The Shawnee County Board of Health recognized two 2025 Public Health Champion awardees during its Oct. 23 meeting, honoring an individual and an organization for leadership on health equity and community partnerships.

"For over 20 years, Lissa has advanced public health by fostering cross sector collaboration and creating inclusive opportunities for wellness," Teresa Fisher, director of the Shawnee County Health Department, said while presenting the individual award. Fisher invited Lissa Staley to speak after reading excerpts from Staley’s nomination.

Staley accepted the award and brought copies of a new Kansas Health Foundation publication. In brief remarks, Staley recited a poem she wrote about public health and emphasized the field’s focus on prevention, equity and community collaboration. "Public health people want health in all policies," she said, and described public‑health work as a form of community care.

The organizational award went to SENT, which Fisher described as "a trusted neighbor and a tireless advocate for the people of Southeast Topeka," praising its resident‑led, relational approach to building community resilience. Jill Rice, representing SENT at the meeting, described an effort to create a one‑stop resource center offering express care, mental‑health and substance‑use appointments, and other supportive services in Southeast Topeka.

Commissioners and health department staff took a brief photo opportunity with the award recipients and commended the awardees’ community work. No funding or directive accompanied the awards; they were given as recognition of community contributions to public health.