Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Louis County honors three public‑health partners with 2026 Achievement Awards
Summary
The St. Louis County Board recognized three public‑health partners — Lisa Hess, Children’s Dental Services (executive director Sarah Wovcha) and Sally Ludlow of the W.C. Heim Medical Foundation — for work on infection prevention, rural pediatric dental access and hospital fundraising.
The St. Louis County Board on Wednesday presented its 2026 Public Health Achievement Awards to three community partners for work to prevent disease, expand access and shore up rural health services.
County public‑health officials highlighted recent local efforts addressing sexually transmitted infections and vaccine outreach before introducing the honorees. Lisa Hess was recognized for her longtime role in hospital infection control and for coordinating clinician education on HIV testing and prevention. Children’s Dental Services was honored for co‑locating preventive dental clinics with county WIC sites; the board’s materials say the partnership held 22 clinics in 2025 serving 154 patients and conducted outreach to more than 300 WIC families. Sally Ludlow accepted an award remotely for her leadership of the W.C. Heim Medical Foundation, which the county said has contributed more than $1 million to support Cook Hospital and maintains an endowment that officials described as roughly $2.5–$3 million.
“I came to infection prevention late in my career…but to receive this award, truly I cannot even express how much this means to me,” Lisa Hess said in brief remarks, adding that infection‑prevention work “is not about what is best for me, but what is best for all of us.”
Sarah Wovcha, executive director of Children’s Dental Services, said the organization’s model of delivering preventive services where families already receive nutrition and support addresses transportation barriers and provider shortages in rural communities and that a full‑service clinic is planned to open in Chisholm later this year.
Sally Ludlow, speaking from Florida, described the foundation’s volunteer board and fundraising work, and invited board members and the public to an August 22 fundraising event supporting Cook Hospital.
Board members and staff praised the recipients’ collaboration with local health systems, schools and state public‑health partners. The awards coincide with National Public Health Week, which officials noted as a moment to acknowledge prevention and community health work.
The board took the recognitions in a single presentation before moving to scheduled public hearings and regular business.
