Congratulations to GVNA Members Sheila Rogers and Dr. Celia McIntosh

Congratulations to Nurse Sheila Rogers and Dr. Celia McIntosh, who were honored during the 2022 Speak Life! Health Equity Conference for their work locally promoting health equity.

The 2022 Speak Life! Health Equity Conference took place April 23 on the online platform Whova. The conference featured keynote speaker Harriet Washington, MA, author of Medical Apartheid and Carte Blanche: The Erosion of Medical Consent; guest speaker Dr. S. Michelle Ogunwole, assistant professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and faculty, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity; emcee and change agent John Rodriguez, MA; and Wade Norwood, CEO of Common Ground Health.

Rogers, an ordained elder and nurse for more than 40 years, received the 2022 Dr. Weldon Thomas Faith and Medicine Award, which honors someone who believes health is impacted by spirituality and faith, and vice versa, and actively works in our community to impact both.

McIntosh, vice president of the Rochester Black Nurses Association and president of the Rochester Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking, received the Dr. Constantino "Tino" Fernandez Community Leadership and Advocacy Award. This award honors someone who has demonstrated an exemplary level of leadership, advocacy, and community engagement to positively impact the health of racial and ethnic minorities our region.