Dr. Stacey Griner receives Boston Congress of Public Health ‘40 Under 40’ award

[Link]Dr. Stacey Griner, assistant professor of population health at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth School of Public Health, has been selected as a 2024 "40 Under 40" Public Health Catalyst Award winner by the Boston Congress of Public Health.

This prestigious international award recognizes the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists, activists, authors and directors who inspire and catalyze others to a more just and equitable world. BCPH supports emerging and established public health thought leaders, researchers and advocates committed to social justice, health equity and leading the way in public health innovation. This achievement places Griner among a diverse group of leaders from around the world, spanning fields such as public health, research, academia, government and beyond.

She was recognized by BCPH according to the organization's three key pillars: action, community collaboration and mentorship.

"This award celebrates your profound impact as a visionary leader, innovative inventor and influential figure in local, regional, national and/or international public health. We are proud to recognize your exceptional commitment and the transformative changes you are championing in your community and globally," BCPH said.

Griner joined HSC in 2019. She currently serves as director of the School of Public Health's Public Health Leadership MPH program and the MPH Maternal and Child Health degree concentration. She is also an affiliate faculty member for the HSC Center for Health Policy.

Griner is a highly collaborative, community-engaged implementation scientist, and her work focuses on translating research into practice. Her primary area of research is sexually transmitted infection screening, prevention and treatment. She was presented with the 2022 American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association (ASTDA) Young Investigator Award for her commitment to improving sexual health, equity and access to STI screening. Griner has co-authored position statements for ASTDA and is an editorial board member for the Sexually Transmitted Diseases journal. She is a governing councilor for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Section of the American Public Health Association.

Before transitioning to academia, Griner practiced as a dental hygienist. Today she is involved in the prevention of oral and oropharyngeal cancers through HPV vaccination policies and guidelines in community dental clinics, and training the oral health workforce on STIs and HIV. Through the Healthy Smiles Project - a collaboration between HSC and the Texas Woman's University dental hygiene clinic, supported by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - Griner works to increase HPV vaccination through interprofessional partnerships with dental hygienists and has hosted community-based immunization events to reduce HPV vaccine disparities among North Texas adolescents.

Since 2019, she has served as treasurer and executive committee member of Health Equity Alliance of Tarrant County, an organization focused on ending health, socio-economic and racial disparities to reduce disproportionate mortality rates among mothers and infants.

As a mentor for HSC students, Griner's work helps train the next generation of public health professionals and provide them with multiple opportunities to gain hands-on, community-based experience prior to entering the workforce.

She has received a number of honors, including the 2024 School of Public Health Distinguished Service Award; 2024 and 2022 SPH Outstanding Faculty Advisor awards; the 2021 SPH Outstanding Public Health Educator Award; and the 2020 HSC Career Champion Award for contributions to SPH students' career development.

"I am honored to accept this 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst award, and I'm thrilled to be in a position in my career where I can lead others to promote health equity through action, community collaboration and mentorship," Griner said.

"My professional path to this point has focused on creating a more equitable and just world, and I am committed to contributing to health equity and social justice for the rest of my career."

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