By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Leaders in respiratory illness, cancer prevention and health communication, and maternal and child health were inducted into the University of Kentucky College of Public Health’s Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Oct. 17 in Lexington.
The inductees were Gunnar Kennedy, Robin Vanderpool, Dr. Steve Davis, Dr. William Hacker, and Mark Birdwhistell.
The 2025 Public Health Hall of Fame inductees are:
Promising Leader Award: Gunnar Kennedy, MPH, has already laid the foundation for an impactful career with his work with the Kentucky Department for Public Health, enhancing the Respiratory Disease Dashboard and leading wastewater surveillance.
“Both personally and professionally, it is hard to put into words what an honor it is to be recognized by my alma mater,” Kennedy said. “The professors here have continued to serve as selfless experts I look to while in my career.”
Distinguished Leader Award: Robin Vanderpool, DrPH, a Kentucky native and UK alumna, has spent 25 years driving cancer prevention and health communication at UK’s Markey Cancer Center and is currently chief of the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the National Cancer Institute.
“It’s special to now look up and reflect that perhaps I’ve had a bigger influence and impact than I fully recognized,” Vanderpool said.
The Hume Medallion: The college’s highest honor for exceptional service to Kentucky and beyond was presented to the trio behind Kentucky HANDS, Health Access Nurturing Development Services. Medical Director of Lexington-Fayette County Health Department Dr. Steve Davis, former Kentucky Health Commissioner Dr. William Hacker, and UK Senior Vice President for Health and Public Policy Mark Birdwhistell built a statewide maternal and child health network that delivers home visiting and systems-level support to families across the commonwealth.
On being awarded the Hume Medallion, Davis said, “If you keep the family as your focus, then great things will come together.”
Hacker said that being selected “came as a total surprise. It is a true honor, especially considering prior recipients.”
Birdwhistell described receiving the award as “both humbling and affirming, because it reflects our collective, lifelong commitment to public health policy and improving the lives of Kentuckians.”
