, 340B, Value Based Care, Healthcare Workforce, Emergency Preparedness, and Innovation in care for the underserved.

If selected, the nominee will be notified of his/her/their selection, and summarized portions of the submission will be included on ACH’s social media channels. Questions about the David B. Vliet Changemaker Award or the nomination process? Please email us at info@advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.