Changemaker Award: Leon Lowenstein Foundation

The Changemaker Award was presented to the Leon Lowenstein Foundation for its extraordinary contributions to advancing mobile healthcare. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation recognized the essential role mobile clinics could play in reaching underserved communities. Through strategic investments, advocacy, and steadfast support, they helped elevate mobile healthcare to national prominence, ensuring mobile clinics were recognized as trusted messengers in vaccine distribution and healthcare delivery.

Over the past five years, the Foundation has invested more than eight million dollars to strengthen the mobile health sector, supporting organizations like the Mobile Healthcare Association and Mobile Health Map. Their impact has been transformative, bolstering infrastructure, expanding research capabilities, and enabling mobile health providers nationwide to demonstrate their effectiveness to funders and policymakers. Thanks to their generosity and vision, millions of lives have been touched, and the mobile health movement is stronger than ever.

Jim Goodwin Driver Excellence Award

Named in honor of Jim Goodwin, a beloved figure in the mobile health community whose dedication and logistical expertise helped shape the field, this award recognizes drivers who embody his commitment and spirit. This year, two exceptional individuals were honored:

Herbert Dee, Utah Navajo Health System
Herbert serves as lead driver for Utah Navajo Health System’s mobile mammography, medical, and dental units. His unmatched technical expertise, mechanical intuition, and commitment to safety make him indispensable to his team. Beyond his role as a driver, Herbert mentors new staff, ensures the safe transport of sensitive equipment, and provides a calming presence as both a driver and full-time security guard. Known for his humility and quiet leadership, Herbert is the backbone of his organization’s mobile services and a trusted protector of patients and staff in remote communities.

Jason King, Mount Carmel Health System
With more than 22 years of service, Jason King exemplifies the heart of the Mount Carmel Street Medicine program in Columbus, Ohio. Managing a fleet of nine vehicles, Jason also drives the mobile medical coach several days each week, supports providers by dispensing medications and performing tests, and oversees medical supply inventories. His compassion shines through in his willingness to go above and beyond, most notably when he helped convince a vulnerable man to accept lifesaving medical care during a brutal winter storm. Jason’s steady support has been vital to the success and humanity of his program.

Jerry McLarty Connectivity Grant: Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Reliable connectivity is critical in mobile healthcare, especially when serving rural or underserved areas. The Jerry McLarty Connectivity Grant, provided by West Networks and Peplink, was awarded to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to support their Prevention on the Go program.

For more than 50 years, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has dedicated itself to reducing cancer disparities and providing high-quality care across Louisiana and Mississippi. Their mobile units deliver no-cost cancer screenings, including breast, prostate, skin, oral, and colorectal, to thousands of medically underserved individuals each year, with patient navigators ensuring timely follow-up and treatment. Connectivity challenges in rural communities had previously hindered real-time documentation, patient navigation, and telehealth opportunities.

With the support of this grant, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center will enhance connectivity across its mobile clinics, streamlining patient care, enabling telehealth consultations, and expanding educational outreach. This upgrade will allow the program to serve even more patients efficiently and effectively, further reducing barriers to cancer prevention and care.

Watch Jerry McLarty’s testimonial to learn how he discovered Peplink and West Networks, and the impact they’ve had on his work, here.

Mobile Health Clinics Innovation Award: Children’s Health Fund

The Mobile Health Clinics Innovation Award was presented to Children’s Health Fund (CHF) for their groundbreaking Community Compass initiative. CHF has long been a leader in eliminating healthcare barriers for children and families in underserved communities, operating a network of 50 mobile clinics across the United States.

The Community Compass builds on CHF’s legacy by engaging community members directly in shaping new pediatric mobile health programs. Through open dialogues, facilitated discussions, and needs assessments, CHF ensures that services are tailored to the unique priorities of each community. Recent successes include the launch of the House to Home mobile program in Rochester, New York, co-developed with parents and caregivers, and new programs being shaped for both urban and rural communities.

By centering community voices and creating a replicable toolkit, CHF is redefining how mobile health programs are designed, ensuring they are inclusive, culturally responsive, and sustainable.

Poster Session Winners

The conference also showcased groundbreaking research and program evaluations through its Poster Session Awards:

Winner
Hennepin Health (Minnesota)
Development and Evaluation of a Postpartum Mobile Clinic
Authors: Sheyanga Beecher, CNP, MPH; Sofia Miller; Kate Pfaff, MSN, APRN, CNM

First Runner-Up
The Sun Bus (Colorado)
Impact of The Sun Bus: A Mobile Dermatology Clinic on Skin Cancer Awareness, Prevention, and Healthcare Costs
Authors: Logan Ellwood-Digel; Tamara Terzian, PhD; Rafael Homer, MD

People’s Choice Award
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (Pennsylvania)
Driving and Delivering Preventive Cancer Screening Straight to the Patients
Authors: Robert Giamboy, Jr.; Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH; Kristine Pham, MPH

Looking Ahead

The 21st Annual Mobile Health Clinics Conference highlighted not only the pressing challenges but also the immense progress and innovation shaping the future of mobile healthcare. From visionary philanthropists to quiet heroes on the road to organizations pushing boundaries in technology and community engagement, this year’s honorees remind us what is possible when dedication meets innovation.

As mobile health continues to expand its reach, these awardees inspire all of us to keep driving forward, bringing quality care to those who need it most.

Mark your calendar for the 22nd Annual Mobile Health Clinics Conference, happening September 26 to 29, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. Join us for a gathering where ideas will cascade, partnerships will flow, and innovation will spring forth, just like the city that hosts us.