NRHA announces 2025 Rural Health Award recipients
NRHA is proud to announce the association’s 2025 Rural Health Award recipients and the 2025 NHRA Journal of Rural Health article of the year.
NRHA’s Rural Health Awards are given each year to individuals and organizations in the field of rural health who have dedicated their time and talents to improving the health and well-being of others.
The following winners will be honored during NRHA’s 48th Annual Rural Health Conference May 20-23 in Atlanta:
- Outstanding Rural Health Organization: Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance
- Outstanding Rural Health Program: Food as Medicine
- Louis Gorin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Health Care: Joanie Perkins
- Rural Health Practitioner of the Year: Amanda Achterman, DO, MPH
- Outstanding Educator Award: David Schmitz, MD
- Outstanding Researcher Award: Peiyin Hung, PhD
- Quinn NRHA Student Award: Jayci Avery, MD
- Quinn NRHA Student Award: Bradley Firchow
- NRHA Volunteer of the Year: Marcia K. Brand, PhD
- NRHA President’s Award: Michelle M. Rathman
“We’re extremely proud of this year’s winners, who showcase the resilience and innovation of rural health care providers and communities,” says NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. “They have each made tremendous strides to advance rural health care, and we’re confident they will continue to help improve the lives of rural Americans.”
Learn more about the awardees in NRHA's 2025 Rural Health Awards press release.
NRHA's Journal of Rural Health Editorial Board selected the association's 2025 Article of the Year from all JRH articles published online last year.
NRHA will honor the article “Nursing home closures and access to post-acute care and longterm care services in rural areas” by Hari Sharma, PhD, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, PhD, Fred Ullrich, A. Clint MacKinney, MD, and Keith J. Mueller, PhD at the association's Annual Conference.
“Our rural research community serves a key role in the development of good public policy,” says NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. “NRHA is proud to select this vital and timely research as our Article of the Year.”
Learn more about the article in NRHA's 2025 JRH Article of the Year press release.