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July 2013

Accolades Just Keep Pouring In...

Awards aplenty this spring among our Vision 2020 community partners!
Six individuals were recognized for their contribution to rural and community health by organizations at the local, state, and national level. Charlie Alfero, MA, Lidia Regino, MA, Francisco J. Ronquillo, Mario Pacheco, MD, Roberto Gomez, MD and Dan Derksen, MD, drew kudos for their work to improve health outcomes in communities.

Congratulations to these Vision 2020 Community Partners!

1) Charlie Alfero, MA, Executive Director of Hidalgo Medical Services-Center for Health Innovation, is this year's recipient of the National Rural Health Association - Louis P. Gorin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Health. Charlie is the first New Mexican to receive this prestigious national award since the inception in 1987. "Award recipients are selected based on their creativity, unselfishness, compassion and cooperative attitude in seeking ways to make lasting contributions to rural health care--- Charlie Alfero embodies all these qualities and more. We are grateful for his lifetime contributions and leadership to our rural and frontier communities in New Mexico!", said Lisa Cacari Stone, a senior fellow at UNM RWJ Foundation for Health Policy.

2) Lidia Regino, MA, Director of the One Hope Centro de Vida Health Center in the International District was named a New Mexico Public Health Association "Public Health Advocate" for 2013 at the April NMPHA meeting in Albuquerque."She has taught our pharmacy, medical and nursing students and Family Medicine residents and faculty about community engagement and modeled for us how community health workers and primary care are essential partners in addressing priority community health needs," said Art Kaufman, UNM Vice Chancellor for Community Health.

3) Francisco J. Ronquillo, Health Extension Rural Offices (HERO) Regional Manager in UNM Office for Community Health, was also named a New Mexico Public Health Association "Public Health Advocate" for 2013 at the April NMPHA meeting in Albuquerque. Francisco's long record of service and affiliation has been a boon in the innovative work being done within Office of Community Health's statewide HERO initiative. "There is no one more deserving than Francisco of the NM Public Health Association Public Health Advocate award. He tirelessly dedicates his career to helping people improve their health status through awareness and behavior change." said Leah Steimel, NMPHA member who nominated Francisco for the award.

4) Mario Pacheco, MD, Director of UNMHSC Hispanic and Latino Center of Excellence, was chosen as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Santa Fe Chapter of Rotary International, for modeling "service above self" and making a difference in their community. Dr. Pacheco is the founder of Northern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency (NNMFMR), a UNM-linked family medicine residency focused on the needs of rural and under-served populations. NNMFMR has the highest rate among UNM residencies of retaining graduate physicians (69%) in New Mexico, with a majority of graduates choosing to serve rural and under-served populations.

5) Roberto Gomez, MD, Psychiatric faculty in Family and Community Medicine was chosen as an "Outstanding Citizen" for his service to the South Valley by Bernalillo County Commissioners, citing "exceptional service and leadership to make a difference in the South Valley". Dr. Gomez provided essential services to populations that would not have had access to care otherwise.

6) Dan Derksen, MD, professor and chair of the Public Health Policy and Management section of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at University of Arizona, has been appointed to the Walter H. Pearce Endowed Chair and director of the Center for Rural Health. Dr. Derksen was a professor at UNM in Family and Community Medicine whenGovernor Susana Martinez appointed him as Director of the New Mexico Office of Health Care Reform in 2011. He submitted the state’s health insurance exchange establishment proposal funded by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. When that process was put on hold by the governor, Derksen accepted an appointment in the College of Public Health at University of Arizona in 2012. "We look forward to partnering with Dr. Derksen again on rural and border health issues", said Dr. Art Kaufman.