World TB Day 2021
CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions
The CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions project recognizes organizations and individuals who have made meaningful contributions to end TB in their communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted tuberculosis (TB) control services, causing a shift in staff roles and responsibilities as well as resources in public health departments and healthcare facilities across the United States to address the ongoing needs of the response. In recognition of the way the TB prevention and control community has contributed to the COVID-19 response and how organizations and individuals have adapted to the changing landscape and the important role they have played in the COVID-19 response, we asked for nominations that:
- reflect the important contributions that TB agencies, organizations, and partners have made to the COVID-19 response, and/or
- showcase the innovation and adaption needed to maintain TB elimination activities in a challenging public health environment.
We are sharing these inspiring success stories through CDC’s website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, and hope that they help and inspire others. Check out this year’s TB Champions here, as well as past TB Champions below!
The deadline for nominations for 2021 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions has passed. Check back in 2022 for the next CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions call for nominations.
To complete a 2021 CDC TB Champions nomination, please complete the nomination form, submit a photo and answer the following questions (100 words per submission):
- Describe how the nominee has adapted and continued their work to end TB during the COVID-19 pandemic or applied TB control skills to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- What impact have these efforts made in the community?
- Name(s) of people in the photo
Nomination Submission Process
Submit completed nomination form and additional materials to tbinfo@cdc.gov by February 24, 2021. If you have any questions, please contact tbinfo@cdc.gov.
- Nomination form word icon[DOC – 52 KB]
- Photo Requirements:
- Photo Release Form pdf icon[PDF – 9 KB]: please complete and include with submission
- Types of Image Files
- JPEG (or JPG) – Joint Photographic Experts Group
- PNG – Portable Network Graphics
- Tips for photos:
- Make sure photos demonstrate adherence to CDC, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines (masks, social distancing, etc.)
- For group nominations, consider a photo collage or a screenshot of a group on a video conferencing platform
U.S. TB Champions
- Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T) Project – San Antonio, Texas
- Gerald Barnett, Contact Investigation/Special Populations Supervisor, Dallas County Health and Human Services, Texas
- Dr. Otto F.W. Boneta, Tuberculosis Elimination Program Physician, Texas Department of State Health Services
- The California Tuberculosis Control Branch (TBCB) – Richmond, CA
- Chima Mbakwem – TB/Hansen’s Diseases Program Manager, Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services
- DTBE Cooperative Agreement Awardee Mycobacteriology Public Health Laboratorians
- Harris County Public Health Tuberculosis Elimination Program, Texas
- Housing for Health, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
- Jefferson County Department of Health TB Program, Alabama
- Michele Koenig, RN – Southeastern National TB Center at the University of Florida
- Tenzin Kunor, MDR-TB Survivor and member of We are TB
- Dr. Michael Lauzardo, Director and Principal Investigator, Medical Consultant for Florida State Department of Health, Division of TB Elimination, Southeastern National TB Center at the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Health
- Dr. Scott Lindquist, Communicable Disease Epidemiologist, Washington State Department of Health
- New York City Bureau of Tuberculosis Control (BTBC) Telehealth Team
- San Diego County TB Elimination Initiative (TBEI), County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Services
- TB Nurses in the United States, All Public Health Departments
- TB Program Evaluation Network (PEN) Committee Members- CDC, Atlanta, GA
- Texas Department of State Health Services Region 4/5 North Tuberculosis Elimination Team, Tyler, TX
- Texas TB Programs Supporting TB Services Along the Texas/Mexico Border- Harlingen, TX
- Jeannette Aldous, MD – Clinical Director of Infectious Disease, San Ysidro Health, California
- Breathe Easy South Texas (B.E.S.T) Project – San Antonio, Texas
- CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Laboratory Branch and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Outbreak, Investigations Branch/Molecular Epidemiology Activity
- Bruce Chandler, MD, MPH – Medical Officer with the Division of Public Health, State of Alaska and Public Health Division, Municipality of Anchorage
- DeKalb County, Georgia Board of Health Refugee and Tuberculosis Program
- Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, New York
- Hope Clinic LTBI Team – Hope Clinic & Houston Health Department Bureau of TB, Texas
- Jefferson County Department of Health, Alabama
- Karen Landers, MD F.A.A.P – District Health Officer, Medical Consultant for State TB Program, Alabama Department of Public Health
- Julie Low, MD– TB Controller, Orange County Health Care Agency, California
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories
- Marisa Moore, M.D., MPH – U.S public Health Service, Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health
County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, California - Eric Morgan, BS, MPH, DIPM – Statewide TB Manager/Prison Liaison, Coordinator for Minority Health, Alabama Department of Health, Division of TB Control
- Saint Louis County Department of Public Health Chest Clinic, Missouri
- Jacek Skarbinski – Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente Oakland/Richmond, California
- Dr. Chris Spitters – Interim Health Officer, Snohomish Health District, Washington
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
- Florida Department of Health, Duval County
- Kate O’Brien, We Are TB, TB Survivor
- Laura Smock, MPH, Epidemiologist, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands TB Program
- Daria Szkwarko, DO, MPH, Assistant Professor, Brown University
- Monroe County, New York, Department of Public Health TB Control
- Neha Shah, MD, MPH, Project Director, TB Free California
- Dr. Greg Stern, Health Officer for Whatcom County Public Health
- We Are TB, TB Survivor Network
Read more about the 2017 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions who are expanding latent TB infection testing and treatment in their communities.
- The Allentown Health Bureau Control Team
- Julie Vaishampayan
- Jason Stout
- Breathe Easy South Texas
- Pennan Barry
- Tennessee Collaborative Services
- Lynn Community Health Center
- Stephanie Quinn and Luvette Baldwin
- The Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Tuberculosis Program
- Jonathan Iralu
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Community Health Services
- Denver Metro TB Clinic
- Becky Scoggin
Read more about the 2016 CDC U.S. TB Elimination Champions who are working in one of the five areas that support CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Strategic Plan, 2016-2020.
- Supporting TB Control
- Building Partnerships
- Expanding Testing and Treatment
- Focusing on Prevention
- Maximizing Resources