Each year the Massachusetts Adult Immunization Conference Planning committee selects the Adult Immunization Champion Award winners based upon a nomination and review process looking for leadership, innovation, collaboration, advocacy and initiative towards improving adult immunization rates. This year’s awardees are Kitty Mahoney, Chief Public Health Nurse, Town of Framingham and Leila Mercer, Public Health Nurse, Natick Health Department.
Kitty Mahoney
Kitty Mahoney, RN, BSN, MS is the Chief Public Health Nurse for the Town of Framingham. Kitty routinely advocates for and speaks on behalf of Public Health Nursing issues including immunization initiatives. She has served two terms as Vice President and two terms as President of the Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses and serves on several local and regional public health committees. Kitty is the MRC coordinator for Framingham, Co-Executive Director for the MRC Advisory Board for Region 4A and serves on the Regional Emergency Planning Committee. Kitty was awarded Public Health Fellow through the Local Public Health Institute/Boston University School of Public Health. She accepted the Governors Appointment to State Board Division of Professional Licensure for Certified Health Officers where she serves as Secretary. Most recently, she was named on the Massachusetts Honor Roll for Tuberculosis Control by the New England Consortium. Her outreach and immunization efforts include a broad, culturally competent messaging network of translated materials, use of social media, printed and radio press and she has a strong, collaborative relationship with colleagues in Public Health Nursing, School Health, Occupational Health and MRC volunteers. She commits every office visit in her daily clinics as an opportunity to vaccinate.
Leila Mercer
Leila Mercer, MSN, RN has been Public Health Nurse for the Natick Health Department since 2004. She has been an advocate of immunizations for all, and particularly for raising awareness of the importance of immunization for adults. She provides immunizations for Natick residents and students ranging in age of 6 months through adult. She is a member of the MAIC, and has presented posters at the 2012 and 2013 Adult Immunization Conferences. Leila has been active in the MA Association of Public Health Nurses, currently serving as Secretary on the state Board of Directors, and also as President of the regional Metrowest/Central Chapter. She received MAPHN’s Annual Public Health Nurse Award in 2013. She was inducted as a fellow by the Local Public Health Institute of MA in 2015.