2017 Ward Cates emerging
leader award
Each year the Triangle Global Health Consortium recognizes emerging leaders in North Carolina who have demonstrated significant promise and a commitment to improving the health of the world's communities.
The Ward Cates Emerging Leader Award is named in memory of Dr. Ward Cates, President Emeritus and Distinguished Scientist of FHI 360. Dr. Cates dedicated his life's work to the fields of HIV/AIDS and women's reproductive health. His tireless efforts made a significant impact on global health both in North Carolina and around the world. Information on past Emerging Leader Award winners can be found here.
Three finalists for the 2017 Ward Cates Emerging Leader Award have been chosen by an advisory panel of global health experts, and the community is now invited to vote for their choice for the winner. The winning individual will be profiled on the TGHC website and in communications materials and will be presented with the award at the Triangle Global Health Consortium's Annual Award Celebration on May 2 at Top of the Hill Restaurant in front of many of the top regional leaders in global health.
Voting is now closed as of Friday, April 14 at 5:00 pm (ET).
Award Criteria:
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A commitment to improving the health of the world's communities
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A spirit of innovation
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Collaboration
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Demonstrated leadership potential in improving global health
Dr. Ward Cates
Katie Grimes, MPH
Katie Grimes is currently a Public Health Analyst with RTI International, supporting research and program operations in sexual violence prevention, HIV/AIDS, global health security, and LGBT+ health. She works across 5 countries, employing evidence-based practices to improve health disparities among at-risk populations and strengthen health systems. She intends to further her commitment to global health research by returning to school to earn a doctoral degree in the near future.
FINALISTS
Caleb Parker, MA
Caleb Parker, a graduate of the Geography MA program at East Carolina University, has been with FHI 360 for ten years, supporting the organization’s global health scientific objectives with his skills in geospatial analysis and qualitative research. After getting his start mainly as a qualitative analyst on projects involving HIV, maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, and gender-based violence, Mr. Parker saw opportunities for utilization of geographic visualization and analysis to better understand complex phenomena.
Lavanya Vasudevan, PhD, MPH, CPH
Lavanya Vasudevan is a research scholar in the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at the Duke Global Health Institute. Dr. Vasudevan is a global leader and expert in digital health. She currently serves as an expert on digital health taxonomy and evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO), specifically advancing integration of digital health interventions with national health systems globally. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters on digital health.