Prevention Awards of Excellence

About the Awards

Each year, professionals, community members, youth, and Coalitions are recognized for their exemplary contributions to substance abuse prevention, problem gambling prevention, mental health promotion and the health of their communities.

The Prevention Awards of Excellence goals are to:

Identify superior substance use disorder prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, violence prevention and mental health promotion programs with exceptional outcomes that can be adopted or adapted by others,
Recognize outstanding community partners, including youth engaged in prevention efforts as well as honoring Tribal and Urban Indian work in prevention and,
Focus statewide attention on exceptional prevention work.

Nomination Process

Those interested in nominating individuals, groups or organizations for a Prevention Award of Excellence will fill out an official nomination packet, which details which category the nomination is for and the reasoning behind the nomination.

Nominations are available annually in Spring. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of HCA staff in addition to community volunteers using a formal evaluation process. Award recipients are selected and announced in Fall, often at the Washington State Prevention Summit.

Award Categories

Youth Leader (individual): School age youth in grades 6-12
Youth Leadership (club or group): School age youth in grades 6-12
Young Adult Leader: Young adults, aged 18-25, working in substance use disorder prevention, suicide prevention, or mental health promotion
Prevention Professional or Community Prevention Leader: Individuals associated with organization, business, agency, providing critical prevention and/or promotion support in their community
Tribal/UIO Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Individuals associated with a tribe(s) providing critical prevention and/or promotion support in their community
Community Coalition or other prevention or promotion group: Groups providing excellent prevention programs to a community
Contributions to Prevention by an Organization, Business or Agency: Entities in the community that assist or support coalition or group prevention activities
Early-Career Prevention Professional: Undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, or post doctoral prevention professionals who have made intellectual contributions to the generation or dissemination of scientific evidence regarding effective prevention programs and practices
Lifetime Achievement: Individuals who have made impactful contributions to their community or the prevention field as a whole - especially reserved for those who are soon to leave the workforce for well-earned retirement.

Award nominations for 2025 are closed. Thank you for your interest.

Please congratulate the recipients listed below, and look forward to upcoming information on the 2026 awards.

Past Award Recipients

2025

Youth Leadership - Individual: Angela Kruger
Youth Leadership - Individual: Lauren Day
Youth Leadership - Club or Group: Sunnyside School District Prevention Clubs
Youth Leadership - Club or Group: Clarkston EPIC Youth Coalition
Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Hollie Axel
Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Hope Baker
Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Dr. Crystal Collier
Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Ashley Hall
Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Maria Valle
Tribal/UIO Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Kayani Ell
Tribal/UIO Prevention Professional/Community Prevention Leader: Brittany Whitebird
Early Career Prevention Professional: Dr. Heather Terral
Lifetime Achievement: Linda Thompson
Lifetime Achievement: Debi Newsom
Honorable Mention: Karen Douglass
Honorable Mention: Tabitha Walter
Honorable Mention: Tamika LaMere

2024

Youth Leadership - WSU 4-H Teens helping Teens
Youth Leadership - Nexus: Mental Health Hub for Schools
Young Adult Leadership - Luke Fincher
Prevention Professional - Katya Miltimore
Prevention Professional - Francisco Jimenez
Prevention Professional - Dr. Christine Lee
Community Coalition - Clarkston EPIC Leadership Team
Organization, Business, or Agency - Safe Yakima Valley
Organization, Business, or Agency - Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center
Early Career Prevention Professional - Jordan Newburg
Lifetime Achievement - Michael Langer
Lifetime Achievement - Jackie Jamero Berganio

2023

Youth Leadership - Audrey Curtis
Prevention Professional - Samantha Stormont
Prevention Professional - Michelle Dower
Prevention Professional - Danielle Watkins
Lifetime Achievement - Leanne Reid
Lifetime Achievement - Mary Segawa
Lifetime Achievement - Laura Griner Hill
Organization, Business, or Agency - Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board
Implementation of a Prevention Program - Strengthening Families Program as presented by Blanca Hernandez
Early Career Prevention Professional - Sara Bumgardner

2022

Tribal Organization - Lummi Counseling Service
Youth Leadership - Althea Patterson
Prevention Professional - Julie Peterson
Prevention Professional - Lindsey Worley
Prevention Professional - Jose Ochoa
Community Coalition - West Spokane Wellness Partnership
Organization, Business, or Agency - MHA Speakout Speakup
Organization, Business, or Agency - West Central Community Center
Early Career Prevention Professional - Gitanjali Shrestha

Lifetime Achievement - Deb Drandoff
Lifetime Achievement - Scott Waller
Lifetime Achievement - Peggy Needham

2021

Prevention Professional - Haley Green
Prevention Professional - Holly McIntyre
Prevention Professional - Rebeca Natali Barrios
Tribal and Urban Indian Prevention Professional - Joe Hipp
Community Prevention Group - Forks Community Coalition - Cecilia Ashue and Philip Sifuentes
Contributions to Prevention by an Agency - Prevention Voices
Lifetime Achievement Recipient - David Harrelson
Lifetime Achievement Recipient - Seth Dawson

2020

Youth Leadership, Middle School - Garrison Middle School Prevention Club
Youth Leadership, High School - Amara Farah
Prevention Professional - Brenda Barrios
Prevention Professional - Carrie McKinley
Tribal and Urban Indian Prevention Professional - Larry Jackson, Jr.
Community Prevention Group - Forks Community Coalition - Cecilia Ashue and Philip Sifuentes
Implementation of Prevention Program - Cowlitz Tribe Healing of the Canoe Program
Contributions to Prevention by an Agency - Puget Sound Educational Service District Student Services and Intervention Service Program
Lifetime Achievement Recipient - Cynthia Stark-Wickman

Who can I contact for more information?
Martha Williams
Prevention System Manager
Martha.Williams@hca.wa.gov