The Awards
Congratulations to Our 2022 Awardees
Each year, Healthy Teen Network recognizes programs, groups, and individuals who have contributed to promoting young people’s health and well-being through personal or professional efforts.
Awardees exemplify a passion for and commitment to providing honest, affirming care and education and empowering the next generation to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Healthy Teen Network presented the awards at #HealthyTeen22, our annual national conference, on October 17-19 in Miami.
Learn more about our awards and previous awardees, below.
#StandingStrong Award
Zander Moricz
Zander Moricz is the Founder and Executive Director of the Social Equity and Education (SEE) Initiative. Since 2019, he has grown the SEE Initiative into a movement of over 2,000 organizers across the United States. In his home state of Florida, the Initiative is leading the student response to hateful legislation through mass organizing and campaign work. He is also serving as a plaintiff in the "Don't Say Gay" lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis and the state of Florida. Zander is #StandingStrong, to create a world where every young person can realize their right to live their authentic sexuality. Read more...
Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Jessica Ray "J.R." Chester
Jessica 'J.R.' Chester currently serves as a Program Director for Healthy Futures of Texas. She oversees the Texas Youth-Friendly Initiative and Texas Is Ready programs. Inside and outside of this role, J.R. is an advocate for birth equity. She provides care as a certified birth doula, certified lactation counselor, child birth educator, and certified child passenger safety technician to growing families. With her background as a sexual health educator and her lived experience as a former repeat teen parent, she has made it her life's mission to help individuals and families achieve optimal pre-conception, pregnancy, birth, and parenting experiences through informed decision making, reproductive life planning, equitable access to care, education, and support. Read more...
Innovation Award
imi
imi (pronounced eye-me) is a free, digital, research-backed mental health tool for LGBTQ+ youth. The tool was designed with and for LGBTQ+ teens, with an intentional focus on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming youth. imi helps LGBTQ+ youth explore and affirm their identity and learn practical approaches to cope with stress. The creation of imi was a labor of love. Hope Lab, CenterLink, the It Gets Better Project, and hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth played an active role in conceptualizing and co-designing the final product. Read more...
All About the Awards
Outstanding Former Young Parent Award
From day one, when Healthy Teen Network was founded in 1979 as the National Organization for Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting (NOAPP), we have not only affirmed but often been one of but few voices, standing with young families.
Being inclusive of and affirming young people who are pregnant or parenting ensures equity for all youth.
With the Outstanding Former Young Parent Award, we recognize a former young parent who has risen to the challenges of early parenting, has achieved extraordinary personal and/or professional success, and demonstrates phenomenal leadership.
The Outstanding Former Young Parent Award not only recognizes young parents, it celebrates them and their accomplishments, for themselves, and for their families.
#StandingStrong Award
The #StandingStrong Award celebrates individuals or organizations who are champions, standing up with and for the rights of all young people.
Our nation’s young people face continued and escalating attacks on their sexual and reproductive health rights, driven by ideology and partisan agendas. Adolescent sexual and reproductive health is essential to the well-being of our nation, but it takes a legion of us, #StandingStrong, to create a world where every young person can realize their right to live their authentic sexuality.
That means making decisions about their own body and relationships—and feeling good doing it. Decisions about if, when, and how to parent—or not. And the freedom to become who they want to be.
The #StandingStrong Award recognizes those who fight for young people’s access to inclusive, affirming, and truthful sexual and reproductive healthcare services and education.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award is near and dear to our hearts here at Healthy Teen Network because innovation helps us create solutions to meet the ever-changing lives of young people.
With the Innovation Award, Healthy Teen Network recognizes innovation and achievements in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. A creative and youth-centered approach to problem-solving starts with young people and ends with innovative solutions tailor-made to meet their needs.
There are so many different kinds of innovative solutions—from helping young people get the answers they need, to finding the right care, to feeling good about their sexuality, and so much more.
The Innovation Award celebrates individuals or organizations committed to holistic and innovative approaches to promote equity, reduce health disparities, and be inclusive and affirming of the needs of all young people.
The nomination period for the #HealthyTeen22 Awards is now closed. We will be accepting nominations for #HealthyTeen23 Awards in the spring of 2023. Sign up for our email updates to be sure to get the call for awards announcement.
Previous Awardees
Sheila VanWert
Sheana Bull
Power to Decide
Cole Williams
2019 Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Judith Herrman
2019 Douglas B. Kirby Researcher of the Year
Deon Haywood
2019 #StandingStrong Award
Patricia Haynes Smith
2019 Spirit of Service Award
Youth Rebuilding New Orleans
2019 Youth 360º Innovation Award
2018 Awardees
Pat Paluzzi, #StandingStrong Award
Nelly Vianna, Youth 360° Innovation Award
Miki Rutledge, Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Karin Coyle, Douglas B. Kirby Researcher of the Year
Tara Beeston, Chrissy Cmorik, & Rachel Miller, Spirit of Service Award
Shirley Nash Weber, Spirit of Service Award
2016 Awardees
Kristin Fairholm, Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Paula Braverman, Douglas B. Kirby Researcher of the Year
Young Women United, Youth 360° Innovation Award
Purple W.I.N.G.S., Spirit of Service Award
2014 Awardees
Susan Tortolero Emery, Douglas B. Kirby Adolescent Research Award
Jean Warren Lindsay, Spirit of Service Award
#NoTeenShame, Spirit of Service Award
Corey Jones, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Georgia Public-Private Partnership to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (GCAPP), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Mary Jo Podgurski, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
2012 Awardees
Peter L. Benson, Researcher of the Year Award
Leah Herbert, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
GENESISTER (Boulder County Public Health), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Amy Schalet, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
2010 Awardees
Kristin Anderson Moore, Researcher of the Year Award
Janet P. Realini, Spirit of Service Award
Mark Strama, Spirit of Service Award
Laura Buxton, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Michele Vaughn, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
BrdsNBz (SHIFT NC), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Elizabeth Schroeder, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
Lorraine Vogel Klerman, Lifetime Achievement Award
2008 Awardees
Carol Cassell, Outstanding Researcher Award
Diane Denish, Spirit of Service Award
Alfredo Vigil, Spirit of Service Award
Linda Lopez, Spirit of Service Award
Kathy Harms, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
The Denver Teen Pregnancy Prevention Partnership, Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
The Freshmen Focus Program (Palmetto Health Community Services of South Carolina), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Elizabeth Schroeder, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
2006 Awardees
Claire D. Brindis, Outstanding Researcher Award
Lillian Harris, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
No Kidding: Straight Talk from Teen Parents, Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Wesley Shelter, Outstanding Intervention Program Award
SHINE Program, Outstanding Prevention Program
Juanita Weber, Outstanding Individual Professional
2017 Awardees
Joseph Yusef, Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Abraham Wandersman, Douglas B. Kirby Researcher of the Year
Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy, Youth 360° Innovation Award
Ariana B. Kelly, Spirit of Service Award
Delores Goodwin Kelly, Spirit of Service Award
2015 Awardees
Aisha Mix, Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Lesley Del Rio, Outstanding Former Teen Parent
Richard P. Barth, Douglas B. Kirby Researcher of the Year
University of Michigan Health System, Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Brandon Scott, Spirit of Service Award
B’More for Healthy Babies, Spirit of Service Award
Middle Grades Partnership Students, Spirit of Service Award
2013 Awardees
Ralph DiClemente, Douglas B. Kirby Adolescent Research Award
Otis S. Johnson, Spirit of Service Award
Lisa Carter, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Gender Matters (EngenderHealth), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Barbara Kemp Huberman, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
2011 Awardees
Freya Lund Sonenstein, Researcher of the Year Award
Chelsa Wagner, Spirit of Service Award
Lilah Fisher Wise, Spirit of Service Award
James Wagoner, Spirit of Service Award
Afterschool Health and Sexuality Education Program
Héctor Sánchez-Flores, The Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education
2009 Awardees
John Santelli, Outstanding Researcher Award
Michael Carrera, Spirit of Service Award
Michele Ozumba, Spirit of Service Award
Tchernavia Ranesfore, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
The Lucas County, Ohio Youth Development/Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Response-Ability Pregnant and Parenting Program (RAPPP), Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Sharon Rodine, Healthy Teen Network Pioneer Award
2007 Awardees
Laurie Schwab Zabin, Outstanding Researcher Award
Robert Chew accepting on behalf of HBO, Spirit of Service Award
Karen Pittman, Spirit of Service Award
Loren Harris, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Future Promises, Outstanding Emerging Innovation for Young Families Award
2005 Awardees
Barbara W. Sugland, Outstanding Researcher Award
Ounce of Prevention Fund, Spirit of Service Award
Henry A. Waxman, Spirit of Service Award
Jo Lerberg, Outstanding Former Teen Parent Award
Home Based Contraception Program, Outstanding Emerging Innovation Award
Bette J. Gifford, Outstanding Individual Professional
The “Must-Attend” Conference
Each year, the Healthy Teen Network Conference is the go-to network for connecting youth-supporting professionals with the opportunities, training, and tools they need to empower the next generation to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Our vast membership network of more than 5,600 affiliates is made up of diverse adolescent sexual and reproductive health professionals.
At Healthy Teen Network, we know youth-supporting professionals do their best when they’re connected to great opportunities and resources—and with others working in sexual and reproductive health. And when they are well-supported, we see more positive outcomes for the youth they serve.
As a conference sponsor, you can join us in doing this important work.
Sponsorship opportunities include Premier Sponsorships and Boost Your Brand Sponsorships.
What We Have Heard
Don't just take our word for it, here are what some of our attendees have to say about past conferences.
!["This [conference] was amazing! Love the connection and community."](https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/5-4.png)
Premier Opportunities
Sponsorship is win-win for everyone. You get exposure to conference attendees; they get the capacity-building sessions and networking opportunities they need to provide the very best sexual health education and services. Learn more.
Boost Your Brand
Grab the spotlight with these exhibiting and advertising sponsorship opportunities. Attend the conference and showcase your services and resources by hosting an exhibit table, with our all access pass. Can't make it to Portland? Send us your content and we'll share it out on our social media platforms. Learn more.
What's Next?
Discover the magic of the Network.